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Home My WebLink About0336.091"1 1 - .June 27, 1991 HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL Palo Alto, California Members of the Council: Report in Brief 6 This report recommends that Council approve the attached Budget Amendment ordinance to provide funds to conduct a subsoil investi gation prior to the City's acceptance of the Rhona Williams property at 351 Homer Avenue. The purpose of the investigation is to dete~ine the costs of removal of an underground gasoline tank on the property and whether there has been any contamination which 'Would req'.J.ire cleanup. Background In August 1989, the City 'Was notified that Rhona WilliaDis had willed her property located at 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto to the city of Palo Alto. In September 1989, the attached Report from the city Attorney i~fonned Council of the terms of the will, the general condition of the property and that the property 'WCiS in probate and could be distributed to the City in the near future. Probate took longer than expected, and it 'Was not ~ntil March of 199~ that staff was notified probate .... as complete and the City could accept the prope~ty. CMR:33~:91 L '. '. & \' , • ··~'.l ~~ -. 1 j , 1 i 1 , - UDdergrognd Gas T§M Recent inspections of the site, conducted by staff in preparation of a recommendation to Council regarding acceptance of the property, revealed the existence of an underground gasoline tank. The tank was apparently used by Or. Williams to fuel his car, reportedly the first car in Palo Alto. Prior to city acceptance of the property, staff recommends conducting a subsoil investigation to determine the cost of removal of the tank and whether there has been any contamination on the site which 'Mould require cleanup. The executor of the Rhona Williams estate has granted the City a license to conduct the necessary investigation. Investigation to pet~rmine Ccsts The estimated cost to conduct the site investigation to determine costs of tank removal and cleanup., if any, is estimated to be between $10,000 to $20,000.. Follo'Wing the investigation, staff 'Will ret~rn to Council to report on the results, and to recommend whether the City should accept the site and a procedure to deterl:l.iTle the ultimate use of the property ~ staff anticipates that any additional costs rel~ted to the property, above the cost t~ investi9ate and remove the tank, 'Will be paid by the future long tenn tenant(s) of the site, and .'ill not be the responsihility of the city. Budget AmeDdmapt Ordinance The attached Budqet Amendment Ordinance will transfer $20,000 from the Reserve for Capital Projects Account to the Real Estate Contract Se.rvices Account to cover the costs of the underground tank investi9aticn on the property at 351 Homer Aven~e. Environmental Impact Assessment A study to determine existing site conditions is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under section 15306 of the CEQA regulations. Recommendation Staff recommends tl".at Co~ncil approve the attached Budget AIilendment Ordinance authorizing funds to con~uct a suhsoil investigation of the property at 351 Homer Avenue and direct staff to have thg investiqation performed. CMR:J3E:91 2 : -, ..... -'.'- .-'? ". , .- i j 1 I -. Respectfully submitted, ~u~ta.&..-Z JANET FREELAND Financial Analyst ~----0. ~.JD EMILY HARRISON Director anc~ Attachment cc: Ge~ard Wagstaff, Executor of the Estate of ?nona Williams CMR: 336: 91 3 • , I I '. . .. ~ ;, .'" . ,:<~~~ '~';~~~: -. )t~c, .... 'l~----------'" I 1 1 \ I - THE HONORA6LE CITY COUNCIL Palo Alto, CA RE: Estate of Rhona Williams Dear Members of the Council: INFORMATION ONLY September 5, 1989 We vera recently notified that under the terms of the Will of Rhona Williams, the City of Palo Alto is the devisee of real property located at 351 Homer Avenue. Ms. Williams' will provides ~~at the property ·shall be used for park and cultural purposes and shall not be sold by [City], nor leased by it for any parkin9 lot or other purely commercial purpose.-~. Williams, in her will, suggested that the City consider the following uses: (a) A general science library. (b) A park. eel A c~nter for cultural purposes. The will also requires that the property be named as a memQrial to the testator's parents Dr. Thomas H. Williams and Dora Moody 'Williams. As you can see from the attached report from Fred Herman, who has inspected it, the real property in question consists of t~o parcels of land approximately .6J acres in size. It contains a t~o story home which was ~uilt in 1907. The ~ttached report from Fred Herman ~escribes the condition of the house and qrounds. This is a class two historical structure and. according to historical resources inventory, this modified tudor revival house is on~ of two known Palo Alto desiqns by Ernest Coxbead, an important Bay Area designer of that period. Thjs house .as commissioned by Dr. Williams, an early Palo Alto physician and City Council Member and i I , , I , I , I I I I f I' i i , I I I I r t I ~ I , , \ ! ! I I I -'-~ •• "" 'A, ... _.' ~:';:;;~~:::~: .. _ J. - 'I'D HOllO!tAl!LE CITY CO/JNCIL September 5, 1989 1' ..... ~ BE: E$tate of Rhona willim:s Health Officer I 'Who Wa& associated ~5 yell "it'h Stant:ord University Athletics proqra~. The will is currently being probated and this property could be distributed to the City as soon as Dec£~er 19B9& DN:kr AttachJD.ent cc: aill Zaner June Fleming Ken Scllreil:>er Fred Het"lDan Bill Fellman ~espectfully &ubmitte~, ".-J' --:.....:.---.._--=---/ J" .7/~ ~ ..... ,("'--." PlANE NORTKWA'C City At.torney , r-i - CITY OF PALO JU.TO Me1::lorandum Sept.mber S, 1989 TO: FRO!!: SUBJECT: Oiar.e North~~ Fred Herman {/ ~ V _ ]51 Homer Pl'opertv Report SfP 051989 ----__ rv __ 1'here are two parcels of land associated vith :3051 Homer. The 'West lot, on vhich the main building is located, is lOOf x 200' and the east lot is 50' X 150 1 • Total area is 21,500 square !eet (.6"3 acres). Both parcels are currently zoned multi family RM-)O. Main Building The original dwelling was constructed in 1906~ It is listed as a Cateqory 2 Historic Building on the City Inventory. It conSists of 2 stories and a basement of 600 square feet that houses the fuel oil fired furnace and '\rater beater. Habitable floor area is approximately 1815 square feet. A single story east ving addition of eo' square feet served as a medical office tor many years but is currently unoccupied. The main building is in qcod condition considering the age of the structure. However l there is evidence of serious dry rot and teraite damage in portions of the builcing. This is especia~ly evident at the left rear Corner of the structure. rhere have been attempts to correct soma damage but it does not appear to have been perfonrled properly. A complete pest control report from a licensed contractor should be prepared to document the extent of the repairs necessary .. The flat roof over the east wing was replaced in Novamber of 1988. Tbe composition shinqle roof on the remainder of the build.ing aFpears to be serviceable and approximately 8-10 years old .. A new electrical service was installed with proper permits in 1981 and adequate power for ~ost uses shOUld be available • . --'-"., . L .f' • , ! I l Garage ond Carport The d~tl!lched qarl!lqe and carport located at the rear ot the property is in a state cf disrepair. The root structure is tull ot dry rot and the walls rest directly on the 5011. It is reco~ended that this structure ~ demolished. Grounds The landscaping-on the property has not :been maintained. Many plants. and sh.r-ubs are d\!'ad or .are drying. The drivelriay and parking area in the rear of the lot is unpaved. Future ';5 §s The building is an R-J OCcupancy, Single Family Dwelling, according to the Uniform Buildinq Code. Conversion to other uses, such as, office, mu~eum, etc., will require that the structcre be upgraded to meet c~ent code requirements. This would include structural improvements, handicapped access., etc. However., tbe Historic Building Code could be utilized to some extent. This 'Would be similar to the conversion o~ the Gamble House. FH:jb cc: Bill Zaner Ken Schroiber Bill Fellman ---w __ ..... j"' ...... _ ... - i I ! I , l I -- .1'-" ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PAllO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1991-92 TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE REAL ESTATE DIVISION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION OF THE l'NDERGROUND TANK ON THE RHONA WILLr~~S PROPERTY AT 351 HOMER AVENUE WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Article III of the Charter of the City at Palo Alto, the council on June 24~ 1991 did adopt a budget for fiscal year 1991-92; and WHEREAS, the City was notified in August 1989, that under the terms of the will of Rhona WilliaMs, the city of Palo Alto is the devisee of t~e Palo Alto property located at 351 Homer Avenue; and WHEREAS, in September 1989 ~ the City Attorney informed Council that the property was in probate and could be distributed to the City upon completion of probate; and WlfEREAS., the City .. as recently notified that probate is complete and the City can a~cept the property; ~nd WHEREAS, prior to recommending that Council accept the property, on-site investiqations revealed the existence of an underground qasoline tank on the property; and ~SJ an investigation is needed to determine the cost of removal of the tank and whether there is contamination of the site which requires cleanup; NOW, THEREFORE~ the council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follo~s: SEctION 1~ The sum of TWenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) is hereby appropriated to Contract services in the Real Estate Division of the Finan=e Departme~t, and the Reserve for capital Prejects is correspondingly reduced. SECTION 2. 'l'his transaction will reduce the Reserve from $3,692,662 to $3,672,662 as of May 31, 1991~ SECTION 3. The Council of the City of Palo Alto hereby finds that the enactment of this ordinance is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and. therefore, no environmen tal impact assessment is necessary. L --:"1 ......•.......•. ·.c ...... , • <":~".: ~. .. " -~-..-.".----- ~CTtoN 4. ~s p,ovided in Section 2.~4.)75 of the Palo Alto :Municipal Code, this ordirlance 51'0411 ber:ome effective upon edoptl.on. INTROOUCED ANO PASSED: An:s: !lOtS: A5ST!:!ITIONS, A5SENT: ATTEST: city Clark Aest. CIty Atto,ney APPROVED: Director or Finance APPROVEO: