HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2501-3976CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Council Chambers & Hybrid
9:00 AM
Agenda Item
A.City Council Retreat: Discussion and Selection of the 2025 City Council Priorities
Staff Presentation, Public Comment
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: 2025 ANNUAL COUNCIL RETREAT PROGRAM
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: January 25, 2025
Report #:2501-3976
TITLE
City Council Retreat: Discussion and Selection of the 2025 City Council Priorities
RECOMMENDATION
Receive key inputs for 2025 Priority Setting including Community and Councilmember feedback;
and that the Council adopt the 2025 Priorities.
BACKGROUND
Each year the Council reviews its priorities at its Annual Council Retreat. There is a goal of no
more than three to four priorities per year. A Council priority is defined as a topic that will
receive particular and significant attention during the year1. The 2024 Council Priorities are:
•Economic Development and Transition
•Climate Change and the Natural Environment: Protection and Adaptation
•Housing for Social and Economic Balance
•Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
ANALYSIS
Following the Policy and Services Committee (P&S) recommendation from the December 10,
20242 meeting and in consultation with the Mayor, the Annual Retreat agenda has been
updated and included in Attachment A. This report outlines and provides context for each of
the agenda items.
1 City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook, page 35,
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/6/city-clerk/city-charterprocedures/2024-adopted-council-
protocols-and-procedures-manual-10.2024.pdf
2 Policy & Services Committee Meeting 12/10/2024
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=14557
The retreat will begin with welcoming remarks by the Mayor, and introductory comments from
each Council member.
Staff will then review key inputs (Item 3) to assist the Council in its priority setting discussion
including a look back at highlights from the progress made in 2024. This will be followed by
Public Comment, another key input.
The Council will then discuss and finalize its 2025 Priorities (item 4). This will be followed by a
discussion of strategies to achieve the goals of those priorities (item 5), specifically including a
discussion of the Council standing and ad hoc (temporary) committees planned for the year.
Staff anticipates this will include discussion of Council engagement on the priorities as well as
community engagement, and management of resources. As time permits, Council can begin
initial discussions on 2025 Objectives (item 6), while recognizing that this will necessarily be an
initial discussion since staff will need to return at a subsequent meeting after evaluating what
can be accomplished within available resources. Finally, the retreat will conclude with a debrief
and next steps (item 7) which will include staff returning with recommended Objectives and
Committee workplans.
Definitions
Throughout this report and our ongoing discussion of priorities, a few terms are used
frequently, with specific definitions:
Priority – One of the 3-4 focus topics that the City Council has selected for specific
attention in order to address community needs.
Objective – A discrete project or milestone intended to be achieved within the year.
Strategy – A new term this year, reflecting an overarching approach to managing an
issue, reflecting a long-term or multidimensional perspective.
Agenda Item 3. Discuss Key Inputs
As part of the Priority Setting process, the Handbook outlines that staff solicit input from the
Council and the public on the priorities to be reviewed and considered for the following year.
In addition to the inputs described below, the annual Palo Alto Community Survey provides a
periodic snapshot of residents’ perspectives. A Council study session on this survey was held on
December 9, 20243.
3 Council Study Session on Palo Alto Community Survey Results:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/meetings/ItemWithTemplateType?id=6566&meetingTemplateType=2&comp
iledMeetingDocumentId=12534
Council Feedback on Priorities
At its December 10, 2024 meeting, the Policy and Services Committee (P&S) reviewed the 2024
Council Priorities and proposed 2025 priority setting process. The Committee’s only specific
recommendation came from Chair Kou recommending the Council consider edits to the Climate
Change Priority as suggested by Councilmember Veenker: “Climate and Sustainability Action
and Adaptation (our goal is not Climate Change, it is Climate Action).” All Councilmember
survey responses are included in Attachment B.
Community Feedback on Council Priorities
The City released an online survey seeking community input on Council priorities for 2025. The
survey was conducted December 9, 2024- January 6, 2025 and collected a total of 431
community responses.
In addition to answering a general open-ended question on what 2025 priorities the Council
should adopt, the survey asked respondents to prioritize the 2024 Council Priorities.
Survey Results:
QUESTION 1: Prioritize the 2024 City Council Priorities.
Average priorities over 431 responses:
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
QUESTION 2: What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
302 respondents answered the open-ended question with the following themes shared (in
alphabetical order):
•Climate and Environment
•Community Building
•Economic Development
•Fiscal Responsibility
•Housing
•Infrastructure & Utilities
•Public Safety
Attachment C provides a more in-depth summary of the responses, including answers to open-
ended comments and feedback. This attachment also provides emails received by the City
Council on this topic through January 8, 2025.
Agenda Item 4. Selection of 2025 Council Priorities
To aid future retreats and priority setting processes, the Council Protocols and Procedures
Handbook also articulates a set of value statements that represent long-term goals and vision
for the community. The Palo Alto City Council has universally shared values that help guide our
decisions and the work we do. These values state that the Council will make decisions that:
1. Balance revenues and expenses, now and in the future.
2. Are environmentally sustainable, now and in the future.
3. Will integrate equity into our decisions, considering how decisions affect people
differently based on their identity or circumstances.
4. Create a healthy, safe and welcoming community for all.
5. Will safeguard public trust through transparent practices and open communication.
6. Will embrace innovation.
Acknowledging that no individual issue area is more important than another, the set of values
recognizes a balanced and wholistic approach to Council policy setting.
The purpose of establishing priorities is to assist the Council and staff to better allocate and
utilize time for discussion and decision making. Adhering to our established policy of focusing
on a maximum of four priorities each year supports our effectiveness and meaningful progress
on key issues. At the 2024 Annual Retreat, Council elected to continue the prior year’s
priorities, shifting discussion toward longer term strategic approach to issues and initiatives.
With two new councilmembers, the 2025 Annual Retreat is the time to revisit priorities to
ensure alignment with both fresh perspectives and emerging issues. Staff recommends that the
Council again, take a longer-term strategic approach, focusing on issues and initiatives over a
two-year period to allow for sustained progress and meaningful impact on priorities.
Agenda Item 5. Discussion on Strategies to Achieve Priorities
The retreat provides an opportunity for Council to engage in a discussion of the “big picture”
vision of what the Council would like to achieve over the year, and how the City’s decision-
making structure should be used to this end. There may be overarching approaches, or
strategies, that the Council will want to consider determining how best to advance its priorities.
To begin that discussion, staff has identified a few questions:
1. How does the Council envision its engagement in advancing the Priorities? If involving ad
hoc committees, what should the committees be and what specific goals will be assigned to
each committee?
At its 2024 Annual Retreat, the Council took a strategic approach to advancing its identified
priorities, engaging in a thoughtful discussion on its envisioned role in each priority. This
approach included the identification of ad hoc committees to advance specific goals. In 2024,
there were seven Ad Hoc committees in addition to the Council’s Standing Committees
(Finance, Policy & Services, Council Appointed Officers, and City/Schools Liaison): Retail,
Stanford, Housing, Climate Action, Rail, Cubberley and El Camino Real, with the first five
identified at the retreat and the last two added during the year. Ad hoc committee activities
were reviewed at a Council Study Session on December 16, 20244.
On December 10, 2024 The Policy and Services Committee discussed and recognized that while
the creation of the various ad hoc committees helped advance Council Priorities, the time and
level of effort required to support the number of committees, including standing committees,
stretched staff resources to the point of not being sustainable.
Staff reported that the current committee structure presents several challenges. First, the
scope and purpose of some ad hoc Committees have evolved to address broad subject areas
rather than specific topics. This development is not aligned with the purpose of ad hocs as
outlined in the Council Handbook, and creates the need to follow Brown Act procedures.
Second, this broad focus has led to an indefinite duration for many ad hocs, which is a workload
management challenge. Finally, much of the work funneled to ad hocs could be addressed
within existing Standing Committees, ensuring that the nature of the work aligns with
organizational priorities and makes better use of staff resources and capacity.
Staff recommends Council determine the ad hoc committees for 2025, reducing the number of
ad hoc committees to align with the number of Council priorities (no more than 3-4).
•To the extent continued hoc committees can be combined. For example, work
envisioned on Cubberley could be combined with Housing.
•Continuing work on rail grade separations is now entering a period of engineering over
many months, such that Rail Committee work could integrated into Policy & Services or
at least reduce the frequency of meetings to bimonthly or as needed.
•Liaison with Stanford University has traditionally been handled by the Mayor.
2. Are there research projects or strategic questions that need to be answered in order to
advance Council’s vision for each priority?
Depending on possible overarching questions, there may be the need for follow-up work by
staff. As one example, it is clear that current funding sources are insufficient for the affordable
housing production required by the Housing Element. Is there a process needed to evaluate
options and develop a funding strategy? to develop new workplans and for Council to prioritize
4 Council Study Session on Ad Hoc Committee Activities 12/16/2024:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/meetings/ItemWithTemplateType?id=6707&meetingTemplateType=2&comp
iledMeetingDocumentId=12596
new strategies among existing work. Subject to Council discussion of strategies, staff will follow
up and return with recommendations accordingly.
Agenda Item 6. Initial Discussion of 2025 Objectives
Objectives are primarily defined as Council actions and engagement necessary during the
calendar year to advance the stated priorities. Objectives are developed to align with and
implement a Priority; they are time-bound and measurable. Following SMARTIE principles—
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely, Inclusive, and Equitable—Objectives outline
the actions planned for the coming 12 months.
Following the adoption of Council Priorities in January, staff will evaluate existing Council-
directed projects and workplans, as well as new legal or procedural mandates at the federal,
state, or local levels that advance each Priority. A list of recommended Objectives will be
presented to the Council beginning in February or March. This list will reflect careful
consideration of capacity and resource requirements needed to implement and complete each
Objective. Once adopted, a quarterly progress report is presented to Council. The 2024 Council
Priorities and Objectives Q4 update was provided to Council on January 21, 20245
This agenda item provides the opportunity for Council to discuss and provide feedback on
Objectives to consider in 2025.
Agenda Item 7. Next Steps
The final item on the agenda will close the retreat with a Council debrief of major actions taken
and provide next steps for finalization of 2025 Objectives and Committee Workplans.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The community and the City Council have been solicited for their input and suggestions
regarding the priorities. The community was engaged through the Open City Hall survey
platform as well as email communication to City Council directly through
city.council@cityofpaloalto.org.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because the Council Retreat and
discussion on the 2025 Priorities is a continuing administrative or maintenance activity (general
policy and procedure making. CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b)(2).
5 Council FYI 1/21/2025 Agenda Item Number 13 on 2024 Council Priorities and Objectives Q4 Update:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=15920
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: 2025 Annual Council Retreat Agenda
Attachment B: Council and Council-elect Survey Responses on 2025 Priorities
Attachment C: Community Survey on 2025 Council Priorities
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager
ATTACHMENT C
City Council 2025 Annual Retreat
WORKING AGENDA
January 25, 2025
9:00AM-3:00PM
Mitchell Park Community Center, El Palo Alto Room
Time Item Minutes
9:00AM 1. Welcome by Mayor and City Manager
Goal and purpose, expectations and meeting norms
Overview of the day
5 Min
9:05AM 2. Introductions
Introductory comments from each Council member, “Sharing their Why”
35 Min
9:40AM 3. Discuss Key Inputs
Community survey on priorities
Highlights of 2024 Accomplishments
30 Min
10:10AM Public Comment 30 Min
10:40AM Break 10 Min
10:50AM 4. Selection of 2025 Council Priorities
Changes or refinements
40 Min
11:30PM 5. Discussion on Strategies to Achieve Priorities
Organization of Council Ad hoc committees
Research projects needed to develop strategies?
What are the strategic issues, major variables, and funding needs
90 Min
1:00PM Break 30 Min
1:30PM 6. Initial discussion of 2025 Objectives 60 Min
2:30PM 7. Next Steps
Staff to Return with Recommended Objectives
Committee workplans
30 Min
3:00PM Adjournment
ATTACHMENT B
Council and Council-elect Survey Responses on 2025 Priorities
Per the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook process, the Policy & Services Committee
recommends to the Council, which suggestions if any, should be considered at the Annual Retreat. The
Council and Council-elect were surveyed November 15 - November 27 on recommended 2025 Priorities
for the Policy & Services Committee to consider, below are the responses received.
Councilmember Veenker
“I suggest:
•Climate and Sustainability Action and Adaptation (our goal is not Climate Change, it is Climate
Action)
•Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
•Economic Development
•Housing for Social & Economic Balance”
Councilmember-elect Lu
“I realize the final priorities will probably evolve incrementally, so I'm taking some refinements /
prioritization with existing priorities. My hope is to have the clearest possible milestones (or finish)
projects that make it into our final list.”
“My top 3 (unranked):
1. Housing for Economic Balance
o Clear milestones for the San Antonio + Downtown plans
o Finalize plans + restart Buena Vista redevelopment
o Implementation of Housing Element Goals
2. Economic Development
o Clear milestones for Cal Ave / University streetscapes (i.e. designs and funding?)
o Implement another round of retail streamlining ordinances, focused on a more complex
set of zoning issues (including parking)
o Permanent parklet ordinance (with as much simplicity + documentation for
3. Community Safety and Wellness
o Taking a Vision Zero goal (with a deadline and plan to fund improvements) coming out
of our Safe Systems / Bike and Pedestrian planning processes
o TBD milestones for mental health resources (with a focus on youth)”
Councilmember Lauing
ATTACHMENT B
Each of this year’s objectives is massive and requires a multi-year approach. As I have reflected on this, I
don’t see any objective more crucial than what we already have. And we don’t want to change key
objectives just for the novelty of it. If anything, I could see dropping the word “transition” this year on
the economic recovery objective as we are far from the pandemic. This could help emphasize that this
objective is not just about retail.
Councilmember Lythcott-Haims
Keep same priorities.
Councilmember Kou
1. Preservation & Expansion of the Natural Environment including Palo Alto’s tree canopy and open
spaces.
2. Defend Palo Alto’s Charter against State mandates
3. Fiscal Frugality
Councilmember Burt
I don’t have recommendations for changes to the priorities, but I listed below in [bullets] some areas
that I would like to prioritized to advance these priorities.
Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
•A summary and communication program on recent and planned permitting and inspection
streamlining related to solar, energy storage, and electrification appliances.
Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
•Identification of expanded or enhanced special events to date and those projected for 2025
resulting from additions made to special events staffing.
Economic Development & Transition
•A plan with milestones for Cal Ave and University Ave downtowns nearer term improvements,
including a permanent parklet program for Cal Ave early in Q1 2025.
•A summary and communication program of recent and planned retail related permit
streamlining.
Housing for Social & Economic Balance
ATTACHMENT C
2025 Council Priorities Survey Results
To inform the City Council’s discussion at their annual retreat on January 25, 2025, the City
released an online survey seeking community input on priorities for the coming year.
Staff released an Open Town Hall survey through OpenGov on December 9, 2024, which closed
on January 6, 2025. The survey forum had 578 visitors and gained 431 community responses,
compared with 483 visitors and 396 responses in 2024.
Different from previous years, the survey also asked the community to prioritize last year’s 2024
Council Priorities.
This online survey is one data point to complement other feedback received throughout the
year such as:
•The annual 2024 Community Satisfaction Survey
•Neighborhood Town Hall meeting input and other community engagement efforts
•Direct input to the Council via email
•Feedback through participation at City Council and Boards, Commissions and Committee
meetings
Summary of Specific Feedback for 2025 City Council Priorities Discussion
QUESTION 1: Prioritize the 2024 City Council Priorities.
Average priorities over 431 responses:
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
QUESTION 2: What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
A summary of input received through the online survey is noted in this cover report and the full
report including individual responses is attached in its entirety.
302 respondents answered the open-ended question with the following themes summarized:
(in alphabetical order)
Climate and Environment-Prioritizing electrification and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, clean
energy initiatives, such as heat pumps and solar adoption, plus preserving biodiversity, reducing
noise pollution, and implementing bird-friendly and dark-sky policies.
Community Building- Investment in programs and spaces, recreational options, plus more civic
engagement and communication between the City and residents.
Economic Development- Revitalization of commercial districts like University Ave. and Cal Ave.,
reducing retail vacancies, increasing vibrant community spaces, plus need for faster permit
processes.
Fiscal Responsibility- Comments about use of consultants, cost-efficiencies/budget
management, and rising utility rates.
Housing- Prioritizing affordable housing, concerns about and support for high-density housing,
housing impacts on traffic/infrastructure, and more mixed-use developments near transit.
Infrastructure & Utilities- Enhance mobility such as bike lanes, roads and public transportation,
support undergrounding utilities and flood control measures.
Public Safety- Comments about crime, traffic enforcement, and pedestrian safety, plus
improving infrastructure to reduce accidents and enhance safety in neighborhoods.
Other:
• Some feedback received advocates for limiting new housing to preserve neighborhood
character.
• Some feedback received calls for needing bold climate policies while other comments
share opposition to electrification mandates.
QUESTION 3: In which neighborhood area do you live?
This optional question provides details in the report about where respondents live in Palo Alto.
1 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
Contents
i.Summary of responses 2
ii.Survey questions 5
iii.Individual responses 6
Summary Of Responses
As of January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM, this forum had:Topic Start Topic End
Attendees:578 December 9, 2024, 3:34 PM January 6, 2025, 12:00 PM
Responses:431
Hours of Public Comment:21.6
QUESTION 1
Prioritize the 2024 City Council Priorities.
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
QUESTION 2
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Answered 302
Skipped 129
QUESTION 3
In which neighborhood area do you live? [Optional]
%Count
Adobe Meadow 2.9%12
Barron Park 5.7%23
Barron Square 1.2%5
Charleston Garden/Greenhouse 2.0%8
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
%Count
Charleston Meadow 2.7%11
Charleston Village 0.2%1
College Terrace 3.9%16
Community Center 5.7%23
Crescent Park 9.8%40
Downtown North 6.9%28
Duveneck/St. Francis 7.1%29
Esther Park 0.5%2
Evergreen 2.7%11
Fairmeadow 2.0%8
Greenmeadow 2.5%10
Leland Manor 4.9%20
Mayfield 0.5%2
Meadow Park 0.2%1
Midtown 13.3%54
Miranda 0.2%1
Monroe Park 0.2%1
Old Palo Alto 5.9%24
Palo Alto Central 0.7%3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
%Count
Palo Alto Hills 0.2%1
Palo Alto Orchards/Monroe Park 0.2%1
Palo Verde 2.9%12
Sand Hill Corridor 0.5%2
Southgate 1.2%5
Triple El 1.0%4
University South (Plus Professorville)7.6%31
Ventura 3.9%16
Walnut Grove 0.5%2
4 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Survey Questions
QUESTION 1
Prioritize the 2024 City Council Priorities.
• Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
• Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
• Economic Development & Transition
• Housing for Social & Economic Balance
QUESTION 2
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt
for 2025?
QUESTION 3
In which neighborhood area do you live? [Optional]
• Adobe Meadow
• Barron Park
• Barron Square
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
• Charleston Meadow
• Charleston Village
• College Terrace
• Community Center
• Crescent Park
• Downtown North
• Duveneck/St. Francis
• Esther Park
• Evergreen
• Fairmeadow
• Greenacres I
• Creenacres II
• Greendell
• Greenmeadow
• Leland Manor
• Mayfield
• Meadow Park
• Midtown
• Miranda
• Monroe Park
• Old Palo Alto
• Palo Alto Central
• Palo Alto Hills
• Palo Alto Orchards/Monroe Park
• Palo Verde
• San Alma HOA
• Sand Hill Corridor
• Southgate
• Triple El
• University South (Plus Professorville)
• Ventura
• Walnut Grove
5 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Individual Responses
Olenka Villarreal
in Crescent Park
December 9, 2024, 9:34 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
I am one of many who have met with our Mayor and others on council, as
part of a large and growing group of Palo Alto residents who ask council to
focus on our city: beautify our downtown, California Ave. and help create
programs for us. Please save our precious tax dollars and resist outside
consultants who know little about what locals seek. Please look to Los
Altos, Burlingame, Mountain View, Santa Clara and so many others
around us who are creating vibrant downtowns complete with an amazing
cadence of programs too. Many of us locals are going there more and
more for our dining, shopping and fun.
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 11, 2024, 10:05 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Denser housing and public transportation along busy corridors.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 7:32 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 7:41 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Revitalize University Ave now!
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 7:44 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 7:44 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Work on making Palo Alto's shopping districts more like Los Altos, which
has a lively vibe and doesn't look like it's dying.
Safety, including traffic improvements for cars, bikes, and pedestrians.
Housing in appropriate areas of the city.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Ken Horowitz
in University Park
December 12, 2024, 7:50 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
1.Focus on getting the Cubberley community center plans to the «finish
line» so residents will have a bond measure to vote on in 2026
2.Explore a sugary drink tax (similar to that recently passed by Santa
Cruz voters) that will raise funds to support the local community including
resources for youth mental health and expanding recreational programs
for children and seniors
3.Initiate the economic re-development of downtown ((University
Avenue)
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 7:56 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY!!! Stop wasting OUR money on useless
consultants and absentee staffers. You think you have a blank check to
keep raising our utility rates and then wonder why no one can afford to go
shopping!
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:08 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 12, 2024, 8:09 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
Stronger support for organizations that build community and empower
individuals, families and neighborhoods to take charge of their own
material and spiritual well-being.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Evergreen Park
December 12, 2024, 8:09 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Attract more business to California ave. Incentives to upgrade old
commercial buildings. New Molly stone
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 12, 2024, 8:15 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1. a much faster transition to heat pumps AND insulation to reduce the
need to spend so much on upgrading our distribution grid. This should
also lessen the pressure on rapidly rising rates.
2. Enforce our codes. I live on a block with an active private school
operated by a billionaire explicitly without a use permit. Despite multiple
concerns expressed to the city, the school continues to operate.
2. Create a way for private philanthropy to support the city's needs for
affordable housing and climate action, inspired by what has been done
with our public schools.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:19 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Housing, retail corridors improvement, community building
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:23 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:26 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Making Palo Alto livable for current residents, not just future ones--like
recognizing traffic is a huge issue and don't fantasize about how more
housing density can happen without making that problem worse n
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Greenmeadow
December 12, 2024, 8:38 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:42 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Southgate
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 8:54 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Long-term plan for shuttle and ride share (Link)
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 9:19 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Increasing housing and policing
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 12, 2024, 9:48 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Mental health
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 9:59 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Restore Palo Alto’s supply of affordable middle-income single- family
homes: Keep lots with multiple small homes from being bought & turned
into a single large house; The city can buy large homes on large lots and
replace with smaller homes that can be resold. Expand the BMR program
to include not just low-income residents but middle-income residents
(teachers, police, firefighters, city government workers earning mid-range
salaries) who can no longer afford to buy in Palo Alto…create a
community of people who want to own a home here because they love the
city & contribute to it, not because they want to flip a house for a profit or
have a tax write-off. If we can get middle income families into mid-sized
houses, we free up condos for retirees & singles and apartments for low-
income neighbors…
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 10:02 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
As above
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 10:13 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Healthy Cities
Heathy Palo Alto
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not shown
in Barron Park
December 12, 2024, 10:24 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Same as the above.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not shown
in Evergreen Park
December 12, 2024, 10:27 PM
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
No response
Question 2
I don’t want any more office developments, and I strongly object to the
massive 17-story tower planned for the current Mollie Stones site. People
living there can’t use the train to do most shopping. Elderly people and
parents will need to use cars for many errands since bus routes are very
limited in Palo Alto. So, this huge development will need many parking
spaces and will cause car congestion.
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 10:40 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 12, 2024, 10:57 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Improving Palo Alto for young children
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 11:35 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Economic development
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
December 12, 2024, 11:47 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 6:47 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
My 20 year olds will never be able to live here. Too expensive and no work
for them to support themselves. That is really sad. So what will ultimately
happen?
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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It would be great if we can shake up this community bubble a bit. However
economic balance and housing will not be the only thing that helps. In
order to be able to get economic balancing there should be all kinds of
jobs and changes to live here doing the jobs.
Question 3
• Walnut Grove
Jon Richards
in Crescent Park
December 13, 2024, 6:50 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
While speeding on residential streets may not be a top priority, I would
like to see more attention to this issue.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 7:00 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Improve the rate of hiring new police officers and firefighters
Question 3
• Monroe Park
Name not shown
in Ventura
December 13, 2024, 7:13 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Pedestrian safety, including encouraging vehicles to stop on El Camino
for red pedestrian lights. Affordable housing, including encouraging
owners to rent to Santa Clara County Housing Authority voucher holders.
Bathroom facilities at city parks.
Question 3
• Ventura
Lawrence Garwin
in Community Center
December 13, 2024, 8:39 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
2025 Palo Alto City Council Priorities
(In no particular order, so please read the entire list. Thank you for your
kind consideration of these suggested Council priorities.)
Continue focus on reducing climate change. (More detailed suggestions
below.)
Roads:
Resurface dangerously bumpy bike lanes. Be sure they are kept free of
obstructions, such as waste bins; the one by the high school that is
eastbound on Churchill from Alma to Emerson was frequently blocked,
forcing cyclists into the heavy vehicle lane.
Install and diligently maintain reflective paint, reflectors, and warning
signs on all bulb-outs, medians, traffic circles, etc., that narrow biking and
driving lanes throughout the city. (Car tire strikes have darkened or
12 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
removed much of the reflective paint and reflectors, where there was
any.) Currently, many of these create a huge hazard in that someone
going straight down a street (particularly in the bike lane) can easily hit
them without warning. Design future ones and possibly retrofit current
ones to have a soft landing spot, such as a bush, for cyclists who hit these
curbs and flip over their handle bars. (This is a serious suggestion.)
Review all roadway signs, starting with those along bikeways, that say,
“Not a Through Street”. Amend them, as appropriate, to say, “for motor
vehicles” or “except for bicycles and pedestrians”, as often there’s a path
out the other end. Make all signage throughout the city appropriate for
bicyclists (and pedestrians, where appropriate), as they are legitimate
road users and must be encouraged to reduce climate change, pollution,
and the ills of sedentary living. Clarify, perhaps with CA DMV
collaboration, whether bicycles are considered “vehicles” and have
signage reflect this standard.
Air:
Enforce the existing gasoline leaf blower ban, expand it to be city-wide
(not just for residential properties) and cover all landscaping tools. Make
available a more effective downloadable flyer for folks to share with
offending property owners and yard care workers. State the amount of
the fine. Create a reporting tool for easy, anonymous, offense reporting.
Have warnings sent out without the need for staff intervention.
Ban all indoor fireplace wood fires, as they destroy the air quality for
blocks around the offender’s home and are truly ineffective at heating the
home.
Require all wood stoves to be low emission and fed with outdoor air;
catalytic converters and pellet stoves allow relatively clean wood burning
and outside air intakes substantially lower the emissions from burning
wood in a well-sealed house and the air infiltration in a leaky house.
Consider banning all indoor wood burning and further regulating outdoor
fires.
Support building and transportation electrification to displace fossil fuel
use, including evening peak-electric-load gas peaker plants.
Encourage the adoption of electric vehicles by people living in multi unit
and rental housing by expanding and diligently maintaining publicly
available level 1 and 2 EV chargers in the neighborhoods and DC Fast
Chargers in retail areas. (Many municipalities very affordably install level
2 chargers on street light poles.) Require all remodels and new dwelling
units to be EV charger ready. Encourage/require work place charging
(standard 120 VAC, 15 amp outlets are all that’s needed for most
commutes) to make use of the statewide surplus of solar energy during
the day. Encourage/require solar photovoltaics near daytime chargers to
reduce or eliminate the need for grid or building service upgrades to
charge EVs.
Lobby the Federal government to incentivize maintaining, not just
installing, DC Fast Chargers for long distance travel.
Install and encourage electric load shedding and power storage, including
smart breaker panels and bidirectional electric vehicle chargers, whether
behind the meter or municipally owned or contracted. Incentivize the
former by providing rebates and introducing instantaneous two-way
electricity pricing and a communication structure for customers’
equipment to automatically respond to price fluctuations. (OhmConnect
currently provides a limited incentives-for-load-shedding service to PGE
and other utilities’ customers; perhaps OhmConnect could be engaged to
do the same for PA in at least the short term.) Educate local contractors
and residents on how to install and use the aforementioned load shedding
and grid storage equipment.
Aggressively encourage building electrification and natural-gas-free
buildings by giving huge incentives to not pipe gas to new or remodeled
buildings and large rebates to folks who do transition their appliances
from gas to electricity. Progression: Increase the reliability of the electric
supply to reduce resistance to giving up gas appliances such as stoves,
water heaters, wall furnaces, and gas fireplaces that currently don’t
require electricity. Make no new gas connections. Ban installation of new
gas appliances. Require existing gas appliances to be replaced by a
certain date. Cap off older lines to prevent leakage. Cap off all unused
lines. Stop supplying gas altogether or transition non-electrifiable needs
to biogas, possibly supplied through the remaining gas pipeline network.
Reinstate a $2300 or more rebate for DIY heat pump water heater
installations.
Railway:
Follow the lead of other cities on the Peninsula by cost-effectively grade
separating the railway crossings with a hybrid approach of raising the
tracks and lowering the cross streets to go underneath. Be sure that
there are low sound walls on the elevated tracks to protect the nearby
homes from wheel noise. (The electrified locomotives are much quieter
than the old diesel ones, so tall sound walls are not needed.)
Prioritize Biodiversity and the Natural Environment:
Develop and adopt regulations that should help reduce light pollution and
protect the Dark Sky.
Develop and adopt regulations that should help reduce bird-collision
hazards.
Develop and adopt regulations to protect water quality in creeks and
protect riparian corridors from encroachment.
Develop and adopt regulations to reduce the use of plastic in landscaping,
especially artificial turf.
Continue to study and implement protections to our baylands, and
protect the community from the impacts of sea level rise.
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Thank you.
Lawrence Garwin
Palo Alto
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
December 13, 2024, 8:53 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Equity and respect for everyone who works and lives in Palo Alto -
affordable housing, living wages, and resources for unhoused Palo Altans
Question 3
No response
Name not shown
in Downtown North
December 13, 2024, 8:53 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Palo Alto is a university town. Rents should be stabilized.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 9:18 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
The cessation of natural gas to residents should in no way be a priority or
even an issue for the council.
While we all have concern about climate change, the practical concerns of
electrical availability and the significant cost of retro-fitting furnace, water
heater, and cooktop cannot be made a requirement for residents.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 9:33 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 9:35 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 9:41 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Richard Mates
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 13, 2024, 11:48 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
The city is bankrupt. Address the under-funded debt for retired city
employee health insurance. Any other priority should be erased until this
debt is being repaid appropriately. Property values will be sorely
challenged if not.
Richard Mates
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 12:03 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
It is noble to have broad goals that go well beyond the Council`s ability to
impact, but please prioritize goals that relate to more immediate public
needs, like after twenty six years finally replace the Pope-Chaucer bridge
in a fashion that protects the interest of all impacted communities. Also,
repair the city streets.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 1:28 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
More attention to people who cannot go out because of their age, physical
condition or are caregivers.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 4:53 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Whatever the city does, see if you can get things done quicker than what I
have seen the last 45 years. Open the new public safety building already,
staff up the police and fire departments, bring those things back to a level
of service they used to give to the city.
Even though some people complain, the utilities department is run fairly
well. Under "safety", modernization of our infrastructure should be
prioritized.
Oh, and build the sea wall higher and get everybody around the bay doing
it as well. And don't wait too long........... really.
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Focus on issues in the city and not the rest of the world which one little
city cannot do by itself. FOCUS!! Simply, make things that you can
control work well.
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 5:08 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Abandon the costly and endless process of grade separation at Churchill.
Hire crossing guards to make it safer for students, enforce the "no
straight across from 7 am - 9am" currently posted to west bound traffic -
this have NEVER been enforced. Make the lights more responsive to
traffic and trains. And save hundreds of millions of dollars.
Adjust lights on Embarcadero Road to make them more responsive to
traffic.
And stop hiring so many expensive consultants and make staff do their
jobs.
Fix Cubberley
Question 3
• Southgate
Name not available
December 13, 2024, 9:36 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Maintain the parking lots in downtown Palo Alto.
We need them to shop and visit at CVS, Whole Foods, Hassett Hardware,
snacks atLou and Herberts at the Presidents Hotel, go to Avenidas Village
and Stanford Theater, Heritage Park and the new Museum, by way of
example.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 14, 2024, 4:41 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Law enforcement, public safety, and increase the number of food/retail
businesses.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 14, 2024, 8:16 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Stop building and utilize some of these huge vacant buildings for housing.
There is way too much traffic and lines and not enough staff for various
services. Take better care of our roads and repaint street lines that are
faded which makes for dangerous intersections, like the left hand turn on
to N. California (heading west) from Embarcadero right after the Shell
station. That presents itself as a head on accident waiting to happen. I
have reported it to the city and was advised it would be taken care of in
December. So far no action.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
December 14, 2024, 8:34 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Fiscal Responsibility
Reducing staff
Accountability
Providing Cost-effective Services
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Evergreen Park
December 14, 2024, 8:40 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Tree health and neighborhood beautification - examples: put a
community garden at every library, native plant swales (like Southgate
has) around town
Safety - Slow down cars around town to make biking safer, have a
community campaign to improve bicyclists' riding behavior (cars aren't
the only problem)
Safety - Considering the age distribution of each neighborhood, add more
seating benches (example: the bench at College and Birch is used
frequently)
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
December 16, 2024, 7:51 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
December 16, 2024, 10:09 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
You are looking at Burlingame for downtown improvements, a great
model to emulate! Don't take forever to do it. The 'Palo Alto process' is
not just a joke,
it's a negative effect on our community. Create more varied commercial
areas: downtown, Cal Ave, midtown. There are enough restaurants, ice
cream stores and coffee shops. There are not enough stores like the ones
we lost: Univ. Art, Sport & Toy, Congdon & C., etc. that serve everyday
needs. No automobile showrooms! We don't want to go downtown to buy
cars. They are better suited for Embarcadero East /El Camino and other
auto-centric areas
Question 3
• Triple El
Name not shown
in Professorville
December 16, 2024, 8:51 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
The list of potential priorities is very telling. How about restoring our
commercial centers to their former glory and making sure our city is safe
for all forms of traffic and our schools continue to be great? Right now,
we’re a bit lower down on Maslow’s hierarchy. Let’s fix the basics. Why
are we building more parklets when our restaurants can’t even get to
capacity? Seems like we should facilitate more people parking rather than
taking away parking spaces so people can sit in the middle of the sidewalk
and eat… supply follows demand, not the other way around. There is
demand for street parking—just because you don’t like cars doesn’t mean
you can have a thriving shopping district without them.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 9:32 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Traffic, parking, transportation (particularly for school children), Midtown
as a vibrant economic centre, playgrounds in parks made safer for
toddlers with fences and childproof gates.
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 9:45 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
I want to see the City processes streamlined
Housing with attention to adding housing options and less focus on nubby
domination
Upgrade commercial areas for cleanliness, appealing and placing infill
housing newby
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 17, 2024, 9:52 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Continue focus on Economic Development & Transition. I believe that
housing is an important part of that.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 9:57 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Housing for all, economic growth (landlords: please lower your rents so
that we can have some interesting businesses in PA again!)
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 17, 2024, 9:57 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
As listed above
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 17, 2024, 10:00 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Revitalize the downtown and Cal Ave areas, they are dying out. Not even
on your list!!! These areas are old, rundown and need a massive makeover
to create an inviting and vibrant area for residents. We sure could us the
$100M spent on the Opulent Police Building for renovating the downtown
and Cal Ave! We need to Make Palo Alto Great Again!! We have taken our
eye off of the ball for the last 15 years.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
in Barron Park
December 17, 2024, 10:20 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not shown
in Professorville
December 17, 2024, 10:40 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Housing, Housing, Housing. Environmental stewardship (make sure we
can meet our 80x30 goal - or at least get close to it).
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 11:21 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
safer streets (enforce speed limits, bicycle riders must obey laws)
Remove long term campers (Fabian, etc)
Question 3
• Charleston Village
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 12:01 PM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
December 17, 2024, 12:32 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Re vitalize the economic development in California Ave. District. There are
too many vacancies of both retail and office spaces.
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not shown
in Palo Verde
December 17, 2024, 12:34 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Traffic enforcement, extremely low income housing, paving streets, hire
fewer consultants.
Question 3
• Midtown
Oliver Vogel
in Ventura
December 17, 2024, 2:25 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Make Palo Alto more liveable - more affordable housing, underground
utilities, make the city more walkable
Question 3
• Ventura
Regina Saliba
in Old Palo Alto
December 17, 2024, 3:45 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Russell Siegelman
in Old Palo Alto
December 17, 2024, 3:58 PM
20 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
More dense housing in Palo Alto, and more affordable housing in Palo Alto
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
in Barron Park
December 17, 2024, 5:01 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Affordable housing, public transportation, bike friendliness
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 5:06 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Sand Hill Corridor
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 5:24 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Same
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not available
December 17, 2024, 6:13 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Avroh Shah
in Community Center
December 17, 2024, 11:46 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
I would like the city to implement a whole home electrification rebate
program so that we can move towards adopting a gas sunset date. I would
like to see the city instruct the airport to abandon FAA grants so that it
21 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
isn't under the thumb of the FAA and has more autonomy.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 18, 2024, 7:26 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Glenn Fisher
in Charleston Terrace
December 18, 2024, 11:51 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
1. Attracting and keeping small business and retail
2. Finalizing rail crossing plans
3. More housing and related amenities
4. Better non-auto transportation
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Terry Jacobs
in Community Center
December 18, 2024, 1:27 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Free Healthcare (including psychiatric and addiction treatment and
recovery), food and housing for the homeless
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
in Research Park
December 19, 2024, 10:38 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Allow the construction of more market-rate housing. We need more
density and multifamily buildings. Streamline the City's bureaucracy to
approve proposals faster and at a lower cost.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 2:01 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Affordable housing
Question 3
• Downtown North
22 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 4:48 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 5:50 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Revitalizing downtown
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Charleston Meadows
December 19, 2024, 6:25 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
More jobs available near transit hubs. We're aware of prioritizing houses
and shopping, but people also want jobs to be within an easy commute.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 19, 2024, 6:29 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
I would like to see the city Council change the form which we have to use
to register for power outages and remove the field that requires either the
last four digits of a passport, drivers license or Social Security card. This
is an inappropriate thing to be asking people and unnecessary.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 19, 2024, 6:30 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Housing for all income levels, we have a massive housing crisis here and
we need to catch up on decades of missed housing starts. Second is
creating non car alternatives and better walking and biking safety.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Vidya Pradhan
23 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
in Community Center
December 19, 2024, 7:18 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Dog park with green spaces and areas cordoned off for smaller dogs.
Poop bag dispensers in each park.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 7:34 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 7:40 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Deal with our traffic issues. Traffic does not flow within Palo Alto. Many of
the road changes that have been made make it take forever to get
anywhere. With more housing being built how are you going to address
the traffic problem? Saying just use bikes doesn't work especially for
senior citizens.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 7:41 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Square
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 8:19 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
More support for culture and affordable community entertainment
(libraries, theatres, spaces for teens, bring back a bowling alley or
something!).
I would also appreciate more focus on civic education — as a crucial issue
for public health, safety, and wellbeing. For instance, my neighbors still
don’t understand that plastic bags full of plastic trash don’t belong in
compost, and why not. And we need something other than fliers to tackle
that issue!
24 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 8:53 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Crime and safety
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 9:47 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Underground utility wires. Safety, security, aesthetics.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not shown
in Ventura
December 19, 2024, 10:24 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
1. Safety from thefts and law enforcement
2. Development of local businesses, both in terms of ownership(mom and
pop stores) and architecture that bring character to Palo Alto
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 19, 2024, 10:34 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 12:32 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
I would like the City Council stop advocating for all the housing
development to happen in south Palo Alto. It’s not right - you should not
be piling all the housing in south Palo Alto.
Focus on making our community safe. The police will not come when
called. I have seen them not respond to calls from Adas cafe when
residents were in danger.
Please have some fiscal responsibility - the city manager, Shikada, is
25 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
wasting money. I would like to cut the city budget.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 20, 2024, 4:03 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 20, 2024, 4:17 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Public restroom at Eleanor Pardee Park
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 6:22 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
We are two older adults who would also like to receive one meal a day, just
not seated with non-English speaking Asians, the group that gets free
meals in Palo Alto. Would it be possible to add a takeout feature so we
could take our meals home to eat for dinner, since lunch is not our main
meal of the day? Thank you.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 7:11 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Triple El
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 7:40 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Get off the DEI....abcxyz bandwagon. Don't ask silly questions like, "why
don't you have more people of color on your staff?". Instead,
acknowledge that this a racist and pandering question, and focus on the
character and not the color. We're all colored. Cut us open and remove
26 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
our hearts and brains.... same color!
Question 3
• Palo Alto Central
Name not shown
in Charleston Meadows
December 20, 2024, 7:54 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1) Protect neighborhoods from out-of-scale development but encourage
2-4 story apartment buildings, condos, and townhouses that fit
neighborhood character. “Gentle density.”
2) More traffic enforcement. Speeding is out of control on Alma,
Embarcadero, and Middlefield.
3) Maybe impossible, but being back parking on ECR. A vocal minority,
bicyclists, have sabotaged the many mom and pop businesses along ECR,
which now are losing customers with the elimination of parking.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 8:16 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Upgrade public services for wider use to serve more of the population-
public transportation, better street flow, bring in better variety of
business that ALL can afford (inexpensive dining, staple groshery, car
repair, etc.) Lower the utility and service costs, improve public services
including have someone ANSWER THE PHONE for police, utilities, etc.
Provide community events to make it welcoming to come visit- even if as
a guest you park in the street, try to take a bus in, rent a bike here, need to
buy a snack in the evening.
The lack of response to public service requests- potholes, wayfinding
signage, going to the zoo, play or library on a Monday, etc. is
embarrassing.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not shown
in Charleston Terrace
December 20, 2024, 8:30 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 8:51 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not shown
in Palo Verde
December 20, 2024, 8:55 AM
27 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Thank you for giving Palo Altans a voice.
More focus on helping small business—how are we enabling small
business? Is it meaningful? How does it make a financial difference for a
small business?
Get the rehabilitation of the commercial building at the corner of
Middlefield and Loma Verde done. It is going on 3 years now since the fire.
The shops here created community and belonging. Their loss has been a
severe loss to the neighborhoods surrounding it. It gave a place to meet
to share a coffee or meal and the outdoor seating in a gardenlike
environment brought people together to socialize and work. It is small
business + community and wellness/belonging + economic
development
Take care of our environment. Natural and planted. Take care of our
gardens and parks to make them places that give places of beauty for
people to play and work in. When plants die, replace them. When trees
die, replace them with trees that make a beautiful streetscape.
Plant gardens that everyone can enjoy. Take care of the street
planters—look at the street planters on Ross Road at the YMCA as an
example of how we don’t take care of our public spaces. Look at the
Mitchell Park Library and Community Center. The living wall has been left
to decay; one invasive vine has taken over. The irrigation on it drips all the
time. Compare this public living wall with the beautiful private one on a
building on Park Ave across from the new Public Safety Building.
Fix the facade of the Mitchell Park Library; after two years a cloth sign
covers the spot where the facade was damaged. When is the facade going
to be fixed?
Ensure that amenities in public spaces are functioning and clean. For
example, make sure that the bathrooms in the parks are clean all the
time, even on weekends when use is high.
Fix the California Ave public space now. Make it a destination for
commerce and socializing. Do it quickly with energy and enthusiasm.
Make it easy for residents to report problems and respond quickly when
problems are reported. If you think it is easy to report a problem; try it
yourselves. Here’s an example; on a Sunday morning, report that the
women’s bathroom in Mitchell Park has been trashed and is unusable and
there is a crowd of women and girls looking for a restroom.
Put more emphasis on making Palo Alto a walking City. We emphasize
cycling and ignore pedestrians.
Stop building projects that we don’t maintain. In business the
maintenance is part of the project cost. If we don’t have the money to
maintain it, then we don’t have the money to build it.
Move faster. Make decisions faster. Complete projects faster and less
expensively. Cut down on red tape.
Approve building and renovations faster. Lower the cost to improve our
homes. Get permitting time and costs under control. It should not cost
over $1000 to install an EV charger at your home.
Respectively, I feel that the 2024 priorities were just generalities without
substance. I would like to see a list of projects in each area that have been
started and completed or started and underway with completion dates. In
this way we will know what to make priorities in 2025.
We need changes in our governance; how we are organized; how we make
decisions; how we implement projects; how we maintain projects. What
we are doing now doesn’t work well at all.
Thank you for listening
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 9:51 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I’d love the city to encourage more affordable housing, plant more
climate-appropriate trees (and stop aggressive tree trimming), and make
University Ave. pedestrian-only.
Question 3
• Palo Alto Central
28 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Name not shown
in Ventura
December 20, 2024, 10:54 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Housing, housing, housing
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not shown
in University South
December 20, 2024, 11:37 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Street clean up. Reduce vacancy rate. MORE affordable housing.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 12:49 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Community Services Investments, Staffing of all City Departments
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 1:28 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Please do not destroy R1 neighborhoods. Dense housing close to Caltrain
and El Camino makes sense, though I am sure there need to be some
exceptions. Get VTA on board with possible transit modifications. The
proposed bike lane on El Camino seems like a recipe for unintentional
injury and death. I bike commute, have for decades. I would NEVER ride
my bike on El Camino, Alma, Page Mill, Middlefield etc. Those roads are
basically highways with stop lights in many places. Keep Caltrain at grade,
grade separate with roads under the tracks where possible. Be generous
with eminent domain and other fiscal incentives, as permitted by law, if
needed.
Question 3
No response
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 2:40 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
affordable housing and climae change
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 3:03 PM
29 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 3:18 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not shown
in Barron Park
December 20, 2024, 4:22 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Joy Sleizer
in University South
December 20, 2024, 6:04 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Michael Saunders
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 20, 2024, 7:17 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Climate Change
Road Repair
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 7:45 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Conditioned good road.
30 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Less theft and crimes.(my purse just got stolen and I didn’t bother to
report to police)
Please no waste of tax money and no woke agenda for the children.
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not available
December 20, 2024, 8:29 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 21, 2024, 8:34 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
December 21, 2024, 1:11 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Dates to turn off the CH4 (residenital, commercial & industrial) &
associated plan to meet the dates...
Figure out the train crossings
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
December 21, 2024, 2:59 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 21, 2024, 3:00 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
31 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Name not available
December 21, 2024, 3:46 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Square
Larry Klein
in Leland Manor/ Garland
December 21, 2024, 9:57 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 22, 2024, 8:48 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 22, 2024, 8:52 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Virginia Van Kuran
in Leland Manor/ Garland
December 22, 2024, 5:32 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I am in support of the priorities and projects of the Sustainability and
Climate Action Plan.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 22, 2024, 10:55 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
32 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Winnie Lewis
in Crescent Park
December 23, 2024, 6:07 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Traffic mitigation on residential roads. Our neighborhood passing traffic
has increased due to drivers trying to avoid congested corners at
Middlefield/Lytton. Because the 300 and 400 block of Fulton Street are
long, the cars/trucks that drive through do in excess of 30 miles per hour.
Guinda the parallel street has traffic bumps so now the fast vehicles move
to Fulton Street instead.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 23, 2024, 1:24 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Keeping the City clean. There’s so much garbage along streets like Alma.
Cracking down on all the cars running Stop signs. Cars parked on the
wrong side of the street.
Making sure all City workers are in their offices 5 days per week.
Working with the State (CalTrans?) on keeping the sides of Highway 101
clean. It looks like dump trucks of garbage along the sides of 101.
Maintaining our parks. The subcontractors for the most part do a terrible
job. Whoever manages them should be fired.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 23, 2024, 11:23 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Work on making Palo Alto safe again. The crime is rampant, downtown
looks like rundown and awful. Cost of living is out of control and the City
keeps wasting money on stupid stuff. Stop focusing on stupid things like
saving the birds.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Dwipal Desai
in Palo Verde
December 24, 2024, 9:05 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
- Economic development - I am concerned that we are losing retail areas
(REI, Bestbuy some time back, Target in east palo alto more recently),
and we have to go to different towns for small things.
33 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
- Community + Housing - We've been in PA for the last 17 years. It used to
be easy to signup kids for summer camps or find tennis lessons as long as
you don't do it last minute. Now, everything gets filled within the first
minute of opening. As we build more housing, we need to make sure we
expand community services (classes, camps, public places, etc.)
otherwise the quality of life is taking a big hit.
- Environment - Electrification is being pushed by the city, but it is
extremely expensive - both initial cost and running it. I had quotes to
replace my gas-powered radiant heating furnance with something more
efficient, but it was about $30K, plus I will have to update the power line
to 200amp (+$20K), and the running cost will not decrease as electricity
is more expensive from a BTU perspective.
- Solar - Most installers didn't want to work with city of PA for solar, and
consistently quoted 2x of others. I got solar some time back, but did not
get battery backup as the installer said "city is hard to work with, so we
charge double".
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 24, 2024, 12:14 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Stop advancing protections for climate change and the environment that
hurt homeowners
Efforts to promote economic development in Palo Alto
Address the rising problem with crime
Addressing the rising problems associated with homelesness
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 25, 2024, 3:48 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Please focus on streamlining residential development. The city's local
ordinances and constantly changing informal rules make it difficult to
build. The cost to these regulations is not borne by "developers" -- those
costs are passed along to homeowners and renters. Please make Palo
Alto more affordable by reducing the unnecessary regulations.
In that same spirit, please reduce the focus on climate and environment.
The large, costly efforts for electrification, protecting the creek,
protecting birds, reducing light, etc. all significantly increase the cost and
reduce the desirability to living in Palo Alto.
Please reduce the homelessness in Palo Alto, particularly downtown and
the creeks. Palo Alto is becoming less safe.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Downtown North
December 26, 2024, 10:21 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Changes in zoning and processes to facilitate more housing. Further
serious investments in our bicycle infrastructure to realize our climate
goals. Real and FAST improvements to revitalize our retail areas with .ore
people and uses.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Community Center
December 26, 2024, 11:40 AM
34 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
I would like to see the City Council prioritize implementing the S/CAP and
achieving the city's 80% GHG emissions reduction goal by 2030. We are
already seeing the detrimental impacts of climate change through wildfire
smoke, sea level rise and flooding, and extreme heat here in Palo Alto. We
have the opportunity to serve as an example for how cities across the
state and country can transition to becoming clean, electric, walkable,
affordable, and resilient.
More specifically, I believe the City should adopt a priority of addressing
the ongoing and future threat extreme heat poses to our community. The
urban heat island effect is present in our city and disproportionately
impacts lower-income neighborhoods in Palo Alto. I urge the Council to
add extreme heat to its list of priorities so that the Office of Sustainability
can take on efforts, supported by community volunteers, to implement
cooling solutions that prevent dangerous conditions and outcomes this
and coming summers.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 26, 2024, 12:27 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Meadow Park
Matt Scnlegel
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 26, 2024, 7:46 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I think that our city can address our emissions reduction goals with smart
housing policy. By providing affordable housing for those who work in our
city, it reduces transportation emissions, the largest source of our
community's emissions. Developing housing near our transit centers will
encourage residents to use the electrified Caltrain service. I hope that we
can develop affordable housing policy that helps our community
members and provides a path to meeting our 80X30 goal.
Also, I am strongly in favor of restoring wetlands at the current location of
the Palo Alto airport. Doing so would reduce aviation emissions and
restore an important carbon sink.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 26, 2024, 8:54 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Casey Cameron
in Professorville
December 26, 2024, 9:54 PM
Question 1
35 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Wherever possible, end reliance on fossil fuels in transportation and
building construction. Bring mass electrification to houses, condos,
apartments, and businesses. Find budget, and/or levy fair taxation, to
subsidize retrofitting homes and commercial establishments. Make Palo
Alto a model city for a just transition to alternative energy. Preserve green
space and trees!
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Amy Halpern-Laff
in University Park
December 27, 2024, 2:51 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Educating residents about environmental devastation caused by
industrial animal agriculture and incentivizing plant-predominant
menus/diets.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 27, 2024, 8:11 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Remove the homeless people from Encina ave. In Palo Alto California
Question 3
• Downtown North
Andrea Gara
in Community Center
December 28, 2024, 10:32 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 28, 2024, 3:22 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Stop pursuing the Creek ordinance, bird ordinance and dark sky
ordinance. These new laws are flawed greatly detract from the
desirability of Palo Alto.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 28, 2024, 8:46 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
36 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not shown
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 29, 2024, 8:59 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Protect our 2000 homes in the flood zone from flooding from the San
Francisquito Creek. This year:
* Please get the Newell Bridge replacement project funded and start
construction.
* Please start construction on the Hamilton Ave Storm Drain.
* Please support the JPA Reach 2 project.
Also, please prioritize a more resilient electrical supply so there can never
be a city wide outage and to reduce major outages.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 29, 2024, 11:07 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Public safety - reducing crime including home burglaries, car break ins
and retail theft downtown
Flood control for San Francisquito Creek. This includes Palo Alto projects
of replacing Newell RoadBridge as soon as possible and extending storm
drains along Hamilton to Center & Hamilton and connecting the storm
drains to the pump station downstream of 101. Support the work of SF
Creek JPA on Reach 2 projects and replacing Pope Chaucer Bridge.
Question 3
• Barron Square
Name not available
December 30, 2024, 1:11 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
services around Mental Health
teen services
Question 3
No response
Thomas Rindfleisch
in Crescent Park
December 30, 2024, 1:39 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1) Make major efforts to implement timely north Palo Alto San
Francisquito Creek flood control, including the Newell Rd bridge
replacement and storm drain system upgrades under Palo Alto
leadership, and provide aggressive support for SFCJPA efforts to
complete, as soon as possible, the best achievable solution to the Pope-
Chaucer bridge flow capacity upgrade along with downstream creek
widening and 3-4 foot flood wall construction where needed to minimize
flood risks to residents.
2) Improve neighborhood security effectiveness to reduce vehicle break-
ins and property thefts through more effective traffic surveillance and
police staffing to follow up detected events.
3) Improve electrical utility infrastructure reliability and capacity to
reduce outages that slow the confident transition from petroleum/natural
gas to electrical home appliances, HVAC, vehicles, and other services.
4) Perform and report routine professional and investigative performance
analyses of City government organizations and services to maximize
efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize customer support and satisfaction.
Question 3
37 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 30, 2024, 2:30 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:07 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
nathan szajnberg
in Greenmeadow
December 31, 2024, 9:09 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
cut spending. cut taxes for elderly and middle class. Do a DOGE!!!!
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not shown
in Community Center
December 31, 2024, 9:14 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not shown
in Leland Manor/ Garland
December 31, 2024, 9:18 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Triple El
Emily Raciti
in Downtown North
December 31, 2024, 9:22 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
38 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Retail vacancy and our downtowns. Our commercial hubs are dying, and
the city is mired in so much bureaucracy and red tape that small
businesses are leaving in droves and choosing to open in nearby towns
instead. This is going to turn into a snowball effect and get worse and
worse (who wants to open a business in a space where the rest of the
block is vacant?) unless PA treats this as the emergency that it is. Young
families are not going to be interested in living in a ghost town lead by a
council that sits on its hands and shrugs as all the city’s vitality and
vibrancy die a slow death, refusing to even consider making life easier for
small businesses. The “we’re Palo Alto, we will always be desirable”
attitude is toxic - we need to compete if we want to attract residents, and
we are not competing right now.
I love this city and it breaks my heart to walk down University Ave these
days. Please, please do something.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:22 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
David Siegel
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 31, 2024, 9:23 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:23 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Affordable housing especially for seniors
Question 3
No response
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:27 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1) Providing COST-EFFECTIVE services. $1,000 MONTHLY utility bills are
absurd
2) Smart Meter IMPLEMENTATION NOW like Los Altos, not in years while
we run up $1400 water bills.
3) Less meaningless virtue-signaling about bikes and eliminating parking
4) More monitoring of staff and the ludicrous spending on idiot "RETAIL"
consultants pitching napping pods.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not shown
in Professorville
December 31, 2024, 9:29 AM
Question 1
39 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Policies that encourage a more economically diverse population to thrive
in Palo Alto. Faster and more efficient city government to enact building
projects such as updated bicycle routes and grade separations.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
robert foley
in Old Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 9:30 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Transparency and accountability in budget process
Reduce utility bills for residential customers - no longer transfer to
general fund
Keep revenue generators in Palo Alto - you lost Carlson Porsche and now
losing magnesson Toyota
Balance need for housing with city incomes - is losing Toyota offset by
building housing taxes
Be aware and avoid concessions to builders that may negatively impact
Palo Alto quality of living
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:30 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Stop focusing on housing, please
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:36 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Palo Alto has lost it's sense of community, business development and the
leading city to live in on the Peninsula. Look at the open store and
business fronts downtown and on Cal Ave. Paid city staff are
compensated well and should be held accountable to get results.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:36 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Palo Verde
40 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 9:38 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
The city council should first focus on the basics - road and sidewalk
repairs, improved stop lights (timing on some, including Embarcadero by
Town & Country) is awful, trimming expenses to prepare for future
economic downturns, bike lanes and bike safety. under-grounding utility
lines, improving schools, playgrounds and parks, etc. In other words, if
there is a Maslow's hierarchy for cities, 75% of the time should be spent
on issue like these before it has the luxury of focusing on things like
belonging (not that it isn't important)
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:41 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Sustainable transportation (walkability, bikeability, and transit)
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 9:50 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:54 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I was born in Palo Alto, and have lived here my entire life (61 years). I am
disheartened by the cost of living here. My daughter is not able to find an
affordable place to live due to the rising cost of rent in Palo Alto!!
Everything here is much more expensive than other places in the Bay
Area!! I am a teacher of 40 years, and it is sad that my salary isn't enough
to cover the cost of living!! Palo alto is loosing its' small town charm!!
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:57 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
-- Use General Budget for resident welfare and reducing costs for
residents - lower utility costs (#1), better care of trees, streets, more
41 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
police and safety - and NOT for salaries of city government.
-- Communicate clearly and often with the community - hold quarterly
town halls, office hours, tell us how new programs are working - eg. the
Link program, caring for trees regularly - stop sitting in your ivory tower
and be more reachable in person.
-- Bring back community shuttles that serve more of the community, and
not just the digitally aware people with the Link program. (cut that
program). Fund more programs like the 311 service which is very good.
Add more mental health programs and fund the police for more safety.
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 31, 2024, 9:58 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Remove car dwellers from our streets
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:59 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Get rid of parking on University Ave! It will make traffic smoother and
increase pedestrian and cyclist safety.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 10:07 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Remove parking from University Ave! This would relieve traffic in the area
caused by parking cars and increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists!
There is tons of public parking in the area to support those who want to
drive and this would provide more space for bike and cargo bike parking.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 10:21 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 31, 2024, 10:26 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
42 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
- Invest in new pickleball courts and clean open spaces that promote
healthy lifestyle.
- Fill empty stores with goods and services that attract and serve people.
- Promote more social programs and community events for families and
celebration of life.
- Work with companies to return workers into offices to show signs of life
in Palo Alto.
- Maintain capable peace officers in key locations to deter retail and auto
thefts.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Charleston Terrace
December 31, 2024, 10:29 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not shown
in University Park
December 31, 2024, 10:30 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
1. Don't remove the news racks downtown. 2. Stand up for the First
Amendment. 3. Become more transparent. 4. Eliminate your PR staff. 5.
Open up city hall to the public. 6. Reduce middle management at city hall.
7. Quit stealing from the utilities to fund the city -- live within your budget
and lower utility rates.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 10:35 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Not listed among the 2024 priorities, but something I think is critically
important, is civility in City government and in public discourse. Since our
national leaders have chosen not to model it, it's up to local governments
to start to bring civility back into the conversation. We can make our
points with tearing down others, and without denigrating others, and
without belittling others. (I'll say that when I've been to Council meetings,
discussions among Council members and with staff
have—generally—been very civil, even if occasionally pointed. The public
should take a cue from that, as should our State leaders and our national
leaders.)
Housing costs in Palo Alto are horrendously high. I've owned my home in
Palo Alto for over 30 years. I could not, today, afford to buy and live in that
same house. Can City government do anything about this? Just the
property taxes alone for someone purchasing today become
unaffordable!
How can Palo Alto be more prepared for the changes in our environment
that are happening? We WILL have deeper droughts, stronger storms,
higher tides. Is our infrastructure ready? Is CPAU ready? And, how can
Palo Alto take a stronger leadership position around renewable energy,
making it easier to add solar electric and solar water heating to existing
buildings (especially homes), making it easier to have an EV charging
station installed at one's home, finding a way to provide EV charging to
those living in apartments, condos, and town houses, making it easier to
increase electric service to a home?
It is becoming more and more critically important for Palo Alto to be a
haven for marginalized people, and for people whom the current national
political leadership wants to marginalize. Palo Alto alone cannot solve this
problem, nor can all of the local governments of the Bay Area counties
even working in concert. However, we must begin, and we must work
together with our neighbors.
43 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 10:36 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Safe and protected bicycle routes for students going to school beginning
on East Meadow.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Craig Griffin
in College Terrace
December 31, 2024, 10:36 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Similar to 2024. Making places and activities in Palo Alto that bring the
community together for all ages (kids, teenagers, adults, seniors),
potentially with their own centers of gravity by age or interest, which will
be combination of vibrant commercial areas combined with outdoor
gathering places and indoor places of interest. Thinking like the livability
in a similar sized european city. Also, stop with the height limits on
residential building and allow residential building in currently
commerically zoned areas. Do less designated low income / restricted
housing (it creates a lottery system for a lucky few) and just allow more
residential building, especially near public transit. If people doing local
services (teachers, police, etc) can't afford housing, pay them more or
give them housing payment credits (really, same thing) rather than have a
few of them get lucky with an undermarket housing lottery.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Bill Fitch
in Evergreen Park
December 31, 2024, 10:39 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Housing
Question 3
• Evergreen
Carl Thomsen
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 31, 2024, 10:43 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Public safety, enforce driving laws (cars not stopping or even slowing
down at stop signs, running red lights, speeding on major streets) maybe
by installing cameras to ticket offenders, improve California Ave so it
doesn't look like something from a 3rd world country (even improving the
barriers at the ends of the street would help.....it's been 4 or 5 years with
no improvement, just studies, surveys and consultants), limit high rise
buildings in residential neighborhoods, fix the roads and keep them clean.
Continue to support long established Palo Alto non-profits such as the
Junior Museum and Zoo, Avenidas, Lucie Stern Community Center (Palo
Alto Players in particular), the libraries, the Mitchel Park Community
Center and the Palo Alto Historical Museum. These are things that make
Palo Alto a great community, don't take them for granted.
Question 3
44 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 10:50 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Given the environmental issues that we face (fires, smoke, flooding and
storms) the city should prioritize how we address, adapt and protect
person and property. There has also been a lot of theft in our
neighborhood, so the City should prioritize how to protect people and
property.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 10:53 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
- Continue to work on aviation impacts from SFO and PAO including noise,
emission and health impacts
- Require the highest no lead fuel for PAO operations
- Be very careful about claiming climate change/sustainability and doing
electrical aircraft vehicles when the consequences could be more high
noise operations over the community and neighbors. A thorough
evaluation is needed including whether the City should do eVTOL at a
location other than PAO. This would give the city authority to control
curfews and # operations if not at PAO versus at PAO.
- Consultants and/or Staff presentations must show a balanced
perspective. Presentations should be evaluated on this.
- Concern about funding of programs: it is likely more cost effective to
give transport vouchers or subsidies than operate City's own transport
service. Also question the building of a gym when private companies
provide this - give vouchers or subsidies if unaffordable to some versus
tax everyone for anyone to go
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 10:55 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1) Reduce the number of managers, management layers, and consultant
spending by 50%, to secure the City's financial future, free up funds for
actual services, empower City employees, and provide better service to
residents.
2) Get the Newell and Chaucer bridges replaced, whatever it takes.
3) Install a restroom at Eleanor Pardee Park.
4) Effectively enforce traffic laws, especially stop sign running.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:06 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
1) Some flexibility in allowing more types of businesses to fill large
numbers of vacant stores throughout Palo Alto.
2) More housing, but without disrupting current neighborhoods, and over
wide income range (not micromanaged to specific income ranges.
Somewhere on list, but not one of top 3: Get bicycles (and similar) off the
sidewalks. They are a danger to pedestrians. It is becoming dangerous,
especially for seniors, to walk outside. Many just take their cars instead of
walking short distances.
Question 3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Barron Square
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:06 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Public safety
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not shown
in Green Acres
December 31, 2024, 11:11 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
We need much more housing. The people trying to prevent housing starts
are killing Palo Alto. Our portion of El Camino is an embarrassment when
compared to Mountain View and Menlo Park.
Question 3
• Miranda
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:12 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1) Competent management of Utility services!!!!
2) Public safety
3) Reduce bloated staff levels and over paid management salaries.
4) Realize that city level "climate change" initiatives have no scientific
impact.
5) Stop wasting money on traffic projects like Ross road.
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not shown
in Duveneck/ St Francis
December 31, 2024, 11:23 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
In the wake of the Grants Pass decision by the US Supreme Ct,
collaborate with regional partners to address needs of unhoused
population and the impacts on their neighbors and the shared
environment.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Shani Kleinhaus
in Charleston Terrace
December 31, 2024, 11:28 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Continue prioritizing the Natural environment. This year, focus on:
- Reducing/ eliminating use of toxic materials in landscaping, including
use of plastic sheets (plastic turf, plastic weed barriers) on private
properties and other materials that are laden with PFAs.
- Restoring habitat in the Baylands
Question 3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:28 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 11:29 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Commit to plans for the Caltrain crossing, finalize plans for Cubberley
redevelopment
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in University South
December 31, 2024, 11:29 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not shown
in Leland Manor/ Garland
December 31, 2024, 11:33 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:36 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Pay our bills and set the city budget up for success in the future without a
bunch of unfunded giveaways that bind future generations. Focus on
quality of life issues like our retail areas, parks and schools. Spend less
energy on window dressing political and environmental policies. The City
of Palo Alto government doesn't need to waste time weighing in on
Ukraine, the Middle East etc. Same for global warming. These issues will
47 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
take national and international action to move the needle. Too much
energy is wasted appeasing vocal minorities in our community. Our
downtown feels sad with so many vacancies and homeless people
sleeping in doorways. This is in sharp contrast to other local areas like
San Carlos and Los Altos. Many longtime residents are bewildered at how
long every thing takes. The corner of Middlefield and Loma Verde is a sad
example. A fire at the dry cleaner caused all the businesses to close and
the area has been sitting as blight for over two years! If the developer has
no interest in redeveloping this area then use eminent domain or other
tactics to get this resolved and bring some much needed retail back to
this area of midtown.
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 11:44 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
See above. If Palo Alto isn't economically healthy it will face numerous
serious problems, including not being able to fund other priorities such as
public safety.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Tess Byler
in Evergreen Park
December 31, 2024, 11:48 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Evergreen
Michael Regula
in University Park
December 31, 2024, 12:00 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Improvements to pedestrian, cycling, and public transit infrastructure,
which covers all priorities listed above
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 12:01 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
build affordable housing everywhere not just in south palo alto. Make
traffic lights intelligent. Quit wasting money on traffic calming, we need
efficient traffic corridors east west like Alma.
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 12:14 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
48 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
Make our community safe by reducing criminals, such as robbery, steal,
bike stolen, car window broken, etc.
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 12:15 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not shown
in Greenmeadow
December 31, 2024, 12:42 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 12:43 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Whatever priorities are adopted, they should be practical and achievable
without paying consultants for a study that takes a year to complete, with
no progress in the meantime.
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 31, 2024, 12:43 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I would like to see the Council focus on traffic safety and set a goal for
zero traffic deaths within the next 20 years. We should not accept deaths
on our streets - of bicyclists, pedestrians, or vehicle drivers/passenger.
We should decide, as a City, that we are going to prioritize life and safety
over speed and parking and then design our streets that way. We should
ensure that all road designs meet design standards (they do not right
now) and we should be responsive to citizen input (right now, 311 tickets
routinely get ignored or unanswered). This is fixable if we prioritize it.
Also, in the spirit of community health, as well as natural environment, I'd
encourage City Council to extend the gas leaf blower ban to all properties,
both residential and commercial. The technology is ready, and the time
has come. We have already banned gas leaf blowers in residential areas
for 20 years, and we already have a ban on the sale of gas leaf blowers
across CA. There's no longer any reason to have a commercial exception.
This is also a matter of equity - Palo Altons who live near commercial
areas do not have any less right to clean air and quiet neighborhoods than
Palo Altons who live in fully residential areas.
Question 3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 1:10 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Please extend the ban on gas powered leaf blowers to ALL Palo Alto
properties, including Commercial properties. Sales of these machines has
already been banned across California, so let’s follow up with additional
measures to protect our environment. Thanks.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 1:12 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Palo Alto is fast becoming an unbalanced city where the ultra wealthy and
1% hoard resources, drive up housing costs, and carry far too much sway
over the city and its priorities. Palo Alto NEEDS to get back to its roots for
being a city for the middle class, the working class, diversity of opinion
and economic status, and quality of life. Stores in downtown are either
ultra posh places for the bougie to shop, or vacant. Landlords, the landed
gentry, and those who hoard wealth are far too prevalent in this town. A
serious refocusing on affordability from the top to bottom needs to take
precedent, otherwise you are going to see rising crime, rising
homelessness, rising vacancy, and a general anger directed to the very
citizens this town represents. Palo Alto needs to be a place for everyone,
not just those who made a fortune in tech and continue to exploit the
citizens. There need to be more "third spaces" in which citizens can
gather, enjoy this glorious climate, interact, learn from each other, and
mingle. Seeing so many stores closed and so many vacancies does not
help. Furthermore, hearing about the town doing things like closing a "cat
cafe" at Stanford while there are literally dozens of empty storefronts in
downtown Palo Alto shows an absurd lack of focus and priorities from the
city. Instead of saying "No" to things, Palo Alto needs to say "Go!" to
things from the top to the bottom.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
December 31, 2024, 1:23 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Maintain existing infrastructure and services; minimize high density
housing and its follow-on problems: traffic, parking, and stress on city and
school system services.
Question 3
• Midtown
Bonny Parke
in Palo Verde
December 31, 2024, 1:25 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I would like to see the gas powered leaf ban extended to commercial
properties as well as residential properties. The current residential ban
has improved my life considerably since I do a lot of work at home. There
is no reason that the commercial properties shouldn't have the same
restrictions. They can afford battery-driven leaf blowers in exchange for
peace and quiet and no noxious gas fumes to pollute our air. Hats off to
PAUSD who has already made this transition.
Question 3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
• Midtown
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 1:28 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Controlled but increased and affordable housing.
'temporary' housing for homeless. see Branford Village in Los Angeles
(not best, but an example). also DignityMoves in San Francisco.
California Avenue and University Avenue. consider a Pearl-Street-like
(Boulder, CO) solution for University Ave.
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 1:33 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Make Downtown beautiful and vibrant!!!
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 1:36 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Extend the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers to commercial and
government properties.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 2:13 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
- There were very concerning studies recently coming out about high
levels of BPA in the Palo Alto tap water. This should be investigated and
addressed immediately.
- Airplane noise pollution has gotten very disruptive. Palo Alto should
actively be working to find solutions.
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 2:17 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Ban all leaf blowers (gas and electric, residential and commercial). Leaves
are beneficial for the environment and the noise is harmful to all,
especially the workers operating the equipment
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
December 31, 2024, 2:20 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
expedite the change at the Ross Rd/E Meadow intersection into a 4 way
stop.
make fiscally responsible choices- Palo alto was ranked 87 out of 100 bay
area cities for fiscal responsibility/financial health!
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 2:35 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Ban gasoline powered gardenig equipment. Build a second outdoor public
swimming pool
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
in Southgate
December 31, 2024, 2:44 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
We need more housing!
Question 3
• Southgate
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 2:47 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Expand transportation options like ride share, biking, walking, hiking. This
is especially important for seniors who would like to remain living
independently in their homes.
Recreation and dining, especially south of Oregon Expressway.
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 2:54 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Elimination of natural gas service rapidly
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 2:58 PM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 3:00 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Evergreen
Matthew Lennig
in Community Center
December 31, 2024, 3:03 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
1. Ban all gasoline-powered gardening equipment everywhere in Palo Alto.
2. Build a second pool similar to Rinconada Pool for South Palo Alto. This
would take some of the pressure off Rinconada Pool. 3. Make University
Ave a pedestrian zone.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Gina Leiva
in Downtown North
December 31, 2024, 3:05 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Manage noise pollution in residential areas. Leaf blowers are a constant
disruption to mental wellbeing. Please manage this by thinking outside of
the box. Can leaf blowers only be allowed during certain hours or specific
days? For example, a city ordinance that authorizes leaf blower activity
between 10am and 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays? The nearly daily
noise from leaf blowers in the condominium complex, at businesses and
nearby residents is no longer tolerable. This is a Community Health and
Wellness concern. Thank you.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Ventura
December 31, 2024, 3:15 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Housing for social and economic balance
Beautification of California Avenue. Focus on walkable, bike able,
community
Climate projects that make Palo Alto a leader in the state, country and
world
Question 3
• Ventura
Gail Price
in Barron Park
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
December 31, 2024, 3:53 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Adopt the same as 2024 for 2025. Much work remains in each item and
changing yearly disrupts momentum.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Amy Lauterbach
in Charleston Terrace
December 31, 2024, 4:35 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Our top priority should be SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. Our ability to
address the wide range of problems we will face in the coming decade
depends on having residents who are fully engaged and motivated to care
for their neighbors and their community. In order to engage and motivate
residents, the city should invest in places and programs where neighbors
meet and form deep and lasting connections. Building our social
infrastructure will give us the foundation needed to address all other
issues.
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Naveena Bereny
December 31, 2024, 4:46 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Palo Alto City Council and Management are under the misguided notion
that only wealthy people live here. This is simply not true and while there
is a lot of the 1%, there is still the rest of us squarely in the middle class
that watch with growing apprehension as the costs increase and city
services decrease.
Palo Alto Priorities in 2025:
-- Prioritize using utility money and general funds to reduce costs for
residents - reduce the cost of ever growing utility bills.
-- Increase transparency in decision making - Do quarterly town halls and
talk to residents directly and _often_ to learn more about our issues.
-- Increase community programs that serve a wider group of people.
Defund the link program, and bring back the shuttle. Increase funding for
mental health programs, 311, City tree care and fund the police for public
safety.
-- Increase funding programs to help residents convert to Electric. This is
currently very expensive and why a lot of residents cannot afford to take it
on.
-- Finally, be smart about building more affordable housing and make
them available. Palo Alto drove itself to the current state where we are
being dictated to by the State and Developers, because we did not get
ahead of the issue and distribute housing across the city.
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not shown
in University South
December 31, 2024, 4:46 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Make University Ave a walking street, increase parking on side streets by
making them 1-way and add angled parking, and make Hamilton and
Lytton one-way to make thru traffic efficient and speed controlled coming
back to High and Webster (also make one-ways ) between Hamilton and
Lytton
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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Name not shown
in Ventura
December 31, 2024, 4:58 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not shown
in Old Palo Alto
December 31, 2024, 5:11 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Jens Jensen
in College Terrace
December 31, 2024, 5:19 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Improve mass transit and make it more attractive to all Palo Altans.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not shown
in Downtown North
December 31, 2024, 5:36 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
The city needs to support the environment by limiting population growth
and adding more park and open space. We need more trees, grass and
native plantings to support other life forms besides people. We also need
open space to allow the humans who are here a place to get sunshine and
exercise.
Our comprehensive plan calls out the amount of city park space per
resident. Multiple city councils have completely ignored this for many
decades. How about you make it a priority to try to fill in some of the gap
this next year.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 7:09 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Build more housing of any kind anywhere
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Paul Martin
in Crescent Park
December 31, 2024, 8:14 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
1) Deliver the promises to the current Palo Alto Community.
A) Residential and commercial safety. Reduce crime, solve every crime,
make people feel safe walking solo at night!
2) Deliver the promises to the current Palo Alto Community.
A) Remember 1994 - "We will underground all the Palo Alto utilities before
the end of the decade!"
B) Current plan - "It will take another 50 years to underground all of Palo
Alto utilities!"
C) What the XI*&. Where did the city council go off track for citizens of
Palo Alto?
3) Stop the densification of Palo Alto! "Pave over paradise on steroids!"
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 8:24 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Climate Change - it's not going away.
Cybersecurity and AI - big risks and big potential
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 8:50 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
I struggle with the grouping of climate change and natural environment as
one item. While I believe flood mitigation and preparedness should be a
top priority (1 or 2), I do not believe that efforts to maintain the "natural"
environment should be a top priority until more research is known.
Research as to what human interventions are best are still not clear and
sometimes recommendations of single entity/stakeholder research are
followed without considering the broader implications on other stake
holders. I believe community safety should be the highest priority of the
city council. I would like to see safe bike/pedestrian routes and traffic
mitigation as another high priority.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:03 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Bike and pedestrian safety; flood mitigation; utilities infrastructure
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
December 31, 2024, 9:58 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
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Question 2
You have to get more business, retail, restaurants back into downtown.
You have too many rules governing use, chain stores, retail/office.
Stanford Shopping Center has, as a result of our over-regulation,
attracted the stores that should be downtown.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 12:55 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Improve the overall visual image of the city, starting with addressing out-
of-control weeds throughout the city (city and privately owned
properties), create cohesive and consistent rules for parklets (look at
other peninsula cities) and repaving of any roads in poor condition,
particularly Embarcadero (101 to ECR)
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
January 1, 2025, 8:03 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Make Palo Alto a vibrant commercial center with fun things to do and
places to visit at reasonable prices, which requires growth in housing
stock.
Continue Palo Alto Fiber.
Question 3
• Palo Alto Hills
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 8:36 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Safe protected bike lanes, improved walkable neighborhoods and
services, increased supply of affordable and market-rate housing.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Mark Grossman
in Old Palo Alto
January 1, 2025, 10:11 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Continue to promote and support the transition away from fossil fuels in
appliances, transportation, and home heating. Help ensure that needy
people are protected from weather extremes due to climate change.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
in Downtown North
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January 1, 2025, 10:46 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Encourage business and development of University Ave -- we could use
ANY variety of businesses to fill our many vacancies. It is depressing to
walk down University and see the businesses leave and the new ones not
open. Protect this area as it is obviously dying. It's not charming to walk
downtown. This should be a priority for a safe, CLEAN downtown. Please
look into banning the sandwich boards that business are littering the
corners with and contribute to the depressing look of the area -- explore
different ways they may advertise that does not look as bad. I can't
believe this is okay with the city, it impedes the way as well as makes the
area look junky!
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 12:14 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Economic growth and business friendly workshops for small businesses
and young student enterprises.
2. Encourage residents to be friendly to each other.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 3:34 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Crime Prevention, Deterrence, Increase Public Safety, More Police
Presence on bikes, in cars, on foot, Investigate and go after criminals to
set a precedent. Look at options other than human police workforce such
as technology if cost of police too high for budget. Crime is becoming too
frequent.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 3:36 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
1. Do not continue pursuing the Stream Corridor Protection Ordinance,
the Bird Friendly Design Standards, and the Dark Sky Regulations. All
three ordinances significantly and severely impact our property. We
strongly oppose all three and hope the new City Council will direct staff to
abandon these new regulations.
2. Reduce crime in Palo Alto. We have been the recent victims of crime in
Palo Alto and ask the City Council to invest energy in addressing these
issues instead of continuing to erode our rights as homeowners through
the changes above.
3. Simplify the planning and building process in Palo Alto. Palo Alto's
process is notoriously burdensome, raising the cost to live in Palo Alto.
Homelessness is reducing the health and safety of our community.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in University South
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January 1, 2025, 3:42 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Really making our neighborhoods safe. Things like putting telephone
poles undergrounds versus the external cables that are caught up in
trees. Finding ways to make people feel safe walking around. There
seems to be so much news on homes getting broken into and it would be
ideal if people felt there was more policing or neighborhood watching to
reduce this stress that people have. To look at ways to educate kids on
bike safety. Explore intersections that are dangerous (like at
Embarcadero before the underpass — before Paly). Really focus on
having rules and standing by them versus allowing people to pay to get
around rules. This applies to Castelija, homeowners who want trees
removed for more land to build, vacant homes that are eye sores and
animal infested.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 4:16 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Infrastructure: Caltrain crossings (try actually accomplishing something
this year), loss of El Camino parking impacting businesses, and enabling
Waymo in Palo Alto.
Question 3
• Midtown
Giordano Beretta
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 1, 2025, 5:43 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Unless we rebuild right away the Newell and Chaucer bridges, we will soon
have a Valencia experience. We have to learn from their mistakes.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 1, 2025, 7:16 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Affordable Housing, Cubberley Plans, San Francisquito bridge
replacements, neighborhood retail support and protection
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 1, 2025, 8:02 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Ban the use of leaf blowers in commercial property to match the private
property ban.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
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Name not shown
in Barron Park
January 1, 2025, 11:56 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Ban leafblowers- hire someone to drive around and listen and ticket.
AUDIT the PA Utilities - Why do they pay a big chunk of money to the PA
general fund when they should be using the funds for repairs and
maintenance which they fund with rate increases? Please require all those
election signs for public office to be made of paper and recyclable and
RECOVERED within 1 day after the election. Watch dog for companies
that dump toxic waste into Matadero Creek (VA and Tesla). Why are there
no controls until the accidents happen? Stop allowing developers to build
so close to the creek- such as the new development replacing Creekside
Hotel. STOP cutting down mature trees that just happen to be in the way
of developers. Allow the public access to City Hall. Workers need to be on
site and available to the public. Just who is ever working at City Hall these
days?
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not shown
in Duveneck/ St Francis
January 2, 2025, 8:07 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Safer neighborhoods, responsible development (residential and
commercial), better traffic and parking management
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 10:33 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 11:15 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
- Affordable housing. Climate change. Shared/community spaces.
- Biodiversity-encouraging policies/landscaping -- warmer/less lighting,
natives, natural materials (no plastic), big/habitat/long-lived trees (and
downed branches are okay!), bird/bat/owl boxes, can withstand warmer
temps and variable rainfall
- PROTECT and RESTORE our amazing preserves -- Baylands,
Arastradero, Foothills Park
- Reduce noise pollution from airplanes (and quit using leaded fuel at our
airport)
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Sigal Wilnai
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 2, 2025, 11:19 AM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Remove plastic from the environment, building materials, landscaping,
shopping, restaurant takeouts, and more.
Encourage residents and businesses to cut back dramatically on energy
use (driving less, reusing instead of recycling or throwing away, building
smaller, less development altogether, walking more, cycling more, buying
less, etc).
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 1:20 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 1:36 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Health & safety in terms of crime prevention, fostering community and
activities for children and ensuring safe drinking water, and dependable
and reasonably priced utilities (including fiber)
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 1:41 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 2:24 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Downtown improvement to promote business and tourism.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 2:31 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Palo Alto should be protecting what remains of our natural environment in
the Baylands and Foothills. Prevent encroachments. Minimize urban
intrusions, including signs, lighting, public works projects, development.
Set up a system to track mitigation measures (like the wetlands
mitigations in 1975 for landfill destruction of wetlands). Rededicate as
park, the Measure E site. Protect other dedicated parklands. Honor the
2008 Baylands Master Plan.
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Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 2:32 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not shown
in Charleston Terrace
January 2, 2025, 2:36 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 2:43 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Raymond Lu
in Charleston Terrace
January 2, 2025, 3:03 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
relax permitting restrictions so that we can actually build/upgrade
housing
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 3:12 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Remove DEI or social justice curriculums from our education system.
Keep focus on excellence, math, sciences etc.
Remove and avoid any political or gender studies for early ages (before
high school)
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
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Name not available
January 2, 2025, 3:25 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Restore habitats in the Baylands
Reduce noise pollution at the airport
Prohibit the use of petrochemical land cover
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 3:30 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 4:24 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Palo Alto’s shopping districts are a mess. We’re at the bottom of
maslow’s hierarchy. Focus on revitalizing our shopping districts before
worrying about luxuries.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:08 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
(1) Revitalize University Ave and California Ave; (2) reduce property crime
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:13 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:16 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
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Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:19 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Can we please get some airplane noise relief !! We’ve been working on
this for almost ten years, with little to no change.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:23 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Newell Bridge
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:25 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Southgate
January 2, 2025, 5:27 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Love seeing more attention paid to the commercial districts - University
Avenue and California Avenue in particular. There's an opportunity to turn
both into even better destinations with the streetscape improvements
being talked about.
It seems to me you could rethink whether resident parking is really
necessary in Southgate. If it continues, we would really like to see the
annual cost of the permits reduced.
We participated in the Utilities water heater program and are very
appreciative. We hope the department will consider doing the same for
replacing furnaces/AC units with heat pumps. The ability to spread the
cost over 5 years was much appreciated, but the best part was how easy
it was - contractor, permits, etc. all handled very, very well.
Finally, we continue to be a supporter of the police and fire departments,
which we think are really great. We haven't had a lot of interaction with
either, but when we have on occasion over the years the response,
professionalism and just kindness and attention to detail was really
great.
Thanks for asking what we think.
Question 3
• Southgate
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:27 PM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Get housing projected approved and scheduled.
Set Cubberly plans
Approve a rail grade separation plan
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:32 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 5:59 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
More housing without high density development
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 6:08 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Encourage redevelopment of El Camino south of Page Mill Road. It’s
blighted. We can do so much better.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 6:23 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Affordable housing
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 6:33 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
University Avenue needs to be beautified and energized with new mixed
retail besides all the (mostly) Asian restaurants. Put on events and
concerts in the new park behind the large bank building. Add an outdoor
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cafe there as well.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Heidi Feldman
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 2, 2025, 6:59 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Housing diversity and affordability.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 7:04 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
higher high limited in core urban area (downtown, cal Ave near Caltrain,
San Antonio), to develop more mixed use housing - retail on ground floor,
housing including smaller and affordable units above. We need more
mixed use and density near our 3 Caltrain stations
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
David Coale
in Barron Park
January 2, 2025, 7:17 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Addressing Climate change while connecting our neighborhoods with
good bike/ped planning/implementation
Making our Housing element community friendly with bike/ped
connections to local amenities and services
Healthy living through active transportation
Safe routes for everyone!
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 7:18 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 7:24 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
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3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Flood control! San francisquito creek! This includes Palo Alto's projects to
replace Newell Road Bridge and Hamilton Storm drains and of course
Pope-Chaucer Bridge
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 7:52 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Housing shortage, lack of affordability causing people to live in vehicles or
otherwise be unhoused.
More policing - too much retail crime, houses/businesses getting robbed.
Question 3
• Barron Square
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 2, 2025, 7:54 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Continue prioritizing the natural environment and biodiversity to do our
part to leave a livable, thriving planet for future generations. What can we
do? Encourage clean energy. Everything we do to make our city wildlife
friendly also makes it better for humans and better for the planet:
consider wildlife habitat when doing development; provide access to fresh
water (riparian corridors) & native plants; pass ordinances for bird-
friendly windows & dark skies (also healthier for humans!); restore habitat
in the Baylands. Curb the use of plastic, including plastic/artificial turf,
plastic weed barrier sheets, plastic/tire chips in landscaping. Green the
airport: stop use of leaded fuel & reduce noise pollution. Thank you!
Question 3
• Midtown
Garrett Clark
outside Palo Alto
January 2, 2025, 8:00 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Address Climate Change by connecting our neighborhoods with safe,
convenient, and comprehensive bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
Help welcome our incoming new neighbors by promoting bike share, car
share, and work with agency partners to improve the efficiency and
experience of public transportation.
Consider how to best leverage the city’s parking structures and surface
parking lots to promote economic development in downtown and around
California Avenue.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 8:19 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
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3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 8:22 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Community Strength through Service and Play
Profound shifts in work patterns, social media and politics have
undermined many of the processes for building the social capital that
created Palo Alto. We need to rebuild and strengthen our social
infrastructure and rebuild new generators of social connection and capital
-- service and play are two areas in particular where the council can make
a meaningful change in 2025.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 8:47 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Our downtown and midtown and California Ave areas have problems . We
need to attract more business to these areas.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Zafarali Ahmed
in University Park
January 2, 2025, 8:51 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Vision Zero: zero serious traffic injures and fatalities across our city. Keep
our pedestrians, cyclists and kids safe.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not shown
in Oak Creek
January 2, 2025, 8:55 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Need affordable senior housing, possibly in the form of residential hotels
close to transit.
Need apartments for staff at Stanford and for employees at Vi Senior
Housing, preferably in the Nordstroms parking lot near Children's
Hospital.
Question 3
• Sand Hill Corridor
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 8:57 PM
Question 1
No response
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Question 2
1. Control city payroll and headcount. Zero growth.
2. Reduce unfunded pension obligations.
3. Stop spending time on issues not directly affecting city governance.
The council is responsible for the late approval of the housing element.
The council had no justification for opposing Juristac.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 9:14 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Safety, and transportation
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 2, 2025, 9:20 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
FINISH THE POPE/CHAUCER STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT!
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
January 2, 2025, 9:38 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:17 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:18 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Vision zero! I want safe transit options for everyone, especially young
people whose main option may be cycling and those choosing to bike to
help curb climate change.
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:21 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:25 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Crime
Question 3
• Community Center
John Zeisler
in Research Park
January 3, 2025, 8:29 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Replace the 40 eucalyptus trees you removed for fire safety from this
beautiful preserve with 40 native oaks. Right now it looks like a 40 stump
wasteland. Where is the department of forestry (not deforestation! )
Question 3
• Esther Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:12 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Economic Development and transition” Refreshed commercial streets,
clean sidewalks, greater bike friendly pathways/streets, continuous
community and public safety, and stainable beatification of our
community.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:24 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
The creation of easy, natural gathering spaces for neighbors, which will
encourage that sense of belonging that is missing from many
neighborhoods. A perfect example would be a cafe or pub next to a park
(as in Strawberry Creek park in Berkeley).
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:25 AM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
1 - Make better use of our space. We should be building more housing and
making it easier for companies to open offices here. This first will make
living in Palo Alto affordable, and not a luxury good. The second will give
us time back. People who have to commute to SF/Oakland/San Jose for
work have less time for their families and communities. Let's make it
easier for people to get jobs locally by finding ways to get more
companies to start here. Why does every AI startup need to go to SF?
2 - Improve safety. Too many bike accidents on El Camino and elsewhere.
3 (Much lower priority) - Improve access to middle school sports. We
should either come up with a model that allows everyone to participate
(rather than underprice and have a lottery) or we should give the sports
back to the school district.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:45 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
By "community health, safety, wellness & belonging," I mean also revival
of the downtown area, which is a key community space. I want to add to
this list of priorities greater city oversight of education and, in journalism
by the PA Weekly and other entities, greater effort to cover issues in
education by talking to families and students rather than simply school
and district administrators and spokespeople. The current reporting style
simply allows administrators to use the press as a bullhorn; this is not
journalism. As a result, no one seems to really know or have oversight
over the decisions about education made by the superintendent, the
school board, and school administrators.
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:49 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
More more income housing
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:53 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 10:31 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Housing and real pedestrian/bike infrastructure (lines on pavement, signs
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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to tell drivers to share the road, and flex bollards are not infrastructure)
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 10:49 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Decline in social cohesiveness and zero energy or presence of city hall as
leadership ; change in demographics from those who valued living in a
college town and were heavily involved in town hall/ shaping a community
to a self centered disconnect ; downtown is struggling; homelessness and
filth
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 11:45 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 11:57 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 12:08 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I would like to see the city prioritize the natural environment and
biodiversity, specifically to stop using leaded fuel and reduce noise
pollution at the airport, restore habitat at the bay lands, and prohibit
petrochemical land covers (i.e. plastic weed barrier sheets, plastic turf,
plastic or tire rumbles or chips) in landscaping.
I would also like the city to consider putting in a restroom at either the
community gardens next to Eleanor Pardee Park or at the park.
Lastly, I would love the city to put in traffic slow down (calming!) bumps
or other things on the 700 block on Greer Road and more effective ones
on Channing between Greer Road and Newell Road. Many trucks and
cars, coming off of Embarcadero Road, use these streets as fast arteries
to get around this area.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 12:17 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
S/CAP, micromobility
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:01 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Eric Nordman
in Old Palo Alto
January 3, 2025, 1:06 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
- Addressing Climate change while connecting our neighborhoods with
good bike/ped planning/implementation
- Making our Housing element community friendly with bike/ped
connections to local amenities and services
- Healthy living through active transportation
- Safe routes for everyone!
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:08 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Community Center
January 3, 2025, 1:12 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Revitalize downtown; Install red light cameras at intersections with
multiple crashes; Work with wider community to reduce airplane noise
and pollution
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:12 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
More outdoor community areas like mitchell park's pickleball - expanding
the pickleball there would be amazing since it is getting so crowded. We
live by rinconada and the tennis courts there are in use so much less than
the pickleball courts at mitchell - clearly a need for more pb courts!
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:16 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not shown
in Palo Verde
January 3, 2025, 1:17 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:17 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Clean up the Planning Department and streamline permits and
inspections for new housing and climate change improvements like heat
pumps and solar.
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:20 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:22 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:22 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:22 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:28 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Redevelop downtown.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:29 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
More pickleball courts!
Question 3
• Palo Alto Orchards/Monroe Park
Name not shown
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 3, 2025, 1:30 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
*Pickleball has been great for helping lots of residents improve their
physical fitness, and develop friends and connections in Palo Alto. The
popularity of the Mitchel Park courts is an issue. Courts are full most
days, most hours, and in the evenings they can be 200% full with 4 people
playing and 8 people waiting for EACH court. Meanwhile tennis courts are
often empty to half full. Additional Pickleball courts are needed at Mitchel
Park and tennis courts should be converted. If additional tennis capacity
is needed in evenings/weekends perhaps tennis courts at middle schools
can be repaved/improved/lighted.
*I'm concerned about the un-affordability of housing for regular people.
When houses are torn down they are replaced with houses 2-3x the size.
Property taxes on a starter home, if purchased now, would cost more
than regular people can afford on rent. Progress on adding affordable
units seems very slow.
*Still concerned about flooding risks, especially San Francisquito Creek
during atmospheric rivers.
*I like the plans I've seen for an improved University Ave with wider
sidewalks, reduced traffic and more trees and seating. I'm a big fan of
pedestrian areas in downtown, like the Stroget in Denmark. Also, isn't it
time to replace the ugly orange plastic barricades on Cal Ave with
something more attractive?
*My dream would be to underground the Cal Train through Palo Alto and
turn the current train strip into bike lane/park/sidewalk cafes for families
to enjoy. I know this is costly and unlikely, but how great would it be for
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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the city?
Question 3
• Triple El
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:32 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:33 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Mayfield
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:35 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:40 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
David Jones
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 3, 2025, 1:41 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:42 PM
76 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in College Terrace
January 3, 2025, 1:46 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Health and safety, more bicycle trails, less traffic .Better public
transportation.
Convert some of unoccupied offices to low income housing.
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:48 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 1:58 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
More public pickleball courts to promote better community health and
community.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 2:19 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
1. Community Health, Wellness & Belonging
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 2:30 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
reduction of crime for public safety 24 hrs a day, for public safety and
protection of property
Question 3
• Charleston Garden/Greenhouse
Justin Chueh
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 3, 2025, 2:40 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
More Pickleball courts
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 2:42 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 2:49 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Bike safety
Affordable housing
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 3:12 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Replace the airport with a sports complex, green space and the municipal
corp yard. Airport supports small airplanes which is a source of air
pollution and noise.
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 3:21 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 3:29 PM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 3:48 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Opportunities for social connection - Finding connection at the Mitchell
Park pickleball courts has been life changing for me. I have met so many
people that I never would have had the opportunity to meet if it weren’t
for having the pickleball courts available at 6am. Thank you for this! I only
wish there was more court space for everyone to play.
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
in Greenmeadow
January 3, 2025, 4:09 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
more pickleball courts to meet overwhelming community demand
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 4:16 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Youth mental health
Free shuttle services
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 4:17 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
more recreational opportunities to keep residents healthy
refurbish/renovation/enhancement of public facilities
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not shown
in Greenmeadow
January 3, 2025, 4:25 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• Walnut Grove
Name not shown
outside Palo Alto
January 3, 2025, 4:29 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Ban the use of outdoor gas heaters on Palo Alto sidewalk cafes. Paris, the
champion of cafe culture, made this change several years ago. It is an
easy reduction of fossil fuel use and resulting greenhouse emissions that
serve no serious purpose by our community.
If it is too cold, sit inside the cozy restaurant! Or wear a coat a That’s how
it works in thriving Paris!
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 4:29 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
David Claudino
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 3, 2025, 4:33 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Pickleball is a rapidly growing sport - and our existing courts (primarily at
Mitchell Park) are already overcrowded. We need more courts! This is
not just good exercise; it also builds community and reduces social
isolation/loneliness, connecting people from different ethnic, age,
culture, religious, ... backgrounds.
Question 3
• Midtown
Kevin Fisher
in Duveneck/ St Francis
January 3, 2025, 4:34 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
San Francisquito Creek flood control is by far my highest priority.
1. Replacement of the Newell Rd bridge has stalled. It must be an urgent
city priority to start this demolition and reconstruction in 2025. The
Newell Rd bridge project is mostly under the City's control. I perceive a
lack of leadership and urgency within City of Palo Alto about completing
this project. This project has been ongoing for more than a decade, with
many delays at every stage of the project.
2. The SF Creek JPA plan to replace of the Pope/Chaucer bridge ("Reach
2") and achieve significant reduction in flood risk will not start in earnest
until after the Newell Rd bridge is completed. This work has been under
discussion for 25 years. City of Palo Alto needs to play a more active role
within the JPA. Reach 1 improvements are promising, but have not
significantly reduced the risks to Palo Alto residents.
3. Continue making upgrades to the city's storm drain system. The
improvements in place have already made some positive impact on
flooding risk, but much more can be done. This is something the City of
Palo Alto can do more or less independently and quickly, without
requiring complex negotiations between many stakeholders (counties,
cities, water agencies, etc).
Kevin Fisher, 728 Alester Ave.
Question 3
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not shown
in Palo Verde
January 3, 2025, 4:39 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 5:25 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 5:39 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 5:41 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 6:00 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 6:31 PM
Question 1
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 6:38 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Making the area safer and quieter—train horns in particular are way too
noisy, especially in Southgate neighborhood.
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 7:38 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 7:54 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Downtown and Cal Ave development; affordable housing for first time
buyers trying to transition out of rentals
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:00 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
With little to no help on the horizon for climate adaptation measures and
funding, we need to prepare at the local level now not only in our policies
but in our funding to confront this threat
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:09 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
More pickleball courts - it ties to the top priority I listed
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 8:10 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
1. Construction of Chaucer Bridge improvements to prevent future
flooding in surrounding neighborhoods.
2. Incentivize mass transit for commuters to decrease traffic flow on
University Ave and all other arteries to Hwy 101 during afternoon rush
hour.
3. Attract desirable and interesting tenants to occupy empty storefronts
on University Ave and California Ave.
4. Improve Cal Ave road blockades by replacing the eyesores currently
there. Offer a design competition for local university students to submit
architecturally interesting proposals.
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:31 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Safety by cracking down on speeders and redlight runners, people driving
while on their phones.
Stopping fireworks especially illegal ones.
Converting little used tennis courts that are not near housing to pickleball
courts. Or locating new pickleball courts on the bay side of 101.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:32 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Fairmeadow
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 9:52 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 3, 2025, 11:03 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
More pickleball court
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
in Charleston Meadows
January 3, 2025, 11:15 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Community wellness, pedestrian and bike safety, public transit options,
housing for all
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 12:14 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 5:23 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not shown
in Downtown North
January 4, 2025, 6:14 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY: Effective VACANCY TAX that penalizes
landlords that do not adjust rents to market realities and rates. A tax that
is implemented fast (in a year or less and immediately if vacancy is
caused by rent increases over 5-10% to current tenant forcing them to
leave) and in such a way that high quality tenants are secured (e.g. not
just rug stores). THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY!! Council needs to recognize a
handful of long-time landlords are keeping University Avenue from
evolving. Only a meaningful, significant, and IMMEDIATE vacancy tax will
keep us from so many empty stores and offices. (Footwear Etc moved
only because their tax was raised very high -they wanted to stay and had
enough business. Ridiculously high rents are keeping University from
being revitalized).
ALSO NUMBER ONE: Revitalization and reimagination of University
Avenue. Creating University as a destination for dining, entertainment,
community activities. Council recognizing old-fashioned retail is never
returning. Standing up to the handful of landlords who keep University
from evolving. Evaluating Pearl Street in Boulder CO as a model for
closing University to traffic. In any case extending and expanding
parklets, encouraging entertainment, incentives to landlords to
participate in community-building, reimagination efforts, and adjusting
rents to realistic market rents.
3. Creative reimagination of Cal Avenue. Similar problems to University
Avenue. Closing of Cal Ave should be done with examination of how to
revitalize that area and make it a unique destination. Leverage and
expand the Farmers Market -- which is a great example of community
building. Considering making some aspect of that permanent - along the
lines of the Ferry Building in SF so that Cal Ave becomes a foodie
destination.
84 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
4. Realistic expansion of expanding housing. A balanced approach
between the "no development" residentialists and the "YIMBY's" - saying
NO to residentialists blocking realistic development & fighting hard
against ridiculous huge projects
5. Establishment of times for dogs to have off-leash access in all parks -
not just dog parks. This is the case in Central Park NYC.
6. Investigating the possibility of closing Middlefield at the creek (MP/PA
border) if Willow Park project -- at any level -- goes ahead. Residents of
Downtown North will effectively be locked in if a large development goes
ahead at Willow & Middlefield. Closing Middlefield will be the only way to
protect University Ave as a viable access to 101.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 6:51 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Traffic control. There are too many people speeding on major major
arteries. And the traffic in and out of Stanford has grown dramatically. I
would like to see some pressure on Stanford to build more housing for its
workers.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 8:21 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Eliminate vehicle dwellers from all neighborhoods. Eliminate mentally ill
from downtown. Our household does not spend time downtown due to
the difficulty of dealing with the homeless/criminal/drug users. This
means we spend our money in Los Altos and Mountain View.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 8:52 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Increased housing to allow for population density which will help local
businesses and decrease the rise in housing costs.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 8:56 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Faster, traffic lights, intersections, for example at El Camino Real, and
Churchill and El Camino!!!
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 9:30 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
85 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 9:48 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Traffic calming … more Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park … cracking down
on garbage left on street corners, mostly outside multi family apartments
buildings. Midtown, around Alma, is disgraceful. Mattresses and large
furniture sit on street corners for weeks.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 10:05 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Better biking infrastructure.
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Stephanie Enos
in Barron Park
January 4, 2025, 10:15 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
The City Council has put climate change as one of their major concerns so
an obvious step that could be adopted in Palo Alto
would be to extend the ban of gas leaf blowers to all commercial
properties.
At a stroke this would greatly improve the health of local residents as well
as being a move in the right direction for addressing climate issues
locally. Banning their use for individual properties by hiring someone to
follow through on the ban, has made a HUGE difference in air quality and
noise reduction. Think how this would translate if there were no gas
blowers polluting Palo Alto anywhere. It might even inspire other districts
to follow suit.
I would like to see more oversight on 'developers' ideas for building more
housing. At the rate we're going Barron Park and other neighborhoods will
be unrecognizable in a short time. Cramming as much housing as
possible into any space ( See two current houses under construction that
were squeezed into a very small lot by Matadero Bridge) will not produce
a well thought out community and I wonder how 'affordable' these will be
when they go on the market. There needs to be places where folk can
socialize and get together not just blanket development.
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 11:26 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
Community Safety
Community Health, Wellness & Belonging
Education and Schools
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 12:09 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Increase housing supply, reduce aircraft noise
Question 3
• Community Center
Kathy Levinson
outside Palo Alto
January 4, 2025, 12:30 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging is my #1 priority. I think
the Palo Alto Pickleball Club has done such a wonderful job of reaching
out to Palo Alto residents and making them feel welcomed. It is
remarkable that a small group of volunteers has been able to expand in
the midst of Covid limitations to create such a vibrant and socially-
connected community, that gets people outside, includes physical
movement. My hat is off to the leaders who have been dedicated to
fulfilling their mission "Arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend".
Question 3
• Esther Park
Name not shown
in Evergreen Park
January 4, 2025, 12:57 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
MORE HOUSING - please prioritize policies that result in building more
(and a variety of options of) housing
Question 3
• Mayfield
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 2:03 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Balance local quality of life with economic and global environmental
needs. Stop mixing high- and low-density housing: Moderate-density
throughout is better than creating a community where all housing options
are unappealing.
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 2:59 PM
Question 1
87 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Sustainable electricity, more robust recycling & compost services with
the pervasiveness of plastics and industrial chemicals in product
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not shown
in Community Center
January 4, 2025, 4:21 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not shown
in Crescent Park
January 4, 2025, 4:37 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Flood Protection
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not shown
in Ventura
January 4, 2025, 6:13 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
This may not be a city-wide issue, but I am very concerned that the
closure of parking lanes along El Camino (which I support) has had the
unintended but predictable consequence of moving large numbers of RVs
into adjacent residential neighborhoods. Undermining residential
communities does not seem like the way to address the region's housing
challenges.
Question 3
• Ventura
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 10:50 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Wellness & physical & mental health promotion
Question 3
• Palo Alto Central
Name not available
January 4, 2025, 11:21 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
No response
Question 3
• Palo Verde
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 3:39 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Please focus on community and social engagement and support
community and physical activities that brings people together and keeps
them engaged and physically healthy. Expand when there is demand, like
with the pickleball courts. They do not take much space and are incredibly
efficient for play and community building. Some additional ones would
ease the pressures from existing heavy utilization, and open up and
expand the nascent youth pickleball programming opportunities. The
youth programming could only begin when the city allowed for pickleball
priority on TWO mixed-use courts during after school and weekend hours
in 2022. Palo Alto Pickleball Club now runs or supports regular youth
meet ups, youth tournaments, family clinics, youth pickleball classes and
even an experimental youth summer league. ( Not mentioning here all the
other social and play programming for adults. All it took was an allocation
of hours on a mere 6,000 square feet or 3/20th of a single acre of park
space!) Please also speed up plans for park improvements. The
bathrooms are sadly outdated and there’s not enough of them.
Also impressed with the City’s LINK offerings. Helps our elderly
neighbors who don’t drive. But it could use some additional cars during
peak times.
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 7:28 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 8:24 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Open more recreational facilities like pickleball courts to foster
community buildinf
Question 3
• Charleston Meadow
Tim Persyn
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 5, 2025, 8:25 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
I want to see the council focus on building a Palo Alto community that is
truly diverse and welcoming. That must include creating more housing
options for all income levels.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
89 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
January 5, 2025, 8:49 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 8:55 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Teen services
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 10:51 AM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Hillary Thagard
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 5, 2025, 11:15 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Increase the speed in approving and building affordable housing projects.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 11:22 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 12:20 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
90 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 2
Build more housing to reduce the demand and lower the prices.
Question 3
• Downtown North
chao Lam
in Downtown North
January 5, 2025, 12:26 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Housing around transit centers. A more vibrant, walkable downtown.
Improve on the parklets, please don't shut them down.
Question 3
• Downtown North
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 12:49 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 12:50 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Barron Park
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 1:58 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Crescent Park
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 2:10 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
All four of those priorities sound great!
Question 3
• College Terrace
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
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Name not available
January 5, 2025, 2:44 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Council's 2025 Priorities need to be more specific and focused.
Planning For Cubberley Should Be A 2025 Priority.
There is a bond measure deadline, and an operational Cubberley facility
will be needed in short order to meet increased demand for services as
nearby housing development progresses. More than 40 years of neglect,
fire and water damage have made this facility unattractive,
uncomfortable, unwelcoming, and (parts of it) unsafe and unusable. I was
glad to see progress in the agreement with PAUSD. Good work there.
Subsequent planning work has not yet been visible to the public, and I
look forward to learning more.
Multi-Modal Transportation Should Be A 2025 Priority
We are entering a period that demands transformative transportation
changes on policy, program and project fronts:
• Safe System Action Plan
• 2012 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update
• Rail Grade Separations Next Steps
The State is driving transformative housing growth over the next seven
years that will create urgent demand for improved transportation
facilities in affected upzoned areas of the city.
Planning is underway for University Avenue (and maybe some rezoning
for housing).
At a slower pace, we understand that planning for the massively upzoned
San Antonio Area will get underway, though that planning process is not
yet visible to the public. (One cannot help but notice that the Draft Safe
System Action Plan clearly points to significant existing transportation
deficits on San Antonio Road but offers zero solutions—not even a
placeholder that points to the upcoming area planning process. People
already can see land use transformation of the San Antonio Road area is
well underway in both Palo Alto and Mountain View with several high
density projects proposed, approved, completed, or under construction.
Nonetheless, the transportation facilities that serve this area are
essentially unchanged and unplanned in the Palo Alto portion.
In addition, Caltrans is repaving and restriping El Camino Real, but
Council-requested crossing safety improvements are not complete and
require city follow-up, including signalization and RPP program
improvements to serve nearby neighborhoods and businesses after these
changes.
Why This Focus Is Needed
Though it’s true that Transportation relates in some way to every goal in
the 2024 Priorities, lack of focus on multi-modal transportation and focus
on the SCAP (which did not give due attention to active transportation)
has led to increased city focus on promotion of electric cars over other
modes of transportation that are more sustainable, have fewer safety,
congestion, parking/land use impacts and help people enjoy healthier,
more active lifestyles by including walking, running and bicycling in their
daily activities.
2024 City Council Priorities
• Economic Development & Transition
• Climate Change & Natural Environment—Protection & Adaptation
• Housing for Social & Economic Balance
• Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a 2025 City Council priority to
ensure it gets the focused attention that will be needed to avert severe
impacts on traffic congestion, emissions, parking, safety, health &
wellness & belonging that come with increasing car traffic from increased
density. (Electric cars contribute to all of these impacts even though their
emissions impacts are lower than gas powered cars.) If road users don’t
have a safe and convenient alternative, they will drive.
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a City Council Priority this year.
The need is urgent for the city to give focused attention to safe,
convenient, multi-modal transportation this year—especially in areas the
city has upzoned for high density residential. This transportation planning
work must catch up with the state-mandated housing development.
Please Make Cubberley A Priority This Year
Thousands of new residents living in smaller spaces will generate much
greater demand for community service and activity space.
Question 3
• Greenmeadow
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 2:58 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
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2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• College Terrace
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 4:54 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Southgate
Name not shown
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 5, 2025, 6:42 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Reduce airplane noise and emissions, including at the Palo Alto airport, to
help the City reduce carbon emissions and improve the health and
wellness of the community.
All aircraft produce large amounts of carbon emissions and aircraft that
use leaded fuel produce lead emissions that are harmful to people,
especially young children. California banned the sale and use of leaded
gasoline in 1992. That was 22 years ago. Banning leaded fuel for piston
engine aircraft at PAO is way overdue.
Aircraft noise, especially at night, is disturbing people's activities,
including the ability to sleep several hours without being awaken by a jet,
cargo plane, propeller plane, or helicopter.
The City should not be promoting aviation and should not expand the PAO
airport capacity. Instead the City should protect the Baylands and use the
marsh for flood control given the rise of sea levels. Electric aircraft are in
their infancy and research has yet to be conducted and published about
the negative consequences of thousands of unmanned aircraft/drones
flying at low altitudes over densely populated areas.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 6:52 PM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Zoning changes that incentivize duplexes, ADUs, and denser mixed use
housing. Increased economic attractiveness for lower-priced small
businesses (especially food & beverage) to establish in Palo Alto--we
need more competition and less pricey options
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 7:00 PM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Name not shown
in Leland Manor/ Garland
January 5, 2025, 7:07 PM
93 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
Combatting airplane noise from SFO and PAO. The current conditions
degrade the quality of life for Palo Alto citizens.
Continue to improve the safety of biking in the city.
Question 3
• Leland Manor
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 8:04 PM
Question 1
1. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Flood protection (both creek and tidal)
Question 3
• Adobe Meadow
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 9:01 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Business support
Question 3
• Community Center
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 10:14 PM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Be kind to small businesses.
Abolish parking programs that favor residents over people who work here
and make the city thrive.
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 5, 2025, 11:15 PM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 5:56 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
94 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
No response
Question 3
• Evergreen
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 6:28 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Question 2
Focus on making businesses prosperous, and everything else will follow.
Reduce bureaucracy. Lower city fees. Simplify starting and running
businesses in Palo Alto.
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 7:07 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
I'd like to see PA take it's responsibilities to plan for more housing and
follow state law seriously. This would mean planning for more growth,
creating greater flexibility for business expansion, relaxing zoning to
reinvigorate core business districts, and planning for the transportation
and density we need.
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 9:10 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Address the San Francisquito Creek flood issue. I do not think the Council
fully appreciates the magnitude of the ongoing economic risk. The Newell
Bridge project, managed by Palo Alto, has been delayed putting funding
at risk. Progress by the JPA on the Chaucer Bridge fix has stalled due to
foreseeable technical issues. Delays lead to loss of funding.
Settling on a plan for rail crossings, especially one that is practical and
usable for the students who cross Alma St to attend Paly High School.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 9:10 AM
Question 1
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Economic Development & Transition
Question 2
No response
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 9:50 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Housing which meets the full spectrum of community needs
95 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• Old Palo Alto
Amy Sung
in Community Center
January 6, 2025, 9:57 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
The first and foremost is to help downtown and California businesses
recover immediately and with quick results for residents and visitors alike
to see. Time to show blue cities like Palo Alto can get things done.
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not shown
in Midtown/ Midtown West
January 6, 2025, 9:59 AM
Question 1
No response
Question 2
Safe and sustainable transportation (including more transit and bicycle
facilities) is key to all of the listed priorities above. Please ensure that
funding and staffing for transportation planning and engineering is
increased as this is foundational to all the categories Council is
discussing.
Question 3
• Midtown
Name not shown
in Community Center
January 6, 2025, 10:11 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Put bathrooms in Pardee Park
Question 3
• Duveneck/St. Francis
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 10:29 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
No response
Question 3
No response
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 10:33 AM
Question 1
1. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
2. Economic Development & Transition
3. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
4. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Question 2
Start approving more housing development and build public bathrooms
Focus on University Ave for retail and dining, including visual updates
Make final decisions on rail crossings, and improve bike infrastructure
96 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
Question 3
• University South (Plus Professorville)
Name not available
January 6, 2025, 10:42 AM
Question 1
1. Economic Development & Transition
2. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
3. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Question 2
Make the downtown areas more vibrant and walkable. Continue focusing
on bike and pedestrian safety. Safe routes.
Question 3
• Midtown
97 | communityfeedback.opengov.com/14172 Created with OpenGov | January 8, 2025, 10:21 AM
2025 City Council Priorities Input copy
What are the priorities you would like to see the City Council adopt for 2025?
From:Carol Kiparsky
To:Council, City
Cc:Clerk, City
Subject:Council priorities
Date:Monday, December 30, 2024 5:09:42 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Council members,
For some reason, I was unable to submit my priorities through the survey on the OpenGovwebsite. Right now I don't have time to work through this so I hope you will add my input
into your survey results.
Happy New Year,
Carol Kiparsky800 Cowper St
************************************
Priority #1: The health of the environment, with emphasis on open space, trees, nativeplants, and far fewer car trips. Environmentally sound building and re-purposing of existing
buildings. Less emphasis on electrification and EVs, it’s time to go beyond the “low hangingfruit”.
Additional priorities:
A.REAL public transportation, not just subsidized taxis which tend to be single occupancy.
For example get Stanford to extend the Marguerite through town.
B.Ban single-use plastics and greatly reduce plastic use in general.
From:Ellson, Penny
To:Council, City
Subject:RE: 2025 Priorities
Date:Sunday, January 5, 2025 2:31:44 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Honorable City Council,
RE: 2025 Priorities
This year’s City Council Priorities need to be more specific and focused.
Planning For Cubberley Should Be A 2025 Priority.
There is a bond measure deadline, and an operational Cubberley facility will be needed in short order
to meet increased demand for services as nearby housing development progresses. More than 40
years of neglect, fire and water damage have made this facility unattractive, uncomfortable,
unwelcoming, and (parts of it) unsafe and unusable. I was glad to see progress in the agreement with
PAUSD. Good work there. Subsequent planning work has not yet been visible to the public, and I look
forward to learning more.
Multi-Modal Transportation Should Be A 2025 Priority
We are entering a key period that demands transformative transportation changes on policy, program
and project fronts:
Safe System Action Plan
2012 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update
Rail Grade Separations Next Steps
The State is driving transformative housing growth over the next seven years that will create urgent
demand for improved transportation facilities in affected upzoned areas of the city.
Planning is underway for University Avenue (and maybe some rezoning for housing).
At a slower pace, we understand that planning for the massively upzoned San Antonio Area will get
underway, though that planning process is not yet visible to the public. (One cannot help but notice
that the Draft Safe System Action Plan clearly points to significant existing transportation deficits on
San Antonio Road but offers zero solutions—not even a placeholder that points to the upcoming area
planning process. People already can see land use transformation of the San Antonio Road area is
well underway in both Palo Alto and Mountain View with several high density projects proposed,
approved, completed, or under construction. Nonetheless, the transportation facilities that
serve this area are essentially unchanged and unplanned in the Palo Alto portion.
In addition, Caltrans is repaving and restriping El Camino Real, but Council-requested crossing safety
improvements are not complete and require city follow-up, including signalization and RPP program
improvements to serve nearby neighborhoods and businesses after these changes.
Why Focus This Focus Is Needed
Though it’s true that Transportation relates in some way to every goal in the 2024 Priorities, lack of
focus on multi-modal transportation and focus on the SCAP (which did not give due attention to
active transportation) has led to increased city focus on promotion of electric cars over other modes
of transportation that are more sustainable, have fewer safety, congestion, parking/land use impacts
and help people enjoy healthier, more active lifestyles by including walking, running and bicycling in
their daily activities.
2024 City Council Priorities
Economic Development & Transition
Climate Change & Natural Environment—Protection & Adaptation
Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a 2025 City Council priority to ensure it gets the focused
attention that will be needed to avert severe impacts on traffic congestion, emissions, parking, safety,
health & wellness & belonging that come with increasing car traffic from increased density. (Electric
cars contribute to all of these impacts even though their emissions are lower than gas powered cars.)
If road users don’t have a safe and convenient alternative, they will drive.
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a City Council Priority this year.
The need is urgent for the city to give focused attention to safe, convenient, multi-modal
transportation this year—especially in areas the city has upzoned for high density
residential. This transportation planning work must catch up with the state-mandated
housing development.
Please Make Cubberley A Priority This Year
Thousands of new residents living in smaller spaces will generate much greater demand
for community service and activity space.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Penny Ellson
Virus-free.www.avg.com
COUNCIL RETREAT
Saturday, January 25, 2025
www.cityofpaloalto.org
2
AGENDA
9:00 1. Roll Call, Welcome by Mayor & City Manager
9:05 2. Introductions
9:40 3. Discuss Key Inputs: Community Input & 2024 Accomplishments
10:10 Public Comment
10:40 BREAK
10:50 4. Selection of 2025 Priorities
11:30 5. Initial discussion of 2025 Objectives
12:30 BREAK
1:00 6. Discussion of Organizing for Effectiveness
2:30 7. Next Steps
3:00 Adjournment
TO ENSURE A PRODUCTIVE DAY
3January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
We allow time for candid and honest feedback
We seek to hear ideas and perspectives of residents
in our public comments before deliberations
We will adhere to schedule and allow the facilitator
to move the conversation along
Ed
Lauing
Mayor
CITY COUNCIL
Vicki
Veenker
Vice
Mayor
Pat
Burt
Council
Member
Greer
Stone
Council
Member
Julie
Lythcott-
Haims
Council
Member
George
Lu
Council
Member
Keith
Reckdahl
Council
Member
4
5
City Council Intro:
Sharing your “why”
January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
3. KEY INPUTS
JANUARY 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
VIDEO LOOKING BACK AT 2024 & AHEAD TO 2025
JANUARY 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUMMARY
8January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•Staff released an Open Town Hall survey through OpenGov and the
forum had 578 visitors and gained 431 community responses, compared
with 483 visitors and 396 responses in 2024.
•Other inputs:
•Emails to the City Council
•Feedback gained today as part of the public comment period
•Palo Alto Community survey results
•Neighborhood Town Hall meetings
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS
9January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Average priorities over 431 responses:
1. Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
2. Housing for Social & Economic Balance
3. Economic Development & Transition
4. Climate Change & Natural Environment -Protection & Adaptation
QUESTION 1: Prioritize the 2024 City Council Priorities.
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUMMARY
10January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Climate and Environment-Prioritizing electrification and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, clean
energy initiatives, such as heat pumps and solar adoption, plus preserving biodiversity, reducing
noise pollution, and implementing bird-friendly and dark-sky policies.
Community Building-Investment in programs and spaces, recreational options, plus more civic
engagement and communication between the City and residents.
Economic Development-Revitalization of commercial districts like University Ave. and Cal Ave.,
reducing retail vacancies, increasing vibrant community spaces, plus need for faster permit
processes.
Fiscal Responsibility-Comments about use of consultants, cost-efficiencies/budget management,
and rising utility rates.
QUESTION 2: What are the priorities you would like to see the City
Council adopt for 2025?
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS
11January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Housing-Prioritizing affordable housing, concerns about and support for high-density housing,
housing impacts on traffic/infrastructure, and more mixed-use developments near transit.
Infrastructure & Utilities-Enhance mobility such as bike lanes, roads and public transportation,
support undergrounding utilities and flood control measures.
Public Safety-Comments about crime, traffic enforcement, and pedestrian safety, plus improving
infrastructure to reduce accidents and enhance safety in neighborhoods.
QUESTION 2: What are the priorities you would like to see the City
Council adopt for 2025?
PUBLIC COMMENT
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
BREAK
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
14
AGENDA
9:00 1. Roll Call, Welcome by Mayor & City Manager
9:05 2. Introductions
9:40 3. Discuss Key Inputs: Community Input & 2024 Accomplishments
10:10 Public Comment
10:40 BREAK
10:50 4. Selection of 2025 Priorities
11:30 5. Initial discussion of 2025 Objectives
12:30 BREAK
1:00 6. Discussion of Organizing for Effectiveness
2:30 7. Next Steps
3:00 Adjournment
4. SELECTION OF 2025 COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Introduction to annual priority-setting process
JANUARY 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
COUNCIL PRIORITIES OVERVIEW
16January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Since 1986, this Council has established Policy Priorities
Policy anticipates between 3-4 Council identified topics will receive significant attention.
Staff recommends that the Council again, take a longer-term strategic approach, focusing on issues and initiatives over a two-year period to
allow for sustained progress and meaningful impacts on priorities.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES: SHARED VALUES
17January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
1. Balance revenues and expenses, now and in the future.
2. Are environmentally sustainable, now and in the future.
3. Will integrate equity into our decisions, considering how decisions affect people
differently based on their identity or circumstances.
4. Create a healthy, safe and welcoming community for all.
5. Will safeguard public trust through transparent practices and open communication.
6. Will embrace innovation.
The Palo Alto City Council will make decisions that:
DEFINITIONS
18January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Priority-One of the 3-4 focus areas that the City Council has
selected for specific attention in order to address community
needs.
“Umbrella” Strategies-A new term this year, reflecting an
overarching approach to managing an issue, reflecting a long-
term or multidimensional perspective.
Objective-A strategic project or milestone intended to be
achieved within the year.
“Umbrella” Operating Strategies for 2025
Mayor’s Suggestions
19January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•Reduce employee vacancy rate by further accelerating the
rate of filling open positions so staff is in place to execute
on priorities.
•Take a more cautious approach to budgeting decisions in
light of economic uncertainty and a new administration.
•Increase effectiveness and channels of communication
to/from our residents.
•Structure committees for optimum effectiveness.
Housing for Social & Economic Balance
20
2
4
C
O
U
N
C
I
L
P
R
I
O
R
I
T
I
E
S
Climate Change & Natural Environment-
Protection & Adaptation
Community Health, Safety, Wellness &
Belonging
Economic Development & Transition
PRIORITIES
DISCUSSION
21January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
What are the Council’s 2025
Priorities?
22
AGENDA
9:00 1. Roll Call, Welcome by Mayor & City Manager
9:05 2. Introductions
9:40 3. Discuss Key Inputs: Community Input & 2024 Accomplishments
10:10 Public Comment
10:40 BREAK
10:50 4. Selection of 2025 Priorities
11:30 5. Initial discussion of 2025 Objectives
12:30 BREAK
1:00 6. Discussion of Organizing for Effectiveness
2:30 7. Next Steps
3:00 Adjournment
5. INITIAL DISCUSSION OF 2025 OBJECTIVES
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
COUNCIL OBJECTIVES OVERVIEW
24January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Following Council selection of annual priorities, staff will return with
recommended Objectives tied to SMARTIE Goals:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Inclusive
Equitable
OBJECTIVES
DISCUSSION
25January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Discuss initial input to staff on
objectives. Staff will return to
Council on Feb 24 with
recommendations based on
resources available.
BREAK
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
27
AGENDA
9:00 1. Roll Call, Welcome by Mayor & City Manager
9:05 2. Introductions
9:40 3. Discuss Key Inputs: Community Input & 2024 Accomplishments
10:10 Public Comment
10:40 BREAK
10:50 4. Selection of 2025 Priorities
11:30 5. Initial discussion of 2025 Objectives
12:30 BREAK
1:00 6. Discussion of Organizing for Effectiveness
2:30 7. Next Steps
3:00 Adjournment
6. DISCUSSION OF ORGANIZING FOR EFFECTIVENESS
JANUARY 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Strategic Issue: Council Engagement
29January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•How do Committees advance priorities and support Council
efficiency and effectiveness?
•Additional options for Council engagement:
•Designating a Council Liaison to a topic area (e.g. senior
living communities) rather than individual organizations
•Combining committees with related topics
Possible Guidance on Ad Hoc Committees
30January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•Ad Hocs facilitate efficient Council meetings by vetting
complex topics in advance
•Priorities and assignments, including Ad Hoc missions, will
be made by the full Council to ensure transparent
management of resources
•Ad Hoc recommendations proceed directly to the full
Council (not heard by more than one committee)
•Recommendations from Ad Hocs will be developed in
public
STRATEGIES
DISCUSSION
31January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
How does the Council envision its
engagement in advancing the Priorities?
If involving ad hoc committees, what should
the committees be and what specific goals
will be assigned to each committee?
STRATEGIES
DISCUSSION
32January 25, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Are there research projects or strategic
questions that need to be answered in
order to advance Council’s vision for
each priority?
7. NEXT STEPS
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
www.cityofpaloalto.org/connect 27
ADJOURNMENT
www.cityofpaloalto.orgJANUARY 25, 2025
From:Ken Kershner
To:Council, City
Subject:Prioritizing Active Transportation for Palo Alto’s Future
Date:Friday, January 24, 2025 2:54:33 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Palo Alto City Council,
As you prepare for the upcoming Council Retreat and set priorities for the coming year, I urgeyou to place active transportation—particularly the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan
(BPTP)—at the top of the agenda. While past Council priorities have included importantissues like climate change, community health, and economic development, active
transportation uniquely touches all of these areas, offering benefits that extend across thecommunity.
Active transportation, including biking and walking infrastructure, provides multi-faceted butoften diffuse benefits that ripple through every aspect of city life. From reducing emissions
and relieving traffic congestion to improving public health and economic activity, the impactof prioritizing bike and pedestrian infrastructure goes far beyond a few more bike lanes.
Climate Change and Sustainability:While electric vehicles are a crucial part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, they don’t
address our city’s growing congestion and parking challenges. Biking is not only moreresource-efficient—an e-bike can travel up to 60 miles on the same amount of energy that
powers an EV for just three miles—it also frees up space, reduces reliance on fossil fuels, andpromotes a truly sustainable mode of transport.
Community Health and Wellness:The health benefits of biking and walking are well-documented, promoting physical activity
that reduces healthcare costs and fosters a healthier population. Palo Alto’s Safe Routes toSchool program is a testament to this—each ride taken by a child means fewer cars on the
road, less congestion around schools, and more independence for our youth. Expanding thisphilosophy to the entire community would improve quality of life for residents of all ages.
Economic Development:Biking supports local businesses and drives economic activity. Studies have shown that car-
free zones and bike-friendly infrastructure encourage people to shop more locally andfrequently. Reducing our reliance on cars also cuts down on the economic costs of fuel and
healthcare, creating a more resilient, vibrant local economy.
Housing and Livability:
As the city works to meet its housing goals, especially in areas near transit, prioritizing bikeand pedestrian infrastructure will ensure that new housing developments remain accessible
without increasing parking and traffic pressures. Bike/ped-friendly cities are often rated asmore livable, and by accelerating the BPTP, Palo Alto can better align housing development
with sustainable, community-friendly transportation options.
With the near completion of bike lanes on El Camino Real, it’s clear that progress is being
made—but more can and should be done. Projects like additional bike and pedestrian under-crossings of Alma and the Caltrain tracks are overdue and would significantly enhance
connectivity across the city, especially for students and commuters. These investments wouldalso contribute to reducing the city’s 9% shortfall in meeting its SCAP GHG goals, while
ensuring safer, more efficient travel for everyone, regardless of whether they bike, walk, ordrive.
Imagine a Palo Alto where active transportation is not just an afterthought but a centralelement of city planning: a city where bike lanes are safe, connected, and buffered from cars,
where way-finding is clear, and where cyclists can navigate easily between neighborhoods andsurrounding towns. This would not only benefit those who bike or walk, but also those who
drive, as it would reduce congestion and free up parking. Active transportation is a key part ofthe solution, touching on every aspect of the city's priorities—from climate action to health,
housing, and economic vitality.
By making active transportation a top priority, Palo Alto can continue to lead by example,
showing how a city can thrive by investing in sustainable, community-friendly infrastructure. Iurge the Council to elevate the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan and related
initiatives to ensure these projects receive the attention and resources they deserve.
Thank you for your time and dedication to creating a better, more sustainable Palo Alto.
Sincerely,
Ken Kershner
--
Ken Kershner | Co-Founder & CEOCell 650-248-9059 | Email k en@triomotors.coTrio Motors | Palo Alto
From:Susan Stansbury
To:Council, City
Subject:Council Priorities
Date:Friday, January 24, 2025 12:07:37 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear City Council,
Thank you for your commitment to our city. I am grateful for the time and effort that you
spend to address issues that impact our city, our region and our world.
Please keep Climate Change and Natural Environment- Protection & Adaptation as a toppriority.
There are a few specific areas that I think our city could improve upon in this category in the
near term.
1) Before grade separation projects start at Meadow, Charleston, and Churchill, ensure thatother safe routes are in place for bicycles and pedestrians to cross the tracks and Alma in the
vicinity. Our community has made a lot of progress on Safe Routes to Schools and we havemany dedicated people in our community who ride bikes and walk around town. Let's keep
our bike/ped travellers safe.
2) Create a mechanism for property managers and building owners to engage with the PaloAlto Transportation Management Association (PATMA) to satisfy their Transportation
Demand Management (TDM) agreements through the provision of PATMA's services.
3) Create a Pesticide-Free ordinance throughout Palo Alto. Organic Materials Review Institute(OMRI) -certified pesticides should be applied only by licensed professionals and only as a
last resort after other Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions have been exhausted. Wefind bees who come into our organic landscape who have been poisoned from pesticides. They
don't understand individual property rights and they need to be protected. Additionally healthysoil is filled with life and acts like a sponge. When we kill our soils with poisons (pesticides,
herbicides, etc), we lose soils' functions of sequestering carbon and absorbing rainwater whichprotects us from flooding.
Finally, I recommend that we create a new priority for the city to protect democracy such as
protecting access to the polls, protecting undocumented workers, Dreamers and any othertargeted community, and protecting people within our city from federal government
retaliation.
Thank you for your consideration and implementation of these ideas.--
Susan Stansbury(650) 353-1994
From:slevy@ccsce.com
To:Council, City
Cc:Guagliardo, Steven
Subject:council committees for 2025
Date:Friday, January 24, 2025 10:48:10 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Mayor Lauing and council members,
Please continue a board committee focusing on filling vacant sites and economicdevelopment.
While council has made significant progress, there are many unresolved issues.
Instead of calling it the retail committee, I propose a committee focused on vibrancy,
economic competitiveness and reducing vacancies which embrace a much wider set of
options
than focusing on retail stores.
thanks
Stephen Levy
From:Michael Regula
To:Council, City
Subject:Prioritize Active Transportation
Date:Friday, January 24, 2025 9:31:18 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear City Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my strong belief that this city council must make Active
Transportation a top priority this year. Communities built around walking, biking, and publictransportation rather than privately-owned vehicles have been shown to promote thriving local
economies, to improve air quality, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and to ensure everyonemoves around in the community safely.
As a nation, we have done a nearly 100-year old experiment around private-vehicle centric
infrastructure. While it provides high precision and convenience, the drawbacks to oureconomy, environment, and safety are immense. Millions of dollars leave our community
every year due to the high cost of private vehicle ownership, greenhouse gas emissionscontinue to reach untenable levels, and millions of people suffer life-changing injuries every
year, including over 40,000 deaths per year (it happens in our community far too often). Thetime for the benefit of the doubt is over. It is time to start a new experiment in which
transportation options that promote the health of our environment are given priority over thosethat don't.
Our community takes great pride in our Safe Routes to Schools initiative. Palo Alto's
government should take immense pride in this program. Let's double, triple, quadruple downon expanding it and making programs like it to impact the broader local economy!
Thank you all for your service to our community. I am excited to see this year's city council
make a strong public commitment to Active Transportation, one that will benefit the city nowand for generations to come.
Regards,
Mike
Dr. Michael Regula
University South ResidentBattery Materials Engineer
Email: michaeljregula@gmail.com
From:Hamilton Hitchings
To:Council, City
Cc:Eggleston, Brad
Subject:2025 City Goals Input - Please Prioritize Climate Change Adaption & Community Safety
Date:Friday, January 24, 2025 9:14:58 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear City Council,
Many homes are being destroyed by fires in Los Angeles. Climate change will continue to
cause more severe weather events, both fires and floods and we need to invest in
mitigating them now.
For Crescent Park and Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhoods it is essential to reduce flood
risks by prioritizing the Newell Bridge improvements, Hamilton Avenue storm drain
expansion, and San Francisquito Reach 2 widening.
Please continue prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation and Community Safety in 2025 by
funding critical flood protection and wildfire mitigation efforts. These investments are key to
preventing homes from becoming uninhabitable. Thank you.
Hamilton Hitchings
From:Robert Neff
To:Council, City
Subject:2025 Priority - Active Transportation.
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 11:11:05 PM
Honorable City Council Members,
I hope you will adopt active transportation developments and
improvements as a council priority for 2025. I think the development of
our Safe Systems Approach, and progress towards adoption of a new
Bike/Ped Transportation Plan are key steps the city should take this
year. Improving bicycling and pedestrian connection, safety and
convenience will enable more citizens to choose to get around our
community by healthy active transportation. These efforts can lead to
improvements in the way we live in our community, towards better people
connection, better city vitality, better sustainability, a better sense
of community, and a healthier population. I hope you will strongly
consider this for 2025.
Thank you for your work for our city,
-- Robert Neff
on Emerson near Loma Verde.
From:Frank Viggiano
To:Council, City
Subject:Please prioritize active transportation as a component of PA"s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 7:12:27 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Members of the Palo Alto City Council:
In recent years the CIty of Palo Alto has made fighting climate change a major priority, as
manifested by our S/CAP “80 by 30” initiative. This program has primarily promoted the
electrification of transportation and the electrification of energy use within our homes and
buildings.
While I commend these efforts and believe they have been effective. one area we have not
put as much focus on in recent years is the promotion of active transportation as a tool to
reduce the generation of greenhouse gases and pollution. An electric vehicle (EV) is
certainly a cleaner and more climate-friendly alternative to driving an internal combustion
engine (ICE) vehicle, but we all know that replacing a car trip with a walking or bicycling trip
is another whole order of magnitude cleaner. Walking or riding an unassisted bicycle
doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases at all. And even an electrically assisted bike
(ebike) uses only about 1/16th of the electricity per mile that an EV uses. So we would be
well served by including such a focus as part of our climate-change
Mode shift to active transportation has other benefits besides energy savings and reduced
pollution, most notably reduced traffic congestion. Traffic is one of the most commonly
mentioned complaints from Palo Alto residents when addressing concerns about our local
quality of life. When we each move around town in our own 6 ft by 18 ft, 4000 lb. steel box,
that inevitably consumes a lot of energy and space. Active transportation also increases
social interaction, improves health, and generally makes our community more vibrant.
How can we promote active transportation? One of the most often mentioned reasons
people don't walk or bike is the perceived lack of safety. We can address this by making all
of our streets fully safe and accessible to all modes of transportation. We need streets that
are designed for safe and inviting use by cyclists and pedestrians as well as autos. We
also need to provide safe passage for non-motorists across our busy thoroughfares and
across obstacles such as freeways and the railroad tracks. The City’s transportation
department is producing a Safety Action Plan which specifies how the City of Palo Alto can
implement a Safe Systems approach to achieve Vision Zero (something other communities
across the state and country are putting in place). I strongly urge the City Council to
provide funding to begin implementing these improvements to our streets.
In summary, I encourage you to look at ways to allocate some of our climate fighting budget
to retrofit our non-complying streets and to provide safe crossings and secure bike parking
so that residents feel safe getting out of their cars for local trips. This increased focus on
active transportation will help us reach our S/CAP 80 by 30 goal, and also bring the other
demonstrated benefits of having a more walkable and bike-friendly town.
Thank you for your consideration.
Frank Viggiano
Decades-long resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood
From:Garrett Clark
To:Council, City
Subject:Public Comment on 2025 Annual Council Retreat; Item 4
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 5:33:31 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.Dear City Council,
I am writing to urge you to prioritize Active Transportation and implement Vision Zeroprinciples in Palo Alto’s annual priority setting. Active Transportation, including biking,walking, and public transit, offers significant benefits to our community, and Vision Zeroprovides a clear framework for improving safety.
Additionally, prioritizing active transportation helps address the racial and economicdisparities in how people access Palo Alto. Many lower-income and communities of color relyon public transit or active transportation to reach the city, while wealthier residents andvisitors are more likely to drive. By improving biking, walking, and transit infrastructure, wecan create a more equitable transportation system that better serves everyone, regardless ofincome or background.
Prioritizing active transportation also supports other city goals, including economic vitality. Better infrastructure attracts businesses, increases foot traffic, and improves access to localshops, making Palo Alto a more vibrant and sustainable place for both residents and visitors.
To make progress, I recommend prioritizing the following actions:
1. Invest in infrastructure: Build protected bike lanes, daylight intersections, andmaintain safe sidewalks for all users.2. Implement traffic calming measures: Slow traffic with curb extensions, raisedcrosswalks, and roundabouts.3. Prioritize safety: Design streets for people walking, biking, and taking transit, even if itslightly delays cars.4. Expand bike parking/sharing: Encourage cycling with more bike racks and sharedbikes.5. Improve public transit: Work with VTA to enhance Line 21 to better serve ourcommunity.
I hope the Council will take bold steps this year to make Active Transportation and VisionZero a top priority.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Garrett ClarkResident of Downtown North
From:Zafarali Ahmed
To:Council, City
Subject:Active Transportation and Vision Zero for Palo Alto
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 2:45:21 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious
of opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear City Councillors,
I am writing to urge you to make Active Transportation a top priority for the City of
Palo Alto and to incorporate Vision Zero principles into our transportation planning.
Active Transportation, which includes walking, biking, and using public transit, offers
numerous benefits to our community, and Vision Zero provides a framework for
achieving our safety goals.
Active transportation can: Reduce Traffic Congestion, Improve Air Quality, and Make
Ourselves Healthier. It has already been shown that if there were safe and accessible
routes for all, we should be able to increase our active transportation use. How can
we achieve this?
We can start by making our streets safer for ALL users:
Invest in infrastructure: Build more protected bike lanes, universally daylight all our
intersections, and maintain sidewalks everywhere, with an emphasis on safety for
all users.
Implement traffic calming measures: Slow down traffic and make streets safer for
pedestrians and cyclists through measures like curb extensions, raised crosswalks,
modal filters and roundabouts.
Prioritize safety over speed: Design streets to prioritize the safety of people
walking, biking, and taking transit, even if it means slightly longer travel times for
cars.
Bike Parking / Sharing: Provide public bike parking and bike-sharing schemes.
Public Transport: Encourage VTA to improve line 21 that goes through our
community but doesn't meet the needs of most of our residents due to its
infrequency.
Last year when I spoke up to to encourage you to improve the bicycle experience on
University Avenue, you instead directed staff to encourage cycling on Lytton and
Hamilton which is on the high-injury-network (Page 35 of Safe Streets for All Safety
Action Plan Draft from December 2024) instead of making it safer for the 100s of
people who ALREADY come to University Ave via bike and encouraging even more
to do so. Let's try to change that! Let's provide protected bikeways as well as
significantly traffic-calmed streets into our downtowns, there is no reason that motor
vehicles (EV or gas) be given all the space in our city.
I hope the council adopts a bolder vision this year and takes action to make Active
Transportation and Vision Zero top priorities for the City of Palo Alto.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Zafarali Ahmed
Resident of University South
From:pennyellson12@gmail.com
To:Council, City
Subject:2025 Priorities
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 2:42:01 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Honorable City Council,
This year’s City Council Priorities should be more specific and focused.
Planning For Cubberley Should Be A 2025 Priority.
There is a bond measure deadline, and an operational Cubberley facility will be needed in
short order to meet increased demand for services as nearby housing development
progresses. More than 40 years of neglect, fire and water damage have made this facility
unattractive, uncomfortable, unwelcoming, and (parts of it) unsafe and unusable. I was glad to
see progress in the agreement with PAUSD. Good work there. Subsequent planning work has
not yet been visible to the public, and I look forward to learning more. Focused Council
attention on Cubberley progress will help prevent another derailed Cubberley process.
Multi-Modal Transportation Should Be A 2025 Priority
We are entering a key period that should define transformative changes to transportation
policies, programs and projects:
Safe System Action Plan
Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update
Rail Grade Separations Next Steps
Area planning for new state-mandated housing
State mandates for transformative housing growth over the next seven years necessitate
urgent attention to transportation facilities improvements in affected upzoned areas of the
city.
Planning is underway for transit-rich University Avenue (and some rezoning for housing on a
smaller scale).
Area planning for the massively upzoned San Antonio Area is lagging. Public outreach has not
yet commenced. (One cannot help but notice that the Draft Safe System (SS4A) Action Plan
clearly points to significant existing transportation deficits and provides no mention of
aggregate impacts of projects that have been approved and/or upzoned on San Antonio Road.
The SS4A Action Plan offers zero solutions in its recommendations for this area—not even a
placeholder that points to the upcoming San Antonio Area Planning process. We already can
see land use transformation of the San Antonio Road area is well underway in both Palo Alto
and Mountain View with several high density projects proposed, approved, completed, or
under construction. Further, VTA has just announced a major project closing the
Charleston/101 S Interchange and moving the 101S Interchange to San Antonio Road. This will
likely add even higher volume of trips to San Antonio. Despite all of this massive change, the
transportation facilities that serve this area are essentially unchanged and progress
toward Area Planning for the Palo Alto portion of San Antoino Road seems to be stalled.
Why This Focus Is Needed
Though it’s true that Transportation relates in some way to every goal in the 2024 Priorities,
lack of focus on multi-modal transportation and myopic focus on the SCAP (which did not give
due attention to active transportation) has led to increased city focus on promotion of electric
cars over other modes of transportation that are much more sustainable, have fewer safety,
congestion, parking/land use impacts and help people enjoy healthier, more active lifestyles
by including walking, running and bicycling in their daily activities.
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a 2025 City Council priority to ensure it gets focused
attention that will be needed to avert severe impacts on traffic congestion, emissions, parking,
safety, health & wellness & belonging that come with increasing car traffic from increased
density. (Electric cars contribute to all of these impacts even though their emissions are lower
than gas powered cars.) If road users don’t have a safe and convenient alternative, they will
drive.
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a City Council Priority this year.
The need is urgent for the city to give focused attention to safe, convenient, multi-modal
transportation this year—especially in areas the city has massively upzoned areas that
will be transformed from low density commercial uses to high density residential uses. A
concerted effort must be made to catch-up comprehensive transportation planning work
to keep pace with state-mandated housing development in targeted areas.
Please Make Cubberley A Priority This Year
Thousands of new city residents living in smaller spaces will generate much greater
demand for our limited community service and activity space.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Penny Ellson
Virus-free.www.avg.com
From:David Sacerdote
To:Council, City
Subject:Active transportation
Date:Thursday, January 23, 2025 1:32:27 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
I urge you to make active transportation, such as walking or cycling, a major priority when
planning. Actually hitting our greenhouse gas emissions goals means not just EVs, but lessdriving, which in turn means getting people both onto their own feet, bikes, and into mass
transit.
Finding ways to expand the existing system of bicycle boulevards, ensuring goodinterconnection with systems in adjacent towns, and providing for safe use of major roads will
both benefit the health of Palo Alto residents, and make it possible to achieve stated goals.
Thanks
From:Jeralyn Moran
To:Council, City
Subject:Biking & Pedestrian infrastructure must be a top priority!
Date:Wednesday, January 22, 2025 1:55:59 PM
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Dear Council,
I am a Wildlife Biologist, and continue to stand up for the NaturalEnvironment, when needed, to balance the knee-jerk prioritizing of human
desires.
Pushing for more comprehensive biking/pedestrian infrastructure in ourcommunity is a win-win for human health AND the Natural World! It is as
simple as that.
Please consider this important point in your upcoming decision-making.
Sincerely,
Jeralyn Moran
--
Jeralyn Moranjeralyn.moran@gmail.com
....... the Time for Climate Action Is Now.
From:David Coale
To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Abendschein, Jonathan; Luong, Christine; Eggleston, Brad; Lait, Jonathan
Subject:Please make bike/ped infrastructure a top priority
Date:Wednesday, January 22, 2025 1:00:19 PM
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Dear Mayor and Council members,
Please make bike/ped infrastructure a top priority for Palo Alto. Listed below is an op-ed that
I wrote that will be printed this Friday in the Weekly. I am including it here so you have time to read it and follow the links provided it you like.
Bike/ped infrastructure has been a missing part of the SCAP/City priorities and has many
benefits as numerated below. All we have to do is look at our European cities to see what they are doing and how much farther they are ahead of us with addressing climate change,
transportation, housing, health and quality of life.
Project Drawdown listed bike infrastructure as the most cost effective solution to climate change that cities can do: https://drawdown.org/index.php/solutions/bicycle-infrastructure
Locally we have huge success success story with our Safe Routes to School program where
over 50% of our school kids take active transportation to school. Imagine the grid-lock that would occur should all these kids be driven to school.
Please make bike/bed infrastructure a top priority for the City this year.
Sincerely,
David Coale
—————————
Opinion: Make bike/ped infrastructure a top priority
Each year, the City Council reviews its priorities for the coming year at its annual Council
Retreat. A Council priority is defined as a topic that will receive significant attention during
the year. Topics are fairly broad and usually have a three-year time limit, although some may
continue beyond that time period.
Last year’s priorities were:
Climate Change & Natural Environment - Protection & Adaptation
Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Economic Development & Transition
Housing for Social & Economic Balance
From year to year, the priorities are often the same or similar as it takes more than a year to
address them adequately and allocate City resources to realize these goals. They are also
similar in that Staff presents the priorities from last year as a starting place for what the
Council wants to address in the coming year. The staff and Council also take public input
through a survey and letters to Council on this subject and at their Council retreat in January.
Staff then comes up with key objectives for each priority so that the City can focus on these
and have a work plan in place. The 2023 priorities were almost exactly the same as the 2024 priorities. As mentioned above, this is somewhat expected as it takes awhile to make plans
and get them implemented, especially with the Palo Alto Process, where every last detail is
fleshed out and analyzed to death. That said, good progress was made in the last year on all
topics.
While all these priorities are good and progress was made, there is also the problem of some
items that continually fall through the cracks and are not addressed in a timely manner or are taken for granted. I am talking about the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan and its
implementation. While I certainly don’t expect everyone to jump on their bikes tomorrow,
allow me to show you how bike/ped infrastructure and use can benefit everyone – including
car drivers.
Climate change: While EVs are good and their use is expanding very rapidly, they do not do
anything for our congestion and parking problems. Bikes are even lower emission than EVs,
and you can park 10 bikes in one car parking space. EVs get about three to three-and-a-half
miles on one kWh of energy use. An e-bike (for example) gets 40 to 60 miles on one kWh of
energy. This makes the e-bike 20 times more efficient than an EV and this is just for the
energy usage. If we are to measure resource efficiency, the e-bike is even more efficient and regular bikes are even better still!
Community: Health and Wellness come under this heading. The health benefits from the exercise of biking and walking are well documented and should be promoted as part of a
healthy community. Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to School is a huge success that is taken for
granted. Every bike ride to school and back eliminates four car trips by parents. Just imagine
if the congestion around our schools doubled or tripled. Kids riding to school also promotes
independence and improved self-confidence as well as freeing up tons of time for parents and
frees up road space for those who must drive.
Economy: The economic benefits of cycling are many. Reducing our dependence on gas cars
and the fuel that pollutes our planet is huge. Reducing healthcare cost is another benefit, as
alluded to above. Studies also show greater economic activity in car-free zones as people are
more likely to shop locally and more often.
Housing: With the new housing element in place and no parking minimums in areas near
transit, getting around by biking and walking will allow the housing, and the housing
affordability we need, to meet our goals. As far as I know, parking availability has never been
a measure of city livability, but availability of good bike/ped infrastructure often is.
With the almost-completed bike lanes on El Camino, the City should double down and
expedite the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, which is two years over-due. One of
the items in the last plan, and supported by the rail committee, is adding bike/ped under-
crossings of Alma and the Caltrain tracks. This would ensure the safe transit of our school
children during the rail crossing construction and would be a game changer for the community
as now it would be faster to bike all over Palo Alto than take a car.
With all the benefits listed above (and more), we would be much better off putting active
transportation at a higher priority. What would this look like? This would be a safe connected
network of bike lanes buffered from cars where riders felt safe and comfortable while riding
their bikes. This would include safe crossings of our major roads and be connected to our
neighboring towns with good way-finding signage and plentiful bike parking. With these
investments, it would help address our 9% shortfall in our SCAP GHG goals while realizing
all the other benefits of active transportation listed above. Already our Safe Routes to School
program has over 50% of our kids riding or walking to school, so we should be able to do this,
but only if these programs are put at a much higher priority and not left as just a few
objectives in a long list of actions for the coming year.
While some folks may never ride their bikes, some will do even more, and everyone will
benefit. Imagine free bike valet parking at all major City events: the Chili Cook Off, the
music series, the Glass Pumpkin festival, and safer streets for all, etc. Besides, when was the last time you had a nice friendly conversation with a fellow motorist? Almost never! And
with a friendly fellow cyclist, quite likely.
While there is no silver bullet to solving all our problems, bike/ped infrastructure is part of the
silver buckshot that can play a big part in every aspect of our solutions and should not be
overlooked.
David Coale is a board member of Carbon Free Palo Alto and team member of Bike Palo Alto.
He can be reached at david@evcl.com.
From:cblue@stanfordalumni.org
To:Council, City
Subject:City of Palo Alto priorities
Date:Wednesday, January 22, 2025 11:45:53 AM
Importance:High
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear members of the Palo Alto City Council,
Please consider the deaths and serious injuries that have already occurred in Palo Alto
(e.g. https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/News-Articles/Police-Department/Police-Investigate-Fatal-Collision-on-Embarcadero-Road,
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/09/19/after-two-students-are-struck-by-cars-parents-call-for-more-traffic-safety/) as a result of drivers hitting cyclists and pedestrians with
their vehicles, injuring or killing children and adults who were in crosswalks, in markedcycling lanes, and not walking or cycling in a manner that should have put them in danger,
even just in the past year. Yes, important steps have been taken in terms of cyclist andpedestrian education and infrastructure, and the incidence rates reported are on a decline, but
also as a result of curtailed cycling and walking due to safety concerns, resulting in moredriving (e.g. more parents driving their children to schools, individuals driving to work, and
for errands) adding to traffic congestion, pollution, and more.
Knowing that you will be setting forth plans and priorities for our City Staff, I write toencourage you to make our community safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Others will write
about cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, which is valuable. But policies and plans are notenough. There are many recommendations of the 2012 Palo Alto plan to improve cyclingand pedestrian safety that still, 13 years later, have not been implemented, and should bewith all due expedience.
From my perspective, however, far too little action has focused to address the behaviors ofthe drivers of motor vehicles, and it is they who are making our pedestrian and cyclingactivities increasingly less safe. Not only do these behaviors lead to safety issues, but they
defeat our City’s sustainability goals, as well.
Speeds on Embarcadero Road, just to take one example, routinely exceed the speed limits by10-25 MPH, and red light violators are observed regularly. Thanks to new information
available through apps designed to help drivers find the most expedient routes to theirdestinations, there is far more traffic on neighborhood streets. Through traffic on narrow
neighborhood streets cannot be slowed through the City’s current traffic calming policies andpractices unless many criteria are met, and speeds are not considered excessive unless they are
considerably above the posted speed limit, a limit which is often too high for the conditionsanyway.
This is not a Palo Alto problem alone, but the City has its part to play and can particularly help
on the streets under its jurisdiction. Consider that nationwide, both speeding and driverdistraction (often due to mobile device use) have notably increased, making roads everywhere
less safe for everyone — drivers, as well as cyclists and pedestrians, though it’s the latter twowho particularly pay the price in terms of their lives, given that motor vehicles often protect
their occupants even if they sustain damage in a crash.
Maybe some thinking “outside the box” of the good measures already taken by the City ofPalo Alto could help.
What might work? The National Highway Safety Administration has a research-based guide
on countermeasures that work (see https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/speeding-and-speed-management/countermeasures and
https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/distracted-driving/countermeasuresfor a good summaries related to speeding and distracted driving). It notes that "What is done
is often less important than how it is done. The best countermeasure may have littleeffect if it is not implemented vigorously, publicized extensively, and funded
appropriately.” Would it help if the City Council requested monthly reports on traffic
enforcement related both to speeding and mobile device use? (You will know better
than I.)
Palo Alto, of course, has already taken measures of various kinds, including adding a couplemore police officers for enforcement. But enforcement alone is insufficient when so many arespeeding, using mobile devices, and racing through intersections. Could a highly visible, well-publicized, well-designed campaign to slow traffic in Palo Alto to both legal and reasonablespeeds, and to make drivers focus on safer driving, that appeals both to residents and tothose who travel through the City en route to work and for other purposes, make adifference? Palo Alto has many assets, including those who are experts in behavior and thosewho are real experts in publicity — that expertise could be tapped.
Thank you,
Carol B. Muller199 Heather LanePalo Alto, CA
From:Eric Nordman
To:Council, City
Subject:Make active transportation a priority in Palo Alto
Date:Sunday, January 19, 2025 1:18:45 PM
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Dear City Council Members:
As you look into priorities for 2025 I suggest you look into active
transportation since it has many benefits for Palo Alto.
For addressing climate change and the environment benefits bicycling
and walking are hard to beat. When people can walk or bike to address
daily needs this reduces greenhouse gases, noise and traffic
congestion. Project drawdown https://drawdown.org/ evaluated 100
ways to reduce greenhouse gases. Simon Clark used their data and
evaluated which solution had the most bang for the buck. It turns out
bicycle infrastructure had the most bang for the buck.
E-bikes are attractive for longer trips. While EVs are better for the
environment than gas powered vehicles, E-bikes are much better as
they consume dramatically less energy to produce and operate. Almost
2,000 times more particle pollution is produced by tire wear than is
pumped out of the exhausts of modern cars, a problem EVs don’t
address.
Active transportation has additional benefits. For affordable housing,
households with fewer cars are cheaper to build and maintain. For
health, bicycling and walking avoid pollution, noise and provide much
needed exercise.
While there has been some progress for active transportation, the
development of a bicycle boulevard network has had zero progress in 5
years.
Building a bicycle boulevard network is critical to addressing key Palo
Alto goals to double the bike commute rate and cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 15%.
This is not just my view. Sam Adams, when Mayor of Portland said:
“... we did a lot of research and we did a lot of focus groups on
what it would take to get from 8% to 25% of all trips by bike. What
we learned is that bike boulevards ... are the way to go.”
Many people at the Ross Road council study session said they loved
Bryant and thought that is what they would get on Ross. Unfortunately,
staff was directed by the council to not use street closures which were
used so successfully on Bryant. This led to the use of more expensive
traffic calming measures that were not well received by many people.
Please work towards making active transportation a priority for Palo
Alto.
Sincerely,
Eric Nordman
From:Jo Ann Mandinach
To:Council, City
Cc:Landesmann, Jennifer; Mary Gallagher; Port Ross; CeCi Kettendorf; Ann Balin; Jeanne Fleming; Rita Vrhel
Subject:Setting City Priorities
Date:Saturday, January 11, 2025 3:39:28 PM
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Hello. I'd like to echo Jennifer Landesmann's points about how city priorities areset, especially since the priority surveys often get few responses and ignorepriorities of concern to many of us.
I therefore urge you to consider these long-overdue priorities of concern to manyresidents:
1) Delivering COST-EFFECTIVE services with an eye toward ensuring fiscal
responsibility (the constant CPAU rate hikes when you're already overcharging us$24,000,000+ a year is a case in point).
2) Accountability of staff and consultants to elected officials and taxpaying
residents to ensure OUR concerns are addressed rather than allowing staff to spendour money on a bevy of consultants with little or no local knowledge.
Example: For years we've requested Asian and other food markets, concerns
ignored by the consultants who recommend sleeping pods instead and have onlyYEARS later finally addressed OUR request for more street cleaning which is muchcheaper than spending $43,000,000 on the disruptive construction of wider
sidewalks.
3) Making Outreach to Resident / Taxpayers a top priority
4) Expanding Public Comments and City Council's responses to the Public
Comments since many feel that residents/taxpayers views are being ignored by staffand that the City Clerk is changing the rules on comments with little or no publicwarning so we don't waste our time on presentations that can't be heard.
Example: The clerk's Administrative Assistant III told us at 4:57 PM -- 3 minutesbefore the close of business on the Friday before the change in council leadership --that our group of long-term residents was barred from speaking. When / why was
this policy changed and by whom?
Sincerely,
Jo Ann Mandinach
From:Jennifer Landesmann
To:Council, City
Subject:Item #2 Jan 13 Council meeting- City"s Priority Setting process & Consideration of Performance Measures
Date:Saturday, January 11, 2025 2:48:10 PM
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Dear Mayor Lauing, Councilmembers, and City Manager,
As the City's 2025 Council priority-setting retreat is coming up, I appreciate that you will be
addressing on Monday the City's priority setting process and find it promising that the Policy& Services Committee voted on December 10, to make improvements to the process and for
"the consideration of performance measures." Another topic was postponed by P&S related tothe lack of impact that Councilmembers have on setting the public Agenda because it is
largely set by staff.
Stepping back, my frustration has always been that the City's priority setting process is used tocreate headlines that appear great, but then it's an arbitrary "fill in the blank" process where
months after the headlines, a spreadsheet of 70 plus objectives (to advance priorities) isproduced using past City workloads and eventually the headlines morph into objectives that
the public has no way to engage on. Last year the Health and Safety priority that citizens havelong worked to put and to keep on the Agenda was diluted by the addition of "wellness and
belonging" which are very different portfolios; the issues I care about never made the agendaand actually there's no way to tell the relative attention to the new priorities either. Now there
is a proposal to add the word "action" to the Climate priority when "action" should probablyapply for other priorities as well, especially the ones that have been neglected.
The first step for performance measurement is that the City's priority
objectives/headlines/criteria are not arbitrarily adjusted to suit how the specific body wants tomeasure itself on a given day. Regularly checking in with the public that works to put some of
the issues on the City's radar and involving and informing the public at large is critical.
The topic of performance measurement and "how topics make the public Agenda" are tiedand should be discussed together. Investments in how much the public has been allowed to
weigh in on a topic is a performance metric. Zero public agenda time for an issue means thatyou are either making decisions in a non-transparent manner or not making decisions at all.
Not even to adjust course or to make improvements. The P&S Committee has so far postponedthe discussion about how the public Agenda is set; one reason given (to not change anything)
roughly was that some issues are too complex to put on an Agenda, or to be careful aboutoverburdening staff. Lack of public engagement and limited transparency is actually a recipe
for neglecting complex issues and why planning, prioritizing and performance measurement isneeded.
Which brings up another topic that you may be discussing, the use of Ad Hoc Committees;
possibly how some of those issues could be going to the Standing Committees. Please notethat some priority issues may not have a standing committee or an Ad Hoc, please address
this, and as regards Health & Safety (loss of property, life, environmental hazards). Finally,another performance metric is of course the amount of money invested in an issue. As you are
responsible for these strategic allocations, it is necessary to please have reporting on these
decisions to track over time.
Thank you for your leadership, I wish everyone a Happy New Year! and congratulations to thenew Council members!
Best,
Jennifer
From:pennyellson12@gmail.com
To:Council, City
Subject:RE: 2025 Priorities
Date:Sunday, January 5, 2025 2:31:44 PM
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Honorable City Council,
RE: 2025 Priorities
This year’s City Council Priorities need to be more specific and focused.
Planning For Cubberley Should Be A 2025 Priority.
There is a bond measure deadline, and an operational Cubberley facility will be needed in
short order to meet increased demand for services as nearby housing development
progresses. More than 40 years of neglect, fire and water damage have made this facility
unattractive, uncomfortable, unwelcoming, and (parts of it) unsafe and unusable. I was glad to
see progress in the agreement with PAUSD. Good work there. Subsequent planning work has
not yet been visible to the public, and I look forward to learning more.
Multi-Modal Transportation Should Be A 2025 Priority
We are entering a key period that demands transformative transportation changes on policy,
program and project fronts:
Safe System Action Plan
2012 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update
Rail Grade Separations Next Steps
The State is driving transformative housing growth over the next seven years that will create
urgent demand for improved transportation facilities in affected upzoned areas of the city.
Planning is underway for University Avenue (and maybe some rezoning for housing).
At a slower pace, we understand that planning for the massively upzoned San Antonio Area
will get underway, though that planning process is not yet visible to the public. (One cannot
help but notice that the Draft Safe System Action Plan clearly points to significant existing
transportation deficits on San Antonio Road but offers zero solutions—not even a placeholder
that points to the upcoming area planning process. People already can see land use
transformation of the San Antonio Road area is well underway in both Palo Alto and Mountain
View with several high density projects proposed, approved, completed, or under
construction. Nonetheless, the transportation facilities that serve this area are essentially
unchanged and unplanned in the Palo Alto portion.
In addition, Caltrans is repaving and restriping El Camino Real, but Council-requested
crossing safety improvements are not complete and require city follow-up, including
signalization and RPP program improvements to serve nearby neighborhoods and businesses
after these changes.
Why Focus This Focus Is Needed
Though it’s true that Transportation relates in some way to every goal in the 2024 Priorities,
lack of focus on multi-modal transportation and focus on the SCAP (which did not give due
attention to active transportation) has led to increased city focus on promotion of electric cars
over other modes of transportation that are more sustainable, have fewer safety, congestion,
parking/land use impacts and help people enjoy healthier, more active lifestyles by including
walking, running and bicycling in their daily activities.
2024 City Council Priorities
Economic Development & Transition
Climate Change & Natural Environment—Protection & Adaptation
Housing for Social & Economic Balance
Community Health, Safety, Wellness & Belonging
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a 2025 City Council priority to ensure it gets the
focused attention that will be needed to avert severe impacts on traffic congestion, emissions,
parking, safety, health & wellness & belonging that come with increasing car traffic from
increased density. (Electric cars contribute to all of these impacts even though their emissions
are lower than gas powered cars.) If road users don’t have a safe and convenient alternative,
they will drive.
Please make Multi-Modal Transportation a City Council Priority this year.
The need is urgent for the city to give focused attention to safe, convenient, multi-modal
transportation this year—especially in areas the city has upzoned for high density
residential. This transportation planning work must catch up with the state-mandated
housing development.
Please Make Cubberley A Priority This Year
Thousands of new residents living in smaller spaces will generate much greater demand
for community service and activity space.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Penny Ellson
Virus-free.www.avg.com
From:Carol Kiparsky
To:Council, City
Cc:Clerk, City
Subject:Council priorities
Date:Monday, December 30, 2024 5:09:43 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Council members,
For some reason, I was unable to submit my priorities through the survey on the OpenGovwebsite. Right now I don't have time to work through this so I hope you will add my input
into your survey results.
Happy New Year,
Carol Kiparsky800 Cowper St
************************************
Priority #1: The health of the environment, with emphasis on open space, trees, nativeplants, and far fewer car trips. Environmentally sound building and re-purposing of existing
buildings. Less emphasis on electrification and EVs, it’s time to go beyond the “low hangingfruit”.
Additional priorities:
A. REAL public transportation, not just subsidized taxis which tend to be single occupancy.
For example get Stanford to extend the Marguerite through town.
B. Ban single-use plastics and greatly reduce plastic use in general.