HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-08-10 City Council Action MinutesCITY COUNCIL
ACTION MINUTES
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Regular Meeting
August 10, 2026
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers and by virtual
teleconference at 5:30 P.M.
Present In Person: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Stone, Veenker
Present Remotely: Keith Reckdahl Remote Call In Teleconference Location: Holiday
Inn Huntsville Research Park, 5903 University Drive, Huntsville,
Alabama 35806
Absent:
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
In-Person Public Comment
Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
Consent Calendar
MOTION: Councilmember Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Councilmember Lauing to
approve Agenda Item Numbers 1-18.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
1.Approval of Minutes from June 8 and June 15, 2026 Meetings
2.Recommend City Council Approval to Extend Certain FY 2026 City Auditor Task Orders
with No Impact to Task Order Budgets
3.Recommend City Council Approval of the City Auditor Annual Risk Assessment and FY
2027 Audit Plan and Corresponding Task Orders. CEQA Status: Not a Project.
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ACTION MINUTES
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City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 08/10/2026
4.Approve Program Guidelines for a Public Agency Electric Vehicle Charging Hub Grant
Program; CEQA Status - Under CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, Projects Consistent with
an Existing General or Comprehensive Plan do not Require Additional CEQA Review
5.Adoption of a Resolution Establishing the FY 2027 Property Tax Levy for City of Palo Alto
General Obligation Bonds (2008 Measure N Library Projects); CEQA Status: Not a Project
6.Adopt a Resolution Making Required Findings in Support of Acceptance of Funding from
Vehicle Registration Fee-Intelligent Transportation Systems (VRF-ITS) Cycle 5 Grant
Program; and amendment of the FY 2027 Budget in the Capital Improvement Fund.
CEQA Status – Categorically Exempt (CEQA Guidelines section 15301b Existing Facilities).
7.Adoption of a Resolution Approving a NAESB Base Contract for Sale and Purchase of
Natural Gas with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Authorizing the City Manager or Their
Designee to Transact Under the Contract for a Portion of the City’s Natural Gas
Requirements; CEQA Status: Not a Project, CEQA Guidelines 15378(b)(5)
8.Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Section 2.38.240 [Settlement of Claims and
Actions] and Chapter 2.30 [Contracts and Purchasing Procedures] of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code, as accepted by the Policy and Services Committee, to increase the
thresholds for solicitation of goods and services, increase contract approval and
settlement authority, and to make other technical changes.
9.Approval of Purchase Order with JAM Services, Inc. for the purchase of Traffic Signal
Network Switches for a Total Not-To-Exceed Amount of $714,639 for 2 years; and
amendment of the FY 2027 Budget in the Capital Improvement Fund. CEQA Status –
Categorically Exempt (CEQA Guidelines section 15301).
10.Approval of Contract C27197195 with High Point Power Systems in the Amount of
$286,660 for the Repair and Refurbishment of a Load Tap Changer Located at Adobe
Creek Substation; and Authorization for the City Manager or Their Designee to Execute
Change Orders in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $28,666, for a Total Contract Not-to-Exceed
Amount of $315,326. CEQA Status –Categorically Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines
Sections 15301 and 51302.
11.Approval of Contract No. C27196740 with Blackhawk Painting Inc. in the Amount of
$735,500 Over a Period of 18 Months for Electric Substations Equipment and
Mechanical Structures Painting Services; Authorization for the City Manager or Their
Designee to Execute Change Orders in an Amount Not-to-Exceed of $73,550, for a Total
Not-to-Exceed Contract Amount of $809,050; and Approval of a Budget Amendment in
the Electric Fund; CEQA Status: Categorically Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Section
15301.
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Action Minutes: 08/10/2026
12.Authorization to Execute Amendment to Legal Services Contract S25194587 with
Atkinson Andelson Loya Ruud & Romo to Increase Amount by $100,000 for Total Not-to-
Exceed Amount of $285,000; CEQA Status – Not a Project.
13.Approval of Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C24189086 with Carollo Engineers, Inc.,
to Increase the Contract Amount by $551,755 for a Revised Total Not-to-Exceed Amount
of $3,294,529, and to Extend the Contract Term by Six Months through December 2027,
for the Long Range Facilities Plan Update for the Regional Water Quality Control Plant
(WQ-19002); CEQA Status – Not a Project
14.Approval of Contract Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C25191297 with Kittelson &
Associates to Extend the Term through September 9, 2028, and Update the Scope of
Services and Schedule of Rates for the South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project
(Southern Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian Railroad Crossing Study), with No Increase to
the Previously Approved Not-to-Exceed Compensation; CEQA Status – Categorically
Exempt
15.SECOND READING: Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Section
18.18.120 of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Allow Greater
Flexibility for Noncomplying Facilities in the Commercial Downtown District (FIRST
READING: June 15, 2026; PASSED: 7-0)
16.SECOND READING: Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Various
Chapters of Title 18 (Zoning) and Chapter 16.59 (Citywide Transportation Impact Fee of
the Palo Alto Municipal Code, and the Zoning Map, to Implement Retail Vitality
Measures (FIRST READING: June 15, 2026; PASSED: 7-0)
17.SECOND READING: Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter
12.32 (Water Use Regulations) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Incorporate Additional
Water Use Regulations (FIRST READING: June 8, 2026; PASSED: 7-0)
18.SECOND READING: Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the
College Terrace Residential Parking Program (RPP) at PAMC Section 10.46.060 to
Remove Fixed Permit Terms, Sale and Grace Periods (FIRST READING: June 15, 2026;
PASSED: 7-0)
City Manager Comments
Ed Shikada, City Manager
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City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 08/10/2026
Action Items
19.PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Objections for Weed Abatement Assessments; and
Adoption of Resolution Confirming the Weed Abatement Report and Ordering
Abatement Costs to be a Special Assessment on the Properties Specified in the Report;
CEQA status – categorically exempt.
Councilmember Lu, Mayor Veenker, and City Manager Ed Shikada recused from Stanford-
related portions of the item.
MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Lythcott-Haims to:
1.Hold a public hearing to hear and consider objections from affected property owners of
proposed assessments related to completed weed abatement work at 3500 Deer Creek
Rd., and
2.Adopt a resolution confirming the report and ordering abatement costs to be a special
assessment on the 3500 Deer Creek Rd. property specified in the report (Attachment A)
MOTION PASSED: 5-0, Lu, Veenker Recused
MOTION: Vice Mayor Stone moved, seconded by Councilmember Lauing to:
1.Hold a public hearing to hear and consider objections from affected property owners of
proposed assessments related to completed weed abatement work, and
2.Adopt a resolution confirming the report and ordering abatement costs to be a special
assessment on the properties specified in the report (Attachment A)
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
20.Approval to Proceed with Final Design for the Permanent Installation of the Crescent
Park Traffic Calming Project including a Bulb-out on Southwood Drive and East Crescent
Drive; CEQA status – categorically exempt.
MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Lythcott-Haims to
approve the final concept design and proceed with Option 1: Permanent Traffic Calming, which
includes the permanent installation of the bulb-out at Southwood Drive and East Crescent Drive
as part of the Crescent Park Traffic Calming Project with the modification that the bulb-out at
Crescent and Southwood be reduced in size to the minimum necessary to support the turning
radius.
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Action Minutes: 08/10/2026
MOTION PASSED: 5-2, Lauing, Reckdahl no
21.Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the Borrowing of Funds on an Interim Basis for
Improvements to the City's Regional Water Quality Control Plant and Authorizing the
Execution and Delivery of a Revolving Credit Agreement, Fee Letter and Related Note;
CEQA Status - Not a Project
MOTION: Mayor Veenker moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Stone to adopt the attached
resolution (Attachment A) authorizing the borrowing of funds on an interim basis for
improvements to the City's Regional Water Quality Control Plant and authorize the execution
and delivery of a Revolving Credit Agreement and related Note for a total not to exceed $31
million for five years and a Fee Letter.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
22.Adoption of a Resolution to Reduce the Membership of the Stormwater Management
Oversight Committee and Direction Related to an Amendment to the Palo Alto
Municipal Code to Streamline the Functions of the Historic Resources Board; CEQA
Status - Not a Project
MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Mayor Veenker to:
1.Adopt a Resolution to reduce the membership of the Stormwater Management
Oversight Committee (SWMOC) from seven (7) members to five (5) members.
2.Direct staff to receive input on the proposed changes from the Historic Resources Board
(HRB), along with staff input for future Council consideration. Direct staff to explore
what other jurisdictions have done relating to the HRB concerns. Return to Council with
an evaluation of relaxing term limits for the HRB and SWMOC.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
AA1. Removal of Planning and Transportation Commissioner Forest Olaf Peterson Item
Removed Off Agenda
Agenda Item Number AA1 not heard.
Virtual Public Comment
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ACTION MINUTES
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City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 08/10/2026
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 P.M.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
____________________ ____________________
City Clerk Mayor
NOTE: Action minutes are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC)
2.04.160(a) and (b). Summary minutes (sense) are prepared in accordance with PAMC Section
2.04.160(c). Beginning in January 2018, in accordance with Ordinance No. 5423, the City Council
found action minutes and the video/audio recordings of Council proceedings to be the official
records of both Council and committee proceedings. These recordings are available on the
City’s website.
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Subject: August 10, 2026 Action Minutes.pdf
Source Envelope:
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250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto , CA 94301
Nicole.Bissell@PaloAlto.gov
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8/26/2026 5:40:31 PM
Holder: Nicole Bissell
Nicole.Bissell@PaloAlto.gov
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Veenker, Vicki
vicki.veenker@paloalto.gov
City of Palo Alto
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Mahealani Ah Yun
Mahealani.AhYun@PaloAlto.gov
City Clerk
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