HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2312-2326 City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: January 16, 2024
Report #:2312-2326
TITLE
Adopt an Ordinance to Expand the Public Art Commission (PAC) from Five to Seven Members;
CEQA status - not a project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance to expand the Public Art
Commission from five to seven members.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In June 2020, the Public Art Commission was reduced from seven members to five at the direction
of Council.1 On December 4, 2023, Mayor Kou and Vice Mayor Stone presented a Colleagues’
Memo2 to the Council recommending the City Council direct staff to schedule a Consent Calendar
item for City Council to restore the PAC to seven members. A motion passed unanimously to
proceed with a Consent Calendar item and staff is now returning with the attached ordinance to
formally make this change. The ordinance will stagger the two seats so only a portion of the
Commission will change each year. The term of the seats will remain three (3) years.
Existing Staggering Schedule:
Seat Current Term Expiration Date Next Term
1 March 31, 2024 April 2024-March 2027
2 March 31, 2024 April 2024-March 2027
3 March 31, 2025 April 2025-March 2028
4 March 31, 2025 April 2025-March 2028
5 March 31, 2025 April 2025-March 2028
1 City Council, June 22, 2020; Item #29; SR#11424,
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/agendas-minutes-reports/reports/city-manager-reports-
cmrs/year-archive/2020/id-11424.pdf?t=72303.63
2 City Council, December 4, 2023; Item #12; Report # 2311-2244,
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=37038514-797e-4ba8-8d09-b38b24b5aef7
If the ordinance is approved, Council may select four Commissioners in the upcoming recruitment
process – two commissioners that have three -year terms and two Commissioners that will have
two-year partial terms. Seats 6 and 7 will revert to regular three-year terms in April 2026.
New Staggering Schedule:
Seat Current Term Expiration Date Next Term
1 March 31, 2024 April 2024 – March 2027
2 March 31, 2024 April 2024 – March 2027
3 March 31, 2025 April 2025 – March 2028
4 March 31, 2025 April 2025 – March 2028
5 March 31, 2025 April 2025 – March 2028
6 (new)(new)April 2024 – March 2026
7 (new)(new)April 2024 – March 2026
RESOURCE IMPACT
Increasing the Commission size to seven members will increase demands on staff to support the
administration of the PAC, however; overall, staff will be positively impacted by this change as
there will be greater opportunities for ad hoc committees to advance work of the Commission. A
larger decision-making body will allow for diverse perspectives in the selection of the public art
including commissioned artists and locations for temporary and permanent art within Palo Alto.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This item is brought forward as part of the Council’s motion from December 4, 2023. No
additional stakeholder engagement was performed.
The motion also included a referral to Policy & Services Committee to “review with the Public Art
Commission the respective role of the Public Art Commission staff, stakeholders, and the Council
in public art decision in relation to placement and themes of art.” Staff anticipates placing this
on a Policy & Services Committee agenda later this year.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving this ordinance is not a project within the meaning of CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Ordinance Expanding the Public Art Commission from Five to Seven Members
APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director