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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report 2502-4142CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Mitchell Park Community Center El Palo Alto Room & Hybrid 5:30 PM Agenda Item 1.City Council discussion and possible action on an overall vision for the Cubberley master plan. Late Packet Report added, Staff Presentation 6 5 0 9 City Council Staff Report From: City Manager Report Type: CUBBERLEY VISIONING SESSION ACTION ITEM Lead Department: Community Services Meeting Date: February 18, 2025 Report #:2502-4142 TITLE City Council Discussion and Development of an Overall Vision for the Cubberley Master Plan RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and potentially adopt a vision statement for the Cubberley Master Plan. BACKGROUND In October 20241, both the City Council and Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD or District) Board of Education approved a Memorandum of Understanding related to the future of Cubberley site. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlines key terms and conditions for the purchase and future planning of Cubberley. The land purchase, which would transfer ownership of seven acres from PAUSD to the City, is contingent on voter approval of a bond measure in November 2026. This condensed timeframe requires development of a master plan for the site by March 2026, conduct stakeholder and community engagement and outreach, polling, financial analysis, CEQA analysis, and other critical tasks. The addition of the seven acres, plus the eight acres already owned by the City of Palo Alto provides an opportunity to develop a new community center on a combined 15 acres at the Cubberley site to provide a range of City programs, including health, wellness, and recreational opportunities for residents. ANALYSIS On December 2, 20242, the City Council took several actions related to the future of the Cubberley site. These actions included approval of a contract with Concordia, LLC for 1 City Council, October 7, 2024; Agenda Item AA1; SR #2409-3500 https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=6500 2 City Council, December 2, 2024; Agenda Item #12; SR #2410-3651 https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=6518 6 5 0 9 development of a revised Master Plan for the Cubberley Community Center site, building on the previous master plan completed in 2019 by Concordia and guided by significant community input. The master planning process that began in December 2024 and will be completed by December 2025 involves re-engagement of the community. As a first step, Concordia will facilitate this workshop session with the City Council to generate a vision statement that will then be validated during the first community meeting on March 19th. If necessary, staff will return to the City Council to clarify or revise the Council’s vision based on the community priorities and goals identified. The format of the workplan session is included in Attachment A. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT City Council Visioning Session, February 18, 2025 Community Meeting #1, March 19, 2025- Vision, Programming, & Placemaking Community Meeting #2, Summer 2025- Three Concept Options Community Meeting #3, Fall 2025 - Program Organization, Circulation, & Greenspace Community Presentation of Master Plan, Fall/Winter 2025 Council Consideration and Adoption of Master Plan and CEQA, First Quarter 2026 6 5 0 9 A project webpage is set up at www.cityofpaloalto.org/cubberleyproject and a digital newsletter sign-up is available for the community to track progress and join the conversation. E-news sign-up and community fellow application form is available on the website. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ATTACHMENTS APPROVED BY: concordia Concordia LLC • Planning & Architecture • 1610 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd • New Orleans, Louisiana • 70113 • (504) 569-1818 6 9 5 7 City Council Cubberley Visioning Session Vision, Goals & Design Guidelines •Date: February 18, 2025 •Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm •Location: Mitchell Park Community Center, El Palo Alto Room Goals and Outcomes This meeting will synthesize goals from the 2018-19 Cubberley Master Plan and the Community-Led Design Guidelines. These will be confirmed and/or updated to reflect City council priorities, current City plans, and in depth knowledge of Palo Alto voters. Outcomes from this meeting will be edited, confirmed and validated during public community meetings. Meeting Format •Introductions •Foundations: Building upon prior knowledge: o Review Council Priorities and Cubberley 2019 Master Plan outcomes o Present a “word bank” of themes and values collected from precedent documents, stakeholders and communities o Present Nexus framework •Activity Establish a Vision o The group will review the Nexus Domains: Organizational, Educational, Economic, Social, Cultural, and Physical. Phrases, vision statements, design guidelines, and other ideas from previous plans and meetings have been placed in appropriate domains. o Using the Nexus Domains as a framework to brainstorm wholistically, the group will brainstorm words, phrases, and sentences that could support the future vision of the Cubberley Master Plan. These ideas will be written down and put into the appropriate domain. The ideas from previous efforts can also be highlighted, removed, or edited. o After the initial brainstorm is complete, the group will prioritize ideas into three categories: Place, Program, and/or Policy. Words, phrases, and other ideas from the outer section will be moved or written again in the grey hexagon. o Finally, using the shorter, prioritized group of ideas, the group will craft a vision statement for the future Cubberley. Each word, phrase, or idea should be represented in the Draft Vision Statement •Report Out and After-Action Reviews City Council Cubberley Vision Session February 18th, 2025 Council Vision Session Goals 2025 Cubberley Plan Generate a vision a statement that reflects the values and opportunities that Cubberley represents to all Palo Altans, today and into the future and supports the community engaging master planning process. The Council Vision Session is just one of many sessions for the project team to gather information. Outcomes from this Vision Session will be validated during the first public community meeting. If necessary, staff will return to the City Council to clarify or revise the Council’s vision based on the community priorities and goals identified. PROJECT START WINTER 2025 SPRING 2025 SUMMER 2025 FALL ADMINISTRATION AND WORKPLAN KICKOFF MEETINGS COUNCIL VISION SESSION COMMUNITY MEETING 1 COMMUNITY MEETING 2 COMMUNITY MEETING 3 DEVELOP CONCEPT DESIGNS DRAFT MASTER PLAN REPORT MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY PRESENTATION CEQA REVIEW FINAL CUBBERLEY MASTER PLAN MAY 2026 COUNCIL APPROVAL NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT MEASURE VOTE We Are Here VISION, PROGRAMMING & PLACEMAKING 3 CONCEPT OPTIONS PROGRAM ORGANIZATION, CIRCULATION & GREENSPACE Cubberley Master Plan 2025 Cubberley Plan Roadmap Foundations 2019 Cubberley Plan Review The overarching goal for the process: to collaboratively develop a community vision and master plan for the Cubberley site that is innovative, flexible, and adaptable. The City has a broad vision for a community center that: •Provides a multi-cultural and multi-generational learning environment; •Supports the visual and performing arts; and •Offers wellness opportunities (fitness, athletics, therapeutic programs) to support the social, emotional and physical health of people of all ages and abilities. Foundations 2019 Cubberley Plan Review Community Led Design Guidelines: •High degree of shared-use facilities •Maximize green space with abundant trees and vegetation •Safe biking and walking paths that encourage multi-modal transit and healthy living •Convenient, underground parking •Welcoming multi-generational spaces Foundations 2019 Cubberley Plan Review Foundations 2025 Council Priorities Foundations Values “Word Bank” Innovation Parks and Rec MP Innovation Resilience Parks and Rec MP Sustainability Diversity and Cultural Enrichment Parks and Rec MP Justice and Equity Strengthen communities Parks and Rec MP Justice and Equity Deconstruction 2024 Ordinance Sustainability Net Zero 2019MP Sustainability Reduce Carbon Footpring 2019MP Sustainability Indoor Air Quality 2019MP Sustainability Reduce water use 2019MP Sustainability Stormwater Management 2019MP Sustainability Commissioning 2019MP Sustainability Art Incubator Kickoff Arts and Culture Gathering Kickoff Wellness/Joy Social and Economic balance Council Wellness/Joy Climate Action Council Sustainability Adaptation Council Sustainability Natural environment protection Council Sustainability Economic development and retail vibrancy Council Sustainability Public safety, Wellness and Belonging Council Wellness/Joy Not Just the Built Environment Nexus Framework Not Just the Built Environment Activity Instructions Together, we will craft a draft Vision Statement for Cubberley. This statement will then be brought to the community at the first public meeting to be reviewed. Activity Instructions We will start with brainstorming words, phrases, or ideas that could help craft the vision statement. The Nexus domains are there to help us think holistically. There are no wrong answers! Activity Instructions We’ve included the previous vision statement, community design guidelines, City Council goals, and more to help the brainstorm. Activity Instructions After the brainstorm, we will prioritize the ideas that we most want to include in the vision statement. These ideas will be categorized into Place, Policy, or Program. Activity Instructions Lastly, we will craft the Vision Statement using the prioritized words. Let’s get to work! Community Engagement Meetings •Community Meeting #1, March 19, 2025 - Vision, Programming, & Placemaking •Community Meeting #2, Summer 2025 - Three Concept Options •Community Meeting #3, Fall 2025 - Program Organization, Circulation, & Greenspace •Community Presentation of Master Plan, Fall/Winter 2025 •Council Consideration and Adoption of Master Plan and CEQA, First Quarter 2026 Other community engagement efforts •Pop-up tabling at community events, table sheets sharing project milestones and opportunity to engage. •Online and in-person surveys. •Application period for community members interested in becoming Community Fellows is underway, deadline to apply is February 20, 2025. •The Council Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee is another community engagement opportunity as these discussions will be open to the public and offer another option to support public participation. •Project Website www.cityofpaloalto.org/cubberleyproject Next Steps