HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2511-5414CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Monday, November 17, 2025
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
11.Adopt a Resolution Establishing the City Council Annual Calendar of Meetings, Recesses,
and City Council Events for the Calendar Year 2026; CEQA status – not a project Staff
Presentation, Public Comment
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City Council
Staff Report
From: City Clerk
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: November 17, 2025
Report #:2511-5414
TITLE
Adopt a Resolution Establishing the City Council Annual Calendar of Meetings, Recesses, and City
Council Events for the Calendar Year 2026; CEQA status – not a project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction on the preferred Annual
Retreat/Priority Setting Meeting date and on Option 1 vs. Option 2 for special City Council
meetings, and adopt a resolution establishing its calendar of meetings, recesses, and City Council
events for calendar year 2026.
BACKGROUND
This item was previously agendized at City Council’s November 3, 2025 meeting and was
deferred.
The City Council annually adopts a schedule of meetings and recesses for the upcoming calendar
year. This year is the second iteration of a calendar setting process that implements Item 1.3 of
the City’s Equity Action Plan (Create a process that includes the Human Relations Commission
(HRC) for annual calendar setting related to holidays and heritage months)1. The goal of this
process is to create an inclusive City Council calendar that considers cultural observances that
could prevent the public from participating in meetings and provide an opportunity for input
from the public, City Council, and HRC. This process will continue to evolve in response to
community and City Council feedback.
Palo Alto’s Municipal Code sets the City Council’s regular meeting time as 5:30pm on the first
three Mondays of the month2. Staff, in consultation with the Mayor and Vice Mayor, may
1 2024 and 2025 Equity Action Plan: https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/city-manager/wellness-and-
belonging/equity-workplan-2024.pdf
2 Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 2.04.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-
0-0-60060
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reschedule regular meetings and schedule additional special meetings, should they be necessary
to conduct City Council business.
Days on which City administrative offices are closed
Certain cultural dates of significance that could fall on a Monday and whose main
celebrations begin in the evening, which would prevent observants from participating in
City Council meetings.
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Lunar New Year
Presidents’ Day
Eid al-Fitr
Passover
Memorial Day
Eid al-Adha
Juneteenth
Fourth of July
Labor Day
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas
ANALYSIS
Attachment A.
Observance Date Option 1
rd Wednesday)
Option 2
th Monday)
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HRC provided input on the calendar and dates of significance at its October 16, 2025 meeting.
The commission asked staff to explore adding Diwali given the presence of Palo Alto residents
who may celebrate the holiday and the recent addition of Diwali to the list of state holidays state
employees and public schools and community colleges may choose to take off. Upon further
research, staff found that unlike other holidays on the list, Diwali’s primary observance is not tied
to an evening celebration. HRC also suggested additions to the dates of significance list, which
staff have incorporated into Attachment C.
Attachment C list of
dates of significance.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ATTACHMENTS
APPROVED BY:
City Council Calendar 2026
Date Meeting Body
Mon, January 5 City Council – City Council Reorganization
Mon, January 12 City Council
Wed, January 21 Option 1: City Council (special)
Mon, January 26 Option 2: City Council (special)
Sat, January 24 or Sat, January 31 City Council (special) – Annual Retreat/Priority Setting
Meeting
Mon, February 2 City Council
Tues, February 3 Finance Committee
Mon, February 9 City Council
Tues, February 10 Policy & Services Committee
Tues, February 17 Finance Committee
Wed, February 18 Option 1: City Council (special)
Thurs, February 19 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Mon, February 23 Option 2: City Council (special)
Mon, March 2 City Council
Tues, March 3 Finance Committee
Mon, March 9 City Council
Tues, March 10 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, March 16 City Council
Tues, March 17 Finance Committee
Thurs, March 19 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Mon, April 6 City Council
Tues, April 7 Finance Committee
Mon, April 13 City Council
Tues, April 14 Policy & Services Committee
Thurs, April 16 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Mon, April 20 City Council
Tues, April 21 Finance Committee
Mon, May 4 City Council
Tues, May 5 Finance Committee
Wed, May 6 Finance Committee (special)
Mon, May 11 City Council
Tues, May 12 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, May 18 City Council
Tues, May 19 Finance Committee
Thurs, May 21 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Mon, June 1 City Council
Tues, June 2 Finance Committee
Mon, June 8 City Council
Tues, June 9 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, June 15 City Council
Tues, June 16 Finance Committee
Wed, June 17 City Council (special additional standby meeting)
Thurs, June 18 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Fri, June 19 – Fri, July 31 Summer Recess
Mon, August 3 City Council
Tues, August 4 Finance Committee
Mon, August 10 City Council
Tues, August 11 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, August 17 City Council
Tues, August 18 Finance Committee
Thurs, August 20 City/School Liaison Committee
Tues, September 8 City Council (special)
Mon, September 14 City Council
Tues, September 15 Policy & Services Committee
Wed, September 16 Option 1: City Council (special)
Thurs, September 17 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Tues, September 22 Finance Committee
Mon, September 28 Option 2: City Council (special)
Mon, October 5 City Council
Tues, October 5 Finance Committee
Tues, October 13 Policy & Services Committee
Thurs, October 15 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Mon, October 19 City Council
Tues, October 20 Finance Committee
Wed, October 21 Option 1: City Council (special)
Mon, October 26 Option 2: City Council (special)
Mon, November 2 City Council
Wed, November 4 Finance Committee (special)
Mon, November 9 City Council
Tues, November 10 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, November 16 City Council
Tues, November 17 Finance Committee
Thurs, November 19 City/Schools Liaison Committee
Tues, December 1 Finance Committee
Mon, December 7 City Council
Tues, December 8 Policy & Services Committee
Mon, December 14 City Council
Tues, December 15 Finance Committee (canceled if Council chooses Option 1)
Option 1: Tues, December 15 City Council (special)
Option 2: Wed, December 16 City Council (special)
Thurs, December 17 City/School Liaison
Option 3: Mon, December 21 City Council
Tues, December 22 – Fri, January 1 Winter Recess
City Council Events 2026
Date Event
Dec 2025
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
JANUARY 2026
Feb 2026
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
28 29 30 31 1 2 3
City Council –
Reorganization
City Council
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day
Option 1:
City Council
City Council
(special) –
Annual Retreat
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Option 2:
City Council
City Council
(special) –
Annual Retreat
Jan 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
FEBRUARY 2026
Mar 2026
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
City Council Finance
City Council Policy &
Services
Presidents’
Day Finance
Option 1:
City Council
City/Schools
Liaison
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Option 2:
City Council
Feb 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
MARCH 2026
Apr 2026
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
City Council Finance
City Council Policy &
Services
City Council Finance City/Schools
Liaison
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
Mar 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
APRIL 2026
May 2026
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
City Council Finance
City Council Policy &
Services City/Schools
Liaison
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
City Council Finance
26 27 28 29 30 1 2
Apr 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
MAY 2026
Jun 2026
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
26 27 28 29 30 1 2
City Council Finance
City Council
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
City Council Finance City/Schools
Liaison
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Memorial Day
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
May 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
JUNE 2026
Jul 2026
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
City Council Finance
City Council Policy &
Services
City Council Finance
City Council (Special
additional standby
meeting)
City/Schools
Liaison
Summer
Recess Starts
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
Jun 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30
JULY 2026
Aug 2026
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 27 28 29 30 31 1
Jul 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
AUGUST 2026
Sep 2026
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
26 27 28 29 30 31 1
Summer
Recess Ends
City Council Finance
City Council Services
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
City Council Finance City/Schools
Liaison
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31 1 2 3 4 5
Aug 2026
S M T W T F S
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31
SEPTEMBER 2026
Oct 2026
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
30 31 1 2 3 4 5
Labor Day CC)
City Council
City Council Policy &
Services
Option 1:
City Council
City/Schools
Liaison
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Finance
27 28 29 30 1 2 3
Option 2:
City Council
Sep 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
OCTOBER 2026
Nov 2026
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
27 28 29 30 1 2 3
City Council Finance
Indigenous
Peoples’ Day
Policy &
Services City/Schools
Liaison
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
City Council Finance
Option 1:
City Council
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Option 2:
City Council
Oct 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
NOVEMBER 2026
Dec 2026
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
City Council Election Day Finance
(special)
City Council Policy &
Services
City Council Finance City/Schools
Liaison
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 30 1 2 3 4 5
Nov 2026
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
DECEMBER 2026
Jan 2027
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
29 30 1 2 3 4 5
Finance
City Council Policy &
Services
City Council
Finance (Cancel for
CC)
Option 1: City
Council (special)
Option 2:
City Council
(special)
City/Schools
Liaison
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Option 3:
City Council
Start of
Winter Recess
27 28 29 30 31 1 2
End of Winter
Recess
NOT YET APPROVED
20261017 jf 872
Resolution No. ________
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Establishing the
Council Calendar of Meetings, Summer and Winter Breaks, and
Schedule of Events for Calendar Year 2026
R E C I T A L S
A. Pursuant to Section 2.04.010 of the Municipal Code, the City Council must schedule
its annual summer and winter breaks for each calendar year no later than the third meeting in
February.
B. The Council also wishes to establish a calendar of meetings and schedule of events
for 2025.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council’s summer break for calendar year 2026 is scheduled
for Friday, June 19, 2026 through Friday, July 31, 2026 and its winter break is scheduled for
Tuesday, December 22, 2026 through Friday, January 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. The City Council adopts a regular calendar of meetings of the Council, the
Finance Committee, the Policy & Services Committee, and the City School Liaison Committee
(including holidays and days of significance) and a schedule of Council events, which is
incorporated into the resolution by reference. Council and committee meetings dates are subject
to change as directed by the Mayor or committee chair in consultation with the City Manager or
designee.
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
NOT YET APPROVED
20261017 jf 872
SECTION 3. The Council finds that the adoption of this resolution not a project under
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 15378(b)(5) because it is an
organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in
the environment and thus, an environmental assessment under CEQA is not required.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
___________________________________ ____________________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ ____________________________________
City Attorney City Manager
1
Citywide Dates of Significance
Please Note: The curation of this list is an iterative process. It is not exhaustive and will
evolve over time based on input from the City Council, Human Relations Commission, and
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Lunar New Year
Black History Month
President’s Day
Ramadan
Women’s History Month
American Red Cross Month
International Women’s Day
Eid al-Fitr
International Transgender Day of Visibility
Cesar Chavez Day
Autism Awareness Month
Palo Alto Day
Dolores Huerta Day
National Day of Silence (LGBTQI+)
Passover
Easter
Earth Day
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
Arbor Day
AAPI Heritage Month
Older Americans Month
Affordable Housing Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
Cinco de Mayo
Shavout
Vesak
Memorial Day
Pride Month
Immigrant Heritage Month
Juneteenth
Eid al-Adha
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
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Emergency Preparedness Month
Hispanic Heritage Month
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Dia De Los Muertos
Diwali
National Native American Heritage Month
Veterans Day
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Thanksgiving
Day after Thanksgiving
Hanukkah
Las Posadas
Christmas
Kwanzaa
November 17, 2025 www.PaloAlto.gov
2026 City Council Calendar & Days of Significance
Christine Prior, Assistant City Clerk
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager
•Seek Council input on
o List of dates to avoid scheduling City Council meetings
o Preference on special meetings on 3rd Wednesdays (Option 1) or 4th Mondays
(Option 2)
o Preference on Annual Retreat/Priority Setting Meeting on January 24 or
January 31.
•Adopt a resolution establishing 2026 City Council meeting schedule
PURPOSE
1
•Purpose of calendar setting process
o Craft a City Council meeting schedule that considers observances that could
prevent public participation at Council meetings
o Provide opportunity for consistent and iterative annual review and discussion
o Engage with residents on dates of significance and expand awareness
•Second iteration of a process that began last year to implement Equity Action Plan
Item 1.3: Create a process that includes the HRC for annual calendar setting related
to holidays and heritage months
•Staff received HRC feedback at October HRC meeting
BACKGROUND
2
•Dates to avoid scheduling City Council meetings fall into two categories:
1.Days on which City offices are closed in observance of holidays
2.Certain religious or cultural dates of significance that could fall on a
Monday and whose main celebrations begin in the evening, which would
prevent observants from participating in Council meetings
•Council regular meetings that would conflict with these dates are rescheduled,
either to the 3rd Wednesday (Option 1) or 4th Monday (Option 2)
DATES TO AVOID SCHEDULING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
3
DATES TO AVOID SCHEDULING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
o New Year’s Day
o Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
o Lunar New Year
o Presidents’ Day
o Eid al-Fitr
o Passover
o Memorial Day
o Eid al-Adha
o Juneteenth
o Fourth of July
o Labor Day
o Rosh Hashanah
o Yom Kippur
o Indigenous Peoples’ Day
o Veterans Day
o Thanksgiving
o Day after Thanksgiving
o Christmas
•Staff recommends the same list as last year for dates to avoid scheduling City
Council meetings
•Dates in bold occur on Mondays in 2026
4
Listed in Attachment B
•Iterative Process
•Commitment to Wellness & Inclusion
•Visibility of dates of significance
Engage with the Council and the public to
expand awareness and visibility
DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE
5
Christine Prior
Assistant City Clerk
Chantal Cotton Gaines
Deputy City Manager
From:dedra hauser
To:Council, City
Subject:Thank you for not scheduling meetings on Yom Kippur
Date:Wednesday, November 12, 2025 2:20:33 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
Dear Council Members,
I was happy to learn that you have decided to not schedule any
council meetings on Yom Kippur in 2026. As you probably
know it's the holiest of the high holidays for Jews, and your
respect and consideration for this holiday is especially
important at such a fraught time for Jewish people.
Thank you!
Dedra Hauser
Palo Alto resident
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