HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2303-1151CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, March 27, 2023
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:00 PM
Agenda Item
5.Adopt an Ordinance to Expand the Human Relations Commission (HRC) from Five to
Seven Members; CEQA status – not a project
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City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: March 27, 2023
Report #:2303-1151
TITLE
Adopt an Ordinance to Expand the Human Relations Commission (HRC) from Five to Seven
Members; CEQA status – not a project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance to expand the Human
Relations Commission from five to seven members.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
On March 6, 2023, the City Council moved to increase the membership of the City’s Human
Relations Commission from five to seven members. In June 2020, this Commission was reduced
from seven members to five at the direction of Council.1 Staff return with the attached ordinance
to make the change and increase the membership of the HRC to seven members. The ordinance
will stagger the two new seats so that only a portion of the Commission will change each year.
The term of these seats will remain three (3) years.
Existing Staggering Schedule: Two Seats end in 2023, Three Seats end in 2025
Seat Current Term Expiration Date Next Term
1
2 March 31, 2023 April 2023-March 2026
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4
5
March 31, 2025 April 2025-March 2028
1 See staff report from June 22, 2020 at https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-
reports/reports/city-manager-reports-cmrs/year-archive/2020/id-11424.pdf?t=72303.63
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New Staggering Schedule: Two new seats will end in 2024, then will have regular three-year
terms.
Seat Current Term Expiration Date Next Term
1
2 March 31, 2023 April 2023-March 2026
3 (new)
4 (new)March 31, 2024 April 2024-March 2027
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6
7
March 31, 2025 April 2025-March 2028
If this ordinance is approved, Council may select four commissioners in the current recruitment
process – two commissioners that will have three-year terms (Seats 1 and 2), and two
commissioners that will have one-year terms (Seats 3 and 4). The two commissioners
appointed to one-year terms will start their terms upon the effective date of this ordinance or
upon appointment by Council, whichever is later.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Increasing the commission size to seven members will increase demands on staff to support the
administration of the HRC. Staff are responsible for scheduling, doing research to answer
Commissioner questions, and ensuring compliance with the Brown Act and local bylaws and
rules. Staff will have to dedicate additional time to accommodate two additional members.
This will be absorbed within existing staff levels.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This item is being put forth at Council’s request from March 6, 2023. No additional stakeholder
engagement was performed.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving this ordinance is not a project within the meaning of CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Ordinance Expanding the Human Relations Commission from Five to Seven
Members
APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director
*Not Yet Approved*
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266_20230313_ts24
Ordinance No._____
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending PAMC Section
2.22.010 to Expand the Human Relations Commission from Five to Seven
Members
The Council of the City of Palo Alto ORDAINS as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. The City has a Human Relations Commission as detailed in Chapter 2.22 of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code.
B. The City Council desires to expand the membership of the Human Relations Commission
from five to seven members.
C. The two new members shall initially have one-year terms in order to stagger the
introduction of new members as detailed in Section 3 of this ordinance.
SECTION 2. Section 2.22.010 (Membership) of Chapter 2.22 (Human Relations
Commission) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) is hereby amended and restated as follows
(deleted text is in strikethrough, new text is underlined):
2.22.010 Membership.
There is created a human relations commission composed of five seven members who are not
council members, officers or employees of the city, who are residents of the city, and who shall
be appointed by the city council.
SECTION 3. The two new seats on the Human Relations Commission created by this
ordinance shall initially have shortened terms to expire on March 31, 2024, subject to extension
under the provisions of PAMC 2.22.020 (Term of office). After that, successive terms shall be
consistent with the term lengths in PAMC section 2.22.020 and any other applicable section of
the PAMC. This Section 3 shall be uncodified.
SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any
reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion or
sections of the Ordinance. The Council hereby declares that it should have adopted the
Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the
fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared
invalid.
*Not Yet Approved*
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266_20230313_ts24
SECTION 5. The Council finds that this project is exempt from the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), pursuant to Section 15061 of the CEQA
Guidelines, because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance
will have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 6. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of its
adoption.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:
____________________________ ____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
____________________________ ____________________________
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
____________________________
Director, Community Services Department