HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-11 Policy & Services Committee Agenda PacketPolicy and Services Committee
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Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Regular Meeting
7:00 PM
***BY VIRTUAL TELECONFERENCE ONLY***
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Zoom Meeting ID: 946 1874 4621 Phone: 1-669-900-6833
Pursuant to the provisions of California Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued on March 17, 2020, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, this meeting will be held by virtual teleconference only, with no physical location. The meeting will be broadcast on Midpen Media Center at https://midpenmedia.org. Members of the public who wish to participate by computer or phone can find the instructions at the end of this agenda.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public may speak to agendized items. If you wish to address the Committee on any issue that is on this agenda, please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council
Chambers/Community Meeting Room and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. You are not required to give your name on the speaker card in order to speak to the Committee, but it is very helpful. Public comment may be addressed to the full Policy and Services Committee via email at City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org.
Call to Order
Oral Communications
Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda.
Action Items
1.Update and Potential Recommendations on Pending State and Federal
Legislation
2.Review and Recommend to the City Council Adoption of the Americans
With Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan Update for City Buildings,
Parking Facilities, Parks, and Public Right-of-Way Sidewalks and Curb
Ramps
3.Update on Community Engagement Activities, Including Town Halls
Future Meetings and Agendas
Adjournment
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA)
Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs or who would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact (650) 329-2550 (Voice) 24 hours in advance.
Presentation
2 May 11, 2021
MATERIALS RELATED TO AN ITEM ON THIS AGENDA SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER DISTRIBUTION OF THE AGENDA
PACKET ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE
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Zoom Meeting ID: 946 1874 4621 Phone No: 1-669-900-6833
City of Palo Alto (ID # 12269)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Action Items Meeting Date: 5/11/2021
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Update and Potential Recommendations on Pending State
and Federal Legislation
Title: Update and Potential Recommendations on Pending State and Federal
Legislation
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Policy and Services Committee receive a legislative update
and recommend for City Council approval any specific actions on pending State and
Federal bills or policy.
Background
In February 2021, the City Council adopted the 2021 Legislative Guidelines
(https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-reports/agendas-
minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes/2021/02-08-21-ccm-agenda-revised.pdf). The
guidelines provided a baseline for the City’s legislative advocates at the state and
federal level to advocate on the City’s behalf in relation to proposed legislation.
Discussion
The City’s legislative advocates in Sacramento, Townsend and Associates, will be
present to discuss specific pieces of legislation with the committee in addition to
providing an update on the coming weeks and months in Sacramento. Below is a high-
level summary of activity at both the federal and state level.
Federal Update:
The following federal updates are relevant to the City:
American Rescue Plan: The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $350 billion in
emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to respond to the
COVID-19 public health emergency, or its negative economic impacts, including by
providing assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, and a direct
allocation to government entities.
City of Palo Alto Page 2
Congressional “Earmarks” or Community Project Funding: The federal government
reintroduced these specific project requests to come from members of Congress. No
funding is certain until it is adopted by all of Congress. Through Congresswoman Anna
Eshoo, the City-submitted project funding request for funding to start a CAHOOTS-like
program in partnership with Mountain View and Los Altos was pushed forward on to the
Appropriations Committee for further review. Congresswoman Eshoo also submitted the
Palo Alto Avenue Grade Separation and Downtown Coordinated Area Plan Study
forward through the Surface Transportation and Infrastructure Process. More updates
to come on these as they move throughout the process. The City submitted the Fire
Station 4 project to Senator Feinstein for consideration to include as an earmark
request.
There will likely be other large legislative bills presented later in the year (such as the
American Families Plan) and Van Scoyoc will continue to monitor them on behalf of the
City.
2020 Census Results
The United States Census Bureau released a first look at the results of the 2020 Census
count. The official population of the United States is now 331,449,281; this is a 7.4%
increase from the 2010 Census. All results reflect the population of the country on April
1, 2020. Also released were re-apportionment number for each state in the House of
Representatives. Texas will gain two seats; Florida, Colorado, Montana, North Carolina,
and Oregon will all add one additional seat in the House. California, Illinois, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia each lost one seat. The new map will take effect
in time for the 2022 mid-term elections.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census results were released later than normal
this year. The Census Bureau is due to release more detailed data, such as racial and
ethnic makeup of states and counties, by September 30, 2021.
Additionally, the City submitted a joint letter with the Cities of East Palo Alto, Los Altos,
Menlo Park, and Mountain View with comments on the Federal Aviation Administration’s
Overview of FAA Aircraft Noise Policy and Research Efforts during the open comment
period related to airplane noise. The letter is available here:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/public-works/palo-alto-
airport/airplane-noise/joint-comment-letter-on-faa-aircraft-noise-policy.docx.pdf.
State Update:
April was another busy legislative month packed with policy and budget committee
hearings that are taking longer than normal due to the newly adopted pandemic rules.
Friday, May 7 is the last day for policy committees to advance non-fiscal bills.
Status Updates on the bills on which the City has taken a formal position:
City of Palo Alto Page 3
Senate Bill 9 (Atkins) Oppose
This bill seeks to require ministerial approval of duplexes and specified subdivision
maps; allows an extension of subdivision map validity by one year. This bill has had
amendments and likely to have more when it goes to policy committees in the
Assembly. Current status: This bill has moved through two policy committees and will
be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee then it goes to the Senate Floor.
Senate Bill 10 (Wiener) Oppose
This bill seeks to allow a local legislative body to up zone specified parcels for up to 10
units per parcel. Additional amendments likely to come when the bill goes to policy
committees in the Assembly specifically as it relates to voter initiatives. Current status:
This bill has moved through two policy committees and will be heard in the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 556 (Dodd) Oppose
This bill seeks to enact the California Connectivity Act, which requires local governments
and municipal utilities to make their streetlights and traffic poles available for small
cells, and regulates the fees that local governments can charge for such attachments.
This bill has been amended a few times. Current status: This bill has moved through
two policy committees and will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 591 (Becker) Support Letter in Progress
This bill seeks to authorize the establishment of intergenerational housing
developments, consisting of units for seniors, caregivers, or transition-age-youth (TAY),
as specified. This bill has sailed through both committees on the consent file and
continues to move forward. Current status: This bill has moved through two policy
committees and will head to the Senate floor.
Senate Bill 765 (Stern) Support
This bill repeals the existing prohibition on a city or county imposing a requirement of a
setback for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) of more than four feet from the rear and
side lot lines. Current status: This bill is not moving forward this session. It was granted
a hearing but without a vote.
Assembly Bill 703 (Rubio) Support Letter in Progress
This bill seeks to make changes to open meetings for local agencies. Current status:
This bill is not moving forward this session.
Townsend and Associates are closely tracking other legislation related to public
meetings, transportation, public safety, the environment, housing, and homelessness.
State Budget:
The Governor’s May Revise Budget will be presented soon and that will kick off budget
City of Palo Alto Page 4
negotiations. The May Revise is when changes are made by the Governor to his
Proposed Budget based upon the latest economic forecasts. Though not official yet, it
will likely include support for homeless efforts, violence prevention efforts, drought-
related aid, and other topics.
Timeline and Resource Impact
The timeline was discussed above. No resource impacts for this particular report.
Stakeholder Engagement
Staff connects with relevant stakeholders as needed throughout the legislative session.
Attachments:
• 2021 Legislative Calendar
JANUARY
S M T W TH F S
1 2
Wk. 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Wk. 2 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Wk. 3 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Wk. 4 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Wk. 1 31
Jan. 1 Statutes take effect (Art. IV, Sec. 8(c)).
Jan. 10 Budget must be submitted by Governor (Art. IV, Sec. 12(a)).
Jan. 11 Legislature reconvenes (J.R. 51(a)(1)).
Jan. 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Jan. 22 Last day to submit bill requests to the Office of Legislative Counsel.
FEBRUARY
S M T W TH F S
Wk. 1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Wk. 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Wk. 3 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Wk. 4 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Wk. 1 28
MARCH
S M T W TH F S
Wk. 1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Wk. 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Wk. 3 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Wk. 4 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Spring Recess 28 29 30 31
APRIL
S M T W TH F S
Spring Recess 1 2 3
Wk. 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wk. 2 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Wk. 3 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Wk. 4 25 26 27 28 29 30
MAY
S M T W TH F S
Wk. 4 1
Wk. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Wk. 2 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Wk. 3 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Wk. 4 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
No Hrgs. 30 31
2021 TENTATIVE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR COMPILED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ASSEMBLY CHIEF CLERK AND THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE Revised 12-18-20
DEADLINES
Feb. 15 Presidents' Day.
Feb. 19 Last day for bills to be introduced (J.R. 61(a)(1), J.R. 54(a)).
Mar. 25 Spring Recess begins upon adjournment (J.R. 51(a)(2)).
Mar. 31 Cesar Chavez Day observed.
Apr. 5 Legislature reconvenes from Spring Recess (J.R. 51(a)(2)).
Apr. 30 Last day for policy committees to meet and report to fiscal committees fiscal bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(2)).
May 7 Last day for policy committees to meet and report to the floor non-fiscal bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(3)).
May 14 Last day for policy committees to meet prior to June 7 (J.R. 61(a)(4)).
May 21 Last day for fiscal committees to meet and report to the floor bills introduced in their house (J.R. 61(a)(5)).
Last day for fiscal committees to meet prior to June 7 (J.R. 61(a)(6)).
May 31 Memorial Day.
*Holiday schedule subject to final approval by Rules Committee.
Page 1 of 2
OVER
JUNE
S M T W TH F S
No Hrgs. 1 2 3 4 5
Wk. 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Wk. 2 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Wk. 3 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Wk. 4 27 28 29 30
JULY
S M T W TH F S
Wk. 4 1 2 3
Wk. 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wk. 2 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Summer Recess 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Summer Recess 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
AUGUST
S M T W TH F S
Summer Recess 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Summer Recess 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Wk. 3 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Wk. 4 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
No. Hrgs 29 30 31
Aug. 16 Legislature reconvenes from Summer Recess (J.R. 51(a)(3)).
Aug. 27 Last day for fiscal committees to meet and report bills (J.R. 61(a)(12)).
Aug. 30-Sept. 10 Floor session only. No committees may meet for any purpose, except Rules Committee, bills referred pursuant to A.R. 77.2, and Conference Committees (J.R. 61(a)(13)).
IMPORTANT DATES OCCURRING DURING INTERIM RECESS
June 1-4 Floor session only. No committee may meet for any purpose except Rules Committee, bills referred pursuant to A.R. 77.2, and Conference Committees (J.R. 61(a)(7)).
June 4 Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house (J.R. 61(a)(8)).
June 7 Committee meetings may resume (J.R. 61(a)(9)).
June 15 Budget Bill must be passed by midnight (Art. IV, Sec. 12(c)(3)).
July 2 Independence Day observed.
July 14 Last day for policy committees to meet and report bills (J.R. 61(a)(11)).
July 16 Summer Recess begins upon adjournment, provided Budget Bill has been passed (J.R. 51(a)(3)).
SEPTEMBER
S M T W TH F S
No Hrgs. 1 2 3 4
No Hrgs. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Interim Recess 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Interim Recess 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Interim Recess 26 27 28 29 30
Sept. 3 Last day to amend bills on the floor (J.R. 61(a)(14)).
Sept. 6 Labor Day.
Sept. 10 Last day for any bill to be passed (J.R. 61(a)(15)). Interim Recess begins upon adjournment (J.R. 51(a)(4)).
2021
Oct. 10 Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature on or before Sept. 10 and in the Governor's possession after Sept. 10 (Art. IV, Sec. 10(b)(1)).
2022 Jan. 1 Statutes take effect (Art. IV, Sec. 8(c)).
Jan. 3 Legislature reconvenes (J.R. 51(a)(4)).
*Holiday schedule subject to final approval by Rules Committee.
Page 2 of 2
City of Palo Alto (ID # 12148)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Action Items Meeting Date: 5/11/2021
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: ADA Transition Plan Update
Title: Review and Recommend Adoption of the Americans With Disabilities
Act (ADA) Transition Plan Update for City Buildings, Parking Facilities, Parks,
and Public Right-of-Way Sidewalks and Curb Ramps
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Public Works
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Policy and Services committee review and recommend Council
adopt the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan Update.
Executive Summary
The ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law for persons with disabilities addressing both
employment and the provision of goods and services. The ADA addresses all aspects of
accessibility including public accommodations in facilities, as well as policies, procedures, and
website accessibility. It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services,
and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Accessible pedestrian improvements,
the removal of architectural barriers in City buildings and parks, and the inclusive delivery of
services have been accomplished with consideration of the needs of people with disabilities.
Maintenance of existing accessible features has been and will continue to be a priority in City
facilities.
In an active effort to improve the City’s accessibility, the City hired SZS Consulting Group in
2015 to evaluate and survey all public facilities that hold City programs, services, or activities.
Key drivers for this update were new guidance documents for providing accessibility, and new
facilities and projects for which the City has taken responsibility since the original plan was
prepared in 1992. The final ADA Transition Plan Update focuses on physical barriers in existing
City facilities and right-of-way (land or property owned by the City).
SZS Consulting Group compiled all recommendations and evaluations in a finalized ADA Self-
Evaluation Report (Attachment A). The Transition Plan also includes the Schedules for public
facilities and City public right-of-way (PROW), which will be used to help guide the scoping and
budgeting of future Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects.
CITY OF
PALO
ALTO
City of Palo Alto Page 2
The Transition Plan presents a vision to improve accessibility in the City of Palo Alto over the
next 60 years.1 The Self-Evaluation Report outlines the context of having a Transition Plan and
provides recommendations to existing City policies and procedures to ensure all programs,
services, or activities are accessible. The Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks
prioritizes buildings based on the age of the building, planned CIPs, extent of work, and use.
The schedule for PROW will be used as a basis for the 30-year, district-by-district sidewalk, curb,
and gutter repair program. The Facility Reports identify the deficiencies in each City facility and
act as checklists the City can utilize when scoping future CIPs. Databases with all physical
barriers assessed in public facilities will be used to track the City’s remediation progress.
Background
The ADA, enacted on July 26, 1990, provides comprehensive civil rights protections to persons
with disabilities in the areas of employment, state and local government services,
transportation, telecommunications, and access to public accommodations. In 1992, the City
hired Schirmer Engineering Corporation to create an ADA Transition Plan to comply with
Federal ADA regulations issued in July 1991. Since 1993, the City’s capital improvement
program has included an annual project, Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance (PF-
93009). This project has been used to fund improvements identified in the 1992 ADA Transition
Plan, as well as other improvements brought to the City’s attention.
Since the creation of the 1992 plan, the City has acquired new buildings and taken responsibility
for the maintenance of additional buildings. At the time of surveying facilities, the City owned
or maintained 145 individual buildings, 7 parking garages, 20 surface parking lots, 32
neighborhood parks, and 4 open space preserves that host City programs, services, or activities.
The weighted average age of the facilities is about 50 years. Thus, not all facilities were included
in the original transition plan nor do they meet current ADA standards as ADA codes have
evolved. Even since the facility survey began for this ADA Transition Plan Update, the number of
facilities the City is responsible for has changed. For example, Cubberley lease agreements have
changed with the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), and the California Avenue parking
lots C-6 and C-7 are designated for the construction of the California Avenue Area garage and
Public Safety Building, respectively. Now, the City owns or maintains 139 individual buildings, 8
parking garages, 19 surface parking lots, 32 neighborhood parks, and 4 open space preserves. A
comprehensive and updated Transition Plan will help to ensure City programs, services, and
activities are accessible to the public.
On October 26, 2015, the City contracted with SZS Consulting Group to identify potential
noncompliant items and other physical barriers at City buildings, parking lots, and recreational
facilities (Staff Report ID #6050) where the City provides programs, services, or activities to the
public. SZS Consulting Group performed facility surveys and reviewed the City’s program
1 Extended timelines to address physical barriers are common in transition plans, given the large capital
expenditures required and because some modifications are not feasible until a more comprehensive remodel of a
facility is completed.
City of Palo Alto Page 3
accessibility. Barrier information surveyed was compiled into facility reports and databases. The
Transition Plan will be used to continue efforts by the City to comply with accessibility
requirements as established by the ADA, State of California Building Code (CBC) accessibility
provisions, PROW Accessibility Guidelines, and case law.
Evaluated facilities are listed in Attachment B. Several buildings at the time of proposal were
not included in the scope due to planned CIPs such as Fire Station No. 3 (PE-15003) and Fire
Station No. 4 (PE-18004). Newly constructed facilities are designed to comply with current ADA
standards and CBC accessibility provisions. The Roth Building was also not evaluated due to
plans for renovation by the Palo Alto History Museum Board. The following facilities were not
evaluated because the City does not provide programs, services, or activities to the public at
these locations: Girl Scouts Building, Boy Scouts Building, Avenidas Senior Center, Alma
Community Room, Los Altos Treatment Plant, San Francisquito Creek Pump Station, and
Matadero Creek Pump Station.
Facility surveys and draft reports were completed for each identified facility within SZS
Consulting Group’s scope by September of 2017. City staff reviewed the draft reports and SZS
Consulting Group drafted a schedule with prioritization of facilities based on public needs, age
of facility, budget, and planned CIP projects. Public outreach was conducted for public input on
the schedules and public feedback on facilities in May 2019.
In 1985, the City conducted a survey that assessed the conditions of the sidewalk network in
the City’s PROW and categorized it into 23 districts. The districts were repaired based on the
quantity of repairs required. In 2017, the City completed its 30-year district-by-district sidewalk,
curb and gutter repair program. Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE) collected data from 20
percent of the sidewalk network and nearly 60 percent of the curb ramps in 2017. The data was
used to put together the Sidewalk Assessment Study to address sidewalk issues, rank the
districts based on the greatest need, and estimate future repair costs. The study identifies six
major sidewalk distresses categorized into degrees of severity: cracking, patching, vaulting,
faulting, spalling, and holes. The 2019 Sidewalk, Curb, and Gutter Repairs project prioritized
areas that require prompt action at various locations throughout the City. Future sidewalk
maintenance projects will resume the district-by-district repair program utilizing NCE’s order of
ranked districts based on the density of priority areas. The Schedule for PROW takes into
consideration NCE’s Sidewalk Assessment Study to match the schedule with the 2019 Sidewalk,
Curb, and Gutter Repairs project and to plan for the 30-year, district-by-district sidewalk, curb,
and gutter repair program through the Sidewalk Repairs (PO-89003) and Curb and Gutter
Repairs (PE-12001) capital projects.
The ADA Transition Plan Update focuses on physical barriers in City facilities and the City’s
PROW. However, as part of this process, City staff and the consultant evaluated other areas
identified in the Department of Justice ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local
Governments (DOJ ADA Best Practices Took Kit) such as general effective communication,
emergency communications, website accessibility, and emergency management. City staff is
City of Palo Alto Page 4
planning to create a task workforce that includes key staff members across various City
Departments to draft, address, and implement new policies based on the recommendations
outlined in the ADA Self-Evaluation Report.
Discussion
The development of a Transition Plan is a requirement of both the Americans with Disabilities
Act and for implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In addition to fulfilling the
requirements of federal law, adopting the Transition Plan will help the City schedule and track
its progress during renovation projects as a structured checklist. ADA standards have changed
since the original 1992 ADA Transition Plan, as has the City’s roster of public facilities, and an
updated plan provides better guidance to improve overall accessibility in City public buildings
and ROW.
Based on the 2010 ADA guidance for public facilities, a Transition Plan requires the following:
1. Identify physical obstacles in the public agency's facilities that limit the accessibility of its
programs or activities to individuals with disabilities;
2. Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible;
3. Specify the schedule for the transition plan; and
4. Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the plan.
The final Transition Plan fulfills the requirements listed above and includes the following
documents (please note that due to size of the documents, individual document components
are provided as hyperlinks in the attachments):
1. Self-Evaluation Report
2. Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks
3. Schedule for Public Right-of-Way
4. ADA Facility Reports
Self-Evaluation Report
The Self-Evaluation Report (Attachment A) includes context and history behind the ADA and
requirements for a Transition Plan. Title II of the 2010 ADA standards applies to state and local
government entities, and in Subtitle A, focuses on protecting qualified individuals with
disabilities from discrimination based on disability in programs, services, or activities provided
by state and local government entities. In the Self-Evaluation Report, SZS Consulting Group
outlines what determines a qualified individual with disabilities and defines programmatic
accessibility. SZS Consulting Group reviewed the City’s policies and procedures using the DOJ
ADA Best Practices Took Kit.
The DOJ ADA Best Practices Tool Kit covers the following categories:
1. ADA Coordinator
2. General Effective Communication Requirements under Title II of the ADA
3. 9-1-1 and Emergency Communications Services
4. Website Accessibility under Title II of the ADA
City of Palo Alto Page 5
5. Curb Ramps and Pedestrian Crossings
6. Emergency Management under Title II of the ADA
After receiving responses from various departments on the DOJ ADA Best Practices Tool Kit, SZS
Consulting Group provided recommendations that staff actively started to pursue. These
recommendations apply to a broad group of City departments. Identified individuals in each
Department will be part of the City’s taskforce to draft, address, and implement new policies
per the recommendations outlined in the matrix. In addition, staff have already undertaken the
following actions:
• One of the main recommendations under the ADA Coordinator is to establish a policy to
standardize the investigation of all complaints. Staff is in the process of creating a
flowchart of individuals as points of contact to resolve issues brought to the City’s
attention. Staff is also working to add a separate category in the City’s 311 application
for ADA requests or specific items of concern to ensure that requests from the public
are tracked internally and can be routed to the correct point of contact responsible for
resolving the request.
• Under General Effective Communication Requirements, SZS Consulting Group
recommends having closed captioning of public meetings when posted on the City
website. This recommendation is expected to be addressed during the City Council
Chambers AV Upgrade Project (TE-19001), as part of the scope is to include closed
captioning services for recorded public meetings.
• The City’s Information Technology (IT) department assigned a staff member to focus on
website accessibility to improve the City’s website. A Management Specialist was hired
in March 2018 and oversaw website accessibility compliance for each division. The
Management Specialist also led the City’s monthly Website Department Group
meetings, where they discussed website standards, current issues, and accessible
website content. SZS Consulting Group is currently helping to advise the Next
Generation Website Core Team and the City’s new website vendor, OpenCities, by
reviewing the City’s new design and branding style, page layouts and templates, and
page content. SZS Consulting Group was originally scheduled to conduct small audits, or
spot checks, throughout the development process. However, due to the COVID-19
pandemic, spot checking was no longer feasible due scheduling conflicts. In order to
continue with a full audit, the Core Team now plans on having SZS review and audit the
new website after it goes live. Additionally, they plan to create a transition plan using
SZS’s findings.
The Self-Evaluation Report also lists functions at each facility in the City that may affect people
with disabilities. Most departments include a public-facing counter for transactions and
requests for information. Other important functions that affect people with disabilities include
information and updates posted on the City website and public meetings such as Council
City of Palo Alto Page 6
Meetings and Board meetings. These listed functions educate staff on which City facilities may
need to be prioritized earlier in the Schedule and where City policies may need to be modified
to accommodate people with disabilities.
Schedules
The Transition Plan Schedules are included in Appendices B and C of the Self-Evaluation Report.
The Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks was prioritized based on the age of the
facility, extent of corrective work, budget, planned CIP projects, and public input. In the
development of the first draft of the Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks, facilities
were assigned a priority by SZS Consulting Group based on a four-level priority system.
Priority 1 – Points of arrival on site (parking lots, connecting walkways, transportation)
or projects that have been currently budgeted
Priority 2 – Facilities built between 1888 to 2000 that provide programs, services, or
activities by the City
Priority 3 – Facilities built between 2000 to 2016 or facilities with an unknown
construction date
Priority 4 – Remaining facilities
SZS Consulting Group also took into consideration the facilities that were used most frequently
by the largest number of people and based on public outreach feedback.
The Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks was then further refined based on the type
of facility and extent of work measured by the estimated costs to remediate the identified
barriers in the facility. One of staff’s goals was to ensure a relatively even amount of work for
every five-year block shown on the Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks. The total
estimated cost is generally larger when a facility has a larger area contributed to programs,
services, or activities and is older. For example, although fewer facilities are shown at the end
of the Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking and Parks, this is partly due to the higher estimated
cost to remediate these facilities.
The Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks is seen as an adaptive, living document,
and changes are expected to occur depending on the City’s progress. Several factors can
influence the actual remediation cost such as contracting to complete barriers of the same
type. The schedule can also change substantially if accommodations are requested that
reprioritize a building, a change takes place that ensures programmatic accessibility within a
facility, or changes in ownership of a facility. For example, the City returned ownership of
Cubberley Community Center Buildings A, B, I and portions of Buildings G and M to the Palo
Alto Unified School District. This will decrease the estimated cost of remediation by $314,719,
the total estimated costs for identified barriers in the Cubberley buildings the City does not
lease or own.
Similar to the Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks, the Schedule for PROW
City of Palo Alto Page 7
considers the age of the facility. To simplify the process, the City has assumed that all City
sidewalks and curb ramps are deficient with respect to ADA. In fact, not all sidewalks and curb
ramps are deficient, but this determination creates a simpler schedule since the City is entering
a new cycle of the 30-year district-by-district sidewalk, curb, and gutter repair program. Older
districts such as Downtown are prioritized first due to the older average age of ramps and
sidewalks.
Facility Reports and Databases
The Facility Reports (Attachment C) identify all physical barriers based on accessibility
requirements as established by the ADA and CBC Accessibility provisions. Solutions for each
barrier are recommended in each barrier report as suggested by SZS Consulting Group.
In each Facility Report, individual barriers are identified, the relevant codes are noted, and
recommendations from SZS Consulting Group are included to remediate the issues. Each barrier
is also assigned a cost estimate, which in turn is used to understand the order of magnitude for
repairs and where to schedule the remediation of barriers in the Schedule for Public Facilities,
Parking, and Parks. The implementation phase and priority of the barrier is also noted in each
individual barrier report.
Part of SZS Consulting Group’s scope of work includes providing a database for each of the
facilities surveyed. This ensures that the City will be able to mark off which physical barriers
have been remediated. The databases also allow the City to regenerate reports as needed to
show only “open” items for each facility.
Tracking Progress on Remediations
Public Works has been keeping track of recent remediations from CIP and other facilities
maintenance projects. Due to the lengthy process of completing the ADA Transition Plan
Update, some barriers were removed prior to the finalization of the ADA Transition Plan
Update. The Public Works Department Engineering Services Division (PWE) created an Excel
system for all City staff to access, update, and document the progress on barrier removals as
they take place. Project managers are required to enter information pertaining to the project
including which barrier was removed, when it was removed, cost for removal, and a photo for
documentation. Staff will then update the databases periodically based on the gathered
information from departments. Staff will be looking into a more effective, integrable, electronic
means of documenting barrier removals for the long-term.
City individuals who are identified to act in furthering the City’s progress in accessibility will
submit progress assessments to Public Works Engineering or a later designated individual
overseeing the City’s overall accessibility. The progress assessment will be documentation from
the individual on their team’s progress in implementing recommendations from the ADA Self-
Evaluation Report. The progress assessments will be submitted annually or when a significant
change takes place. The ADA Best Practices Tool Kit provides a consistent method to track the
City’s progress on ADA accommodations that are not physical barriers in City facilities. Existing
City of Palo Alto Page 8
examples of progress documentation include annual updates on the City’s Information
Technology’s progress towards an ADA, WCAG 2.1, and Section 508 compliant website and an
updated review of the ADA Tool Kit self-evaluation questionnaires.
Timeline
The ADA Transition Plan Schedules will be effective once the Transition Plan is adopted. The
Schedule for Public Facilities, Parking, and Parks takes place over 60 years starting in 2021. This
timeline was chosen based on the current amount of funding in PF-93009, and is typical for
these types of efforts. As noted earlier in this report, the Transition Plan is a living document
and these schedules are likely to change over time; for example, due to changes in
management of facilities such as Cubberley Community Center.
The Schedule for PROW is compiled into a 30-year cycle annual sidewalk, curb, and gutter
repair program, in alignment with the City’s annual Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter Repairs Project.
The City’s determination of all sidewalks and curb ramps being deficient when compiling the
Schedule for PROW ensures all districts are addressed based on the age of the district. Staff will
determine which sidewalks and curb ramps in each district need to be repaired each year. City
staff is currently tracking curb ramps and sidewalks brought into compliance through the City’s
annual maintenance program and other PWE projects. City staff will also be working with the
Development Center if a curb ramp or sidewalk in the PROW is required to be fixed with a
private development project.
Resource Impact
No funding is required to approve the ADA Transition Plan itself or the recommendation in this
report. Staff recognizes that increased funding will be necessary in order to mitigate barriers
outlined in the ADA Transition Reports and will impact funding needs in the Americans with
Disabilities Act Compliance (PF-93009) capital improvement program project and future capital
projects in departments such as Public Works and Community Services that manage City
facilities. Separate capital improvement program projects may be developed to fix identified
barriers for a facility, or the mitigation of barriers may be incorporated into annual recurring
capital projects. The ADA Transition Plan will aid in budgeting funding for these future capital
needs as approved by Council as part of the annual budget process; staff will return to Council if
additional appropriations are needed.
Policy Implications
Based on SZS Consulting Group’s Self-Evaluation, some City policies may need to be modified or
added in order to better accommodate persons with disabilities during programs, services, and
activities. Policies may include new procedures or additional training for staff. One such
example is having a procedure in place for requesting interpreters and providing alternative
formats for City documents.
City of Palo Alto Page 9
Stakeholder Engagement
The approval of Amendment No. 4 (Staff Report ID #8573) added public outreach to SZS
Consulting Group’s scope of services. Three public outreach meetings were hosted by the City
and led by SZS Consulting Group on the following dates:
• Monday, May 13, 2019 at 3 pm at Rinconada Library’s Embarcadero Room
• Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 6 pm at Mitchell Park Community Center’s El Palo Alto Room
• Monday, May 20, 2019 at 3 pm at College Terrace Library
Staff advertised the meetings through social media, posts on Nextdoor, public print
notifications in the Daily Post, and on City webpages such as the Accessibility webpage and
project webpage. SZS Consulting Group also emailed a list of organizations that work or support
individuals with disabilities in Palo Alto or surrounding areas. The list of organizations contacted
is included in the Self-Evaluation Report.
These public outreach meetings kicked off a 45-day public comment period for the public to
provide feedback in-person, by email, or by submitting comments through an online survey. A
copy of the online survey is included in the Self-Evaluation Report along with results to some of
the questions. Questions were developed to better understand popular areas visited by the
various type of users in Palo Alto (residents versus commuters). One question also asked for
open feedback regarding a user’s personal experience in City facilities. Some comments
received asked for confidentiality, so submitted responses are not included in the Self-
Evaluation Report. The survey was also translated to Chinese in order to reach a greater
population of residents at the suggestion of a Human Relations Commission member.
Environmental Review
Approval of the ADA Transition Plan Update is not a project for the purposes of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Projects including the remediation of physical barriers
identified in the Facility Reports may require environmental review due to the facility location
and scope.
Attachments:
• Attachment A - ADA Self Evaluation Report
• Attachment B - Public Facility Inventory List
• Attachment C - ADA Transition Plan Facility Reports
Staff Report #10890 Last edited: April 29, 2021
Attachment A – ADA Transition Plan Self-Evaluation Report
Self-Evaluation Report includes:
•ADA Title II Entity Requirements
•Programmatic Accessibility
•Public Outreach Questionnaire and Reponses
•Palo Alto PSAs
•Recommended Changes to Policies and Practices
•ADA Transition Plan Schedule for City Facilities
•ADA Transition Plan Schedule for Public Rights-of-Way
Link to Self-Evaluation Report:
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/public-works/engineering-services/webpages/pf-
93009-ada-transition-plan/ada-transition-plan-reports/ada-self-evaluation-report-05-11-2021.pdf
Attachment A
DESCRIPTION LOCATION
SIZE (SQ.
FT.)YEAR BUILT
YEAR REMODELED (IF
APPLICABLE)
Animal Services:3281 E. Bayshore Rd.
Kitchen/Kennels/Storage 3,268 1972
Euthanasia Building 203 1986
Office/Clinic 2,186 1972
Arastradero Preserve Gateway Facility 1530 Arastradero Rd.969 2003
Art Center 1313 Newell Rd.26,441 1951 2011
Baylands:
Athletic Center Grandstands 1775 Embarcadero Rd.2,250 1969
Athletic Center Restrooms 1900 Geng Rd.2,250 1969
Harbor Master House/Ranger Station 2500 Embarcadero Rd. 475 1969 1986
Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter (Sea Scouts Building)2560 Embarcadero Rd.2,209 1936 2012
Interpretive Center 2775 Embarcadero Rd.3,600 1969
Byxbee Park Restrooms:2380 Embarcadero Rd.568 1972
Children's Library 1275 Harriet St.6,043 1940 2007
Children's Theatre:1305 Middlefield Rd.
Theatre 17,619 1936
Civic Center:250 Hamilton Ave.
Office Building Tower 104,893 1968
City Council Building Tower 3,240 1968
Police Department 271 Forest Ave.32,224 1968
College Terrace Library 2300 Wellesley St.5,050 1935 2010
Cubberley Community Center:4000 Middlefield Rd.
Pavilion 17,577 1968
Boys and Girls Gymnasiums 28,148 1945
Building I (Foothill College)13,575 1968
Building J 7,875 1955
Building K 7,875 1955
Building L 14,415 1955
Building P 3,610 1968
Theater 11,800 1945
Building M 11,800 1968
Building A 5,400 1955
Building B 5,400 1955
Building C 5,400 1955
Building D 5,400 1955
Building E 5,400 1955
Building F 5,400 1955
Buildling FH 1,000 1968
Building H 8,115 1955
Building O (Auditorium)13,790 1945
Building S 5,650 1945
Building T1 & T2 8,050 1945
Building U 4,865 1945
Building V 1,000 1968
Downtown Library 270 Forest Ave.8,741 1967 2011
El Camino Park:100 El Camino Real
Restrooms 900 2015
Scorekeeper Facility 329 2015
ATTACHMENT B
CITY OF PALO ALTO
PUBLIC FACILITY INVENTORY FOR FACILITY SURVEYS
1 of 5
Attachment B
DESCRIPTION LOCATION
SIZE (SQ.
FT.)YEAR BUILT
YEAR REMODELED (IF
APPLICABLE)
Fire Stations:
#1 (University Park)301 Alma St.10,436 1965
#2 (Mayfield)2675 Hanover St.8,131 1965
#5 (Arastradero)600 Arastradero Rd.3,666 1962
#8 (Foothills Park)3300 Page Mill Rd.1,569 1986
Foothills Park:3300 Page Mill Rd.
Interpretive Center 5,035 1967
Entrance Station 71 1985
Lake Restrooms 422 1965
Orchard Glen Restrooms 422 1965
Oak Grove Restrooms 70 1965
Gamble Garden Center 1431 Waverley St.8,200 1902 1987
Golf Course:1875 Embarcadero Rd.
Pro shop/Hofbrau 8,516 1978 1986
Office/Maintenance Shop 2,288 1958
Restrooms (17th Hole)242 1978
Greer Park Restrooms 1098 Amarillo Ave.597 1983
GreenWaste 2000 Geng Rd.
Office Building 2,256 1950 2007
Hoover Park Restroom 2901 Cowper St.500 2003
Juana Briones Park Restroom 609 Maybell Ave.129 2014
Junior Museum & Zoo:1451 Middlefield Rd.
Landfill:2380 Embarcadero Rd.
Administration Trailer 540 2005
Lawn Bowling Green Park:474 Embarcadero Rd.
Lawn Bowling Clubhouse 2,400 1954 2010
Lawn Bowling Restrooms 1,210 1954 2010
Lucie Stern Community Center:1305 Middlefield Rd.
Community Center 12,203 1933
Theater 33,716 1933 1997
Theater Scene Shop 1,823 1972
Mitchell Park Library 3700 Middlefield Rd.41,000 2014
Mitchell Park Community Center 3700 Middlefield Rd.15,000 2014
Mitchell Park:600 E. Meadow Dr.
Clubhouse Restrooms 1,078 1957
Tennis Court Restrooms 306 1956
Municipal Service Center (MSC):3201 E Bayshore Rd.
Building A 15,863 1966
Building B 22,357 1966
Building C 32,877 1966
Guardhouse 49 1972
UCC/SCADA 3241 E Bayshore Rd.5,488 1980
Palo Alto Airport Terminal Building (Portables)1925 Embarcadero Rd.1,200 1965
Peers Park Clubhouse/Restrooms 1899 Park Ave.1,082 1940
Rinconada Library 1213 Newell Rd.31,082 1975 2014
Rinconada Park:777 Embarcadero Rd.
Gazebo 394 1957
Restrooms 511 1930
Showers/Office/Equipment 3,585 1956
Snack Bar/Swim/Club 523 1956
Seale Park Restroom 3100 Stockton Place 156 2011
Stanford Playing Fields Snacks/Restroom Buildling 27000 El Camino Real 969 2006
2 of 5
DESCRIPTION LOCATION
SIZE (SQ.
FT.)YEAR BUILT
YEAR REMODELED (IF
APPLICABLE)
Ventura Community Center:3990 Ventura Ct.
Childcare Unit #1 2,344 1957
Childcare Unit #2 9,881 1957
Childcare Unit #3 6,558 1957
Childcare Multi-unit 2,698 1957
Waste Quality Control Plant:2501 Embarcadero Way
Operations Building 6,670 1970
Administration Building 3,120 1975
Engineering/Maintenance Building 2,610 1978
Williams House 351 Homer Ave.7,978 1907
Winter Lodge 3005 Middlefield Rd.18,118 1956
3 of 5
DESCRIPTION LOCATION
SIZE
(SQ. FT.)
YEAR
BUILT
Cowper / Hamilton Lot H 530 Cowper St.30,263
Lytton / Waverely Lot K 351 Lytton Ave.21,075
Emerson / Lytton Lot A 401 Ramona St.20,265
Hamilton / Waverley Lot D 375 Hamilton Ave.28,993
Gilman / Waverley Lot G 643 Gilman St.16,875
Gilman / Bryant Lot E 642 Gilman St.11,250
Emerson / High Lot O 460 Emerson St.22,500
Ramona / Lytton Lot C 451 Ramona St.17,000
High / Hamilton Lot P 551 High St.25,297
Emerson / Ramona Lot N 539 Emerson St.15,000
Florence / Lytton Lot F 415 Florence St.16,875
Lytton / Kipling Lot T 450 Lytton Ave.18,900
California Avenue BD Lot 6 250 Sherman Ave.53,420
California Avenue BD Lot 2 370 Cambridge Ave.10,000
California Avenue BD Lot 7 350 Sherman Ave.40,561
California Avenue BD Lot 4 391 Cambridge Ave.26,950
California Avenue BD Lot 3 275 Cambridge Ave.27,500
California Avenue BD Lot 8 450 Sherman Ave.34,373
California Avenue BD Lot 1 276 Cambridge Ave.9,980
California Avenue BD Lot 9 2350 Birch St.10,560
Civic Center Office Building Public Parking 250 Hamilton Ave.251,508 1970
Cambridge Parking Garage (Lot 5)400 Cambridge St.57,830 1968
Parking Garage - Lot J (Cowper/Webster)
including garage vehicle approaches 520 Webster St.269,138 2007
Parking Garage - Lot Q (under residential)430 High St.48,000 1984
Parking Garage - Lot R (High Street)528 High St.93,930 2003
Parking Garage - Lot S/L (Bryant Street)445 Bryant St.229,380 2003
Ted Thompson Parking Garage 275 Cambridge St.56,000 1994
Midtown Parking Lot Midtown Ct.23,000
CITY OF PALO ALTO
PUBLIC PARKING FACILITY INVENTORY FOR FACILITY SURVEYS
ATTACHMENT B
4 of 5
DESCRIPTION LOCATION
SIZE
(ACRES)
YEAR
ESTABLISHED
Arastradero Preserve 1530 Arastradero Road 533 1970
Baylands Athletic Center 1900 Geng Road 6 1969
Baylands Preserve 2775 Embarcadero Road 1,940 N/A
Bol Park 3590 Laguna Avenue 13.8 N/A
Boulware Park 410 Fernando Avenue 1.5 1894
Bowden Park Alma Street at North California Avenue 2 1952
Bowling Green Park 474 Embarcadero Road 2 1934
Briones Park Arastradero Road at Clemo Avenue 4.1 1889
Byxbee Park 2375 Embarcadero Road 126 1960
Cameron Park 2101 Wellesley Street 1.1 1888
Esther Clark Park Old Adobe Road off of Arastradero Road 21 N/A
Cogswell Plaza 264 Lytton Avenue 0.5 1955
El Camino Park 100 El Camino Real 12.19 1914
Eleanor Pardee Park 851 Center Drive 9.6 1957
El Palo Alto Park 117 Palo Alto Avenue 0.5 N/A
Foothills Park 3300 Page Mill Road 1,400 N/A
Greer Park 1098 Amarillo Street 22 1967
Heritage Park 300 Homer Avenue 2.01 2006
Hoover Park 2901 Cowper Street 4.2 1950
Hopkins Creekside Park Palo Alto Avenue 12.4 1907
Johnson Park Everett Street and Waverley Street 2.5 1968
Kellog Park Waverly Street at Embarcadero Road 0.34 N/A
Mayfield Park 2300 Wellesley Street 1.1 1888
Mitchell park 600 East Meadow Avenue 21.4 1957
Monroe Park Monroe and Miller Avenue 0.55 N/A
Peers Park 1899 Park Boulevard 4.7 N/A
Ramos Park 800 East Meadow Drive 4.4 1958
Rinconada Park 777 Embaracadero Road 19 1922
Robles Park 4116 Park Boulevard 4.7 1968
Scott Park Scott Street at Channing Avenue 0.04 N/A
Seale Park 3100 Stockton Place 4.3 1968
Stanford - Palo Alto Playing Fields 2700 El Camino Real 5.9 2005
Terman park 655 Arastradero Road 7.7 1970
Wallis Park 202 Ash Street 0.3 1888
Weisshaar Park 2300 Dartmouth Street 1.1 1888
Werry Park 2100 Dartmouth Street 1.1 1888
CITY OF PALO ALTO
PUBLIC PARKS INVENTORY FOR FACILITY SURVEYS
ATTACHMENT B
5 of 5
Staff Report #10890 Last edited: April 7, 2021
Attachment C – ADA Transition Plan Facility Reports
Facility surveys were completed between January 2016 to January 2017. Park Reports include the buildings such as
restrooms, clubhouses, or other buildings associated with the park.
BUILDINGS PARKING PARKS
Animal Services Building
Arastradero Gateway
Art Center
Children’s Library
Children’s Theater
Civic Center
College Terrace Library
Cubberley Community Center
Downtown Library
Fire Station #1
Fire Station #2
Fire Station #5
Fire Station #8
Gamble Garden Center
GreenWaste Facility
Junior Museum and Zoo
Landfill Facility
Lucie Stern Community Center
Mitchell Park Community Center
Mitchell Park Library
Municipal Services Center
Palo Alto Airport Terminal Building
Rinconada Library
Ventura Community Center
Water Quality Control Plant
Williams House Heritage Museum
Winter Lodge
Cal Ave Parking Lot 1
Cal Ave Parking Lot 2
Cal Ave Parking Garage Lot 3 – Ted
Thompson
Cal Ave Parking Lot 4
Cal Ave Parking Garage Lot 5 –
Cambridge
Cal Ave Parking Lot 6
Cal Ave Parking Lot 7
Cal Ave Parking Lot 8
Cal Ave Parking Lot 9
Civic Center Parking Garage
Midtown Parking Lot
Parking Lot A
Parking Garage Lot B
Parking Lot C
Parking Lot D
Parking Lot E
Parking Lot F
Parking Lot G
Parking Lot H
Parking Garage Lot J
Parking Lot K
Parking Lot N
Parking Lot O
Parking Lot P
Parking Lot Q
Parking Garage Lot R
Parking Garage Lot SL
Parking Lot T
Baylands Nature Preserve
Bol Park
Boulware Park
Bowden Park
Bowling Green Park
Briones Park
Byxbee Park
Cameron Park
Clark Park
Cogswell Plaza
El Camino Park
El Palo Alto Park
Eleanor Pardee Park
Foothills Park
Golf Course
Greer Park
Heritage Park
Hoover Park
Hopkins Creekside Park
Johnson Park
Kellogg Park
Mayfield Park
Mitchell Park
Monroe Park
Peers Park
Ramos Park
Rinconada Park
Robles Park
Sarah Wallis Park
Scott Park
Seale Park
Stanford-Palo Alto Playing Fields
Terman Park
Weisshaar Park
Werry Park
Attachment C
City of Palo Alto (ID # 12268)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Action Items Meeting Date: 5/11/2021
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Update on Community Engagement Including Town Halls
Title: Update on Community Engagement Activities, Including Town Halls
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
Accept staff’s update on the City’s community engagement planning, including an update on
town halls.
Background
Recently, the City Council asked that staff provide an update on Town Halls to the Policy and
Services Committee. Previously, City staff presented an update on Town Hall planning at the
Policy and Services Committee on May 8, 2018 as part of the City’s community engagement
efforts (CMR #9174). This was in response to a 2015 Council referral to Policy and Services
Committee seeking to build on existing engagement platforms and add more face-to-face
contact with neighborhood organizations. For the purpose of this report, the term “Town Halls”
is used to describe meetings at which residents are invited to interact with City officials for the
purpose of information sharing and dialogue, either on specific topics or for specific
neighborhoods.
Discussion
The City of Palo Alto maintains an extraordinary level of community engagement on specific
topics as well as ongoing communication on community programs and events. This update
provides a summary of the City’s 2021-22 community engagement plans including use of Town
Halls to engage our community and neighborhoods. It also provides a summary of other plans
underway on issue specific community engagement planned to offer a holistic view of the City’s
efforts underway. While balancing staffing and resource limitations, the City is implementing
and planning several community engagement efforts now and in the coming fiscal year.
It should be noted that the pandemic-driven use of virtual meetings has significantly increased
the City’s ability to host community meetings as well as the ability for residents, businesses, and
community stakeholders to participate. Without the pre-pandemic obstacles of travel, facility
scheduling and logistics, and materials reproduction and distribution, the City has been able to
City of Palo Alto Page 2
host a high number and variety of virtual meetings, and community feedback on the resulting
opportunities for engagement has generally been very positive. As society emerges from the
pandemic, the City’s ability to sustain a desired volume and quality of engagement will depend
on our ability to continue to offer effective means of engagement while meeting expectations
for both in-person and virtual formats.
A summary of the City’s anticipated engagement elements is noted below. All meetings and
events are open to the public and are or will be added to the City’s website calendar and shared
via City communications channels, as they are finalized.
Town Hall Planning: The City is planning two town hall meetings through December 2021. The
first Town Hall will be focused on the City’s budget and scheduled for May 6, 2021. A second
Town Hall is planned for this fall. The second Town Hall, while still in the planning stages could
be set around a specific topic or a few topics to reduce the level of staffing resources needed to
answer community questions. Based on past practice over the last two years, the City has used
Town Halls for issue-specific engagement such as rail grade separations, and this may once
again be a timely topic for Town Hall discussion. Alternatively, topics could include 2022 ballot
measure concepts or other significant citywide issues.
Chat with the Mayor: Last year during the pandemic, the City initiated an online virtual Q and A
session with the Mayor and City Manager. The format was informal and provided an
opportunity for the public to email the City questions and then those questions were answered
as part of YouTube episodes. This informal chat both informed and engaged the community
during a period of rapidly changing public health conditions. In a similar format, the City is
working to schedule a Chat with the Mayor engagement opportunity that provides a general
question and answer session (no staff representation) as another way to inform the community
and provide two-way dialogue on significant issues facing the community. These will be
scheduled twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. For the coming fiscal year, the
City is planning a session in September and then tentatively set for March 2022. For
September’s planning, staff is proposing a virtual format.
Neighborhood Town Hall Meetings: Envisioned as hosted by Councilmembers, a series of six
community meetings in specific neighborhood areas are being developed in a virtual format.
Two Councilmembers would be pre-designated to represent the Council and host each of these
meetings. These are being planned monthly starting in August 2021 through early 2022. The
neighborhood-specific meetings will be smaller group settings and an open format to gain input
and answer community questions. The City is planning to have these be held virtually at least
through the rest of 2021.
City’s Boards, Commissions and Committees (BCCs): The City of Palo Alto has several Boards,
Commissions and Committees focused on issues facing the community including general topics
such as public art, planning and transportation, historic review, storm water management,
human relations, parks and recreation and utilities to name a few. The BCCs advise the City
City of Palo Alto Page 3
Council and host meetings, public hearings and establish Ad Hoc committees to engage the
community on topics through the implementation of annual workplans. Through the pandemic,
while committee meetings are virtual, these meetings have seen increased participation and
engagement from community members. This serves as an additional form of community
engagement.
National Community Survey: The City has a long-standing goal of engaging the community
through the National Community Survey which benchmarks the City against other community
surveys, engaging the community through a random sample of community members and new
this year, a hybrid approach which also allows for online survey responses. Results of this
community engagement are planned to be presented to the City Council through a study
session set for May 17, 2021.
Issue-Specific Community Engagement: The City, on an annual basis, holds several meetings
and generates online surveys to gain input from the community on specific community issues.
Last year, the City conducted virtual meetings and online surveys on topics such as rail grade
separations, sustainability, electrification, budget sustainability, Council priorities,
transportation-related project planning, capital project planning like Charleston-Arastradero,
Race and Equity, and more. A summary of current issue-specific community engagement
planned for the coming several months include:
• Summit on Women and Girls (linked to CEDAW): To be held on June 12, 2021
• Uplift Local: Monthly community meetings
• Uplift Local Business outreach: Monthly business-focused meetings
• Uplift Initiative ArtLift: Through funding art projects and experiences in commercial
corridors and neighborhoods, ArtLift will foster safe and creative ways to remain
engaged in the arts, reconnect with each other, and recover together as a cohesive
community. ArtLift is being presented in support of Uplift Local efforts already
underway with the purpose of connecting the community together. For all ArtLift
community engagement, go here.
• Race and Equity Events
▪ Library and Community Services events
• Teens can explore The Black Index exhibition on Sunday, May 16 at 2 p.m. through
a workshop designed especially for teens aged 14 and up.
• On Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 11:30 a.m., the Palo Alto City Library and
Stanford’s The Bill Lane Center for the American West are hosting a conversation
between Rev. Kaloma Smith and author Julie Lythcott-Haims as they discuss
antiracism in a community context. What Does an Antiracist Community Look
Like? will examine what an antiracist community looks like and how can we work
together to achieve an antiracist community.
• The Library invites all community members to join the Book to Action program
series. Throughout the month of May, the Library will be hosting a series of virtual
events inspired by the book selection, How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
City of Palo Alto Page 4
and the themes of racial equity and antiracism. Events for the month include two
book discussions, an Anti-Racism 101 Workshop hosted by Showing Up for Racial
Justice (SURJ), a week of themed storytimes and more. The series also includes
opportunities for participants to volunteer their time in a service project, through
training on leading a community conversation on race hosted by the Human
Relations Commission, or by participating in an Action Hours event sponsored by
SURJ.
▪ Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Community Event Series
• May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This year our
Library and Community Services Department have come together to deliver a
series of events for our entire community to recognize and celebrate the culture
and contributions of our AAPI community. In addition, several community events
are being scheduled and finalized. The Library is hosting a series author events
focused on celebrating AAPI heritage. A few of these engagement opportunities
include: Virtual Author Event with Samantha Mui on Thursday, May 13 at 7 p.m.
Samantha Mui will introduce her cookbook, Melting Pot: Stories and Recipes from
a Chinese American Daydreamer, and talk about the process of crafting recipes
into a book. Registration is required. Virtual Author Event with Jeanette
Arakawa on Thursday, May 27 at 7 p.m. Jeanette Arakawa will discuss her
autobiographical novel, The Little Exile, based on her own experience as an
internee in the 1940s at the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas.
Registration is required. This event is sponsored and co-hosted by The Bill Lane
Center for the American West. Free copies of the book will be available in May at
the Mitchell Park and Rinconada Libraries, while supplies last.
• Budget: An online Survey will be released on May 5 and, as mentioned above, a Town
Hall is being hosted on May 6, plus several public hearings at the Finance Committee
and City Council meetings. For all budget resources, go to
www.cityofpaloalto.org/budget
• Community and Economic Recovery
▪ Community Resiliency Workshop(s)
▪ Wellness Wednesdays/Workshops: Held every third Wednesday of the month
virtually. For event details and more, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/bewell
▪ Fiber to the Home: Update to be provided to the City Council on May 24, 2021
▪ For all community and economic recovery resources, go to
www.cityofpaloalto.org/communityrecovery
• North Ventura Community Area Plan (NVCAP) Working Group: Alternatives have been
reviewed with the community through the NVCAP Working Group and will be presented
for Council consideration tentatively this June.
• Sustainability Climate Action Plan Engagement: Recent Council action took place on
this engagement effort. For all sustainability related programs and resources, go to
City of Palo Alto Page 5
www.cityofpaloalto.org/sustainability or check out a recent blog post at
www.medium.com/paloaltoconnect
• Housing Element Process: May 10 Joint City Council/Planning and Transportation
Committee meeting, May 15 Community Workshop. For resources on this effort, go to
www.cityofpaloalto.org/heupdate
• Parking Action Plan Development: The Parking Action Plan is intended to increase
parking policy awareness of current parking efforts underway and inform about changes
being considered. The plan will also advance a data-driven approach to parking policy
changes and incorporate customer and stakeholder experiences of parking and
transportation issues into the development of the plan. For more information on this
effort, including an online survey, visit: Palo Alto Parking Action Plan.
• South Palo Alto Bike Ways Outreach Meetings: Join the City for a series of upcoming
events to share input and learn more about potential bikeway enhancements under
consideration. Community engagement opportunities include: Introductory Webinar –
Thursday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. Virtual Route Tour 1 – Saturday, May 22 at 11:00
a.m. Virtual Route Tour 2 – Thursday, May 27 at 6:30 p.m. Community Engagement
Summary – Tuesday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. For all resources on this effort, go to
www.cityofpaloalto.org/bikeways
• Rail Grade Separation: For all resources on this effort, go to connectingpaloalto.org
The summary above is not exhaustive, however, it provides context of the breadth of the City
work underway to engage the community and neighborhoods on many areas of community
interest.
Resource Impact
The activities described above require significant staff support, including communications staff,
CMO and department staff in their areas of expertise.
Stakeholder Engagement
The City is committed to engage and inform the Palo Alto community. As noted, all events
noted above are open to the public for all to attend.
The City is increasing use of the City website calendar as one way to inform and engage the
community about upcoming meetings and events. The City’s new website provides improved
functionality, and organizational use to build awareness and integrate community events
reinforce the anticipated increased reliance on the City website calendar and notifications for
meetings and events for public information and coordination. The City also uses Nextdoor and
Facebook calendars, when possible. The City shares information through digital platforms
including existing communications channels like blog posts, websites, and social media channels
including Nextdoor, Nixle and more. The City also uses its survey platform through OpenGov,
called Open Town Hall to offer online surveys and polls as another engagement opportunity
throughout the year.
City of Palo Alto Page 6
Informally, the City also looks to neighborhood, educational, and community organizations with
existing strong community connections such as Palo Alto Neighborhoods (PAN), Stanford
University, Cool Block, Emergency Service Volunteers and many more to engage and inform.
These existing groups share engagement opportunities with their community networks, acting
as ambassadors for increase public dialogue and engagement.
Environmental Review
N/A