HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-02 City Council EmailsDOCUM ENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE:
LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE
MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL
RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZ ENS
ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENC IES
ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES
Prepared for: 3/2/2026
Document dates: 2/23/2026 - 3/2/2026
Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction
in a given week. 701-32
From:Bill Hough
To:Council, City
Cc:Clerk, City
Subject:Public comment on agenda item 4 on March 2 council agenda
Date:Monday, March 2, 2026 9:12:45 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments
and clicking on links.
Council should OPPOSE the proposed transit sales tax increase. We don’t need another regressive
transportation funding measure. Our taxes are already too high.
Vote NO.
Over the last several elections, voters in Santa Clara County have passed multiple tax and fee increases
including gas taxes, the Caltrain Measure RR tax, two bridge toll increases, three VTA sales taxes, Santa
Clara County’s Measure A 1/8 cent sales tax, the state prop 30 ¼ cent sales tax and the 2010 Measure B
Vehicle Registration Fee of $10,and most recently a Santa Clara County
stealth sales tax." Additionally, we’re on the hook to pay back numerous state bond issues including high-
speed rail, the Proposition 1 water bond and the infrastructure bonds of 2006.
All this nickel and diming contributes into making the Bay Area a horribly expensive place to live;
especially for people of modest means, who must pay the greatest percentage of their income in these
regressive taxes and fees. Each increase by itself does not amount to much, but the cumulative effect is to
add to the unaffordability of the region.
Before increasing taxes YET AGAIN, waste needs to be removed from transportation projects. VTA
needs to "value engineer the BART to San Jose project, going with a twin bore tunnel and eliminating the
redundant BART extension between the San Jose and Santa Clara Caltrain stations. The BART segment
from these stations would duplicate both the existing Caltrain line and VTA's 22 and 522 buses. Why
don’t the wealthy high rollers at MTC suggest taxing rich tech companies and leave the little guy alone
for a change?
Bill Hough
From:City Mgr
To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed
Cc:Executive Leadership Team; City Mgr; Clerk, City
Subject:Council Bundle - March 2, 2026
Date:Monday, March 2, 2026 7:48:38 AM
Attachments:FW Request for Partnership Stem Cell Donor Drive for Local First Responders.msg
FW PAN"s Concerns Regarding Flock Safety.msg
FW RE Attempted theft_ safety security concern to Echelon Community.msg
FW Garden gate.msg
RE Upcoming City Council Discussion on Phased Approach to Address Oversized Vehicle Impacts.msg
image001.png
image002.png
Flock contract.msg
FW Bobs OSV Count (12926).msg
Fw IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED URGENT DEMAND TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL RV PARKING AND
ENCAMPMENTS.msg
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
On behalf of City Manager Ed Shikada, please see the attached staff responses to emails received in
the Council inbox through March 2, 2026.
Respectfully,
Danille
Danille Rice
Administrative Assistant
City Manager’s Office|Human Resources|Transportation
(650) 329-2229 | danille.rice@PaloAlto.gov
www.PaloAlto.gov
From:Alison Vanegeren
To:Council, City
Subject:Terminate Flock contract
Date:Monday, March 2, 2026 7:21:01 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
Please terminate our contract with Flock license plate scanners. I don't want hundreds of
agencies able to access this information without our permission. Thank you. -- Alison Van
Egeren
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From:Nikaniki
To:Council, City
Subject:Confirmation Before Booking
Date:Sunday, March 1, 2026 1:22:12 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking
on links.
Good afternoon,
I trust you are doing well.
I am writing to inquire whether your establishment is at present accommodating visitors?
I prefer to confirm this before planning my visit, to ensure that stays are currently possible.
I await your reply.
Kind regards
From:Chancy伊芙丽娜
To:info@preventhomelessness.org
Cc:Elaine Elbizri; PaloAlto Mediation; Joyce Davidson
Subject:Formal Complaint Regarding Retaliatory Eviction Threats and Habitability Issues
Date:Saturday, February 28, 2026 6:44:05 PM
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i
Dear Sir or Madam,
On February 27, 2026, at approximately 4:00 PM, I participated in a scheduled Palo
Alto Peer Mediation meeting via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss several
unresolved hazards and maintenance issues at my residence, 103 Tennyson Avenue. Present at
this meeting were Annie Jones (manager at Tishau Holding), two Palo Alto mediators, and
two additional witnesses.
During this discussion, I raised one of many concerns regarding the failure to service the
HVAC system. Specifically, I noted that the filters—which manufacturers recommend
replacing every 90 days—have been neglected. This negligence previously left my son and me
without heat for three days during the December holiday season and forced us to breathe air
from dirty filters. When I brought this up in December, Ms. Jones claimed the filters only need
to be changed every five years, a claim that is both unprecedented and factually incorrect.
Because I attempted to schedule the necessary filter replacements during the meeting,
Ms. Jones threatened me with eviction in front of all four witnesses. She stated, and I
quote, "You have been evicted. I'll send you your notice; you have 30 days. You don't have a
renewal lease." She then turned to an individual named Gonzalez, who was with her, to
confirm this course of action, and he agreed.
I have resided in this complex for over five years without any record of wrongdoing. This
threat feels like a direct retaliation for demanding a habitable living environment.
Consequently, my son and I no longer feel safe in our own home, knowing that management
holds the keys and believes they can arbitrarily displace us for requesting basic maintenance.
I am urgently requesting assistance and information on resources available to protect my
son and me. We are terrified of being forced onto the street without a home to go to
simply because we asked for functional heat and clean air. Please reach out to me
immediately with any legal or housing support that can prevent this wrongful
displacement.
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Evelyne L. Chancy
917-881-0848
From:Kenneth Streib
To:Council, City
Subject:Churchill
Date:Saturday, February 28, 2026 2:57:12 PM
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i
Please don't close Churchill, ever for a short while. It is the only viable way I can get
to the B of A on Lytton. And it will only increase traffic through the other crossings.
Embarcadero is already unworkably busy.
Thanks,
Ken
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From:jason@mail.ca-filings.com
To:Council, City
Subject:PALO ALTO POLICE MANAGER"S ASSOCIATION, INC.: Help Filing CA Statement of Information
Date:Saturday, February 28, 2026 8:25:50 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
!
Hello
I noticed that you haven't completed filing the Statement of Information for PALO ALTO POLICE
MANAGER'S ASSOCIATION, INC., which is a mandatory requirement to do business in California.
Click here to get started. (average time to complete 1 - 2 minutes).
Don't hesitate to send me an email if you have any questions. Whether it's just general information about
what a statement of information is or if you need help filling out the form, I'm happy to help.
Best,
Jason Cook
For further assistance, reply to this message.
1401 21st ST, STE R SACRAMENTO, CA 95811
This electronic communication, including any authorized attachments, contains information
that may be legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use
or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from all
computers on which it may be stored.
Although every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained in this
email is accurate, the most up to date records may be obtained by searching the Secretary
of State's website directly.
THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY
ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, AND THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY
AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
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From:notices@soi-filing.com
To:Council, City
Subject:PALO ALTO POLICE MANAGER"S ASSOCIATION, INC.: CA Statement of Information is PAST DUE
Date:Saturday, February 28, 2026 7:15:51 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
The California Secretary of State is showing that PALO ALTO POLICE MANAGER'S
ASSOCIATION, INC. missed the deadline of 10/31/2023 to file its Statement of
Information.
PALO ALTO POLICE MANAGER'S
ASSOCIATION, INC. (3417319)
Initial Filing
Date 10/03/2011
Formed In CALIFORNIA
Principal
Address
275 FOREST AVE PALO ALTO, CA
94301
Statement of
Info Due Date 10/31/2023
Click Here To File Now
Failure to file a statement of information can lead to a $250 fine which will be assessed by
the California Franchise Tax Board and suspension of your business.
For further assistance, reply to this message.
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1401 21st ST, STE R Sacramento, CA 95811
This electronic communication, including any authorized attachments, contains information
that may be legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use
or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from all
computers on which it may be stored.
Although every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained in this
email is accurate, the most up to date records may be obtained by searching the Secretary
of State's website directly.
THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY
ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, AND THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY
AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
Unsubscribe from future messages.
From:kathy marsh
To:Council, City
Subject:Right turn ban
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 3:46:21 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
I’ve lived in Palo Alto nearly my whole life and have seen a lot of wasted money.
Matadero gets a painted line, then it’s removed, then we get multiple types of bumps, then
removed. What about letting a contractor cut all the trees down on California Avenue years
ago because no one was there to supervise the outsourced contractors?
I’m writing now because we are very much against the ban on turning right on red up and
down El Camino and all the streets around Barron Park and Ventura neighborhoods that feed
into El Camino. What a colossal waste of our tax payer money. I’ve yet to see anyone use
these El Camino bike lanes and we now have huge traffic snarls around our neighborhoods.
It was bad enough to have to put a traffic light at every single intersection in Barron Park on
El Camino. Another huge waste of money with no thought at all on how this affects increased
traffic down the side streets and creates problems for people that live on those streets.
El Camino never has and never will be a Bike Boulevard.
Thank you to Greg Tanaka for voting against this , we’ll definitely be supporting him in the
future.
Kathy Marsh
Barron Park
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From:Patent Protector
To:city.council@menlopark.gov; jaherren@menlopark.gov; citycouncil@cupertino.gov; CityClerk@Cupertino.gov;
CityManager@cupertino.gov; city.council@mountainview.gov; city.clerk@mountainview.gov; Council, City; Clerk,
City; wlincoln@cityofepa.org; rabrica@cityofepa.org; mbarragan@cityofepa.org; mdinan@cityofepa.org;
cromero@cityofepa.org; mayoremail@sanjoseca.gov; District1@sanjoseca.gov; District2@sanjoseca.gov;
District3@sanjoseca.gov; District4@sanjoseca.gov; District5@sanjoseca.gov; District6@sanjoseca.gov;
District7@sanjoseca.gov; District8@sanjoseca.gov; District9@sanjoseca.gov; District10@sanjoseca.gov;
ClerkRecorder@rec.sccgov.org; tips@techcrunch.com
Subject:Update: New reporting on AI model extraction relevant to public petition
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 2:07:45 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
Dear City Leaders and Editors,
I recently shared a public petition calling for stronger protection of artificial
intelligence–related intellectual property and greater enforcement prioritization by
federal agencies.
I am writing to provide a brief update that may be relevant to this topic. On February
23, 2026, VentureBeat published an article titled “Anthropic says DeepSeek,
Moonshot, and MiniMax used 24,000 fake accounts to rip off Claude,” reporting
allegations that thousands of fraudulent accounts were used to extract AI model
outputs at scale for potential competitive model development.
Below is the VentureBeat article link:
https://venturebeat.com/technology/anthropic-says-deepseek-moonshot-and-minimax-used-24-
000-fake-accounts-to
This reporting appears to reflect the growing policy and security concerns surrounding
AI intellectual property protection that my petition addresses. Given Silicon Valley’s
leadership in AI innovation, I wanted to share this development for awareness and
possible discussion within civic, policy, and media contexts.
Petition link:
https://c.org/K4SDSwx9hN
Thank you for your time and for supporting civic dialogue on emerging technology
policy issues.
Sincerely,
Morgan Vale
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Independent petitioner and AI policy researcher
Email: patentprotector@proton.me
From:Office of Rep. Sam Liccardo
To:Council, City
Subject:Help guide my review of the unredacted Epstein files….
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 1:32:08 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links.
EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
Do you want to know
what I find in the Epstein
files?
Yes
No
Taking this survey will sign you up for future
news and updates from our office.
Dear City,
As a former prosecutor of a sexual assault
and child exploitation, I take the safety of
children–and the horrific crimes of Jeffrey
Epstein and his coconspirators–very
seriously.
Members of Congress can review the
unredacted Epstein files in a secure room
at the Department of Justice. I’ll be there
this week, and I’d like to “crowdsource” our
search strategy.
There are millions of pages in the file – and
importantly, many missing and heavily-
redacted pages. Many of you have already
reviewed the public, redacted files on the
DOJ’s website, and you’ve searched
Epstein’s emails on platforms like Jmail.
Several of you have already taken a “deep
dive,” and may have very specific
information that can help us.
To help us find that needle in the haystack,
I’ve created a document request form. If
you’d like to shed light on a suspicious
redaction, or on an obvious gap in a logical
sequence of critical pages, tell me by
completing this form. Your input will help
focus my review, and I will report back on
those leads that seem most promising.
Thank you for your partnership, by helping
us “crowdsource” the truth about these
horrible crimes.
Talk soon,
Sam
Get Future Updates from Washington
Unsubscribe from future messages.
From:Office of Rep. Sam Liccardo
To:Council, City
Subject:Help guide my review of the unredacted Epstein files….
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 1:31:47 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links.
EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
Do you want to know
what I find in the Epstein
files?
Yes
No
Taking this survey will sign you up for future
news and updates from our office.
Dear Council,,
As a former prosecutor of a sexual assault
and child exploitation, I take the safety of
children–and the horrific crimes of Jeffrey
Epstein and his coconspirators–very
seriously.
Members of Congress can review the
unredacted Epstein files in a secure room
at the Department of Justice. I’ll be there
this week, and I’d like to “crowdsource” our
search strategy.
There are millions of pages in the file – and
importantly, many missing and heavily-
redacted pages. Many of you have already
reviewed the public, redacted files on the
DOJ’s website, and you’ve searched
Epstein’s emails on platforms like Jmail.
Several of you have already taken a “deep
dive,” and may have very specific
information that can help us.
To help us find that needle in the haystack,
I’ve created a document request form. If
you’d like to shed light on a suspicious
redaction, or on an obvious gap in a logical
sequence of critical pages, tell me by
completing this form. Your input will help
focus my review, and I will report back on
those leads that seem most promising.
Thank you for your partnership, by helping
us “crowdsource” the truth about these
horrible crimes.
Talk soon,
Sam
Get Future Updates from Washington
Unsubscribe from future messages.
From:Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
To:Council, City
Subject:Balancing privacy with crime-fighting. Strengthening guardrails and standards.
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 12:18:04 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links.
Supervisor Abe-Koga's Newsletter
Dear Friends,
This week, the Board of Supervisors delved
into a policy topic that has gotten a lot
of attention lately: ALPRs -
- automated license plate readers -
- and Flock Safety, the widely
used vendor that is one of the largest,
with 5,000 contracts with law enforcement
agencies across the country, including cities in
District Five that contract with the County
Sheriff’s Office.
These AI-enhanced cameras that record the
license plate numbers from passing cars on
roads and freeways have rapidly increased in
usage and have been credited with solving
crimes as well as finding lost
individuals ...But lately, use of ALPRs
have become deeply
concerning because of reports in this state
and across the country that vehicle data has
frequently been made available to federal
agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol.
On Feb. 24, supervisors voted to remove Flock
as a vendor that county personnel can access
or use. This is part of the newly updated
consolidated surveillance use policy that was
approved. It enhances administrative efficiency
and promotes consistency across jurisdictions.
The cities of Saratoga and Cupertino, who
contract with the Sheriff’s Office for police
services, currently have contracts with Flock.
The Board of Supervisor’s action effectively
means Flock camera usage is
suspended for those city contracts. The County
cannot compel cities to drop Flock. The action
taken Tuesday also does not cover private
entities such as home-owners associations and
businesses.
The quality of the discussion on this policy was
strong. This is just the beginning of what I hope
will be a robust and thorough series of policy
discussions on many aspects of ALPR use and
data privacy in the future. We know that our
constituency is both concerned about the
vulnerability of their privacy and also want the
use of technology.
Can we achieve a balance? Is it possible to
place adequate guardrails on this technology?
I know this much: We have to try. And be
exhaustive in the process.
Sheriff Bob Jonsen has been asked by
supervisors to expand conversations with his
regional peers – other chiefs who are grappling
with this same issue – in an effort
to develop analysis that will aid our discussions
Santa Clara County made headlines in 2016 for
its first-in the-nation Surveillance Technology
and Community Safety Ordinance that
was heralded by the ACLU of Northern
California as “landmark.” Nothing stays still,
however, least of all technological advances.
That set the bar for Santa Clara County. And I
fully expect us to research, debate and consider
all aspects of ALPRs as part of our continuing
commitment to be fully transparent, accountable
and capable of building effective oversight
measures. We owe that to the residents of this
county.
'Seeing people as people':
An invocation from the
Rev. Kaloma Smith,
UAMEZ
To meet these challenges, we also need time
for reflection. I believe the invocation we
received at the beginning of our meeting help
set the tone for this discussion and the many
that will follow.
For such an invocation, I want to thank our
District 5 constituent, the Rev. Kaloma Smith of
the University AME Zion Church, also known as
UAMEZ. In recognition of Black History Month,
and of the core values of the oldest Black
Church in in Palo Alto, Smith called on us to see
in each other our common humanity.
The Board of Supervisors chambers was
packed with people: Constituents, who had all
come to voice their views and desires. The
supervisors, who each had so much on their
minds. Union members and privacy activists.
Smith told a story about meeting Martin Luther
King Jr.’s lawyer and speechwriter, Clarence B.
Jones. He asked Jones for advice. It started
with seeing people, Jones responded. “You
have to recognize ... people are not numbers.
People are not budget items. People are
people.”
This is the lesson, the tradition and the gift
carried down in the African-American church, he
added. “...To see the domestic at the same level
as we see a lawyer. To see the person who
rakes the grass at the same level as an elected
official.”
Rev. Smith acknowledged that we may be
facing difficult times, we may be divided, and
that this is a world that would have us label and
marginalize each other.
“But in this chamber, on this day, and the many
moving forward, my prayer is that in this place
here, have light where people are seen as
people, hope is given and transformation
happens.”
That's a reason to pause. And reflect. Thank
you.
With commitment and care,
Stay Informed: Your
Guide to Supervisors’
Board Meetings
Below are the upcoming meetings that you can
join in person at the Board of Supervisors
Chambers at 70 W. Hedding Street, San
Jose, CA 95110, or virtually.
Tuesday, March 10 at 9:30AM --
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, March 24 at 9:30AM --
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, April 14 at 9:30AM -- Regular
Meeting
Please email or call our office with any
questions at 408-299-5050.
How to Participate in
Board Meetings
Residents are encouraged to get involved in the
decision-making process in the following ways:
Attend in person at the Board of
Supervisors Chambers.
Join via Zoom to share public comment.
Zoom links for each meeting are available
on the Board of Supervisors Meetings
Resource Page. If you need help using
Zoom on your smartphone, instructions
are available on the same resource
page.
Submit written comments by email to
BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org.
Comments will be shared with the Board
as quickly as possible. Please note: It
may take up to one business day for
documents to appear on the meeting’s
agenda outline.
Watch via YouTube at the Santa Clara
County’s YouTube channel.
Community Events in
District 5
County of Santa Clara Animal Services
Center -- Shelter animals need a dental
X-ray machine – Donations through
March 6
Be Ready Be Prepared: Inclement
Weather – Key steps for inclement
weather and emergency situations – In-
person, hybrid option available - Los Altos
Hills County Fire District – 10AM to noon,
Feb. 28
District 5 Women's History Month
Luncheon - RSVP by Fri., Mar. 13
Watershed Watch Earth Day Poster
Contest – Artwork Deadline: Mon., Mar.
16
District 5 Summer Internship Program –
Applications Due Fri., Mar. 20
CalWater Service Group Scholarship
applications - $2500 to $10,000: Mar. 26
Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action
Summer Leadership Academy –
Applications due Wed., Apr. 22
Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
70 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, CA
(408) 299-5050
Unsubscribe from future updates
From:Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
To:Council, City
Subject:Balancing privacy with crime-fighting. Strengthening guardrails and standards.
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 12:03:52 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links.
Supervisor Abe-Koga's Newsletter
Dear Friends,
This week, the Board of Supervisors delved
into a policy topic that has gotten a lot
of attention lately: ALPRs -
- automated license plate readers -
- and Flock Safety, the widely
used vendor that is one of the largest,
with 5,000 contracts with law enforcement
agencies across the country, including cities in
District Five that contract with the County
Sheriff’s Office.
These AI-enhanced cameras that record the
license plate numbers from passing cars on
roads and freeways have rapidly increased in
usage and have been credited with solving
crimes as well as finding lost
individuals ...But lately, use of ALPRs
have become deeply
concerning because of reports in this state
and across the country that vehicle data has
frequently been made available to federal
agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol.
On Feb. 24, supervisors voted to remove Flock
as a vendor that county personnel can access
or use. This is part of the newly updated
consolidated surveillance use policy that was
approved. It enhances administrative efficiency
and promotes consistency across jurisdictions.
The cities of Saratoga and Cupertino, who
contract with the Sheriff’s Office for police
services, currently have contracts with Flock.
The Board of Supervisor’s action effectively
means Flock camera usage is
suspended for those city contracts. The County
cannot compel cities to drop Flock. The action
taken Tuesday also does not cover private
entities such as home-owners associations and
businesses.
The quality of the discussion on this policy was
strong. This is just the beginning of what I hope
will be a robust and thorough series of policy
discussions on many aspects of ALPR use and
data privacy in the future. We know that our
constituency is both concerned about the
vulnerability of their privacy and also want the
use of technology.
Can we achieve a balance? Is it possible to
place adequate guardrails on this technology?
I know this much: We have to try. And be
exhaustive in the process.
Sheriff Bob Jonsen has been asked by
supervisors to expand conversations with his
regional peers – other chiefs who are grappling
with this same issue – in an effort
to develop analysis that will aid our discussions
Santa Clara County made headlines in 2016 for
its first-in the-nation Surveillance Technology
and Community Safety Ordinance that
was heralded by the ACLU of Northern
California as “landmark.” Nothing stays still,
however, least of all technological advances.
That set the bar for Santa Clara County. And I
fully expect us to research, debate and consider
all aspects of ALPRs as part of our continuing
commitment to be fully transparent, accountable
and capable of building effective oversight
measures. We owe that to the residents of this
county.
'Seeing people as people':
An invocation from the
Rev. Kaloma Smith,
UAMEZ
To meet these challenges, we also need time
for reflection. I believe the invocation we
received at the beginning of our meeting help
set the tone for this discussion and the many
that will follow.
For such an invocation, I want to thank our
District 5 constituent, the Rev. Kaloma Smith of
the University AME Zion Church, also known as
UAMEZ. In recognition of Black History Month,
and of the core values of the oldest Black
Church in in Palo Alto, Smith called on us to see
in each other our common humanity.
The Board of Supervisors chambers was
packed with people: Constituents, who had all
come to voice their views and desires. The
supervisors, who each had so much on their
minds. Union members and privacy activists.
Smith told a story about meeting Martin Luther
King Jr.’s lawyer and speechwriter, Clarence B.
Jones. He asked Jones for advice. It started
with seeing people, Jones responded. “You
have to recognize ... people are not numbers.
People are not budget items. People are
people.”
This is the lesson, the tradition and the gift
carried down in the African-American church, he
added. “...To see the domestic at the same level
as we see a lawyer. To see the person who
rakes the grass at the same level as an elected
official.”
Rev. Smith acknowledged that we may be
facing difficult times, we may be divided, and
that this is a world that would have us label and
marginalize each other.
“But in this chamber, on this day, and the many
moving forward, my prayer is that in this place
here, have light where people are seen as
people, hope is given and transformation
happens.”
That's a reason to pause. And reflect. Thank
you.
With commitment and care,
Stay Informed: Your
Guide to Supervisors’
Board Meetings
Below are the upcoming meetings that you can
join in person at the Board of Supervisors
Chambers at 70 W. Hedding Street, San
Jose, CA 95110, or virtually.
Tuesday, March 10 at 9:30AM --
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, March 24 at 9:30AM --
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, April 14 at 9:30AM -- Regular
Meeting
Please email or call our office with any
questions at 408-299-5050.
How to Participate in
Board Meetings
Residents are encouraged to get involved in the
decision-making process in the following ways:
Attend in person at the Board of
Supervisors Chambers.
Join via Zoom to share public comment.
Zoom links for each meeting are available
on the Board of Supervisors Meetings
Resource Page. If you need help using
Zoom on your smartphone, instructions
are available on the same resource
page.
Submit written comments by email to
BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org.
Comments will be shared with the Board
as quickly as possible. Please note: It
may take up to one business day for
documents to appear on the meeting’s
agenda outline.
Watch via YouTube at the Santa Clara
County’s YouTube channel.
Community Events in
District 5
County of Santa Clara Animal Services
Center -- Shelter animals need a dental
X-ray machine – Donations through
March 6
Be Ready Be Prepared: Inclement
Weather – Key steps for inclement
weather and emergency situations – In-
person, hybrid option available - Los Altos
Hills County Fire District – 10AM to noon,
Feb. 28
District 5 Women's History Month
Luncheon - RSVP by Fri., Mar. 13
Watershed Watch Earth Day Poster
Contest – Artwork Deadline: Mon., Mar.
16
District 5 Summer Internship Program –
Applications Due Fri., Mar. 20
CalWater Service Group Scholarship
applications - $2500 to $10,000: Mar. 26
Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action
Summer Leadership Academy –
Applications due Wed., Apr. 22
Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
70 W. Hedding Street
San Jose, CA
(408) 299-5050
Unsubscribe from future updates
From:Patent Protector
To:Council, City; Clerk, City
Subject:Community petition on AI intellectual property protection
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 11:26:54 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
Dear Palo Alto Mayor Vicki Veenker, City Council, and City Clerk,
I am a California resident who recently launched a public petition urging stronger
protection of AI-related intellectual property and greater enforcement against
technology theft.
Given Silicon Valley’s leadership in AI innovation, I believe this issue is relevant to our
local community and economy. I would be grateful if you could review the petition and
consider raising awareness through council discussion, public comment, or
community channels.
Petition link: https://c.org/K4SDSwx9hN
Thank you for your time and for supporting civic engagement.
Sincerely,
Morgan Vale
Email: patentprotector@proton.me
This message needs your attention
This is a personal email address.
Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast
From:Patent Protector
To:Council, City; Clerk, City
Subject:Community Petition on AI Intellectual Property Protection
Date:Friday, February 27, 2026 10:32:32 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
i
Dear Palo Alto City Council and City Clerk,
I am writing to share a community petition for your awareness.
The petition addresses concerns about the protection of American intellectual
property in the era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. Specifically, it calls for
the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize
enforcement against AI-related intellectual property theft, strengthen inter-agency
collaboration, and develop improved mechanisms to deter unauthorized technology
transfer and misuse.
The issue reflects broader economic and national security concerns, including the
financial impact of intellectual property theft on American innovators and businesses,
as well as the importance of safeguarding emerging AI technologies.
You may view the petition here:
https://c.org/K4SDSwx9hN
I am sharing this petition with local civic offices and libraries for community visibility
and guidance on any appropriate channels for public engagement or discussion. If
there is a recommended process in the city for submitting or presenting community
petitions, I would appreciate any direction you can provide.
Thank you for your time and for your service to the community.
Sincerely,
Morgan Vale
Email: patentprotector@proton.me
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No employee in your company has ever replied to this person.
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Mark Safe Report
From:Ann Balin
To:Council, City
Subject:Flock contract ended by the City of Mountain View
Date:Wednesday, February 25, 2026 2:37:01 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking
on links.
Dear Mayor Veenker, Vice-Mayor Stone & Honorable Council Members,
Palo Alto need not be an outlier concerning keeping a contract with Flock Safety, Inc.
Mountain View Police Department discovered that hundreds of law enforcement agencies had accessed their ALPR
data which was supposed to be restricted. The trust has been violated and Mountain View’s Police Chief alerted the
city council as Flock Safety, Inc. had breached the contract.
The Police chief had recently asked the council to examine and assess Flock Safety, Inc. Now the City of Mountain
View has officially ended its contract with this vendor and disabled its network of automated license plate reader
ALPR cameras.
You the city council are obligated to end the contract with Flock Safety, Inc. Your action is of vital importance. I
urge you to cancel the contract with this vendor Flock Safety, Inc. as our neighboring city of Mountain View has
rightly done.
Respectfully,
Ann Lafargue Balin
From:LWV of Palo Alto
To:Council, City
Subject:Re: March 2 City Council Meeting, agenda items 9,10 (S/CAP, 350SV petition)
Date:Wednesday, February 25, 2026 1:18:59 PM
Attachments:supporting 350 SVgasstoveltrfinalpdf.pdf
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!
Dear Honorable Mayor Veenker and City Council members,
The LWV Palo Alto supports 350SV Palo Alto's petition to warn residents of the health
dangers of gas appliances. The League believes that the public has a right to know the
potentially harmful effects of materials they encounter in their home, workplace and
community. The burning of natural gas releases carbon dioxide, nitrous dioxide,
particulates and more. The adverse health effects of exposure to these substances
are well documented. Our supporting letter is attached.
LWV Palo Alto
Lisa Ratner Hannah Lu
Co-Presidents
--
League of Women Voters of Palo Alto
3921 E. Bayshore Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Phone: (650) 903-0600
Web: www.lwvpaloalto.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PaloAltoLeague/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lwvpaloalto
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March 2, 2026
City.Council@PaloAlto.gov
Re: March 2 Council Meeting, 350SV petition on gas appliances, Action Items 9,10
Dear Mayor Veenker and honorable Council members:
The League of Women Voters of Palo Alto writes to support 350 Silicon Valley Palo Alto
Climate Action’s petition to include health warnings about the use of natural gas
appliances in Palo Alto Utility’s Gas Safety Brochure, which is distributed annually to
residents. The petition recommends the following:
● Including health risk information in the City's Gas Safety Brochure.
● Including best practices such as including proper ventilation while cooking and
alternatives to gas cooking in the City’s Gas Safety Brochure.
● Adding health risk questions to the City's Gas Safety Awareness Survey.
The League believes that the public has a right to know the potentially harmful effects of
materials they encounter in their home, workplace and community. The burning of
natural gas releases carbon dioxide, nitrous dioxide, particulates and more. The
adverse health effects of exposure to these substances are well documented.
Therefore, the League supports 350SV Palo Alto’s recommendations in their petition.
Sincerely,
LWV Palo Alto
Lisa Ratner Hannah Lu
Co-Presidents
3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto CA 94303 (650) 903-0600 www.lwvpaloalto.org
From:Ann Balin
To:Council, City
Subject:Drop Flock Contract
Date:Tuesday, February 24, 2026 4:17:27 PM
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on links.
Dear Mayor Veenker, Vice-Mayor Stone & Honorable Council Members,
As leaders you need to integrate the pressing need to drop the contract with the Georgia based company Flock
Safety, Inc.
The surveillance technology has been intrusive and harming. Stopping car thefts is important but the damage to
citizens and others is staggering. Their own service agreement states “Flock may access, use, preserve and/or
disclose the Footage to law enforcement authorities, government officials, and/or third parties, if legally required to
do so or if Flock has a good faith belief that such access, use, preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary.”
In reality data has been shared without knowledge or consent of participating municipalities.
We are living in an era of diminishing rights and control. Many officials realized after the fact that Flock has shared
data and that federal agencies including US Border Patrol had Homeland Security searched their data. In August
Flock revealed to 9News in Denver that it had a pilot program with US Customs and Border Protection. According
to NPR Flock’s CEO Garrett Langley had previously denied the company had federal contracts.
The council must act and cease the contract with Flock as you prioritize values and protecting residents and others.
You could very well receive pushback from the Assistant Chief of Police Reifschneider as he has recently informed
PAN’s leaders that “PAPD has been in contact with Flock’s executive leadership to express concerns and is
continuing to work with Flock to ensure safeguards are in place to prevent a similar occurence in the future. “
Many residents and others feel the trust has been broken and no longer want our police department to utilize Flock’s
surveillance technology in our town.
Here are some cities that have ceased using this surveillance vendor: Austin, Denver, Aspen, Cleveland,
Bloomington, Eugene, Flagstaff, Cambridge, Santa Cruz, and Los Altos Hills.
Electronic Frontier Foundation after careful examination found a significant number of police departments had
searched Flock’s data in connection with protest activity.
I urge you Mayor Veenker to stand with your colleagues and stop this contract that violates Palo Alto’s values.
Respectfully,
Ann Lafargue Balin
Sent from my iPhone
From:Chris Schremp
To:Council, City
Cc:Christine Schremp
Subject:Re: IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED: URGENT DEMAND TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL RV PARKING AND
ENCAMPMENTS
Date:Tuesday, February 24, 2026 10:58:25 AM
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i
To the Palo Alto City Council,
I am writing to express my profound disappointment and a formal grievance regarding the
City Council’s failure to acknowledge or respond to my previous communication sent in
December 2025.
As a tax-paying resident of Palo Alto, I find it unacceptable that a detailed report of municipal
code violations and public health hazards has been met with no response to my email and
minimal action by the City. Since my last email, the situation has not stayed stagnant; it has
significantly worsened.
New and Escalating Impacts:
Vector Control Crisis: For the first time in four years, my property is being targeted by
rats and raccoons. These rodents, drawn by the increase in unmanaged rubbish and
waste surrounding the RV encampments, are now digging up my yard and creating a
biological hazard on my private property.
Physical Obstruction: The density of oversized vehicles on our narrow roadways has
reached a point where safe transit is compromised, creating a "blind spot" culture that
endangers pedestrians and cyclists. Its also unsafe to walk our dogs in these areas as
they are attracted to the harmful waste.
Sanitation Breakdown: The "rubbish" mentioned in December has now become a
permanent fixture on our streets, signaling to residents that the City has effectively
abandoned its commitment to the Palo Alto Municipal Code.
Formal Reiteration of Demands: I am again demanding the immediate enforcement of Palo
Alto Municipal Code 10.44.020. The continued refusal to enforce these existing laws is not a
neutral act; it is an active decision to prioritize illegal encampments over the health, safety,
and property rights of your constituents.
I expect the following within 48 hours:
This message needs your attention
This is a personal email address.
Mark Safe Report
1. An acknowledgment of this second notice and my original December correspondence.
2. A specific update on what the Palo Alto Police Department and Code Enforcement are
doing to address the pest and refuse issues stemming from these vehicles.
We have reached a breaking point. The lack of response is no longer just a clerical oversight;
it is a failure of leadership. I look forward to your immediate reply.
Sincerely,
Christopher & Christine Schremp 3721 Ortega Ct 617-840-7622
On Sat, Dec 6, 2025 at 7:48 AM Chris Schremp <chrisschremp88@gmail.com> wrote:
Palo Alto City Council Members:
We are writing to express our profound dissatisfaction with the escalating crisis of illegally
parked recreational vehicles (RVs), oversized vehicles, and trailers currently plaguing our
city streets. This situation is unacceptable and demands immediate, decisive
intervention.
These illegal encampments are concentrated on, but not limited to, streets such as East
Meadow Circle, Fabian Way, E. Embarcadero Rd, Commercial St, Portage Ave, and
Sheridan Ave.
Failure to Enforce Existing Law
We formally demand the immediate and rigorous enforcement of all current municipal
codes, specifically:
1.
Palo Alto Municipal Code 10.44.020: This code explicitly prohibits standing or
parking between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. within any residential or public facility
zone. The current lack of enforcement is an abject failure of municipal
responsibility, effectively permitting this illegal activity to flourish.
2.
All other applicable ordinances governing vehicle size, duration of parking, and
use of public rights-of-way as residences.
The Current Crisis: Public Health and Safety Risk
The City Council must recognize this as a severe public health and safety threat, not a
mere parking issue. With well over 200 vehicles now documented, the impacts on tax-
paying residents and families are critical:
Public Health Hazard: Illegal dumping of sewage and trash directly onto public
streets and storm drains poses an undeniable environmental and biological risk.
Safety and Egress: Vehicles are frequently parked in a manner that obstructs
clear lines of sight, impedes traffic flow, and blocks ingress/egress for both
residents' driveways and emergency vehicles.
Strain on City Services: These non-resident, non-taxpaying dwellers are
illegally utilizing Palo Alto’s public services while the City exhibits a damaging
pattern of relaxed enforcement and regulatory inaction.
Demand for Immediate Legislative and Enforcement Action
The time for deliberation is over. We require two simultaneous actions:
1.
Immediate, Zero-Tolerance Enforcement: Activate the Palo Alto Police
Department to begin issuing citations and initiating towing procedures for all
vehicles in violation of PAMC 10.44.020, effective immediately.
2.
Rapid Enactment of New Legislation: Should the existing codes prove
insufficient, we demand that the City Council immediately prioritize and enact
stringent new ordinances that explicitly and definitively prevent the use of city
streets for residency and prohibit the long-term parking of oversized and
recreational vehicles.
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE the continued erosion of our neighborhood safety, health,
and quality of life due to the City's unwillingness to act.
We demand a public, concrete plan of action—complete with timelines for enforcement
and new legislation—within seven (7) days of the submission of this letter.
TAKE ACTION NOW.
Sincerely,
Christopher & Christine Schremp
3721 Ortega Ct
617-840-7622 (cell)
From:Ellen Hartog
To:Council, City
Subject:NO to OSV permit parking
Date:Monday, February 23, 2026 5:06:08 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Council members,
I oppose the OSV Permit Program described in the OSV Ad Hoc Committee Status
Report.
(1) The OSV Permit Program seems in conflict with California state law (10.56.060)
and Palo Alto's own municipal code (Chapter 9.48) that prohibit obstructing public
streets and sidewalks with items that restrict public use. We know that OSVs, by their
length, width, and number, obstruct our public streets to prevent safe traffic flow and
each occupy 2 -3 of the increasingly limited public parking spaces available in our
neighborhoods. We also know that OSVs obstruct the sidewalks they park next to by
intimidating pedestrians from using them. Pedestrians fear walking past OSVs
because they know they are out of view of people at the other side of the OSVs. They
are uncomfortable walking past the often-open front doors and "front yards" of the
OSVs. Their walking is impeded by the housekeeping necessities, furniture, garbage,
and other objects placed on the sidewalk by OSV-users. Thus, the OSV Permit
Program does not seem consonant with state and city regulations designed to
maintain unrestricted public use, and traffic and pedestrian safety, of Palo Alto's
public streets and public sidewalks.
(2) There is no way to equitably distribute sites of an OSV Permit Program across the
City of Palo Alto. Because of discrepancies in street design (only a limited number of
streets in Palo Alto are long, straight, and unmarked enough to accomodate OSVs),
and neighborhood tolerance (no way the OSV Permit Program is going to to be set up
across the street from Laurene Powell Jobs' or Mark Zuckerberg's properties!), almost
all of the sites for the program will be located in South Palo Alto, including the Ventura
neighborhood. It is not fair to foist the OSV Permit Program exclusively on to Ventura
and other South Palo Alto neighborhoods.
(3) In earlier council discussions of a potential OSV Permit Program council members
distinguished between placing OSVs on "non-residential" versus "residential"
streets. On paper it is possible to make this distinction. In practice, in neighborhoods
like Ventura, non-residential and residential streets are integrated. Thus, even if
OSVs are confined to "non-residential" streets, they will block pedestrian access to
sidewalks and create traffic hazards for residents who walk, bike, and drive through
the Ventura neighborhood.
(4) The report proposes that the OSV Permit Program be set up on public streets,
next to public sidewalks, of Palo Alto. Through payment of state, county, and city
taxes and fees, Palo Alto residents and business owners have paid for the creation
and maintenance of Palo Alto's public streets and public sidewalks, as well as the
police and fire protection and all city services associated with OSVs parking on/next
to them. In my opinion, any plans for an OSV Permit program involving Palo Alto's
public streets and public sidewalks should require a vote of assent by the residents of
Palo Alto.
Thank you for considering my concerns.
Sincerely,
Ellen Hartog
From:Maia Harris
To:Council, City
Subject:Status Report from the Oversized Vehicles (OSV) Ad Hoc Committee - Jay Paul Company
Date:Monday, February 23, 2026 5:01:33 PM
Attachments:Oversized Vehicle Impacts Ad Hoc Committe Report - Jay Paul Company.pdf
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Dear Mayor Veenker, Vice Mayor Stone, and Councilmembers,
The attached letter follows up on prior correspondence dated October 20, 2025, and provides
our perspective on the proposed OSV Permit Pilot Program, as well as specific requests for the
Council’s consideration in light of the Ad Hoc Committee Report discussion tonight.
We appreciate the Council’s continued attention to this issue and the work of the Ad Hoc
Committee.
Sincerely,
Maia Harris | Jay Paul Company
Director, Special Projects & Community Relations
Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 3620
San Francisco, CA 94111
Office: 415 263 2929 | Mobile: 415 465 0419
mharris@jaypaul.com
February 23, 2026
Mayor and Members of the Palo Alto City Council
City of Palo Alto
250 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Dear Mayor Veenker and Councilmembers,
I am writing on behalf of Jay Paul Company to follow up on our letter of October 20,
2025, regarding the ongoing impacts of oversized vehicle (OSV) parking adjacent to our
Class A office property at 2747 Park Boulevard and along Sheridan Avenue. As the
Council receives tonight’s Ad Hoc Committee report, we want to provide an update from
our perspective as a directly affected commercial property owner and to share our views
on the proposed OSV Permit Pilot Program.
We acknowledge and appreciate the City’s progress since October. The passage of
urgency ordinances prohibiting vanlording and detached trailer parking, the initiation of
deep cleaning on Park Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue, and the increased towing
enforcement represent meaningful steps, and we commend City staff for the dedication
they have brought to this effort. That said, as the Ad Hoc Committee’s report candidly
acknowledges, OSVs have returned to the same street segments following each cleaning
cycle, and the conditions we described in October persist. Vehicle occupants continue to
use the sidewalks, benches, and outdoor furnishings of our tenant’s private property as
extensions of their living space. Our tenant continues to raise concerns about employee
safety and the professional environment they expect from a Class A commercial property.
The displacement pattern we described in October — whereby No Overnight Parking on
the 100 block of Page Mill Road pushed vehicles directly onto Sheridan Avenue — has
now resulted in long-term vehicle occupation of that corridor for over a year.
We have reviewed the proposed OSV Permit Pilot Program carefully and want to be
straightforward with the Council about our position. While we understand the reasoning
behind a permit framework and appreciate the Ad Hoc Committee’s thoughtful approach
to a genuinely difficult problem, we are concerned that extending a permit program to the
Park Boulevard/Sheridan Avenue corridor would codify long-term vehicle dwelling as a
permanent feature of a commercial transit district rather than resolve the underlying
incompatibility. A permit program, by design, authorizes and regularizes the use it
governs. In a corridor zoned for commercial and office use, steps from the California
Avenue Caltrain station, we believe that outcome would be difficult to reconcile with the
land use character the City has invested in developing — and would not provide the relief
our tenant needs to maintain safe and accessible conditions for its employees and visitors.
The October 2025 staff report cited the need for “localized parking management and
clear signage” tailored to neighborhood context and use. We continue to believe that 2-
hour time-limited parking on Sheridan Avenue is the most appropriate and legally
defensible expression of that principle for this corridor. California Vehicle Code
§22507(a) expressly authorizes local authorities to restrict parking on specific streets by
ordinance after posting adequate signage. This tool applies neutrally to all vehicles, is
consistent with Palo Alto’s existing use of time-limited parking throughout its
commercial districts, and aligns directly with the commercial function of the street:
facilitating turnover and access for employees, clients, and business visitors. It does not
require the City to pursue an outright OSV ban, and it does not carry the same litigation
risk the Ad Hoc Committee has rightly identified as a concern. Palo Alto has applied
analogous frameworks through its residential preferential parking program; the
commercial equivalent is equally available and, we believe, equally appropriate here.
We recognize that the legal landscape around OSV parking remains unsettled, including
the Ninth Circuit appeal in Yesue v. City of Sebastopol currently pending with a decision
anticipated in 2026. We would encourage the Council to ensure that any pilot program
structure does not foreclose stronger corridor-specific tools should that decision provide
additional clarity. In the meantime, we respectfully request that the Council consider
excluding active commercial corridors such as Park Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue
from any pilot program zones, on the grounds that the mix of uses, employee access
requirements, and transit adjacency make long-term vehicle dwelling particularly
disruptive in this context.
We also want to express support for the efforts the Ad Hoc Committee has made to
expand off-street safe parking capacity. The Move Mountain View program at Geng
Road has a demonstrated track record, and we understand the difficulty of finding
suitable locations for expansion. We would encourage the Council to revisit whether
temporary undedication of the adjacent parkland — removed from consideration at the
August 2025 Policy and Services Committee — merits reconsideration as a near-term
measure, and to continue pursuing the Caltrans lot at Highway 101 and San Antonio
Road as a promising alternative site. Expanding access to safe parking with the services
and case management that MMV provides is, in our view, the approach most likely to
produce durable outcomes for OSV occupants and the broader community alike.
To summarize, we respectfully ask that the Council direct staff to implement 2-hour time-
limited parking on Sheridan Avenue pursuant to California Vehicle Code §22507(a);
exclude the Park Boulevard/Sheridan Avenue commercial corridor from any OSV Permit
Pilot Program zone; and prioritize expansion of off-street safe parking capacity as the
primary mechanism for addressing vehicle dweller needs. We believe these steps are
consistent with the City’s own stated objectives of tailoring parking management to
neighborhood context and maintaining accessibility and circulation in commercial areas.
We are grateful for the Council’s continued leadership on this issue and for the genuine
seriousness with which the Ad Hoc Committee has approached a complex problem. Jay
Paul Company remains committed to working constructively with the City, and we
welcome the opportunity to discuss these concerns further.
Sincerely,
Maia Harris
Director, Special Projects & Community Relations
Jay Paul Company
From:Sky Posse Post
To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Molly.Stump@cityofpaloalto.org; Lauing, Ed; Veenker, Vicki; Burt, Patrick; Lu, George;
Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Stone, Greer
Cc:Eggleston, Brad; Swanson, Andrew; Luetgens, Michael
Subject:SFO should be held to account, CEQA challenged
Date:Monday, February 23, 2026 3:08:18 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links.
Dear Mayor Veenker, Vice Mayor Stone, Councilmembers Lauing, Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims,
Reckdahl; City Manager and City Attorney,
We want to express strong support for the City to continue appealing SFO’s untruthful
CEQA and feel strongly that an independent review of SFO’s FEIR in Superior Court is
necessary. The opportunity for the City to do so appears to end on March 6. We also stand
ready to support the City however we can with a court review.
The San Francisco Planning contingent working on denying Palo Alto’s appeal ≃10 who
huddled after the SF Board of Supervisors Feb 3 decision to deny Palo Alto’s appeal
seemed very satisfied to evade the purpose of CEQA, which is to provide truthful and
accurate disclosures of potential impacts. They prevailed based on a highly questionable
play of words about baselines while not producing any accounting of the growth in negative
impacts integral to the project. What remains is an untruthful and misleading CEQA report,
and last minute document additions from SFO (without notice to the public) paving the way
for continued misleading declarations from SFO that are especially harmful to Palo Alto.
SFO should be held to account for producing an inadequate and misleading CEQA.
We have learned from the past that SFO declarations of "zero impact" and "nothing has
changed" are deliberate mischaracterizations of SFO arrival flights that have successively
increased their impact over Palo Alto. It does not matter what the name of the change is,
OTA, Nextgen, GBAS, or measures that also push the safety envelope, SFO in
collaboration with airlines continually undermine “surprise” and deleterious impacts over
Palo Alto. If SFO has not reached out or agreed to meet with the City to collaborate on the
“reasonable asks of SFO” that we put forth, it will be up to the City to take responsibility for
these specific tasks which are necessary to correct the record for the public about potential
impacts; inform impending and future FAA actions; establish credible noise abatement
programs; and to effectuate the City’s “fast track” policy. Especially in light of impending
FAA actions that have not been adequately analyzed and that the public is being kept in the
dark about.
We have thus re-titled the “reasonable asks” as Critical and URGENT City Investments to
abate air traffic noise and particulate pollution over Palo Alto. IFP Gateway reporting of FAA
actions impacting Palo Alto (which should be published for the affected public) and
permanent noise monitoring demand a responsible and trusted agency in charge. Noise
monitoring is essential to implement the two voluntary night time solutions that were
proposed by the FAA during the Select Committee during a discussion on September 1,
2016. The FAA explained to officials and the community how a collaboration between the
FAA, airport, and airlines could be effective and the FAA also offered new infrastructure
(new flight path design changes) for Palo Alto and MidPen to address nighttime impacts.
We underscore (and the FAA agreed on the record) this means dedicated night time
programs for MidPen and Palo Alto, not stepchild treatment via the SFO Roundtable and
San Mateo. We would hope that a court should also be interested in knowing why an airport
refuses to engage our City on night time noise abatement programs that already a decade
ago were recommended by the FAA and with regional consensus. Measuring progress
can only be done with action and results on these investments.
Last week we sent a reminder that there were only two Council meetings left for Council to
convene on this very important decision.
PLEASE DO NOT LET SFO OFF THE HOOK FROM THEIR ABUSE OF CEQA.
Thank you,
Sky Posse Palo Alto
From:City Mgr
To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed
Cc:Executive Leadership Team; City Mgr; Clerk, City
Subject:Council Bundle - February 23, 2026
Date:Monday, February 23, 2026 3:02:45 PM
Attachments:FW Avoiding Caltrain suicides in Palo Alto.msg
FW Utilities analysis of 3606 el Camino Real development.msg
Fw DHS contracts in Palo Alto.msg
FW CPAU Fee.msg
image001.png
image002.png
Flock Surveillance.msg
FW WIRED inquiry Palantir.msg
RE Urgent Ongoing Health Harm and Unequal Housing Response.msg
RE Palo Alto Link - please replace it.msg
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
On behalf of City Manager Ed Shikada, please see the attached staff responses to emails received in
the Council inbox through February 23, 2026. Please note staff responded to 35 emails regarding rail
safety at the Churchill Crossing. I have enclosed one for your awareness.
Respectfully,
Danille
Danille Rice
Administrative Assistant
City Manager’s Office|Human Resources|Transportation
(650) 329-2229 | danille.rice@PaloAlto.gov
www.PaloAlto.gov
From:Penny Brennan
To:Council, City
Subject:NO to OSV Permit Program
Date:Monday, February 23, 2026 12:29:24 PM
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Dear Palo Alto City Council,
I oppose the OSV Permit Program described in the OSV Ad Hoc Committee Status
Report.
(1) The OSV Permit Program seems in conflict with California state law (10.56.060) and
Palo Alto's own municipal code (Chapter 9.48) that prohibit obstructing public streets
and sidewalks with items that restrict public use. We know that OSVs, by their length,
width, and number, obstruct our public streets to prevent safe traffic flow and each
occupy 2 -3 of the increasingly limited public parking spaces available in our
neighborhoods. We also know that OSVs obstruct the sidewalks they park next to by
intimidating pedestrians from using them. Pedestrians fear walking past OSVs because
they know they are out of view of people at the other side of the OSVs. They are
uncomfortable walking past the often-open front doors and "front yards" of the OSVs.
Their walking is impeded by the housekeeping necessities, furniture, garbage, and other
objects placed on the sidewalk by OSV-users. Thus, the OSV Permit Program does not
seem consonant with state and city regulations designed to maintain unrestricted public
use, and traffic and pedestrian safety, of Palo Alto's public streets and public sidewalks.
(2) There is no way to equitably distribute sites of an OSV Permit Program across the City
of Palo Alto. Because of discrepancies in street design (only a limited number of streets
in Palo Alto are long, straight, and unmarked enough to accomodate OSVs), and
neighborhood tolerance (no way the OSV Permit Program is going to to be set up across
the street from Laurene Powell Jobs' or Mark Zuckerberg's properties!), almost all of the
sites for the program will be located in South Palo Alto, including the Ventura
neighborhood. It is not fair to foist the OSV Permit Program exclusively on to Ventura and
other South Palo Alto neighborhoods.
(3) In earlier council discussions of a potential OSV Permit Program council members
distinguished between placing OSVs on "non-residential" versus "residential" streets.
On paper it is possible to make this distinction. In practice, in neighborhoods like
Ventura, non-residential and residential streets are integrated. Thus, even if OSVs are
confined to "non-residential" streets, they will block pedestrian access to sidewalks and
create traffic hazards for residents who walk, bike, and drive through the Ventura
neighborhood.
(4) The report proposes that the OSV Permit Program be set up on public streets, next to
public sidewalks, of Palo Alto. Through payment of state, county, and city taxes and
fees, Palo Alto residents and business owners have paid for the creation and
maintenance of Palo Alto's public streets and public sidewalks, as well as the police and
fire protection and all city services associated with OSVs parking on/next to them. In my
opinion, any plans for an OSV Permit program involving Palo Alto's public streets and
public sidewalks should require a vote of assent by the residents of Palo Alto.
Thank you for considering my concerns.
Sincerely,
Penny Brennan, PhD
Ventura Neighborhood