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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20180319plCC 701-32 DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE: LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES Prepared for: 3/19/2018 Document dates: 2/28/2018 – 3/7/2018 Set 1 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:40 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Bob Stillerman <bobstiller@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 10:40 AM To:Council, City Cc:Shepherd, Nancy; Jim McFall; Keith Ferrell; christineshambora@gmail.com; Peter Shambora; Tom Vlasic Subject:March 5, 2018 City Council Meeting - consent calendar item #8, re: Southgate RPP resolution Attachments:map.pdf; zones.pdf; hang_tag.pdf Dear Council Members,    This email is to request changes to the resolution to be presented to the council at next Monday’s meeting.  The  requested changes are:  1. to include 15 parking spaces on the east side of El Camino Real north of Churchill Avenue in the Southgate RPP in  the S1 zone (map attached, explanation below)  2. to modify the text of the resolution to allow the first (free) residential permit to be a hangtag (proposed wording  change attached, explanation below)    If necessary, item #8 should be removed from the consent calendar in order to allow changes to the resolution to be  made.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________    1. At the January 29 City Council meeting, city staff presented amendments to the Southgate RPP to add an  additional 15 business permits to the resolution.  During public comment, Council Members heard from the  businesses and residents and, in lieu of adopting the unpopular change, directed staff to modify the resolution  so that portions of El Camino Real (ECR) could be included in the Southgate RPP, thereby extending the RPP zone  to parking places in close proximity to the businesses and avoiding the residents’ concerns about business  parking in the residential areas of Southgate.  I thank the Council Members for their unanimous approval of this  proposal, which addresses both access to parking that the businesses requested, and avoids potential future  congestion in areas of Southgate.    At that January 29th meeting, council discussion sought to include the East side of ECR (E‐ECR) just north of  Churchill Avenue in the RPP.  I have attached a map to this email showing the portion of ECR to which I am  referring (map.pdf, see also the addition of E‐ECR to the zones on page 7 of the resolution in zones.pdf).  I do not  recall why E‐ECR is not included in the current proposed resolution before the Council, but I think it should  be.   It is my understanding that the employees of businesses at 1515 ECR current use that portion of ECR for  daytime parking, since it is very close to their business location.  The addition of 15 parking spaces to the RPP on  this portion of ECR would seemingly be convenient for 1515 ECR employees.  My request and recommendation  are to include E‐ ECR in the request to the state Department of Transportation for inclusion in the Southgate  RPP, as part of zone S1.  The extension of 15 parking permits to the businesses would then be contingent upon  approval by Caltrans of either the currently designated west side of ECR, and/or the approval by Caltrans of the  E‐ECR parking.  The resolution should further clarify that zone S1 permits are do not permit parking in zone S  areas.    2. In December, 2017, Mr. Philip Kamhi indicated to me in an email, “It is still my intention to return to City Council  in February to revise the program, and hopefully provide a hangtag as the first resident permit, prior to the end  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:40 PM 2 of the program.”  I, among other Southgate residents, had requested that change. With the reconsideration of  the RPP resolution by City Council, this seems like an ideal time to incorporate that desired change into the  resolution.  I believe a single word change might accomplish that desired result (hang_tag.pdf) although I defer  to city staff to make that determination.    Thank you again for your efforts to improve the parking situation in Southgate.     Bob Stillerman   City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:51 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Jim McFall <wjmcfall@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 10:00 AM To:Council, City; Keene, James Cc:Tom Vlasic; Shepherd, Nancy; Keith Ferrell; Kamhi, Philip; Christine Shambora; Gitelman, Hillary Subject:March 5 meeting, consent calendar item #8, Southgate RPP Attachments:SG RPP_AddedParkg_Map_5Mar2018.pdf Mayor Kniss and Council Members- Just a last minute letter regarding your consent calendar item #8 this evening regarding the proposed modifications to the Southgate RPP. I appreciate staff's expeditious work to move forward the planned addition of business parking permits in the expansion area of the parking district on El Camino Real (ECR). As noted in the staff report, the additional 15 permits are to be contingent on approval by Caltrans for RPP parking on ECR. I would encourage consideration of either expansion or movement of the ECR parking area to the east side, north of Churchill Avenue; see map below and attached. Business parkers currently park in this area which would suggest a preference here vs. the west side of ECR. In addition, I would request that the permits which would be issued for ECR parking in this new "S.1" zone be clearly distinct and different from the typical existing business permits; perhaps the ECR permits could be "cardinal" red instead of the current orange color? Thank you for your attention to this matter. -- Jim McFall Escobita Avenue Palo Alto, CA wjmcfall@gmail.com City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:51 AM 2 Oxford Avenue Churchill Avenue P a r k B o u l e v a r d Park Avenue E scobita Aven ue Churchill Avenue S e q u oia A ve n u e Mariposa Aven ue Castilleja Avenue M ira m o nte A v e n u e M a dron o A ven ue P ortola Aven ue Manzanita Avenue Coleridge Avenue Leland Avenue Stanford Avenue Birch Street Ash Street Lowell Avenue Alma Street Tennyson Avenue Avenue P Emerson Street Alma Street CalTra S err a S tre e t H u l me Co es C o u r t Al Olm sted R Olmste d R o a d Southgate RPP E L C A MIN O R E A L This map is a product of the City of Palo Alto GIS This document is a graphic representation only of best available sources. Legend City Jurisdictional Limits Southgate RPP Boundary Southgate Southgate Zone S1 0'400' So u t h g a t e R P P CITY O F PALO A L TO IN C O R P O RATE D C ALIFOR N IA P a l o A l t oT h e C i t y o f A P RIL 16 1894 The City of Palo Alto assumes no responsibility for any errors. ©1989 to 2016 City of Palo AltoRRivera, 2018-02-13 11:17:04RPP SouthgateZones (\\cc-maps\Encompass\Admin\Personal\RRivera.mdb) Exhibit A 6 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:00 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Keith Ferrell <ferrell.keith@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 3:14 PM To:Jim McFall Cc:Council, City; Keene, James; Tom Vlasic; Shepherd, Nancy; Kamhi, Philip; Christine Shambora; Gitelman, Hillary Subject:Re: March 5 meeting, consent calendar item #8, Southgate RPP Following up on these thoughts, I would like to ensure one additional clarification: 1) Should Caltrans approve parking along El Camino Real and, at a later date, rescind the approval, or if parking regulations change, then the 15 permits allotted to that zone will NOT be folded into the current supply of 10 permits in the Southgate RPP. I also believe that the east side of El Camino Real, north of Churchill is a more natural area to add parking, as many of the employees already use this area as parking. Thanks Keith Ferrell On Mon, Mar 5, 2018 at 10:00 AM, Jim McFall <wjmcfall@gmail.com> wrote: Mayor Kniss and Council Members- Just a last minute letter regarding your consent calendar item #8 this evening regarding the proposed modifications to the Southgate RPP. I appreciate staff's expeditious work to move forward the planned addition of business parking permits in the expansion area of the parking district on El Camino Real (ECR). As noted in the staff report, the additional 15 permits are to be contingent on approval by Caltrans for RPP parking on ECR. I would encourage consideration of either expansion or movement of the ECR parking area to the east side, north of Churchill Avenue; see map below and attached. Business parkers currently park in this area which would suggest a preference here vs. the west side of ECR. In addition, I would request that the permits which would be issued for ECR parking in this new "S.1" zone be clearly distinct and different from the typical existing business permits; perhaps the ECR permits could be "cardinal" red instead of the current orange color? Thank you for your attention to this matter. -- Jim McFall Escobita Avenue Palo Alto, CA City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/26/2018 3:32 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Lee Birdsey <birdseylee@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, February 26, 2018 11:27 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Dear City Council members, I am writing you today to support the Cool Block Program that the City has been doing for the last 2 years. I am a member of the Webster Street Beta Cool Block group. We finished our work last May. I learned so much more about: Our City recycling services City services to improve our home efficiency Disaster preparedness Reducing our carbon footprint by 30% I now bike whenever I can, we only put our garage can out once a month because of everything being recycled (the other 2 cans go out more often), our thermostat is programed for 58 overnight and when no one is home and 68 otherwise, we use cold water to wash our clothes, we have the supplies for a disaster and we know who in my neighborhood might need extra help in a disaster. We have always had a neighborhood Block Party at the end of summer on our street but we had a winter gathering at my home in Jan. We have a neighborhood list with everyone's phone number and email. It really feels like a safe and warm place to live again after this program. Please continue to fund this Cool Block program again to help our city reduce it's carbon footprint one home at a time and make Palo Alto a friendly place again. Best regards, Lee and Bill Birdsey City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/26/2018 3:32 PM 2 Carnahan, David From:Bruce Boyd <bruce.boyd@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, February 26, 2018 9:44 AM To:Council, City Subject:Palo Alto Cool Block Program Dear city council members, I'm excited to hear that you are poised to fund the next wave of Cool Blocks in the Beta2 rollout! As early adopters, my wife Julie O'Grady and I can vouch for the importance and effectiveness of the program. Not only did we lower our carbon footprint as a whole by approximately 25% but we deepened our neighborhood relationships and strengthened our community. I highly recommend rolling this out to as many blocks in the future as is possible. As an early adopter, I plan to attend the Cool Block program funding meeting Monday, March 5 at 8:00 pm. Sincerely, Bruce Boyd 1229 Hopkins Avenue City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/27/2018 1:52 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Annette Isaacson <annetteisaacson@comcast.net> Sent:Monday, February 26, 2018 7:34 PM To:Council, City Subject:Funding the Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members, My name is Annette Isaacson. I have been a resident of Midtown for 25 years, and I was a Block Leader for the first round of the Cool Block program in Palo Alto. It was a wonderful experience for me and for my block. Not only did our team members get to know each other better as neighbors, but we got so much better prepared for emergencies. We learned how to turn off our gas at the main; we all packed "to go" bags so we'll be ready in case of an earthquake; each of the 33 families on our block buddied up with two other families, exchanging contact information and often house keys or at least sharing where the house key is hidden so that in case of an emergency we will all have someone to check on and someone who will look in on us, too. We know, that as neighbors, we will be the first line of defense. During the program, we shared tips on reducing our water usage. Neighbors who had taken out their lawns explained the process; neighbors who replaced their cement driveways told us about using paving stones; we even started a children's garden so the kids could learn how to grow their own vegetables using drip irrigation. For me, the highlight of the program was seeing how seriously my neighbors take the issue of climate change and how eager they are to save our resources for our children and grandchildren. Since the end of the program, two families have insulated their attics, one got an attic fan, one is hanging out clothes to dry instead of using her gas dryer, and one family bought an electric car. One family, with two young children, got a bike that holds both kids so the parents can take them to their pre-school and kindergarten class. Many have started offsetting their miles with Terrapass. We all learned how to read our utility bill and are now more conscious about our energy usage. After our program ended, families on the block that had not been able to participate in the first round formed a second Webster St. Cool Block Team. To celebrate the new year, both teams came together for a wine and cheese party. The Cool Block Program has brought new energy and friendliness to our block. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/27/2018 1:52 PM 2 The Cool Block program fosters community, emergency preparedness and conservation. It's a win win for the city. I hope you will fund the program so that more and more neighborhoods in Palo Alto will get the chance to participate. Sincerely, Annette Isaacson City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/27/2018 1:52 PM 3 Carnahan, David From:Kimberley Wong <sheepgirl1@yahoo.com> Sent:Tuesday, February 27, 2018 9:52 AM To:Council, City Subject:Please Support the Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members, I was a Beta leader of the Cool Block Program and was very excited to participate in the program. Under the amazing leadership of Sandra and her team, I was able to gather a number of neighbors from my block and encourage them to participate also. We were impressed with the fact that even though we thought we were being really conservative in our uses of our natural resources there was so much more that we could do. By participating in the program we picked apart each item and found out how we could do more. From this we now have a safety coordinator who has taken on her role very seriously, attended training and now has a walkie talkie to assist us in the event of an emergency. We all spend a way more time walking rather than driving. From Scott Melburg's visit one of our team members hired him to run an efficiency test on his house after which he changed out a drafty set of doors. Recycling was our favorite discussion. It was surprising just how much could be recycled or composted. We've reduced a full garbage can of waste to a mere handful of items that really can not be composted or recycled. And I am not afraid to go in there and pull out items that don't belong in the regular garbage can even after the fact! This program has made a positive impact in all our lives and I hope others will follow suit. I hope that the city will continue this program and encourage others to join. We can save our world's resources one block at a time! Kimberley Wong (Melville team) City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/27/2018 1:52 PM 4 Carnahan, David From:Rod Davidson <rod@deix.com> Sent:Tuesday, February 27, 2018 10:28 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block program We participated in the Cool Block program and found it to be worth our time. Please fund another group of Cool Blocks. Rod Davidson 2527 Webster Street City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 2/28/2018 1:30 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Karen Michael <ktmichael@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 8:35 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Blocks Program Hi, City Council. My name is Karen Michael, I live on Ilima Way, and I participated in the Cool Blocks beta program last summer. Hilary Glann was our Ilima Way Cool Block leader, and she told us that you are poised to fund another group of cool blocks. Simply put, Cool Blocks is a great program, and it's perfect for Palo Alto. How can we not love a program that brings neighbors together to work on shared disaster preparedness and cutting down on our carbon footprints? It has been wonderful getting to know my neighbors better, and with some simple changes in my home I have cut my electric bill by over 1/3. I even took advantage of the city's rebate program to replace my old pool pump with an energy efficient and very quiet one. A very popular meeting for our block was the zero waste/recycle/compost one; we had lots of questions and were all very excited to see our trash shrink considerably. It is safe to say that I would not have made these changes without the program. And our block continues to have potlucks just to get together and share our progress, so the results are ongoing. Hilary was a tremendous leader and an inspiration. She spent a LOT of time supporting us and the program and is continuing to do so. I think the city would benefit greatly if you can figure out how to harness more of Hilary's personal energy for the city's benefit. At a minimum, I think she deserves some recognition. Anyway, as an innovative city Palo Alto should definitely continue funding Cool Blocks. Thank you, Karen Michael City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:annmarkevitch@aol.com Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 5:00 PM To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: Cool Block on the Agenda -----Original Message----- From: annmarkevitch <annmarkevitch@aol.com> To: citycouncil <citycouncil@cityofpaloalto.org> Cc: monicastonemft <monicastonemft@gmail.com> Sent: Thu, Mar 1, 2018 4:43 pm Subject: Cool Block on the Agenda Dear City Council Members, I am writing with regard to the Cool Block item on your agenda Monday night. I was a participant in the Cool Block Program last Spring on Holly Oak Drive ( Los Arboles). By the end of our several weeks of meetings and homework, the 12 families participating agreed that: 1) we were disaster prepared 2) we had learned to reduce carbon creations and 3) we had created neighborhood togetherness. By having the Cool Block Program available to us, we not only made a positive difference in our neighborhood, but a positive difference to the city of Palo Alto. Sincerely , Ann Markevitch 771 Holly Oak Drive City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 2 Carnahan, David From:Luce, Gwen <GLuce@cbnorcal.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 7:23 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Program - please fund! Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.Coldwell Banker Gwen Luce, Realtor® Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.Coldwell Banker Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwenluce_cbca_bannerbottomleft.gif DRE License #00879652 Direct Line: 650.566.5343 gluce@cbnorcal.com Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwenluce_cbca_bannerbottomright_rev1.gif Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwenluce_cb_iconwebsite.gif Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwenluce_cb_iconaboutme.gif Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwenluce_cb_iconlistings.gif Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download othis picture from the Internet.http://www.theovitzgroup.com/stationery/banners/gwluce_cb_iconfacebook_rev3.gif Dear City Council: I am a Block Preparedness Coordinator in Barron Park who has struggled with how to motivate my neighbors to get prepared for an emergency. I recently learned about the Cool Block Program and believe that the Cool Block gives me the methodology and tools to get my block ready for a disaster! I also love the community building aspects of the Cool Block. For example, I set up a Welcome Kit for Barron Park, and would love to use the Cool Block Program to distribute those materials to blocks across Palo Alto. I understand that you are voting soon to fund more Cool Blocks in Palo Alto and I strongly encourage you to fund this program. Thank you for your attention, Gwen Luce Gwen Luce 650-566-5343 gluce@cbnorcal.com www.gwenluce.com Powered by e-Letterhead *Wire Fraud is Real*. Before wiring any money, call the intended recipient at a number you know is valid to confirm the instructions. Additionally, please note that the sender does not have authority to bind a party to a real estate contract via written or verbal communication. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 3 Carnahan, David From:Monica Stone <monicastonemft@gmail.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 6:40 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Project Dear City Council I want to address the Cool Block item on your agenda Monday night. I led a Cool Block Team of 8 families last Spring on Holly Oak Drive ( Los Arboles). By the end of our 9 meetings and homework, we all agreed that: 1) we were disaster prepared 2) we had learned to reduce carbon creations and 3) we had created neighborhood togetherness. By having the Cool Block Program available to us, we not only made a positive difference in our neighborhood, but a positive difference to the city of Palo Alto. I can't speak highly enough about the way our neighborhood has come together as a real community! Sincerely -- I am out of the office on Tuesday, March 6th. I am also out of the office on Tuesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 22nd. "Days pass and years vanish and we walk sightless among miracles." (Rosh Hashanah prayer) Monica Stone MFT ISTDP Core Training Graduate 2013 1225 Crane St. Suite 106 Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 858-1526 monicastonemft@gmail.com www.monicastone.com City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 4 Carnahan, David From:Paul Heft <paulheft@comcast.net> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 11:43 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block program Dear Council Members,    I understand that you have a chance to renew or increase funding for the Cool Block program. That’s exciting!  As a participant, I have appreciated the program for several reasons:  1. What a great way to join in planning and action with neighbors! We know more about each others’  skills, and are friendlier when we meet on the street.  2. We encouraged each other in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.  3. We helped each other think ahead to emergencies that might occur.    Spreading this form of civic engagement will help Palo Alto become a more cohesive community. Thanks!      Paul Heft  2550 Webster St.  Palo Alto, CA 94301    Midtown neighborhood  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 5 Carnahan, David From:Sharon Elliot <saelliot7@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 2:49 PM To:Council, City Subject:CoolBlock To members of the Palo Alto City Council, I’m writing in support of the Coolblock program. It was very valuable for our block. Through it, we got to know our neighbors better, lowered our carbon footprints and are now much more prepared for emergencies. It would be a useful, instructive and fun program for every Palo Alto block to participate in. Thank you, Sharon Elliot Adobe Meadow NPC VP AMNA We're all in this together City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:30 AM 6 Carnahan, David From:Skyles Runser <skyhil@pacbell.net> Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 1:16 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Program support and kudos Dear City Council of Palo Alto,    I want to briefly commend the Cool Block Program, whose benefits I have seen in action, and encourage you to support  its expansion.      There is a huge desire, on any street, to actually know your neighbors.  Lifestyles and work schedules don’t foster that  like they did in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s (before the Internet arrived).  When I recently attended the potlucks and meetings  for the Ilima Way Cool Block gatherings a consistent refrain was heard.  From the younger families:  “I’ve wanted to  know who’s on my street but I’m shy and didn’t know how to reach out.  Now I know everybody; this is great.”  From the  older families:  “it’s wonderful to see everyone convening together again”.  And on top of it, the block is more disaster  prepared and resilient, and everyone has swapped best practices for carbon footprint reduction.    Please let me know any other info or assistance I can provide,    Sky  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:39 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Julie Spengler <j94306s@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 10:32 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Program Dear City Council: Recently I learned about the Cool Block Program. I am very excited about how to builds stronger connections between neighbors on the block while encouraging people to become more prepared for a disaster and to make changes to reduce our carbon footprint. Please fund this program so I can make my street a “Cool Block.” Thank you for your consideration, Julie Spengler City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:41 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Markus Fromherz <markus@fromherz.us> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 11:15 AM To:Council, City Subject:Support for Cool Block program I am a resident of Barron Park. I would like to voice my support for the Cool Block program. As much as the city of Palo Alto does for emergency preparedness, sustainable living, and community, we need to engage individual residents more in these efforts. I believe that the Cool Block program provides important and proven mechanisms and support for such community engagements. Sincerely, Markus Fromherz City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:43 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Loretta Castellano <castellanolorrie@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 1:31 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Hi City Council Members, I am part of the Alpha Cool Blockers, the first group in Palo alto. It has been a very productive and rewarding program for me and my block. Not only are we better educated and working on lowering our carbon footprint but all of us as a group are more involved and helpful in each other’s lives. We are prepared for any disaster, have a plan to help each other and those in our neighborhood, have food and water for 7 days, a generator - all the things that will make us an asset to the city in combating any disaster. We are on board for Zero Waste and have found ways to save water even when we thought we were doing our upmost, there were still things we learned we could do. I am writing to ask you to support Cool Block at your next Monday night Council Meeting. It will save the city money in the long run and have more engaged citizens. It’s just the kind of environmental program Palo Alto needs. And Cool Block is bringing $100,000 to the city to support it! Vote in favor of Cool Block. Thank you, Lorrie Castellano 1320 Byron street Palo Alto 94301 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:43 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Sheri Furman <sheri11@earthlink.net> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 1:32 PM To:Council, City Cc:Becky Sanders Subject:Mar 5 Council Agenda Item 10 Attachments:Cool Blocks Letter 030218.docx Please see the attached letter from PAN. Thank you, sheri City Council March 5 Meeting – Agenda Item 10 March 2, 2018 Dear Mayor Kniss and Council Members, At its March 1 meeting, PAN (Palo Alto Neighborhoods) voted to request Council to remove Item 10 "Approval of a Contract With the Empowerment Institute for $100,000 for Community Engagement Block Program” from the Consent Calendar and schedule it for a subsequent regular meeting agenda when the following issues can be addressed: 1. At a time when our city is under considerable budget pressure, spending $100,000 to $1.2 million over several years needs very careful evaluation. The proposal overlooks the fact that the city already has an extensive and well-organized volunteer emergency preparedness team that is integrated with city staff. No analysis of overlap with other city efforts on energy and waste reduction is included in the staff report. 2. The pilot program results presented are not compelling. There was no control group, so we don't know how many of the actions, such as switching to more efficient lighting, would have occurred anyway. The actions claimed appear to be self-reported rather than verified by independently-obtained measurements, such as reductions in metered utility consumption. Only 97 households reported data and yet approximately 175 are said to have participated, raising questions of both the completeness of the reported results and whether non-reporting households achieved positive results at all. The calculation of carbon savings is not explained. 3. The proposed work for $100,000 would target just 30 blocks or household groups. The cost per block/group seems extremely high and is not explained. Could we ever afford to replicate this across the approximately 1,400 such blocks/groups in Palo Alto? Moreover, this is not a first-time trial but rather the third round in Palo Alto, presumably using materials and methods from a company that claims considerable expertise in this field. On the face of it, one would expect a vastly lower cost per block/group. 4. The proposed contract does not include any numerical and measurable targets for participants but rather uses vague terms like "empower" and "build trust". The contract should have precisely defined and verifiable outcome targets. 5. The proposed contract even leaves open what actions participants will engage in. There is no requirement that families attend a minimum number of meetings. So there may be five families who come to the first meeting and only three families that come to any subsequent meetings and do any of the actions. Each group decides how many actions to do, and might opt to do none. 6. The process lacks transparency. Council members and the public did not receive the RFP nor the responses. Many issues are unanswered and yet this item was placed on the consent calendar. 7. CIty Manager Jim Keene is listed on the Cool Block website at https://www.coolblock.org/about-us as a "key advisor." Is there a possible conflict of interest in any of his participation in the RFP and contractual process for this new phase? 8. The contract does not commit the project manager identified in Section 13 specifically to file the financial disclosures of the FPPC shown in paragraph 21.3, but only the CONSULTANT as an entity. 9. The term of the agreement is through March 4, 2022, a period that is not explained. What future commitments are expected by approving this 4-year contract? 10. The proposed contract does not commit to a specific Principal Investigator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 11. The contract does not identify what in-kind services up to $100,000 will be provided by the Empowerment Institute and provision of these in-kind services do not appear to be obligated in the contract. In light of these reasons, we believe the interests of the community are best served by removing item 10 from Consent and allowing the public to discuss the merits of this investment of the city's funds at this time. Thank you. Sincerely, Sheri Furman, Co-Chair PAN Rebecca Sanders, Co-Chair PAN City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:William Courington <billcour@sonic.net> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 2:01 PM To:Council, City Subject:Urge funding of CoolBlock I appreciate the budget pressure, and recently stated my number 1 priority for Palo Alto as Fiscal Strength. Doing one  thing means not doing something else.     But for me, the CoolBlock program has been the most transformative and community‐building experience of my 25  years in Palo Alto. Getting neighbors together to discuss and take action on their environmental footprints and  emergency preparedness is hard to put a value on. But in our group, people actually changed their behavior: buying  offsets for air travel, getting houses checked for heating/cooling waste, buying backup battery power, agreeing on a  meeting place after a disaster, and preparing “go bags” for an emergency. How many City‐funded programs have made  comparable changes in citizen behavior?     As important, former strangers got to know, respect, support, and enjoy each other.       William Courington     Byron St.   City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 2 Carnahan, David From:Scott Mellberg <scottmell1@yahoo.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 2:21 PM To:Council, City Subject:Message from the City Council Home Page - Please renew the Community Engagement Block Program Dear Palo Alto City Council, As a life long Palo Alto resident and having the privilege of serving as the "Genie" with Palo Alto Utilities Home Efficiency Genie program, I would like to strongly encourage the council to support approving the contract with the Empowerment Institute for the Community Engagement Block Program (Cool Block). This is exactly the type of program the city should be supporting which will encourage engagement and collaboration between neighbors, building stronger neighborhoods and achieve a verifiable local impact on climate change. During the last Cool Block pilots, I had the pleasure to present home efficiency presentations to sixteen of these Cool Block groups and found them to be very enthused to learn and act on ways to reduce their carbon impact. If the goal for our city is to reduce our carbon impact, the Cool Block program is the best grassroots, neighborhood engaging program I could imagine. Thank you for your consideration. Regards, Scott Mellberg City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 3 Carnahan, David From:Anne Palmer <annepalmer801@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 5:22 PM To:Council, City Subject:Please support Cool Blocks Phase II ---------- Forwarded message ----- Dear Palo Alto City Council members:    TheCool Blocks program positively changed behavior in the Lincoln-Addison-Emerson-Ramona block to build relationships based on a mutual desire to increase safety, save energy and reduce waste and water usage. This community improvement program is inexpensive to administer and provides a tremendous return in goodwill toward the city and its citizens. I am writing today to ask you to vote in favor of allocating $100,000 for the Empowerment Institute to continue dissemination of this highly effective activity for the next three years so that hundreds of blocks can be empowered by the Cool Blocks initiative.    The ability to share knowledge and ideas in a supportive environment is crucial for communities to grow, and needed for citizens to create change on a larger scale. Because of the program a portion of our neighborhood became united to set common goals and support each other in reaching our goals.     Palo Alto is well known for its efficient administration of utilities. Therefore it only makes sense to make a relatively small investment that helps citizens change their behavior and increase their satisfaction with living in this community.    Sincerely,    Anne Palmer, Ed.D.  1028 Emerson St. Palo Alto  650-497-6863      City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 4 Carnahan, David From:Bret Andersen <bretande@pacbell.net> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 5:51 PM To:Council, City Subject:Please Support the Cool Block Program Dear Mayor and City Council,    I urge you to approve the funding for the next phase of the Cool Block program in Palo Alto. This outstanding program is  worth every penny. It is a uniquely systemic and scalable approach to building a more social and civic engagement at the  street level. As communities globalize, virtualize and atomize across our country we need to develop new ways to  facilitate local, face to face collaboration among neighbors to reach our goals as a localized community. Cool Block is an  engaging and effective way for people to make positive changes in lifestyles and collaborate more with their neighbors  on common goals. It’s also great way for people to become aware of (and to build an appreciation for) what the city  does and could potentially do to help us transition to more sustainable living.     I led a Cool Block during the Beta phase last year and can say that all of my neighbors saw value in this concerted effort  to build connections between us in the interest of friendship, security, resiliency and sustainability. A small subset of my  block of 28 homes joined the team actively but everyone expressed appreciation for being invited to join this effort and  expressed desire to share in our journey. It was astounding to me that I (sadly) and many of my neighbors have gone  more than a decade on our street without exchanging a word! Cool block effectively taps into those basic human desires  to feel connected, help others and have a purpose in everyday life.     Our team remains connected and meets periodically as likeminded friends interested in improving life on our block and  in our city. Highlights from the program included learning about PA programs – zero waste, disaster preparedness,  energy genie, carbon free electricity  – and helping each other develop and take related actions. We and other teams  uncovered tricks and shared best practices, especially how best to take advantage of what the city provides, that are  being captured in the program to aid future Cool Block teams.     Cool Block directly supports the SCAP goals that you as Council unanimously support. It is a concrete and economical  way (the community does the real work) for the city to promote behavior change, measure impact and improve  community engagement in reaching toward our ambitious sustainability goals. Cool Block has already built substantial  social capital in the form of an informed network of residents that can provide solid help steer city programs and  promote best practices for their use.     I wholeheartedly support the expansion of the Cool Block for its many benefits and implore you to fund its next round.    Sincerely,    Bret Andersen, former Cool Block Leader, Ames Ave  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 5 Carnahan, David From:Tony Radziszewski <aradzisz1@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 6:40 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool block Dear City Council I want to address the Cool Block item on your agenda Monday night. I participated in a Cool Block Team of 8 families last Spring on Holly Oak Drive ( Los Arboles). By the end of our 9 meetings and homework, we all agreed that: 1) we were disaster prepared 2) we had learned to reduce carbon creations and 3) we had created neighborhood togetherness. By having the Cool Block Program available to us, we not only made a positive difference in our neighborhood but a positive difference to the city of Palo Alto. I can't speak highly enough about the way our neighborhood has come together as a real community! Sincerely, Tony & Rachel Radziszewski City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 6 Carnahan, David From:MISSY CRESAP <missycresap@yahoo.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 7:32 PM To:Council, City Cc:Lorrie Castellano Subject:CLOOL BLOCKers! I so hope the Cool Block program gets the support to grow a never ending web of strong communities‐     > each begun with 10/12 neighbors meeting 9/10 times to learn practicalities                   of green living, emergency preparedness.....and   > each becoming a block of friends.  Good, fun, loyal, inclusive friends.    Cool.    Missy Cresap        City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 7 Carnahan, David From:Julan Chu <julanchu@comcast.net> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 9:56 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Dear City Council, I am writing to voice my strong support to having the Cool Block Program continue and expand in Palo Alto. I was a Cool Block leader in the Alpha phase and in spite of the difficulty of dealing with a brand new program with it's quirks and bumpy roads, I found the program incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. It helped to make me aware of the power of an individual citizen to make a real difference, together with my neighbors on my block. We came together to get to know one another, to take action on getting ourselves prepared for an emergency as individual households and as a block, to lowering our carbon footprints by adding our 'drops in the bucket' and watching that bucket fill up, to building community and support for one another. A truly remarkable program that needs to be implemented not only in Palo Alto but in every community/town/city in the country. Palo Alto is the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Let it now be the birthplace of the Cool Block Program, the program that saves the planet!!! Thank you, Julan Chu City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 8 Carnahan, David From:Annie Aronson <thismusicisreal@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 8:04 AM To:Council, City Subject:My experience with Cool Blocks Cool blocks was beneficial in so many ways. First of all, I got to know and became friends with several of my neighbors.  Cool Blocks helped set up a system for composting, recycling, saving energy and emergency preparedness. Even after  our Cool Blocks meetings were officially over, our group still meets once in a while and I still have things to work on  completing and improving from the suggestions in the book.   ‐Annie Aronson  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 9 Carnahan, David From:Anne Junkerman <acjunkerman@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 9:41 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block I am writing in praise and support of the Cool Block program that I particapted in last year.  it was an excellent  experience in which I learned useful things about saving energy—something i am very interested in and concerned  about.  But i also valued the way that it brought the neighborhood together.  I have lived  here quite a while, but never  had the chance to meet neighbors who live a few doors away.  We now know each other, could borrow tools, had a  block party  and will continue to exchange ideas and live together with more sense of community.  Cool Block has been a  very good thing for our Chaucer/Hamilton/Seneca neighborhood.  Christy Junkerman, Chaucer Street  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 10 Carnahan, David From:Pat Marriott <patmarriott@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 11:56 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Council Members:  $100,000 to set up block teams makes no sense, especially since Palo Alto already has a long‐standing emergency  preparedness team, thanks to Annette Ashton & Sheri Furman.  This sounds like a conflict of interest for Keene. He’s an adviser to Cool Cities Challenge. He’s soon to retire, so it would  look good for him to say Palo Alto signed up for the program.  Personally, I’d be ticked off if someone asked me to participate. We already know our neighbors. We got 181 green  points when we built our house and added solar panels later. I have an electric car.  We don’t need block captains and  team meetings to do the right thing.  This program is too much of a feel‐good, aren’t‐we‐special in Palo Alto, kind of deal. It places the burden of sustainability  (and maybe a guilt trip?) on individuals instead of facing the real problem which is over‐development. It is definitely NOT  worth $100,000 of taxpayer dollars.  The way to improve environmental sustainability is to stop building.                  Pat Marriott  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 11 Carnahan, David From:Peggy Shapera <pshapera@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 2:34 PM To:Council, City Subject:FUND COOL BLOCK Dear Council members, We want to urge you to continue funding the very valuable "Cool Block " program. As a participant in 2017, we learned a great deal as to how to reduce our family's carbon footprint, emergency preparedness and becoming a water steward. As Palo Alto is striving to become a leader in energy conservation and sustainability, does it not make sense to continue the support f the valuable "Cool Block program? Thank you for considering our request and for your service to our great city! Sincerely, Peggy and Ron Shapera City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 12 Carnahan, David From:Lillian Lieberman <lillian.lieberman@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 5:14 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block program funding Dear Palo Alto City Council, We strongly support the funding and continuation of the Cool Block Program for another year. We are former members of the Cool Block Alpha program and were honored to participate in the neighborly movement to build strong community ties. We learned to give and take on important issues, such as water conversation, cutting our carbon footprint, preparing for emergency/disaster situations, sharing of tools and information. The greatest benefit of the Cool Block program is the fostering of strong neighborhood ties. Months after joining the program, our Cool Block is still in a supportive mode and continue to help each other in any way we can. This benefit in itself is a valuable asset. As each new Cool Block forms, it adds to the strength and cohesiveness of the community as well as the City as a whole. The Cool Block program is well-deserving of the monetary support to continue its work. Sincerely, David and Lillian Lieberman 319 Kingsley Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 13 Carnahan, David From:winter dellenbach <dellwinter@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 5:49 PM To:Council, City Subject:Reconsider Cool Block contract Dear Council Members - I urge you not to approve the $100,000 contract for Cool Block after having read the packet material staff assembled. I was surprised that this item is on the consent calendar since such approval seems rash given the lack of information about its concrete benefits to our community over time, and at what cost. When I read of the organization behind Cool Blocks, it sounded a bit like a con given its almost utopian promise that ripples out into a dreamy municipal future so vague that can't tell what we are supposed to achieve or become by signing up with this group. It is really bizarre. Finally, I live in a very well connected neighborhood with a strong presence of emergency preparedness thanks to a lot of peoples hard work. No one is paid, yet now it seems there is a plan to duplicate Emergency Preparedness services, replacing volunteers with paid staff with no consultation with these hardworking volunteers. This is not how we should be doing things in Palo Alto or how we should be treating volunteers or spending money. Please do not fund this contract. Winter Dellenbach Barron Park, Palo Alto City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 14 Carnahan, David From:Marianne Mueller <mrm@sonic.net> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 6:45 PM To:Council, City Subject:funding Cool Block program dear city council members,   I am proud to have been part of the Alpha phase of the cool block program and think it is very deserving of continued  funding I learned a lot and especially enjoyed getting to work with my neighbors and getting to know them better I think  we all feel a greater sense of neighborhood cohesiveness and a greater respect and love for our beloved Palo Alto, I am  proud our City is doing this program and have been telling my siblings about it and telling them to urgetheir city  governments to look into it, well that is for my siblings in this country one sister lives in Switzerland where they are very  conscious of carbon footprintand ecological matters in generalthank you for the initial funding and so the ability I had to  take part in this exciting and innovative and consciousness raising program, Marianne Mueller 333 Kingsley Ave. Palo  Alto, CA 94301 650 463 6415(mobile)      City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 15 Carnahan, David From:Shannon Rose McEntee <shannonrmcentee@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 9:53 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members, I'm writing in support of additional funding for the Cool Block program. I was a team leader in the alpha group and I want to share with you how valuable the experience was. I called my team the Cool Condo team because I'm in a 55-unit condo building on Sheridan. You would think that living in such close proximity would lead to friendships and relationships that are valuable in various dimensions. But that isn't so. Even when living in close proximity there is a large degree of anonymity. My team loved the opportunity to get to know their neighbors, to become planet friendly, disaster resilient, and community rich. My team included recent immigrants from India, South Korea and China. They loved getting to know each other, learning together, and discovering how we could be there for each other -- whether in terms of preparing for disaster resiliency, figuring out how to make our carbon footprints smaller, or discussing ways to use less water. The Cool Block experience was incredibly valuable. I hope that many other Palo Alto residents have the opportunity to build strong, friendly and helpful relationships with their neighbors that lead to a much more sustainable and safe future. If I can help in any way, please let me know. In the meantime, thank you for all you do for our city. In appreciation, Shannon Rose McEntee 410 Sheridan Avenue #216 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 16 Carnahan, David From:Sunmi Seol <yolongcat@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 11:49 AM To:Council, City Subject:I want to keep the Cool Block meeting in Palo Alto Hello, My name is Sunmi Seol and one of the members who joined the Cool Block meeting. I really wanted to attend the meeting, but I need to give a ride for my kids until 10 PM tomorrow. So, I decided to write the letter to the council. Through this meeting, I learned how to save energy, water, and how to prepare for the disasters. Saving energy and water is not difficult. If we try something small, we can save energy and water. For example, when being out, turn off the light and use the timer for the short shower, and reduce the time of flush. After joining this meeting, I was able to reduce the number of throwing garbages per week and increase the number of recycles and composts. I started riding a bike for the commute and bought a small car for my husband. To prepare the disaster, I made the emergency bag, analog radio, handy lights and bought emergency water and put them in the storage. Additionally, I was able to make more new friends. The cool block program should continue to benefit more people in our area. Hopefully, we get the good news. Best Regards, Sunni Seol City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 17 Carnahan, David From:Paul <pegrego@sonic.net> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 4:39 PM To:Council, City Subject:remove Cool Block program from consent calendar Dear City Council,    Please remove the $100,000 grant to the Cool Black program from the consent calendar.    This program, with its nebulous goals and lack of any measurable outcomes should not be funded without much more  study.    Palo Alto has a huge backlog of infrastructure work that is needed, and hundreds of millions of dollars of unfunded  pension liabilities.  The City Council must get out of its habit of reflexively funding anything that sounds like a good idea.  Projects need to be carefully prioritized to give the greatest good for the city as a whole, not just to fund someone's pet  project.    $100,000 is a small amount compared to the overall budget, of course. But here are probably many other projects of  similar size that need evaluation and prioritization.    Sincerely,    Paul Gregory      City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 18 Carnahan, David From:Richard Brand <mmqos@earthlink.net> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 5:44 PM To:Council, City Cc:Keene, James; Elaine Meyer Subject:Item 10 March 5 agenda has to be pulled. Dear Council members: I'm a PAN alternate for Professorville and having read the letter, went to the CPA w-site to read the Staff report for this item. That took me to the w-site for the Enlighten Institute. Scary, and I'm old enough to remember some of those '70's groups before the web that claimed to provide "enlightment" and instead delivered the opposite, sometimes in deadly manners. One of the Institute's leaders calls himself "king". I have no data to substantiate any claims of malfeasance but that IS the issue. There is no data in the Staff report and specifically, any listing of response data to the CPA RFP where the "P" stands for proposal. Enlightenment Institute needs public airing before we commit large CPA funds to a project without any clear deliverables.Pull and reschedule. Richard Brand City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 19 Carnahan, David From:Drew Maran <drew@drewmaran.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 5:49 PM To:Council, City Subject:Support for the Cool Block Project Dear City Council Members, I support the funding of the Cool Block Project and ask that it also be supported by the Council. As many of you know for many years I’ve been an active proponent of green building, with a focus on reducing the carbon footprint of every house that I build. Whereas I build a few green homes each year there are rarely projects that directly influence the behavior of so many occupants of homes as the Cool Blocks. They’ve learned to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes and communities, especially given that they’re often working within existing homes that were built before we knew about climate change and its effects on our planet. In my first hand view of the Blocks I’ve seen so many people thrilled to be getting to know their neighbors. This can be nothing short of a great thing for the strength of the community, both in times of disaster as well as day to day as we teach each other to recycle, use less energy and generally pool our resources. In so many ways the Cool Blocks Project serves as a model for other communities, much the way that Palo Alto has led the way on so many sustainability issues over the years. Thanks for taking the time to help promote another point of valuable leadership provided by Palo Alto. Sincerely, Drew DREWmaran CONSTRUCTION, INC. drewmaran.com (650) 400-8336 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 20 Carnahan, David From:Margaret Heath <maggi650@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 6:25 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Cities Proposal Dear Council members, I am writing to request that the Cool Cities proposal be pulled from the consent calendar and agendized for public comment and council discussion at a later council meeting. Although the budget for the first year is set at $200,000, my understanding is that over the next few years it is estimated to cost the city up to one million dollars. I believe the council needs to have a public discussion as to how much weight the city should give this proposed new program compared to all the other calls on the city budget. If it reaches that threshold, then how to measure and who will judge whether it is meeting its stated goals. I would also like to know more about the city manager's connections to this organization. My understanding is that he is a co-founder and on the board. Also, how was Sandra Slater, who I understand might be a personal friend of the city manager, selected for this salaried position. If this were only a one year program costing the city a maximum of $100,000, or an all volunteer initiative with a proven enthusiastic base, that would be different. But I believe initiating a program that may cost up to one million over the next several years needs more public scrutiny, and a built in way to judge its effectiveness in reaching its stated goals. Sincerely, Margaret Heath Cornell Street City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 21 Carnahan, David From:Eric Rosenblum <mitericr@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 6:30 PM To:Council, City Subject:writing in support of the Cool Block program Hello City Council I am writing to support your proposal to provide funding to the Cool Block program. Based on what I understand of the program, it works well for our city on multiple levels:  provides a meaningful, non-controversial platform to help neighbors find meaningful connections with each other around issues of interest to all residents  aligns perfectly with Palo Alto's sustainability goals and emergency preparedness goals This program is such a no-brainer... it brings our community together and helps achieve key goals, all for a minor investment. Thank you for supporting this valuable program! Eric Rosenblum 154 Bryant St City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 22 Carnahan, David From:Lisa Van Dusen <lvandusen@mac.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 6:42 PM To:Council, City Cc:John Kelley; Keene, James Subject:Subject Line idea: Vote YES: The Cool Block Program has a very high ROI Dear Mayor Kniss and honorable members of the Palo Alto City Council, We are writing you to urge you - most enthusiastically and unequivocally - to support the $100,000 budget item for the Palo Alto Cool Block Program. In our opinion, it is a no-brainer. Think of this expenditure as a budget multiplier rather than as an expense. Here's why, along with the thinking and experience behind our opinion:  We are block leaders for one of the "Alpha" teams - the “bleeding edge” block teams that were the first to pilot this program on the block where we live in Community Center. We knocked on every single door on our block, made contact with almost all and received a resoundingly enthusiastic response to the idea. We ended up with a significant percentage of our neighbors participating in our Block Team and became a much more connected group of neighbors as a result. Our neighbors include a wide range of citizens, including healthcare professionals, tech and biotech CEOs and executives, acclaimed computer scientists, PhDs, educators, skilled professionals, seasoned entrepreneurs, a student/artist, venture capitalist and more. Starting in the spring of 2016 and finishing in the fall. o Picture "leftover potlucks" in our driveways in the summer o Imagine swapping tips and encouragement for making changes like: - researching solar installation options; - sharing success stories for converting to the smallest garbage can size; - shortening showers to two minutes and more  There are already many positive, tangible outcomes as a direct result of the Cool Block program: o The Emergency Preparedness Captain for our entire neighborhood, who lives on our block, redoubled his efforts to gather us up this April to create a more comprehensive and widely adopted Emergency Prep Plan for our block and hopefully our neighborhood. It takes a cohesive group to make that happen, and there simply was neither an appropriate existing mechanism nor the necessary neighborly glue to do so before the Cool Block Program. He was clearly not activated prior to his Cool Block participation, and now he is. People are contacting both (a) Scott Mellberg, the Home Energy Genie for resources related to energy efficiency and (b) the Santa Clara County Water District for water saving support. o Many of our neighbors have now gone to Palo Alto City Hall for the very first time - demonstrating an increased level of civic engagement as a result of the Cool Block program. o We could go on here. Please just take a look at the range and depth of the Cool Block program, and you will see that $100,000 can leverage itself many times over -sometimes in ways that literally magnify the best of Palo Alto and promote civic civility. People have City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 23 remarked that there are “good blocks” (where neighbors are connected) and “not so good blocks” (where neighbors are not connected, ‘void of a soul’). The Cool Block Program is like a spark plug for all existing, excellent programs that suffer from unfortunate under-utilization. It facilitates robust adoption that is a key requirement - and often missing in other forms of community engagement. It’s the “last mile” and which can cost the City well over $100,000 for marketing dollars and ad agency fees. This is a great value.  The Cool Block brings out the best in Palo Alto and its people. People live in Palo Alto because it is a strong community whose neighborhoods offer the promise of neighbors actually connecting with one another. All too often, however, those connections do not occur on their own. They can be, and are being, catalyzed and nurtured by the Cool Block Program. We all are now aware of how our mental and physical health improves with social connections, so this program also strengthens and supports the goals of the Healthy Cities Initiative.  The Cool Block Program AUGMENTS and AMPLIFIES many current programs, organizations, offerings, opportunities. At its core, the Cool Block Program is a COLLABORATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY program NOT a competitive one. Those who position it as such are being short-sighted, taking an incorrect and vastly circumscribed view of both what it has already achieved and what it can achieve in the future with proper support from the City. Volunteers are out in force:  The Cool Block program is fueled by volunteers. When volunteers have a good experience, they participate and contribute even more. The energy, enthusiasm, engagement and success that volunteers, block team members and leaders alike are experiencing is pure gold. You cannot buy that with any budget amount. If you stop this program, you will not only fail to build upon that volunteer and engagement momentum, but you will also likely create disappointment and dysphoria that could COST the city well more than $100,000. Climate Change is not on hold, it is accelerating. So why would we put the Cool Block Program on hold?  The Cool Block Program is one of the best ways we can address climate change as citizens. As someone who serves on the S/CAP Advisory Council, I (Lisa) know that while we have some great policies to advance carbon reduction in Palo Alto, we don’t have a mechanism to engage citizens around it. This program is just what the S/CAP and SIP needs. As members of the City Council, you voted unanimously to support our 80x30 goals, and the Cool Block program will accelerate that adoption curve.  Most, if not all, carbon neutrality programs have emerged as a direct result of citizen efforts. This is Palo Alto’s secret sauce. We urge you not to squelch the innovation engine that has transformed our community into a globally-recognized example of environmental leadership . And don’t starve the golden goose that lays the eggs of citizen-powered efforts to make our city an even more effective and accomplished leader in so many arenas. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 24  This program has been under development here in Palo Alto for more than 5 years, and we have witnessed the slow adoption by the City Council of this program over time. We invite you to imagine yourselves telling your grandchildren what you did - or failed to do - about climate change under your watch. This is something you can say YES to as an important means of moving us forward toward being a more climate-resilient city that leads and continues to lead other communities. A few members of the Palo Alto community may raise objections to the Cool Block Program, but we feel confident that the Cool Block Program has been designed to appropriately address and respond to potential concerns, none of which are sufficient to justify ending the program. While there is no randomized control trial here (that would add greatly to the cost), the data is solid. The data from our group was more challenging to collect because the website interface was in its infancy during the Alpha phase. In the Cool Block training we were instructed to be totally inclusive, and we worked hard to ensure that everyone on the block was invited. At its heart, one of the core goals of the Cool Block Program is to unite us while overcoming forces that divide us. It’s all inclusive. We occasionally encounter those on our block who may or may not agree with us on politics, the direction of the future of the City, etc, but the genius of the Cool Block Program is that it provides a forum to build respect for each other, and to learn more about the beliefs and values of one another, in our quest for a more connected, safer, healthier and “greener” future. Think of this $100,000 as an investment, not an expense. Because that is what it is. It is an investment in our neighborhood cohesion, in citizen engagement, in city and civic program adoption, in CO2 emission reduction, and so much more. This investment has an extraordinarily high Return on Investment (ROI). If you would like to hear more, we would be happy to share more stories, data and evidence that you would be making a tremendous mistake if you fail to approve this budget item. We support the Cool Block Program most enthusiastically and strongly encourage you to provide it with the resources necessary for it to achieve even more for everyone in Palo Alto. Respectfully yours, Lisa Van Dusen and John Kelley Co-Block Leaders, Alpha Cool Block Pilot “Going Green Greenwood”, Community Center Lisa Van Dusen 650-799-3883 | @lisavandusen | lisavandusen.com My TEDx talk on the Joys of Otherhood City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 25 Carnahan, David From:Rebecca J Wedl <rwedl@stanford.edu> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 6:59 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Blocks Feedback Dear Council Members,    Last spring we participated in Cool Blocks team CARE and feel we, and our neighborhood, benefited from the  experience. First, the experience provided us an opportunity get to know better and meet for the first time  some of our neighbors. More than any other experience since moving to the neighborhood 14 years prior, this  helped us to feel like part of a larger community. Together, we discussed ways to prepare for and help each  other, and our neighbors in particular need, should an emergency arise. We learned how to recycle properly,  began composting, replaced some of our lights with low energy LEDs, and replaced our water heater with a  more efficient one ‐‐ mostly simple changes that have reduced our carbon footprint. We feel participating in  the Cool Blocks program was a positive experience and that Palo Alto residents, neighborhoods who have not  yet had the opportunity to participate in the program would also likely benefit.       Thank you,  Rebecca Wedl & Justin Birnbaum  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 26 Carnahan, David From:slevy@ccsce.com Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 7:11 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block contract I write in support of moving the contract forward. The plan of involving neighbors working together to identify and follow through on things they can do to reduce GHG emissions and save resources goes to the heart of our adopted Climate Action Sustainability Plan. My wife is excited to work with our neighbors if she can get the support this contract will allow. As to the money involved, my quick look at the agendas this year in two months have seen $5 million plus in contracts awarded without an item being pulled. Pulling an item that supports an already adopted city plan will only serve to crowd future agendas in a year when we face major transportation and housing initiatives and serious fiscal questions. Please move this item forward on Monday Stephen Levy 365 Forest City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 27 Carnahan, David From:Hilary Glann <hglann@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 7:12 PM To:Council, City Subject:Support for Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members:    I strongly encourage you to vote YES on funding for the Cool Block Pilot Program.  Let’s face it: most Palo Alto residents  never get around to preparing for emergencies. And they don’t have any idea how much carbon they emit, much less  how to reduce it.  But they know they feel isolated and disconnected.      That’s why the Cool Block works. People show up for Cool Block meetings because they want to get to know their  neighbors. Then along the way, they get their emergency supplies in order, they change some habits and reduce their  carbon emissions, and they connect with the City and its resources.      Please fund The Cool Block  pilot so we can build a stronger, more resilient and more earth friendly community in Palo  Alto.    Hilary Glann   City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 28 Carnahan, David From:Eileen Skrabutenas <eileenskrabutenas@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 7:56 PM To:Council, City Subject:Continue support funding for Cool Block Dear Palo Alto City Council Members ‐    Thanks to the indefatigable stewardship of Victoria Thorp, my husband and I participated in the Spring 2017 beta effort  in Crescent Park and found it to be a life changing and enhancing experience.      We developed a new appreciation of our interconnectedness as a micro community and our sustainability footprint.  We  took many actions to decrease our carbon impact that we might not have initiated in such a timely fashion without this  program.  We met new neighbors, learned about family members and pulled from each family's strengths and  resources.  Without this program, we would never have had this chance.  It gave us a necessary nudge to step aside from  our busy lives and take the opportunity to connect as a community that can rely on each other.    Having lived through not only the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the months of shoveling mud as a result of the 1998  Flood in Palo Alto, we need the kind of resiliency this program fosters in its participants.    Please continue funding for other Palo Alto residents.    Sincerely,    Eileen Skrabutenas  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 29 Carnahan, David From:Victoria Thorp <victoriathorp@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 10:00 PM To:Council, City Subject:Please support funding for the Cool Block Program Dear Palo Alto City Council Members - I am writing to urge your support for the Cool Block Program. I was a block leader last year and I found it to be an amazing way to reduce energy consumption, prepare for disasters, and most importantly, build community. Thanks to the Cool Block experience, I am recycling more, using less water and energy, I have finally set up earthquake food, water and clothing supplies for my family, and have come to know my neighbors as trusted friends. Our Cool Block team not only learned how to tread more lightly on the earth, we also forged lasting bonds that allowed us to organize a phenomenal block party that drew together people who had lived in close proximity but never exchanged more than a wave. And the Cool Block allowed us to access existing city programs that had fantastic benefits for everyone on my team, including GreenWaste, Energy Genie and the CERT program. In fact, my husband became trained as a neighborhood responder, thanks to the Cool Block program. After witnessing fires, floods, mudslides and more in the past year in California, it is urgent that we have positive, engaging programs like The Cool Block to bring neighbors together and spur preparation and connection. Please continue funding so the Cool Block program can expand to other Palo Alto residents. Sincerely, V ictoria Thorp -- Victoria Thorp victoriathorp@gmail.com 415-378-8687 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 30 Carnahan, David From:Cindy Traum <cintraum@pacbell.net> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 10:19 PM To:Council, City Subject:Support of Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members, I am writing to share my support of the Cool Block program. Our family participated in the program with our block last year. Not only did the program bring our neighbors closer, each household has found creative ways to reduce their carbon footprint, decrease water consumption and feel more prepared for emergencies. I see our group staying connected. For example, we want to host an Emergency Preparedness block party. I appreciate that we can gather, inspire and support each other in trying to reach our individual goals. Please consider supporting the Cool Block Beta2 pilot program. It is a low-cost innovative program that can make a huge difference in our Palo Alto community. Thank you. Sincerely, Cindy Traum City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 31 Carnahan, David From:Mark Michael <mark_d_michael@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 6:43 AM To:Council, City Cc:Sandra Slater; Kniss, Liz (external) Subject:Community Engagement Block Program To the Mayor and Members of the City Council: My wife Eileen and I participated along with many of our neighbors in the first round of Palo Alto's Cool Blocks program. Over the course of this experience, we met in a series of gatherings with families living on our street and around the block. These meetings focused on valuable topics including supportive personal relationships with each other, environmental sustainability, awareness of community resources, disaster preparedness, and resiliency, among others. With our neighbors, we took turns facilitating the group discussions and hosting pot luck gatherings, that provided both a practical and social atmosphere. Each of us used the program materials to monitor and measure certain of our behaviors, including energy and water usage. This highlighted opportunities to make choices that potentially enhanced our quality of life while lowering burdens on or costs to the community. Looking back on our Cool Blocks group, aside from identifying positive lifestyle options, we value the deeper connection with people who live around us with whom ordinarily we would all have been too busy to do more than wave on the street. Life in Palo Alto is best appreciated with such personal connections. The energy savings are a bonus. This program is very cost effective and continued support from the Council will be net positive. Thanks for your support. Mark Michael (former member of IBRC and PTC) City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 32 Carnahan, David From:CeCi Kettendorf <cecihome@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 7:34 AM To:Council, City Subject:COOL BLOCK Please remove COOL BLOCK, ITEM 10, from the consent calendar. There is a great deal of frustration that COOL BLOCK is duplicating the mission of the neighborhood associations. If the city funds " neighbor knowing neighbor" or "disaster resiliency," that money should be directed to the neighborhood associations and the OES, not to yet another pilot program. CeCi Kettendorf member(s) of AMNA Luke Francis Brennan April Shaunessy Augustus Michael Nathaniel Brennan Luke Henry Brennan City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 33 Carnahan, David From:Annette Ross <port2103@att.net> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 8:03 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Blocks Please count me among the many requesting that the funding of this program be removed from the Consent Calendar.  I  also favor not funding the program at all.  We do not need it.  We have a Utilities Department, a Sustainability Program  headed by Mr. Friend, an OES, and the very effective community program, PAN.  To say that Cool Blocks would be  redundant is an understatement.    Every one in a while we get to see government growing in an unnecessary and obvious way.  This is one of those times. I  cannot understand why our City Manager is promoting this (other than the inference that there’s a personal reason for  that).  Is he saying that our existing programs are not effective?  If so, have steps been taken to either improve existing  programs or retire them altogether?  Is he saying that to be effective we need to spend more money on certain types of  programs?  If yes, doesn't it make more sense to further support that which already exists here rather than add another  expense?  The work done to date via the Cool Blocks experiment can easily be incorporated into PAN.  Let’s stick with  what we have and not add another layer of public spending.     Annette Ross  Amherst Street  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 34 Carnahan, David From:Harshada Bhide <harshada.bhide@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 10:49 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool block initiative Hi,    I am resident of Sheridan avenue, Palo Alto and was a part of cool block initiative in phase one. I found it to be a great  program to bond with neighbors, get ready for facing disasters and improving carbon foot print. I learned a lot from the  meetings and have developed the attitude for better day to day habits to reduce my carbon footprint.  I think this program could benefit more people on similar front.    Thanks and regards,  Harshada.        City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:09 AM 35 Carnahan, David From:Lu <lu.isaacs@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 10:57 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block I support the Cool Block program!!!    Lu Isaacs  335 Kingsley Ave  Palo Alto    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:21 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Sandra Slater <sandra@sandraslater.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 7:42 PM To:Council, City Cc:Keene, James; De Geus, Robert; Gaines, Chantal Subject:Cool Block FACT SHEET Attachments:1-PALO ALTO COOL BLOCK FACT SHEET.pdf Dear City Council Members,    Attached please find a Fact Sheet that further details the history and proposal coming before you on Monday evening on  the Consent Calendar for the Cool Block Beta2 pilot.  I hope it offers some clarification and answers some questions you  may have.     Many thanks and look forward to seeing you on Monday.    Warm wishes,  Sandra    PALO ALTO COOL BLOCK FACT SHEET Who is behind the Cool Block? David Gershon from the Empowerment Institute developed the Cool Block program. Sandra Slater, Program Manager for the Cool Block in Palo Alto, was instrumental in the program refinement, setup and in driving the rollout of the program in Palo Alto. How did the program originate? The program has been iterated over many years as new learnings were uncovered and incorporated. ¥ The program first started with a carbon reduction program based on David Gerson’s bestseller, The Low Carbon Diet. ¥ After 9/11 David Gershon was asked by the City of NY to help drive emergency preparedness as the emergency personnel realized how important it was to have neighbors connected and helping each other. ¥ Gershon realized that for any community program to succeed, you needed to build shared accountability and support in the team. From that understanding, the Cool Block Program was conceived, bringing together community building at the hyper-local block level with emergency preparation and carbon reduction. ¥ After 5 years, Palo Alto resident Sandra Slater brought the program to Palo Alto and received a philanthropic grant to the roll out of the program to 24 blocks in 2016 and 2017 in alpha and beta releases. How much will the program cost Palo Alto and where does the money go? The Cool Block program is asking for $100K to support a beta (Beta2) pilot program in the City to bring an additional 30 blocks into the program. The funds will cover: ¥ Adding updated and Palo Alto specific information to a mobile-friendly website. Not only are all the materials and instructions for the program available online, but the website is also the mechanism for collecting “anonymized” data from City residents which will help us measure the efficacy of the program. The alpha and beta pilots had suboptimal web experience and a new much improved website will be available for the next pilot and iterations will continue. ¥ Ongoing consulting from the Empowerment Institute to ensure successful implementation of the Beta2 program ¥ Program management includes recruitment, training, coaching and outreach delivery by the Program Manager. ¥ Creation and distribution of marketing materials and training materials for the program. How much will the program cost after the Beta2 pilot program? One of the very important things we’ll be determining during the Beta2 pilot program is how much it will cost to support 30 blocks in the program. There was a proposal to Palo Alto in 2012 to support an earlier version of the program called the Cool City Challenge that talked about needing $1M to roll out the program to 350 blocks over 3 years. However, that proposal was not for the current incarnation of the program with the mobile friendly website and did not take into consideration the learnings we gathered from pilots in Palo Alto, San Francisco and Los Angeles that has led to the development of tools and content that are now in place. There will be a complete report to the City after this round and before the next submission for the next round’s proposal, and will use data from the web site to understand the impact and efficacy of the program. The City Council will of course need to approve a budget for each stage of the program. How does the Cool Block program contrast or complement other established volunteer programs in Palo Alto, such as the ESV team or Zero Waste Block Leaders? The Cool Block program helps recruit individuals for other city volunteer programs by providing access to information and resources created by these programs. For example, many Block Preparedness Coordinators are interested in the Cool Block because it provides a framework of support and accountability to get residents to do what they need to do, but never get around to, such as storing emergency water or signing up to get taken off catalog distribution lists. The Cool Block program also provides easy access to links to City information organized by topic, for easy access by residents. The Cool Block will help recruit new leaders to existing initiatives like the Zero Waste program and ESVs. How are you using data to measure the success of the Cool Block? Here is the data set that will be provided to the City of Palo Alto ¥ Number of Cool Blocks participating ¥ Number of participating households ¥ Percentage of households on a block participating ¥ Average carbon footprint reduction per household as calculated and captured in an EPA carbon calculator hosted on the Cool Block site. ¥ Average CO2 reduction per household as calculated by the site based on actions taken by participating households. ¥ Average number of disaster resiliency preparatory actions taken per household ¥ Average number of community program actions taken per household Data will be “anonymized” and reported to the City by block. Use of City programs such as the Energy Efficiency Genie or Zero Waste Party Packs by Cool Blockers can also be tracked outside of the web tool, as well as number of new ESV volunteers who also participated in a Cool Block. Web traffic from Palo Alto Cool Blockers to City Resources linked from the Cool Block website will be tracked and provided to the City. There are a minimum number of Emergency Prep actions that will be required as well as a threshold number of actions in other topics to be completed before a block is considered a “Cool” one. What additional information are you collecting on the program? ¥ We are working with a Stanford researcher to collect pre and post attitudes towards community, preparedness and carbon before and after the program. ¥ We are working with LBL researcher Max Wei to develop a research framework around the carbon reduction strategies. What is different/unique about the Cool Block program versus other community organizing programs? While studying how to recruit participants we realized it necessary to combine programs so that there are multiple entry points on why someone would want to participate. The program taps into intrinsic motivators of safety, making a difference in our world and the healing of the planet, which is why the recruitment rate on a block is extremely high. Unlike single issue programs that motivate a small but committed cohort, the Cool Block takes a systems approach to foster social cohesion (a vital element of a physically and mentally healthy community), to prepare residents for emergencies and to provide residents with habit changes and home investments that will reduce their energy use, after they become aware of the size of their carbon footprint. Most residents are joining a Cool Block team because they’re hungry for social connection to their neighbors beyond the annual block party or social event. Through the program they develop different muscles that allow them to more easily share tools, prepare for emergencies and help vulnerable neighbors. They are now more connected and function as a team rather than disconnected households. The Empowerment Institute has been studying what makes people change their behavior or the last 30 years and has learned that awareness is not enough, we need support and accountability. We can be aware of something and know we need to do it, but that’s not sufficient to get it done. We all know we should be good stewards of the earth, get ready for the earthquake and help each other, but we often put it on the back burner despite our best intentions. That’s what this program does and why it works. How does the Cool Block address Palo Alto’s declining sense of connectedness and community? We know that residents in Palo Alto have a lower sense of community, as captured in the latest National Citizens Survey report. According to the NCS Report, Palo Alto residents have declined in their sense of community, satisfaction with their opportunities to participate in community matters, social events and activities and opportunities to volunteer. They are also declining in their satisfaction with Palo Alto as a place to raise children or to retire. A recent survey from US News and World Report ranked California as #32 in life quality, defined as not only a healthy environment, but also a sense of being socially supported. The Cool Block helps break down barriers between families by bringing them into each others’ homes and breaking bread together while they work together over 4.5 months. How does the Cool Block Program balance its focus between community, emergency prep and carbon? ¥ Two topic meetings focus on emergency preparedness ¥ Two topic meetings focus on energy efficiency and carbon reduction ¥ One topic meeting focuses on water stewardship and water consumption reduction ¥ Three topic meetings focus on increasing engagement on the block and with the City. Can you provide more insight on the results of the Alpha and beta pilot programs in terms of household participation and results? ¥ 175 households in total participated in the two pilots. However, due to difficulties with navigating and understanding the original website, only 95 households reported their results to the City. This problem has been addressed in the new website. ¥ Based on the carbon data calculated and captured in the website, the average reporting household reduced carbon by an estimated 7 metric tons per year. ¥ Each household completed an average of 24 “actions” Here are some testimonials from the Alpha and Beta teams: “The Cool Block program has surpassed my expectations on every level. I was worried that it would be difficult to recruit neighbors, but I had more people eager to join than I could ever have anticipated. And the group that we have formed has supported each other to reduce carbon and energy, shared ideas for water reduction and provided helpful support for disaster preparedness. But more than anything, we’ve built lasting relationships between neighbors who may have never otherwise met each other, allowing long time residents to connect with newcomers to Palo Alto. Our group has already shared expertise about drip irrigation, exchanged homemade bread and borrowed tools- and we are just beginning to tap into the knowledge and skills of the people all around us. Our team- and the many others across Palo Alto- are proving that the most powerful engine of change may indeed reside right here in our neighborhoods.” Victoria Thorp, Cool Block “Beta” Leader The Cool Blocks Program has been an eye opening and life changing program that helped us in numerous facets within our personal life, family life as well as our community as a whole. Firstly most families wanted to figure out how to reduce their carbon footprint and Cool Blocks does a magnificent job of not only helping us understand where our footprint is large but also in helping us through figuring out what steps can be taken to reduce our footprint. In addition to the book, being in a group environment really helped us learn from each other and be able to leverage expertise from other neighbors. Secondly, it also helped us understand how to conserve our resources and use less without sacrificing much. This helped not only me but my kids are now proud conservers whether it is taking shorter showers, using clothes more than once, turning off lights after leaving the room and using fewer dishes etc. Lastly the resiliency is something that not only helped us understand what to do in bad situations but we really ended up using what we learnt while in the program. Our entire block had a power outage followed by a power surge which took out power for over 6 hours and then caused all the neighbors (about 10-12 homes) to lose numerous appliances due to the surge. We were all connected through WhatsApp and email and that really helped us connect with each other so that we were not duplicating work (call PA Utilities for ETA, understand what happened, etc). It also helped us brainstorm on how to handle the situation (talk to our insurance, use a common appliance person to get discounts etc). Overall the outage was not a big disaster but it was a good one to help us realize that planning for it is really important so as to get ready for a big one and this was a good test for us to see how we came together as neighbors. Sanjay Kini Alpha Block Leader “”I was ready to move,” Cecilia tells me. “There was no sense of community here.” I smile, happy I persevered knocking on my neighbors’ doors. Cool Block has changed things in our neighborhood. Not only have we lowered our carbon footprints and prepared our block for any emergency but we actually talk to each other, wave to each other and get together regularly even after the program is over. There was some grumbling when I told them that the Cool Block Pilot required meeting 9 times. There was more of a gasp when they saw the size of the book we’d use to get the hard work done. But that all melted away once we sat down over coffee and sweets for our team-building meeting and we found we actually liked being with each other. What I saw was that people are hungry for community and that’s what the Cool Block offers. But it is so much more. We helped each other go through lowering our carbon footprints as individuals and as a group. And once we learned we’d need each other in an emergency, we prepared our block by stocking food and sharing information about who has a generator, tools, things needed to survive. It’s been a year but we don’t want to stop. We meet once a month for Happy Hour, we have a Cool Block Book Club and we are more involved in the City of Palo Alto. We come to City Council Meetings and other political gatherings as a group. The benefits have been far more than we ever expected. This is a program I believe in so I continue my participation as a Coach for the next pilot phase, the Betas. And my neighbors keep thanking me for taking that first step to bring them together. I’m happy I persevered and knocked on that first door.” Lorrie Castellano, Alpha Cool Block Leader/Beta Coach “[The Cool Block is] a chance to get to know some neighbors better and to discover some things we can do to build a greener and more inclusive world; and a chance to participate in actions whose underlying principles we already affirm. I especially respect and value the persistence and efforts of our block leader, and it has been a treat to get to know some of our neighbors a little bit better.” At our recent neighborhood potluck get together hosted by John & Lynn, several of us expressed concern about the potential fire hazard posed by the accumulated overgrown and dry grass in the front yard of the property at XXX El Cajon Way, owned/occupied by XXXX. Knowing that Priscilla White at the adjoining property shares our concern, I discussed the issue with Priscilla's grandson, Andrew, who took upon himself to go and talk to Mr. XXX and offer to cut the tall/dead overgrowth that cover their front yard. Mr. XXX accepted the offer and Andrew immediately got to work and cleaned up the yard (see photo below). Although we still do not have a permanent solution to this reoccurring problem, thanks to Andrew, we have temporarily eliminated the potential fire hazard due to accumulation of dead weeds. Edouard LaFarge Triple E Cool Block “Sandra Slater reached out to me to lead my block in the Cool Block program. My first task was to walk my block, ring doorbells, and ask my neighbors to come to an informational meeting at my house. Many of my neighbors I had never met before! Now as my Team Holly Oak Cool Block ends our 4.5-month journey I have changed my perspective on living in Palo Alto considerably. I feel more a part of the community through participating in various endeavors to reduce our carbon footprint, get organized for disaster and work together in a way that makes me feel very connected to my neighbors and my city. Many of us have reduced our carbon footprint by 25%, saving the city energy costs, have put together our emergency preparedness kits in our homes and cars, ensuring a better recovery for the city from disaster, and participated in city- wide activities together like the Earth Day celebration last weekend. The social capital we have built together makes me feel great. I know my neighbors, call them by name, and truly now feel comfortable borrowing the eponymous ‘cup of sugar’” Monica Stone Beta Cool Block Leader "Thanks so much for giving me all the support! I am glad I got the opportunity to be a part of the Cool Block program. I am a bit outside of my comfort zone, but I really feel that I am growing personally. It’s rewarding in many ways.” Linda Oldenbo, Beta Block Leader “Get to know your neighbors while learning ways to lower your carbon footprint, save water, prepare for emergencies and make your neighborhood a friendlier, more resilient place in which to live....what a deal!” Annette Isaacson, Alpha Block Leader and Beta Coach “A wonderful, fun way to get to know your neighbors, begin building community AND save the planet!” Julan Chu Alpha Block Leader and Beta Coach “I've gotten connected to an untapped resource for renewable joy, stress reduction, and unlimited potential...my neighbors! Specifically, my neighbors who shared the Cool Block Program with me while we learned about saving resources for the sake of our children, dreamed about optimizing our block, and acted on making our future one we know we can make more hopeful together. It's an intangible yet keystone asset that makes my neighborhood a place made alive with active and caring connections.” Joyce Martha Alpha Block Leader and Beta Coach “I enjoy getting to know neighbors more and sharing and collaborating with them on common causes!” “I am much more aware of the impact on the environment of my lifestyle choices.” “I love getting to know my neighbors. I have daily conversations with people I would have just passed by before Cool Block.” “I was motivated to participate because I was curious about the program. I have learned how to reduce my carbon footprint, and continue to learn on how to make our community and household greener, for the long haul.” “My group has grown by members inviting more neighbors to join, which is a measure of the group’s importance to them.” I really like the concept. Anything that brings neighbors closer together is wonderful. I feel isolation is a huge issue in our society today and this program could make people feel less isolated. My major reason for participating was to get to know my neighbors better. I now know a number of my neighbors better than I did. I feel I could count on them if need be. I am more aware of my wastefulness regarding resources and have made some permanent changes in this regard. I am working on my emergency preparedness and will continue this after the program is over. So I deem my participation a success! Thank you for all your efforts on behalf of making the world a better place to live one block at a time. Camille Tripp Ortega Court I really enjoyed spending time with my neighbors, getting to know them better while having interesting discussions, and having the opportunity to visit several homes. It is sad that we have all been here so long and barely know each other. Thank you for organizing the group and letting us be a part of the experience. I hope the group continues getting together once in a while with discussions on important topics to all of us. Michelle Rosengaus This coolblock experience has been excellent. Christy Junkerman I am so happy and thankful that I got this chance be a Beta Cool Block Leader. To me personally, it was a perfect opportunity. We came from Sweden about 1.5 years ago and I'm learning about my new place, about the City and the neighborhood where we live. I am a Landscape Architect and I have been interested in environmental issues for many years. This was a great chance for me to actually get involved with something I believe in. From the start, there was a very positive response from the neighbors. A lot of people showed up for the first meeting and we could form a team of ten neighbors. The neighborhood is a HOA that previously had a living and connected community, but it got lost because of a generation shift. Today the population is a mix of younger families, often new in the Country, and older neighbors. Many wanted to connect to their neighbors and learn about their new place. Now that we have worked us through the program's topics, I can say it was great fun but also a challenge in some ways. It was a challenge to take a leadership role in the neighborhood. I was a challenge to keep up the commitment of all neighbors throughout the program. It was hard for people to have time to make all changes. The Cool Block program is a voluminous program and with a content that is rather complex. We have different backgrounds, different ages and family situations. We have different levels of knowledge about environmental issues and different motivation to make changes in the everyday life. I think we need to acknowledge the process nature of this and that it takes time. Despite all the challenges, I would like to say that the Cool Block Program has been a GREAT opportunity for our neighborhood. We have created a net of social connections and we have several projects in progress together; to develop the landscape to reduce irrigation and to introduce more native plants, to create meeting places and a playground, to work with disaster preparedness, to improve communication to share knowledge between neighbors. I would like to see the Cool Block spread to as many blocks as possible! Especially because it gets neighbors together; it works as a unifying mechanism that is most often lacking in urban areas. I think it is valuable to keep it as politically neutral and inclusive as possible. I would recommend simplifying and reducing complexity of the program to make it easier to succeed with the commitments. It is a unique opportunity for development and change for individuals, neighborhoods which in the long term can make a real difference in the bigger perspective. Linda Oldenbo Beta Block Leader It's very hard to choose the best outcome! Everyone learned a lot, not only about the program, but also about each other. We made decisions together about implementing changes in our households. (Some were hard, some easy). Perhaps the best outcome is that we found out how much we like working together, being together, how much we like our block and value living here. We have decided to continue as a group. Next month we’re having a “Party in the Park” and inviting the neighborhood group adjacent to us. In the Fall, we're going to meet once a month to continue our emergency prep efforts. Thanks so much for bringing us together with the CoolBlock program! And a special thanks to you, Annette, for being such a wonderful, helpful coach. Sharon Elliot Just wanted to share a fun story. Something that never would have happened if this program didn't exist. After the meeting with Wendy from Palo Alto Zero Waste where I learned how to separate my trash, I simply don't have much garbage anymore. So...I just called the City of Palo Alto and replaced my 32 gallon can with a 20 gallon garbage can. They're delivering the new can next week and I'm saving $20/month. As reported by Annette Isaacson Post Program Comment: "I participated in the Beta Cool Block as a block leader from January to May of 2017. The benefits to me and the group were many and I City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:25 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Gail Personal <gail.price3@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 12:57 PM To:Council, City Subject:Strongly support Consent item #10 : Approval of contract with Empowerment Institute for the Cool Block Program Dear Mayor  Kniss and Palo Alto City Council members,     As a new Cool Block Leader and long proponent of community engagement and sustainability, I strongly support  approval of Consent item # 10 regarding the contract approval for  the Cool Block program. As the staff report clearly  states, this program serves many purposes and directly addresses several goals and policies, including our Sustainability  and Climate Action Plan and several important Comprehensive Plan themes: building community, keeping Palo Alto  prepared, and responsive governance and local and regional leadership.     The Cool Block program proves a clear and comprehensive approach to education and action. I find that working with  my neighbors and friends rewarding. We are collectively doing something meaningful to help our households and  improve many connections on our Block. We are making a difference by adopting actions that will improve our  emergency preparedness, stewardship of energy and water, and reducing our carbon footprint. We model the value of  education and resource awareness.    It leverages resources by enhancing our awareness of city programs, non profits and other critical groups such as PAN  and CERT. Cool Block supports and addresses a broader scope. All groups truly help each other. I think Cool Block  increases awareness throughout the community and makes us stronger and more resilient. It is a serious and important  program. Cool Block reminds neighbors of rebates and programs that are available. It enhances marketing of these  resources.    The Cool Block model of shared leadership is valuable and encourages all neighbors to feel empowered to make a  difference. The program metrics and findings can be widely shared. It provides an opportunity for the City and  community to demonstrate that we are an action oriented community devoted to environmental goals, sustainability,  and education and engagement of all community members of all ages and circumstances. We will be an example of the  values we espouse.     Support the fine and inspiring work already underway!   Thank you.    Sincerely,  Gail Price  4082 Orme Street  Palo Alto          Sent from my iPad  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:25 PM 2 Carnahan, David From:Verna G <vgpaca@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 3:16 PM To:Council, City Subject:COOL BLOCK Dear City Council and others, Last year (2017) we participated in a Beta trial of the Cool Block program. The experience was terrific.  We've upgraded our household lighting to LED lights.  We've upgraded our VIAL of LIFE info and shared family contact info with neighbors.  We've cut back on shower time.  We've gathered our evacuation supplies into a handy place for expeditious evacuation.  We have significant appliances on power strips that cut off the electricity use when not in service.  We've cut back our outdoor watering and try to re-use clean-ish cooking water for some plants.  We've become religious about recycling to the various waste avenues provided by the city.  We doubled the percentage of block neighbors with whom we now have a "can I borrow an egg" relationship.  We've gotten closer to neighbors who might need assistance in an emergency and helped make sure that everyone is being helped by a close neighbor.  We strongly support the continuance of this program throughout the City of Palo Alto.  (Especially if the news is real about how "the book" has been significantly reviewed and cleaned up by an editor. -- likewise, the website.) Regards, Douglas and Verna Graham 984 Ilima Way Palo Alto, CA 94306 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:25 PM 3 Carnahan, David From:Wayne Martin <wmartin46@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 3:25 PM To:Council, City Subject:NO Support for Cool Block Program Elected Council Members: I find the idea of this Cool Block Program offensive and request that it not only be deleted from the Mar. 5 Consent Calendar, but dropped from any future consideration by the Council. The goal of the City is not to "save the planet", but to ensure that there is adequate public safety, and fix the potholes in the streets. Why can't the City just attend to its legitimate activities? Wayne Martin Palo Alto, CA City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:55 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Suzanne Keehn <dskeehn@pacbell.net> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 4:47 PM To:Council, City Subject:Cool Block Program To the Palo Alto City Council I'm asking for this program be pulled off the consent calendar and be schedule it for a regular public hearing, so that that we, residents will be able to voice our concerns. There is a total conflict with our own Emergency Preparation very competent volunteer team which has been working for years to make our city safe and prepared. The plans that Cool Block proposes is totally redundant to say the least. Plus it will be backed by city money to the tune of $100.000, one hundred thousand dollars????? Where is the transparency here? Plus our city manager's name is listed on the Cool Block website, IS this not a conflict of interest? Please take the right and transparent action and pull this from the Consent Calendar. Thank You, Suzanne Keehn 4076 Orme St. 94306 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 5:22 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Rita Vrhel <ritavrhel@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 5:09 PM To:Council, City Subject:letter again Cool Blocks funding Attachments:Cool Blocks 3-5.doc Please see attached; thank you Rita C. Vrhel, RN, BSN, CCM Medical Case Management Phone: 650-325-2298 Fax: 650-326-9451 I do not see the necessity of this Proposal for a Community Engagement Block Program. It is a duplication of many existing City Programs and provides no added benefit. It fact, I believe it has the potential to diminish several well established and accepted cost- effective City programs like the Home Genie Energy Efficiency Program and the Emergency Preparedness Program. The request for $ 100,000.00 is only the start of additional funds being spent on program duplication at a time when Palo Alto is facing budgetary issues, including a growing unfunded pension balloon. Next year will see a request for more money. I was also struck by the lack of any concrete data in this Proposal. I was fascinated by the tremendous savings noted but dismayed by the lack of factual examples. I would like to see made public: 1. The cost per participant? 2. What constituted the average 32% reduction per household in CO2? 3. What were the actual 26 program actions per participant? All this useful data is MISSING from this Proposal. I ask the Proposal be pulled and additional factual information provided. Only then the public can decide the merits of this request. Publicizing the existing Energy Reduction and Emergency Preparedness Programs the City already has in place seem more cost effective. Also, I remember speaking several months ago for implementation of an anti-idling Ordinance. Yesterday, after seeing a man leave his car running, walk over to Eleanor Pardee Park and take pictures of his child playing, I wonder the status of the anti-idling Ordinance, which should be implemented. Thank you. DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469·A6E5-8CBC17FE372C CITY OF PALO AL TO CONTRACT NO. ClSl 70224 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND GLOBAL ACTION PLAN FOR EARTH, INC. FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES This Agreement is entered into on this 5th day of March, 2018, ("Agreement") by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO, a California chartered municipal corporation ("CITY"), and GLOBAL ACTION PLAN FOR EARTH, INC., doing business as "the Empowerment Institute," a New York corporation, located at 1649 State Route 28A, West Hurley, New York, 12491 ("CONSULTANT"). RECITALS The following recitals are a substantive portion of this Agreement. A. CITY intends to develop a community engagement block program ("Project") and desires to engage a consultant to provide services in connection with the Project ("Services"). B. CONSULTANT has represented that it has the necessary professional expertise, qualifications, and capability, and all required licenses and/or certifications to provide the Services. C. CITY in reliance on these representations desires to engage CONSULT ANT to provide the Services as more fully described in Exhibit "A", attached to and made a part of this Agreement NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the recitals, covenants, terms, and conditions, in this Agreement, the parties agree: AGREEMENT SECTION 1. SCOPE OF SERVICES. CONSULTANT shall perform the Services described at Exhibit "A" in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement. The performance of all Services shall be to the reasonable satisfaction of CITY. SECTION 2. TERM. The term of this Agreement shall be from the date of its full execution through March 4, 2022 unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement. SECTION 3. SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCE. Time is of the essence in the performance of Services under this Agreement. CONSULT ANT shall complete the Services within the term of this Agreement and in accordance with the schedule set forth in Exhibit "B'', attached to and made a part of this Agreement. Any Services for which times for performance are not specified in this Agreement shall be commenced and completed by CONSULTANT in a reasonably prompt and timely manner based upon the circumstances and direction communicated to the CONSULTANT. CITY's agreement to extend the term or the schedule for performance shall not preclude recovery of damages for delay if the extension is required due to the fault of CONSULTANT. DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469-A6E5-8CBC 17FE372C SECTION 4. NOT TO EXCEED COMPENSATION. The compensation to be paid to CONSULTANT for performance of the Services described in Exhibit "A" ("Basic Services"), and reimbursable expenses, shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) for the period from the date of contract execution through February 28, 2019 or the completion of Phase I, whichever is later. CONSULT ANT agrees to complete all Basic Services, including reimbursable expenses, within this amount. The applicable rates and schedule of payment are set out at Exhibit "C-1", entitled "SCHEDULE OF RATES," which is attached to and made a part of this Agreement. Any work performed or expenses incurred for which payment would result in a total exceeding the maximum amount of compensation set forth herein shall be at no cost to the CITY. Additional Services, if any, shall be authorized in accordance with and subject to the provisions of Exhibit "C". CONSULT ANT shall not receive any compensation for Additional Services performed without the prior written authorization of CITY. Additional Services shall mean any work that is determined by CITY to be necessary for the proper completion of the Project, but which is not included within the Scope of Services described at Exhibit "A". SECTION 5. INVOICES. In order to request payment, CONSULTANT shall submit monthly invoices to the CITY describing the services performed and the applicable charges (including an identification of personnel who performed the services, hours worked, hourly rates, and reimbursable expenses), based upon the CONSULTANT's billing rates (set forth in Exhibit "C- l"). If applicable, the invoice shall also describe the percentage of completion of each task. The information in CONSULTANT's payment requests shall be subject to verification by CITY. CONSULTANT shall send all invoices to the City's project manager at the address specified in Section 13 below. The City will generally process and pay invoices within thirty (30) days of receipt. SECTION 6. QUALIFICATIONS/STANDARD OF CARE. All of the Services shall be performed by CONSULTANT or under CONSULTANT's supervision. CONSULTANT represents that it possesses the professional and technical personnel necessary to perform the Services required by this Agreement and that the personnel have sufficient skill and experience to perform the Services assigned to them. CONSULT ANT represents that it, its employees and subconsultants, if permitted, have and shall maintain during the term of this Agreement all licenses, permits, qualifications, insurance and approvals of whatever nature that are legally required to perform the Services. All of the services to be furnished by CONSULT ANT under this agreement shall meet the professional standard and quality that prevail among professionals in the same discipline and of similar knowledge and skill engaged in related work throughout California under the same or similar circumstances. SECTION 7. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. CONSUL TANT shall keep itself informed of and in compliance with all federal, state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and orders that may affect in any manner the Project or the performance of the Services or those engaged to perform Services under this Agreement. CONSULTANT shall procure all permits and licenses, pay all charges and fees, and give all notices required by law in the performance of the Services. 2 Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469-A6E5-BCBC17FE372C SECTION 8. ERRORS/OMISSIONS. CONSULTANT is solely responsible for costs, including, but not limited to, increases in the cost of Services, arising from or caused by CONSULTANT's errors and omissions, including, but not limited to, the costs of corrections such errors and omissions, any change order markup costs, or costs arising from delay caused by the errors and omissions or unreasonable delay in correcting the errors and omissions. SECTION 9. COST ESTIMATES. If this Agreement pertains to the design of a public works project, CONSULTANT shall submit estimates of probable construction costs at each phase of design submittal. If the total estimated construction cost at any submittal exceeds ten percent (10%) of CITY's stated construction budget, CONSULTANT shall make recommendations to CITY for aligning the PROJECT design with the budget, incorporate CITY approved recommendations, and revise the design to meet the Project budget, at no additional cost to CITY. SECTION 10. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. It is understood and agreed that in performing the Services under this Agreement CONSULT ANT, and any person employed by or contracted with CONSULT ANT to furnish labor and/or materials under this Agreement, shall act as and be an independent contractor and not an agent or employee of CITY. SECTION 11. ASSIGNMENT. The parties agree that the expertise and experience of CONSULTANT are material considerations for this Agreement. CONSULTANT shall not assign or transfer any interest in this Agreement nor the performance of any of CONSULTANT's obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the city manager. Consent to one assignment will not be deemed to be consent to any subsequent assignment. Any assignment made without the approval of the city manager will be void. SECTION 12. SUBCONTRACTING. CONSULTANT shall not subcontract any portion of the work to be performed under this Agreement without the prior written authorization of the city manager or designee. CONSULTANT shall be responsible for directing the work of any subconsultants and for any compensation due to subconsultants. CITY assumes no responsibility whatsoever concerning compensation. CONSULT ANT shall be fully responsible to CITY for all acts and omissions of a subconsultant. CONSULTANT shall change or add subconsultants only with the prior approval of the city manager or his designee. SECTION 13. PROJECT MANAGEMENT. CONSULTANT will assign Sandra Slater to have supervisory responsibility for the performance, progress, and execution of the Services and to represent CONSULTANT during the day-to-day work on the Project. If circumstances cause the substitution of the project director, project coordinator, or any other key personnel for any reason, the appointment of a substitute project director and the assignment of any key new or replacement personnel will be subject to the prior written approval of the CITY's project manager. CONSULTANT, at CITY's request, shall promptly remove personnel who CITY finds do not perform the Services in an acceptable manner, are uncooperative, or present a threat to the adequate or timely completion of the Project or a threat to the safety of persons or property. ) Pmressional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSlgn Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469-A6E5-8CBC17FE372C CITY's project manager is Robert De Geus, City Manager's Office, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94303, Telephone:650 463-4951. The project manager will be CONSULTANT's point of contact with respect to performance, progress and execution of the Services. CITY may designate an alternate project manager from time to time. SECTION 14. OWNERSHIP OF MATERIALS. Upon delivery, all work product, including without ]imitation, all writings, drawings, plans, reports, specifications, calculations, documents, other materials and copyright interests developed under this Agreement shaJl be and remain the exclusive property of CITY without restriction or limitation upon their use. CONSULT ANT agrees that all copyrights which arise from creation of the work pursuant to this Agreement shall be vested in CITY, and CONSULTANT waives and relinquishes all claims to copyright or other intellectual property rights in favor of the CITY. Neither CONSULT ANT nor its contractors, if any, shall make any of such materials available to any individual or organization without the prior written approval of the City Manager or designee. CONSULT ANT makes no representation of the suitability of the work product for use in or application to circumstances not contemplated by the scope of work. SECTION 15. AUDITS. CONSULTANT will permit CITY to audit, at any reasonable time during the term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, CONSULTANT's records pertaining to matters covered by this Agreement. CONSULT ANT further agrees to maintain and retain such records for at least three (3) years after the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement. SECTION 16. INDEMNITY. 16.1. To the fullest extent permitted by law, CONSULTANT shall protect, indemnify, defend and hold harmless CITY, its Council members, officers, employees and agents (each an "Indemnified Party") from and against any and all demands, claims, or liability of any nature, including death or injury to any person, property damage or any other loss, including all costs and expenses of whatever nature including attorneys fees, experts fees, court costs and disbursements ("Claims") resulting from, arising out of or in any manner related to performance or nonperformance by CONSULTANT, its officers, employees, agents or contractors under this Agreement, regardless of whether or not it is caused in part by an Indemnified Party. 16.2. Notwithstanding the above, nothing in this Section 16 shall be construed to require CONSULT ANT to indemnify an Indemnified Party from Claims arising from the active negligence, sole negligence or willful misconduct of an Indemnified Party. 16.3. The acceptance of CONSULTANT's services and duties by CITY shall not operate as a waiver of the right of indemnification. The provisions of this Section 16 shall survive the expiration or early tennination of this Agreement. SECTION 17. WAIVERS. The waiver by either party of any breach or violation of any covenant, term, condition or provision of this Agreement, or of the provisions of any ordinance or law, will not be deemed to be a waiver of any other term, covenant, condition, provisions, ordinance or Jaw, or of any subsequent breach or violation of the same or of any other term, 4 Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469-A6E5-8CBC17FE372C covenant, condition, provision, ordinance or law. SECTION 18. INSURANCE. 18.1. CONSULTANT, at its sole cost and expense, shall obtain and maintain, in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement, the insurance coverage described in Exhibit "D". CONSULTANT and its contractors, if any, shall obtain a policy endorsement naming CITY as an additional insured under any general liability or automobile policy or policies. 18.2. All insurance coverage required hereunder shall be provided through carriers with AM Best's Key Rating Guide ratings of A-:VII or higher which are licensed or authorized to transact insurance business in the State of California. Any and all contractors of CONSULTANT retained to perform Services under this Agreement will obtain and maintain, in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement, identical insurance coverage, naming CITY as an additional insured under such policies as required above. 18.3. Certificates evidencing such insurance shall be filed with CITY concurrently with the execution of this Agreement. The certificates will be subject to the approval of CITY's Risk Manager and will contain an endorsement stating that the insurance is primary coverage and will not be canceled, or materially reduced in coverage or limits, by the insurer except after filing with the Purchasing Manager thirty (30) days' prior written notice of the cancellation or modification. If the insurer cancels or modifies the insurance and provides less than thirty (30) days' notice to CONSULTANT, CONSULTANT shall provide the Purchasing Manager written notice of the cancellation or modification within two (2) business days of the CONSULT ANT's receipt of such notice. CONSUL TANT shall be responsible for ensuring that current certificates evidencing the insurance are provided to CITY's Chief Procurement Officer during the entire term of this Agreement. 18.4. The procuring of such required policy or policies of insurance will not be construed to limit CONSULT ANT's liability hereunder nor to fulfill the indemnification provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the policy or policies of insurance, CONSULTANT will be obligated for the full and total amount of any damage, injury, or loss caused by or directly arising as a result of the Services performed under this Agreement, including such damage, injury, or loss arising after the Agreement is terminated or the term has expired. SECTION 19. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF AGREEMENT OR SERVICES. 19.1. The City Manager may suspend the performance of the Services, in whole or in part, or terminate this Agreement, with or without cause, by giving ten (10) days prior written notice thereof to CONSULTANT. Upon receipt of such notice, CONSULTANT will immediately discontinue its performance of the Services. 19.2. CONSULTANT may terminate this Agreement or suspend its performance of the Services by giving thirty (30) days prior written notice thereof to CITY, but only in the event of a substantial failure of performance by CITY. s Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469-A6E5-8CBC17FE372C 19.3. Upon such suspension or termination, CONSULTANT shall deliver to the City Manager immediately any and all copies of studies, sketches, drawings, computations, and other data, whether or not completed, prepared by CONSULT ANT or its contractors, if any, or given to CONSULTANT or its contractors, if any, in connection with this Agreement. Such materials will become the property of CITY. 19.4. Upon such suspension or termination by CITY, CONSULTANT will be paid for the Services rendered or materials delivered to CITY in accordance with the scope of services on or before the effective date (i.e., IO days after giving notice) of suspension or termination; provided, however, if this Agreement is suspended or terminated on account of a default by CONSULT ANT, CITY will be obligated to compensate CONSUL TANT only for that portion of CONSULT ANT' s services which are of direct and immediate benefit to CITY as such determination may be made by the City Manager acting in the reasonable exercise of his/her discretion. The following Sections will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement: 14, 15, 16, 19.4, 20, and 25. 19.5. No payment, partial payment, acceptance, or partial acceptance by CITY will operate as a waiver on the part of CITY of any of its rights under this Agreement. SECTION 20. NOTICES. All notices hereunder will be given in writing and mailed, postage prepaid, by certified mail, addressed as follows: To CITY: Office of the City Clerk City of Palo Alto Post Office Box 10250 Palo Alto, CA 94303 With a copy to the Purchasing Manager To CONSULTANT: Attention of the project director at the address of CONSULT ANT recited above SECTION 21. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. 21.1. In accepting this Agreement, CONSULTANT covenants that it presently has no interest, and will not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, fmancial or otherwise, which would conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of the Services. 21.2. CONSULTANT further covenants that, in the performance of this Agreement, it will not employ subconsultants, contractors or persons having such an interest. CONSULTANT certifies that no person who has or will have any financial interest under this Agreement is an officer or employee of CITY; this provision will be interpreted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Palo Alto Municipal Code and the Government Code of the State of California. 6 Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469·A6E5·8CBC17FE372C 21.3. If the Project Manager determines that CONSULTANT is a "Consultant" as that term is defined by the Regulations of the Fair Political Practices Commission, CONSULT ANT shall be required and agrees to file the appropriate financial disclosure documents required by the Palo Alto Municipal Code and the Political Reform Act. SECTION 22. NONDISCRIMINATION. As set forth in Palo Alto Municipal Code section 2.30.510, CONSULTANT certifies that in the performance of this Agreement, it shall not discriminate in the employment of any person because of the race, skin color, gender, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, housing status, marital status, familial status, weight or height of such person. CONSULTANT acknowledges that it has read and understands the provisions of Section 2.30.510 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code relating to Nondiscrimination Requirements and the penalties for violation thereof, and agrees to meet all requirements of Section 2.30.510 pertaining to nondiscrimination in employment. SECTION 23. ENVIRONMENT ALLY PREFERRED PURCHASING AND ZERO WASTE REQUIREMENTS. CONSULTANT shall comply with the CITY's Environmentally Preferred Purchasing policies which are available at CITY's Purchasing Department, incorporated by reference and may be amended from time to time. CONSULTANT shall comply with waste reduction, reuse, recycling and disposal requirements of CITY's Zero Waste Program. Zero Waste best practices include first minimizing and reducing waste; second, reusing waste and third, recycling or composting waste. In particular, CONSULTANT shall comply with the following zero waste requirements: (a) All printed materials provided by CONSULTANT to CITY generated from a personal computer and printer including but not limited to, proposals, quotes, invoices, reports, and public education materials, shall be double-sided and printed on a minimum of 30% or greater post-consumer content paper, unless otherwise approved by CITY's Project Manager. Any submitted materials printed by a professional printing company shall be a minimum of 30% or greater post- consumer material and printed with vegetable based inks. (b) Goods purchased by CONSULTANT on behalf of CITY shall be purchased in accordance with CITY's Environmental Purchasing Policy including but not limited to Extended Producer Responsibility requirements for products and packaging. A copy of this policy is on file at the Purchasing Division's office. (c) Reusable/returnable pallets shall be taken back by CONSULTANT, at no additional cost to CITY, for reuse or recycling. CONSULT ANT shall provide documentation from the facility accepting the pallets to verify that pallets are not being disposed. SECTION 24. COMPLIANCE WITH PALO ALTO MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE. CONSULTANT shall comply with all requirements of the Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 4.62 (Citywide Minimum Wage), as it may be amended from time to time. In particular, for any employee otherwise entitled to the State minimum wage, who performs at least two (2) hours of work in a calendar week within the geographic boundaries of the City, CONSULTANT shall pay such employees no less than the minimum wage set forth in Palo Alto Municipal Code section 4.62.030 for each hour worked within the geographic boundaries of the City of Palo Alto. In addition, CONSULTANT shall post notices regarding the Palo Alto Minimum Wage Ordinance 7 Proressional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4B00-5DFE-4469-A6E5-8CBC17FE372C in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code section 4.62.060. SECTION 25. NON-APPROPRIATION 25.1. This Agreement is subject to the fiscal provisions of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Municipal Code. This Agreement will terminate without any penalty (a) at the end of any fiscal year in the event that funds are not appropriated for the following fiscal year, or {b) at any time within a fiscal year in the event that funds are only appropriated for a portion of the fiscal year and funds for this Agreement are no longer available. This section shall take precedence in the event of a conflict with any other covenant, term, condition, or provision of this Agreement. SECTION 26. PREVAILING WAGES AND DIR REGISTRATION FOR PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTS 26.l This Project is not subject to prevailing wages. CONSULTANT is not required to pay prevailing wages in the performance and implementation of the Project in accordance with SB 7 if the contract is not a public works contract, if the contract does not include a public works construction project of more than $25,000, or the contract does not include a public works alteration, demolition, repair, or maintenance (collectively, 'improvement') project of more than $15,000. SECTION 27. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. 27 .1. This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California. 27 .2. In the event that an action is brought, the parties agree that trial of such action will be vested exclusively in the state courts of California in the County of Santa Clara, State of California. 27.3. The prevailing party in any action brought to enforce the provisions of this Agreement may recover its reasonable costs and attorneys' fees expended in connection with that action. The prevailing party shall be entitled to recover an amount equal to the fair market value of legal services provided by attorneys employed by it as well as any attorneys' fees paid to third parties. 27.4. This document represents the entire and integrated agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, and contracts, either written or oral. This document may be amended only by a written instrument, which is signed by the parties. 27.5. The covenants, terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement will apply to, and will bind, the heirs, successors, executors, administrators, assignees, and consultants of the parties. 27 .6. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds or rules that any provision of this Agreement or any amendment thereto is void or unenforceable, the unaffected provisions of this Agreement and any amendments thereto will remain in full force and effect. 8 Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 DocuSign Envelope ID: FE4F4BOD-5DFE-4469·A6E5·8CBC17FE372C 27.7. All exhibits referred to in this Agreement and any addenda, appendices, attachments, and schedules to this Agreement which, from time to time, may be referred to in any duly executed amendment hereto are by such reference incorporated in this Agreement and will be deemed to be a part of this Agreement. 27.8 In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the exhibits hereto or CONSULTANT's proposal (if any), the Agreement shall control. In the case of any conflict between the exhibits hereto and CONSULTANT's proposal, the exhibits shall control. 27.9 If, pursuant to this contract with CONSULTANT, CITY shares with CONSULTANT personal information as defined in California Civil Code section l 798.8 l.5(d) about a California resident ("Personal Information"), CONSULT ANT shall maintain reasonable and appropriate security procedures to protect that Personal Information, and shall inform City immediately upon learning that there has been a breach in the security of the system or in the security of the Personal Information. CONSULT ANT shall not use Personal Information for direct marketing purposes without City's express written consent. 27 .10 All unchecked boxes do not apply to this agreement. 27.11 The individuals executing this Agreement represent and warrant that they have the legal capacity and authority to do so on behalf of their respective legal entities. 27.12 This Agreement may be signed in multiple counterparts, which shall, when executed by all the parties, constitute a single binding agreement 9 Professional Services Rev. April 27, 2016 ,.; DocuSign Envelope ID: C690DAOF-99EC-44B0-84E2-FD5D5C255804 AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO CONTRACT NO. C14152025 BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND SP PLUS CORPORATION This Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. C14152025 ("Contract") is entered into March 5, 2018, by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO, a California chartered municipal corporation ("CITY"), and SP PLUS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation ("CONSUL TANT"). RECITALS A. The Contract was entered into between the parties for the provision of the operation of a Parking Attendant Program at the Lot R Parking Garage on High Street between University Avenue and Hamilton Avenue. B. The CITY intends to extend the term to December 31, 2018 from March 2, 2018. C. The parties wish to amend the Contract. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, terms, conditions, and provisions of this Amendment, the parties agree: SECTION 1. Section 2 TERM, is hereby amended to read as follows: "SECTION 2. TERM. The term of this Agreement shall be from March 3, 2014 through December 31, 2018, unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement." SECTION 2. Except as herein modified, all other provisions of the Contract, including any exhibits and subsequent amendments thereto, shall remain in full force and effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have by their duly authorized representatives executed this Amendment on the date first above written. CITY OF PALO ALTO SP PLUS CORPORATION (\ DocuSlgned by: ~::9~1~~~ victor Alistar VP APPROVED AS TO FORM: [F='µ:_ 8A8FC5471C80484 ... Jason Johnston senior vice President 1 of I Revision April 28, 2014 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:49 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Angela Dellaporta <asdellaporta@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 9:22 AM To:Council, City Subject:Neighborhood representation on the NVCAP Working Group Dear City Council Members, As a resident of the Ventura neighborhood, I am keenly aware of the development taking place all around us, and especially of the upcoming development of the Fry's site. We are all very pleased that we will have representation on the NVCAP Working Group (in fact, we are already in the process of soliciting our neighbors' ideas and opinions regarding the development) and are looking forward to collaborating with the owners and the city staff on this project. Because the Ventura neighborhood is most affected by these new housing developments, and because we are lucky to have a very diverse neighborhood, we are hoping that we will have strong representation on the Working Group. It seems reasonable to hope that Ventura residents will comprise one third of the Working Group members (with approximately one third representation from the city and one third from the owners). Since the professionals come with power and influence that we citizens do not have, we urge you to increase the representation of the Ventura neighborhood residents on the Working Group. Thank you, Angela Dellaporta City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:52 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Rebecca Sanders <rebsanders@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 10:17 AM To:Council, City Subject:NVCAP on Tonight's Agenda Dear Mayor Kniss and Council Members, Members of the Ventura Neighborhood Association are excited to play a part in the NVCAP working group. At our monthly VNA meeting yesterday, we discussed the staff report on tonight's agenda. We concluded that we will be inadequately represented by the current structure of the working group. Therefore, we voted to ask for more representation, ideally half the spots, as opposed to the current proposal of less than one-fourth. Specifically, 3 seats is an inadequate number of Venturan residents when compared to: 3 residents “with expertise in urban design, housing development, environmental planning, transportation, or land economics” 2 Property Owners 2 Business Owners Why do we ask for your help in securing a stronger presence on the working group? 1. The property and business owners come to the table with more power than just their votes as they can simply refuse to rebuild to new standards. The residents don't have an equivalent power, so we need more representation. 2. Having fewer than 1/4 of the group be residents already has created neighborhood skepticism of the process. The city needs wide acceptance of the proposal by neighbors or will face stiff opposition. We want to resist flipping the bog-down switches of lawsuits or referenda. To be honest, Venturans don't have any money for such luxuries anyway, but if we make sure Ventura is adequately repped we unnecessary complications. Other neighborhoods are watching how the City treats us. 3. Ventura will be the most impacted neighborhood and therefore should have more representation. 4. Venturans LOVE our mix of folks. We are the most diverse neighborhood and we want to make sure that as much as possible the values of the working group mirror those values. That’s a none-starter for us. 5. Many of us are eager to serve. In the neighborhood association alone there are at least five members I know of who want to apply. And there are several others Venturans who don't attend VNA regularly that I know of who want to apply. Let’s encourage civic participation by making more room at the table for residents. 6. A diversity of voices and ideas from the residents will result in even more great ideas and brainstorming. We live here; we know our neighbors. We are the boots on the ground. We are the Ventura experts. 7. We are already on the case! A dedicated member of the Ventura Neighborhood Association, with input from her team, has put together an educational slide deck and is launching house parties this month in the neighborhood to help neighbors understand NVCAP, educate them on parameters and then gather feedback -- not anecdotal, but real data that we can bring to the city. We are already deeply committed. 8. Depending on which commissioners are appointed to the working group, there could be an implicit bias in favor of a certain point of view. Having more Venturans will provide a check to any imbalance in the view points of the other members. It will effectively insure democratization of the process. As you can see, Venturans want to help NVCAP be a success and we want to buy in, but we won’t be able to, if we don’t have a stronger presence on the working group. So down to brass tacks: i. What if the 3 residents “with expertise, etc.” were from Ventura. We’ve got folks that have that background and are eager to serve. Why bring in folks from other neighborhoods when we have the right stuff right here in Ventura? That would give us 6 reps of 13. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:52 AM 2 ii. In addition to the 3 Venturan residents-with-expertise" seats, what if the City offered us one more resident? That addition would up the working group number to 14, then Venturans would rep half the seats, which seems a reasonable request to us. iii, If the City likes the mix of non-Venturan residents, then give us 7 more at-large reps from throughout Ventura so that we have 1/2 the seats of the now 20 person working group. As you can see, we are flexible! We have many options here. What is not an option is the current proposal. We resist being asked to assume all the burdens of impact while being offered a minuscule voice in a redevelopment effort that will have so much power on the future of the livability, sustainability and diversity of our beloved Ventura neighborhood. Thank you for your kind consideration of this request. Sincerely, Becky Sanders Moderator of the Ventura Neighborhood Association PS: Point of confusion: As currently described, the Working Group will welcome Venturans who live “within the planning area boundaries or the greater North Ventura neighborhood.” We ask that City Staff specifically define these locations referred to as the greater North Ventura neighborhood. Does greater mean “beyond Ventura’s boundaries to include other neighborhoods? And it looks as if the use of the conjunction “OR” signifies that perhaps no Venturans south of Lambert could be seated on the Working Group. In any case, we believe that all of Ventura should be eligible to serve because we will all be affected by the new development. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:25 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Tirumala Ranganath <ranguranganath@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 3:47 PM To:Council, City Subject:NVCAP meeting of 5th Mar, 2018 Dear Mayor Kniss and Council Members, I am writing as a long time resident of the Ventura Neighborhood as well as a member of the Ventura Neighborhood Association, in regards to the formation of the NVCAP working group. Having gone through the staff report and discussed with members of our neighborhood association, I would like to make a few points as well as a few requests. Development of the " Fry's " site property is a major undertaking for our neighborhood. The consequences will be with us for a long time to come. Questions of what gets built and it's impact on the neighborhood concerns us the residents of the Ventura Neighborhood. Questions of traffic are of great concern to all of us in this neighborhood for obvious reasons. Even though the project will be very close to the Caltrain station, there is no guarantee that the residents will exclusively use this mode of transport. With the current state of affairs with local public transportation (VTA busses are few and far between, in addition to being generally not available for travel to different parts of our town), it is unreasonable to think that magicallt the resident of this particular development will use bicycles only. It is much more likely that cars will be the principal mode of transport. Not providing for adequate parking will not work. How many residences get built and at what price points is of concern. Including some below market rate (BMR) housing sounds attractive at first glance. However, what does BMR really mean. If we are serious about providing housing for service providers at different income levels - whether they are teachers, or barristas, office works, young professionals - then some sort of indexing with income levels needs to be incorporated. Just building housing for young professionals working for the likes of Amazon, Palantir or Goodle will not do. Also the general pressure of the housing shortage only gets worse as the amount of " Office Space " construction keeps getting increased. Once Office space is increased, there are going to be workers working there and they need housing. Quality of life issues citywide get shortchanged and we in the Ventura Neighborhood don't want to be the people who bear the burden. Ventura Neighborhood is not a dumping ground for all the housing needs of the newcomers. There needs to be fairness and so, it is important that the City Council with help from the Planning department pay careful attention to our neighborhood's welfare and needs. Our area is already quite diverse in the make up of people and we would like to maintain this diversity - this means housing in the Fry's development cannot all be for young professionals working for the likes of the Amazons, Palantir, Google and Groupon, etc. As for the composition of the working group that is going to be looking into the Fry's site project - our neighborhood needs to have a very strong presence - so our needs do not get short changed. In this regard, my request is for half of the woring group be made up of residents from our neighborhood. Other interested parties like the site owners, developers, transportation experts will need to pay attention to the neighborhood's welfare, by developing a project that meets not only the ambitions of the owner/developers but also us the local residents. Thank you for hearing me out, Sincerely, T.R. Ranganath City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 4:55 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Kirsten Flynn <kir@declan.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 4:54 PM To:Council, City Subject:NVCAP make up Dear Council Members, Members of the Ventura Neighborhood Association are excited to play a part in the NVCAP working group. The Ventura Neighborhood Association has been working for years to build unity and community through our meetings, our block parties, our recruiting for CERTS, and our ice cream socials. I hope to have an opportunity to shape this significant period of growth in the city I grew up in, and where I am raising my kids. I love this neighborhood because it is bike friendly, economically and culturally diverse, and funky. I understand many of the issues facing what might happen on that site: jobs/housing imbalance, SB 827, Stanford proposed growth under the GUP, the push of transit oriented development. I think that our neighborhood is already feeling the effects of all of these issues, much more than other neighborhoods as we adjust to large projects along El Camino and Park Blvd. I would ask that you change the make up of the NVCAP to accommodate more community members from the very diverse Ventura Neighborhood. This development is going to change the face of South West Palo Alto, and we need to make sure that the community is heard, and that it is the best development it possibly can be. Please consider having at least 1/2 neighborhood members in the NVCAP make-up. Thank you for your consideration, Kirsten Flynn 471 Matadero Avenue City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:26 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Art Liberman <art_liberman@yahoo.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 3:45 PM To:Council, City Cc:Gitelman, Hillary; Mello, Joshuah Subject:Support for Ordinance updates for Section 10.64 of Municipal Code Council - I want to voice my support for the update of Section 10 of our Municipal Ordinances regulating bicycle usage on shared-use paths. I am a member of a Barron Park Association subcommittee that has been interacting with Transportation Division staff for several years with the objective making improvements to - and increasing the safety of users on - the Bol Park Path. We have engaged many members of the community who increasingly use the path for cycling and for walking, for recreation and for commuting to school and work, and communicated to the staff that there had been a number of bicycle and pedestrian conflicts and near misses for some time on this path. In response, the Transportation Division, in concert with recommendations from our committee, a few months ago installed a number of signs along the path to inform cyclists of the need to slow down when approaching and passing pedestrians and to maintain a speed of no higher than 15 mph. To complete this effort, the Council should pass the Ordinance mandating a 15 mph speed limit on shared paths in Palo Alto. I think this interaction with the staff has improved the safety and increases the enjoyment of all users on our neighborhood path, and also provides a framework for users of other similar paths in Palo Alto. Sincerely, Arthur Liberman 751 Chimalus Drive City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:46 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Robert Neff <rmrneff@sonic.net> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 11:18 PM To:Council, City Subject:Smart bicycling restrictions for the Cal Ave Tunnel Dear Palo Alto City Council, In the code update you are considering in item 16 of the March 5 council meeting, the regulations regarding bicycles in the Cal Ave. tunnel are being updated. As a bicyclist, and occasional pedestrian, I understand the need for walking bicycles when conditions are crowded and constrained as they sometimes are in the California Avenue tunnel, but there are other times when the tunnel is empty. Lately I find myself there at 10:35 pm, and there is perhaps one other person in the tunnel, just after CalTrain arrives, and at other times it is completely empty. There is no compelling need to walk a bicycle in the tunnel at times like those. A key difference from other areas with bike riding prohibitions, like business district sidewalks, is that the adjacent street is the best alternative in the business district, but for the Cal Ave. tunnel there is no suitable alternative within a half-mile. This ordinance is like enforcing a 15 mph school zone not just at school hours, but 24 hours/day. I request that you work with staff to change this ordinance to have some nuance to its restrictions. The current rule and signs are so draconian that they are mostly ignored, at all hours. For example, a change to “walk bicycles when pedestrians are present” would give some legal flexibility to cyclists, and may lead to better compliance overall. I support other aspects of the code update, including the 15 mph speed limit on paths, and the removal of restrictions from the 101 overpass at Oregon Expy. Thank you for your service to the city of Palo Alto. Robert Neff Emerson Street Palo Alto NOT YET APPROVED Ordinance No. --Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Palo Alto Municipal Code {PAMC) Chapter 2.20 {Planning and Transportation Commission) of Title 2, Cl:ia1:1ter 9.lQ (Neise) ef Title Q, Chapter 10.64 {Bicycles, Roller Skates and Coasters) of Title 10, and Chapters 18.04 (Definitions), 18.10 {Low-Density Residential {RE, R-2 and RMD)), 18.12 (R-1 Single-Family Residential District), 18.15 (Residential Density Bonus), 18.16 (Neighborhood, Community, and Service Commercial (CN, CC and CS) Districts), 18.28 (Special Purpose {PF, OS and AC) Districts), 18.30{G) (Combining Districts), 18.40 {General Standards and Exceptions), 18.42 {Standards for Special Uses), 18.52 (Parking and Loading Requirements), 18.54 (Parking Facility Design Standards), 18.76 (Permits and Approvals), 18.77 {Processing of Permits and Approvals), and 18.80 (Amendments to Zoning Map And Zoning Regulations) of Title 18, and Chapters 21.12 {Tentative Maps and Preliminary Parcel Maps), and 21.32 (Conditional Exceptions) of Title 21 The Council of the City of Palo Alto ORDAINS as follows: SECTION 1. Section 2.20.030 (Officers) of Chapter 2.20 (Planning and Transportation Commission) of Title 2 (Administrative Code) is amended as follows: 2.20.030 Officers The eemmissieR Commission shall elect its effieers aRR1:1ally at tl:ie first meetiRg iR Ne·JeFReera chairperson and a vice chairperson from its membership who shall serve in such capacity for terms ef one year each, or until a successor is elected, unless his or her term as a member of the Commission sooner expires. SECTION 2. [Deleted] SECTION 3. 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Jb SL/Amending Planning Codes 1 February 2018 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 3:45 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Ng, Judy Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:41 PM To:Council Members; ORG - Clerk's Office; Council Agenda Email Cc:Keene, James; Shikada, Ed; De Geus, Robert; Flaherty, Michelle; Gitelman, Hillary; Mello, Joshuah; Minor, Beth; Gaines, Chantal Subject:3/5 Council Agenda Questions for Items 9, 10, 11 & 14 Attachments:RFP170224 Community Engagement Block Program (003).pdf Dear Mayor and Council Members:  On behalf of City Manager Jim Keene, please find below in bold staff responses to inquiries  made by Council Member Tanaka, Kou, Holman, and Fine in regard to the March 5, 2018  council meeting agenda.  Item 9: Adoption of a Resolution and Guidelines for One Year Pilot Bike Share Program  ‐   CM Tanaka and Fine   Item 10: Approval of a Contract with the Empowerment Institute for $100,000 – CM Kou and  Holman  Item 11: Appointment of the 2018 Emergency Standby Council – CM Kou   Item 14: Contract Extension with SP Plus for Valet Parking Program Downtown  ‐ CM Tanaka  Item 9: Adoption of a Resolution and Guidelines for One Year Pilot Bike Share Program   CM Tanaka   Q. 1.   How many people are expected to use bike share programs in Palo Alto?  A. 1.   Staff does not have a projection of bike share uses under the proposed  program, which would rely on vendors to come forward, secure a permit, and  implement their program(s). Presumably each vendor would have a goal for the  number of users they would need to justify the costs, but the City is not privy to  those projections. Experiences in other jurisdictions are summarized in the staff  report and the proposed ordinance includes a limit on the number of bicycles  allowed citywide (700). Vendor proposals would be evaluated on a first come first  served basis.  Q. 2.   Will there be any tax revenue generated from bike share programs?  A. 2.   No. Vendors are expected to pay permit fees, but there are no tax revenues  associated with this proposal.  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 3:45 PM 2 CM Fine   Q. 1.   Why are we limiting bikes to 700 when there are no limits on ebikes,  scooters, etc.?    A. 1.   The 700 figure is a legacy of the City’s prior planning effort, which was  based on an MTC‐funded study that analyzed successful bike sharing systems in  suburban communities similar to Palo Alto.  Based on that study, the prior  planning effort proposed a first phase of 350 bicycles, and established a long term  goal of 700.  The prior proposal assumed a public subsidy and did not move  forward.  The pilot program proposed in this agenda item will test interest in a  new business model, which does not rely on public funds.  The limit of 700 can be  adjusted after the pilot period if it is found to be either too limiting or too  permissive.        Item 10: Approval of a Contract with the Empowerment Institute for $100,000   CM Kou    Q. 1.   What is staff time and salaries that had been spent on this program? What is  expected in staff time in the coming years?    A. 1.   Staff support for this program has been minimal and we expect staff  support to remain minimal.  The Program Manager (with the Empowerment  Institute) and the volunteer Block Leaders (recruited by the Program Manager)  spend the vast majority of the time supporting and managing the program. The  City staff time is mostly spent up front with providing the Program Manager and  volunteer Block Leaders with information about the City (specifically information  about Sustainability, Healthy City‐Healthy Community, Emergency Preparedness,  and other related goals and objectives to be used in the block meetings). The  information from the City is for citizens to learn, share and discuss how their  households and blocks can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable, livable,  and resilient community.    Q. 2.   Were each of the homes equipped with a monitor or some device to measure  the reduction in carbon pounds saved and average reduction?    A. 2.   No, the program has a carbon calculator in the toolkit on the website which  is used to help citizens assess their energy usage as they embark upon the  program. A similar evaluation is conducted upon conclusion of the program to  calculate the reductions. The calculator tool is a modified version of the carbon  calculator provided by the EPA.    Q. 3.   How is carbon reduction measured? And measured by what  area/city/county/state/national/world?    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 3:45 PM 3 A. 3.   Similar to the previous response, the reduction is measured based on the  difference between a household’s energy usage at the start of the program versus  at the end of the program. The usage is measured on a per household basis and is  not compared to any larger data point such as city/county/state, etc. The goal is  to help households to be able to have a tangible way to estimate how their  changes in behavior contribute to changes in their overall carbon footprint.    Q. 4.   Budget as stated of $13 Million, how will it be procured?    A. 4.   We believe the $13 Million dollars you reference is from page 20 of  Attachment B‐The Cool City Challenge. The Cool City Challenge is a much larger  program that involved many cities nationwide and their budget is not reflective of  the Palo Alto program. The attachment was included to provide context of where  some of the major themes came from for the Cool Block program. This contract  before the Council for approval on March 5th is for $100,000 for the Cool Block  program in Palo Alto.  CM Holman  Q. 1.   Please provide the contract with Empowerment Institute, what would be the  City funding be funding?  A. 1.   We were unable to get the signed contract in the packet last week. The  vendor has signed the contract this week and it is included in the packet  yesterday (Thursday). Here is a link to the contract. As outlined in the contract,  the City funding will support the following:    A local program manager at $75k   Communications and Marketing: $10k   Research: $15K  This is shown on page 17 of the contract (Exhibit C).    Q. 2.   Please provide the RFP.   A. 2.   The RFP is attached to this email.   Q. 3.   Analysis of results for 2017 and what metrics were used to calculate  outcomes as most if not all materials are from 2012 up to 2016.  A. 3.   The staff report mis‐referenced this information. In the last attachment to  the staff report (“Pilot Program Results,” Attachment D (although it still says  Attachment B)), the program metrics are shown. The metrics are from the Alpha  and Beta pilot programs in 2016 and 2017. The work done prior to 2016 was  focused on program design and program outreach so that the program could be  ready to be piloted and tested in 2016. There are also testimonials for the work  done in 2017 that can be shared if desired.    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 3:45 PM 4 Q. 4.   What would a next Phase be and costs for it?  A. 4.   The scope, scale and cost of the next phase of the program is to be  determined pending several factors including the evaluation of phase one, Council  interest in further developing the program, resource availability and community  support. Our hope is that phase one is successful and there is support to develop  the program to reach 25% of the blocks in the City, but again that will depend on  many factors and further consideration by Council in the future.    Item 11: Appointment of the 2018 Emergency Standby Council     CM Kou    Muni Code Chapter 2.12 does not provide the answers to ‐‐  Q. 1.   What is the Standby Council SOP?  Q. 2.   What is the Council's SOP?    A. 1. & A. 2.       In the Municipal Code section below it states when the emergency standby council would  be utilized.  If we do not have at least 7 regular council members that are able to serve  during an emergency, say they are out of the area, injured, etc., someone from the  emergency standby council would be asked to sit in place of a regular member.  The  council would then be informed by the emergency services staff about what is needed  from them, say its declaring a state of emergency in the city, or if there are normal  contracts that have to be acted on by council, we would have a council meeting to do  that.  There are no SOP’s for the emergency standby Council or the Council.  The  emergency standby council just has to keep tab on what is going on in the city in case they  need to serve.      2.12.090   Continuity of government in event of disaster.     (a)   At the second council meeting in January each year or as soon thereafter as may be  practicable, the city council shall select seven emergency standby council members.  Emergency standby council members shall be selected from former members of the city  council who agree to serve in that capacity during that year and to reside within the city  of Palo Alto during that year so long as they elect to participate as members of the  emergency standby council. A member of the emergency standby council shall serve in  that capacity from the date of appointment until the appointment of another emergency  standby council the following year, unless and until the member notifies the city clerk in  writing that the member has elected to terminate participation in the emergency standby  council. Each emergency standby council member shall take the oath of office required for  the city council prior to assuming the position of emergency standby council member.     (b)   Each emergency standby council member appointed by the city council as described  in subsection (a) shall have the duty during the term of that member's appointment to  remain informed of the duties of city council members and the business and affairs of the  city of Palo Alto to the extent necessary to enable participation as a member of the city  council upon appointment in the event of an emergency as provided hereafter.  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 3:45 PM 5    (c)   In the event of the declaration of a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or  a local emergency as those terms are designated in Articles 12, 13, and 14 of Title 2 of the  California Government Code and less than a quorum of the city council is available and a  city council meeting is urgently required, the members of the emergency standby council  shall be contacted for service. At that meeting, any city council members who are  unavailable for duty at the time of that meeting as defined by section 8636 of the  California Government Code (unavailable such as the officer is either killed, missing, or so  seriously injured as to be unable to attend meetings and otherwise perform the duties of  office), shall be replaced by a member of the emergency standby council as necessary to  reach seven members. The order of selection of emergency standby council members  shall be determined by council policy. The appointment of members of the emergency  standby council to fill vacancies created by the unavailability of city council members at  any time during a state of emergency shall be performed by city council, and additional  emergency standby members shall be appointed during the state of emergency as  required to maintain a total of seven members on the city council.     (d)   Members of the emergency standby council who are appointed to serve as city  council members shall serve in that position until replaced by a member of the city  council who becomes no longer unavailable such that the addition of emergency standby  council members is no longer necessary in order to constitute a quorum, until termination  of the state of emergency, or until the election or appointment of a new regular city  council member as provided by law.      Item 14: Contract Extension with SP Plus for Valet Parking Program Downtown  CM Tanaka  Q. 1.   Why did the work on re‐bidding an adjusted valet program take longer than  expected?    A. 1.  Internal coordination is ongoing regarding the scope of the solicitation and  potential budget impacts.      Thank you,  Judy Ng          Judy Ng   City Manager’s Office|Administrative Associate III 250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301 Phone: (650) 329‐2354  Email: Judy.Ng@CityofPaloAlto.org                       City Manager’s Office Department Request for Proposal (RFP) Number 170224 for Professional Services Title: Community Engagement Block Program Pre-proposal Meeting None RFP submittal deadline: 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, 2017 Contract Administrator: John Montenero (Email address) john.montenero@cityofpaloalto.org CITY OF PALO ALTO PURCHASING/CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION 250 HAMILTON AVENUE PALO ALTO, CA 94301 (650) 329-2271 1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) NO. 170224 FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TITLE: Community Engagement Block Program 1. INTRODUCTION The City of Palo Alto is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide professional services for developing a community engagement block program (Program) in partnership with the City. The required services and performance conditions are described in the Scope of Work (or Services). The City has budgeted a maximum of $100,000 for these services in the 2018 Fiscal Year. 2. ATTACHMENTS The attachments below are included with this Request for Proposals (RFP) for your review and submittal (see asterisk): Attachment A – Proposer’s Information Form* Attachment B – Scope of Work/Services Attachment C – Sample Agreement for Professional Services Attachment D – Sample Table, Qualifications of Firm Relative to City’s Needs Attachment E – Cost Proposal Format Attachment F – Insurance Requirement The items identified with an asterisk (*) shall be filled out, signed by the appropriate representative of the company and returned with submittal. 3. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS 3.1 Pre-proposal Conference No pre-proposal conference will be held. All questions and communications shall be communicated through the City’s electronic procurement system “Planet Bids.” 3.2 Examination of Proposal Documents The submission of a proposal shall be deemed a representation and certification by the Proposer that they: 3.2.1 Have carefully read and fully understand the information that was provided by the City to serve as the basis for submission of this proposal. 3.2.2 Have the capability to successfully undertake and complete the responsibilities and obligations of the proposal being submitted. 3.2.3 Represent that all information contained in the proposal is true and correct. 2 3.2.4 Did not, in any way, collude, conspire to agree, directly or indirectly, with any person, firm, corporation or other Proposer in regard to the amount, terms or conditions of this proposal. 3.2.5 Acknowledge that the City has the right to make any inquiry it deems appropriate to substantiate or supplement information supplied by Proposer, and Proposer hereby grants the City permission to make these inquiries, and to provide any and all related documentation in a timely manner. No request for modification of the proposal shall be considered after its submission on grounds that Proposer was not fully informed to any fact or condition. 3.3 Addenda/Clarifications Should discrepancies or omissions be found in this RFP or should there be a need to clarify this RFP, questions or comments regarding this RFP must be received by the City through the City’s electronic procurement system “Planet Bids” by no later than 1:00 p.m., Wednesday (the one before the proposal deadline), November 7, 2017. All correspondence shall be communicated to the Contract Administrator John Montenero through the City’s e-procurement system. Responses from the City will be communicated through the City’s e-procurement system to all recipients of this RFP via Proposal addendum. Inquiries received after the date and time stated will not be accepted. All addenda shall become a part of this RFP and shall be acknowledged on the Proposer’s submittal. The City shall not be responsible for nor be bound by any oral instructions, interpretations or explanations issued by the City or its representatives. 3.4 Submission of Proposals All proposals shall be submitted electronically through the City’s electronic procurement system. (PlanetBids) at: https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=25569 Proposals must be received by no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 11/14/2017. The e-procurement system will not accept any proposals after the specified close time. 3 3.5 Withdrawal of Proposals A Proposer may withdraw its proposal at any time before the expiration of the time for submission of proposals as provided in the RFP by entering the e-procurement system and selecting to withdraw the proposal. . 3.6 Rights of the City of Palo Alto This RFP does not commit the City to enter into a contract, nor does it obligate the City to pay for any costs incurred in preparation and submission of proposals or in anticipation of a contract. The City reserves the right to: • Make the selection based on its sole discretion; • Reject any and all proposals; • Issue subsequent Requests for Proposals; • Postpone opening for its own convenience; • Remedy technical errors in the Request for Proposals process; • Approve or disapprove the use of particular subconsultants; • Negotiate with any, all or none of the Proposers; • Accept other than the lowest offer; • Waive informalities and irregularities in the Proposals and/or • Enter into an agreement with another Proposer in the event the originally selected Proposer defaults or fails to execute an agreement with the City. An agreement shall not be binding or valid with the City unless and until it is executed by authorized representatives of the City and of the Proposer. 4. PROPOSED TENTATIVE TIMELINE The tentative RFP timeline is as follows: RFP Issued 10/17/2017 Pre-Proposal Meeting Not Applicable Deadline for questions, clarifications 11/07/2017 Proposals Due 11/14/2017 Finalist Identified 12/01/2017 Consultant Interviews TBD Consultant selection and contract preparation TBD Contract awarded 01/2018 Work commences TBD 4 5. INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED (to be submitted in this order only) These instructions outline the guidelines governing the format and content of the proposal and the approach to be used in its development and presentation. The intent of the RFP is to encourage responses that clearly communicate the Proposer’s understanding of the City’s requirements and its approach to successfully provide the products and/or services on time and within budget. Only that information which is essential to an understanding and evaluation of the proposal should be submitted. Items not specifically and explicitly related to the RFP and proposal, e.g. brochures, marketing material, etc. will not be considered in the evaluation. All proposals shall address the following items in the order listed below and shall be numbered 1 through 8 in the proposal document. 5.1 Chapter 1 – Proposal Summary This Chapter shall discuss the highlights, key features and distinguishing points of the Proposal. A separate sheet shall include a list of individuals and contacts for this Proposal and how to communicate with them. Limit this Chapter to a total of three (3) pages including the separate sheet. 5.2 Chapter 2 – Profile on the Proposing Firm(s) This Chapter shall include a brief description of the Prime Proposer’s firm size as well as the proposed local organization structure. Include a discussion of the Prime Proposer firm’s financial stability, capacity and resources. Include all other firms participating in the Proposal, including similar information about the firms. Additionally, this section shall include a listing of any lawsuit or litigation and the result of that action resulting form (a) any public project undertaken by the Proposer or by its subcontractors where litigation is still pending or has occurred within the last five years or (b) any type of project where claims or settlements were paid by the consultant or its insurers within the last five years. 5.3 Chapter 3 – Qualifications of the Firm This Chapter shall include a brief description of the Proposer’s and sub- Proposer’s qualifications and previous experience on similar or related projects. Provide in a table format (see Sample Table, Attachment D) descriptions of pertinent project experience with other public municipalities and private sector that includes a summary of the work performed, the total project cost, the percentage of work the firm was responsible for, the period over which the work was completed, and the name, title, and phone number of client’s to be contacted for references. Give a brief statement of the firm’s adherence to the schedule and budget for the project. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:20 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:J. Shi <jian1@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 5:35 PM To:Architectural Review Board; Clerk, City; Council, City Cc:jfleming@metricus.net; Jyotsna Nimkar; Jerry Fan Hi I am living at 4010 Villa Vista, Palo Alto, CA 94306 I heard there is some discussion about setup Verizon towers in our neighborhood. My family is totally against the Verizon towers in our neighbors. There are many researches said these cell towers are very bad for our children and our health. As I did some research these towers will use a lot of power to generate noise and heater. This tower should be blocked. If Verizon do it, why other carriers cannot do it? This is generate bad for our children and our health. Thanks. Jian City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:48 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Warthman Associates <forrest@warthman.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 9:04 AM To:Council, City Subject:Cell towers in residential neighborhoods Council Members, I strongly urge you to deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans: (a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground, and (b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Forrest Warthman 707 Bryant Street #202 Palo Alto, CA 94301 forrest@warthman.com City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:19 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Ofer Bruhis <ofer.bruhis@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:09 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Cell towers in residential neighborhoods Dear Council member, I live on Bryant Street in between two proposed Verizon cell towers. I oppose to installing them because of noise and aesthetics. Verizon has other alternatives such a home cell unit, yet they are trying to save money and maximize their profits on our expense. USA | Shop | Uniden® Cellular Signal Boosters by Signifi Mobile The majority of the residences are NOT Verizon customers, yet we have to endure this. I also think that it is an outrage to propose a radiation emitting tower half a block from an elementary school. I hope you will make the right decision and oppose the installation. Cheers —ofer bruhis City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:21 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Ardan Michael Blum <ardan.michael.blum@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 4:01 PM To:Architectural Review Board; Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Cell Towers Warm hello, Please deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. With thanks!! Best regards, Ardan Michael Blum - 345 Forest Avenue Palo Alto, CA - CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information or may otherwise be protected by law. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message and any attachment thereto. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:21 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Janet Gu <janetlipingding1120@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 4:19 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City Subject:Deny approval to cell towers Please deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Best Janet City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:48 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Robert Lum <outrageouslums@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 7:39 AM To:Architectural Review Board; Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:DENY VERIZON CELL TOWERS! As a Verizon Customer ‐     STOP THE PLACEMENT OF CELL TOWERS IN PALO ALTO.    Enough already with these noisy, unsightly and radiation emitting towers.    Have Verizon a) place all the equipment  except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances.    Grant Lum  Barron Park.        City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:23 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Anne <annelum@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 2:20 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Deny Verizon's Cell Tower Proposal As a longtime resident of and homeowner in Palo Alto, I am asking the ARB to deny approval to the proposed cell towers  unless Verizon’s plans a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b)  comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances.    Anne Lum  Barron Park    Sent from my iPad  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:18 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Roger P <roger.petersen@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 2:43 PM To:Council, City Subject:Eichler Design Guidelines for our neighborhood Dear City Council, Please help us preserve the unique character of our Eichler neighborhoods. Our homes are unique, in that the have floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which provide a wonderful connection with nature -- trees and sky. However, our privacy is threatened as home flippers descend on our neighborhoods, tearing down Eichlers and building McMansions that loom over our back and side fences. Often these flippers do not even stay and live in the new homes they foist upon our neighborhoods. There are 2 chapters of the Eichler Design Guidelines that would help us most: - Respecting privacy within Eichler neighborhoods - Guidelines for Architectural Compatibility & Neighborhood Cohesion We are not style zealots. We just want people to be reasonable and respectful of our privacy. Please help us keep our neighborhood livable. I hate to see our homes become tools for investors. Roger Petersen Fairmeadow City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:19 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Kimberley Wong <sheepgirl1@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 5:28 PM To:Council, City Subject:Fw: Please Support the Cool Block Program: Keeping it a grass roots effort Dear City Council Members, I just wanted to follow up on my email to you re: Cool Block Program. I wanted to clarify that I wholeheartedly support the continuation of the Cool Block Program but am concerned about hiring a consultant, which I just learned is part of the request to continue the program. I feel that program was successful primarily to capable Palo Alto citizens such as Sandra, cool block leaders and team members who were able to carry this program forth. I feel that handing off management to a consultant may dilute this grass roots effort and take control out of the hands of the citizens. And I am confident that there are many more able citizens to continue driving the new recruits. From my experience I have seen when citizens take charge of their neighborhood issues, when school children are involved in the how their school operates, when employees have a stake in the businesses that they are involved in this involvement brings a sense of pride in ownership. The program was successful due to the collective citizen's vested interest. I'd prefer to keep this as a grass roots effort. The fact that we frugally use our own resources, can take advantage of the city's amazing and free resources, and are able to host a block party by pooling resources we are working in the manner that the Cool Block intended. This makes it sustainable and not dependent on city funding. Let's keep the good work! Kimberley Wong, Beta Leader of the Cool Block Program ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Kimberley Wong <sheepgirl1@yahoo.com> To: "city.council@cityofpaloalto.org" <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 9:51 AM Subject: Please Support the Cool Block Program Dear City Council Members, I was a Beta leader of the Cool Block Program and was very excited to participate in the program. Under the amazing leadership of Sandra and her team, I was able to gather a number of neighbors from my block and encourage them to participate also. We were impressed with the fact that even though we thought we were being really conservative in our uses of our natural resources there was so much more that we could do. By participating in the program we picked apart each item and found out how we could do more. From this we now have a safety coordinator who has taken on her role very seriously, attended training and now has a walkie talkie to assist us in the event of an emergency. We all spend a way more time walking rather than driving. From Scott Melburg's visit one of our team members hired him to run an efficiency test on his house after which he changed out a drafty set of doors. Recycling was our favorite discussion. It was surprising just how much could be recycled or composted. We've reduced a full garbage can of waste to a mere handful of items that really can not be composted or recycled. And I am not afraid to go in there and pull out items that don't belong in the regular garbage can even after the fact! This program has made a positive impact in all our lives and I hope others will follow suit. I hope that the city will continue this program and encourage others to join. We can save our world's resources one block at a time! Kimberley Wong (Melville team) City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:21 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Leah Schoolnik <leahjsch@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 6:22 PM To:Council, City Subject:Fw: Verizon above ground equipment ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Leah Schoolnik <leahjsch@yahoo.com> To: "arb@cityofpaloalto.org" <arb@cityofpaloalto.org> Sent: Monday, March 5, 2018 4:55 PM Subject: Verizon above ground equipment To members of the Architectural Review Board: I am asking you to deny approval of the proposed Verizon cell towers unless all of the equipment is located underground. We don't need more noise, ugly, and I think, potentially dangerous, equipment added to the existing telephone poles. Thank you. Leah Schoolnik 2530 Greer Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 650 856 8573 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:18 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Leah Schoolnik <leahjsch@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 4:57 PM To:Council, City Subject:Fw: Verizon above ground equipment ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Leah Schoolnik <leahjsch@yahoo.com> To: "arb@cityofpaloalto.org" <arb@cityofpaloalto.org> Sent: Monday, March 5, 2018 4:55 PM Subject: Verizon above ground equipment To members of the Architectural Review Board: I am asking you to deny approval of the proposed Verizon cell towers unless all of the equipment is located underground. We don't need more noise, ugly, and I think, potentially dangerous, equipment added to the existing telephone poles. Thank you. Leah Schoolnik 2530 Greer Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 650 856 8573 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:46 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Peggy Phelan <pphelan@stanford.edu> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 7:37 PM To:Council, City Subject:Fw: Verizon Midtown??? I understand you are considering cutting out the architectural overview? It goes from bad to worse. Wake up.  Verizon wants to gain profit at the expense of the residents of Palo Alto. SAY NO.  See note below if you have not read.  Thank you,  PP    From: Peggy Phelan  Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2018 6:39 PM  To: rebecca.atkinson@cityofpaloalto.org  Subject: Verizon Midtown???      I write once more to protest Verizon's proposal to add WCF equipment everywhere in Midtown. The 15 poles  to be discussed on March 15th are all clustered in the same neighborhood and in a relatively small area.  As I have said repeatedly:  1) Verizon has no right to use public property to mazimize their own profits  2) The City of Palo Alto has behaved TERRIBLY in this process. Meetings are held at 8:30 am, thereby  eliminating the chance for most parents to attend (school drop off makes it impossible), most working people  to attend, and basically the City of PA has been concerned with the fees Verizon may deign to give the city, ‐‐  fees that are pathetically small. Look at the history of what nearby towns have done ‐‐ basically they have  refused Verizon's attempts to encroach about public land with their equipment. making the process of protest  and ADEQUATE public discussion so difficult. Again I have communicated on this topic previously.  3) There are NO (zero, nil) long term studies about the health risks of this equipment. Verizon is experimenting  on citizens of Palo Alto. They need to document that there is no harm and those tests and studies will need to  be verified independently. This is a process that will take several years and the public has a right to be  informed about all data and all payments made to researchers. The little data we now have (all short term  studies) are  quite worrying. Stanford has this data and it should be widely shared.  The city of Palo Alto has not been a good actor here and the whole process needs re‐thinking. Learn from your  neighbors! But in the meantime DO NOT APPROVE VERIZON'S request to colonize Mid‐town with their  equipment.   Thank you,  P. Phelan  Stanford University  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:47 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Kelly Germa <kelly.germa@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 4:41 AM To:Architectural Review Board; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Please Stop Cell Towers To Whom It May Concern: Attached please find our communication sent to you in December to stop the Verizon cell phone installations near our home at David Avenue in Midtown Palo Alto. We are quite dismayed that the City Council wants to circumvent the democratic process to cede to Verizon’s wishes. Our neighborhood does not need any additional cell service and if Verizon wants to have it, they should install underground as a growing number of municipalities require. We will be devastated if the City Council lets Verizon deface our neighborhood. Verizon is a very aggressive company. The City Council does not represent them, but is elected by Palo Alto residents to protect their interests. People in Palo Alto do not want these cell installations. Please protect us as you have been elected to do. There is no reason to approve Verizon’s above-ground request when your residents don’t want it. My neighbors all feel the same way as we do, although they probably won’t write to you. There are many more people that don’t want these cell installations than you may think. Please listen to us and spend time getting to know what your constituents want so you can fairly represent them against the Verizon profit motive. We love our home and bought it because the streets are beautiful, simple, and clear of clutter and noise. It is an eminently walkable neighborhood. The beauty of being outside, exercising, and being a part of the community will be forever marred by this unnecessary blight from Verizon. Please do not approve it. Thank you, Kelly Germa 650-544-5711 Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: Kelly Germa <kelly.germa@gmail.com> Date: December 6, 2017 at 10:37:44 AM EST To: jfleming@metricus.net Subject: Fwd: Please Stop Cell Towers FYI, sent just now, Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: Kelly Germa <kelly.germa@gmail.com> Date: December 6, 2017 at 10:35:07 AM EST To: arb@cityofpaloalto.org City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:47 AM 2 Cc: city.council@cityofpaloalto.org Subject: Please Stop Cell Towers To Whom It May Concern, Please do not allow cell towers to be put up in Midtown Palo Alto. We own a property on David Avenue in Midtown. The whole reason we bought this wonderful property is to enjoy the quiet, small-town feel of this neighborhood. We specifically selected this property because you cannot hear or see any of the main thoroughfares and noise of cars. My husband is very audio-conscious and stood for several hours in the yard of our house before we bought it to make sure he could not hear Oregon Expressway noise. We bought this house 15 years ago for quiet enjoyment with specific respect for the Palo Alto noise and aesthetics ordinances. These cell towers that Verizon want to put up are for their monetary gain. Please do not make it impossible for us to keep this property we have owned for 15 years. We implore the members of the City Council to examine their conscience and do the right thing here. Verizon can come up with many alternative ways to service their customers without defacing our beautiful neighborhood. Please do not give way to the profit motives of Verizon. They will continue to operate and make money without these cell towers. Please think of the citizens you are elected to represent. Please insist on abiding by the well-established City of Palo Alto regulations and ordinances regarding noise and aesthetics. Thank you, Kelly Germa 650-544-5711 Sent from my iPad City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:20 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Nancy Lewis <nandinaberry@yahoo.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:44 PM To:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Fwd: Verizon cell towers Begin forwarded message: From: Nancy Lewis <nandinaberry@yahoo.com> Subject: Verizon cell towers Date: March 2, 2018 at 3:38:14 PM PST To: arb@cityofpaloalto.org Members of the Architectural Review Board: Please deny approval to Verizon's proposed cell towers unless their plans a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Thank you, Nancy Lewis 667 Kendall Ave. Palo Alto City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:52 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Rita Vrhel <ritavrhel@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 10:29 AM To:Council, City; Bobel, Phil; Peter Drekmeier; Friend, Gil Cc:Esther Nigenda; Keith Bennett; Daniel Garber Subject:3/11-3/17 is groundwater awareness week Attachments:Groundwater Awareness Week.pdf Please see attached ....thank you Rita C. Vrhel, RN, BSN, CCM Medical Case Management Phone: 650-325-2298 Fax: 650-326-9451 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:42 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Elizabeth Wong <elizabethwong2009@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 11:51 AM To:Boyd, Holly Cc:French, Amy; Architectural Review Board; Council, City; Eggleston, Brad Subject:375 Hamilton Meeting Request and Action Items following the ARB meeting of Feb 15, 2018 Attachments:scanhollyboyd.pdf Dear Holly, Please see attached letter regarding meeting request and action items for 375 Hamilton garage following the ARB meeting of Feb 15, 2018. Thank you. Elizabeth Wong 650 814 3051 February 26, 2018 Holly Boyd City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Subject: Lot D Parking Garage Design ARB Follow-Up Meeting Request and Action Items Thank you for your presentation of the Lot D Parking Garage project at the ARB Hearing of February 15, 2018. Below is a summary of the items that we presented during the Public Input portion of the Hearing, which along with our comment letter dated February 14, 2018, we view as critical to move the project forward and to accommodate the operations of our properties at 550-552 (Manhattan Associates) and 558-560 Waverley Street (Waverley Post LP). 1. Parking Garage Access for On-Site Parking As noted during the ARB meeting, we have not received a proper response from the City regarding our requests for in-perpetuity access easements to access future on-site underground parking planned at both of our buildings. We feel it is a legal responsibility of the City to include mutually agreed-upon and recorded easements prior to any further public input or policy discussions regarding the Lot D parking garage design. The City must be transparent with the public and policy officials regarding legal agreements required to ensure the garage can properly accommodate future access to the buildings and to ensure that the existing Waverley Street frontage operations can be maintained. The Lot D parking garage plans must be further refined to identify how our future redevelopment projects will correlate with the removal of knock-out walls provided with the Lot D parking garage project. We need adequate time to review the revised details and plan sets with our civil and structural engineer teams to ensure that the designs do not limit future reconstruction of our buildings and that construction can be accommodated without impacts to the Lot D parking garage. We want to work with the City to ensure access can be provided at widths that limit future parking loss as a result of our future projects connecting to the basement level parking for our own parking access. As plan redevelopment of our projects we will strive for delivering fully parked projects to the community, but we cannot achieve this goal without the parking access from the basement level of the future garage and the above-referenced long-term access easements are a necessity as part of the parking connection. To: Holly Boyd Subject: Lot D Parking Garage Design -ARB Follow Up Meeting Request and Action Items Date: February 26, 2018 Page: 2 2. Public Safety within the Future Pedestrian Walkways The ARB commission members provided different perspectives regarding the future pedestrian walkways including modifying the width from the currently planned 10-FT to 5- FT along the 558-560 Waverley Street property. We object to any reduction of the walkway widths to below 10-FT. A 10-FT minimum walkway width will help to ensure a walkable environment for pedestrians and discourage use of the walkway for vandalism and dumping of trash. There is an example of the 5' walkway along the rear west side of the current Apple Store at 340 University Ave which is constantly filled with discards from neighboring properties rendering it impossible to walk through this narrow path. Examples of 10-FT walkways that work to the benefit of the parking garage and its neighboring properties are at (1) the Alma Street garage and adjacent property at 102 University Ave and (2) the Cowper St garage and adjacent Tamarine Restaurant. In both these examples, the 10-FT walkway presents a clean and pleasant relief to the congested alternative of narrower walkways. In the first example, the 10-FT walkway also provides relief for the residences above ground at 102 University Avenue whose privacy would be totally eliminated had the walkway been 5-FT in width. Waverley Post LP plans to begin a redevelopment process for the 558-560 Waverley Street property which will include residences above the ground floor and for which it needs privacy. We would also like to stress again our ARB comments to improve the planned lighting along the walkway to a minimum of 2.0 foot-candles. The higher lighting parameter will improve pedestrian safety and the safety of our building tenants during dusk and evening periods. 3. Parking Accommodations During the ARB presentation we presented our concerns regarding the lost access to the three formal and informal parking spaces being lost along the rear of our two buildings. The current design of the Lot D parking garage identifies only one parking space dedication for use by 550-552 Waverley Street. The dedication of a minimum of 3 to 4 parking spaces maintains the existing parking rights currently enjoyed by our buildings and we request that the Lot D parking garage maintain this existing provision. Our ARB public input presentation identified the parking spaces in the northeast corner of the new garage where parking to both buildings can be provided along with dedicated commercial loading zones for use by adjacent merchants. We feel it is appropriate for the parking spaces to be dedicated to our buildings and the commercial loading zones to be dedicated for the merchants' use full- time. To: Holly Boyd Subject: Lot D Parking Garage Design -ARB Follow Up Meeting Request and Action Items Date: February 26, 2018 Page: 3 The requested parking provisions discussed above also require unobstructed pedestrian connections from the dedicated parking and commercial loading spaces to the back of each building. This requires the removal of the planters currently shown on the Lot D parking garage plans and will further provide pedestrian connections between the ground floor of the garage and the walkway improving accessibility and safety. 4. Service Vehicle Access During and After Construction We require continued access to the Grease Clean-Outs servicing the Tai Pan Restaurant at 560 Waverley Street both during construction and post construction of the lot D parking garage from the rear of our building. The grease clean-out vehicles must be able to access the building from their current location immediately adjacent the restaurant's rear entry which requires a service vehicle loading zone on the ground floor of the parking garage with walking access for service attendants to pass from the garage into the building. Parking of the Vactor trucks used for the grease clean-out operations along the Alley (Lane 21) as shown in the current design is not feasible. The ground floor of the lot D parking garage must be increased to a minimum 16-FT height in order for the Vactor trucks to pass through, park, and complete their maintenance operations. An alternate option would be truck traffic to the rear door of 560 Waverley Street through the walkway at the rear of the properties. A new tenant at 552 Waverley Street is in the process of completing their development application for a new restaurant that includes the construction of a new grease clean-out facility. The new restaurant construction will be completed this year well ahead of the new lot D parking garage. The Lot D parking garage design must accommodate access of the grease clean-out facilities at both restaurants. 5. Lot D Parking Garage Aesthetics We recommend the use of an architectural feature on the Hamilton Avenue & Waverley Street corner that includes a glass elevator shaft coupled with a hidden stairwell. The currently proposed metal shade around the elevator shaft provides a modern design element that is not consistent with the existing building architecture along Waverley Street nor with the historical post office across the street. An elevator with glass walls will soften the modern design features of the lot D parking garage and allow future architectural flexibility in the redevelopment of our buildings. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:18 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Howard Hoffman <hh@hiosilver.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 1:49 PM To:Council, City Subject:I disagree with the Change.org petition Dear City Council:    I think that it is ridiculous that people are objecting to the Bike Boulevard construction on Ross Rd without seeing how it  works.    To stop this now would be idiotic.      Howard Hoffman  Avid Biker  Avid Walker  3402 Waverley Street  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Jacqueline Wibowo <jwibowo@stanford.edu> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 2:07 PM To:Council, City Subject:Miss San Jose 2018 - Interest in Speaking with City Council Hello Palo Alto Council My name is Jacqueline Wibowo and I am a current senior at Stanford University. I was also recently crowned Miss San Jose 2018, and will be competing at Miss California this summer. The Miss America Organization is the largest provider of scholarships for women in my age group, and it’s programs like this that helped make paying for college affordable for me. While there is not a specific competition for Miss Palo Alto, I’ve been spending my time so far as Miss San Jose attending and volunteering at events around the area - such as volunteering with the Palo Alto Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, and working with nonprofits like Girl Scouts and GirlUp that forward my platform “SheEO’s - Women in Leadership.” If the council is willing, I’d love to be able to come and attend or speak at an upcoming meeting. I studied Public Policy and have a strong interest in local government. Additionally, I’d love to learn more about what is going on in the area and if there is anything I can do to help as Miss San Jose. I am open to any type of council events - in the past I’ve helped at events by presenting awards, emceeing, giving a speech, selling raffle tickets, talking about my platform, and really anything under the sun. If you’re willing to have me, please let me know by email at jwibowo@stanford.edu, or at my phone number 858 705 5861 Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you! City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:18 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:John Kelley <jkelley@399innovation.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 5:28 PM To:Council, City Subject:Monday, March 5, 2018 City Council Meeting --- Regarding Consent Calendar - Item 10 - Example from Copenhagen Airport - 2009 ---- sorry_barack_obama.jpg City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:45 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 7:31 PM To:robertaahlquist@live.com; chuckjagoda1@gmail.com; wilpf.peninsula.paloalto@gmail.com; stb_discussion@googlegroups.com; stephanie@dslextreme.com; Council, City; bos@smcgov.org; cindy.chavez@bos.sccgov.org; council@redwoodcity.org; paloaltofreepress@gmail.com Subject:Nakesha’s Demons —a compelling and tragic story of brilliance, homelessness, mental illness, great sadness and more. ( front page NY Times, Sunday March 4, 2018) https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/03/nyregion/nyc-homeless-nakesha-mental- illness.html?referer=https://www.google.com/ Shared via the Google app Sent from my iPhone City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:45 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Jeff Hoel <jeff_hoel@yahoo.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 5:45 PM To:Council, City Cc:Hoel, Jeff (external); UAC; CAC-TACC; ConnectedCity Subject:NRA gives Ajit Pai “courage award” and gun for “saving the Internet” Council members, Please read this article: 02-23-18: "NRA gives Ajit Pai 'courage award' and gun for 'saving the Internet'" https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/02/nra-gives-ajit-pai-courage-award-and-gun-for-saving-the-internet/?mc_cid=0082622631&mc_eid=99443c82f8 Needless to say (right?), I don't agree with the NRA that Ajit Pai saved the Internet. I think he's trying hard to destroy the Internet. I want Palo Altans to be able to enjoy the benefits of net neutrality, and citywide municipal FTTP is one way to assure that. Thanks. Jeff ------------------- Jeff Hoel 731 Colorado Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94303 ------------------- ############################################################################## NRA gives Ajit Pai “courage award” and gun for “saving the Internet” Killing net neutrality helps Pai win award for "standing up under pressure." Jon Brodkin - 2/23/2018, 12:51 PM The National Rifle Association (NRA) today gave its Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award to Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Pai was about to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland when the award presentation seemed to catch him by surprise. The award is a handmade long gun that could not be brought on stage, so it will be housed in the NRA museum until Pai can receive it. "Ajit Pai, as you probably already know, saved the Internet," American Conservative Union (ACU) Executive Director Dan Schneider told the audience. The ACU is the host of CPAC; Schneider made a few more remarks praising Pai before handing the award presentation over to NRA board member Carolyn Meadows. Right Wing Watch posted a video of the ceremony: Pai "fought to preserve your free speech rights" as a member of the FCC's Republican minority during the Obama administration, Schneider said. Pai "fought and won against all odds, but the Obama administration had some curveballs and they implemented these regulations to take over the Internet." "As soon as President Trump came into office, President Trump asked Ajit Pai to liberate the Internet and give it back to you," Schneider added. "Ajit Pai is the most courageous, heroic person that I know." City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:45 AM 2 The signature achievement that helped Pai win the NRA courage award came in December when the FCC voted to eliminate net neutrality rules. The rules, which are technically still on the books for a while longer, prohibited Internet service providers from blocking and throttling lawful Internet traffic and from charging online services for prioritization. Schneider did not explain how eliminating net neutrality rules preserved anyone's "free speech rights." Pai joins “distinguished pantheon” of winners After Schneider spoke, Meadows told Pai that "the Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire award is sponsored by the National Rifle Association" in honor of the former NRA president, and it's not given every year. It is only awarded "when someone has stood up under pressure with grace and dignity and principled discipline," she said. Previous awardees included Rush Limbaugh, Phyllis Schlafly, Vice President Mike Pence, Roy Innis, and Sheriff David Clarke, she said. "We are honored to have you as part of this distinguished pantheon," Meadows told Pai. "Thank you ma'am, I really appreciate it," Pai responded. The actual award is a "Kentucky handmade long gun," Meadows said. "We cannot bring it on stage," she said, noting that it would be housed in the NRA's museum along with a plaque honoring Pai. "When you can receive it, we'll give it to you," she said. On the CPAC agenda, the segment involving Pai was titled, "American Pai: The Courageous Chairman of the FCC." Pai and the other two Republican members of the FCC then participated in a panel about "how the FCC is paving the way for innovation." City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:41 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Pat Markevitch <pat@magic.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 10:52 AM To:Council, City Subject:Passenger Drop off at the University Avenue Caltrain Station Honorable Council Members,    This is a copy of a work request I sent to CalTrain earlier today:    Please consider placing signs at the entrances to the Palo Alto University Circle station stating that all passenger cars  (including Uber, Lyft, etc) must pull into the parking lots to pick up and drop off riders.    It has become a very dangerous situation when cars stop in the bike lanes and at the intersections along Alma, blocking  all traffic to pick up and drop off passengers.    They even stop at the curved part of University Circle where cars are rounding the curve in an active traffic lane where  no parking is allowed because it's so close to the boarding area. This only started after the boarding area for the  northbound trains was pushed farther back a few years ago.    I also suggest that the curbs along southbound Alma between Everett and Hamilton be painted red with more  prominent no stopping signs added.    ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐    I don't know who has jurisdiction over this particular intersection and stretch of Alma so I am sending it to you as well.      Thank you.    Pat Markevitch    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 10:54 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Elaine Andrews <ron.elaine@gmail.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 11:31 AM To:Council, City Subject:Petition · city.council@cityofpaloalto.org: Stop the "traffic calming" implementation on Ross Road in Palo Alto · Change.org   https://www.change.org/p/city‐council‐cityofpaloalto‐org‐stop‐the‐traffic‐calming‐implementation‐on‐ross‐road‐in‐ palo‐alto      Sent from my iPhone  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:38 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:sandys <sandysds@aol.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 7:18 PM To:Council, City Subject:Petition   Shirley Sandys  Sent from my iPhone    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:21 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Cecelia Doucette <c2douce@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 07, 2018 10:40 AM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Please Reject Cell Tower Applications Dear Sir or Madam, Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Cece Doucette, a California native now living in Massachusetts. Wireless Radiation Hazards A few years ago I had never heard there could be biological risks from wireless technology. After investigating, however, I discovered thousands of international studies showing it is very harmful. The scientific literature shows children and fetuses are especially vulnerable, as are those in their reproductive years. Cell antennas definitely do not belong in neighborhoods. The harm ranges from cancer, DNA damage, infertility, autism and Alzheimer's to insomnia, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, skin heating/flushing/rashes, anxiety, depression, anger, cognitive impairment, behavior issues and more. Legislation in Massachusetts I have helped Ashland Public Schools in Massachusetts become the first in the nation to begin reducing exposure from the radiation emitted by wi-fi systems in schools. I have also worked with my Senator to introduce legislation to address wireless radiation and public health. Massachusetts leads the nation now with seven bills to examine many aspects of wireless radiation. If you have not yet had the time to investigate the cell tower risks personally, I invite you to skim the Executive Summary and the EMF Points of Confusion vs. Fact sheet at the top of the Massachusetts EMF Bills page. They will help you quickly connect the dots on this issue, and dispel common misconceptions folks have when first joining this conversation: https://sites.google.com/site/understandingemfs/ma-emf-bills You will quickly see why it is an ill-advised choice to allow the industry to install additional wireless infrastructure in Palo Alto neighborhoods. The antennas and accompanying power boxes are also an eyesore and property risk for the municipality and the property owners. Public Health Fact Sheets The California Department of Public Health in December released a long-suppressed fact sheet on cell phone radiation. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is preparing a series of fact sheets that address not only cell phones but cell antennas, wi-fi, and high voltage power lines as well. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:21 PM 2 This could be a game-changer for our nation, and you wouldn't want to be stuck holding leases for equipment shown to be harmful. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Robert Knorr, MA DPH, Bureau of Environmental Health for insights, 617-624-5757. Legal Liability Did you know Lloyd's of London, Swiss RE and others have already identified wireless radiation as a leading risk and put exclusions in their policies? Aside from the health effects, that could leave Palo Alto responsible for damages from antenna fires, downed poles, power box explosions and other disasters. See more here, there are lawsuits all over the world. The Industry's Rush The U.S. National Toxicology Program is in the midst of reporting out findings from its largest ever study, $25M expecting to show cell phone radiation is safe. Instead, they've already found DNA damage, brain tumors and heart schwanomas. The industry and FCC, however, are not concerned with health. Their goal is to be first to market with 5G to allow for the Internet of Things (IoT). So, they are moving swiftly to put in 5G infrastructure before you and the public catch on. This page offers additional insights For Municipal Leaders: https://sites.google.com/site/understandingemfs/for-municipal-leaders Please, be a leader in helping us get back to doing what is best for the public, and resist the seduction centered around corporate profit. Your constituents are depending on you to cut your losses now and push the industry to make biologically safe technology. I would be honored to speak with you if I can provide additional insights. Respectfully, Cece Doucette Technology Safety Educator Ashland, MA 508-881-3878 Understanding EMFs Wireless Education City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:46 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:George Jaquette <jaquette@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 11:33 PM To:Council, City Subject:Please stop the destruction of our roads and the increased danger to our children on bikes Greg, Adrian, Liz, Lydia, Tom, Eric, Adrian, Karen, Gregory & Cory- Hello again from the group fighting changes on Ross Road. The petition to stop the damage to our streets now has 524 signatures (200 in the last two days), all voters who live in Palo Alto, and no one has spent a dime gathering these signatures. This group will vote in November. https://www.change.org/p/city-council-cityofpaloalto-org-stop-the-traffic-calming-implementation-on-ross-road-in-palo-alto In response to my email to the city council on February 15th, I have met with one member of the city council, spoken to a second, and traded emails with two more. I am not satisfied that the city council understands the severity of the mistakes being made. The City of Palo Alto is spending money to make our streets dangerous for children on bikes. Given the lack of response from the majority of the council, a group of us is really going to increase the visibility into the dangerous circumstances created by the city. We will get two thousand signatures on this petition with some effort, and your collective non-response is enough to motivate us to do so. I have to admit that I was shocked to realize that (apparently) none of you have even bothered to drive down Ross Road, to witness the fruits of this phase of the city's $9.6 million investment. It boggles my mind that you can be notified that you are going to cause the death of children, and you can't even be bothered to drive down to see the intersection at rush hour (school commute, 7:50-8:10 and 2:50-3:10). I plan to videotape twenty minutes of absurdity soon, and to share it with the world online. My eleven-year-old daughter has offered to wear a Go-Pro to capture the absurdity of being forced in front of cars on her way to middle school. When a group of us met with one city councilperson, we were asked to provide pictures and then had to sketch out what is actually being done on Ross Road. This was eye-opening, because the same city councilperson invited us to their office but had not bothered to visit the troublesome intersection. Is our time worth nothing? Could you possibly have actually spoken to your staff members who HAVE been to the intersection? Okay, here is a collection of photos for the city council documenting the destruction that you have funded on Ross Road: https://stoprossroadchanges.wordpress.com/ The request is simple: STOP TEARING UP THE ROADS that our citizens ride and drive on while you invest time to understand why these changes are dangerous and unhelpful. Do not mindlessly rush forward with Phase II and Phase III when the citizens in this neighborhood so actively oppose the changes that have already been made. STOP POURING CONCRETE to restrict roads where no problem exists. Jeopardy is attached. The actions of the city council, whether you were on it or not last year when the city council voted to spend $9.2 million on these projects, is your legacy. Responding to your constituents is your job. 524 of us are appalled by the changes that you have funded, and we are willing to go into the streets to stop the madness. Your silence is your consent, and when a bike rider is City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:46 AM 2 crushed in the intersection at East Meadow and Ross Road you are going to wear that guilt. Because it *is* going to happen, and 524 of us are trying to prevent it. George Jaquette proud parent of two kids who bike through the intersection at East Meadow and Ross Road twice a day, now fearfully avoiding cars in the roundabout Liz Kniss won with 9,714 votes, or 18.33 percent of the total vote. Greg Tanaka, a member of the Planning and Transportation Commission, finished second with 7,447 votes (14.11 percent), Adrian Fine (13.46 percent ... fewer than 7500 votes) Lydia Kou (13.23 percent ... fewer than 7500 votes) Keller had 6,210 votes, or 11.7 percent. He was 801 votes behind Kou. It is going to get worse before it gets better. I was invited to a group discussion on Easter Sunday, but I declined. The war will be fought online, not in a conference room stacked by biking advocates. On Thu, Feb 15, 2018 at 10:55 PM, George Jaquette <jaquette@gmail.com> wrote: Gregory, Tom, Eric, Adrian, Karen, Liz, Lydia, Greg & Cory- Online forums (especially anonymous boards like the PA Weekly) bring out the worst in people, with anonymous insults and ad hominem attacks on city officials. The passion exhibited there indicates the real conflict that exists, but the conversation fails to provide any guidance on moving forward. NextDoorNeighborhood is considerably better, with verified users who live in our neighborhoods and generally much more civil discourse. Both online discussion groups reflect a growing discontent with the traffic calming investments on Ross Road. Many of us believe that the changes are dangerous, and that our children have been conscripted as road warriors in the battle to empower bikers to share the road equally with cars. I, for one, do not want my eleven-year-old daughter conscripted for a fight she is ill-equipped for. Our kids (and a thousand like them) ride their bikes to and from school every day on East Meadow, and the changes at the intersection of Ross Road and East Meadow are baffling and dangerous. A neighbor suggested that we petition the city to stop this project, or at least hit pause before more damage is done (notably the plans to "enhance" the intersections of Ross and Moreno, and Ross and Louis). 126 Palo Alto residents (and voters) have signed this petition in the past 24 hours. https://www.change.org/p/city-council-cityofpaloalto-org-stop-the-traffic-calming-implementation-on-ross-road-in-palo-alto My question to each of you -- how many voters need to speak with the same voice before you will listen to City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:46 AM 3 us and stop the project? People have offered to gather signatures at the YMCA, and to get kids to sign a petition along East Meadow. I am willing to follow through on those efforts if they could make a difference, so please let me know what that number would be. There are 12,000 students in PAUSD, and roughly 12,000 parents voting in Palo Alto (two kids per family, two voters per family). What would it take to stop the traffic calming implementation on Ross Road, while the voters of Palo Alto who are being disrupted by this project have a chance to air their views and discuss alternative solutions? How many signatures would this petition need to gather? Thanks- George City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:18 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Dan Adams <dan_adams@alumni.stanford.edu> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 4:49 PM To:Architectural Review Board; Council, City Subject:pole-top cell equipment: would you accept one on the corner of your lot? Hello members of the ARB and City Council, I understand there is now a proposal to remove the Architectural Review Board from the process of approving the deployment of pole-top cell equipment in Palo Alto neighborhoods. If this is true, it is imperative to add to the approval process some other reviewing body which can represent the interests of those who would have to live, on a daily basis, with the noise, eye-soreness (made-up word, but seemingly appropriate for this issue), and unknown effects of EM radiation from the pole-top equipment. If one of these units was to be deployed on a pole which was on the edge of your lot, would you willingly accept this? Would you be happy to have a new source of white noise always audible on your property, to enjoy when you are sitting out in your yard on a quiet spring day? Instead of accepting more of these things into our neighborhoods, please push the utilities to come up with a solution which is appropriate for use in residential areas. I wrote the following last year and am including this text again, for reference. To the ARP and City Council on Dec 3, 2017: I believe there must be a better way to handle cell reception problems rather than putting noisy, ugly equipment teetering above people's houses and sidewalks. We should push the telecoms to use other means which don't intrude on the neighborhoods. In many of Palo Alto's neighborhoods, the rare moments of wonderful quiet (already rare and sandwiched between traffic noise, airplane noise and other noises) pull us back to a feeling of calm and provides a little break from the energy and bustle of daily routines. The pole-top cell equipment cooling fans seem to run constantly, from what I can tell from the units I run by in our neighborhood. From what I have experienced, the sound is noticeably audible from a distance of about 25 feet. The white noise is certainly audible when walking by, and must also be audible in the yards. It seems likely the noise can be heard in the homes of the properties where the equipment is located, at least if the windows are open. While the sound level probably meets the city noise ordinances in terms of measured dB above ambient, the quality of the sound is very different from quiet ambient noise and so is certainly noise pollution which should be kept out of residential neighborhoods. If you are considering allowing Verizon and others mount these devices on poles, please do this on condition they find a way to use passive cooling rather than fans. Even better, please find other solutions which support cell reception but don't degrade the neighborhood environments. These devices in our neighborhood also look terrible - like a ridiculous, top-heavy, off-balance-and-leaning, patched-up, add-on, ill-considered solution. With our property values and taxes, we should pass some of the cost to the companies and challenge them aggressively to come up with a solution which looks and sound good, City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:18 PM 2 not terrible. We in Palo Alto seem to think good products and good design are important. So why not hold the telecom providers to high standards? Regards, Dan Adams and Star Teachout 3550 Whitsell Ave Palo Alto, CA City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:21 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Sachiko Itagaki <sachi.itagaki@stanfordalumni.org> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 5:27 PM To:Council, City Subject:Positive feedback re Ross Road Bike improvements Hi - just wanted to let you know that I bike Ross Rd 2- 3 times a week in the early morning between Colorado to E. Meadow. While I was originally a skeptic during the early construction phases, I feel like the improvements on Ross Road are resulting in the desired effect, slower cars (with associated benefits for cyclists). Like any change, it may take folks a bit of time to get used to it. Also, kids probably need more education/training on proper road etiquette - it may be good to have some elementary school sessions (with adults and kids) about how to ride/drive the features like traffic circle and speed bumps. I feel that many kids are not coached well by their parents on how to ride. Thx - Sachi Itagaki, 2704 Louis Road. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:49 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Saeid Salehi-had <saeid.salehihad@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 9:06 AM To:Architectural Review Board; Saeid Salehi-had; Council, City Subject:Proposed Verizon cell towers Dear Palo Alto Architectural Review Board, I am writing to strongly urge you to deny Verizon's request to install large number of Verizon antennas on our existing city polls right next to houses with noisy and ugly equipment above ground. If they cannot bury all equipment except the antenna below ground then they should simply forgo the plan for micro cells and go back to having cells in non residential locations. Verizon's request to not comply with the ARB's compromise to allow micro cells with tower antennas very close to houses but with the equipment buried below ground is outrageous. This request should not even be in the realm of consideration and should be turned down immediately. Many other high profiles cities have denied Verizon's request to have micro-towers all over residential neighborhoods all together-the right decision. I cannot emphasize enough that I find such a plan against the interests of city of Palo Alto and it residents. I have been a Palo Alto homeowner and resident since 1995. Do not let such a huge blunder ruin the wonderful Palo Alto city legacy. Best Saeid Salehi-Had (650) 906-7998 3810 Whitsell Ave., Palo Alto, Ca 94306 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:24 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Jeffrey Lipkin <repjal@att.net> Sent:Saturday, March 03, 2018 5:00 PM To:Raj Shetty; Council, City Cc:Maximilian Goetz Subject:Re: Arastradero Road I will be unable to attend the meeting - I have met with Mr. Tanaka before on a matter, so he knows me. My input on the Arastradero Road project is that IT IS AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER, UNNECESSARY, and SHOULD BE REVERSED FORTHWITH. TO SAY IT SHOULD NOT BE MADE PERMANENT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. MAYBELL is a better bike avenue, with speed bumps. It should be improved. And speed bumps installed on DONALD and GEORGIA. Only IDIOTS would replicate a bike avenue in the next parallel street, which is Arastradero. Before voting on this, each City Council member should be forced to walk Arastradero from Foothill Expressway to Middlefield. AT 3:30, when school gets out, and again at 4:30 when the offices start getting out. And try the morning rush hour. IT IS UNLIVEABLE. Jeff Lipkin On Mar 3, 2018, at 4:35 PM, Raj Shetty <raj.shetty@gregtanaka.org> wrote: Dear Mr. Lipkin, My name is Raj and I am a legislative aide for Councilman Tanaka. The council has received multiple emails regarding Arastradero Road. For that reason, Councilman Tanaka has decided to host a meeting with multiple constituents on the issue at his office hours. Will you be able to make it on Sunday, March 25th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm? The meeting will be held at Councilman Tanaka’s office, located at 3630 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA. If you would like to attend, please confirm your attendance with me. You are welcome to invite others interested in the topic, and it would be well appreciated if they could confirm their attendance with me as well. If you are unable to attend the meeting, we will be broadcasting the discussion on our Facebook Page. From there, viewers will be able to watch the discussion live, and ask questions by commenting on the video. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:24 AM 2 If you have any further questions, please feel free to let me know. Best, Raj Raj Shetty | Legislative Aide Palo Alto City Council Member Tanaka’s Office W: www.GregTanaka.org | D: 650.503.4329 | E: raj.shetty@gregtanaka.org Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you. This message contains information that may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the addressee, you may not use, copy or disclose the message or any information contained in the message. If you received the message in error, please notify the sender and delete the message. Views I state are my own and may not represent those of the full Council. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:17 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Rachel Feinberg <rfeinberg14@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 11:55 AM To:Architectural Review Board; Clerk, City; Council, City Subject:Re: Deny approval to the proposed cell towers plans! I am writing to you as I live at 910 Ramona Ave. in University South where there are several of these proposed cell towers. In fact, it appears as we are in a location that would be directly surrounded (in a close proximity) to several of these towers. My concern is that when reading the reports from the cell tower plans, many its findings are from testing “at ground level”. Well, many of us in the neighborhood have two story homes with our children’s bedrooms that occupy this height. We are very concerned about the noise and another emittance from these towers. I am asking you to deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Thank you for your consideration, a concerned Palo Alto resident, Rachel Mayberry On Mon, Mar 5, 2018 at 11:34 AM, Jesse Mayberry <jmayberry@wakrauss.com> wrote: I am writing to you as I live at 910 Ramona Ave. in University South where there are several of these proposed cell towers. In fact, it appears as we are in a location that would be directly surrounded (in a close proximity) to several of these towers. My concern is that when reading the reports from the cell tower plans, many its findings are from testing “at ground level”. Well, many of us in the neighborhood have two story homes with our children’s bedrooms that occupy this height. We are very concerned about the noise and another emittance from these towers. I am asking you to deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Thank you for your consideration, a concerned Palo Alto resident, Jesse Mayberry -- CONFIDENTIAL: This email, including enclosed files, may contain confidential information and is intended only for the use of the individual and/or the entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, disclosure, copying, use, or distribution of the information included in this email is prohibited. Please immediately and permanently delete this email and/or notify us by City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:21 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Maximilian Goetz <max.goetz@gregtanaka.org> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 6:04 PM To:Peggy Shapera Cc:Council, City Subject:Re: FUND COOL BLOCK Dear Ms. and Mr. Shapera, My name is Max and I am a legislative aide for Councilman Tanaka. Thank you very much for reaching out to the council. The council has received multiple emails on the issue of the Cool Block Program. For that reason, Councilman Tanaka has decided to host a meeting with multiple constituents on the issue at his office hours. Will you be able to make it on Sunday, March 18 at 12:30 pm? The meeting will be held at Councilman Tanaka’s office, located at 3630 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA. Please let me know if you are available. If you have any further questions, please feel free to let me know. Best, Max. On Sat, Mar 3, 2018 at 2:34 PM, Peggy Shapera <pshapera@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Council members, We want to urge you to continue funding the very valuable "Cool Block " program. As a participant in 2017, we learned a great deal as to how to reduce our family's carbon footprint, emergency preparedness and becoming a water steward. As Palo Alto is striving to become a leader in energy conservation and sustainability, does it not make sense to continue the support f the valuable "Cool Block program? Thank you for considering our request and for your service to our great city! Sincerely, Peggy and Ron Shapera -- City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:21 PM 2 Maximilian Goetz | Legislative Aide Palo Alto City Council Member Tanaka’s Office W: www.GregTanaka.org | D: 650.665.9734 | E: max.goetz@gregtanaka.org Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you. This message contains information that may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the addressee, you may not use, copy or disclose the message or any information contained in the message. If you received the message in error, please notify the sender and delete the message. Views I state are my own and may not represent those of this Office or the full Council. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:32 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Keene, James Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 5:53 PM To:Lila Council, City; Kniss, Liz (internal); Filseth, Eric (Internal) Cc:Gaines, Chantal; De Geus, Robert Subject:RE: Seeking permission for public choir performance Ms.      We’ll work with you to see that your request is fulfilled.                                   James Keene | City Manager   250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301 James.Keene@CityofPaloAlto.org  Please think of the environment before printing this email –Thank you!     From: Lila   [mailto    Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 9:40 PM  To: Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Kniss, Liz (internal) <Liz.Kniss@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Filseth, Eric  (Internal) <Eric.Filseth@CityofPaloAlto.org>  Subject: Seeking permission for public choir performance  Hello, I'm Lila and I'm a freshman in high school at I am trying to organize a performance/protest for my choir, Cantabile Youth Singers in downtown Palo Alto in Lytton Plaza on March 24 to protest gun violence. However, my choir director wants me to get approval from a city official to make sure that it is okay for us to do so, and I was wondering if you may be able to help me in getting that approval or finding out who to ask. Thank you for your consideration! Best, Lila City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:25 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Stephanie Munoz <stephanie@dslextreme.com> Sent:Sunday, March 04, 2018 4:12 AM To:no-reply Cc:WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu; chuck jagoda; Ruth Chippendale; M. Gallagher; supervisor.simitian@bos.sccgov.org; senator.hill@senate.ca.gov; assemblymember berman; b_johnson@paweekly.com; Council, City; Council, City; akeller@arthurkeller.com; Court Skinner; preminger@gmail.com; gsheyner@paweekly.com; editor@paweekly.com Subject:Re: What real community engagement looks like I'm not much help because I'm quite old, I live in the North County and I don't have a driver's license, but I think I can give you a better understanding of what you're up against with Google. Since the Great Depression, American cities have been fixated on abundant jobs for a large population and productive investment to render lots of taxes to make the city prosperous, beautiful and a desirable place to live. But they really didn't have the wherewithal to create jobs or the companies which provide them. After World War II the government did great pump priming by giving no-down 3% home loans and 100% subsidized college education to all veterans--of course they could have done that without the war, but there's no use crying over spilt milk, and huge numbers chose to live in California rather than the dreary, cold places they had come from. The Cold War and competition between Capitalism and Communism for world preeminence furnished another great opportunity when the USSR put up the first satellite, "Sputnik". Professor Terman the younger, a great engineer and visionary, perceived the opportunity of a concentration of scientific acumen to create technological businesses coupled with land to put them on, and Palo Alto cooperated by re-zoning the Stanford foothills from homes, previously thought to enhance the desirabiity of the neighborhood best, to business, to produce more prosperity and tax revenue. The irony was that the rationale for seeking greater assessed value was for the schools, but since they didn't replace the potential home sites with others, homes for the workers built up Mountain View, Los Altos, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, and, of course, San Jose, but without bringing the added property value from the change from home to commercial with them. To see that difference in perspective, be aware that in the '60's, the Cupertino School District told us it took $42,000 in home assessment value to support one child in school, and our home in South Los Altos, then unincorporated Santa Clara County, was worth $17,000. Not too many years after, the California Supreme Court ruled, in Serrano, that every California child was to receive an equal education, and the state responded by making Palo Alto pay poor districts whatever they spent on their own schools, which did have some rough justice to it, but, as you can imagine, since about half of the property taxes were from residences, and the homeowners didn't have any more money than they had had before, this ruling was politically impossible and the state efforts at equalization were limited to equalization by designating rich districts as "basic aid" districts, while the better off districts like Palo Alto, Saratoga and Atherton voted for parcel taxes and raised a significant amount of money just by asking for it as a gift. However, an unforeseen problem was that the typical teacher's pay was insufficient to buy or rent housing near the job sites, or in any community with a commute time less than two hours one way.Unwilling to set up an appropriate public transportation system, the county chose to rely on the prevalence of the affordable automobile, and removed an existing railway, tht SP branch line (which joined the main line to SF at California Avenue in Palo Alto) so as to have a relatively cheap right of way for an expressway., authorized City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:25 AM 2 by a $6 million bond election. (Although it probably could have been obtained for a great deal less, since Southern Pacific saved millions by getting rid of the unwanted passenger route.) After the election the voters were unpleasantly surprised to learn that by voting for the money they had agreed to whatever routes the county had decided on, so that Los Altos, which had no industry whatsoever, was the funnel through which all the Industrial Park workers travelled. I believe that the crux of these three problems is the original decision by a city, Palo Alto, tho eviscerate housing from the planning in favor of money making, and I confess to feeling uneasy about Silicon Valley Rising's goal of making Google benefit "the working people of San Jose" because that was exactly how we got started on this treadmill. I think the best that can be hoped for is to mitigate those three problems--however, I think that goal is perfectly achievable and must not be compromised-- because the last state of that false optimism is that the working people of San Jose only get to work in San Jose, but become the working people of Stanislaus County. Although the state has intervened with some ostensibly resident friendly legislation, close examination reveals that, just as in the past, affordable housing is only a hitchhiker on a vehicle which benefits greater money making. I believe the only solution is for the cities to insist that development of large cadres of employees be accompanied by an equal amount of employee rental homes, counted as one bedroom per employee, so as to allow for the large number of young workers newly graduated from their STEM college courses, and, in the future, the continually growing number of retired persons. The school districts, also, should build high rise housing on their abundant school and administrative sites; the reason is obvious to every taxpayer: it is absolutely impossible to raise the salaries of teachers to compete with high tech renters and buyers. Even the highest paid today ($129,000) are able to manage only because they bought homes twenty or thirty years age, and when they retire they're certainly not going to sell their homes to new teachers for what they paid for them, but what the teachers and their unions are asking for is skewed by these older,home-endowed, higher paid teachers, who think it reasonable that they should have a salary raise so as to travel or educate their children because their home is worth a million dollars only if they sell it. Homes for firemen, policemen, librarians and other city workers might be located above their respective work places. Although I have no experience running a large business, It also seems to me that Google would find rental housing a hedge against economic reversal, because unemployment benefits would continue to produce benefits from the rental housing and because converting part of the compensation from cash to in-kind housing would benefit the high paid worker who is no longer able to deduct his high state property tax from his federal income tax. The salutary effect of having the workers' homes next to their jobs would mean instant relief from the present congestion, poor air quality and time lost to commuting. The cities and the employers could decide whether mobile homes would be a useful housing expedient, and a parking place for RVs would also make a good home for workers, with hardly any cost to the employers.. For many generations Americans have had a rosy view of home ownership, but we are beginning to take into account the way that homeowners are victims of greater economic power and the will to use it against them. Only a few years ago we had a scandalous expropriation of workers' homes in the sub-prime loan scam, in which the government could just as easily have stepped in to take over the homes as to bail out the banks, and the outrageous redevelopment expropriation and estate tax, in both of which the homeowner lost not only her residence but her ongoing capital gain and often her livelihood. Employers who wanted to boost their employees' financial security at no sacrifice to themselves would be well to put their political power in back of Single Payer, which is, essentially, ownership of the health system by the working class so they are not obliged to rent it from health City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:25 AM 3 insurance broker middlemen, who make unbelievable salaries--like $15--25 million dollars each, every year for mulcting the working man so as to amass capital for economic development. Another help to the working class would be homes built by the federal government for our veterans, who would benefit by affordable housing and also by outright subsidy for those who have been disabled by the emotionally damaging experience not only of killing and seeing their friends killed, but by the fact of having been arbitrarily selected to pay for with their lives and well-being for the economic benefit of war, and still another would be for the cities to make available to social security and SSI recipients tiny homes which could be paid for by the minimum social security pension of $900. that is to say, $600 in basic housing cost for those with no cars and few possessions. Stephanie Munoz From: "no-reply" <no-reply@wpusa.org> To: "stephanie" <stephanie@dslextreme.com> Sent: Friday, March 2, 2018 3:17:21 PM Subject: What real community engagement looks like Silicon Valley RISING Stephanie, On Tuesday, nearly 100 community members and leaders came out to review and endorse our community demands. Around 1,500 of you have now weighed in on the steps Google must take to address the serious concerns our community has raised before we sell any public land for its new mega-campus. These demands are our way of ensuring that further tech expansion includes affordable housing, fights displacements, creates quality jobs and increases diversity. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:25 AM 4 We’re making some final revisions based on what we heard on Tuesday, and then we’ll present these demands to Google and the City government in the coming weeks. But presenting the demands and having them accepted are two different things – and that’s why we need your help. Will you volunteer to make sure Google meets these demands? We've got our demands. We've got the endorsement of the communities of San Jose. Now we need to keep raising our voices to make sure we are heard at the highest levels of City Hall and Google – and to do that we need a motivated army of fantastic volunteers to help us win this campaign. Sign up to attend our volunteer orientation here Together, we can make sure that San Jose's working families benefit from the city's growth. In solidarity, Maria Noel Fernandez CONNECT WITH US Silicon Valley RISING 2102 Almaden Rd. Suite 112 San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 809-2120 This email was sent to stephanie@dslextreme.com. Click here to edit your email preferences or unsubscribe. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:32 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Teri Llach <llachteric@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 2:46 PM To:Council, City Subject:Resident of Churchill ave - want to be very clear about new train development To: City Council Members, Palo Alto City Council    I am a resident of Churchill Ave – right across from Palo Alto High School. I have lived here for the last 15 years  and have been in the peninsula all my life – first in Menlo Park and now in Palo Alto.  Four of my children went  to Palo Alto schools and all went to Palo Alto High School. We must make the right decision in regard to the  changes to the train and the crossing at Churchill. Our community, the safety of our children and our lives  really do depend on making the right decision – the only decision.    Embarcadero is just 400 yards from Churchill and is the perfect location with plenty of room for traffic across  the rail crossing. Churchill is NOT needed as a crossing and it would not be safe to have a crossing in this  location given the vast number of students going to Walter Hayes and Palo Alto High School on Churchill. A  Full or Hybrid lower road underpass at Churchill must not happen. Even one child hit by a car is too many!    We must execute on a lowered rail solution. That is the ONLY viable option!  I don’t think there is any debate – we must protect our kids. My kids went to Palo and every day I see the kids coming – you can’t have the traffic  on the street. Implementing a bored tunnel solution would open the above ground right‐of‐way for various  community users, including a parkway ad ped/bike path spanning Palo Alto, but also provide income  generating opportunities like leasing land to low‐income housing developers and an open‐air farmers’ market  – this would generate significant income.    BUT the big reason is student safety – you must protect the kids. Please, there is no other options. Please be  the council we need and vote the right way.    Thanks Teri Llach  650‐575‐6913  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:38 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Rita Vrhel <ritavrhel@sbcglobal.net> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 2:56 PM To:Council, City; Bobel, Phil; Gitelman, Hillary; Pirnejad, Peter Cc:Keith Bennett; Esther Nigenda Subject:Rite-Aid building/suit/dewatering Hello.. I hope you will review the attached link..very interesting follow up to earlier dewatering and "sinking" of nearby buildings. thank you https://www.smdailyjournal. com/news/local/suit-brought- over-damaged-sinking-stores/ article_6a0dcba6-1b75-11e8- 8163-63d9b3c06541.html Rita C. Vrhel, RN, BSN, CCM Medical Case Management Phone: 650-325-2298 Fax: 650-326-9451 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:18 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Clara Rice <clararice@comcast.net> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 2:39 PM To:Council, City Subject:Ross Road Catastrophe! What will you do when there are serious accidents on Ross Road because of poor planning? Are we really paying for this  nightmare?      Sent from my iPhone    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:39 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Tania Nanevicz <taniananevicz@gmail.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 9:43 PM To:Council, City Cc:Corrao, Christopher Subject:Ross Road Resident who LOVES the new Bike Boulevard Dear City Council,    I live on Ross Road right across from the YMCA. I love the new bike boulevard. I feel that Ross Road is much safer since  the new traffic calming measures. The design makes sense and it is working.     I used to feel that Ross Road was a speedway for traffic getting off at San Antonio and heading north in Palo Alto. It was  a way to cut off traffic on Middlefield Road.  Cars would race in front of the YMCA honking as they went by. We would  hear honking 20‐30X a day from speeders honking at those exiting or entering the Y. As you know, Ross Road is one of  the main routes for Middle School and High School kids going to and from school. It is so much easier for bikers now.  The car traffic on Ross is reduced significantly AND CARS ARE DRIVING SLOWER!! Bikes are able to ride down the street  without the racing traffic on all sides.     My window looks out onto Ross and I see families riding together on weekends, kids in groups and alone biking down  the street, and many more pedestrians.    I love the new trees and plants going into the planter boxes.     I know that there are a number of vocal residents in the area who are opposed to change.  They have not even given the  project a chance to be completed and have worked themselves up into a frenzy. It is difficult for most to visualize the  end result when there are still construction trucks and cones in the road. I am not someone who spends time expressing  my opinion on Nextdoor or The Weekly but I feel that I exemplify my neighbors on Ross Road who are in favor of the  changes.     Thank you.  Sincerely,    Tania Nanevicz, MD  3401 Ross Road  Palo Alto  650‐387‐8525      P.S. I have not heard a single honk in a month.  City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 10:56 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Roberta Ahlquist <roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 1:30 PM To:Council, City Subject:Seattle has a different value system https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/us/homeless-camp-seattle.amp.html City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 8:32 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Chris Kantarjiev <kantarjiev@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, February 28, 2018 4:50 PM To:Council, City Subject:Southgate RPP To whom it may concern: I am a resident of Southgate, on Portola Avenue. Unlike some of my neighbors, I am not a die-hard fan of the RPP nor do I believe that it will solve all of our perceived parking woes. If one drives through Southgate at most any time of the day or night, it is apparent that there is lots of available parking - it just doesn't necessarily exist immediately in front of one's own residence. I appreciate that the changes made so far (mostly red striping, but also some benefits from the permits) have reduced the incidence of being stuck at a blind corner when entering or exiting Churchill - and I continue to get upset when my neighbors straddle the two spots in front of my home instead of politely using one and leaving the other empty and available. It's this last issue, of politeness, that I think is at the core of the current debate about additional permits for the professional offices at El Camino and Churchill. They have the permits. They will (probably) get more permits. They will (probably) continue to park where they are parking, and my neighbors will (probably) continue to be annoyed by it. Going to the effort to include the west side of El Camino in the Southgate RPP will do nothing to change their parking behavior. Let me say that again: Going to the effort to include the west side of El Camino in the Southgate RPP will do nothing to change their parking behavior. So ... don't bother. The people who are parking on the west side of El Camino have much bigger problems than we residents of Southgate do, and there's really no reason to push them away over our squabbles. For some reason, we have collectively lost the ability to be polite and considerate to one another. That would go a long way to solving the parking "problems" in Southgate. Sincerely, Christopher A Kantarjiev City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:48 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Robert Lum <rlum.mail@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 7:37 AM To:Council, City; Clerk, City; Architectural Review Board Subject:STOP VERIZON CELL TOWER As a Verizon Customer ‐     STOP THE PLACEMENT OF CELL TOWERS IN PALO ALTO.  Enough already with these noisy, unsightly and radiation  emitting towers.    Have a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b)  comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances.    Robert Lum  Barron Park.        City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:20 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Mike Fallon <mjfallon@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:26 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Verizon Cell Phone Tower installation in Palo Alto Dear Members of the Architectural Review Board, City Council, and City Clerk, I'm asking you to deny approval to the proposed Verizon cell towers. My house is in line to get one right next to my daughters bedroom. There is no fence, and no vegetation near the telephone pole at the entrance to our neighborhood. The huge unsightly strap-on devices, making noise and emitting radiation need to go on a pole in another location or better yet be placed completely underground and in compliance with Palo Alto noise ordinances. It is totally intrusive and is aesthetically unacceptable for our neighborhood. We have excellent reception at our house, merely two blocks from a major Verizon cell tower on a church steeple and have seen the ATT tower around the corner from us, which is very ugly and very very noisy. What next? We do not want this Verizon tower, which will soon be followed by an ATT tower and a Sprint tower, in this crazy arms race. Verizon did a lousy job placing these towers, by not selecting poles that were hidden, obscured and at major thoroughfares, or by fenced in backyards. Placing these poles next to bedroom windows with no vegetation or fences is outrageous and shows poor judgement. This is evidence they should not be trusted to follow the guidance that was issue to them by the city in terms of cell tower placement. The technology to shrink and quiet these transmitters is moving forward exponentially, and will render these towers obsolete soon. Don't stick us with noisy ugly strap on towers done in haste and up forever. Have ATT do it right or not do it at all. Put them underground, out of sight and out of hearing. Cheers, Mike Fallon Palo Alto Resident 914 Elsinore Drive City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:19 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:CHRISTY NEIDIG <christyneidig@me.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:10 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Clerk, City; Council, City Subject:VERIZON cell tower application PLEASE deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless Verizon’s plans: a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Thank you, Bill and Christy Neidig 2126 Webster Street Palo Alto City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:21 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Choon Kim <choonmarykim@yahoo.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 5:18 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City Subject:Verizon cell tower   Hi   My name is Choon Kim, living at 925 Loma Verde Ave. I deny the Verizon cell tower at my front yard. I don’t like so noise  and the radiation. It’s too close my master room. Pls regard our opinions.     Thanks  Choon    Sent from my iPhone    City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/7/2018 12:18 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Dennis McFadden <dennis_mcfadden@yahoo.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 5:00 PM To:Architectural Review Board; Council, City; cityclerk@cityofpaloalto.org Subject:Verizon cell towers As a 40 plus year resident of Palo Alto, I urge you to vote against the revisions to the ordinance that the staff is proposing. Thank You. Dennis McFadden 2811 Louis Rd. Palo Alto CA. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:53 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Annette Rahn <annetterahn@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 11:38 AM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Verizon Cell Towers Please deny approval to the installation of Verizon’s cell towers unless:    All equipment except antennas is underground and they comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances.    Thank you.    Annette Rahn  590 Santa Rita  Palo Alto, CA. 94301          City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:19 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Irina Parievsky <iparievs@yahoo.com> Sent:Friday, March 02, 2018 3:25 PM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Verizon: Request to deny Dear ARB members, Please accept my email as a request to deny approval to the proposed cell towers unless: a) call for all the equipment except the antenna to be located completely underground and b) comply with Palo Alto’s noise ordinances. Sincerely, Irina and Sergey Parievsky Residents of Palo Alto City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:47 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:Barbara Kelly <bmkelly@hotmail.com> on behalf of Barbara Kelly <barbara.kelly@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 1:45 AM To:Architectural Review Board Cc:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Verizon A Letter to ARB and City Council Members: We are two voting citizens among many others in Palo Alto who oppose Verizon's large, aesthetically ugly, noisy, possibly toxic presence in our neighborhoods. Please do not let Verizon use the city's telephone poles to litter and infect our neighborhoods with cell towers. Other cities have chosen to live without cell towers, and it's hard to understand the rush to have them in Palo Alto. At the very least, Verizon should comply with the city's noise ordinances, and the equipment should be buried deep underground. Verizon's claim that this is not feasible is insulting hogwash, revealing their lack of imagination and integrity and their devious motivations. Verizon should be reminded that not feasible was not in the vocabulary of the nineteenth-century builders of America who had fewer resources but far better vision than Verizon. City Council members, please do not let your staff ignore the wishes of the community you represent. Thank you. George and Barbara Kelly 444 Washington Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 1 Carnahan, David From:Arlene Goetze <photowrite67@yahoo.com> Sent:Thursday, March 01, 2018 2:53 PM To:Joe Simitian; Sara Cody Subject:WiFi via satellite can destroy ozone layer, can't be made safe Attachments:image001.emz An education article forwarded by Arlene Goetze, No Toxins for children, photowrite67@yahoo.com WiFi in the sky via satellites--Is it a Global Ecological Catastrophe? * CDC says national death rate rose 4-5% in following 2 weeks of 1998 launching of 66 satellites * In addition to microwaving the Earth, these plans have the potential to destroy the Earth's ozone layer. * . . . . electrically sensitive people all over the world experienced stabbing pains in their chest, knife-like sensations in their head, nosebleeds, asthma attacks, and other signs of severe electrical illness ----------- Our Mission--from www.cellphonetaskforce.org The Cellular Phone Task Force is dedicated to halting the expansion of wireless technology because it cannot be made safe. We provide: * education to the public concerning electromagnetic pollution (electrosmog) * advocacy for an electromagnetically cleaner environment * support for individuals disabled by radiation from wireless technology and other sources. * Thousands of satellites could launch 3 to 4 years from now WI-FI IN THE SKY “Just a little rain falling all around The grass lifts its head to the heavenly sound Just a little rain, just a little rain What have they done to the rain?” – Malvina Reynolds On September 23, 1998, 66 satellites, launched into low orbit by the Iridium Corporation, commenced broadcasting to the first ever satellite telephones. Those phones would work equally as well in mid-ocean, and in Antarctica, as in the middle of Los Angeles—a remarkable achievement. But telephone interviews revealed that on that day exactly, electrically sensitive people all over the world experienced stabbing pains in their chest, knife-like sensations in their head, nosebleeds, asthma attacks, and other signs of severe electrical illness. Many did not think they were going to make it. Statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control reveal that the national death rate rose 4 to 5 percent during the following two weeks. Thousands of homing pigeons lost their way during those two weeks, all over the United States. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 2 Several companies are now competing to provide not just cell phone service, but Wi-Fi, to every square inch of the earth from satellites in space, or from balloons, or from drones. Their target dates are three to four years from now. They are planning not 66 satellites, but thousands of satellites. There isn’t much time to prevent a global ecological catastrophe. The companies include: SpaceX: 4,000 satellites, 750 miles high OneWeb: 2,400 satellites (648 satellites initially), 500-590 miles high Facebook: Satellites, drones, and lasers Google: 200,000(?) high altitude balloons (62,500 feet) (“Project Loon”) Outernet: Low-orbit microsatellites Honeywell, which already has signed a memorandum of understanding to become OneWeb’s first large customer—it plans to provide high-speed WiFi on business, commercial, and military aircraft throughout the world—has posted this on its website: “OneWeb is building a constellation of more than 600 satellites, which will provide approximately 10 terabits per second of high-speed Internet access to billions of people around the world, even in the most remote areas. Once launched, OneWeb’s constellation will be the largest telecommunications constellation in orbit, enabling more capacity with higher speed and lower latency than any satellite technology to date.” Press image from OneWeb’s website In addition to microwaving the Earth, these plans have the potential to destroy the Earth’s ozone layer. The New York Times (May 14, 1991, p. 4) quoted Aleksandr Dunayev of the Russian Space Agency saying “About 300 launches of the space shuttle each year would be a catastrophe and the ozone layer would be completely destroyed.” At that time the world averaged only 12 rocket launches per year. These were thought to cause less than 0.6% depletion of the ozone layer. Research into the effects of rocket exhaust on the ozone layer has virtually ceased, but the number of launches is poised to increase astronomically. If 12 rocket launches per year reduced the ozone by even 0.3%, then Dunayev was correct, and 300 launches in a year would destroy the ozone layer totally. To maintain a fleet of (ultimately) 4,000 or 2,400 satellites, each with an expected lifespan of five years, would involve enough yearly rocket launches to be an environmental catastrophe. An international coalition, Global Union Against Radiation Deployment from Space (GUARDS) has been formed. ------------ From Our Mission • Cellular Phone Task Force City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 3 Our Mission • Cellular Phone Task Force The Cellular Phone Task Force is dedicated to halting the expansion of wireless technology because it cannot be ... SANTE FE LAWSUITE: (The human brain operates in the frequency range of 0.5 to 120Hz) "Elon Musk announced an audacious plan to launch 12,000 low-orbit satellites "to beam an ultrafast, lag-free Internet connection" to every square inch of the earth." This is of major concern for every human and living thing on the planet not to mention the planet itself. The human brain relies on the continuous background resonant EM frequency of the earth, (7.83 Hz and its harmonics known as Schumann resonance), to synchronize and stabilize functioning. Known as the "Zeitgeber Effect" it maintains a natural operational balance in sync with nature. Any interference by artificial microwaves could cause mental instability (insanity) and ill health. It may already be contributing to abnormal behavior as experienced with recent mass shootings. Sensitive people would have to live underground to survive. These microwave frequencies can act as a carrier for frequencies in the brainwave spectrum producing mind control effects. City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 4 The Santa Fe lawsuit needs to be supported and followed for if it fails we're all in real trouble. Ironically every human is born with the ability to communicate telepathically via subspace. (ETs have been doing it for a very long time) Thanks! Gary "A second area of concern is WiFi itself. Although widely perceived as an unqualified good, WiFi operates using extremely rapid pulses of microwave radiation - the same radiation used in microwave ovens. And a parade of studies continue to be published and ignored implicating wireless technology in the die-off of forests, the demise of frogs, bats, and honey bees, the threatened extinction of the house sparrow, and damage to the DNA of the human species. It is vital to the continuation of life that large parts of the earth be spared from the incessant radiation that accompanies wireless technologies. "The human body", says Dr Gerard J. Hyland, of the University of Warwick, UK, "is an electrochemical instrument of exquisite sensitivity", noting that, like a radio, it can be interfered with by incoming radiation. If a signal can operate a mechanical device, it can disturb every cell in the human body." On 2/24/18 9:24 AM, Paul Kinzelman wrote: This sounds like a dangerous effort especially when there is evidence that cellphone technology poses a significant hazard to our health. Some people are sensitive enough they can't be around a cellphone for more than an hour or so. But the cellphone companies are powerful enough they've been able to avoid most serious scientific study, and now Elon wants to put this stuff where nobody can avoid it. Subject: 5G from space; Santa Fe lawsuit; Urgent needs Dear Friends, The Santa Fe Alliance for Public Health and Safety filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Fe in federal court on January 11. The Alliance includes doctors, health care practitioners, psychotherapists, artists, teachers, a Health Department official, a city planner, a world class athlete and others who have lost jobs and homes to cell towers, or who have patients who have lost jobs and homes to cell towers. We are asking the court to declare Santa Fe's 5G ordinance unconstitutional, and to rule that neither the State of New Mexico nor the U.S. government may prohibit a city from protecting its citizens. As far as I know, this is the only litigation of its kind in the United States at the present time. Our litigation is assuming greater importance by the day, because the assaults on our planet are rapidly escalating, and we haven't much time to stop them. 5G FROM SPACE One week ago, Elon Musk announced an audacious plan to launch 12,000 low-orbit satellites "to beam an ultrafast, lag-free Internet connection" to every square inch of the earth. They will contain PHASED ARRAY ANTENNAS and will operate in the MILLIMETER WAVE SPECTRUM. In other words, 5G FROM SPACE. The first two test satellites were launched on a Falcon 9 rocket yesterday. News reports say "The initial satellites in the network are expected to come online next year." City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/2/2018 1:37 PM 5 Each satellite will be the size of a mini-refrigerator and weigh about 400 kg. 4,425 satellites will be at an altitude of about 700 miles and 7,518 satellites will be at an altitude of only 210 miles. To give you an idea of just how radical of an assault this will be, as of September 2017 there were a grand total of 1,738 operating satellites in orbit. About 930 of them were in low orbit (less than 1,000 miles above the earth). None of them were lower than 400 miles in altitude. Only 208 low orbit satellites were used for communication. Only 125 (Iridium and Globalstar) were for cell phone service. None of them provided high speed data. None of them were phased arrays. The earth has never experienced anything like this. Even if Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket could launch 100 of these satellites at a time, which is likely, that still means 120 rocket launches. If he wants to get them all up there in a year's time, that's one launch every three days. And there are at least ten other companies that want to launch thousands of satellites each to do the same thing. OneWeb plans to launch the first ten of its planned 2,400 satellites in May. The earth's protective ozone layer is still being depleted, scientists have just discovered, even though everyone thought the problem was solved by the Montreal Protocol. With so many rockets blasting holes in the atmosphere these days, that could be the reason. But nobody is talking about it. The most current satellite database, kept by the Union of Concerned Scientists, is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ucs-d ocuments/nuclear-weapons/sat-d atabase/9-1-17-update/UCS_Sate llite_Database_9-1-2017.xlsx Musk's scheme alone could cause a catastrophic ozone loss, and it could also destroy all life on the planet. Musk's project is called Starlink. GUARDS (Global Union Against Radiation Deployment from Space (http://stopglobalwifi.org) will have a teleconference this Sunday to discuss what to do. We need people with ideas, connections, and skills. Contact me if you want to help. OTHER URGENT NEEDS I need: a book publicist a webmaster a fundraiser (paid on commission) If you can help with any of the above, or know people with excellent skills in those areas that I can hire, also contact me. Arthur Firstenberg, P.O. Box 6216 Santa Fe, NM 87502 (505) 471-0129 www.cellphonetaskforce.org City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 3/5/2018 11:47 AM 1 Carnahan, David From:George Jaquette <jaquette@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 05, 2018 12:33 AM To:Council, City Subject:Wow -- heads will roll Doing a little research, there is a real skeleton in the closet here. Jaime Rodriguez worked for the city of Palo Alto for years, and is involved with the contractor doing the work on Ross Road. Wow, and "oh wow!" The construction crews have (in my amateur opinion) created many unsafe situations, including blocking traffic with no flag-person available to make a one-lane street safe. Now that it appears that this is an inside job, I'm going to ask friends to start documenting these violations. Wow again. I hope you are proud of Phase I of your $9.2 million project that is endangering children daily. George Jaquette still a proud parent of two children exposed to life-threatening changes at East Meadow and Ross Road daily Adopt a Resolution Granting Initial Acceptance, Authorize the City Engineer to Execute a Contract Change Order with Granite Construction, and Approve Budget Appropriation for Singley Area Street Rehabilitation, Phase V, Project No. 8193 (Staff Contact: Jaime Rodriguez, 586-3335) https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/01/27/palo-altos-transportation-chief-resigns https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2014/12/18/transportation-chiefs-outside-job-raises-concerns Jaime Rodriguez, Palo Alto's chief transportation officer and the architect of the city's aggressive plan to build a wide network of bike boulevards has resigned after nearly five years at City Hall. Neighborhood Traffic Safety & Bicycle Boulevard Projects - Phase 1 After several years of planning, design, and community participation, the City has selected Granite Construction Company to begin construction of the first phase of the Neighborhood Traffic Safety and Bicycle Boulevard Project. Construction is currently underway on Ross Road between Garland Drive and Louis Road. The construction phase of this seven-mile long road safety project is anticipated to last one year. The project has been broken into 9 segments for construction to minimize impacts to the greatest extent feasible to both neighborhoods and schools. Each segment will take approximately 1.5 - 3 months to complete, with some overlap between the segments. We appreciate your patience during the construction phase, flaggers will be on site to assist motorists and some detours may be necessary at times. A flyer with more project information can be found by clicking here. For questions please contact Community Relations Manager, Sarah Ratliff, Sarah.Ratliff@gcinc.com or by calling (669) 225-1617. March 5, 2018 HAND DELIVERED Palo Alto Officials: Liz Kniss, Mayor Eric Filseth, Vice Mayor Molly Stump, City Attorney James Keene, City Manager Fred Balin 23 85 Columbia Street Palo Alto, CA 94306 fbalin@gmail.com Hillary Gitelman, Director, Planning and Community Environment 250 Hamilton A venue Palo Alto, CA 94306 COUNCIL Ml;ETJNG '3/7110 ~eived Before Meeting E'.]Received at Meeting Re: Formal Complaint; Potential Violation of Conflict oflnterest Laws Participation of Planning & Transportation Commissioner Michael Alcheck in 11/29/17 Meeting City Officials: Kindly note the following: 1. Michael Alcheck, a current member of the city's Planning and Transportation Commission since 2013, is listed in public records as the property owner of 558 Madison Way, Palo Alto, 94303. 2. Michael Alcheck has an interest in real property of over $1,000,000 for Assessor's Parcel Number 003-12-047 (i.e., 11 Phillips Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303) as per his FPPC 700 form for the year 2016, filed on 3/28/17 and available via the City Clerk's website. 3. On August 28, 2017, applications were filed to convert an existing carport into a garage on each of the properties referenced above, and specifically by: Michael Alcheck, Applicant and Owner, for 558 Madison Way, Palo Alto, 94303, and Alcheck Investments LLC, Applicant and Owner, for 11 Philips Road, Palo Alto, 94303. 4. On November 29, 2017, Michael Alcheck in his role as a member of the Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission actively participated in Item 2: 1 PUBLIC HEARING: Recommendation to the City Council Regarding the Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Palo Alto Municipal Code (P AMC) Chapter 2.20 (Planning and Transportation Commission) of Title 2, Chapter 9.10 (Noise) of Title 9, Chapter 10.64 (Bicycles, Roller Skates and Coasters) of Title 10, and Chapters 18.04 (Definitions), 18.10 (Low-Density Residential (RE, R-2 and RMD)), 18.12 (R-1 Single-Family Residential District), 18.15 (Residential Density Bonus), 18.16 (Neighborhood, Community, and Service Commercial (CN, CC and CS) Districts), 18.28 (Special Purpose (PF, OS and AC) Districts), 18.30(G) (Combining Districts), 18.40 (General Standards and Exceptions), 18.42 (Standards for Special Uses), 18.52 (Parking and Loading Requirements), 18.54 (Parking Facility Design Standards), 18.76 (Permits and Approvals), 18.77 (Processing of Permits and Approvals), and 18.80 (Amendments to Zoning Map And Zoning Regulations) of Title 18, and Chapters 21.12 (Tentative Maps and Preliminary Parcel Maps) and 21.32 (Conditional Exceptions) of Title 21. The Proposed Ordinance is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in Accordance With CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). 5. The Staff Report for Item 2 of the 11/29/17 Planning & Transportation Commission hearing (ID 8041), within the Report Summary on Page 2 lists the following for Items 6 and 7: 1. Clarify that the Contextual Garage Placement Applies to Carports 2. Clarification of Carport and Garage Definitions 6. At the time of the hearing, the applications in which Commissioner Alcheck was interested, to convert a carport to a garage were still pending, i.e., no permit had been issued. 7. Commissioner Alcheck's failure to disclose his material interest in these items constitutes a violation of the California Political Reform Act, including such instances as the item could have a substantial and material effect on his financial interest in the two properties and it also could be considered as a common law "appearance of impropriety" forbidding his participation. 8. Commissioner Alcheck has more than once completed required ethics training "AB 1234," which sets forth the prohibitions of the Political Reform Act and common law conflict. 9. It is requested that the facts referenced be evaluated by the proper city officials and the matter before you be tabled until it is assured that it receives a fair hearing by disinterested members of the Planning and Transportation Commission not including Commissioner Al check. ~~~ Fred Balin 3/15/18 Palo Alto, CA 2 "Residents across the country are just now beginning to understand the harms that hasty and insensitive small cell deployments can inflict on their communities," said Jim Baller, the president of Baller Stokes & Lide, a law firm in Washington that represents municipalities on communications issues. But telecommunications companies -hoping to cash in on what is predicted to be $250 billion in annual service revenue from 5G by 2025 -are pushing to build the system as quickly and cheaply as possible. And they have the federal government on their side. The companies, like Verizon Communications and AT&T, say that the equipment will be safe and unobtrusive, and that it is needed to support future applications like driverless cars. Dotting them throughout neighborhoods is necessary for full coverage, they say, because the new 5G signals do not travel as far as the radio frequencies now in use. The new equipment, AT&T told the Federal Communications Commission last year, "will revolutionize the way consumers and businesses use mobile broadband 4 services, and of the emerging internet of things." SEE MY OPTIONS Subscriber login ARTICLES REMAINING To get their way, the telecom firms have lobbyists working state legislatures, advocating laws that restrict local oversight of 5G. Since 2016, 13 states have passed bills that limit local control, and several other states are considering similar laws. Wireless companies are also lobbying Congress, which is considering several bills on the issue. And the F.C.C., under the leadership of Ajit Pai, its Republican chairman, has strongly encouraged weakening regulations to accelerate the deployment of new 5G technology -including reducing the role of local governments. This week, another Republican F.C.C. commissioner, Brendan Carr, announced details of a plan to streamline the environmental and historic review process for 5G infrastructure, saying it could cut costs by 80 percent. The agency will vote on the measure this month. Mr. Pai and Mr. Carr have said regulatory changes are necessary to keep pace with global competitors. But bringing high-speed service to underserved areas - closing the digital divide -has also been one of Mr. Pai's central arguments for reining in local regulations. The money companies save from fewer regulations, he says, can be used to expand broadband into rural areas. City officials are not buying it. Mobilitie, one of the nation's largest cell-tower operators, submitted an unofficial plan in Montgomery County, Md., in the fall, designating where the company might want to place small cells. Of the 215 small-cell sites in that plan, only 11 were in areas with fewer than 1,000 people per square mile. "It is deeply disingenuous to suggest that the need to pre-empt urban areas' ordinances is so we can bring broadband to rural areas," said Mitsuko R. Herrera, the county's technology special projects director. "There is zero evidence to support that premise." Jason Caliento, a Mobilitie senior vice president, agreed. "Small cells are a tool in the toolbox, but alone are not going to solve the rural divide," he said. In January, Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose, Calif., resigned his seat on an F.C.C. 5G advisory committee, saying it was rigged to give industry what it wanted "without any obligation to provide broadband access to underserved residents." In response, Mr. Pai said the F.C.C. looked forward to working with the committee "to remove regulatory barriers to broadband deployment and to extend digital opportunity to all Americans." The wireless industry has filed multiple comments to the F.C.C. complaining about delays from local governments. AT&T executives said officials in California, whom they did not identify, had delayed deployment of small cells by more than 800 days because they "scrutinized" antenna designs, radio-frequency exposure and effects on property values, among other things. Companies have suggested cutting local approval windows by a month or more. Cities and counties argue the delays are caused by the wireless companies themselves. Officials in Montgomery County said Mobilitie had routinely filed incomplete applications that caused months of setbacks. Mobilitie officials said their relationship with local governments was "evolving" and leading to better collaboration. "I don't think we've ever seen more progress" than has occurred lately, Mr. Caliento said. City officials say shortening reviews risks small-cell facilities becoming unsightly and unsafe. That is what worries Donna Baron, a 75-year-old retiree who learned a streetlight near her home on DuFief Drive in North Potomac, Md., was marked to become a small cell, as were dozens more nearby. She held up an image of a possible cell station that might replace the light. "The pole is a lot rounder, it has boxes on it and a huge fake mailbox at the bottom," Ms. Baron said. If the F.C.C. pre-empts local rules, "you're going to end up with a Medusa, with a bunch more stuff attached." Wireless companies are also asking the F.C.C. to cap local fees. AT&T says that three California cities assess fees of $2,600 to $8,ooo a year per attachment, and that a "Georgia municipality is considering an annual fee of $6,ooo per node." David Young, who manages infrastructure leases for Lincoln, Neb., said he understood the carriers' frustration. But he said cities had a responsibility to charge fair rates. He has negotiated with wireless companies to pay $1,995 a year per pole. He set the rate based on market analysis, which he discussed with the companies. "They were quite happy to pay the price that we asked," Mr. Young said. Texas cities can't negotiate rates. Last year, the State Legislature passed a law pushed by AT&T that allows cities to charge carriers no more than $250 per pole each year. Before the law, cities often charged $1,500 to $2,500 a year per pole, and the change will cost Texas cities as much as $1 billion over eight years, the Texas Municipal League estimated. AT&T argues that charging fees not based on cost violates the federal Communications Act, which blocks local governments from prohibiting broadband services. A group of Texas cities led by the city of McAllen, near the Mexico border, filed a lawsuit last year against the state, arguing that the new cell-site law violated the state Constitution, which prohibits the Legislature from forcing cities to grant something of value to corporations. Lawyers representing Texas argue the state has the authority to cap municipalities' pole rental fees. During oral arguments in December, a judge denied the state's motion for dismissal, and last month denied the cities' request for a temporary injunction. The case is expected to go to trial this year. The maneuvering in Washington has left people like Marc King, 71, a longtime resident of Germantown, Md., feeling resigned. "A Russian woman stood up to speak at one of these public meetings, and she said that when she lived in Russia, the government slam dunked her and she had no say," Mr. King said. "Now she lives in the United States of America, where she's getting slam dunked by the government and she has no say. That gives you a window into what's going on here." Allan Holmes is a reporter for the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit investigative reporting organization in Washington. A version of this article appears in print on March 3, 2018, on Page 83 of the New York edition with the headline: 5G Cell SeNice Is Coming. Critics Fear the Stations Will Look Like 'a Medusa.'. © 2018 The New York Times Company So the challenge will be how to apply the Comp Plan, especially Policy L-1.6, which, along with the other policies in the Land Use and Community Design Element, are the essential and guiding principles for this study. I suggest a few items: As noted in Plannings documentation, the flexibility to expand the study boundaries was as an afterthought. The addition of the properties along Lambert and at Ash are very significant to the development. If included in the site they would provide the most reasonable connection to Boulware Park, and a natural pedestrian and bike link to the rest of the Ventura neighborhood. There has been much discussion about expanding Boulware Park, perhaps eliminating Ash Street on that south side of Lambert and considering the incorporation of the AT&T owned site adjacent to their facility. Certainly this enlarged park site should be considered as the best area for an active park, like so many others in Palo Alto, both for the present and future Ventura residents. The map and study area should be revised to include this expanded study area now to ensure that they will be included in the planning phases? This will guarantee that there will be, as the Comp Plan states, a proper bike and pedestrian connectivity to the neighborhood. The program for the project presumes that it will ultimately be a major residential development, including some small-scaled retail and perhaps include community use facilities. As noted the site is surrounded by office uses. Thus it is important that the new design does not create an impenetrable separation from its immediate neighbors, that its landscaped areas are open and accessible to them. The scope of the consultant's contracts ought to include presentation models, besides digital representations. There is nothing more accurate and convincing than a real physical model for community outreach. Clearly the size and scope of this project must include a significant number of affordable housing units. Since the cost of construction and most soft costs are fixed, there will have to be a significant study and discussion by all stakeholders to determine how to provide for this State mandate and Council commitment, how to subsidize it to remain affordable. Finally, as a seminal project for Palo Alto, the selection of consultants is critical. They should be creative planners, architects, landscape designers, economic analysts, environmental experts. Their experience working as team members and their study and appreciation for the scale and texture of this community is of paramount importance. Mediocrity would be unfortunate; excellent design, which might achieve national recognition, is possible. Respectfully submitted by, David Hirsch, Architect, RA AIA 798 Palo Alto Ave. (Crescent Park) 650-494-4646 c. 646-221-5158 davidlhirsch@gmail.com [ ] Placed Before Meeting eceived at Meeting National Groundwater A wa reness Week TEST. TEND. TREAT. March 11 -17 Take Action for Groundwater During Groundwater Awareness Week 0 roundwater -it's the water we drink and the water that grows our food. As the word suggests, it's the water that's hidden beneath our feet in the cracks and crevices in the rocks and sands beneath the Earth's surface. Groundwater is important to everyone and everything. During National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 11-17, 2018, The Groundwater Foundation urges everyone to learn more about groundwater resources and find ways to protect it in your home and community. According to National Groundwater Association (NGWA), sponsor of National Groundwater Awareness Week (#GWAW2018), the United States uses nearly 80 billion gallons of groundwater per day for public supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other purposes. Irrigation accounts for the largest use of groundwater in the United States, about 67.2 percent of all the groundwater pumped each day. Some 53.5 billion gallons of groundwater are used daily for agricultural irrigation, helping feed the world. Around 45 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply. More than 13.2 million households, or 34 million people, have their own well. Established in 1999, National Groundwater Awareness Week is an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of groundwater and how it impacts lives. "Approximately 132 million Americans rely on groundwater for drinking water, so, simply put, the resource makes life possible," said Aaron Martin, public relations and awareness manager of NGWA. 'We all rely on groundwater in some way," says Jane Griffin, Groundwater Foundation President. "It's up to all of us to be part of the solution to protecting it. Collectively we make a difference!" The 2018 Awareness Week theme is "Tend. Test. Treat." to encourage a holistic approach to sustain an adequate supply of quality water. Testing your water might prompt well inspection and maintenance, and water treatment can mitigate naturally occurring contamination revealed by the test. So, test your water, tend to your well system, then treat the water if necessary. Groundwater is constantly threatened by overuse and contamination. You can be part of the solution by making small changes that cumulatively have a big impact: Conserve water inside and outside your home by taking short showers instead of baths, running full loads of dishes and laundry, checking for and repairing leaky faucets and fixtures, watering outdoors only when necessary, and using native plants in your landscaping that require less water. Track your daily water use to identify where you can use less. Try the free 30by30 app and start tracking today (www.groundwater. org/action/home/30by30.html). Always follow label instructions for household chemicals, and look for ways to decrease or eliminate fertilizer and pesticide usage. Dispose of chemicals properly by taking them to recycling centers or household hazardous waste collections. If you have a private well on your property, have the well inspected 8 ~Volume 32 Number 3 I www.groundwater.org Read the en tire Aquifer by a licensed water well contractor and the water tested once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrates, and any other contaminants of local concern. Find out about your community's drinking water source and mobilize to protect it. The Groundwater Guardian program (www.groundwater.org/ groundwaterguardian) is a good place to get started. Teach others about ways to protect and preserve groundwater. National Groundwater Awareness Week is a great time to start doing your part. For more information about The Groundwater Foundation and how you can get involved, visit www.groundwater. org or call 1-800-8S8-4844, or visit our friends at NGWA at www.ngwa.org or www.wellowner.org.• GET SOCIAL DURING #GWAW2018 THE GROUNDWATER FOUNDATION 0 GROUNDWATERFOUNDATION 0 @GROUNDWATERFDN NATIONAL GROUNDWATER ASSOCIATION 0 0 NGWAFB @NGWATWEETS February 14th, 2018 Dear Council Member Greg Tanaka, CITY OF PALO ALTO. CA CllY CLERK'S OfftCE \8H~R-1 Pt1 \: 02 This letter is in regards to the disastrous parking situation in South Gate. I am an employee at 1515 El Camino Real, a well-established business in Palo Alto since 1990. I am, unfortunately, not among the 10 employees who was issued a parking permit. Rather than paying the excessive fee of $5 per day to park near my place of employment, I am now forced to park on the west side of El Camino Real. Our work day starts early, often before daylight, which means I am walking significant distances in the dark. This is unsafe. I am also forced to open my driver's side door onto a busy, high-speed highway, which is extremely dangerous. In addition, carrying heavy bags of work-related items long distances to and from my car is a significant physical burden. This unjust situation is putting my personal safety at risk. Please revise the parking program in South Gate to allow for the employees to park safely near our place of work. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, • .,{Mot-,, .CITY OF· PALO ALTO. CA Bio: CITY CL ERK'S OFFICE 18 HAR -7 ·PH I: 02 David Sweanor B.A., J.D, Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, University of Ottawa, https://commonlaw.uottawa.ca/health-law/ has worked globally on tobacco and health policy advocacy issues for over 30 years, working with companies and organizations including the International Union Against Cancer, World Health Organization, World Bank and the Pan American Health Organization. He is in demand on both hemispheres for his expertise on the issue of tobacco harm reduction. Throughout his career, Professor Sweanor has maintained complete financial independence on all issues pertaining to tobacco and nicotine, and from any entity in the snus, smokeless tobacco, cigarette, e-cig, vapor, pharmaceutical industries; anti-tobacco groups; and regulatory bodies. Some of his other professional affiliations include: Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics, University of Ottawa; Honorary (Consultant) Assistant Professor, University of Nottingham; Legal Counsel, Non-Smokers' Rights Association, 1983-2005; Among other awards, he is a recipient of 'Public Health Hero' lifetime achievement award from the Pan-American Health Organization, and Outstanding Individual Philanthropist Award, Ottawa, 2016. This June, Professor Sweanor chaired the 4th annual Global Forum on Nicotine in Warsaw, Poland. The conference theme this year was "Reducing Harm, Saving Lives" and brought together an international roster of independent thought leaders --scientists, public health and consumer advocates --to "draw attention to the potential of safer nicotine products to reduce the global health burden of smoking." https://gfn.net.co/ February 19, 2018 Greg Tanaka Council Member-Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA CITY OF PALO ALTO. CA CITY CLERK'S OFFICE 18 HAR -'1 PH l: 02 Re: Tobacco Harm Reduction & municipal bans on the retail sale of flavored tobacco products Dear Greg Tanaka, Millions of Americans struggle to quit smoking. The CDC estimates that despite reduction in the national adult smoking rate, now at 15.1%, more than 480,000 Americans die each year -40,000 per month -from preventable smoking- related illness, with billions of dollars in economic loss. The public is largely unaware that for many who cannot or will not quit smoking, there are demonstrably safer ways to obtain nicotine without the risks of combustible tobacco. Before a San Francisco audience of 1,000,000 KGO 810 radio listeners during the Chip Franklin Show, public health professional, Professor David Sweanor discussed the "unintended consequences" of the municipal bans on the retail sale of flavored non-combustible tobacco products. https://youtu.be/eoj03itATfA "We keep doing things [flavor bans] out of this moralist, abstinence-only approach that keeps more people smoking, more people dying -and that's not public health.. that is a travesty." Professor Swea nor and many public health experts argue that the bans are in effect a prohibition on safer, non-combustible tobacco and nicotine delivery products such snus and e- cigarettes. These products are scientifically proven (recognized by the FDA) to be least 95% safer than cigarettes, and are largely consumed in flavored forms by adults to disguise the taste of the nicotine. The unintended consequence may be that with reduced access to safer products, many adults will keep smoking cigarettes. Sincerely, Californians for Tobacco Harm Reduction *' The Bottom · Line • RPP has been a tremendous success in reducing overparking in residential neighborhoods. • Employees who park with RPP permits are NOT the cause of overparking in neighborhoods. • Cutting Employee RPP permits will NOT improve overparking in neighborhoods. • Cutting Employee RPP permits will create MORE "re- parkers" nearest the Downtown. • Council should take Staff's recommendation: No cuts/re-allocations at this time. -Council decisions should be facts/data based, not based on misconceptions such as Employee RPP = Overparking. .. Don't confuse employee need for permits with actual permits sold. • Employee Need > Permits Sold. Why? -Zones 1-7 (nearest core) were sold out mid-January (just over 3 months into the RPP sales cycle). • Also, ALL Downtown City garages/lots were sold out mid-January with large waitlists for employee permits. -Zones 8 (SOFA), 9, & 10 were undersubscribed because ... • No City outreach/promotion to Businesses/Employees • No automatic prorating of permit prices makes permits increasingly expensive and unattractive (especially for low income workers). -City has no idea of actual need for Employee RPP permits. No waitlists. No tracking. Don't cut permits ... it's NOT the solution to the REAL problem! Cutting creates more "re-parkers"!