HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2411-3834CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, February 10, 2025
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
2.Appointment of Candidates to the Planning and Transportation Commission
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Clerk
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
Meeting Date: February 10, 2025
Report #:2411-3834
TITLE
Appointment of Candidates to the Planning and Transportation Commission
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council vote to appoint one candidate to fill the partial term expiring on
March 31, 2026, and two candidates to fill the full terms expiring on March 31, 2029, to the
Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC).
A majority vote (4 yes’s) is required to appoint a candidate.
BACKGROUND
Then-PTC Commissioners Keith Reckdahl and George Lu were sworn in as City Councilmembers
on January 6, 2025, thereby vacating their PTC seats. Keith Reckdahl was in PTC Seat 4, whose
term expires 3/31/26. Staff recruited for 1 partial term to fill this vacancy. George Lu was in PTC
Seat 5, whose term expires 3/31/25. Due to the closeness of the expiration date, we recruited
for a full term for Seat 5. The City Council may choose to appoint a commissioner to finish out
the current Seat 5 term and then serve the subsequent full term or leave Seat 5 vacant until
4/1/25, when the new commissioner would begin.
Additionally, PTC Seat 6’s term, which is currently occupied by Commissioner Doria Summa, will
expire on 3/31/25. The newly appointed commissioner will begin service upon that term’s
expiration.
Seat Number*Term Length Service Begins Term Expiration
Seat 4 Partial Upon appointment March 31, 2026
Seat 5 Full Upon appointment or April 1,
2025, at Council’s discretion
March 31, 2029
Seat 6 Full April 1, 2025 March 31, 2029
*Seat numbers have been implemented for tracking purposes.
On the January 21, 2025 City Council meeting, City Council selected thirteen candidates who
received at least one vote for interviews. Initially scheduled for February 3, 2025, the interviews
were rescheduled to a Special Meeting on February 4, 2025.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
According to Palo Alto Municipal Code1, members of the PTC must be residents of the City who
are not council members, officers or employees of the city.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no Fiscal/Resource Impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because it an organizational or
administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the
environment. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Selected PTC Candidates’ Applications - Redacted
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
1 Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.02.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-
61282