HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2405-3044CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, June 03, 2024
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
15.SECOND READING: Amendments to Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Chapter 2.27,
Historic Resources Board, Section 2.27.010 to Reduce Required Members from Seven to
Five, Reduce the Required Number of Professionals from Three to Two, and Expand the
Professional Fields Consistent with Certified Local Government (CLG) Requirements for
Historic Resources Boards; and to PAMC Section 2.27.030 (a) and (b) to Reduce Regular
Meetings to Once per Month and Reduce the Size of a Local Quorum to Three Members
(FIRST READING: May 13, 2024 PASSED 6-1, Kou no)
City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: June 3, 2024
Report #:2405-3044
TITLE
SECOND READING: Amendments to Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Chapter 2.27, Historic
Resources Board, Section 2.27.010 to Reduce Required Members from Seven to Five, Reduce
the Required Number of Professionals from Three to Two, and Expand the Professional Fields
Consistent with Certified Local Government (CLG) Requirements for Historic Resources Boards;
and to PAMC Section 2.27.030 (a) and (b) to Reduce Regular Meetings to Once per Month and
Reduce the Size of a Local Quorum to Three Members (FIRST READING: May 13, 2024 PASSED
6-1, Kou no)
BACKGROUND
This was heard by the City Council on May 13, 2024 for a first reading and was approved 6-1,
Kou no. No changes were made to the ordinance; it is now before you for a second reading.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Ordinance modifying PAMC Chapter 2.27 Sections 2.27.010 and 2.27
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
NOT YET APPROVED
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Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Chapter 2.27 (Historic Resources Board) of the Palo Alto Municipal
Code (PAMC) to Reduce the Number of Historic Resources Board
Members from Seven to Five
SECTION 1. Findings and Declarations.
A. The City of Palo Alto is a Certified Local Government (CLG) with obligations to maintain a
historic resources board of at least five members with at least two members in
professions set forth by the State Office of Historic Preservation.
B. Recent recruitment for the Historic Resources Board have not yielded sufficient
candidates to fill all open seats or sufficient open seats to maintain a four-member
quorum of the Board.
SECTION 2. Section 2.27.010 (Historic Resources Board) of Chapter 2.27 (Historic
Resources Board) of Title 2 (Administrative Code) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) is
amended to read as follows (additions underlined and deletions struck-through):
2.27.010 Historic Resources Board.
The Historic Resources Board shall be composed of seven five members appointed by
the city council and serving without pay. Members shall have demonstrated interest in and
knowledge of history, architecture, or historic preservation. One member shall be an
owner/occupant of a category 1 or 2 historic structure, or of a structure in a historic district;
three Two members shall be professionals in the disciplines of architecture, architectural
history, planning, landscape architecture, or related disciplines, or pre-historic and historic
archeology, folklore, cultural anthropology, curation, or conservation architects, landscape
architects, building designers or other design professionals and at least one member shall
possess academic education or practical experience in history or a related field such as
American studies, American civilization, or cultural geography. The Palo Alto Historical
Association shall be given notice of vacancies on the board and shall be encouraged to have its
members submit applications.
SECTION 3. Section 2.27.030 (Organization) of Chapter 2.27 (Historic Resources Board)
of Title 2 (Administrative Code) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) is amended to read as
follows (additions underlined and deletions struck-through):
2.27.030 Organization.
(a) The Board shall hold meetings twice monthly or at the pleasure of the chairperson, but
no fewer than four meetings per year.
(b) and The Board shall establish such rules as may be appropriate and necessary for the
orderly conduct of its business, consistent with City Council guidelines for boards and
commissions.
(c) The Board shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from its membership who shall
serve in such capacity for terms of one year each, or until a successor is elected. The
NOT YET APPROVED
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chairperson shall preside over meetings of the board, and in the absence or disability of the
chairperson, the vice chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson.
(bd) Four Three members shall constitute a quorum and decisions of the board shall be
determined by majority vote of those members present at the meeting. Action minutes shall be
kept by the Board.
SECTION 4. Any provision of the Palo Alto Municipal Code or appendices thereto
inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no
further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this
Ordinance.
SECTION 5. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is
for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent
jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each
and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or
unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 6. The Council finds that the adoption of this ordinance is exempt from the
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section
15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in
question may have a significant effect on the environment.
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NOT YET APPROVED
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SECTION 7. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first date after the date of its
adoption.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
NOT PARTICIPATING:
ATTEST:
____________________________ ____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
____________________________ ____________________________
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
____________________________
Director of Planning & Development
Services