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HomeMy Public PortalAboutNovember 6, 2023 City Council Emails701-32 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: 11/6/2023 Document dates: 10/30/2023 – 11/6/2023 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. From:Andrei Pesic To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 12:54:14 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from andrei.pesic@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! Andrei pesic Sent from my mobile phone From:Stephanie Enos To:Council, City Subject:Re. Cal Ave Needs a Compromise....Please support this! Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 11:50:25 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from enosfamily@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To all members of the City Council, California Avenue used to be my go to place for most things. I could easily bike there from Barron Park with little need to go further afield in a car for most of my groceries. It was also an interesting street with plenty of variety and different things to offer people. I understand that the way people shop now is very different and almost anything canbe ordered online but it would be a great loss if it simply became another Castro street dominated by restaurants. If you walk down the street now, outside of regular eating hours, it feels like a ghost town. It is a wide enough street to accommodate one lane of traffic and bikes without infringing on restaurants. I would urge you to support the Compromise Plan mentioned in the Palo Alto Weekly, for the sake of other businesses besideseateries, open up California street and restore some life back. Sincerely, Stephanie Enos From:Lara Ekwall To:Council, City Subject:Please reopen Cal Avenue (1 lane or 2, your choice :) Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 11:35:12 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from lara@labodeguita.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council Members, Before you vote on Cal Ave tonight, please consider and re-visit that we all went through thepandemic. Businesses, offices, services on Cal Ave are still here because our concepts work and are needed in our area. We had to pivot and adapt everyday to continue to employ people and serve our community. When you see the list of 35 businesses that went on the record in our ad (I’m sure you’ve all seen it11/3/2023, page 3, Palo Alto Weekly), please put yourself in ALL of these business owner’s shoes. Many who did not sign were afraid to go on the record, but want it reopened to cars for a variety ofreasons. Many are immigrants and are afraid of the process. Some were unable to go on the recordbecause of franchise or non-profit status. Trust me, there are MANY more than 35 businesses in our3-block district that want the reopening! We all are invested here, earn our livelihoods here. Mostof us small business owners spend more time on Cal Ave than we do with our families. You havehundreds of years of Cal Ave business experience available to you. We know our needs better than another expensive and timely 3rd party consultant. Before you vote tonight, please remove the catch phrases “Everyone wants it” and “All restaurantswant it” from your mind. Those talking points are frequently repeated but that doesn’t mean theyare true. If you keep saying “everyone” then I guess that my voice, my neighbor’s voices, don’tmatter. Please ask yourself, has the city staff done adequate reach out to businesses in the district? Not sure who said it first, but we are NOT a park. We have lots of parks in the immediate Cal Avedistrict. We are all on the Ave to generate commerce and serve. Ask yourself, “am I just listening towhat I want to hear”? Council, the seven of you have the power to make the call, what are youreally basing your decisions on? Is it what is best for the businesses and residents in the short term,in the long term? Regarding the city staff outreach for residents, it is heavily based on a (questionably written) studythat is 2 years old… Sure, if I hadn’t taken statistics, I’d think that “79.3% want it closed” isimpressive!!! However, Palo Alto has almost 67,000 residents. 356 responded, that's only 79.3% ofthose people (again 2+ years ago). I’d fail an exam if I said that was statistically relevant. And,morally I would fail because “everyone wants it” is not an accurate summation. Hmmm, people whodon’t work have a lot of time to blog. As for the frequently cited “restaurants all want it”? Critical thinking please, ask “where did thiscome from”? Most want it fully reopened but are willing to compromise because most of us wantwhat is best for everyone around us. When you read the names of each business in the ad that wantCal Ave to be reopened, they want what is best for the overall neighborhood. Also, if you dismissany of the businesses because they don’t sound familiar or they are small, that is awful. Theymatter. Yes, there are a couple of incredibly vocal restaurants that want it closed. Why is it thattheir voices carry more than the 35 businesses asking for the reopening? Let them have parklets! Let me have a parklet… Let’s have the increased dining capacity! But let’s have it be fair,enforced, and safe. While I am comfortable with a compromise, many, including myself, prefer the previous 2 laneoption. We know it works; it is faster and less expensive than a 1 lane compromise. AND, if youdecide to spend more taxpayer money stalling on a decision, you will have a comparison of databetween a closed street and an open street. As for outdoor dining, you have “parklet” guidelines for University Avenue, let Cal Averestaurants wanting the increased space build their permitted/safe/regulated sooner than later! Please reopen our business district to cars in both directions effective January of2024. Respectfully, Lara Ekwall Co-Owner of La Bodeguita del Medio Since 1997 Lara Ekwall La Bodeguita del Medio ® 463 S. California Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306m 650.326.7762 @labo_paloalto www.labodeguita.com lara@labodeguita.com * please excuse type-oz and grammatical errors From:Steve Ugur To:Council, City Cc:Sekoya Lounge & Kitchen Subject:Full Opening of California Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 11:27:51 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from steve@sekoyapaloalto.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Good Morning City Council of Palo Alto, I am the founder and co-owner of Sekoya in Palo Alto, and we just opened in August of 2023. My business partner, who is also my uncle, Sean Ugur, was the former co-owner of Cafe Pro Bono for 18+ years. We both are in favor of a full re-opening of California Avenue, both lanes. This will be the least expensive route as the street is ready to go, since it served as a 2-way street for many years. The addition of parklets for restaurants on a 2-way street is the best compromise and is a proven solution in many downtowns throughout the Bay Area. California Avenue is going through an identity crisis now, and our patrons see this. We have countless customers asking why the street is closed, especially when they see so many storefronts either vacant or slow. There is just not enough foot traffic on California Ave to justify a street closure and it is having negative impacts on many businesses. The restaurants that are thriving now, due to the street closure, are only 3 businesses. The rest of the businesses are seeing the negative impacts while these other 3 or so businesses are able to outstretch their seating capacity by 300%. It is also important to note that these 3 businesses who are thriving, were also thriving before the street closure. These thriving restaurants were so successful during the pre-pandemic days, that they opened 2nd locations. That should be a hint that an open California Avenue is a proven downtown that housed many successful businesses. Unfortunately, now it only houses a select few, and at the expense of other businesses. We need both lanes open, for a better future for the downtown as a whole. Please consider opening both lanes, there are many more businesses that want the street open than closed. There are also many more residents than people think, who also agree with a full opening. I speak to different people who share my thoughts, on a daily basis. Sincerely, Steve Ugur | Director of Operations Sekoya Lounge & Kitchen417 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306@sekoyapaloalto | sekoyapaloalto.com From:billp28 To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:Regarding the Application for Amending of PC2343 - 702 Ellsworth Place and 2901 - 2905 Middlefield Road Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 11:09:42 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from billp28@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Regarding: LEGISLATIVE - Amending Planned Community 2343 zoning for 2901 - 2905Middlefield Road Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone, and members of the City of Palo Alto City Council, The City Council’s attempt to resolve the zoning dispute on Sept 18 shows some verycareful reasoning. Enhanced traffic entry and exit safety measures make good sense if isdecided that the present parking lot must accommodate a new substandard R1 project. Adding to this I believe the "Ellsworth Place Neighbors Request" of November 2nd, whichemploys a UPS-approved delivery space right on Ellsworth Place, is an even better stepforward because it defines truck turnaround space that can double as a parking space. Ilike that this removes vehicle congestion at the entrance of Ellsworth Place. All of this means that the Sutter Avenue public parking should remain unchanged. It neednot be taken away for private developer use. The requests of the Ellsworth Place Neighbors in the letter mentioned above nicely workwith the Council's thinking by improving safety and circulation to benefit the street trafficand the greater Midtown community. Thanks, Bill Preucel (700 block Colorado Ave, frequent visitor to Ellsworth Place on foot and by bicycle) From:Pat Marriot To:Council, City Subject:Open Cal Ave Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 11:08:27 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from patmarriott@sbcglobal.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council Members, I just read a PA Online letter to the editor from Deborah Goldeen at https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/11/03/letters-to-the-editor She wrote about meeting a Palestinian refugee on a bench on Cal Ave and watching “A 5-year- old Venezuelan refugee practicing her dance moves in the middle of the street.” She concludes those things “cannot take place in a park or a community center, those facilities being peripheral and disconnected from the life force of a community.” I have to disagree. If parks and community centers are “peripheral” to the community, why do we invest in them and promote their use for everything from sports to yoga classes to dances to public meetings? They are the obvious meeting places for the community, not in the middle of what should be an open public thoroughfare. Please open Cal Ave for the benefit of ALL. Thank you, Pat Marriott From:Melanie Grondel To:Council, City Cc:Melanie Grondel Subject:Analysis Paralysis is killing Cal Ave Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 10:41:22 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from mel.grondel@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council Members, After learned that 2 of my generally well informed friends were shifting their support for an All Pedestrian Part of Cal Ave to "after years of this mess, let's get rid of it and bring cars backas Normal", I was shocked. I am shocked at this switch. I asked another 8 people. Out of these 10, 8 people blamed the "City"; 6 blamed the City Manager specifically for lots of rules and regulations that lead toconfusion and seem to make no difference. Out of frustration 4 out of 10 said that they would choose to bring cars back 'to make an end to this sad mess".Business closures without replacement were lamented by all. All pointed to neighboring cities that got their act together to support a reasonable or even pleasant environment by the end of the first summer of the pandemic and most certainly by the2nd year. I follow the City Council meetings on a regular basis and I am frustrated at the absence of a clear policy, stable for several years into the future, that the public can appreciate as themerchants implement simple measures for order and a simple but pleasant appearance. For 3 years there has been majority support for a few designated blocks of Cal Ave as a pedestrian zone for a Plaza like enjoyment of outside dining and shopping. Instead I see half measures by City Staff with in depth regulation for detail by separate detail,rather than a sound and responsive frame work. Constant insecurity caused by short timelines and decision reversals, are killers of business initiative. This is what I see proposed andimplemented by City Staff. About every 3 months there is another meeting to decide whether to keep Cal Ave closed or not for another season. The merchants wait to invest, because again and again another roundof considerations by Staff pops up about large or small details; long deliberations, over gas vs electric patio heaters and the expensive consequences for merchants is a case in point, onecase out of many instances. I see gas model patio heaters all around in our prospering neighbor cities. The City Manager's purpose seems to aim for a far off and lofty model of State Street in SantaBarbara, an environment not comparable at all to Cal Ave. Ineffective and ill researched consultants based on the East Coast, engaged by the CityManager, add to the indecision as they work with far extended timelines and propose to hire more City Staff to add layers of oversight on oversight, and staff coordination positions, for a city many times the size of Palo Alto. The other purpose of endless change in regulation is toextract another set of fees for parklets etc. from the merchants. Revenue from sales tax would have made up multiple times for the City Manager's nickle and dime method, if a simple andclean design of umbrellas and planter boxes with simple bollards had been created as an attractive environment to do business as is the case in Los Altos, Mountain View, downtown Redwood City. Even Menlo Park has much improved after some initial hesitation. Only Palo Alto and specifically Cal Ave is losing its shirt. Merchants' lack of confidence and lack of implementation in the light of endless revisions and short time lines by the City Manager and Staff, has resulted in sales below expectations orin a slow recovery for most establishments - with a few exceptions -, and a Public, the life blood of all this, that is fed up and is looking at other options in neighboring cities. That results in great loss of revenue to the City's coffers as well as to merchants' reasonableprofitability. Please stop this death spiral by setting up a few simple requirements to remain in force for the foreseeable future so the merchants and the Public have a stable environment to look forwardto, worthy of realistic investment in basic necessities and a return of public enjoyment and spending by that same public. Changes for a more sophisticated urban environment can be handled as a future planningproject, years out, while regular business is thriving in a simple and stable environment. We need your common sense right now for simple and effective measures in a stable environment for at least 3 years to recover from this mess and uncertainty. That could preventmuch greater and more permanent damage to Cal Ave, and prevent a death spiral. Thank you for your consideration - Melanie Grondel - College Terrace - Palo Alto From:Aaron LeMar To:editor@paweekly.com; news@padailypost.com; editor@almanacnews.com; news@stanforddaily.com;usafetypcore@stanford.edu; Eileen O"Rourke; staffersbusiness@lists.stanford.edu; Jo-Ann Cuevas;cardinalatwork; hrcommunications@stanford.edu; OConnell, M; Police; Clerk, City; City Mgr; Council, City;Dueker, Kenneth; Perron, Zachary; policechief@menlopark.org; police@losaltosca.gov; board@ctra.org;stanfordwestapartments; lucy.wicks@stanford.edu; Cynthea A. Kingsley; Norman W Robinson; Laura Jackson(SHC); Kathryn Harris (SHC); Mark C Lawrence; psa@kzsu.stanford.edu; gm@kzsu.stanford.edu;allison@icrichild.org; senchal@icrichild.org; ridhima@icrichild.org; pgrajo@icrichild.org; enrollment@icrichild.org;kimberly; Nathalie.Larsen@brighthorizons.com; cierra.webb@brighthorizons.com;mickey.alvarado@brighthorizons.com; maryann.klotovich@brighthorizons.com;Nancy.Costantiello@brighthorizons.com; sarar; nurten; Rachel Lim; keiko@ccscparentcoop.org;susan@ccscparentcoop.org; hope@ccscparentcoop.org; asheward@pausd.org; ltaylor@pausd.org;bkline@pausd.org; Jennifer.Winters@stanford.edu; Berkson, Jerry; lbutler@pausd.org; eolah@pausd.org;msteingart@pausd.org; OK_School@mpcsd.org; nscott@mpcsd.org; c.petersen@mpcsd.org Cc:Linda M. Saunders Subject:Annual AlertSU System Test - Friday, November 10, 2023 Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 10:34:55 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from aaron.lemar@stanford.edu. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Please distribute widely. Thank you. Stanford Dept. of Public Safety On Friday, November 10, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Stanford University will conduct itsannual test of the campus AlertSU system. Alert messages will be sent via text message and email to the Stanford community. The alert message will also post to the university emergencywebsite, Public Safety website and the Stanford mobile app. The outdoor warning system will be activated. If you are outside, you should expect to hear an audible tone for approximately 30 seconds, followed by a verbal message from each of the 7sirens at various campus locations. The sirens will be audible throughout the campus and may also be heard in parts of the surrounding communities, including Palo Alto, Menlo Park andLos Altos. Also being tested are Cisco VoIP speaker phones. VoIP speaker phones are found in many of the academic and office buildings throughout campus. If you have a Cisco phone in your area,the AlertSU message will broadcast from the speaker phone and a banner message will appear in the display. In the test message sent to your device, you will be asked to acknowledge the message. This isan important step that will help us monitor the success of this test. If you receive both a text and email, you only need to acknowledge one of the messages. Prior to the test, it is important you verify that your contact information is correct in Axess (students) or StanfordYou (faculty and staff). Students: In Axess, make sure there is an entry in the mobile phone field as this is the mostrapid and direct way to communicate with you during an emergency. Faculty and Staff: In StanfordWho, make sure there is an entry in the mobile phone field, as this is the most rapid and direct way of communication with you during an actual emergency.As a reminder: the university requires that employees maintain their directory entry and opt in to AlertSU with their work phone number, email address, and any university-issued or reimbursed cell phone number. Please click here for step by step instructions on how to enter your contact information in StanfordYou or visit https://police.stanford.edu/alert/alertsu- faq.html for more information. Additionally, in order to know you are receiving an official AlertSU message, please program the following information into your mobile phone contacts. Email Address: alertsudps@lists.stanford.edu Phone Number: 650-725-5555 Text Message phone number: 89361 Members of the public and those without a profile in Axess or StanfordWho can receive emergency alerts by downloading the Stanford mobile app and enabling push notifications. In a real emergency, the AlertSU message will contain specific instructions. Notify others near you to ensure they are aware of the situation and recommended safety precautions. Other sources of information about critical incidents include: Stanford’s emergency website: http://emergency.stanford.edu Department of Public Safety website: https://police.stanford.edu Social Media: Twitter/Instagram @Stanford University emergency information hotlines: 650-725-5555 and 844-253-7878 (844- AlertSU) KZSU 90.1 FM For more information about the AlertSU system, please visit the AlertSU FAQ page at: https://police.stanford.edu/alertsu-faq.html. Learn more about campus evacuation procedures and how to respond to emergencies at cardinalready.stanford.edu. From:Mike Jacobs To:Eileen Kim, PharmD Cc:Sebastian Benavidez; Council, City; City Mgr; pwecips; Palma, Jose; Mesterhazy, Rose; daustin@pausd.org; Kumaran Siva; board Subject:Re: near Collision on Middlefield (entering Greene Middle school) due to a car using a bike lane (heading westdirection on Middlefield) - need street barrier urgently (between Oregon and Greene Middle school on north sideof Middlefield) Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 10:26:45 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Eileen, Thank you for providing this information. I am relieved to hear that no one was injured in theincident. I noticed that you have included our community experts from the Office of Transportation (OOT) in this email. Given their expertise in traffic safety here in Palo Alto, Iwill defer to them for guidance on the appropriate next steps. Once again, thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Mike Jacobs Safety, Security and Disaster Preparedness Manager Palo Alto Unified School District 650-833-4279 On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 9:28 AM Eileen Kim, PharmD <eileen.rph@gmail.com> wrote:Dear Principal Benavidez, City of Palo Alto, and PAUSD, Please consider putting up street barriers (similar to what is found near Middlefield x North California intersection) to prevent cars (heading westbound on Middlefield after turningfrom Oregon) from using the bike lane as an alternative car lane. The bike lanes (north sideof Middlefield) on Middlefield (between Oregon and Greene School entrance onMiddlefield) are quite large, enough to accommodate a car or in this case, an SUV. A black GMC SUV this morning thought it was a fantastic idea to use the westbound Middlefield bike lane as their car lane (to avoid the real bumper to bumper carlane heading west on Middlefield), to drive in this lane and turn right onto the Greene Middlefield entrance. However, given heavy traffic on the real westbound car lane onMiddlefield in the morning, using a bike lane is not ideal given the view is obscured for cars turning left into Greene from Middlefield (i.e. cars facing East towards Oregon). It was a near miss collision. Street barriers (similar to how the Middlefield bike lane has near the North Californiax Middlefield intersection) must be put up urgently. Several cars decided this morning (when morning traffic is heavy and it was dark and rainy) to use a wide north sideMiddlefield bike lane meant for students biking to Greene, as their secondary car lane (to head West after turning from Oregon onto Middlefield, to enter Greene Middle School) toavoid slow moving west bound traffic on Middlefield. It is being used as an alternative car lane so cars can barrel down the bike lane on MIddlefield (from Oregon headingtowards Greene) to enter the school faster. This is not only dangerous for bikers who use the bike lane to cycle to Greene Middle School (heading in the westly direction on Middlefield), but also dangerous for cars turning into the Greene entrance from Middlefield (i.e. cars facing east). Note the heavy traffic on Middlefield (heading west) obscures the views for both cars (car turning left into Greene andcar turning right onto Greene, which was also illegally using the bike lane). This wide bike lane without barriers (between Oregon to Greene entrance on Middlefield) to prevent bad drivers from unscrupulously using the bike lane as their back up car lane is anaccident waiting to happen whenever westbound traffic slows down on Middlefield (in the dark, in the rain, during rush hour traffic, and early mornings and pick up times). Sincerely,Eileen Kim Eileen Kim, PharmD eileen.rph@gmail.com From:Jim Hines To:Council, City Subject:In support of keeping Cal Ave a pedestrian zone Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 10:19:14 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from hinesjf@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. We have been residents and homeowners in south PA for 18 years, and we have raised ourchildren here. The conversion of Cal Ave to a pedestrian zone has been one of the most visible and impactful improvements to our community that we have personally experienced duringour time here. We are strongly in favor of keeping Cal Ave a pedestrian zone, and we urge the city council to take action to make it permanent. Jim & Michelle Hines3640 Evergreen Drive From:Randy Mont-Reynaud To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick Subject:TRAFFIC CALMING and Open Space: Keep Cal Ave Closed to Cars, please? Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:52:10 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from rmontreynaud@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Parking? There's plenty of parking and we can all use at least a half a block walk,right?Retail worried? Lower your prices and they might come... Restaurant Row Airport Food Court Concerns?: It could be worse. I love the open explanse, the children playing with chess and blocks and mini gold. This is atreasure of unique Open Space -- do we really need more cars and more parkedcars?? Come on, Council, keep calm and traffic calming. Thanks -- Randy Mont-Reynaud, PhDFounder: If Pigs Could Fly - Haitiwebsite: http://www.ifpigscouldflyhaiti.org/ Founder of the 501 c-3 "If Pigs Could Fly - Haiti" From:Maarten To:Council, City Cc:MJ Marcus Subject:Re: background on Cal Ave Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:45:41 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from maartenlansberg@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I am also part of the Cal Ave Joy Collective and I concur fully with everything that Mary Jane Moutsanas wrote in her email below. California Avenue, since its closure, has been a hub for the community. It is such a pleasure tostroll down Cal Ave any day of the week, watch people enjoy a bite to eat on one of its many terraces, and listen to live music. I view the closure of Cal Ave as one of the few silver linings of the COVID pandemic. Istrongly urge the City Council to keep Cal Ave closed to cars and to create a permanent pedestrian zone that will continue to bring much joy to our community. Best,Maarten Lansberg On Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 7:21 AM MJ Marcus <maryjane.marcus@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I did an ethnographic study of Cal Ave, profiling three people and writing up the history,that I thought you would find helpful. To me, it's more than just Cal Ave being open or closed, but what are the emotional needs for belonging in the community (esp. afterCOVID) and what are creative ways those can be supported, along with supporting a thriving business district. I feel we had so much isolation and distress during COVID thatwe really need to prioritize widely used community spaces (and find ways to make them more accessible to all income levels). I use and worked at Cal Ave, both at Country Sun andin an office space next door at another job. I am in favor of making Cal Ave the most amazing community hub in the area, withmore gathering possibilities (inside spaces and out), revisiting zoning so much culturalactivities can occur in the spaces. I recommend permanent closurewith keeping the Ash Street fully open, and perhaps gaining access to the bank parkingso people can park closer. I am part of the Cal Ave Joy Collective that welcomes all community members who want to imagine what's possible here. I love the businesses too, and would not want to lose the Cobblery. I shop there regularly,and would love to find creative solutions for them. The street regardless needs a lot more support in getting workers in the area there during the day, and also adding more densehousing so more people are nearby. Sincerely Mary Jane Moutsanas -- “The heart is a The thousand-stringed instrument That can only be tuned with Love.” ― ظفاح دمحم نیدلا سمش / Khwāja Šams ud-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī, The Gift From:Eileen Kim, PharmD To:Sebastian Benavidez; Council, City; City Mgr; pwecips; Palma, Jose; Mesterhazy, Rose; Mike Jacobs;daustin@pausd.org Cc:Kumaran Siva; board Subject:near Collision on Middlefield (entering Greene Middle school) due to a car using a bike lane (heading westdirection on Middlefield) - need street barrier urgently (between Oregon and Greene Middle school on north sideof Middlefield) Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:28:21 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Principal Benavidez, City of Palo Alto, and PAUSD, Please consider putting up street barriers (similar to what is found near Middlefield x NorthCalifornia intersection) to prevent cars (heading westbound on Middlefield after turning from Oregon) from using the bike lane as an alternative car lane. The bike lanes (north side ofMiddlefield) on Middlefield (between Oregon and Greene School entrance onMiddlefield) are quite large, enough to accommodate a car or in this case, an SUV. A black GMC SUV this morning thought it was a fantastic idea to use thewestbound Middlefield bike lane as their car lane (to avoid the real bumper to bumper car lane heading west on Middlefield), to drive in this lane and turn right onto the Greene Middlefieldentrance. However, given heavy traffic on the real westbound car lane on Middlefield in the morning, using a bike lane is not ideal given the view is obscured for cars turning left intoGreene from Middlefield (i.e. cars facing East towards Oregon). It was a near miss collision. Street barriers (similar to how the Middlefield bike lane has near the North California xMiddlefield intersection) must be put up urgently. Several cars decided this morning (whenmorning traffic is heavy and it was dark and rainy) to use a wide north side Middlefield bike lane meant for students biking to Greene, as their secondary car lane (to head West afterturning from Oregon onto Middlefield, to enter Greene Middle School) to avoid slow moving west bound traffic on Middlefield. It is being used as an alternative car lane so cars canbarrel down the bike lane on MIddlefield (from Oregon heading towards Greene) toenter the school faster. This is not only dangerous for bikers who use the bike lane to cycle to Greene Middle School(heading in the westly direction on Middlefield), but also dangerous for cars turning into the Greene entrance from Middlefield (i.e. cars facing east). Note the heavy traffic on Middlefield(heading west) obscures the views for both cars (car turning left into Greene and car turning right onto Greene, which was also illegally using the bike lane). This wide bike lane without barriers (between Oregon to Greene entrance on Middlefield) toprevent bad drivers from unscrupulously using the bike lane as their back up car lane is an accident waiting to happen whenever westbound traffic slows down on Middlefield (in thedark, in the rain, during rush hour traffic, and early mornings and pick up times). Sincerely, Eileen Kim Eileen Kim, PharmD eileen.rph@gmail.com From:David Coale To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed Subject:Keep Cal Ave car-free Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:09:40 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor and City Council members, Please make the California Ave. car-free set up permanent and commit to improvements. What business owners need more than anything else is certainty and you need to commit to this going forward. The Palo Alto process is killing these businesses. A car free California Ave. will: - Encourage other modes of transportation - Makes for a healthier street scape for dining - Helps with our 80 by 30 GHG reduction goals - Sends the right message/priorities – people not cars - More community friendly - People enjoy being outside - 80% of people want it car free A “compromise”, one lane open, would just gas people with exhaust on that side of the street and would not make anything any better, it would be worse. Who wants to have their meals served up with poison gas? It is hard to determine Covid down turn in business from changing buying patterns in purchasing and car-free operations. That said, car-free retail has worked in many places before and after Covid so please commit to making it work for California Ave. and let’s keep moving forward! Sincerely, David Coale From:Neal Gorenflo To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Closure Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:08:25 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gorenflo@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi City Council, I'm a former resident and now frequent visitor of California Avenue (I live inMountain View). I fully support the continued closure of the street to car traffic. I also support a visioning process that invites the broader community to imagine all the ways a pedestrian mall can beused to improve the quality of life. For instance, what kind of placemaking activities and infrastructure could be included, how can local civic organizations be involved on a regularbasis in the life of the street, how can it be made safe and enjoyable for all ages, what kind of microenterprises could be allowed to operate to enlive the street, how can nature and natureeducation be incorporated in the space, and how can the street help build the social capital and resilience of the local community? Thank you, Neal Gorenflo From:Joseph Oorebeek To:Council, City Subject:Public Comment for 11/6 Agenda Item 9: California Avenue Closure Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 8:47:46 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jmoorebeek@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council,I would like to take a moment to advocate in favor of a continued and permanent closure of California Avenue to vehicles. I am a relatively new resident of Palo Alto, and when lookingfor a place to live, walkability was of prime importance to my family. While looking at properties both in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, it was comparative strolls down Santa Cruz andCalifornia Avenues which helped decide our final location. Menlo Park's decision to re-open a single lane to traffic made the whole space feel cramped, noisy and generally unsafe for mixeduse. Comparatively, exploring a pedestrian-only California Avenue cemented this area as the place for us to settle down. We enjoy the easy access to numerous shops along the street, and the closure to cars in aninvitation to explore the further nooks and crannies of the street. Aside from restaurants, being able to walk along the street let me purchase my most recent set of flip-flops at The Cobblery,and the ready access to Summit Cycles has allowed me to more regularly commute by bicycle. Even those businesses not on the closed portion, such as Nob Hill hardware and Gamelandia,have benefited from my popping in for a spur-of-the-moment purchase, enabled by my walking past them to the closed section of Cal Ave. Re-opening any portion of California Avenue to vehicle access would come at the detriment toa gem of Peninsula. I instead encourage the city to double-down on a commitment to keep the street closed, and invest their time, effort and money to make this street more suited for itsnew calling. Best Regards,Joseph Oorebeek From:Aram James To:Angie Evans; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; David Angel; Diana Diamond; Don Austin; Donna Wallach; Enberg,Nicholas; Jensen, Eric; GRP-City Clerk; GRP-City Council; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Hornung, Joel; KEVINJENSEN; Kou, Lydia; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; O"Neal, Molly; Reifschneider, James; Rosen, Jeff;Sean Allen; Stump, Molly; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Tom DuBois; Vara Ramakrishnan;WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; cindy.chavez@os.sccgov.org;citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig; dennis burns; Figueroa, Eric; jeff_conrad@msn.com; Tannock, Julie;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; walter wilson Subject:Superiors supported police use of force Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 8:42:49 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Superiors supported police use of force https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=5ad4bcc0-676f- 4608-8957-ba4b55cfe7a7&appcode=SAN252&eguid=3bd80b4a-2ab7-4140-bdc8-06f49d0ac396&pnum=3# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:geetha srikantan To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; gsrikantan@yahoo.com; gsrikantan@gmail.com Subject:Objection: HRB inclusion - 385 Waverley Street Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 8:23:26 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gsrikantan@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Ms Amy French, HRB members, City Council Members, I learnt of the HRB / City Council meetings on October 24th 2023 and the planned meeting for November 9, 2023. In the packet containing the list of homes being considered for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, I see that my property at 385 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, is on this list. I appreciate all the efforts from the HRB and City Council members in researching and putting this packet together, it is quite informative. I would like to formally object to including my property - 385 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 - in the National Register of Historic Places. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am reachable via email or cell phone as noted below. Thank you, Dr Geetha Srikantan Email: gsrikantan@yahoo.com, gsrikantan@gmail.com Cell: 650 799 7422 From:Katherine Chou To:Council, City Subject:Keep the street car free Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 6:42:14 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from seneca@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As a resident of college terrace and a frequent and loyal customer of all the stores, includingthe non-restaurants, I would like to keep the street car free, invest in making it green and encouraging better parking on the side streets. I also believe with more help from the city, the businesses on the street that are providingdiverse goods businesses can be boosted by 1) helping them directly engage the community better on the wares and goods they have 2) ensuring a fixed rent on that street for thecommercial businesses and 3) getting them management help online. Please make the street a nice walking street, it is common in Europe and can be done exceedingly well if someone had the vision and leadership. Thank you,Katherine From:Dominik Gabi To:Council, City Subject:Please Keep California Ave Car Free Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 6:42:10 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from dmnkgb@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As a college terrace resident I’ve come to appreciate having a walkable small downtown. Ibelieve this to be of high potential if done the right way. It would be another big loss for us if the city decided to reopen the street to cars. Please keep California Ave car free! Thank you,Dominik Gabi (1216 California Ave) P.S: we’d love a more active say in what happens to our street (more green spaces, less trash). How do we get involved in that discussion? From:Cora Baum To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave Closure Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:15:27 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from coralinebaum@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Hello, I’m emailing to share my support for keeping California Ave closed. As someone who lives very close and doesn’t drive, I really appreciate the freedom and safety offered by the lack of cars there. Being able to walk to places like Mollie Stones and local restaurants without needing to fear cars is something I would be very sad to lose. Thank you, Cora From:Daniel Hulse To:Council, City Subject:Agenda Item 9: California Ave Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 11:56:05 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from daniel.e.hulse@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I am writing to support the continuing closure of California Avenue to cars. I live in the Del Medio neighborhood in Mountain View and feel strongly about this because Iconsider Cal Ave to be as much of a "home" to me as my own downtown. One of my favorite activities on the weekend or on a day off is to ride my bike or take the train to the CaliforniaAvenue farmers' market or to eat at one of the restaurants. In many ways I think that this area (especially on Farmers' market days--I hope you can agree) shows how lively a public spacecan be when we reallocate space from cars to people. I understand concerns about vibrancy on the weekdays when there are fewer events--but this concern must not be a reason to undo the progress that has been made here, especially whenthe actions suggested by many is to is to destroy this car-free space in a vain attempt to prop up a dying industry--retail--when there will always be better places in the city for it anyway. With this in mind, I think that the future of this area should embrace and build on its currentstrengths: location, transit, walkability, dining, and community. Instead of hoping to attract retail customers from far away to drive to Cal Ave (why would they do this?), why not insteadbuild housing for customers who will act as a captive market to our shops and dining? Instead of creating noise and traffic that scares would-be diners away from the space, why not insteadcreate world-class bicycle and pedestrian routes from our train stations, universities, and areas of housing growth to invite them in? Instead of clawing back precious outdoor dining spacefrom restaurants for a couple on-street parking spots (while gargantuan parking structures remain empty), why not expand our use of the street to include public art and performances?Instead of desperately winning back the approval of retail stores, why not seek to encourage alternative retail uses (e.g., event spaces, leisure/recreation, or amusement) with morecommunity value? Why open lanes to cars when we could be having a different community event here every single day of the week? What California Avenue needs is not a return to what was with cars, but a vision for what itcan be without them. I hope that you share this sentiment and will support staff's recommendation to keep the current configuration and further create a cohesive car-freevision for California Avenue. Sincerely, Daniel Hulse From:Prof James S Harris To:Council, City Subject:Return to traffic on California Ave. Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 11:18:41 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jharris@stanford.edu. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I live on the Stanford campus and prior to Covid, did much of my shopping at businessestablishments on California Avenue—haircuts, dry cleaners, bookstore, drugstore, wine tasting, shoe repair, post office and groceries. With blocking of California Ave. to car traffic,I have moved all of the above to downtown Palo Alto other than dry-cleaning—partly because my parents owned and operated a dry-cleaning business in Oregon for 45 years, I know theowners and they have parking right at their front door. Having been exposed to the issues for small business owners, many have leases which practically forced them to stay in businesseven if barely profitable during Covid because breaking their longterm leases would be extremely costly, possibly sending them into bankruptcy. No one could predict Covid, but themeasures taken to survive that enabled most to survive, but the only businesses profiting from the continuing closure of California Ave. are the restaurants, so I can see why they areenthusiastic about maintaining the current status. I believe every other business is suffering, some very seriously and could well go out of business if the current closure is maintained. Ifthat happens, you will end up with a few more restaurants separated by a lot of closed vacant buildings, not a very attractive place to be walking down the street. I think in 10 years, eventhe restaurants who favor closure now will decide it was a terrible mistake and take another decade to reestablish it’s vitality. Finally, I looked at the survey that was allegedly done and ithas so many completely irrelevant questions that make it FAR TOO LONG. Looking at it, by the time I reached the bottom of page 1, I would have tossed it as irrelevant. I think the PRfirm doing this must have offered something (maybe the restaurants!!!) to get people to take the survey and so I have ZERO confidence that whatever they think they allegedly found, it isvery likely incorrect. I strongly support reopening California Ave to traffic again. Sincerely,James Harris James S. Harris '64, '65, ’69 E-Mail: jharris (@) stanford.edu James & Ellenor Chesebrough Professor, Emeritus http://ee.stanford.edu/~harris/ Department of Electrical Engineering Ph: (650)723-9775 PAUL ALLEN Bldg. Rm 328 330 Jane Stanford Way Adm. Asst.: DJ Smith Stanford, CA 94305-4075 Ph: (650)723-0983 Member, National Academy of Engineering E-Mail: djsmith (@) stanford.edu From:Kay Culpepper To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: California Avenue for people/November 6, 2023 Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 10:45:48 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from kayculpepper@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Kay Culpepper <kayculpepper@gmail.com> Date: Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 10:32 PMSubject: California Avenue for people To: <EdLauing.city.council@cityfpaloalto.org>,<Greer.stone.city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>, <JulieLythcott- Haims.city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>, <Lydia.Kou@cityofpaloalto.org>,<VickiVeenker.city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>, <greg.tanaka@cityofpaloalto.org>, <patrick.burt.city.council@cityofpaloalto.org> Esteemed members of the City Council of Palo Alto, I am very happy that many of you helped in the decision making of closing California Avenue to automobiles. Thank you. Some of you have also helped to extend this closure to cars and see how it worked out. Thankyou. I am writing to encourage all of you to support keeping the street closed to cars beyond December 31, 2023 and in perpetuity. I read a lengthy article in the Weekly tonight Nov. 3, that completely failed to mention the realreason that they find California Avenue to be a “ghost town.” Below I have tried to describe what I have seen there on a daily basis. This letter is long, but not as long as that article. Is it a ghost town like San Francisco is, or haven’t you noticed? There are places that areempty in many cities and they have streets that are not closed to cars. Covid changed things. The digital world has expanded and the person to person world hasshrunk. Inflation has caused prices and rents to rise. People became accustomed to shopping online. Is it because the street is closed? NO. California Avenue is thriving as best it can with noworkers filling the the industrial park or arriving by train. Many left due to Covid to simply work from home. Long distance meetings on Zoom and the digital life style opened newopportunities for them. Many are still working from home even now. I have lived in College Terrace for more than 55 years and I must say that I have walked to California Avenue more than I ever had before since the street was closed to cars. I have eatenthere more than I should have because it is so peaceful and because it is out of doors minus exhaust fumes. The places that most attract me besides the quality of the food are those withplants and flowers, colorful umbrellas and seating that is inviting. As for the Cobblery, I have always been a great fan and bought shoes, socks and purses fromthem since I first came to Palo Alto. Usually, after eating nearby I always want to go in and see what is new. I have been there more than I ever had been since the street closed. During the Sunday Farmers’ Market most restaurants do a huge business to make up for otherdays that may not provide so much traffic. La Bodeguito is open only Tuesday through Saturday missing a great opportunity for customers. The street closure created new opportunities for our town, our neighborhood and also forpeople from other towns nearby. The weekly farmers’ market is wonderful! And it is always full of people from up and down the Peninsula. There are several restaurants that are always overflowing and some businesses that alwayshave customers. There is one time of the day on week days when the street is empty and that is after 2 or 3 pm when breakfast and lunch are over and the dinner hour has not arrived. Have you ever visited towns in Latin America or Western Europe at 3 in the afternoon? It is atime when civilized people go home and take a nap. At the dinner hour there are crowds, at early breakfast there are crowds, on music nights it is packed with people. I will agree that at 3 o’clock pm when the street is not busy, it can look unattractive. The main reason for that is that it looks like a street! There are lines down the middle, parking slots still painted on the asphalt, curbs etc. and it may have litter visible if it is not cleanedregularly. Will you agree that it is not finished? We need to finish this job of making an inviting and welcoming avenue without cars. Maybe it will need to be done in small increments. The streetcould have paving stones or bricks, the structures can be painted in colors that are unifying, warm and maybe light adobe—or gradations of the color. There could be a similar treatmentfor awnings, and all businesses could use planters of red geraniums or some such showy flower that thrives and binds together the avenue as a destination. As to cafes or businesses they must be of good quality and ideally fill a need, like Zareens,apparently, did. I would wish for a bookstore again. But if there is an attractive destination, perhaps quality businesses will come. Quite a few new businesses have come since the streetclosed. Another place that is always full is the coffee place down the alley. (Because it is unique?) We have so much parking we can’t fill it! There is parking directly behind every business of the closed avenue. And a huge new parking garage, and maybe one more coming. It is still easy to get to the train and Molly Stone’s by car. I have some doubts about “hiring a company” to decide things. Where did that cracked glassin the sidewalk come from?? A company? We have many talented people who know Palo Alto and could contribute their skills to creating a cohesiveness that would be inviting andcomfortable as well as attractive. At least two or three of the attributes along the street should be “alike” or be repeated to create harmony and cohesiveness: ie same bright flowers, samesoothing neutrals for paint, possibly a central planting of same trees that provide shade in summer, bright autumn leaves, and bare in winter with lights. We have a huge new residential housing complex built on the former industrial park byStanford. It is filled with families from Amherst down to Dartmouth along upper California Ave. Perhaps we should send them invitations to come down to the avenue. When I first arrived in Palo Alto in the mid sixties, there was a great interest in maintainingthe human scale in this city. If you already know that about 80% of the people surveyed want the street closed to cars, and businesses that are not thriving know that it is not because the street is closed to traffic, butreally for many other reasons, then what are we waiting for? What a great opportunity to create an attractive destination right here in Palo Alto! Something unique, beautiful andinviting. Respectfully submitted, Kay Culpepper 2121 Amherst St. Palo Alto, CA 94306 P.S. I am not so sure about miniature golf? From:SC To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker,Vicki Subject:Keep California Avenue Closed Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 10:45:25 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from escondidoscience@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Honorable City Council Members, I am a resident of Palo Alto writing to ask you to keep California Avenue closed to vehiculartraffic. I believe the closure of Cal Ave has contributed to the quality of life here in Palo Alto. Cal Ave is a place where our community can gather safely to relax and slow down from the hecticpace of life we have become accustomed to, and connect with one another. Especially now with all that is happening in this world, we cannot underestimate the power of building and sustaining a strong community in a safe space like Cal Ave. Since its closure during the pandemic, Cal Ave has become a vibrant community meetingplace to many including students at Stanford and people who live outside our city limits. The chill vibe on this street is like no other -- it is quintessentially the best of Palo Alto in that itappeals to all ages and walks of life who frequent our community -- unhurried -- to shop, connect with others and play. Yes, play. I often see young adults and families playing in the streets with the chess pieces,hula hoops and other games. Parents with young children are able to sit and have a cup of coffee or a meal as they watch their children safely play nearby. At the most recent ThirdThursday (in October) I saw a mother and very young son playing with the hula hoops by themselves at night. I cannot impress upon you how it feels to walk or bike down this street. It is friendly, warm,comforting and very much feels like a safe space. People are happy -- smiling, chatting, in deep conversation connecting with each other. I ask that you please preserve this space and keep this street closed. thank you,sharon chin P.S. I would like to see us do more to make this street a destination place for people to spendmore time and money, including in the stores. The popularity of Gamelandia and the hardware store illustrates people are willing to shop here. I think hiring a consultant to do a year-longstudy in order to move forward is not necessary and a waste of time and money. From:sandy.brunicardi@gmail.com To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 9:52:49 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sandy.brunicardi@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As a small business owner in the Cal Ave Business District I have some severe concerns about what has been and continues to go on. December 2019 I signed a lease in a small commercial building on Park Blvd.. I was looking forward to starting my small business in a beautiful vibrant area in Palo Alto. For many years I had frequented Cal Ave as a patron to the many restaurants and shops. I was looking forward to becoming part of the community there. Fast forward to today. I barely made it through the pandemic with waning clients, higher prices, parking nightmares. I hear every day from clients who do not like to come to this area any longer. Parking is difficult. New clients have trouble navigating the closure at the El Camino end. They cannot figure out how to get to my location. Trying to keep them coming to my business is next to impossible. I have actually had new clients call me to cancel on their way because it is so confusing. As I reflect on my own habits in 2023 I realize I do not choose restaurants on Cal Ave anymore. I don’t shop at Molly Stones,don’t go to Calave Wine Bar, don’t go to the bagel shop, don’t go the shoe repair. It is too much of a hassle to find parking, navigate around cyclists and delivery trucks. The street itself seems unkempt and unorganized. Mini golf adjacent to El Camino ? Doesn’t make sense. Kids throwing balls and playing games in the middle of the closed off to cars section? Again, doesn’t make sense and is not conducive to an enjoyable dinner out. It is sad to realize that the City Council does not value the small business, the everyday mom and pop hard worker. I feel it is the City Council itself pushing me out of their town, and my business. I hope you see this is a wake up call as I am not alone in my desire for change. Open the street. Minimum 1 lane, preference 2 lanes. Sandy Brunicardi 650.787.9459 Warm regards, Sandy Brunicardi 650.787.9459 Sent from Mail for Windows 10 From:Carol Muller To:Council, City Subject:Country Sun Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 9:29:23 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from cbmuller1@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council members, I write to express disappointment with the impending loss of Country Sun, a long-time, truly delightful, organic, independent grocery on California Avenue, which I’ve patronized over many years for its quality products, including fresh organic produce, Strauss dairy milk (in returnable glass bottles), yogurt, ice cream, and for its bulk grains, beans, spices, and herbs, available in whatever quantities I desire, eco-friendly housewares, charming stationery and gift items — it has been a delightful one stop shop, with always-helpful staff members. During the pandemic and prior to vaccinations, when I was not entering any stores, one could order online from Country Sun, drive by the back of the store, and their ever-helpful staff would put a bag in the trunk of my car, with no additional service fee (at a time when other stores were charging quite a bit for similar services). Amazing! I note that recently, the non-chain family-owned and operated grocery stores in Palo Alto, The Market at Edgewood and Real Produce, each benefited from developer subsidies since the developers were required to include a grocery store in their development plans, and were allowed other concessions, such that they had incentive to create rents that are workable for these businesses. The grocery business has thin margins, and Palo Alto rents are quite high, yet these kinds of neighborhood markets provide essential community services that mean many can walk or bike to those locations (reducing traffic and greenhouse gases), with staff who stick around and get to know their customers. They offer healthier selections of food, and in many cases, more interesting options. While it’s not apparent to me that the City Council is positioned to address this imminent loss, but if there are ways to do so, I encourage you to consider them. Thank you, Carol Muller 199 Heather Lane From:Scott O"Neil To:Council, City; Planning Commission; HeUpdate Subject:Shift in HCD Posture on Pre-Applications & Implications for Palo Alto Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 9:07:33 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Council, Planning and Transportation Commission, and City Staff, I wish to draw your attention to a development in state regulatory posture that I believe applies to Palo Alto. In HCD’s Policy and Practice Review for San Francisco, there are findings that San Francisco’s practice of requiring mandatory preliminary applications (PPAs) was illegal, and that other remaining pre-application steps remain illegal. As you know, Palo Alto also has a required pre-application process in the case of rezoning requests, which includes PHZ requests. The time for this part of the process is not currently tracked in the data Palo Alto is sending HCD. However, HCD seems to have begun counting required pre-application steps in consideration of overall timelines and for Permit Streamlining Act (PSA) compliance purposes. I believe Palo Alto will need to better account for this time to reach certification and comply with PSA. This does not come as a surprise to me. On 12/7/2022 I wrote to the city that I believe this portion of the process “counts,” and that I had heard from a developer that it is sometimes the most laborious portion of it. I hope the move from HCD will be helpful in getting attention on improving them. HCD’s Findings in San Francisco HCD Report In San Francisco, HCD found that “Local rules require entitlement processes to begin before formal application submittal.” HCD appears to be reviewing this question in the context of both constraints, and compliance with the Permit Streamlining Act (PSA): "In July 2023, the San Francisco Planning Department also removed the requirement that most dense housing projects begin with a mandatory Preliminary Project Assessment (PPA) process that added, on average, a year to the application process.” (p.6) "The Required Actions below are critical to addressing constraints to production identified in the Key Findings and, in some cases, to complying with state housing laws." … Consistent with the recent action to eliminate the Preliminary Project Assessment, ensure that no mandatory pre-application processes are required in order for a housing development project applicant to submit a preliminary application under the Permit Streamling Act. (p. 15-16) Both of these factors have applicability to Palo Alto, but to determine precise applicability it is worth drilling into the cited UCB study. Berkeley Study Reviewing the UCB study referenced in the findings lets us reach the definitions underlying these findings, and determine what sorts of policies they’re applying to. On page 24 the researchers are clear about how they are measuring timelines, using the words “earliest required application date”: "... calculating timeframes to entitlement for discretionary observations requires tracking the earliest required application date. Prior to discontinuing the PPA requirement in July 2023, San Francisco required project proponents submit a PPA for specific types of development before submitting a project application." (p.24) It is also clear they are looking at this date in the context of evaluating compliance with the Permit Streamlining Act (PSA): "First, the data the city makes publicly available on project applications shows San Francisco systematically failed to meet PSA notification deadlines for discretionary approvals issued in 2018 - 2021. Planning recorded more information on application notices in its public portal for applications filed after January 1, 2018, as compared to prior years, indicating that San Francisco Planning is doing more to track and disclose project intake. Still, the city’s data shows the city routinely did not meet PSA deadlines. Also, up until July 2023, local policy required the entitlement process for most dense development to begin with a mandatory Preliminary Project Assessment (PPA) process that added, on average, a year to the application process." (p.13) However, it is not only for PSA purposes that they are using this date. They are also using it to assess impact on entitlement timelines, as illustrated in the section titled “Local rules require entitlement processes begin before the application—and navigate multiple hurdles along the way to approval.” (Note how HCD later mirrored this language.) This section includes Table 8, which shows the impact of PPAs on timeframes: We need to be careful about ascribing Berkeley’s methodology decisions to HCD policy. But it’s clear for the Berkeley paper, the “earliest required application date” is being used for both timeline evaluation and PSA considerations. Moreover, HCD has accepted that approach to measuring entitlement time, and cited it as a basis for enforcement decisions in San Francisco. If any jurisdiction wanted to assert that entitlement timelines cannot begin before Formal Application, they might consider that surely HCD heard San Francisco’s best arguments for this proposition prior to making their contrary enforcement decisions in that city. Interestingly (and of indirect applicability to Palo Alto), the “earliest required application date” is not only applied to processes directly administered by the city. A city-required community engagement process is also in-scope. In San Francisco, the earliest required application is not to the city, but to neighborhood associations: “Still, San Francisco Planning policy mandates a neighborhood notification process before a project proponent files an application, and a pre-application hearing called the “Pre-Application Community Outreach Process” or “Pre-Application Meeting.”75 This pre-application process requires project proponents to send notices and copies of plans to adjacent neighbors and neighborhood organizations before applying to develop land for any new construction or alteration that would change an existing structure by 7 vertical feet or 10 horizontal feet. San Francisco Planning compiles the list of neighborhood organizations that project proponents must notify. However, San Francisco Planning does not consistently track pre-application meetings in its public portal. (p.42) This must be the remaining portion of the entitlement process that HCD is insisting keeps San Francisco out of compliance on PSA compliance and/or timelines, even after abolition of the PPA process in the city. This illustrates how broadly the “earliest required application” standard is being used in HCD enforcement decisions in San Francisco. Applicability to Palo Alto HCD’s interpretations in San Francisco have several implications for Palo Alto: Timeline Constraints in Housing Element The finding that the entitlement process begins with PPA submittal will have implications for housing element certification for any jurisdiction that is under scrutiny for timeline constraints, and which has mandatory pre-applications. According to the adopted Draft 2 Housing Element, Palo Alto requires PPAs for rezoning requests, whereas preliminary reviews by ARB are optional. “[Rezoning] begins with a required preliminary screening with the City Council.” (4-53) “Prior to application submittal, applicants may choose to seek a preliminary review by the ARB prior to filing a formal application.” (4-56) It appears that both of these may apply to some projects. Under the findings above, the rezoning process prescreen would certainly be included as part of entitlement timelines, but the optional ARB hearing would not. Because HCD has flagged timelines as a potential constraint in their rejection letters, I believe the third submitted draft of the Housing Element should include an analysis of timelines that includes pre-application submittal dates as part of the entitlement timeline for projects that were subjected to a process that required the pre-application. To ensure a representative picture, this should be for a complete set of recent projects, ie: “all projects with formal application submitted in the last [X] years” as opposed to drilling into specific projects. Permit Streamlining Act Compliance for Rezoning Requests If mandatory PPAs are a violation of the Permit Streamlining Act, then Palo Alto should review whether requiring PPAs for rezoning applications is a violation of the PSA. Unfortunately, neither the HCD report nor the Berkeley study provide a direct legal citation. The city may find requesting technical guidance from HCD to be helpful. Future APRs With the ambiguity of the scope of the entitlement process resolved, future APRs submitted by the city should use preliminary application submittal date for its entitlement timelines, wherever the pre-application was required, ie: PHZ/rezoning requests. Certitude Required It is of note that San Francisco is being found in continued noncompliance even after abolishing PPA as a mandatory requirement. The remaining pre-application procedures create delay that might be unknowable by the city, due to the unusual outsourcing of the requirement to neighborhood associations. HCD is nevertheless holding San Francisco accountable for this time for the purpose of determining compliance with state law. From this we can infer HCD believes the city has a duty to form their policies and procedures in such a way that the earliest required application date is knowable, and may not accept incompleteness of evidence as evidence of compliance. This should provide additional motivation to having a picture of entitlement timelines which includes pre-applications in the next draft. Data for Palo Alto I went through all of our recent PHZ applications to quantify what our preliminary processes are adding. I chose PHZ applications because they are easier to research, both in that I can build on what Palo Alto Forward did in our December 6 2022 letter (Table 2), and because the study sessions typically have an associated article in the Weekly. Moreover, the Housing Element says other rezoning requests are relatively rare, so the PHZ picture would be most of picture: “Beyond the PHZ program described above – rezoning requests for housing projects are relatively rare.” (4-54) I took our “Table 2” projects, and added the 3265 ECR project from this year. I subtracted the 3150 El Camino Real PHZ application from 2021 for which I cannot find a preliminary application record. Then I looked up the earliest preliminary application for each that I could find for each project, consistent with the “earliest required application” standard. Notably, only two projects went to formal application (660 University and 800 San Antonio.) Results are summarized in Table 1. Full data can be found at this link. Table 1. Preliminary Application toStudy Session Study Session to Formal Application Preliminary Application to Formal Application (total) Duration (mean) 129 days 91 days 218 days Samples 8 2 2 218 days (7.26 months) is what Palo Alto should expect to see for preliminary application contribution to entitlement timelines for PHZ projects. Simply adding 218 days to existing measurements of entitlement timelines should give a decent idea of what timelines would become in Palo Alto under a “first required application” standard. Notably, I could find no examples of projects which had prescreens occurring in a timeframe consistent with what the Housing Element claims: “The City Council generally hears the prescreen request within two months.” (4-53) The fastest project was 3997 Fabian Way, at 76 days. This was an outlier. The second fastest was 660 University, at 109 days. There is no downward trend in these timelines the city could point to. The first half of the dataset had somewhat shorter times to prescreen (126 days) than the second half (131 days). The only PHZ project of 2023 has a time to prescreen of 144 days -half a month longer than the mean. Conclusion While the city is making progress on zoning that should help open up development at scale in some part of the city without requiring rezoning, most of land in the city is neither in the El Camino Focus Area, nor the South Palo GM/ROLM areas. Outside of these areas, only specific sites are being upzoned -and not enough, in my view- which means much of the city will continue to rely on rezoning requests for development. I therefore remain concerned that Palo Alto is not tracking required pre-applications in its entitlement timelines. This is obscuring a likely constraint on housing production which the city seems to be underestimating, and may be putting us in violation of the PSA. The recent regulatory action in SF suggest this is likely to become a live issue for the city soon. I would encourage you to get in front of it by updating tracking requirements. This will give a more complete view of entitlement timelines for projects that require rezoning in the city, which should help you drive improvements. Thank you, -Scott O’Neil P.S. I am on the board of Palo Alto Forward, but writing for myself today. From:Katherine Dumont To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave closed to vehicles Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 9:06:31 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from khdumont@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable City Council, My husband and I lived in College Terrace for over 20 years, and although we now live inneighboring Menlo Park, we still come to Cal Ave for dining and shopping at least twice a week. Even though downtown Palo Alto is closer and more convenient, we prefer the ambience ofCal Ave, especially since University Ave was reopened to vehicle traffic. It's a vibrant and delightful scene: folks stroll about, eat, and chat; kids skip around. There's a feeling of community here. This liveliness and friendliness will be lost if vehicles are allowed back on Cal Ave. Best regards,Katherine Dumont From:Rachel Tucker To:Council, City Subject:Keep cal ave car free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 9:06:31 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from rachelgtucker@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, I’m writing as a Palo Alto resident to offer my support for keeping Cal Ave car free. I lovebeing able to walk down the street and enjoy the environment that’s been created on Cal Ave. I love being able to eat outside at so many of the fantastic restaurants and enjoy the beautifulweather. Keeping cars off the street is a no-brainer as Cal Ave isn’t a thru street and there’s plenty of parking on either side of Cal Ave. I really cherish the lively community space wehave grown to love since closing the street to cars in the pandemic. Please don’t take this space away from us. Please keep Cal Ave car free. Rachel Tucker2120 Harvard Street Palo Alto From:Jeremy Shaw To:Council, City Subject:Yes to California Avenue Pedestrianization Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 8:17:23 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jeremy_s_shaw@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As someone who as lived only a few blocks from Cal Ave for the last 30-plus years, I’d like toexpress my strongest support for keeping cars off the Ave. Council needs to make an actual decision on this topic. The last years of temporary status have not helped the street, with businesses unwilling to invest in making the most of the situation.The lack of guidance has also created a higgeldy-piggeldy looking street scape, with some businesses looking and feeling crowded out. With the major changes in retail habit - so much commerce going online - Council needs toconsider carefully how to plan and support a thriving pedestrianized space. The interior of Stanford Shopping Mall is perhaps a useful local model, but looking abroad, say to Europe,would be instructive. Keeping the cars off the street is key to making it a delightful place to be. Enabling automobile through-traffic to businesses further up the street will kill the safety, potential forcommunity and livability that pedestrianization provides. Move the El Camino lights up to Sherman (I know, the county! But the Council has leverage there with a permanent closure. In summary: 1. Keep cars off Cal Ave2. Make the closure permanent 3. Invest in the streetscape 4. Update plans and guidance to help businesses find their natural place on the street 5. Be decisive and take the lead Thank you, jeremy. Jeremy Shaw Olive Avenue, Palo Alto, 94306 From:Peter Kidder To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 8:14:23 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from pkidder2@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council,I am a long-time resident of Palo Alto who regularly visits California Avenue for many services - barber shop, dry cleaner, grocery stores, restaurants, bike shop, sports massage, andCaltrain. I have followed some of the debate about whether to open the street to automobile traffic. I am quite concerned about the past and announced closings of some retailestablishments and what I read about the retailers' concerns over their business prospects. I very much enjoy California Avenue and think it has great potential, and yet the current designof the street is poor and not a long-term solution. Please consider the voices of all stakeholders as you evaluate the traffic issue and possible design improvements. And pleaseespecially consider the voices of retail stores and shops that are concerned about their longer- term viability.Sincerely, Peter Kidder4159 WIllmar Drive Palo Alto From:Alexandra Konings To:Council, City Subject:Support for extending Cal Ave closure Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 7:59:34 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from agkonings@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear city council members, As a College Terrace resident and homeowner, I would like to express my support for thecontinuation of keeping Cal Ave's business district closed to cars. It has been a joy to be able to calmly travel through Cal Ave and eat there without the noise and smell (not to mention theair pollution) of nearby cars. My family now spends significantly more money in the business district than we did before COVID, when the area was much less enjoyable to walk to. Inaddition, given Palo Alto's emissions reductions goals, this is a great opportunity to encourage biking and walking. For those who live too far away, there is a large amount of parking in thegarages and lots parallel to the streets on both sides. I am sympathetic to the plight of many of the California Avenue businesses in terms of their reduced sales since the pandemic, but as someone who frequents the area, I have a hard timebelieving this is because the street is closed off. Instead, the reduction of lunchtime office workers is probably just as much to blame - but opening the street up again will not bringthese office workers back. Similarly, for the case of Mollie Stone's, much of the reduced sales is likely simply because the far-cheaper Real Produce market opened up nearby during thepandemic, right as people were starting to shift back to in-person grocery shopping more. None of these issues would be solved by re-opening the street to cars, but instead a wonderfulamenity that has made Palo Alto a far more enjoyable place to live would be lost. Please allow the street to remain car-free. Regards,Alex Konings From:Alana Karen To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; Michael Popek Subject:Objection to Historical Designation - 959 Waverley Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 7:29:06 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from alanakaren@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello Palo Alto City & City Council, We understand our house, 959 Waverley St, is coming under consideration for historical status at an 11/9 Historical Resources meeting. Thank you for sending this information in advance,as we object to our home being considered. We have lived in this house since 2011, and we have not pursued historical status. While there is a plaque outside, we understood this to be at our discretion whether to pursue further and wedid not. We, in fact, understood it to be a long shot to get historical status given William Shockley was a known eugenicist who lived in the house as a child. So we were very surprisedto learn our home would be under consideration via the city, and we do not wish it to be. We already incur various costs and issues with having an old home including odd wiring and poor materials previously used. In addition to that burden, the additional cost and approvalsoccurred with even doing interior work for an official historical home will be an on-going impediment to our family of five. While we fully intend to respect the historical status and notmake major changes to our structure, we cannot afford lengthy approvals and restrictions especially given the already rigorous permitting process in Palo Alto. We're also concernedthat given market uncertainty, historical status would be considered an impediment to a housing sale (or lead to a reduced sales price) if we did need to sell at any point. While we understand the criteria used to consider our home, and we agree the house is a goodexample of early Palo Alto architecture, we ask that you take our objections into consideration and not move forward with forcing historical status upon our home against ourinterests. We will continue to respect this property and its significance without that additional burden to our family. Thank you. Sincerely, Michael Popek & Alana Karen 959 Waverely St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 From:Lee Redden To:Council, City Subject:Keeping Cal Ave Pedestrian Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 7:08:56 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from leeredden@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi Palo Alto City Council, Long time resident, first time writer here . I've lived at a few places in Palo Alto over the last 14 years and recently purchased a house near Cal Ave. Cal Ave turning into a pedestrian streethas made the neighborhood very delightful. Friends from all over the bay area visit and can take their strollers and toddlers down the street without worry of cars. It's made theneighborhood very nice to just walk up and down. I understand many shops are in the process of adapting to a post covid, order online and walking street world, and going back to cars isnot the answer. There seems to be currently a nice compromise of the few blocks walking and the few blocks with cars. Please keep it this way indefinitely. All the best, Lee From:Michael Tucker To:Council, City Subject:Support for Keeping Cal Ave Car Free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 6:54:35 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from mic.tuc@me.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Hello, I am writing as a Palo Alto resident to express my support for keeping California Avenue car free. Since the pandemic, we have so enjoyed being able to walk down Cal Ave seeing and listening to the bustle of the restaurants, live music, kids chasing each other around. Be reclaiming the space that was taken up by cars, we have created an oasis where residents and visitors alike can enjoy world class cuisine, relax with friends and family, and socialize with neighbors. The few times we’ve needed to drive to a restaurant or store on Cal Ave, parking has been easy and abundant both off of Cambridge Ave and Sherman Ave. The amount of on street parking that has been “lost” is negligible compared to the parking already offered on either side of Cal Ave, and the inconvenience is trivial. If anything, making Cal Ave car free has made it even more enticing for us to bike to our favorite restaurants and shops, which helps alleviate traffic from the area and helps free up more parking. In the decade I have been living in Palo Alto, Cal Ave has really undergone an incredible renaissance, and I believe keeping Cal Ave permanently car free should be the next step in its evolution. California Avenue without cars has become the “third space” for so many of us who live near it. It’s a place where we meet up with friends, go out on dates, show off to our friends and family. The car free Cal Ave today is a gem that we should treasure and invest in for the future. I would strongly advocate for transforming Cal Ave into a permanent pedestrian (and bike) mall. Imagine what Cal Ave would be like if there were permanent bollards on El Camino, a flat level ground all the way across the street, designated seating areas with semi-permanent structures for restaurants, park like amenities, a slow bike path down the middle, and not a car in sight. This is the future so many of us would love to see in Palo Alto and in the U.S. writ large and we have the opportunity to do this right now in our own backyard. Please make this simple choice for a higher quality of life in Palo Alto by keeping Cal Ave car free. Michael Tucker 2120 Harvard Street, Palo Alto 94306 From:Dennis Irwin To:Council, City Subject:Dining Outdoors on California Avenue Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 6:54:13 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from irwindennis@fhda.edu. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Members of the Palo Alto City Council : I'm writing to urge you to keep California Avenue completely free of automobile traffic. As things stand now, the California Avenue outdoor dining experience is one of the very most appealing things to do in Palo Alto. When friends or relatives come to visit, I almost always take them to lunch or dinner there. If friends of mine from neighboring towns come to Palo Alto for a meal, they generally request that we meet at a restaurant on California Avenue. If traffic returns there, we'll be much more likely to go to Castro Street in Mountain View, where we'll be able to dine outdoors quietly without a steady stream of cars driving by. Thanks, Dennis Irwin, longtime Palo Alto resident From:Pete Frazier To:Council, City Subject:Pls Keep Cal Ave closed to cars Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 6:36:13 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from peterfrazier@icloud.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ To Whom it May Concern, I understand you will be considering the subject issue at your meeting tomorrow night, November 6th. I urge you to keep it closed to cars and make the open walking mall style more permanent. As a frequent user of Cal Ave in the closed section, I’d like let you know the experience is much more vibrant visiting restaurants and shops on the street and sitting outside and dining al fresco. Thank you for the consideration, Pete Frazier From:Stephen Godfrey To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave - please keep it a pedestrian zone Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 6:24:39 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from stephengodfrey223@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. City Council I'm wiring in support of keeping sections of California Avenue as pedestrian only. For nearly25 years, I have lived in Evergreen Park near the California Avenue business district and in my view, the current closure has made the area the most energetic and vibrant that I haveseen. If the avenue were reopened to automobile traffic, the City would miss a great opportunity to create a customer-drawing and community-building commercial center. The best way tosupport the area's business owners and its residents is to permanently close selected street sections to automobiles and to invest in recreating them as visually-appealing pedestrianzones. In my view, simply reopening the street to vehicles will harm many businesses such as restaurants and do little to support others such as retailers. Thank you for your thoughtful and diligent review of this important topic. Regards -- Steve Godfrey1 650 475 6159 Evergreen Park, Palo Alto, CAstephengodfrey.net From:Zelek Herman To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 6:03:50 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from zelek.herman@att.net. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ 5 November 2023 We are long-term residents of College Avenue. For many years, we enjoyed riding our bicycles down to the many utilitarian shops on California Avenue and Cambridge Avenue. We remember, for example, the music store, the art supplies store, the auto parts store, the bicycle store, the pet store, the second-hand stores, the hardware store, the photography store, the copy store, the bank, the bookstore, the pizzeria, the movie theater, to name just a few. One of us even performed on his guitar and sang at the tavern on the corner of El Camino and California Avenue. None of these wonderful businesses are there anymore. Since the pandemic and closure of California Avenue to vehicular traffic, we find it difficult to ride our bicycles to the few remaining stores that are useful to us. The restaurants, mostly upscale stores, and miniature golf are not useful to us. Now we have read that Country Sun (a favorite of ours) is about to close. On the rare occasions we ride to California Avenue, we are forced to endure all the pot holes and cars on Cambridge Avenue, which has virtually become a ghost town. Indeed, the Cambridge Avenue Post Office used to always have long lines. Now there are very few customers when we are there. In his excellent article on California Avenue in the Palo Alto Weekly (Nov. 3), Gennady Sheyner mentions the small online survey (less than 1% of the population) conducted for the city that finds an overwhelming proportion of respondents want California Avenue closed to traffic. We wonder how representative this survey was. It certainly does not represent the needs and desires of residents like us. We also wonder how emergency vehicles can effectively respond to a serious emergency on California Avenue with all of the barricades in place. Jane Buechel and Zelek Herman From:Sherry Listgarten To:Council, City Subject:Cubberley artwork Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 4:59:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, It was great to see some of the artists' work at Cubberley during the Open Studio this Saturday. There was some terrific stuff, and it's really nice that we have some light-filled, affordable spaces in the city for these artists to work. I am writing to you, though, about a different artwork, one that was painted over. Sometime this summer, Friends of Palo Alto Library (FOPAL) -- a long-standing Cubberley tenant with many volunteers -- put up a "grab a book" bookshelf in a quiet part of Cubberley near an outdoor table, a nice way to engage people and find new life for older books. A few weeks later, some volunteers painted a cute mural on the wall by the bookshelf. It was cheerful and nicely done. It was a win for FOPAL, for the painters, and for anyone walking through Cubberley. Much of the facility is dreary/drab/stale, and this was a warm/friendly/creative touch. Unfortunately, not long after, it was painted over. I was surprised and disappointed. Why not let Cubberley have a little joy, especially when it's free, nicely done, and benefits long-standing tenant and volunteer organization FOPAL? We could all use a little fun and joy these days, and this is the kind of thing that builds community and gives a little positive character to Cubberley. I don't know if you read this lovely opinion piece in the Weekly from someone who really valued her experience at Cubberley HS, but this notion of painting over this mural seems the antithesis of the culture that Cubberley tried to foster. I'd go even farther and suggest it would be pretty awesome if the dance studio had a mural, the Chinese school, the soccer club, etc. These are great tenants and it would add some character and charm to this place, one of the fewbuildings in the city where we could pull it off. It's very aligned with the spirit of Cubberley imo, and I expect someof our super-talented students would be pretty interested in participating in this community gift. Or others. Anyway, just a thought. In addition to thinking about how we can tear Cubberley down, why not make something ofit, in a modest and inexpensive way, while it is still here? -- Sherry. From:Bryan To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave: Pedestrians! Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:54:39 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from bryan@furlong.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the future of Cal Ave. I know there are many countervailing points of view and competing interests that you willhave to balance. Here’s a long time resident’s perspective - A car free pedestrian zone is a joy. It is quieter, safer, promotes community better, provides space not readily available for other activities (farmer’s markets, Third Thursday, …)- Most of our commercial spaces are filled with cars, noise, pollution (like University Avenue). Cal ave is an alternative - one I think we are entitled to.- There are many examples (often in other countries) of long term, successful, pedestrian commercial zones that work well. Let’s copy more of what works.- For Cal ave in particular, there is plenty of parking and access just one block away - I don’t think we need an extra two lanes of (slow) traffic and diagonal parking Let’s keep the faith and strive to make Cal ave work for both residents and businesses. I thinkwe can find that balance. (Btw, just had dinner downtown at Evvia. The dinner was great, but the constant noise and smell of cars and motorcycles was just not okay. I went to University ave quite a bit moreduring the pandemic when I could stroll the street, listening to buskers, run into people I know) Thanks for listening!! Bryan FurlongBryan@furlong.org Midtown - When was the last time you did something for the first time? - From:Andrew Lookingbill To:Council, City Subject:Please keep Cal. Ave car-free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:48:17 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from andrew.lookingbill@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To whom it may concern, I'm a long-time resident of Palo Alto (20 years), and closing Cal Ave to traffic has producedthe first genuinely delightful place to spend time (particularly with small children) that mixes places to eat and things to do. I know that we're still dipping our toes in the water as far ashow our city deals with the tradeoffs between parking, parklets, and bike-and-pedestrian- friendly spaces, but as an early experiment, closing Cal Ave has been a wild success. Thank you for being open to experimenting, and I hope the Cal Ave experiment continues. Andrew Lookingbill From:Katja Spreckelmeyer To:Council, City Cc:Katja Spreckelmeyer Subject:Please continue to invest into unleashing California Avenue"s potential as a vibrant pedestrian zone andcommunity hub Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:44:50 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from katja.spreckelmeyer@googlemail.com. Learnwhy this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable City Council Members, I am writing to express my strong support for keeping California Avenue closed to car traffic. The conversion of California Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly corridor has been a resounding success, transforming this section of our city into a vibrant and welcoming hub of activity. The positive impact of this decision is evident in the thriving 3rd Thursday events, the bustling Farmer's Market, the joyful presence of outdoor street toys, and the expanded outdoor seating for restaurants and cafes. The strong adoption of these initiatives have clearly demonstrated that Palo Alto residents crave more opportunities for community engagement and spontaneous encounters. I urge the council to recognize these signals as compelling indicators that it is time to fully embrace the concept of a car-free zone and give it a more permanent and cohesive structure. This decision would align with progressive city design trends across Europe, where cities are increasingly investing in car- free downtowns, reaping significant rewards in the form of enhanced citizen well- being, reduced pollution and noise levels, and revitalized economic activity. Barcelona, for instance, is spearheading a bold transformation plan that envisions the creation of "superblocks" by 2030. These neighborhoods, comprising nine interconnected blocks, will restrict vehicular traffic to major roads, allowing only residents and delivery vehicles to access the interior areas. Speed limits will be capped at 10 km/h, effectively reclaiming the streets for pedestrians and cyclists. Data from these pioneering cities indicates that shop owners who initially oppose street closures often overestimate the reliance of their customers on car transportation. Evidence suggests that in car-free urban environments, any decline in car-based shopping traffic is more than offset by a significant increase in foot, bike, and public transport usage. Moreover, these shoppers tend to frequent shops more frequently, supporting the notion that car-free urban planning holds immense potential for revitalizing businesses. I encourage the council to draw inspiration from European towns and cities, many of which have established thriving pedestrian zones. Their experiences can provide valuable insights and help us find creative solutions to address any tactical concerns that have been raised. For example, the potential for conflicts between bikers and pedestrians can be effectively mitigated by implementing clear rules restricting bike riding to times of low pedestrian traffic. Similarly, store owners can be granted access for deliveries during designated periods. An example of signage illustrating such regulations can be found in this German article: https://www.t-online.de/auto/recht-und-verkehr/id_90810810/regeln-und- bussgelder-wer-in-der-fussgaengerzone-fahren-darf.html. Improved accessibility for individuals with limited mobility can be addressed by enhancing pedestrian access from the ample parking lots located behind the stores. In my view, reopening California Avenue, even as a one-way street, would undermine the progress made in establishing it as a destination that attracts people. A permanent closure would allow Cal Ave to fully realize its potential as a vibrant hub where people can leisurely spend time and enjoy the city's offerings. Investing in landscaping and design solutions that enhance its permanent and cohesive feel will further solidify its appeal. Thank you for your time and consideration. I urge you to embrace this opportunity to make a bold decision that will shape the future of our city and enhance the quality of life for all Palo Alto residents. Sincerely, Katja Spreckelmeyer Resident, 551 Stanford Avenue From:Deborah Goldeen To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: Keep Cal Ave Car Free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:26:46 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from carfreecalave@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. This email was sent to me by mistake. It should have been sent to the city council. - DebGoldeen ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Eliseo Miranda <eliseo.l.miranda@gmail.com>Date: Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 1:20 PM Subject: Keep Cal Ave Car FreeTo: <City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org> Hello there, My name is Eliseo Miranda and I’m a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood in PaloAlto. I’m writing to express my desire that California Ave be kept free of traffic in order to preserve the wonderful sense of community that has been built there. One of the reasons I lovemy neighborhood is how this pedestrian friendly center of commerce enables a space where community can gather comfortably, freely and peacefully. This kind of space is increasingly rare in the United States and allowing traffic through itwould, quite literally, sever this special place of gathering in half. Cal Ave is the kind of space that is desperately needed during a time where human connection in communities is growingever more scarce. Please vote to keep Cal Ave a space centered around people and community. Please vote to keep Cal Ave a space of peaceful connection that is free of traffic. Thank you,Eliseo Miranda From:Deborah Goldeen To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: Comment about California Avenue Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:26:01 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from carfreecalave@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. This email was sent to me by mistake. It was meant for the council. - Deb Goldeen ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Jesse Rodin <jrodin@stanford.edu> Date: Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 1:22 PMSubject: Comment about California Avenue To: <City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org>Cc: carfreecalave@gmail.com <carfreecalave@gmail.com> A pedestrian California Avenue is good for all of us. There are businesses I now frequent thatI would stop frequenting as often were the street opened to cars. Indeed Cal. Ave. has become a gathering place for young adults, the elderly, families with young children, and more, all ofwhom enjoy strolling down the street and sitting outside at cafés and restaurants on both weekdays and weekends. I have seen the arguments to the contrary: they are spurious. The data that would appear tosupport them in fact tells the opposite story when the lens is widened to consider the effects of the pandemic more broadly. Please keep in place the wonderful California Avenue we have today. Sincerely,Jesse Rodin Associate Professor, Stanford University From:George Thomas To:Council, City Subject:Please Support the California Avenue Compromise Plan Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:11:36 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gethomasjr@comcast.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. City Council Members: My wife and I have lived on California Avenue for over 35 years and strongly recommend that Council support the compromise plan proposed by the California Avenue Business District. We want to live in adiverse neighborhood of businesses, rather than one dominated by several popular restaurants that have prospered from the street closure. The situation caused by the pandemic is over, so let's resume a more normal street experience by opening up one lane of traffic. Also, a new Police Building has been built next to California Ave that needs more traffic access than Park Blvd. and Birch St. can safely handle. George and Vivian Thomas 161 California Ave Apt K204 Palo Alto CA 94306 From:Daphna Davidson To:Council, City Subject:Please keep Cal Avenue closed to cars! Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 3:03:30 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from daphnadmail@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I am writing to support keeping California Avenue closed to car traffic. That street is the only source of liveliness in the area. My family loves walking there tobrowse in the shops and enjoy snacks and meals out on the street. My daughter brings her little scooter and zips around the street - it’s wonderful to not worry about a car hitting her. I also just can’t wrap my mind around why there’s any problem. There’s a ton of parking. Iheard that one shop, the cobblery, has brought this to a vote. There’s a huge parking lot right behind that store! And parking on the street right across from it. The thought that one shopowner could ruin the best area in miles is so upsetting. I support doing more to keep the street closed to traffic permanently. I’d love to see more permanent street barriers and more decorations—something to make it feel even more unified(like University Avenue)—and advertising to bring even more families in to enjoy all the great shops and food options. Please keep this wonderful little street as it is. Thank you! From:Brian Suckow To:Council, City Subject:Please Decide on the Future of California Ave. Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:50:44 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from briansuckow@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, Palo Alto leadership has often been criticized for “the Palo Alto process”, studying issues endlessly without making decisions. The last thing we need is another 12 month study for California Ave. This aspect of Palo Alto’s leadership culture is bizarrely ironic, given that we are living in the heart of Silicon Valley, where the culture is often described as “innovate, fail fast, iterate”. My general inclination is to not change the rules in the middle of the game unless there is some strong data to support a change. It’s simply a matter of fairness to those who either bought property on Cal Ave or committed to long term leases. Continuing to shut Cal Ave completely to traffic in the blocks adjacent to ECR seems wrong- headed and unfair, unless our city is prepared to compensate the businesses that lose out, which seems highly unlikely. We don’t have any A/B test data to assess the actual impact on non-restaurant retail, nor will such data be available after doing another 12 month consulting study. But since the non-restaurant retailers believe that opening the street back up will help them, I support the compromise proposal endorsed by 35 retailers in the recent edition of the Palo Alto Weekly: Open Cal Ave back up in one lane from ECR to Caltrain. Please though, make a decision! That’s why we elected you! You’ll never have perfect information. Don’t keep studying this to death. Regards, Brian Suckow Southampton Drive, Palo Alto From:Brian Suckow To:Council, City Subject:Preserving Country Sun Services for our Community Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:49:51 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from briansuckow@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, Regarding the impending closure of Country Sun, I will greatly miss this wonderful, niche market. As a baker, it was the only place I could find things like Einkorn flour, currants, and dried blueberries in their expansive bulk section. Having lived in many Palo Alto neighborhoods for more than 30 years, ranging from Escondido Village, to College Terrace, to South Palo Alto, to North Palo Alto, I have witnessed tremendous changes in the grocery store landscape over the years. I used to love shopping at JJ&F. Sadly, for reasons I don’t completely understand, after that area was redeveloped and JJ&F closed, the multiple new grocery stores at the new site seemed to fail quickly. Hopefully the latest, an international market with niche offerings, will survive. I don’t know if there is anything the City Council can do to try to keep Country Sun from closing at this point. Perhaps earlier actions to highlight it and other unique local retailers to create more awareness of their special offerings in any communications that the city puts out might have helped. For example, in our utility bills we often get flyers about things that make Palo Alto special, like summer concerts, the chili cookoff on July 4th, etc. Surely our many unique retailers are part of what makes Palo Alto special and are worthy of being promoted by the city as part of an “Explore Palo Alto” marketing campaign. At a minimum, if it’s too late to save Country Sun under current ownership, then I encourage you to at least try to recruit another health-oriented retailer to acquire it. Perhaps New Leaf Community Markets would be interested? Regards, Brian Suckow Southampton Drive, Palo Alto From:Ayesha Bajwa To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Car-Free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:41:47 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from ayesharbajwa@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. City Council, I grew up in Palo Alto and lived in College Terrace for several years after college - both mereblocks away from the Cal Ave business district. My parents and brother are still there, and I come to the area several times a month. Keeping the street closed to cars has resulted in many thriving businesses; please maintain theclosure. The fact is, while people who live and work in the area may buy coffee or a meal on Cal Ave several times a week, they won't buy overpriced shoes or groceries with the samefrequency. Zombierunner is a great example of a thriving business that recognized the impracticality of their retail model in the era of online shopping, moving solely to a coffeeshop model even before the pandemic. Other retail stores that seem to have adapted to current demand (e.g. the hardware shop, the games store) appear to be doing well. But somehow, some of the failing retail businesses on Cal Ave want to blame the success ofrestaurants and outdoor dining expansion? These retail businesses would be failing with or without the street closure. If anything, the restaurant presence is helping encourage foot traffic.The new parking structure implies that lack of parking is not the issue. Please don't cave to the demands of a vocal and entitled minority. In two decades, I have never seen Cal Ave as lively as it is these days, filled with families, students, elderly couples, andout of town visitors. Please listen to your constituents and keep the Cal Ave car-free zone. Thank you for reading, Ayesha Bajwa From:Hayden Kantor To:Council, City Subject:keep Cal Ave car-free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:32:27 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from haydenkantor@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City of Palo Alto council, I am a Palo Alto resident who lives within walking distance from Cal Ave. I strongly supportkeeping it car-free. Best, Hayden From:Gregg Levoy To:Council, City Subject:Car-Free Zone on Cal Av Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:13:23 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from callings@gregglevoy.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council folks, I appreciate how complicated and divisive these issues can be, but I wanted to put my vote in with the CAR-FREE contingent, vis-a-vis Cal Av. It’s such a pleasure to have at least one public space to “hang out” in PA that isn’t dominated by cars. I feel badly for the merchants who are not thriving, but I don’t believe it’s because cars can’t park right in front of their shops. Times and shopping patterns have changed—more online shopping, more remote workers. Plus, 80% of PA residents want more car-free zones, and here’s a chance to “give the people what they want.” Thanks for wrangling with this thorny issue. A grateful resident. From:Scott Cassidy To:Council, City Subject:Please keep cal ave car free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:53:45 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from scott@cassidylabs.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. It’s lovely not having cars on cal ave. Let’s keep it that way if we can! Thanks!Scott CassidyCassidy Labs LLC From:Jesse Rodin To:Council, City Cc:carfreecalave@gmail.com Subject:Comment about California Avenue Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:22:48 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jrodin@stanford.edu. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. A pedestrian California Avenue is good for all of us. There are businesses I now frequent that I would stop frequenting as often were the street opened to cars. Indeed Cal. Ave. has becomea gathering place for young adults, the elderly, families with young children, and more, all of whom enjoy strolling down the street and sitting outside at cafés and restaurants on bothweekdays and weekends. I have seen the arguments to the contrary: they are spurious. The data that would appear to support them in fact tells the opposite story when the lens is widened to consider the effects ofthe pandemic more broadly. Please keep in place the wonderful California Avenue we have today. Sincerely, Jesse RodinAssociate Professor, Stanford University From:Eliseo Miranda To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Car Free Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:20:58 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from eliseo.l.miranda@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello there, My name is Eliseo Miranda and I’m a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood in PaloAlto. I’m writing to express my desire that California Ave be kept free of traffic in order to preserve the wonderful sense of community that has been built there. One of the reasons I lovemy neighborhood is how this pedestrian friendly center of commerce enables a space where community can gather comfortably, freely and peacefully. This kind of space is increasingly rare in the United States and allowing traffic through itwould, quite literally, sever this special place of gathering in half. Cal Ave is the kind of space that is desperately needed during a time where human connection in communities is growingever more scarce. Please vote to keep Cal Ave a space centered around people and community. Please vote to keep Cal Ave a space of peaceful connection that is free of traffic. Thank you,Eliseo Miranda From:Sarah Munger To:Council, City Subject:Car free cal ave Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:16:17 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sarah.w.munger@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi there, I’m writing to voice my support for keeping California Ave car free. It’s been a vital part ofthe community and commerce in the area. I think bringing cars back to cal ave will decrease foot traffic, affect businesses (for example, all of the restaurants will have to significantlydecrease the number of tables they can serve per night), and remove what has felt like a community building aspect of our neighborhood. Bringing cars back will open up a few more parking spots at the detriment of what I justmentioned. It doesn’t feel worth it. Thank you, Sarah Munger, College terrace resident From:Denise Dauler To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:03:14 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from daulerdenise@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. The reason we go to Cal Ave is because the street is closed to cars and thus end up shopping atthe retail stores. If it is reopened to cars, we will make our way to Castro street or Los Altos. The entire charm is the blocked off dining scene!Denise Dauler From:Misha Stekl To:Council, City Subject:Keep CalAve Car Free! Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 12:50:41 PM [Certaines personnes qui ont reçu ce message ne reçoivent pas souvent de courriers de mstekl@stanford.edu. Découvrez pourquoi ceci est important à https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Hello, Please keep cal ave car free! This is our one pedestrian street in the area and it provides a lot of joy to walk around here, especially with the farmers’ market. Thank you! Míša Stekl From:Darlene Yaplee To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; Darlene E. Yaplee; Don Subject:Palo Alto Historical Inventory - Objection Letter for 845 Waverley Street Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 12:39:15 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from darlene.yaplee@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Historical Resources Board and Amy French, Thank you for the opportunity to provide input for your consideration on our property’s potential nomination for listing on the Palo Alto Historical Inventory. This email conveys our objection to any such listing/inclusion for our property at 845 Waverley Street. We love our home which is why we purchased it. We just do not want to be part of the Palo Alto Historical Inventory program and its implications. SB-9 not applicable Our property is zoned R-2 and is therefore exempt from SB-9 sub-division. If a motivation to make our home historic is to exempt it from SB-9, it is already exempt. Incentives not applicable or of interest Our property is already upgraded and we do not plan on future building, so the residential incentives available on the website are not applicable. We disregard any not yet available incentives or concepts which are unfunded or unapproved. Impact to home salability Our realtor has extensive experience buying and selling Palo Alto properties, and has advised us that the restrictions on potential/future development resulting from a historic designation can lower resale value by 10-20 percent. “Board Member Wimmer said she talked to some of the realtors trying to get their perspective on what it means to have a house that’s listed on an inventory, in terms of salability. They have said it narrows the buying pool and it is seen as a negative thing.” (HRB retreat minutes, July 28, 2023) Added restrictions and requirements We do not want our property to have more restrictions and requirements above and beyond the City’s already rigorous and lengthy permit approval process. We want to live in an 1800’s home, not live in the 1800’s For example, historical homes can have solar panels, but not on the front of the house, this is where the sun is and where we have placed our panels for eco reasons. Homeowner choice For most people, their home is their most consequential asset. Palo Alto voters in 2000 sent a clear message to the City Council to let the homeowners decide by defeating Measure G. “We don’t suspect the council would designate a property to the inventory over the objections of the property owners, French said.” (Palo Alto Weekly, November 3, 2023) Sincerely, Darlene Yaplee and Don Jackson Homeowners - 845 Waverley Street From:Vipul Vachharajani To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave car-free, permanently Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 12:35:02 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from vvachh@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council: I have been a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood for the past 7 years. While thepandemic undoubtedly damaged many businesses on California avenue and indeed everywhere, I honestly feel that the area has benefited tremendously from the car free zone. I know that a few businesses attribute their declining customer base to the street closure, this isdisingenuous and insulting. ZombieRunner and Zareen's successfully expanded during the closure. Indeed, other businesses, like the hardware store and Gamelandia, have opened sincethe closure and are by all accounts doing very well. Opening the street to traffic and removing this city's latest space for public engagement and community building will not reversechanging customer preferences. It will only serve to further isolate us from our Palo Alto neighbors. In my years of living near Cal Ave, I have never seen the street more lively than it iscurrently. Please, close California avenue to traffic permanently, and invest in developing the area as a more inviting pedestrian zone. Don't cave to the vocal minority. Vipul Vachharajani From:Sayer Pease To:Council, City Subject:Please keep Cal Ave closed to cars Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 12:32:24 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sayerpease@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Council, I’m writing to voice my support of keeping California Avenue closed to cars ahead ofMonday’s meeting. A car-free Cal Ave has made the street feel like a destination to visit, and has made my family and I spend more time and money — be it on Zombie Runner coffee, playing mini golf, quicklunches at Kali, sit-down meals at Terun, or for a glass of wine after work — on Cal Ave. Theres plenty of surrounding parking and traffic flow seems very reasonable without vehicleaccess to Cal Ave itself. Let’s keep one of the great things for our community to come out of the pandemic. Thank you, Sayer Pease1420 College Ave From:Eve Sutton To:Council, City Subject:Save Country Sun market! Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 12:24:00 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from esutton@pausd.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Country Sun Natural Foods is more than a foods market. This beloved store has been a treasure in our community for decades. The owner and staff are polite, helpful, and well informed. They are intelligent about what they purchase and how they stock their shelves. It’s a small store but has many products that are not easily found elsewhere. For those of us who live and work in or near Palo Alto, Country Sun has become our “go-to” location for organic produce, herbs and spices, nutritional supplements, gluten-free foods, dry beans and other items in bulk bins, and homeopathic remedies. They make provisions for people to reduce packaging or re-use their own clean containers from home. Even the personal care products, clothing, cleaning products and housewares are chosen carefully to help customers avoid unwanted chemicals and reduce their impact on Planet Earth. Country Sun serves patients from nearby clinics and hospitals, such as those undergoing cancer treatment, gently guiding those customers who need non-toxic cleaning products and supportive nutrition. Best of all, the vibe is personable and relaxed. It’s easy to navigate, with each section just a few steps away from the other areas. Our community has everything to gain by supporting the continuation of Country Sun Natural Foods. From:Adam Silkwood To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 11:59:08 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from silkwood5@me.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone From:Vinayak Pimple To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 11:58:52 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from manupimple@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:slevy@ccsce.com To:Council, City Cc:Arce, Ozzy; Bansal, Megha; Nose, Kiely; Guagliardo, Steven; Lait, Jonathan Subject:Re: 111/6 agenda item 9 on street closures and related issues Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 11:41:12 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou and council members, Yesterday I listened to an interesting and informative discussion of the viaduct option for grade separation. It reminded me that it is important to base decisions on evidence especially when there are divergent and passionate opinions. I await forthcoming information on costs and other issues that I learned was in process before deciding for myself. So now having seen a new push for a "compromise" on Cal Ave, I want to expand on my reasons for supporting the staff recommendations. 1) There is no evidence that open streets have much influence on retail store shoppingthough there are a lot of opinions a) there is counter inferences from Univ Ave which is open yet has struggling retail and vacancies and Stanford Shopping Center where you drive to but not by most stores though SSC is busy despite this and a struggle to find parking and then you must walk a fair distance. b) the study is designed to address this issue so why undercut the study by deciding now based on opinions 2) Residents want, understandably, more retail options than appear to be viable in a world with work from home (though I think it will moderate a bit) and online shopping which is in a straight upward trend. As Streetsense pointed out retail struggles predated the pandemic and WFH in DTN. Just this week three retail operations (CVS, Flegals and Menlo Watch) announced closuresfor reasons that had nothing to do with street closures. Let's see what this new study finds before deciding what changes are possible and needed to support the Cal Ave area. Steve On 2023-11-01 10:33, slevy@ccsce.com wrote: Dear Mayor Kou and council members, I am writing in support of the staff recommendations for three major reasons. 1) The staff memo makes clear to me that any of the alternatives to the Dec 2024 closure continuance have serious logistical and resource barriers and may be in contradiction of study findings as they emerge over the year. 2) My experience as a DTN resident who walks the area every day is that the Ramona partial closure is a big success and even more inviting with the changes made to include activities and free communal seating areas. I see activity there throughout the day. I followed all of the Cal Ave presentations and heard and read in the staff report that while opinion is not unanimous, the majority of respondents favor the partial closure. 3) The studies and street design activities planned for 2024 address many of the concerns and questions posed by residents and businesses. We should wait for this new information. I have a couple of observations on my DTN and Cal Ave experience as a resident. 1) Cal Ave is partially closed and Univ Ave is fully open to traffic yet both have activedining and cafe activity and retail struggles and vacancies. To me this does not make astrong case that the partial closure is the main factor affecting store retail on Cal Ave. Asa recent example Country Sun (where we go every week) is closing as a result of onlineand other competition for their products. 2) I see lots of people walking and eating DTN on my daily walks. That means they are able to access DTN throughout the day. They are there and can access the retail stores as they wish. 3) I support the council and staff moves to add fun activities and meeting spaces in both areas. And I support the moves to improve signage. These changes WILL help. We visit Ventura frequently to see our grandchildren. DTN has six blocks closed to cars with good signage, ample off street free parking and few vacancies. Stephen Levy From:Caryn Huberman To:Council, City Subject:Deep gratitude to our beloved mayor for her heartfelt words at the Bring Them Home rally yesterday. Her words meant so very much to the Jewish citizens of Palo Alto. Caryn Huberman Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 8:44:32 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from yackybooks@hotmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Terry Godfrey To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave - please keep it a pedestrian zone Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 8:32:23 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council First, thank you for all you do. I know it’s a worthy but tough job to understand and consider all the ins and outs of the decisions that come before you, and I appreciate your commitment to citizen input. I write today as a resident of Evergreen Park since 1999. Steve and I raised our two kids here and we love it. Cal Ave has been a cornerstone of our family life. I attended one of the Zoom meetings by the consultants in June and was struck by the focus on revenue generation in our shopping districts. I had expected more focus on balancing commerce and community. The opportunity a pedestrian zone presents to build community cannot be understated. The more chances to mingle with our neighbors, the more neighborly our community becomes. We’re safer, more likely to assume positive intent, and more able to learn from one another when we have community spaces that foster our interactions. I firmly believe we should model for our youth, the value of being in spaces with others with no particular agenda. It’s ok to play games outside at Gamelandia or use the new corn hole set up. The objective is to simply be together - no competition (other than friendly), no deadlines, no drama. Please decide soon. I imagine the retailers and restaurateurs would like to know what to expect so they can plan to optimize for whatever comes next. I appreciate how they’ve handled the pandemic and resulting disruptions with grace and understanding. My hat’s off to them all. I’m happy to contribute to whatever comes next in the planning process. This city is dear to me and opportunities to create spaces for citizens to be together and strengthen our community don’t come along often. Please seize the opportunity in front of us. Again, thank you for your service. My best, Terry Godfrey Oxford Avenue, Evergreen Park Palo Alto PS I regret I cannot join you for this meeting as I will be at the Foothill-De Anza Board meeting. From:mahmood saljooqi To:Tanaka, Greg Cc:Council, City Subject:Pro California Ave reopen! Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 8:22:14 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from moods.winebar@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ hello Greg, I am a restaurant owner on California Ave. I deeply appreciate the city’s efforts to accommodate businesses duringSIP and dining restrictions through the worst times of the pandemic. The time is over and like children who areapproved to go back to school, restaurants need to pick up their tents and temporary seating and return to theirbusinesses. There is a handful of restaurant owners on California Ave who all but demand to keep the streets closed. Why?Because without paying additional rent, they are increasing their square footage by nearly double for double profits.Retailers and professional health services do not get this luxury of bringing their clients to the street for doubledincome and there is no evidence that their customer base is increased due to street closure. Keep the park-lets and go to one-lane traffic at a minimum. But the best practice as we are told by lawmakers andpolicy holders is “back to business as normal”. The streets will be free of the make-shift tents where restaurants areNOT practicing fire safety; check their instagram posts and see that propane heaters are inside tents nearly touchingthe top of the tent canvas. Imagine how quickly the tents will blaze. The streets will have less garbage as restaurantsdo not take care to pick up napkins and other guest litter from the streets. The evening breeze pushes the loose littertoward the East end of the block where it clings to bushes that the city neglects to clean. The re-opening of California Avenue should be based on the same reasons why the city decided to close it. I see nobenefit as a restaurant owner to keep it open when it means difficulty for retail and professional services, firehazards, mis-matched and visually unattractive tents which obscure the sight-line of other businesses, littered streets,and quite frankly, heated discord from the handful of businesses who profit the most. Sincerely,Mahmood and Kerensa SaljooqiMoods.Wine Bar320 S California Ave Palo Alto CA From:MJ Marcus To:Council, City Subject:background on Cal Ave Date:Sunday, November 5, 2023 7:21:43 AM Attachments:Cal Ave Dreaming_Mary Jane Moutsanas_62323_Cultural Anthro_rev.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from maryjane.marcus@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I did an ethnographic study of Cal Ave, profiling three people and writing up the history, that I thought you would find helpful. To me, it's more than just Cal Ave being open or closed, butwhat are the emotional needs for belonging in the community (esp. after COVID) and what are creative ways those can be supported, along with supporting a thriving business district. I feelwe had so much isolation and distress during COVID that we really need to prioritize widely used community spaces (and find ways to make them more accessible to all income levels). Iuse and worked at Cal Ave, both at Country Sun and in an office space next door at another job. I am in favor of making Cal Ave the most amazing community hub in the area, withmore gathering possibilities (inside spaces and out), revisiting zoning so much culturalactivities can occur in the spaces. I recommend permanent closurewith keeping the Ash Street fully open, and perhaps gaining access to the bank parkingso people can park closer. I am part of the Cal Ave Joy Collective that welcomes all community members who want toimagine what's possible here. I love the businesses too, and would not want to lose the Cobblery. I shop there regularly, and would love to find creative solutions for them. The street regardless needs a lot moresupport in getting workers in the area there during the day, and also adding more dense housing so more people are nearby. SincerelyMary Jane Moutsanas -- “The heart is a The thousand-stringed instrument That can only be tuned with Love.” ― ظفاح دمحم نیدلا سمش / Khwāja Šams ud-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī, The Gift California “Avenue” Dreaming What is this thing we call California Avenue? What can we learn about it by taking an anthropologist’s view? By Mary Jane Moutsanas California Avenue on a June evening, with Zareen’s Pakistani/Indian restaurant in the background and a ‘street chess set” in the foreground. You can see people eating outside and pairs walking up and down the street. I am reading Ai Wei Wei in the corner at a public table set up by the City of Palo Alto. Introduction This paper is an exploration of my local downtown street - California Avenue, known as “Cal Ave” by the locals. This street I love is going through this big shift, both practically (whether to stay closed to cars), shop wise (many vacancies) and community wise (whose street is it for). Cal Ave is in flux because of COVID and the tech sector boom, and this paper is an ethnography of the street during this transitional time. 1 What is Cal Ave becoming? What purpose or function has (and does) the street serve? Cal Ave closed to traffic during the Pandemic, making the street even more contained since it ends at a dead end with the CalTrain. The City and community are debating whether to open up again as some businesses thrive and some suffer. This debate has brought many passionate conversations about what people like or don’t like, want or don’t want at Cal Ave. Restaurateurs and their fans wanted to keep the street closed, but retailers and their big fans did not. Could an anthropological perspective offer a wider view beyond the superficial debates? This paper is an exploration of the multiple functions Cal Ave serves, discovered through an ethnography of the particular, and shares what we can learn from seeing the street from several vantage points (as well as its past) to inform the future. My Vantage Point First, in full disclosure, I am not neutral, but deeply invested. I know Cal Ave intimately; it’s where I got my first job when I returned to Palo Alto, where I met my former partner, where I found many good friends and where I’ve lived near for the past ten years. I have wanted to open a civic engagement space on the street, and am interested in a future with more collective/communal spaces on the street. I love having the street closed. History of Cal Ave The debates today can only be understood by also placing the street in historical context. This is a brief overview of a rich and varied history. Lincoln Street was the Main Street of a town called Mayfield that preceded the incorporation of Palo Alto. (Palo Alto Historical Society)Its reluctance to close their 13 saloons when Leland Stanford wanted a dry city for his University ultimately led to their demise. After rejecting Stanford in 1886, they voted to join Palo Alto in 1924, and thus Palo Alto came to have two “downtowns.” Just before the vote, one retailer (and landlord) said this: “Mayfield people are tired of having the roughs from all around the country come here, get drunk and raise a row. We’re tired of renting our cottages for $5 and $6 a month…when a house can’t be had in Palo Alto for $20-$25.” - Grocer Frank Backus 2 Lincoln Street was renamed California Avenue, because Palo Alto already had a Lincoln Street. So thus Palo Alto came to have two downtowns: University Avenue founded by the City of Palo Alto, and California Avenue founded by the now defunct Mayfield. There also emerged a third “downtown’ at the Town & Country Shopping Center which is close to Stanford campus and across from Palo Alto (Paly) High School. Today, some people say that University Avenue is the world’s downtown, California Avenue is the Palo Altan’s downtown and Town & Country is Stanford’s downtown. 3 Even though Mayfield merged with Palo Alto, the independent streak lived on as this area was a haven for bars, creatives, musicians and artists. From Palo Alto (not just Cal Ave) came Joan Baez (went to Paly), the Grateful Dead (formed in Palo Alto in 1965), and Windham Hill “New Age” records, founded here in 1976. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had a legendary run until the University Ave Varsity Theater closed in 1994, becoming first a Border’s Bookstore and recently a tech co-working space with Blue Bottle Coffee called Hana Haus. Cal Ave was anchored by a legendary bookstore,Printer’s Inc (1978-2001) that even has its own Wikipedia entry and book talks broadcast on C-SPAN. It was opened by five former staff of Kepler’s Books of Menlo Park. A 2006 memoir by Frances Mayes “A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler” gives you a glimpse of Printer’s Inc (later echoed by Sofia, one of my key informants): Susan and Kate, with their friend Jeffrey, then opened Printers Inc., a literary bookstore on California Avenue in Palo Alto. They installed a coffee bar/cafe, which was revolutionary. No other bookstore in California, or maybe the United States, had done that in 1978. We were sipping cappuccinos and reading Merwin at Printers long before Starbucks ever pulled an espresso. The bookstore for its whole life was a fulcrum for the entire community and surroundings.Meet me at Printers. (Alta Online.) After Printer’s Inc closed, the last bookstore on California Ave - Know Knew Books - closed in 2009. You get a taste of the literary culture of the area from a Palo Alto resident commenting on an online article about this bookstore closing: Palo Alto used to have bookstores all over the place. From the back room at Fran's where I bought my first science fiction books as a kid, to Chimera Book's in that old Victorian house which then moved around University before it went out of business, To Keplers 4 several locations, and Stacy's. Even Crown Books where I think Trader Joes in Mountain View is now ... or somewhere near there. There was Tower Books and there used to be a lot of technical bookstores in this area too. This was a book browsers dream location. -Palo Alto resident commenting on line in 2014 Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels, founded in 1996, is one of a few stores that has remained and is still beloved on the street. Their community board, still present today, is a reminder of the lively community life in the past. While there has been death and loss on Cal Ave, there has also been rebirth. In an effort to save Cal Ave, in 2015 the City Council passed a ‘no chain ordinance’ restricting businesses with more than ten locations going on the street. The City of Palo Alto has worked on several redevelopment efforts focused on the physical look of the street: a mural project in 2004, a disastrous cutting down of 50 year trees on the street, several other public art efforts and just a week ago, three new murals, with one painted on the street. 5 Left: New Mural; Right: Three Muralists/Artists (from SF/East Bay, not Palo Alto) Phase 1: Observations To understand the street, I started with open-ended observation without a particular objective. I sat for 15-30 minutes at several locations at Cal Ave in the morning, afternoon and evening. Since the street has been closed since COVID, pedestrians walk down the middle of the street. What struck me was how many people were smiling and enjoying themselves. At the Farmer’s Market, which is the biggest draw every Sunday from 9 am – 1 pm, there were probably over a thousand who came through. There were a few interesting observations for future exploration: - There was a community of Door Dashers/Uber Eats people who were waiting to pick up orders and had their own hangout together. They seemed to be having a really good time. - People mostly walked in pairs, as if they were on the street to be with others (except those going to CalTrain likely). - At the restaurant's outdoor seating, people were mostly eating in groups of 2 or more, and most had either social or deeper interpersonal conversations. - It seemed a place to come with friends, rather than to run into or meet friends. During busy times (Thursday, Friday nights and Farmer’s Market), the street activity reminded me of the Greek Volta, or promenade down the seaside. It’s where everyone in the community would meet each night, and through it the community is reinforced, strengthened and deepened through the ritual of the Volta. The Cal Ave Volta has echoes of this volta, but with many fewer contacts and connections between everyone. 6 While going for a visit to Cal Ave, I walked past my neighbor Sofia and her comments caught me so off guard. She surprised me when I asked her about Cal Ave and she said “I hate it now.” What! I realized from her reaction that I needed to go beyond observations to what Malinowski calls the function or purpose. I entered Phase 2 of my research, where I decided to approach my research from the perspective of Functionalism – what is the purpose of the street, both imagined and real, for key stakeholders? Phase 2: Exploring Purpose Through Three Interviews I knew I wanted to look at three very different perspectives on Cal Ave: one from an old-timer, one from a tech person (more newly arrived); and one a younger person. I conducted three interviews, two on the phone and one in person. I had the old-timer draw a map of what she loved about Cal Ave. I would have done maps for the others if we had been in person or they knew the street better. o Newcomer young person (21 year old, moved here at age 18) o Old timer elder (70s, moved here in 1985 almost 40 years ago) o Tech worker (left leaning, moved here 1 year ago to Palo Alto) Raven: “I want to have fun!” Raven loves thrifting, works at a “bougie” gym at Stanford Shopping Center and has a lot of time on her hands. She says at her gym they call her an “old soul” because she likes 60s music and does wordle sometimes. She is 21 and, after living in Palo Alto since moving here from outside Sacramento just before COVID with her mother and siblings, will be leaving in the fall for St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Her Mom grew up in College Terrace and always wanted to move back. Raven first lived first a block from Cal Ave and now across El Camino, a few more blocks away. “Downtown will tell you a lot about a community.” Raven prefers the other Palo Alto downtowns - Town & Country and University Ave - to Cal Ave. Raven goes to these places for what she values: a place to have fun and be with her friends. They can shop and get food that isn’t too expensive, and they don't have to decide in advance what they are doing. She goes with her Mom sometimes to Mexican or pizza. “Cal Ave is only expensive restaurants. We only go to Izzy’s bagels. I haven’t taken my friends here.” Raven and her family consider Cal Ave too expensive for regular visits, and there is not 7 enough shopping. She may also have negative associations with the street because it was dead when she first arrived at the start of COVID. The function a downtown serves for Raven is fun, life, activity and spontaneity, in contrast to the small town where she grew up. “I overheard people from Stanford at Town and Country saying “Palo Alto is so boring” and I couldn’t believe it. They don’t know what it’s like to live in a small village where the Chicken is made into a statue. “ Sofia (elder) “It was a village” - “There was spontaneity and community.” “It was fabulous, because there was all that variety, people went there all the time. So it was a community center as well - pharmacy, hardware store. Now what have we got, nail salons and restaurants, and we’ve got the Cobblery. Sad…” “It’s not a community street anymore in my opinion.” Her friend (with us) mentioned: “You are so 20th century.” I decided to ask Sofia to sketch a time she loved the street, and it really helped us get beyond “I hate it” to the joy it brought her. “I used to bike here with my best friend Janet (who moved back to Cambridge [UK]) to the Fine Arts Movie Theater. We saw La Cage Aux Folles. Our favorite movies were risqué, like Ken Russell films. Afterwards, we would go for whiskey at Antonio’s [Nut House]. “I used to work at Our Health Center. This was founded by women in the 8 1970s who were learning about birth control from the inventor, Carl Djerassi. They opened a clinic for women’s health. Everyone had a patient advocate with them. Everyone – the janitor, dr. nurses, aides – were paid the same amount. I was a patient advocate 1986-1988 and then I became a physician’s assistant. We used to go out together after work. I would go to Cal Ave on my lunch breaks and I knew everyone. Eventually it had to close because they couldn’t get doctors at that salary.” “I would take my kids to read together at Printer’s Inc. We would sit on the rug and read books. “And it was beautiful. The stores were lovely. Yeah, there was just a huge variety of stores. It was like a village. It had everything. It had the bakery…..and there’s nothing like that now really. You knew everyone. You knew all the people in the shops, It was great. I had a lot of patients who worked there who came to the clinic.” “I hate it now. [MJ] “Is it because of the fancy restaurants?” “No, there’s nothing there now. I can’t afford those places. When the farmer’s market opened, John (her husband who has since died) “John and I would go down there and see loads of people. It was hugely social. Now I don’t know anyone.” Toby a Tech Worker: “We have fallen in love with it.” Finally, I interviewed Toby, a tech mid-level executive (aspiring botanist), in the Bay Area for 10+ years from India, where he grew up in the military. He has a ten year old daughter who is friends with my daughter. I chose to interview him because he said he loves Cal Ave and has thought a lot about it. He and his wife moved from Sunnyvale to Palo Alto near Cal Ave almost two years ago during the Pandemic. They moved here so their daughter could attend better schools. His comments reflected what he feels is authenticity. You can wear whatever you want even though you live in a wealthy area: “At Cal Ave you don’t have to pretend…you can be who you are…” “It’s not a transactional feel….it feels local, you don’t go there if you aren’t from there” (unlike Santana Row, University Ave Palo Alto) Mountain View felt to Toby kind of mercenary. The restaurants would keep flipping and it felt transactional. Cal Ave felt different to him than other places on the Peninsula. It is “kind of a sleepy downtown, kind of interesting, it was distinct” It feels very local. “You don’t go there if you aren’t from there.” So he liked this insider feeling. He even has a tech friend visiting who 9 could go anywhere, and he keeps coming back to Cal Ave because he likes the feel of it too. The only thing missing is a bookstore, he feels. Kind of like Raven, he likes a place where you don’t have to decide beforehand what you will do. You can discover. Mary Jane’s observations I did not interview myself, but I did make a map of what stores were there in 2004 and what is there 20 years later.What struck me is that 60-70% of all businesses on the street are gone, with storefronts either vacant or filled with new businesses, mostly higher end restaurants.I also noticed the price point for entry on the street is much higher than it was even ten years ago. Izzy’s bagels is the most economical, but other than that, it’s not less than $15 per person for the two “fast food” places (Mediterranean Wraps and Kali Greek Grill) or cafe (Printer’s Inc), and otherwise it’s $25 or more per person to go out to eat which can be prohibitive for anyone but especially families and students. Obstacles I Encountered During the process, the initial challenge was defining the scope of the project because a downtown street has so many layers and dimensions. The street has many facets and varies by time of day and events going on. It was hard to cover the full scope of the street as one person with limited time. I had considered looking at the cafes specifically, and decided to consider the street overall. There were other resources by the City of Palo Alto and many official stakeholders I did not interview. A second challenge was representing the diverse experiences of the street. I relied on my personal networks for the interviews, and realized I did not consider the perspective of neighbors living in Ventura, near Cal Ave which is also being gentrified. A third challenge was understanding the function of the street within the context of other downtowns. I did review Bowling Alone but I have not read literature on downtown anthropology. CULTURAL ANALYSIS: What’s the function of Cal Ave? Rather than reaching general conclusions about the purpose of Cal Ave, I am using Abu-Lughod’s ethnography of the particular. Each person has their own vantage point, history and relationship to the street. There is no “Cal Ave” but many Cal Aves. I will analyze their vantage points and explore intersections. What struck me, as I began to think about the function of the street, was that Raven, Toby and Sofia shared some similar aspirations for the street or for their downtown. What differed was the extent to which the Cal Ave of today meets those needs. They all shared that desire to just 10 drop by, walk around and be spontaneous. But for Sofia, the people are gone, so it just makes her sad, and she can’t afford most restaurants there now. For Toby, he’s growing his community, not losing it, and loves how they can decide in the moment where to go. Raven also looks for that, but finds it at Town & Country, not Cal Ave. FUNCTIONS OF CAL AVE - the “Downtown” Raven Sofia Toby Notes Psychological/ Emotional Fun, spontaneous, adventure Fun, belonging Authentic Belonging, joy Social Place with friends Interwoven Village Go with family With own friends vs. building network Economic Food/Fun/Shopp ing Basic Needs Dinner/Fun Class space today: middle-upper Psychological - fun Social - fun community Economic - basic needs, dinner (middle/upper class space) What strikes me is that the primacy of Cal Ave as an economic center for the community has changed as people were displaced by high housing costs, and businesses were displaced by large or online retailers. Cal Ave is not the only option either for those in the area, with several other “downtowns” within a fifteen minute drive. What is happening at Cal Ave may be echoed elsewhere regionally and around the world. It is changing, in form and perhaps in purpose too. Cal Ave is emerging as primarily a “place to consume” rather than a “place to be in community, a village.” It’s interesting perhaps how each generation perhaps shapes California Avenue to reflect her image, and that leaves others behind. Even though Sofia feels there is no point to going to Cal Ave, other newcomers, such as Toby, can feel the lingering spirit of Cal Ave in today’s incarnation. Its feeling of authenticity and down to earthness is what attracts him. It’s striking that what Toby considers beautiful Sofia feels is ugly. “It was so beautiful,” she mourns. It is a place now where you go with your friends or family, rather than to expand your social 11 network. Places like Terun, an Italian restaurant on the street, likely succeed because the owners, a family from Italy, treat the customers like their family. But most could not go regularly enough ($50 per person average) to become known as family. I am not sure if their differing perspectives constitute different debates or almost different worlds. We are always comparing – for Sofia to what it was, for Toby to what it was like in India and how it compares to neighboring areas, and for Raven, how much more exciting this area is compared to her sleepy town in Sacramento. She couldn’t disagree more with the Stanford students she overheard. Cal Ave seems to be playing different roles in their lives, and maybe what helps it survive is that it has many functions. For the wider community, perhaps why an overarching function is less clear is because even the neighbors have been in flux. My street alone has had five houses torn down (out of 10) in the past five years, all but one bought by Stanford University. Who is the community that is served by Cal Ave? It once was the employees and the nearby neighbors, and now it is not clear. A Turkish journalist and Stanford Knight Journalism Fellow Cinar Oskay I met recently shared that his Masters Thesis was about how the formerly cosmopolitan towns of Izmir (Smyrna), Thessaloniki (Salonica) and Istanbul (Constantinople) seemed to have an re-emerging cosmopolitanism with great bars and social lives, but it was in fact a mirage. He called it a mirage that wouldn’t last because the people who made these towns cosmopolitan – the Greek Orthodox, the Sephardic Jews, Armenians, Assyrians, Turks in some cases - were no longer present; they were forced out. It made me wonder - is Toby experiencing a mirage of California Ave? Is the authenticity, the ability to be oneself genuine or will it fade since the artists, creative people, healers and small shopkeepers have since left? The business district anchors the community as a hub, and it’s almost like, without the hub, are you really a community in the same way? Because the towns here blend into one another, with El Camino as the bridging path, people have a choice of multiple “downtowns” and this one becomes less essential. No matter how you feel about California Ave, I discovered there is tremendous value in going into the lived experiences of our community members beyond their opinions of the value of the street or not. Where did they go? Do they go now? Why? This helps get beyond our official stories and in each case, an insight came up near the end of the conversation. 12 One interesting observation was that the passionate response from Sofia (“I hate it”) evolved when she drew a map of the street and her life connected to it, such as her memory bicycling with her best friend. It was a method inspired by the Topographies of Memories book about the now divided capital, Nicosia, Cyprus by an architect Anita Bashkmi. In it, she uncovered that the Greek/Turkish nationalist narratives about the city became more nuanced and heartfelt when she showed maps and asked people specifics about the place. Similarly, as I moved beyond the ‘stories’ and opinions about the street to lived experience, I came to see why for Sofia the street was so central to her life, and how the loss of that community and the people meant the street has died along with it. It’s striking that Toby was missing a bookstore, a space that was once one of the anchor’s of Cal Ave. Another insight is that a street is about the people as much as its storefronts. It seems the City of Palo Alto is focusing on beautifying and “funky-fying” Cal Ave through murals, free public seating and a large chess board, through increasing music events, such as most recently by adding a Third Thursday live music night. While these are beautiful offerings for those already in community, they are not necessarily expanding the sense of community and connection. These may not be addressing the underlying challenge that the interconnected bonds of the street have fractured, as have the bonds between the neighborhood and the street as gentrification has greatly impacted both. We can make Cal Ave look like a cool hip place, with live music and murals like Santa Monica has done, but without artists and creative people living, working and creating in the community, it may be more consumptive than generative. I also recognized a blind spot in my research and my own bias with respect to economics and class. I was so focused on how Cal Ave has become out of reach for many people here. What I failed to notice is that, even in the past, this street was primarily middle/upper class serving. Even though the professions (Sofia was a Physician’s Assistant & Adjunct Faculty) were not higher end, many people who frequented the street were and are highly educated in formal institutions, and wear the cultural trappings of the middle and upper classes. Stanford University is only two blocks from Cal Ave. Finally, it is helpful to think about who has power relative to Cal Ave’s past and future. Who gets to decide what happens and what goes where? The landlords have an outsized power, because there are no restraints on evicting tenants beyond their lease obligations. If you look at many of the remaining businesses in Palo Alto, many own their buildings (as Country Sun did). The City of Palo Alto also has a huge amount of power because it decides what can legally be on or near the street. Right now, you cannot turn a retail space into a restaurant space because of parking 13 requirements, so many old retail spaces have become gyms. These serve only a small clientele. There are many women, myself included, who have creative ideas to revive California Ave, but the barriers to entry (financial and bureaucratic) are very high. They are also somewhat gendered barriers because almost every building is owned by a man. Areas for further study include: - A wider set of interviews covering locals, people from other neighborhoods - Looking at the state of community in Palo Alto in general after the tech boom and C19. - Looking at the experiences of connection, isolation belonging after C19. - Engaging stakeholders in conversation around what we are discovering, with maps (like was done in Nicosia, Cyprus). Now what? Even though this research is still unfolding, now what? It would be amazing if the stakeholders had a real say and ability on the future of Cal Ave – not just in giving input to the City, but in helping shape who (and what) Cal Ave is becoming now. I will be meeting with City Council member Julie Lythcott-Haines next week to discuss community gathering spaces and these findings. In the meantime, it has been illuminating to draw upon the tools of cultural anthropology, such as ethnography of the particular, Malinowski’s functionalism, and our Professor’s signature approach to look for the debates, dynamism and multiple meanings. This study gives me hope that, as long as our needs for community, connection, fun and spontaneity are there, we humans can be creative in creating and evolving our social and economic life to support those needs. 14 From:Yahoo Mail.® To:Honky Subject:COSTA RICO UP NEXT TO PROSECUTE MORE VACCINE CRIMES and the First Prosecutions Of Four New Zealand Officials For COVID19 Crimes Against Humanity And Genocide - Hope For The World Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 11:56:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. AWESOMETHIS IS A BIG DEAL, SHARE IT BY NOVEMBER 9TH.WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD VIEW ON VACCINES.COURTS DO BRING VACCINE CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE.IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, YES IN NEW ZEALAND On Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 08:46:18 PM EDT,Dr. Ana Marie Mihalcea wrote:The website for the Costa Rica Livestream is https://stopcovidvaccinesnow.org/ Here is Todd Callenders email about it: It’s so incredibly important Doctor!! This is the first UN recognized jurisdiction to have such a proceeding,which is important because the applicable international criminal law arose from UN Conventions amongother international bodies including the Hague Accords. In all respects, Costa Rica is a contracting party tothese multilateral conventions, which means that all the other treaty partners must recognize and grantcomity to these proceedings. In effect this means that a verdict by the Court, could result in extradition papers being filed and pursued forDefendants outside the country. I will have to look at their MLAT network, though I’m sure they have oneand if those defendants are in any MLAT partner nation then they are subject, at least in part, to thejurisdiction of the Costa Rican courts. THIS IS A BIG DEAL!!! Dr. Anna Marie MihalceaSent: Wednesday, November 01, 2023 6:11 PMTo: Todd Callender Greetings, I just got off a call with the Costa Rica team and we are jazzed and ready to go. The biggest point for the world is that this court has International Jurisdiction for the prosecution ofinternational crimes. Our case argues the Enforcing Obligations Erga Omnes in international law thatprohibits human experimentation and torture. People mistakenly think this is just a Costa Rica court with no effect on the world. Once they understand the power of this trial, I believe people will rally behind it. I am not a lawyer but this point seems highly important to me. This development is also important:Unethical US State Department Brags About Exporting "Safe and Effective" Covid Vaccines To 117 Countries,Deceiving Billions Into Undue Experimentation Violating Nuremberg Code Um...Where is the delegated authority and required reports & agreements for DoD & HHS and StateDepartment to roll out covid "vaccines"???? Oh, you can't find it, thats right! Wakaminenga Maori Government Is Magic Number One - First Prosecutions Of Four New Zealand Officials For COVID19 Crimes Against Humanity And Genocide - Hope For The World Wakaminenga Maori Government Is MagicNumber One - First Prosecutions Of... Ana Maria Mihalcea, MD, PhD On Saturday 17 June 2023 an historic event took place in NewZealand. A dedicated team of men and women have ope... From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Braden Cartwright; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; D Martell; Jensen, Eric;Greer Stone; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Joe Simitian; Hornung, Joel; Josh Becker; KEVIN JENSEN; Karen Holman;Zelkha, Mila; Mohammad Sikandar; Raj Jayadev; Raymond Goins; Roberta Ahlquist; Sean Allen; Shikada, Ed;Stump, Molly; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto;Perron, Zachary; Barberini, Christopher; Figueroa, Eric; Tannock, Julie; rabrica@cityofepa.org Subject:One Holocaust does not justify another!! Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 11:50:42 PM Attachments:IMG_0693.PNG CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Minty Sidhu To:Council, City Subject:Saving Country Sun Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 10:59:42 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sidhu_minty@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I am a resident of Palo Alto from the Leland Manor neighborhood and a patron of Country Sun. In my younger years, about two decades ago, I was introduced to this funky gem of a store by my friend's elderly mother, who is my inspiration for "aging well". As a young mother of Indian descent, I was drawn to the homeopathic offerings at Country Sun and a very knowledgeable person (Kevin) on their staff to guide me with what supplements would be ideal for the health situation at hand. My daughter's pediatrician was from Europe and open to alternative homeopathic medicines byBoiron, such as, Oscillococcinum, instead of prescribing antibiotics for the frequent cold/mild flu like situations that little kids go through. I have Asthma, and have turned to Country Sun, both for myself and my daughterduring the fires in California for lung support supplements that actually have worked super well. While there are a lot of supplements out there on the Internet that may or may not be trustworthy, Country Sun has sourced the best of the best in its little store. I felt I could walk into the store and trust the brands that they carried and this savedme both time and effort, especially if a family member was ill and I was taking care of them, etc. Country Sun also has one of the best bulk food sections for a rich choice of organiclentils that I use in my Indian cooking. I also order bulk spices from the store such as Ceylon Cinnamon which has excellent health benefits but hard to find in a regular store. I also bulk order spices such as cardamom, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric for my Indian cooking. The grade of these spices is superior to most Indianstores in the area because Country Sun sources them from some of the best vendors that they have long term established relationships with. I am a beneficiary of their due diligence on all these suppliers. I also love pure essential oils and clean burning candles (due to my Asthma) and once again Country Sun has them. In addition, you could get locally sourced yoghurt, meats, cold brew, goat milk, milk, matcha, eggs, bread etc. because Country Sun provided many products that are available only at the local farmers market onSunday. If you are a tea lover, like me, you could also get lovely teas in their bulk section. In a nutshell, Country Sun is a very unique store and encapsulates the funky and"health nut" spirit of Palo Alto. It has been around for 52 years and one gets introduced to it by a grandmother or mother like person and then younger generations follow. It would be very sad for the community to have it close its doors. New Leaf markets are a bit like Country Sun, so could Country Sun be bought by a New Leaf market like entity? Warm regards, Minty Sidhu 650-303-1504 From:Kirsten Luehrs To:Council, City Subject:Re: Please keep California Avenue fully pedestrian Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 10:32:01 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from kirstn@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Greetings City Council Members, I understand there’s discussion around reopening California avenue so I would like to expressmy thoughts. I believe we should keep it closed. I am a neighbor, at 231 Stanford (at Park) and have been in the area since 1991. First off, I enjoy it being closed. It’s a personal preference that it remain closed. Additionally, there are macro trends in retail and dining that must be designed to. People are still gathering and they are still shopping. Some places are popular but the type that arecurrently thriving are: Near Pacific Catch in Stanford Mall Near Haidilau in Cupertino Our own town and county village Areas that are failing are “car prominent” like the el Camino corridor between Palo Alto and San Carlos. There are very few reasons for people to get in the car and go shopping these days. We need toprotect our business district by allowing it to change. There is nearby parking. The street simply does not need to be open on Cal Ave. That will not help. Building a destination willhelp. Please ensure that we continue down this path. Change is hard. Not everyone will win but the only thing that stays the same is the fact that things will change, with or without us. Sincerely, Kirsten and Brian Luehrs231 Stanford Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306650-906-7740 From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Angel, David; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; DMartell; Damon Silver; Daniel Kottke; Dave Price; David S. Norris; Diana Diamond; District1@bos.sccgov.org;Don Austin; Donald Mendoza; Donna Wallach; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; GregTanaka; Human Relations Commission; JIM MINKLER1; Jack Ajluni; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; JoeSimitian; Hornung, Joel; Jose Valle; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Karen Holman; Lewisjames; Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; Kou, Lydia; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; O"Neal, Molly;Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Raj Jayadev; Raymond Goins; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; SeanAllen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Spieckerman, Damian; Stump, Molly; Sue Dremann; Supervisor Otto Lee;Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Vara Ramakrishnan; Vicki Veenker; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary;Zelkha, Mila; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; editor@paweekly.com; Figueroa, Eric;friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; josh@sanjosespotlight.com; Tannock, Julie;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick; rabrica@cityofepa.org Subject:march & rally in support of the Palestinian people Nov 4, 2023. ( San Francisco, Civic Center) Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 9:55:31 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Walter Enos To:Council, City Subject:re Cal Ave Needs a Compromise... Please support this! Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 7:26:26 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from walter.enos@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council,I saw the full page notice in the Nov. 3rd issue of Palo Alto Weekly (title: Cal Ave Needs a Compromise) and I want to express my strong support for this plan.Their Compromise Plan (allow one lane of traffic from Camino Real towards the Caltrain station) strikes me as very reasonable and will allow ALL businesses to thrive.I have lived in Barron Park for 30+ years and I really value the convenience of having useful businesses nearby. I often shop at Mollie Stones, the Nob Hill Hardware, Izzys Bagels, andThe Cobblery (all supporters of the Compromise Plan) and since the street closure 3 years ago I have felt worried for their future. Without some car access from El Camino they cannotsurvive much longer. I do enjoy eating at the restaurants on Cal Ave but I would be devastated if the street becomesONLY restaurants. I want to see a healthy mix of retail, offices, services and dining- and I believe the Compromise Plan would ensure this. I urge all of Council to support the Compromise Plan and take steps to re-open Cal Ave to limited car traffic as soon as possible.Thank you, Walter Enos3736 La Calle Ct Palo Alto 94306 From:dedra hauser To:Council, City; EPNA-discuss Cc:dedra hauser Subject:Please keep California Avenue fully pedestrian Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 6:16:44 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from dedra@pacbell.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council Members, I have lived within walking distance of California Avenue since 1985. I met my husband on a blind date at the Swiss restaurant Des Alpes in 1984 and have frequented the street often since then, both for shopping and eating. I loved and lamented the loss of the book store, stationery store, and bakery, but have been thrilled at the burgeoning restaurant scene and Farmer's Market that make Palo Alto feel more like the bustling commercial street of my childhood in Forest Hills, N.Y. Making it pedestrian has made it all that much more attractive, both for me and for the crowds that frequent it for the Sunday market and dining every day. It used to feel like a quiet backwater but now it has the buzz of a community gathering place on weekends, evenings and to a lesser extent during the daytime. I see so many people shopping after a good meal and I don't believe people are kept away because they have to park a block away. I have been pleased to see restaurants upgrading their outdoor seating and despite some vacancies it feels like the street is getting better and better. Like Austin Street in Forest Hills, Cal Avenue now has more restaurants and fewer stores, but this evolution has been a long time coming and letting cars back in won't save the businesses that haven't learned to adapt. Nor do I think the City should hire more consultants and spend more time studying what to do. I would much rather you concentrate on the far more pressing problems caused by our housing shortage. Thank you and I will see you all (virtually) at the City Council Meeting November 6th. With appreciation for all you do, Dedra Hauser resident, 410 Stanford Avenue From:Dennis Kelly To:Council, City Cc:Anthony Secviar; Kou, Lydia; City Mgr Subject:Cal Ave Decision Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 6:02:47 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from dennis@protegepaloalto.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. City Council Members, I am writing to ask you to consider reopening both lanes of Cal Ave, or at the very least to accept the compromise recently put forth by the Coalition of Cal Ave Businesses. As we know, Cal Ave is a “historic shopping district”— not a public park. I am aware that some vocal residents are pushing for the street to remain closed, but it is a fact that these residents are not providing enough support for most businesses on Cal Ave. Clearly, a handful of restaurants are capitalizing on the additional seating capacity facilitated by the street closure. In fact, many people are wondering aloud if the Fire Marshall is currently enforcing the seating occupancy regulations. However, the narrative that ‘all the restaurants on Cal Ave prefer a street closure’ is inaccurate at best. A business outreach by the members of our coalition definitively proved that in addition to the retail stores, the large majority of restaurants strongly prefer the street be reopened on January 1, 2024. The few restaurants that have benefitted from the additional seating thrived while the street was open pre-pandemic, and they would continue to thrive post-pandemic. I am honestly very happy for the success of our friends and neighbors, and would take no pleasure from reducing their current business levels. However, it is clear to us that the street closure is hurting most businesses on Cal Ave— including the restaurants— and nobody benefits from an unhealthy street. Anyone who says ‘retail is dead’ ought to visit Stanford Shopping Center or Town & Country in Palo Alto. Sadly, Cal Ave is not attracting desirable retail stores in its current state. Our business district needs a diverse blend of businesses to flourish, so the success of retail and service providers is absolutely critical. We would not have opened Protégé on Cal Ave if the street was closed at El Camino Real in 2018. Steve Ugur, owner of newly opened Sekoya, recently told me that he would have located on Burlingame Avenue had he been informed the closure would extend beyond 2023. As we all know, there are too many vacant storefronts on Cal Ave, and we believe closing the street longer will discourage additional businesses from leasing in our business district. I hope that you understand how closing Cal Ave has already negatively impacted so many businesses, including our own. If the street is reopened in January, our neighbors will no longer be at war with one another and we can peacefully return to ‘business as usual.’ A decision to extend the closure through 2024 could lead to a very serious long-term crisis on Cal Ave, from which it may take years to recover. Please choose wisely. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Dennis DENNIS KELLY, MS Master Sommelier | Owner M 707.291.1607 250 S. California Avenue Palo Alto, California 94306 From:Jeff Levinsky To:Council, City Subject:Suggested Improvements to Ellsworth Place Ordinances Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 5:31:42 PM Attachments:Ellsworth Phone Pole Proposal.pngEllsworth Ordinance Changes for Improved Delivery Access.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council Members: Here are some quick suggestions to improve the proposed Ellsworth Place PC ordinances: Delivery Space It emerged at your last hearing on the Ellsworth PC applications that the proposed delivery area off Ellsworth was too small for typical delivery vehicles. The latest staff report suggests adding a delivery area on Sutter, but · the round-trip walk from the proposed parking area on Sutter to some Ellsworth homes is about 1/3 of a mile, which is further than UPS and Amazon drivers will walk to make deliveries, and · it takes away needed public parking on Sutter. So the new proposal doesn’t solve the problem that the Council was trying to address and actually makes things worse by removing public parking. An alternative solution submitted on November 3 by Kristen Van Fleet follows a suggestion from staff back on February 24. It uses the same two new parking areas proposed on the south side of the apartment building along Ellsworth but simply swaps their use. Its benefits include: 1. An adequately-sized delivery truck parking area right on Ellsworth 2. No public parking removed from Sutter 3. No reduction in tenant parking spaces for the apartment building 4. No need to start restricting delivery truck size on Ellsworth 5. Ellsworth can be widened to 26 feet for almost 100 feet from Middlefield 6. Modest extra cost, given that the telephone pole that blocked this solution previously is slated to be relocated anyway Here’s how this improved approach works: Please see the attached for how you might amend the proposed ordinances to achieve this. Wrought-Iron Fence Please note that the photograph of a wrought-iron fence submitted by one of the applicants in an October 19th letter in the staff report shows the view through a single wrought-iron fence. However, the proposal would require looking through two wrought-iron fences: one alongside Ellsworth and another alongside Middlefield. The photograph is also not taken from the same position and angle that drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians would have. Additionally, the photograph also shows grass on the other side of the wrought-iron fence, whereas people looking through the proposed fencing at Ellsworth and Middlefield will see a much more complex background, making it harder to spot hazards, Please also note that the proposed ordinance still allows about half of the front yard to be enclosed by a three-foot fence. The side and rear yards can be completely fenced. So there’s no need to adjust the ordinance for fencing. Costs It’s appropriate that the City ask the applicants to bear any costs for the new PCs. The proposed ordinances upzone the existing PC by allowing for a new residential site valued at about $1,000,000. based on its recent sale, and allowing the apartment building to have twelve units on the remaining land, whereas our zoning laws would allow it only nine units. Thank you, Jeff Levinsky Not Yet Adopted 3 0160120_20230906_ay16 Policy L-1.6 Discourage the use of fences that obscure the view of the front of houses from the street. The use and improvements on the site are remaining unchanged from existing conditions, which are compatible with existing and potential uses on adjoining sites. SECTION 2. Amendment of Zoning Map. Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the "Zoning Map," is hereby amended to rezone the certain property known as 2901-2905 Middlefield Road from PC-2343 to "PC- XXXX.” The subject property and revised zoning designation is shown on the map labeled Exhibit "A," attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 3. Development Plan Those certain plans entitled PROPOSED PC AMENDMENT TO PC 2343, DATED 1967, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “B” and incorporated herein, are hereby approved as the Development Plan for the subject property. SECTION 4. Uses. (a) Permitted Uses. The permitted uses within the PC boundary shall be limited to a 12-unit apartment building: The existing apartment building shall remain on the 2901-2905 Middlefield site within the PC boundary. Covered and uncovered parking for the tenants shall be provided in accordance with Section 5(b) of this ordinance. SECTION 5. Site Development Regulations. (a) Compliance with Development Plan. All improvements and development shall be substantially in accordance with the Development Plan, except as modified herein. (i) A 42-inch-wide swath of asphalt paving shall be created alongside the northern edge of Ellsworth Place beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending eastward approximately 37 feet to the location of an existing communications utility pole guy-wire, to increase the perceived width of Ellsworth Place. (ii) This additional paved area shall be maintained remain clear of obstructions. (iii) Prior to final inspection of any improvements on the site, Dewey property owner shall offer prepare and record an ingress and egress easement over this additional paved area to the other properties on Ellsworth Place. (iv) Any exterior changes to the apartment building or any new construction not specifically permitted by the Development Plan or by these site development regulations shall require an amendment to this Planned Community Zone or, if eligible, Architectural Review approval under Section 18.76 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, as it is amended from time to time. Not Yet Adopted 4 0160120_20230906_ay16 (vi) The 35-foot sight triangle at the intersection of Ellsworth Place and Middlefield Road shall not be obstructed by new plants, fences, or other objects taller than 1 foot. (vii) The property owner shall maintain vegetation at a height of 1 foot or less in the planter strip between the Middlefield Road curb and sidewalk. (b) Parking and Loading Requirements. (i) One covered parking space shall be provided for each of the 12 residential apartments. In addition, four uncovered spaces and a truck delivery space shall be provided on the 2901-2905 Middlefield property, accessible from Ellsworth Place, as shown on the Development Plan. (ii) A curbside loading zone 40 feet in length shall be designated on Sutter Avenue in front of 2901 Middlefield Road with signage and curb painting. (iii) Property owner shall install a sign restricting the length of delivery vehicles on Ellsworth Place to 24’ or shorter. The sign shall be placed above or below the existing “No Outlet” sign installed in the Middlefield Road right of way, between the sidewalk and the Ellsworth Parcel. (iv) Property owner shall restripe the existing parking facility to assign three uncovered parking spaces to meet current code requirements for tenant parking. (v) To facilitate the provision of off-street parking space #16, property owner shall relocate the existing communications utility pole and install any improvements as required by the Director of Utilities and the Director of Planning and Development Services to comply with parking design and safety standards. (vi) Property owner shall be responsible for all costs associated with fulfilling the requirements of this paragraph. (c) Trash Enclosures and Pickup. Trash enclosures and pickup shall be maintained with access from Sutter Avenue, and not from Ellsworth Place. (d) Development Schedule. The parking lot restriping on 2901-2905 Middlefield Road shall be immediately implemented upon the effective date of this ordinance. Off-street parking space #16 shall be provided prior to issuance of building permits for the construction of the 702 Ellsworth Place residence. Construction of the improvements to Ellsworth Place the Middlefield Parcel shall be completed within twelve (12) months of the effective date of this ordinance. (e) Minor Variations in Project. Minor changes to the Project may be approved by the Director, according to the provisions of Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 18.76.020(b)(3)(D) for architectural review. “Minor” changes do not include changes in land use. SECTION 6. The City Council finds that this ordinance is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that minor changes to the parking configuration at 2901- 2905 Middlefield Road and construction of a single-family home pursuant to Ordinance No. XXXX will not result in a significant impact on the environment. The City Council finds that this Not Yet Adopted 1 0160121_20230906_ay16 ORDINANCE NO. _____ Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (the Zoning Map) to Rezone the Property at 702 Ellsworth Place from Planned Community Ordinance 2343 (PC-2343) to Planned Community Ordinance XXXX (PC-XXXX). The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION 1. Findings and Declarations. (a) On February 2, 2023, Dewey Land Company LLC (“Dewey”) and Handa Developer’s Group/RRP (“Handa”) applied to amend Planned Community Ordinance 2343 (“PC-2343”) to apply solely to the property at 2901-2905 Middlefield Road, APN 127-35-194, (“Middlefield Parcel”) and rezone the property at 702 Ellsworth Place, APN 127-35-152, (“Ellsworth Parcel”) from Planned Community to Single Family Residential (R-1). (b) At a March 13, 2023 study session, the City Council considered the prescreening application and indicated the project applicants should proceed with a formal PC rezoning application to the Planning and Transportation Commission for a recommendation. (c) On June 28, 2023, July 12, 2023, and August 9, 2023 the Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission (“PTC”) held a series of public hearings to consider the application. The PTC recommended that PC-2343 be amended to remove the Ellsworth Parcel and to adopt two new PC ordinances to govern the Middlefield Parcel and Ellsworth Parcel, respectively, along with a corresponding amendment to Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (Zoning Map). (d) The amendment recommended by the PTC would remove the approximately 6,493 square foot parcel currently owned by Handa at 702 Ellsworth from PC-2343 and redesignate it as a separate PC, for the purpose of constructing a single-story, single-family residence. The PTC recommended the following conditions: (i) the development plan shall include a 2’6”-wide swath of pavement alongside Ellsworth Place beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending to the proposed walkway to the single-family residence to increase the width of Ellsworth Place, (ii) the 35-foot sight triangle at the intersection of Ellsworth Place and Middlefield Road shall not be obstructed by new plants, fences, or other objects taller than 1 foot, (iii) the 24-foot special setback from Middlefield Road shall be observed, (iv) the setback from the creek shall be determined by a slope stability analysis, (v) and a 6-foot setback shall apply to the rear property line, except with respect to a detached garage. Not Yet Adopted 2 0160121_20230906_ay16 (e) The PTC recommended concurrent adoption of a companion ordinance (Ordinance No. XXXX) to reduce the area of the Planned Community PC-2343 from approximately 26,386 sf to approximately 19,893 square feet to encompass 2901-2905 Middlefield Road, a 12-unit apartment building currently owned by Dewey. (f) The City Council held public hearings on September 18, 2023 and November 6, 2023 to consider the PTC’s recommendation and additional public input, and made further amendments to those recommendations regarding the width of Ellsworth Place and the sight triangle at the southeast corner of the intersection of Ellsworth Place and Middlefield Road, as set forth below. (g) The Council, after due consideration of the PTC’s recommendations, finds: (i) The site is so situated and the uses proposed for the site are of such characteristics that the application of general districts or combining zoning districts will not provide sufficient flexibility to allow the proposed development; the City's conventional zoning district RM20 would not permit the existing 12 unit structure on the proposed 0.46 acre site (ii) Amendment to the existing Planned Community PC-2343 will provide public benefits expected to result from the Project, including expanded ingress and egress for the existing residences on Ellsworth Place through additional easements, that, when combined, would result in a 26-foot wide easement over the first 37 feet of Ellsworth Place, an additional 5-foot long by 30-inch wide easement on 702 Ellsworth Place, and the construction of an additional dwelling unit. (iii) The Council further finds that the Project provides public benefits, as described above, that are of sufficient importance to make the Project, as a whole, one with reasonable public benefit. (iv) The proposed single-family residence is compatible with existing and potential uses on adjoining sites or within the general vicinity, which are typically single- family residences and one 12-unit apartment complex. (v) The use permitted and the site development regulations are consistent with the following Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan policies and are, on balance consistent with the goals and purposes of the Comprehensive Plan: Policy L-1.1 Infill development in the urban service area should be compatible with its surroundings and the overall scale and character of the city to ensure a compact, efficient development pattern. Policy L-1.2 Hold new development to the highest development standards in order to maintain Palo Alto’s livability and achieve the highest quality development with the least impacts. Policy L-1.3 Ensure that new or remodeled structures are compatible with the neighborhood and adjacent structures. Policy L-1.4 Avoid negative impacts of basement construction for single-family homes on adjacent properties, public resources, and the natural environment. Not Yet Adopted 3 0160121_20230906_ay16 Policy L-1.5 Design buildings to complement streets and public spaces; to promote personal safety, public health and well-being; and to enhance a sense of community safety. Policy L-1.6 Discourage the use of fences that obscure the view of the front of houses from the street. The use and improvements on the site are remaining unchanged from existing conditions, which are compatible with existing and potential uses on adjoining sites. SECTION 2. Amendment of Zoning Map. Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the "Zoning Map," is hereby amended to rezone the certain property known as 702 Ellsworth Place from PC-2343 to “PC-XXXX.” The subject property and revised zoning designation is shown on the map labeled Exhibit "A," attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 3. Development Plan Those certain plans entitled Proposed Development Plan 702 Ellsworth, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “B” and incorporated herein, are hereby approved as the Development Plan for the subject property. SECTION 4. Uses. (a) Permitted Uses. The permitted uses within the PC boundary shall be limited to a single- family residence. SECTION 5. Site Development Regulations. (a) Compliance with Development Plan. All improvements and development shall be substantially in accordance with the Development Plan, except as modified herein. (i) Any exterior changes to the single-family residence or any new construction not specifically permitted by the Development Plan or by these site development regulations shall require an amendment to this Planned Community Zone or, if eligible, Architectural Review approval under Section 18.76 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, as it is amended from time to time. (ii) The development plan shall include a 2-foot, 6-inch-wide swath of asphalt pavement alongside the southern edge of Ellsworth Place beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending eastward approximately 42 feet to the proposed walkway to the single-family residence, to increase the perceived width of Ellsworth Place. (iii) This additional paved area shall remain clear of obstructions. (iv) Prior to final inspections for any structure on the site, Handa shall offer prepare and record an ingress and egress easement over this additional paved area to the other properties on Ellsworth Place. Not Yet Adopted 4 0160121_20230906_ay16 (v) The sight triangle at the southeast corner of the intersection of Ellsworth Place and Middlefield Road shall extend to the southernmost corner of the property along Middlefield Road and shall not be obstructed by new impediments taller than 1 foot, except for the installation of an additional sign stating “No Delivery Trucks Over 24’ long” below or above the existing ‘No Outlet’ sign located within the Middlefield Road right of way between the sidewalk and Handa’s property. (vi) The property owner shall maintain the vegetation in the Middlefield right of way planting strip between the curb and sidewalk at a height no taller than 1 foot. (vii) The 24-foot special setback from Middlefield Road shall be observed, (viii) The setback from the creek shall be determined by a slope stability analysis, but no less than 6 feet. (ix) A 6-foot setback shall apply to the rear property line, except with respect to a detached garage (b) Logistics Plan. A logistics plan shall be submitted for City approval prior to the issuance of a building permit for the construction of the new residence at 702 Ellsworth. The logistics plan shall address construction staging, construction worker parking, and material deliveries during site preparation and construction. It shall also include best practices for dust mitigation, stipulate permitted construction activities, hours and noise requirements, and include contact information for construction-related complaints. The property owner shall provide a $5,000 deposit to offset City’s enforcement costs reasonably incurred in responding to construction-related complaints that may arise from this project. If the deposit account balance falls to $1,000 or lower, the deposit account balance shall be replenished to $5,000. Any funds remaining in the deposit account shall be refunded to property owner upon issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the residence. (c) Development Schedule. Construction of the improvements to Ellsworth Place shall be completed within twelve (12) months of the effective date of this ordinance. Construction of other improvements shall be completed within twenty-four (24) months of the effective date of this ordinance. (d) Minor Variations in Project. Minor changes to the Project may be approved by the Director, according to the provisions of Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 18.76.020(b)(3)(D) for architectural review. “Minor” changes do not include changes in land use. SECTION 6. The City Council finds that this ordinance is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that construction of a single-family home pursuant to will not result in a significant impact on the environment. The City Council finds that this ordinance is additionally categorically exempt under Section 15303 of the CEQA Guidelines, as it approves construction of a new single-family residence. SECTION 7. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of its adoption. From:gel@theconnection.com To:Council, City Subject:Fiber Correction on Ticket# 2219 Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 5:07:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello City Council, Please make a correction on my first e-mail on ticket #2219, it’s not 10Mb, it’s 10 Gb speed. Sorry for the error. Take Care, Gary Lindgren 585 Lincoln Ave. Palo Alto CA 94301 650-326-0655 Check Out Latest Seismometer Reading Be Like Costco…do something in a different way Don’t trust Atoms…they make up everything Fortune Favors The Brave A part of good science is to see what everyone else can see but think what no one else has ever said. The difference between being very smart and very foolish is often very small. So many problems occur when people fail to be obedient when they are supposed to be obedient, and fail to be creative when they are supposed to be creative. The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours. It is sometimes easier to make the world a better place than to prove you have made the world a better place. Amos Tversky From:Torbjörn Kronander To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 2:37:20 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from torbjorn.kronander@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Please keep cal ave car free, it is just so good for everyone Torbjörn Kronander From:ruth28@mac.com To:Council, City Subject:Should Cal Ave be closed for one more year Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 2:01:08 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from ruth28@mac.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Definitely Not! Why delay the decision and continue to wreck havoc on the small businesses that are only hanging on now? The news last week that Sun organic foods had to close because of a lack of customers will only be repeated with other small private businesses. Is the City trying to have a restaurant-only street? Then say so! Ruth H. Foley Palo Alto From:Shoeb Omar To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 1:44:46 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from shoeb.omar@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed,and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove thisfurther. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to therestaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There isbasically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourishas our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose moresales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decreaseleading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoordining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:Gmail To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Car Free Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 1:28:22 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from anaponce88@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear council, I am writing to you to express keeping California ave car free. It’s been so nice to be able to walk Cal Ave with our son and see other families walking as well. As a parent it makes you feel safe to have it be car free. Appreciate the consideration. Best Ana Ponce Sent from my iPhone From:Stephen Wawryk To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Car Free Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 1:25:50 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from stephen.wawryk@kw.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Please keep it car free, it is bringing a lot of livelihood to the neighborhood. Also, cars can easily navigate around the closure, we have been doing so for quite some time. Thank you! Stephen From:David Camarillo To:Council, City Cc:Amy Buchen Camarillo Subject:California Avenue car closure Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 1:09:58 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from dbcamarillo@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ My wife and I want to voice our strong support for keeping California Avenue car free. It has tremendouslyimproved the livelihood and use for the public. I hope the city will instead consider improved public transportation,such as dedicated bike paths so that we don’t need to use parking space on the otherwise lovely street. I just returnedfrom Washington DC and they have not only better rail transit, they have extensive safe and protected bike paths,which would be a even better use if we have them here in northern California. I think it would be especially helpfulto connect a East Palo Alto in Palo Alto with safe bike paths that are clear of obstructions, and would help with theeconomic inequalities. -David Camarillo Sent from my iPhone From:Heba Jawaid To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 1:04:12 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from hebajawaid5@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone From:Angela Arcia To:Council, City Subject:Letter of Support Proposed Cal Ave Reopening Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 12:14:13 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from aarcia84@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Council, My name is Angela Arcia and I have been working for La Bodeguita del Medio for the past 4 years. I am writing this letter in support of the one lane proposal put forth by the CaliforniaAvenue Business Community. As an employee who has experienced business prior to the pandemic, I have noticed a significant difference in business. Prior to the pandemic, our restaurant was full most nightsand are guest numbers were almost triple on the weekends. Today we rarely reach any of the pre-covid numbers. I believe the compromise proposed in the single lane opening will allow for a majority ofbusiness owners to be satisfied. One lane allows for more traffic from individuals to come and explore the different business and also allow for restaurants to keep outdoor dining. Manypeople find it difficult to drive around the street closure and have experienced issues locating our business because of it. I have received phone calls and comments from guests who foundit difficult to find our restaurant. Also, as someone who comes from out of the area, it is also a little confusing to get around the area. Although I am now familiar, I have had family comevisit from out of the area and they got lost quickly because of the street closure. Allowing for normal traffic will lessen the confusion for people who reside out of Palo Alto to come toCalifornia Avenue with ease. I believe that this compromise will allow an increase in visitors while allowing businesses to accommodate for those who still do not entirely feel comfortablewith outdoor dining. I also believe that having the street reopened will also allow for emergency medical personnel to respond in a quick manner. We had an emergency at our establishment and paramedics hadto navigate through barriers and find an alternate route. In many emergencies seconds matter and delaying critical medical aid can severely impact a patients medical care. Another note to mention is the mini golf. As an employee near the mini golf area, I havenoticed little to no business from this establishment. Furthermore, I do not notice many patrons playing golf. I think that this idea, although well intentioned, was not plannedthoroughly. Perhaps this establishment would have had greater interest in the summer, however, now that the weather is cooling down not many people visit the mini golf area. Also,on the rare occasion we do receive patrons from this business, it is primarily to use our lavatories and not increase business. Lastly, the 3rd Thursdays are somewhat positive and can occasionally increase business forour restaurant. The main reason for that is we do offer a pop up bar. Our owners have prepared for this so we can increase sales from the event. Although it occasionally is good for ourbusiness, there are many other businesses that do not experience the same effects. Retail shops that do not sell alcohol or food do not get foot traffic from this event. The concerts are mainlya plus for those who can serve alcohol and food. In conclusion, I support the proposed one lane opening on California Avenue. I believe by reopening the street will increase the accessibility for visitors which will increase revenueoverall for California Avenue Businesses as well as the City of Palo Alto. Thank you for your time. Best, Angela Arcia Email: Aarcia84@gmail.com Phone: (510) 461-9988 From:Gmail To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 11:59:47 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from tiffany.zhu@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:Christopher Ho To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 11:52:30 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from christh9@uci.edu. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone From:Kieran Chavez To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Closure Debate Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 11:49:21 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from kiki.chavez@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Hi City Council Members, My name is Kieran Chavez. I grew up in Barron Park (since 1979) and moved back to the same neighborhood 3 years ago. Despite the upgrading of Cal Ave many years ago, it has only since been in decline. I’m sad to say but it is such an eye sore. People call it tent city across town. The closure signs on El Camino still look like early pandemic days. The “public areas” with random dirty tables and oversized board games all just look like a haphazard Amazon order to placate local residents. It does not look like a cohesive plan by the city. The street once used to be a place of business and commerce. I don’t see anything being done to beautify the neighborhood, nor to make it work. It’s become a row of restaurants overtaking the strip. It is clearly not attracting new tenants. I don’t understand how keeping the street closed is doing anything to help revitalize this as a place of business, which I would imagine would attract more people to the area, not to mention bring in more revenue to the city. Meanwhile, there are beautiful new buildings on side streets, but Cal Ave looks like the city gave up on it long ago. I really don’t see how a few busy restaurants constitutes making the entire business area less desirable and less accessible for all. I’m sure a report of local affluent residents says they like outdoor dining, but this just feels one sided, not seeing the bigger picture of a thriving business district that offers more than dinner to the larger community. I used to like Cal Ave, but there is very little for me to accomplish there anymore, and no new businesses that might entice me to shop on the street or choose to dine there more often. I suffer through the struggle for parking at Town & Country or actually, go to downtown Los Altos where there is street parking and a variety of shopping and dining, rather than go to Cal Ave, which is a ghost town. Please consider reopening the street, or any other idea that is actionable and adds value to the neighborhood, not just to a few restaurants. I’d like more reasons to shop locally and be more proud of the local strip I have known all my life. Thank you for listening. K. Kieran Chavez From:Kyle Harrison To:Council, City Subject:Car free California ave Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 10:55:43 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from kyle.harrison@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Hi I support California remaining car free- returning cars to California ave will not fix the structural issues with the retail that is struggling and allowing cars on cal ave will remove a valuable public benefit. Thank you Kyle Harrison 1120 California ave Palo Alto CA Sent from my iPhone From:Aram James To:Binder, Andrew; Bryan Gobin; Cecilia Taylor; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Damon Silver; Daniel Kottke; David S.Norris; Dennis Upton; Diana Diamond; District1@bos.sccgov.org; Don Austin; Donna Wallach; DuJuan Green;EPA Today; Enberg, Nicholas; Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; Greg Tanaka; Human Relations Commission; JayBoyarsky; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Holman, Karen (external); Lewis james;Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; O"Neal, Molly; Palo Alto Free Press;Randy Higgins; Reifschneider, James; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed;Stump, Molly; Supervisor Otto Lee; Tim; Tom DuBois; Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron,Zachary; alisa mallari tu; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig;cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; Figueroa, Eric; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; Tannock, Julie;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick; rabrica@cityofepa.org Subject:‘I hate Black people’: San Jose officer in controversial police shooting resigns over racist texts Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 10:22:52 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ‘I hate Black people’: San Jose officer in controversial police shooting resigns over racist texts https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/11/03/i-hate-black-people-san-jose-officer-in-controversial-police-shooting-resigns-over-racist-text-discovery/ From:gel@theconnection.com To:Council, City Subject:Fiber - Add to Ticket #2219 Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 10:04:59 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gel@theconnection.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello City Council, Regarding my previous email regarding fiber. I would like add, all that is needed for Sonic to get started is permission to have access to the power poles. No $25M to start and adding extra workers or consultants or locating companies to do the engineering and do the work. Think About it, Gary Lindgren 585 Lincoln Ave. Palo Alto CA 94301 650-326-0655 Check Out Latest Seismometer Reading Be Like Costco…do something in a different way Don’t trust Atoms…they make up everything Fortune Favors The Brave A part of good science is to see what everyone else can see but think what no one else has ever said. The difference between being very smart and very foolish is often very small. So many problems occur when people fail to be obedient when they are supposed to be obedient, and fail to be creative when they are supposed to be creative. The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours. It is sometimes easier to make the world a better place than to prove you have made the world a better place. Amos Tversky From:gel@theconnection.com To:Council, City Subject:Fiber to the Home Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 9:49:51 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gel@theconnection.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello City Council, Regarding the plan to bring fiber to some homes in the area between Embarcadero and Oregon Expressway and costing $25M, I suggest a rethink. Is the overall plan to get fiber to everyone or have a city run fiber network that competes with AT&T, Comcast, or some other company. I suggest talking to Sonic.net. They are working with other close-by towns to bring fiber to their area. And they have low monthly plans, starting with $50 and getting 10Mb internet. It can include phone service too. I don’t think the City can compete with this. Sonic has an excellent reputation too. Take Care and Let’s Rethink, Gary Lindgren 585 Lincoln Ave. Palo Alto CA 94301 650-326-0655 Check Out Latest Seismometer Reading Be Like Costco…do something in a different way Don’t trust Atoms…they make up everything Fortune Favors The Brave A part of good science is to see what everyone else can see but think what no one else has ever said. The difference between being very smart and very foolish is often very small. So many problems occur when people fail to be obedient when they are supposed to be obedient, and fail to be creative when they are supposed to be creative. The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours. It is sometimes easier to make the world a better place than to prove you have made the world a better place. Amos Tversky From:Kou, Lydia To:Elizabeth Mankey; Council, City Subject:Re: California Avenue Street Closure Date:Saturday, November 4, 2023 2:08:56 AM Dear Ms. Mankey, Thank you for writing to provide your observations. Kindest regards, Lydia Get Outlook for iOS From: Elizabeth Mankey <elizabethamankey@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, November 3, 2023 5:13:06 PM To: Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org> Subject: California Avenue Street Closure Some people who received this message don't often get email from elizabethamankey@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City of Palo Alto, California Avenue should be open for regular traffic. The businesses are suffering and thereare so many businesses that have moved away or flat out closed since the street has been not open for cars. So many people don’t come to California Avenue because of the street closure which directlyaffects the businesses. The city built such a beautiful parking garage a few years ago and now it barely gets used since so few people come to the street. The whole street was redecorated and made to be morefriendly to pedestrians a few years ago, the city spent so much money on that, and now the sidewalks are essentially blocked by the restaurants expanding. Please reopen California Avenue to show support for the businesses that have been here for solong. Elizabeth Mankey (she/her) SJSU/English Dpt. From:tim pham To:Council, City; Kou, Lydia Cc:Nancy Coupal; Greg St.Claire; Pamela Walsh; Giuseppe Carrubba Subject:Ramona Street! Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 6:22:37 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from timphamecontact@yahoo.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou and the City Council members, I am writing to you once again to urge you to keep Ramona Street closed for outdoordining. This decision will benefit not only our restaurant, Tea Time, but also the entire community of Palo Alto. Here are some of the reasons why: Ramona Street is a unique and charming destination for outdoor dining. It offers a diverse range of restaurants, art galleries, beauty salons, and corporate retails. It is a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful California weather and the lively atmosphere of Palo Alto. No other street in the city can match its appeal and suitability for alfresco dining. Our customers prefer the outdoor seating. The pandemic has changed the way people dine out. They are more comfortable and safer in the open air than in enclosed spaces. If you ask our customers, they will tell you how much they appreciate and enjoy the outdoor dining experience on Ramona Street. Outdoor dining is essential for our survival. The pandemic has hit our business hard. We have been struggling to stay afloat and continue to serve our community with the best English tea time in our cozy tea room. Without outdoor dining, our revenue will drop significantly, as we can only use about 30-40% of our indoor space due to social distancing measures. Outdoor dining benefits other businesses on Ramona Street. The increased foot traffic from restaurant visitors also creates more opportunities for retail and non-restaurant businesses. People who come to dine on Ramona Street are more likely to browse and shop at the nearby stores and galleries. Please consider these reasons and the impact of your decision on our business and our community. We hope you will make the right choice and keep Ramona Street closed for outdoor dining. Thank you for your attention and support. Tim PhamTea Time Palo Alto From:Darren Hau To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:46:43 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from haudarren@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed,and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove thisfurther. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourishas our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose moresales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decreaseleading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoordining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:Camas J. Steinmetz To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker,Vicki Cc:French, Amy; Lait, Jonathan; Arellano, Caio; Stump, Molly; Sauls, Garrett; Richard Dewey; Hayes, Ken; Gary Black; Nitin Handa Subject:Please Replace - 2901-05 Middlefield Applicant Letter - Agenda Item no. 10 - Nov 6 CC Meeting Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:41:00 PM Attachments:image001.pngRv 2- 2901-05 Middlefield Applicant Attorney Ltr to Council - Item No. 10 (11-6-23 Hearing) .pdf Importance:High Some people who received this message don't often get email from cjs@jsmf.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Please replace the earlier letter sent with the attached corrected version (eliminating what was previously item no. 4 objecting to the 12” height limitation in the sight triangle). Sincerely, Camas J. Steinmetz, Esq. Jorgenson, Siegel, McClure & Flegel, LLP 1100 Alma Street, Suite 210 | Menlo Park, CA 94025 Phone: (650) 743-9700 |Email: cjs@jsmf.com From: Camas J. Steinmetz Sent: Friday, November 3, 2023 5:04 PM To: Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org; Kou, Lydia <Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed <Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer <Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Veenker, Vicki <Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org> Cc: Amy French (amy.french@cityofpaloalto.org) <amy.french@cityofpaloalto.org>; Lait, Jonathan <Jonathan.Lait@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Arellano, Caio <Caio.Arellano@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stump, Molly <Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Sauls, Garrett <Garrett.Sauls@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Richard Dewey <rrd@deweyland.com>; Ken Hayes <khayes@thehayesgroup.com>; Gary Black <gblack@hextrans.com>; Nitin Handa <handa@handadevelopers.com> Subject: 2901-05 Middlefield Applicant Letter - Agenda Item no. 10 - Nov 6 CC Meeting Importance: High Honorable Mayor and Members of the Council, Please see and consider the attached letter prior to taking action on the above referenced agenda item at Monday’s hearing. Sincerely, Camas J. Steinmetz, Esq. Jorgenson, Siegel, McClure & Flegel, LLP 1100 Alma Street, Suite 210 | Menlo Park, CA 94025 Phone: (650) 743-9700 |Email: cjs@jsmf.com WILLIAM L. McCLURE JOHN L. FLEGEL DAN K. SIEGEL JENNIFER H. FRIEDMAN MINDIE S. ROMANOWSKY DAVID L. ACH GREGORY K. KLINGSPORN NICOLAS A. FLEGEL KRISTINA A. FENTON KIMBERLY J. BRUMMER CAMAS J. STEINMETZ PHILIP S. SOUSA ____________ BRITTNEY L. STANDLEY CHRISTIAN D. PETRANGELO JORGENSON, SIEGEL, McCLURE & FLEGEL, LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW 1100 ALMA STREET, SUITE 210 MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025-3392 (650) 324-9300 FACSIMILE (650) 324-0227 www.jsmf.com OF COUNSEL KENT MITCHELL ____________ RETIRED JOHN D. JORGENSON MARGARET A. SLOAN DIANE S. GREENBERG ____________ DEC EASED MARVIN S. SIEGEL (1936 - 2012) JOHN R.COSGROVE (1932 - 2017) November 3, 2023 Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council City of Palo Alto city.council@cityofpaloalto.org Via Email Re: November 6, 2023 Agenda Item No. 10 - Ordinance Amending Planned Community 2343 Zoning for 2901-2905 Middlefield Road and Ordinance Establishing a New Planned Community Zoning Designation for 702 Ellsworth Place Dear Honorable Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council: The above referenced item is returning to you on Monday, November 6th after no less than five public hearings and over 15 hours of public testimony and deliberations – all to rectify a zoning map mistake made by the City decades ago that both applicants relied upon when they purchased their respective properties. We are all more than ready for this to be over and done with, but there are new conditions set forth in the draft ordinances attached to the November 6th Staff Report #:2309-2070 that staff did not alert us to and which my client, RLD Land LLC, the owner of the apartment building at 2901-2905 Middlefield, simply cannot accept: 1. Requiring Further Widening of Ellsworth Place Would Constitute a Taking Staff clearly explained in its September 18th City Council Staff Report (#2309-2070) and in prior public hearings that there was no nexus between the impacts of this application and any requirement to widen Ellsworth Place and accordingly, recommended that the Council not require widening of Ellsworth Place beyond the four (4) feet already voluntarily offered by the applicants: 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 2 Please see my letter to the City Council dated September 15, 2023 which further supports this position and explains that any additional widening of Ellsworth Place would be an unwarranted exaction resulting in an unconstitutional taking of private property without just compensation. Moreover, as concluded by Gary Black, President of Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc., widening Ellsworth Place would not serve any benefit and if fact could pose a safety risk. As stated in his email dated September 25, 2023: “… In fact, Hexagon is not in favor of widening the street/driveway beyond the existing 20 feet. Even widening to 24 feet could encourage higher speeds for the turn...” Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc.’s traffic report dated April 14, 2023, which was accepted by City transportation staff, concludes that “[t]he existing 20 feet width of Ellsworth Place is adequate for two-way traffic and emergency vehicles access” and “[t] he existing intersection of Ellsworth Place with Middlefield Road has adequate width.” Please also see Hexagon’s memorandum dated November 3, 2023 enclosed as Attachment 1. Given there is not only no essential nexus, but no benefit and a possible safety risk to further widening Ellsworth Place beyond what the applicants have voluntarily offered, we were frankly shocked to see that the November 6th Staff Report included revisions to the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance requiring my client to not only increase the paved with of Ellsworth Place by an additional 12 inches, but grant a private easement over this additional required width to private properties fronting Ellsworth Place. And this despite acknowledging that my client “has not indicated agreement or support for the additional easement width request.” Accordingly, we request that Section 5(a)(ii) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance replace the stated “42 inches” with the voluntarily offered “30 inches” set forth in the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance attached to the September 18th Staff Report. 2. Requiring Relocation of the Utility Pole Can and Should be Avoided By Reconfiguring the Bracing or the Proposed Redesign of Parking Space #16 Our project team was alerted by City staff late last week that they believed a utility pole would interfere with proposed parking space #16 and that this pole would need to be relocated closer to my client’s building and Middlefield Road possibly requiring removal of an olive tree, and that because this pole supported a second city utility pole, this second utility pole would need to be replaced with an upgraded pole. To begin with, the first utility pole at issue has no right to be in its current location. Based on a survey conducted when my client purchased his property in 2017 (provided to city staff and the City Attorney’s office) this utility pole and its supportive horizontal bracing did not exist. 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 3 Apparently, they were located onto his property at some point after he purchased it without his permission. Based on the First American Titel Company preliminary title report and easement map that we have provided to the City Attorney’s Office, there is no easement on my client’s property that allows for this utility pole to be where it currently is. The location designated by staff for its proposed relocation encroaches even further onto my client’s property. Therefore, aside from the cost and complications of relocating this utility pole (and replacing the second utility pole) my client is not agreeable to it further encroaching onto his property. As we understand it the obstacle here is not the pole itself but its supportive horizontal bracing which we believe can be reconfigured to eliminate the obstacle. Alternatively, we have revised the parking plan to avoid the cost, complications and property rights issues associated with the utility pole(s) relocation. This design, enclosed as Attachment 2, was delivered this morning to City staff and was reviewed and vetted by Hexagon Transportation Consultants in the enclosed memorandum dated November 3, 2023 (Attachment 1). Accordingly, we request that the condition set forth in Section 5(b)(v) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance be modified as follows: (v) To facilitate the provision of off-street parking space #16, property owner shall at its option: (1) relocate reconfigure the horizontal bracing to the existing communications utility pole and install any improvements as required to comply with parking design and safety standards if determined to be feasible by the Director of Utilities and the Director of Planning and Development Services to comply with parking design and safety standards; or (2) implement the alternative design for parking space # 16 presented by Ken Hayes of Hayes Group Architects at the City Council November 6, 2023 meeting, or another alternative design presented by the property owner to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director of Utilities and the Director of Planning and Development Services. 3. Sutter Ave. Striping and Signage – No Nexus but Okay My client has no substantive objections to the new conditions set forth in Sections 5(b)(ii), (iii) and (iv), but there is no essential nexus between these additional exactions and the impacts of his project. Therefore, he should not be required to pay for them. However, in the interest of bringing this matter to a final decision at the hearing on Monday, he is willing to add these costs to the long list of significant costs he has expended to date and will be required to expend in attempt to rectify this City zoning mistake. 4. Disconnect Building Permit Issuance for 702 Ellsworth From Parking Space # 16 In the event relocation or replacement of any utility poles or their bracings are involved in providing parking space # 16 (see our request set forth in Section 2), such relocation and its timing would be entirely outside of my client’s control and dependent upon third party approvals including AT&T and City of Palo Alto Utilities. Accordingly, the 702 Ellsworth building permit 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 4 issuance should not be tied to parking space # 16 and we request that this requirement set forth in Section 5(d) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance be removed. 5. Mr. Handa Should be Allowed a 36 inch High Fence on 702 Ellsworth My client supports either of Mr. Handa’s alternative proposals set forth in his October 19, 2023 letter that would allow for a maximum 36 inch fence height on the 702 Ellsworth property. Accordingly, we request that the Council accept either of these proposals and revise the condition set forth in Section 5(a)(v) of the 702 Ellsworth PC Ordinance to allow for a 36” fence. In closing, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the following objectives and community benefits that this project will accomplish: • Resolve a decades old zoning map error by the City that was reiterated by Planning staff in its communications to both applicants and relied upon by both applicants in purchasing their respective properties. • Allow for an additional single-family home to be added to the City’s housing stock. • Accommodate all current required parking for the existing 12-unit apartment building on site at 2901-05 Middlefield Road • Create an enhanced 35-foot sight triangle at Ellsworth/Middlefield. • Widen the curb cut approach at Ellsworth/Middlefield by 4 feet to a total of 28 feet at the street flare. • Widen the width of Ellsworth Place to 24 ft by (1) paving an additional 30-inch width on the 2901-05 Middlefield side beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending approximately 37 feet to the location of an existing utility pole guy-wire; (2) paving an additional 18-inch width on the 702 Ellsworth side beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending approximately 42 feet to the proposed walkway to the single-family residence. • Grant and record an ingress and egress easement over the additional paved width to the other private properties fronting Ellsworth Place. • Provide a temporary delivery and loading space onsite at 2901-05 Middlefield Road and a temporary loading space on Sutter Ave. • Reduce vehicle trips on Ellsworth by reducing the number of parking spaces using Ellsworth Place and accommodating all current required parking for the 12-unit apartment complex onsite and moving the trash pickup to the Sutter entrance. 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 5 Accordingly, we respectfully request that you approve the PC Ordinances for 2901-05 Middlefield and 702 Ellsworth with the revisions requested above. Respectfully submitted, JORGENSON, SIEGEL, McCLURE & FLEGEL, LLP By: Camas Steinmetz Cc: Molly Stump, City Attorney Caio Arellano, Chief Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Director Amy French, Chief Planning Official Garret Saul, Project Planner Ken Hayes, Architect Nitin Handa Client 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 6 Attachment 1 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 7 Attachment 2 From:Glen Garfunkel To:Council, City; Lait, Jonathan; French, Amy Cc:Abendschein, Jonathan; Eggleston, Brad; Adam Sweeney; Gary Latshaw; Veenker, Vicki; Burt, Patrick Subject:Electrification (Noise) Ordinance & Heat Pumps - letter for City Council, for Nov 6th mtg (related to ConsentCalendar item #8 (Electrification Equipment Ordinance)) Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:31:43 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from glen100@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Members of the City Council of Palo Alto, and Staff, We would like to clarify some issues and restate our ordinance proposal, concerning heatpumpplacement in sideyards. All arguments given in our 9/25 letter below to council below still stand, including our suggestion to set the property boundary Noise Level limit to 60dBA, especially for inverterheatpumps. Our proposal to set the property boundary Noise Level limits at 60dBA is supported for these reasons: 60dBA is the noise level of normal conversation. An electric tooth bush at 3feetmeasured 65dBA. Cabin noise in a quiet car at highway speeds will measure 65dBA, or more. The point is, 60dBA is not loud. Noise example link 1. Noise example link2. Inverter heatpumps as explained in our 9/25 letter below, rarely operate at the full speednoise levels. Reported spec’d noise level('sound pressure') is full speed (worst case). We can expect inverter heatpump noise levels to typically be several dB below thespec’d value. Our own measurement of noise vs fan speed is given here showing a strong noise dependence vs fan rpm (and compressor speed). A fan speed reduction ofeach 10% gives an additional 4 dB noise drop (these fan speed reductions seem to be common in inverter heatpumps).As distance from a noise source doubles, it’s noise level drops by 6 dBA. As heatpump noise levels are spec’d at 3 feet, then at 6feet the noise will be 6 dB down (and at 12feet(=6 doubled) it will be down 6 dB doubled = 12 dB). So eg for a 60 dBA heatpump placed 3 feet from a property line, then at only three feet into the neighbors property, thenoise is already down to 54 dB. The point is, the noise levels drop rapidly with distance, and so impact to neighbors is small and very localized.We feel it is also helpful to understand that if a heatpump installation for some reason does result in noise exceeding some target limit, there are low cost measures that can betaken to help suppress the noise; reduction up to several dB or more may be expected, depending on situation details. For example, sound blankets for compressors (installedinside the heatpump) seem to be available for some manufactures/models. Exterior grade sound suppression blankets to be hung on nearby walls or fences are anadditional option. From our own measurements we find a clear 3dB noise reduction from a simple standard solid wood fence. Stone or masonry walls are well known to benoise barriers (eg on highways near residential areas) and many dB reduction can be expected for this case (of course wall or fence height of 5-6 feet is preferred). For some heatpumps, fan (and compressor) speed can be directly controlled and limited, andnumerous models allow a ‘night' mode which reduces usage at night; in addition, simple thermostat nighttime settings(lower temp settings) can be used to minimizeusage(noise) at night. Data by Bret Andersen & Bruce Hodge of Carbon Free Palo Alto has shown that thecommonly available heatpump selection would still be quite restricted by the current(Nov 3) 55 dBA limits. For these reasons, along with the importance of facilitating electrification to reach our climategoals, we strongly encourage Palo Alto to establish property boundary noise targets of 60 dBA, for heatpump sideyard installations for inverter heatpumps and especially for propertieswith restricted sideyards of 8 feet or less. Thank you for your consideration. Glen Garfunkel Climate Reality Project - Silicon Valley Chapter (Co-Chair)https://www.climaterealitysiliconvalley.org/ Begin forwarded message: From: Glen Garfunkel <glen100@gmail.com> Subject: Noise Ordinance and Heat Pumps - letter for City Council Date: September 25, 2023 at 11:58:30 AM PDTTo: City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org Cc: Adam Sweeney <adamsweeney1@gmail.com>, Debbie Mytels <debbie.mytels@gmail.com>, "Lait, Jonathan" <Jonathan.Lait@CityofPaloAlto.org>, "French, Amy" <Amy.French@CityofPaloAlto.org>, Jon.Abendschein@cityofpaloalto.org Sept 25, 2023Re: Proposed Amendments to Municipal Code Concerning Noise Ordinances and HeatPump Setbacks Honorable Members of the City Council of Palo Alto, There needs to be a suitable balance between important electrification goals and worst case noise concerns. Sideyard placement for heat pumps (suitcase footprint style) is preferable formany home owners with common lot sizes, and accommodating this placement will facilitate adoption of heat pumps. But noise ordinances which are overly conservative willunnecessarily impede the adoption of heat pumps. We believe the proposed noise ordinance is too conservative in two respects. First, it does not make accommodations for ‘inverter' type heat pumps, which generally operate at conditions much quieter than their dBA noise value, which by definition is the worstcase noise value. Inverter heat pumps have variable speed fans (and compressors) and rarely operate at 100% speed. Non-inverter heat pumps, on the other-hand, are either 100% on (fullspeed) or completely off. While non-inverter heat pumps regulate building temperature by toggling on(100%) and off(0%), inverter heat pumps can vary heat (or cooling) deliverycontinuously, and will modulate down to match the load, and normally operate well under 100% speeds(capacity). At reduced speeds, inverter heat pumps can easily be 5dBA or morequieter than at the full speed(dBA). (’Night mode’ and fan speed limits exist in some models explicitly for noise reduction purposes.) This inverter heat pump issue is referenced briefly in staff introduction to the proposedordinance, but the ordinance so far does not address this. We strongly encourage Palo Alto to address this and relax the noise requirements for inverter heat pumps to strike a morereasonable balance between rare low occurrence noise issues, and electrification goals. Our second point of concern is that regardless of heat pump types, the noise requirements appear overly conservative. The ordinance seeks to maintain a noise level of less than 50dBAat the property line nearest the heat pump, and imposes heat pump noise limits of 53dBA for a setback of 5 feet from the property line, and further setback limits for slightly higher noisecases. But normal speech can measure around 60dBA, and cabin noise levels inside a car at normal speeds are typically in the ballpark of 65-70dB(A). We experience these levelseveryday. While Palo Alto here is seeking to keep noise under 50dBA at the property line other communities have different higher noise limits. From a brief search we find Portland ORtargets at 55dbA, numerous cities target 60dBA, Houston TX targets 65dBA, and it appears Chicago may have limits over 70dBA (daytime noise limits). We suspect there are very few(if any) appropriate heat pumps that would meet these proposed dbA limits, and the ordinance impact would be to severely limit and delay the installations, force homeowners to install infront or back yards, and frustrate them in the process. In practice heat pumps are installed in various other communities in sideyards with 5-8feet of space, with little known issue. There are a few other factors too that should be pointed out that support higher noise limits. Noise levels drop 6dB with the doubling of distance, so for example a 56dbA heat pump placed at 6.0feet from property line would just fail the ordinance(50dB at property line), butmeasured at only another 6 feet into the neighbor's property, it’s noise level would be down to 44-45dBA, which is very low. The basic point is that noise levels decay strongly with'doubling distance', so for heat pump placement in sideyards close to the property line, eg at 5 feet, then the doubling distance is only 10feet, and the zone of elevated noise in the neighbor'sproperty is exceedingly small. (This is not true if the noise source is say 50feet from property line, and it's noise value reaches 50dBA at the property line: here one need to go 50feet intothe neighbors property to reach the additional 6dB drop in noise.). Sideyard placement is important, and we feel this consideration of the short spatial extent of the noise furthersupports additional relaxation of the ordinance. There is another detail worth noting. Heat pumps will run strongest when it is very hot or very cold, but that is exactly when people tend to keep their house windows closed. So in practice,at least for indoor noise (from the outdoor unit), on average, this will tend to additionally reduce noise levels that residents are exposed to. For sideyard installations we propose that the ordinance target to reach 60dBA at the propertyedge. Due to the importance of the electrification efforts in addressing our climate goals, we feel every effort should be made to assure that the ordinances facilitate heat pump installations anddo not unnecessarily restrict them. We appreciate your review and consideration of these issues. Sincerely, Glen Garfunkel, Co-Chair, Climate Reality Project - Silicon Valley ChapterAdam Sweeney, Co-Chair, Climate Reality Project - Silicon Valley Chapter Debbie Mytels(Palo Alto Resident), Decarbonization Action Director, Climate Reality Project- Silicon Valley Chapter. From:Cindy Nelson To:Council, City Subject:Resident in Favor of Continued Cal Ave Street Closure, with upgrades Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:13:59 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from cindynelson11@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As a 40 year resident of south Palo Alto I have watched the California Avenue area blossom from mostly vacant storefronts in 1983, to the vibrant place it was prior to the pandemic. It does cycle at timesof course, over the years, and the pandemic has been particularly difficult for ALL businesses, butparticularly the type on California Avenue - locally owned, non-chain type - the kind we locals love. I am sad for losing the businesses and for their losses. But, I believe that this is a unique time to stand with residents, those who pay for the food, merchandise,and services, and commit to a Car-Free retail area in Palo Alto, and commit fully. Now that so many dayworkers have left, please do not make the mistake of abandoning the customers who remain - theresidents - who want to eat and shop and walk in a car free zone. I see why businesses are having a tough time - the pandemic, the Zoom workers, and online shopping -but adding a drive-through and a few parking spots on Cal Ave will not solve this problem. There is a reason residents want and like a car free zone - we are preferring to walk safely in communityareas like parks and downtown areas. We want to be together, to see each other, and to feel the energyof being out and about - not closed up in homes and cars. We want to bike safely into town. We want togather, to eat and shop in a place where cars are not in the way, not in the sight line, where musicianscan play and be appreciated, where children can play while adults eat. We want a lot of restaurantchoices, with all price levels. Support the merchants as a group fairly, of course, and charge for city space as it is used, but let'sinvestigate how Paris, Rome, and so many attractive world cities become magnets for residents ANDtourists. They work to LIVE well, and they don't apologize for keeping cars out of their dining districts!Let the unsuccessful retailers make the tough decisions. But let new restaurants come in and revitalize itorganically. It's already happening, with several new restaurants coming in. It will take the support of the city, with committed residents perhaps involved, to structure it properly,beautify it, attract retailers and restaurants, over a longer period of time than 3-5 years. Somebusinesses may not survive. I personally go to the Cobblery Shop, which in my mind is highly visible and attractive, and can clearlysee all of the parking RIGHT behind it. Parking is NOT their problem. Their shop is cute. BUT the reality isthat online shopping trends are eating up local retail, not lack of parking places/visibility. It seems fairlyobvious, since the pandemic accelerated online shopping, and it's not really come back. If there is nohigher experience offered by a shop, it seems impossible to get a population to resist the moreconvenient option of buying online. We do need shops that repair our shoes, no question, but I wonder ifsuch a service would be provided more cheaply on a side street? As we have seen on California Avenue, online shopping cannot replicate the experience of eating in anice, lively restaurant with live music. GREAT food attracts clientele! I do notice that the restaurants withthe best (Terun and Italico) and most affordable (Kali) food offerings are in favor of keeping the streetclosed. They have really invested in giving their clientele a unique experience, a feeling of community,fun, and high interaction. And delicious food options for all levels of affordability. I'm sorry to lose Country Sun - I've shopped there for years to support them, although their produceoffering was not as fresh as other options in town. Again, a hard business to be competitive, but worthyof our support if there is a way to attract a clientele. If not, I certainly see why they'd leave. I'm in favor of making a big, bold commitment to a car-free zone. I've seen the ads the merchants havepurchased, but that doesn't mean they are in the majority. Residents want a car free zone. I'd volunteer to help in some way if it were needed. I live within a mile of California Ave and will continueto support the businesses that make sense there, and that offer an enjoyable experience. Cynthia Nelson From:Elizabeth Mankey To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Street Closure Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:13:31 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from elizabethamankey@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City of Palo Alto, California Avenue should be open for regular traffic. The businesses are suffering and thereare so many businesses that have moved away or flat out closed since the street has been not open for cars. So many people don’t come to California Avenue because of the street closure which directlyaffects the businesses. The city built such a beautiful parking garage a few years ago and now it barely gets used since so few people come to the street. The whole street was redecorated and made to be morefriendly to pedestrians a few years ago, the city spent so much money on that, and now the sidewalks are essentially blocked by the restaurants expanding. Please reopen California Avenue to show support for the businesses that have been here for solong. Elizabeth Mankey (she/her) SJSU/English Dpt. From:Ivar Satero (AIR) To:skypossepost@gmail.com Cc:9-awa-noiseombudsman@faa.gov; 9-awp-noise@faa.gov; Karen Chapman; supervisor.simitian@bos.sccgov.org; Council, City Subject:SFO Response re: GBAS Noise Impacts and Nighttime Operations Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:12:29 PM Attachments:image002.pngSFO Ltr - Response to SkyPosse Letter re GBAS Noise Impacts 11-3-23.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from ivar.satero@flysfo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Good afternoon: Attached please find a letter from SFO Airport Director Ivar C. Satero regarding Response to October 23, 2023 Letter Re: GBAS Noise Impacts and Nighttime Operations – Noise Abatement Program for MidPen. Thank you, Chris Arrigale on behalf of Ivar C. Satero (he/him/his) Airport Director San Francisco International Airport | P.O. Box 8097 | San Francisco, CA 94128 Office: 650-821-5004 Email: ivar.satero@flysfo.com Assistant: Chris Arrigale Direct: 650-821-5004 | Email: chris.arrigale@flysfo.com November 3, 2023 TRANSMITTED VIA EMAIL skypossepost@gmail.com Sky Posse Palo Alto 2225 East Bayshore Avenue, Suite 200 Palo Alto, CA 94303 Subject: Response to October 23, 2023 Letter Re: GBAS Noise Impacts and Nighttime Operations - Noise Abatement Program for MidPen Dear Sky Posse Palo Alto: Thank you for your October 23, 2023 letter regarding Sky Posse Palo Alto’s concerns about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process for Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at San Francisco International Airport (SFO or Airport) and noise abatement from nighttime operations for Mid-Peninsula (MidPen) communities. GBAS and FAA NEPA As outlined below, SFO has received and responded to quite a few previous letters, emails, and Roundtable inquiries on this topic from Sky Posse Palo Alto and Jennifer Landesmann and at this point there is no more new information to share. SKY POSSE or Jennifer Landesmann inquiry SFO response 1 10/2/2018 (PA Workshop) 8/4/2021 (Q&A) 2 10/2/2018 (PA Workshop) 8/4/2021 (Q&A) 3 10/2/2018 (PA Workshop) 6/2/2022 (Q&A) 4 11/19/2020 (RT TWG Mtg) 8/13/2021(Q&A) 5 4/10/2021 (letter) 4/23/2021 (letter) 6 1/21/2021 (RT TWG Mtg) 8/26/2021 (Q&A) 7 2/3/2021 (RT TWG Mtg) 8/26/2021 (Q&A) 8 7/28/2021 (PA Workshop) 8/26/2021 (Q&A) 9 12/2/2021 (RT TWG Mtg) 8/13/2021 (Q&A) 10 5/5/2021 (letter) 5/11/2021 (letter) 11 12/27/2022 (Emailed) 3/31/2023 (Q&A) 12 9/15/2023 (letter) 10/12/2023 (letter) 13 10/23/2023 (letter) Current Sky Posse Palo Alto November 3, 2023 Page 2 of 2 As noted in prior responses, SFO has been highly transparent in its development and selection of proposed GLS Innovative Approach procedures by providing detailed information in the form of Community Flight Procedure Packages (CFPPs), which state the intended goals of each procedure, the geographic location of the proposed tracks, and the estimated noise impacts for each procedure. SFO shared this information with and solicited feedback from the public by posting it on its Noise Office GBAS website. SFO will continue to provide the same information for future proposed GLS Innovative Approach procedures. Nighttime Operations – Noise Abatement Program for MidPen The NIITE-HUSSH noise abatement program has been active since May 2022, redirecting nighttime departures between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM flights to use SFO (NIITE) and OAK (HUSSH) departing over the Bay when possible. These flights have a direct effect on MidPen residents being able to get reprieve from the SSTIK and CNDEL departure procedures departing over the Peninsula. Arriving flights using SFO’s Runway 28R also provides some noise relief to MidPen communities when paired with an offset arrival further out over the Bay. As previously stated, to the extent it falls within our purview, SFO will continue to advocate for nighttime operations routes and hours that provide aircraft noise relief to MidPen communities. Very truly yours, Ivar Satero Cc: FAA National Ombudsman FAA Regional Ombudsman, Western Pacific Region Karen Chapman, District Chief of Staff – U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo Supervisor Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Palo Alto City Council From:Camas J. Steinmetz To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker,Vicki Cc:French, Amy; Lait, Jonathan; Arellano, Caio; Stump, Molly; Sauls, Garrett; Richard Dewey; Hayes, Ken; Gary Black; Nitin Handa Subject:2901-05 Middlefield Applicant Letter - Agenda Item no. 10 - Nov 6 CC Meeting Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 5:05:00 PM Attachments:image001.png2901-05 Middlefield Applicant Attorney Ltr to Council - Agenda Item No. 10 (11-6-23 Hearing) .pdf Importance:High Some people who received this message don't often get email from cjs@jsmf.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Mayor and Members of the Council, Please see and consider the attached letter prior to taking action on the above referenced agenda item at Monday’s hearing. Sincerely, Camas J. Steinmetz, Esq. Jorgenson, Siegel, McClure & Flegel, LLP 1100 Alma Street, Suite 210 | Menlo Park, CA 94025 Phone: (650) 743-9700 |Email: cjs@jsmf.com WILLIAM L. McCLURE JOHN L. FLEGEL DAN K. SIEGEL JENNIFER H. FRIEDMAN MINDIE S. ROMANOWSKY DAVID L. ACH GREGORY K. KLINGSPORN NICOLAS A. FLEGEL KRISTINA A. FENTON KIMBERLY J. BRUMMER CAMAS J. STEINMETZ PHILIP S. SOUSA ____________ BRITTNEY L. STANDLEY CHRISTIAN D. PETRANGELO JORGENSON, SIEGEL, McCLURE & FLEGEL, LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW 1100 ALMA STREET, SUITE 210 MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025-3392 (650) 324-9300 FACSIMILE (650) 324-0227 www.jsmf.com OF COUNSEL KENT MITCHELL ____________ RETIRED JOHN D. JORGENSON MARGARET A. SLOAN DIANE S. GREENBERG ____________ DEC EASED MARVIN S. SIEGEL (1936 - 2012) JOHN R.COSGROVE (1932 - 2017) November 3, 2023 Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council City of Palo Alto city.council@cityofpaloalto.org Via Email Re: November 6, 2023 Agenda Item No. 10 - Ordinance Amending Planned Community 2343 Zoning for 2901-2905 Middlefield Road and Ordinance Establishing a New Planned Community Zoning Designation for 702 Ellsworth Place Dear Honorable Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council: The above referenced item is returning to you on Monday, November 6th after no less than five public hearings and over 15 hours of public testimony and deliberations – all to rectify a zoning map mistake made by the City decades ago that both applicants relied upon when they purchased their respective properties. We are all more than ready for this to be over and done with, but there are new conditions set forth in the draft ordinances attached to the November 6th Staff Report #:2309-2070 that staff did not alert us to and which my client, RLD Land LLC, the owner of the apartment building at 2901-2905 Middlefield, simply cannot accept: 1. Requiring Further Widening of Ellsworth Place Would Constitute a Taking Staff clearly explained in its September 18th City Council Staff Report (#2309-2070) and in prior public hearings that there was no nexus between the impacts of this application and any requirement to widen Ellsworth Place and accordingly, recommended that the Council not require widening of Ellsworth Place beyond the four (4) feet already voluntarily offered by the applicants: 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 2 Please see my letter to the City Council dated September 15, 2023 which further supports this position and explains that any additional widening of Ellsworth Place would be an unwarranted exaction resulting in an unconstitutional taking of private property without just compensation. Moreover, as concluded by Gary Black, President of Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc., widening Ellsworth Place would not serve any benefit and if fact could pose a safety risk. As stated in his email dated September 25, 2023: “… In fact, Hexagon is not in favor of widening the street/driveway beyond the existing 20 feet. Even widening to 24 feet could encourage higher speeds for the turn...” Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc.’s traffic report dated April 14, 2023, which was accepted by City transportation staff, concludes that “[t]he existing 20 feet width of Ellsworth Place is adequate for two-way traffic and emergency vehicles access” and “[t] he existing intersection of Ellsworth Place with Middlefield Road has adequate width.” Please also see Hexagon’s memorandum dated November 3, 2023 enclosed as Attachment 1. Given there is not only no essential nexus, but no benefit and a possible safety risk to further widening Ellsworth Place beyond what the applicants have voluntarily offered, we were frankly shocked to see that the November 6th Staff Report included revisions to the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance requiring my client to not only increase the paved with of Ellsworth Place by an additional 12 inches, but grant a private easement over this additional required width to private properties fronting Ellsworth Place. And this despite acknowledging that my client “has not indicated agreement or support for the additional easement width request.” Accordingly, we request that Section 5(a)(ii) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance replace the stated “42 inches” with the voluntarily offered “30 inches” set forth in the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance attached to the September 18th Staff Report. 2. Requiring Relocation of the Utility Pole Can and Should be Avoided By Reconfiguring the Bracing or the Proposed Redesign of Parking Space #16 Our project team was alerted by City staff late last week that they believed a utility pole would interfere with proposed parking space #16 and that this pole would need to be relocated closer to my client’s building and Middlefield Road possibly requiring removal of an olive tree, and that because this pole supported a second city utility pole, this second utility pole would need to be replaced with an upgraded pole. To begin with, the first utility pole at issue has no right to be in its current location. Based on a survey conducted when my client purchased his property in 2017 (provided to city staff and the City Attorney’s office) this utility pole and its supportive horizontal bracing did not exist. 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 3 Apparently they were located onto his property at some point after he purchased it without his permission. Based on the First American Titel Company preliminary title report and easement map that we have provided to the City Attorney’s Office, there is no easement on my client’s property that allows for this utility pole to be where it currently is. The location designated by staff for its proposed relocation encroaches even further onto my client’s property. Therefore, aside from the cost and complications of relocating this utility pole (and replacing the second utility pole) my client is not agreeable to it further encroaching onto his property. As we understand it the obstacle here is not the pole itself but its supportive horizontal bracing which we believe can be reconfigured to eliminate the obstacle. Alternatively, we have revised the parking plan to avoid the cost, complications and property rights issues associated with the utility pole(s) relocation. This design, enclosed as Attachment 2, was delivered this morning to City staff and was reviewed and vetted by Hexagon Transportation Consultants in the enclosed memorandum dated November 3, 2023 (Attachment 1). Accordingly, we request that the condition set forth in Section 5(b)(v) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance be modified as follows: (v) To facilitate the provision of off-street parking space #16, property owner shall at its option: (1) relocate reconfigure the horizontal bracing to the existing communications utility pole and install any improvements as required to comply with parking design and safety standards if determined to be feasible by the Director of Utilities and the Director of Planning and Development Services to comply with parking design and safety standards; or (2) implement the alternative design for parking space # 16 presented by Ken Hayes of Hayes Group Architects at the City Council November 6, 2023 meeting, or another alternative design presented by the property owner to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director of Utilities and the Director of Planning and Development Services. 3. Sutter Ave. Striping and Signage Should be Conducted by the City My client has no substantive objections to the new conditions set forth in Sections 5(b)(ii), (iii) and (iv), but there is no essential nexus between these additional exactions and the impacts of his project. Therefore, he should not be required to pay for them. However, in the interest of bringing this matter to a final decision at the hearing on Monday, he is willing to add these costs to the long list of significant costs he has expended to date and will be required to expend in attempt to rectify this City zoning mistake. 4. The 12” Height Restriction on 2901 Middlefield is Unjustified The November 6 Staff Report version of 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance includes another new exaction that we believe is unwarranted. Section 5(b)(vi) restricts all new plants, fences or other objects within the 35-foot sight triangle to one foot height. We believe this restriction is unreasonable and unwarranted because as stated previously in the record, there is no sight line issue making a right turn exiting Ellsworth Place. 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 4 5. Disconnect Building Permit Issuance for 702 Ellsworth From Parking Space # 16 In the event relocation or replacement of any utility poles or their bracings are involved in providing parking space # 16 (see our request set forth in Section 2), such relocation and its timing would be entirely outside of my client’s control and dependent upon third party approvals including AT&T and City of Palo Alto Utilities. Accordingly, the 702 Ellsworth building permit issuance should not be tied to parking space # 16 and we request that this requirement set forth in Section 5(d) of the 2901-05 Middlefield PC Ordinance be removed. 6. Mr. Handa Should be Allowed a 36 inch High Fence on 702 Ellsworth My client supports either of Mr. Handa’s alternative proposals set forth in his October 19, 2023 letter that would allow for a maximum 36 inch fence height on the 702 Ellsworth property. Accordingly, we request that the Council accept either of these proposals and revise the condition set forth in Section 5(a)(v) of the 702 Ellsworth PC Ordinance to allow for a 36” fence. In closing, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the following objectives and community benefits that this project will accomplish: • Resolve a decades old zoning map error by the City that was reiterated by Planning staff in its communications to both applicants and relied upon by both applicants in purchasing their respective properties. • Allow for an additional single-family home to be added to the City’s housing stock. • Accommodate all current required parking for the existing 12-unit apartment building on site at 2901-05 Middlefield Road • Create an enhanced 35-foot sight triangle at Ellsworth/Middlefield. • Widen the curb cut approach at Ellsworth/Middlefield by 4 feet to a total of 28 feet at the street flare. • Widen the width of Ellsworth Place to 24 ft by (1) paving an additional 30-inch width on the 2901-05 Middlefield side beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending approximately 37 feet to the location of an existing utility pole guy-wire; (2) paving an additional 18-inch width on the 702 Ellsworth side beginning at the Middlefield Road curb line and extending approximately 42 feet to the proposed walkway to the single-family residence. • Grant and record an ingress and egress easement over the additional paved width to the other private properties fronting Ellsworth Place. • Provide a temporary delivery and loading space onsite at 2901-05 Middlefield Road and a temporary loading space on Sutter Ave. • Reduce vehicle trips on Ellsworth by reducing the number of parking spaces using Ellsworth Place and accommodating all current required parking for the 12-unit apartment 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 5 complex onsite and moving the trash pickup to the Sutter entrance. Accordingly, we respectfully request that you approve the PC Ordinances for 2901-05 Middlefield and 702 Ellsworth with the revisions requested above. Respectfully submitted, JORGENSON, SIEGEL, McCLURE & FLEGEL, LLP By: Camas Steinmetz Cc: Molly Stump, City Attorney Caio Arellano, Chief Assistant City Attorney Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Director Amy French, Chief Planning Official Garret Saul, Project Planner Ken Hayes, Architect Nitin Handa Client 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 6 Attachment 1 2901-05 Middlefield / 702 Ellsworth Agenda Item No. 10 11/6/2023 Staff Report 7 Attachment 2 From:Wolfgang Dueregger To:Council, City Subject:Keep California Avenue CLOSED permanently Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 4:38:39 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from wolfgang.dueregger@alumni.stanford.edu.Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I would like to ask you to keep California Avenue CLOSED permanently between El CaminoReal and Birch Street. A suggested re-opening of Cal Ave causes lots of discussions among you and your colleagues, however let's please focus on real facts and let's keep politics aside in this matter. The bakery on Cal Ave closed MANY years ago (pre-covid) where all lanes on Cal Ave wereopen. So all the cars on Cal Ave didn't save the bakery. More businesses closed since then (many before and during covid), ONLY and foremost because of Covid and the resulting CHANGE in WORK CULTURE (either workfrom home full time or part time). This change in work culture is what is killing so many businesses and hurts restaurants as well (all across the state and the country, not just on CalAve). Take Printers Cafe as an example. Business there is down still 30-40% pre-Covid. Why? because nobody orders all the lunch platters for the office workers, since the office workersare gone (and will remain gone). The restaurants for now are supposedly benefitting from closing Cal Ave because they can extend into the street and have more tables. Very good. So why do you think the restaurants dowell compared to other businesses? Nobody can park in front of the restaurants either. so people park in our big new parking garage (600+ spots and still mostly empty) and walk a fewsteps over to Cal Ave to the restaurants. People are willing to park in the garage and walk over a few steps to get their meal at the restaurants but they are unwilling or suddenly incapable ofdoing the same when they go to e.g. the cobbler store? This does not sound logical. Country Sun is going out of business because of continued lost business due to covid (country sun was already doing not well before covid and when Cal Ave was open. it suffered a steadydecline spanning over many years). the office workers (who actually could and did afford the quite steep prices for the often specialty grocery items) are gone and they don't come back. Sotheir $$ are gone. And a few parking spots along Cal Ave or its opening will not bring those workers back. Opening even only one lane doesn't do anything. There is very little parking along Cal Ave.how many additional parking spots on Cal ave would it actually produce to reopen Cal Ave compared to the total number of available parking spots in all the garages (right behindcountry sun for example), the new big garage building and all the surface lots between cambridge and cal ave combined? These are thousand+ garage spots versus a few TENS ofparking spots along Cal Ave. These few extra spots along Cal Ave/reopening Cal Ave will NOT save any business. And what are the chances that you actually do get one of the 2 or 3spots right in front of the cobbler store or your business you want to go to? those chances have about the same probability as you have right now: ZERO. Since there will always besomebody else who will park in front of the cobbler store NOT being a customer of the cobbler store but rather going somewhere else or doing something else along Cal Ave. Businesses have to adjust to the new reality of how people live. And it seems some businessesare smart and flexible and try "new" things. And others, who just continue on the old path that worked years ago, face problems. But opening Cal Ave won't solve any of these problems. I don't want to eat next to loud and stinky cars who squeeze into a small parking spot. Look at other cities (across California), these pedestrian zones just are great. Right now, Mountain View is permanently making Castro Street a pedestrian zone. They juststarted the work. Cal Ave was never as vibrant in its whole history as it has been during the past 24 months. We now have bands playing, people interacting and it is just nice to walk down on a sunny day. Remember when Cal Ave was reduced from 2 to 1 lane a few years back?Mollie Stone's complained like hell that they cannot get any groceries delivered anymore. As we all know, this was just not true. To make the Cal Ave area work, maybe one could make Cambridge a one-way street from e.g.El Camino to Park Blvd and Sherman a one way towards El CAmino. I am already curious how this whole traffic will work out once the police move into the new HQ. Imagine an emergency. If Cal Ave is open, police might race down Cal Ave. And theywill under the pretext of an emergency - IF Cal Ave is open to traffic. We really don't need that! Please have this in mind as well. Let's not waste our money on more consultants. The city has many unpaid obligations likepension liabilities, etc. (in the hundreds of millions). We should not spend more money on consultants to do another study while we pretty well understand the pros and cons regardingkeeping Cal Ave closed or not. Let's do the right thing and keep Cal Ave CLOSED (also for bikers and scooters, they should push their bikes and walk a few yards) to car and motorized traffic between Birch and ElCamino. Me and many of my neighbors look forward to having Cal Ave permanently closed between Birch and El Camino for good! Wolfgang From:Eva Born To:Council, City Subject:Open Cal Ave to one lane Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 3:48:10 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from eborn@yahoo.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City council: It has become clear that our California Ave area, which was once bustling with activity, now has the opportunity to adapt and thrive in a post-pandemic era. I would like to propose a significant change in our California Ave streetscape: the reconfiguration from a no-car zone to a single lane for vehicular traffic. The benefits of reimagining California Ave area in this manner are numerous and significant: Economic Revival: With businesses struggling in the wake of the pandemic, the introduction of a single lane for cars can help drive more foot traffic to local shops and restaurants. This seems like a good compromise considering only restaurants have benefited from the closed street. Safety and Accessibility: Restricting vehicle access to a single lane can significantly improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It will also make the area more accessible for individuals with mobility challenges. Community Space: The one car lane can still be used to create attractive pedestrian zones, public parks, or outdoor seating areas for businesses, enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Quality of Life: A California Ave that prioritizes both restaurants and retail can lead to a vibrant and culturally rich atmosphere, attracting both residents and tourists to the area. I kindly request that you consider this proposal and initiate a study to evaluate the feasibility of reconfiguring California Ave to accommodate one lane of cars while prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure. This seems like the only fair solution that will benefit all of the businesses on California Ave. I believe that making California Ave more people-oriented will not only aid in our city's recovery but also serve as a model for sustainable and vibrant urban development. Please let me know how I can assist in advocating for this change and support your efforts in any way possible. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you regarding the progress of this proposal and any actions taken to make the California Ave area even more dynamic and inviting. Sincerely, Eva Born 2323 Harvard Street Palo Alto, CA 94306 From:Brenda LeBlanc To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; kou.pacc@gmail.com; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Tanaka, Greg;greg@gregtanaka.org; Stone, Greer; Veenker, Vicki Subject:Ramona Street Closure letter in favor Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 3:45:20 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from bleblanccarrubba@gmail.com. Learn why thisis important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To our Honorable Mayor, Vice Mayor and City Council members of Palo Alto, This email is the result of a collaboration of several of the restaurant owners on Ramona Streetwishing to encourage your support in keeping the half street of Ramona closed during the process of exploration. We are writing to you today to urge you to please keep half of Ramona Street PedestrianFriendly and closed to cars, as it has been during the Covid pandemic. It makes sense not only because there seven food establishments alone just in this tiny half block of Ramona(Sweetgreens, Osteria Toscana, Bistro Maxine, Nola's, Tea Time and Coupa Cafe and coming soon Zola's), but even more importantly, the majority of residents of our Palo Alto communityand visitors want this. The petition on Change.Org shows over 6000 people signed the petition to keep Pedestrian Friendly Streets in Palo Alto. This is besides the multitude of emails youhave received from our community as well. Our little haven with the outdoor dining lifestyle is something that the Palo Alto community and visitors alike are really enjoying, and RamonaStreet can also be used as a model for expanding this program in the future. As restaurant owners on Ramona Street, we work harmoniously together to create an inviting and desirable destination in downtown Palo Alto. The crowd that is drawn to Ramona Streethas been good for tax revenue and also adds a load of charm and inviting "vibes" to downtown Palo Alto. Once permanency is established, we will work together to beautify our street, honorits historical and aesthetic character in a cohesive way, as well as respect all safety measures. Continuity is of the utmost importance to the future vision of walkable streets. We have all invested much in our outdoor dining set ups. From plants to seating to flooring, as owners wehave come out of pocket to make Ramona Street look charming and inviting and it's just going to get better! It is important that we build on what we have created until the decision is final. Ifwe had to reinvent it again at a future time we would lose thousands of dollars, and hours spent on this project. In addition, we would lose the momentum of what we have all worked sohard to create. We urge you to keep Ramona Street as is until the final decisions are made, or better yet, make the final decision NOW to keep Ramona closed, as Ramona Street fits intothe bigger picture of the City's plans for outdoor dining spaces and pedestrian friendly spaces. As our little group of restaurants you can count on us to work with the city to be a model for how to make this program attractive for business owners and for the citizens of ourcommunity. Outdoor dining is here to stay, let us continue to pave the way! Giuseppe Carrubba Brenda LeBlanc(owners of Osteria Toscana) 247 Hamilton Avenue From:Aram James To:Angel, David; Angie, Palo Alto Renters Association; Wagner, April; Bryan Gobin; Council, City; D Martell; DanielKottke; David S. Norris; Dennis Upton; Diana Diamond; District1@bos.sccgov.org; Don Austin; Donna Wallach;Donna Wallach; Enberg, Nicholas; Jensen, Eric; JIM MINKLER1; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Hornung,Joel; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Kaloma Smith; Holman, Karen (external); Lewis james; Linda Jolley;Kou, Lydia; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; Redwood City City Council; Reifschneider,James; Representative Eshoo; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Shana Segal; Supervisor CindyChavez; Supervisor Simitian; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Taylor, Cecilia; Tom DuBois; WILPF Peninsula PaloAlto; William Ross; Perron, Zachary; Zelkha, Mila; alisa mallari tu; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda;cindy.chavez@os.sccgov.org; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig; criminal.division@usdoj.gov;cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; jaxpolo@yahoo.com; kelli.evans@jud.ca.gov; walter wilson Subject:US warns Israel amid Gaza carnage it doesn’t have long before support erodes Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 2:59:13 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. US warns Israel amid Gaza carnage it doesn’t have long before support erodes https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/11/02/politics/biden-administration-warning-israel-gaza- civilians/index.html From:Robert Ohlmann To:Council, City Subject:Agenda Item 9 California Ave closure Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 2:41:38 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from bobohlmann@aol.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Please keep California Ave closed to auto traffic. We shop at stores other than restaurants and find no problem in parking either in the lots behind the stores or the parking garage. We would no longer be able to be seated outdoors at a restaurant if cars drive by because of the exhaust fumes when they pass. Robert Ohlmann a 56-year resident of the Greenmeadow community Sent from my iPhone From:Nancy Coupal To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Stone, Greer; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker,Vicki Subject:Keep the half of Ramona St Free of Cars Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 1:52:15 PM Attachments:50 Reasons for Walkable Streets.pdf The many benefits of more walkable streets - American City and County.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To our distinguished Mayor and Members of the City Council, I am sure that most of you know what I believe to be in the best interests of our Palo Alto Resident Community, Visitors, Restaurants and Business Community, namely, that Pedestrian Friendly Streets should be a fixed feature ofany progressive community. We have embraced them as a result of the pandemic, and I believe it made us realizewhat we were missing in our beautiful City. Let's continue to improve upon this model as an integral part of PaloAlto and make it famous for adopting a model for decades to come on our amazing and beautiful, historical RamonaStreet. I do not want to take up too much of your precious time, and I have spoken with all of you in the past about thistheme, so to be brief, I am attaching 2 related articles, as well as summarizing the benefits of maintaining PedestrianFriendly streets in the 5 areas described below: - Safety: designing streets for people instead of cars improves safety for all users - Health: regular physical activity reduces the risk of chronic disease and improves quality of life for people of all ages - Equity: prioritize and invest in travel modes that serve all members of the community- Environment: more walking, biking and transit use means less air pollution from motor vehicles and a reduced dependence on fossil fuels -Economic: walkable communities draw investment from residents, businesses and tourists alike. “Great public space is like magic, it’s almost happiness itself,” said Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogota, Columbia. Not only is that a great quote, research seems to back it up. Let's continue to promote vibrancy in our community and maintain Pedestrian Friendly Streets. New Urbanism is known as the architecture of the community. Let's continue to create a vibrant community experience where people can have a safeplace to socialize, enjoy the shops or restaurants and improve the urban experience. I hope you enjoy the attached articles and I sincerely hope you vote to permanently maintain Pedestrian Friendly Streets, closed to cars, and enable the community and businesses to thrive. Let's continue what we started and make people happy. Sincerely, Nancy Coupal President and CEO of Coupa Cafe Page 1 of 5 If someone shifts from a long commute to a walk, their happiness increases as much as if they'd fallen in love. People who walk 8.6 minutes a day are 33% more likely to report better mental health. 50 Reasons Why Everyone Should Want More Walkable Streets From making you live longer to making cities more resilient: If you want a reason to make your city more walkable, it's in here. ADELE PETERS – 08.24.16 [Photo: Baerbel Schmidt/Getty Images; App Photo: Apple music label (The Beatles, Abbey Road, 1969)] As more cities try to improve walkability—from car-free "superblocks" in Barcelona to heat-protected walkways in Dubai—a new report outlines the reasons behind the shift, the actions that cities can take to move away from a car-centric world, and why walkability matters. "The benefits of walkability are all interconnected," says James Francisco, an urban designer and planner at Arup, the global engineering firm that created the report. "Maybe you want your local business to be enhanced by more foot traffic. But by having that benefit, other benefits are integrated. Not only do you get the economic vitality, but you get the social benefits—so people are out and having conversations and connecting—and then you get the health benefits." A single intervention can also lead to environmental and political benefits. The report sifted through dozens of studies to quantify 50 benefits of walkability in cities. [Photo: Bernard Osei via Unsplash] 1. It helps people live longer Inactivity is the fourth leading cause of mortality around the world; physical activity dropped 32% in the last four decades in the U.S., and 45% in less than two decades in China. For people over 60, walking just 15 minutes a day can reduce the risk of dying by 22%. 2. It helps people lose weight A 30-minute walk can burn 100 calories; for every 12 blocks or so walked a day, your risk of obesity drops 4.8%. 3. It reduces the risk of chronic disease Regular walking may reduce the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer. Inactivity is a primary cause of most chronic diseases. 4. It makes people happier Someone with a one-hour commute in a car needs to earn 40% more to be as happy as someone with a short walk to work. On the other hand, researchers found that if someone shifts from a long commute to a walk, their happiness increases as much as if they'd fallen in love. People who walk 8.6 minutes a day are 33% more likely to report better mental health. 5. It improves traffic safety More than 270,000 pedestrians are killed around the world every year; better street design, and policies that reduce speed, can obviously help reduce the risk of crashes. Just shortening a long crosswalk can reduce the risk of pedestrian deaths 6%. 6. It brings back "eyes on the street" While some countries invest in security cameras for streets—like the U.K., with 5.9 million cameras in public spaces—encouraging more people to walk is a cheaper way of increasing surveillance and making streets feel safer. Page 2 of 5 In one Kansas City neighborhood, crime dropped 74% after some streets went car-free on weekends. Biking and walking provide an estimated return on investment of $11.80 for every $1 invested. 7. It reduces crime in other ways Making streets more pleasant for walking—reducing trash, for example, or enforcing the speed limit—also has the added benefit of reducing crime. In one Kansas City neighborhood, crime dropped 74% after some streets went car-free on weekends. 8. It makes neighborhoods more vibrant The same features that make streets more walkable, like a safer and more attractive design, make people want to spend more time in them generally, bringing vibrancy back to neighborhoods. 9. It enhances the "sense of place" Spending time walking through a neighborhood, rather than driving, helps people have a better sense of what makes it unique—and more likely to want to help take care of it. [Photo: Flickr user Loren Kerns] 10. It's a driver for creativity If a neighborhood is walkable, it's more likely to become home to public street art and open-air events; conversely, public art and cultural events can help draw people to streets where they might not have walked before. 11. It's universally accessible While not everyone can afford a car or knows how to drive, walking is universally accessible, and even those who take the subway or drive also walk at some points during the day. The report makes the point that designing pedestrian infrastructure for those who are less mobile also helps make the experience of walking better for everyone. 12. It fosters social interaction Walkable streets bring people together who might not otherwise meet. In a classic 1960s study, people who lived on streets with more car traffic were less likely to know their neighbors. 13. It strengthens community identity As people interact more on streets, that also builds a sense of community. In Ireland, one study found that people in walkable neighborhoods had 80% more "social capital" than those living in car-dependent areas. 14. It connects people across generations In the U.S., millennials prefer walking to driving by a 12% margin. In some areas, the elderly are also more likely to walk or take public transit. Making streets more walkable helps bring people of all ages—including children—together. 15. It builds inclusiveness Traffic infrastructure, such as highways, can physically separate and segregate neighborhoods; better design for walkability makes the whole city more accessible to everyone. For the lowest-income people, who might lose a job if their car breaks down, it can help build a social safety net. 16. It boosts the economy Making neighborhoods more walkable increases the number of people who shop there. Pedestrians may spend as much as 65% more than drivers. It also boosts employment; in Dublin, a redesigned pedestrian- friendly neighborhood led to a 300% increase in employment. Overall, biking and walking provide an estimated return on investment of $11.80 for every $1 invested. Page 3 of 5 Pedestrianizing a street can make home values go up $82 a square foot. 17. It helps local businesses In Brooklyn, redesigning a parking lot into a pedestrian plaza boosted retail sales 172%. People who visit street markets in a city are also more likely to shop at stores nearby. The less that people drive, the more money they also have available to spend locally; an economist estimates that because people in Portland, Oregon, drive 20% less than the rest of the country, they save more than $1 billion, and much of that goes back to local businesses. 18. It helps make people more creative and productive Research suggests that walking boosts creative output an average of 60%. You're also more likely to be productive, improve memory, and make better decisions after exercise. Walking during work also helps: One internal study at a company found that people felt more energetic, focused, and engaged after walking meetings. 19. It improves a city's brand and identity Making a city more walkable and livable can also give it a stronger identity, and make people want to visit. Barcelona, which has worked on improving public spaces and walkability since the 1980s, has seen its number of annual visitors grow 335% over the last two decades. [Photo: Flickr user Michel Curi] 20. It increases tourism For tourists, walking is one of the best ways to experience a city, and improving walkability makes more people interested in visiting. In London, Trafalgar Square saw a 300% increase in visitors after pedestrianizing. 21. It encourages more investment After cities invest in walkable public space, it can encourage more investment in the same area. The High Line in New York led to $2 billion in private investment in the neighborhood around the park. 22. It attracts the creative class Skilled professionals tend to migrate to walkable areas; the most walkable neighborhoods have much higher GDPs per capita, and more college graduates. 23. It increases land and property values When neighborhoods become safer, more accessible, and more livable, property values rise. Pedestrianizing a street can make home values go up $82 a square foot. It's also good for landlords, if not tenants: Rents can rise $300 per month. 24. It activates the street facade Walkable neighborhoods are less likely to have a lot of vacant storefronts. In New York City, expanding the pedestrian space in Union Square reduced commercial vacancies 49%. 25. It shrinks the cost of traffic congestion The more people walk and the fewer people are stuck in traffic on roads, the more that benefits the economy. In the Bay Area, for example, businesses lose $2 billion a year because employees are stuck in gridlock. 26. It saves money on construction and maintenance While building and maintaining roads is expensive—the U.S. needs an estimated $3.6 trillion by 2020 to repair existing infrastructure—sidewalks are more affordable. Investing in sidewalks also brings health and air quality benefits worth twice as much as the cost of construction. 27. It reduces health care costs Inactivity leads to huge health care costs. The U.S. spends $190 billion on obesity-related illnesses alone. Page 4 of 5 28. It decreases dependency on nonrenewable resources Experts estimate that the world may only have 56 years’ worth of oil left; cars waste most of the gas they use. Walking, by contrast, can actually generate energy if cities install energy-harvesting sidewalk tiles. 29. It minimizes land use Sidewalks and bike paths are more compact than roads; they also enable people to easily live in denser neighborhoods, unlike traditional car-dependent suburbs. [Photo: via Unsplash] 30. It reduces air pollution On a single car-free day in 2015, Paris cut smog by 40% in parts of the city. Over the long term, pedestrianization can improve health as the air grows cleaner, and can help cut a city's carbon footprint. 31. It cuts ambient noise With fewer people driving, cities get quieter. On Paris's first car-free day, sound levels on main roads dropped three decibels. Plants and trees—which make streets more walkable—also reduce ambient noise. 32. It helps improve urban microclimates While paved roads contribute to the urban heat island effect, making cities hotter, shaded, plant-lined sidewalks can help cool neighborhoods down from 9 to 35 degrees. 33. It can improve water management Sidewalks designed with permeable surfaces can help suck up water during heavy rain, reducing flooding. 34. It makes cities more beautiful Roads and sidewalks typically make up the majority of public space in cities; in Chicago, for example, they make up 70%. Making public space more walkable—with landscaping, public art, and other interventions— also makes it more attractive than a typical road. 35. It increases active use of space In walkable neighborhoods, people are also more likely to make use of parks and public squares, and other outdoor spaces. In Copenhagen, as the city became more pedestrian-friendly over the last few decades, the number of people sitting in squares and otherwise making use of city space tripled. 36. It makes better use of space Streets that are redesigned to become more walkable also tend to incorporate underutilized space next to roads. In New York, one study found 700 miles of underused public space under elevated structures. 37. It encourages people to drive less When Copenhagen pedestrianized its main street, foot traffic increased 35% in the first year. In many cities, a large number of trips are only a short distance, and better design makes it more likely that people will prefer to walk or bike. 38. It also promotes public transit People using a subway or bus to commute to work have to get there from their home—and a better walk makes it more likely that they'll want to use public transit instead of driving. 39. It increases permeability Walkability can also make cities more "permeable," or easier to move around, creating a walking network that may even be easier to use than driving. Plant-lined sidewalks can help cool neighborhoods down from 9 to 35 degrees. Page 5 of 5 [Photo: Flickr user Tripp] 40. It bridges barriers Pedestrian infrastructure can reconnect parts of the city that may have been disconnected by older infrastructure. In Rotterdam, a crowdfunded pedestrian bridge stretches over a busy road and old train tracks. 41. It makes cities more competitive Walkability is directly connected to livability. When Melbourne redesigned its center for pedestrians, it saw an 830% increase in residents, and it was recognized as The Economist's "world's most livable city" five years in a row. 42. It builds political support After the mayor of the Spanish city of Pontevedra decided to go car-free in 1999, the public loved him: He's now in his fifth term. 43. It builds engagement As people spend more time outside in their neighborhoods, they're more likely to feel attached, and to engage in improving the city in general. Crowdfunded public projects are growing in many cities. 44. It encourages more stakeholders to participate Every added 10 minutes of commuting cuts community involvement 10%. In L.A., where commuters waste 64 hours a year in traffic, the city is building more participation by helping neighbors transform underused roads into pedestrian spaces. 45. It inspires civic responsibility Walkability brings people together with other community members, which increases a sense of responsibility. Mexico City's self-appointed pedestrian "superhero," who defends pedestrians on city streets, helped build political support for the city's new commitment to zero traffic deaths. 46. It promotes sustainable behaviors In Canada, a study found that if people drove one less day a week, it could reduce 3.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. As cities become more walkable, it can enable a cultural shift away from driving. Though the report doesn't mention it, taking one sustainable action can also lead people to take others. 47. It helps make cities more resilient If people can easily walk, a breakdown in mass transit, or a gas shortage, is less of a problem. Walkability makes cities more resilient in disasters. 48. It's a tool for urban regeneration Making neighborhoods more walkable can spark urban regeneration. In Madrid, a walkable park along the river led to investment in new sports areas, plazas, cafes, and the renovation of historic landmarks. 49. It allows for flexible micro-solutions A car-free or walkable street is more likely to support pop-up interventions and other cheap, simple, DIY solutions. 50. It supports cultural heritage Pedestrianization around a cultural landmark can increase the number of people who visit, and help support efforts for preservation. As Beijing quickly modernized, the city decided to pedestrianize several ancient, narrow streets—bringing new visitors and saving part of the city that otherwise might have disappeared. https://www.fastcoexist.com/3062989/50-reasons-why-everyone-should-want-more-walkable-streets Every added 10 minutes of commuting cuts community involvement 10%. If people drove one less day a week, it could reduce 3.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. PUBLIC WORKS & UTILITIES (https://www.americancityandcounty.com/type/public-works- utilities/) Written by Melissa Lee 20th July 2023 Transportation planning is a vital aspect of many municipal leaders’ responsibilities. Ocials across the country dedicate considerable time to enhancing trac ow eciency, improving public transportation systems such as railways and bus routes, and promoting the adoption of electric vehicles. But increasingly, one of the most important elements of this work entails the oldest form of transportation: walking. Indeed, more and more municipal leaders are following the research that more walkable streets can strengthen their communities in a variety of ways. The many benets of more walkable streets ARTICLE Darryl Brooks/Shutterstock Creating a walkable city entails more than simply laying down a sidewalk and considering the task complete. It involves the strategic closure of streets to facilitate outdoor dining, the establishment of pedestrian plazas for live entertainment, the connection of various downtown areas through walkways and numerous other measures. This article delves into the many advantages brought about by such initiatives. Additionally, it offers valuable advice on initiating a walkability campaign and overcoming potential challenges faced by municipal leaders during the process. Walkable streets contribute to a wide range of positive outcomes, including improved health, a cleaner environment, and a stronger economy. By enabling residents to walk, the risk of health problems such Moreover, walkability helps mitigateas obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be reduced. the spread of contagious diseases, as people are outdoors rather than conned in crowded subway cars or buses. These benets are not merely based on anecdotes; a recent study conducted by C40 Cities (a global network of municipal leaders dedicated to combating climate change) provides data that supports these claims. In fact, even the U.S. Surgeon General advises municipal leaders to prioritize creating more walkable cities. More walkable streets also fuel a stronger economy. When residents are out of their cars and walking around downtown, they’re more likely to patronize local businesses. Money that might have otherwise been spent online or outside the city limits is instead invested in local merchants, creating a more prosperous business community. Indeed, a recent report from New York showed that road closures to accommodate outdoor dining signicantly beneted the city’s restaurants. Unsurprisingly, walkable streets also create a much healthier environment. By reducing the number of cars on the road, walkability initiatives contribute to a signicant decrease in air and noise pollution. With fewer vehicles emitting harmful pollutants, the air quality improves, leading to better respiratory health for residents. Additionally, the reduction in noise pollution allows for a more peaceful and tranquil urban setting, positively impacting mental wellbeing and overall quality of life. It’s easy to see why municipal leaders are investing in walkable streets. But how do they go about identifying which streets to adapt? To start, ocials should work with stakeholders, seeking input from residents of all demographics through open forums, surveys and workshops. Start a dialogue about what parts of the city need to be more pedestrian friendly and why. Municipal leaders can also conduct a walkability audit, investigating factors like sidewalk width, the prevalence of crosswalks, quality of lighting, and existing connectivity between hubs like apartments, grocery stores and schools. Creating more walkable streets, like any municipal undertaking, is not without its challenges. Municipal leaders may face opposition from detractors, including advocates who prioritize vehicles. Concerns about safety, especially regarding pedestrian vulnerability at night, may also arise among residents. Furthermore, individuals with mobility challenges may express apprehension, fearing that prioritizing walkability could disadvantage them. It’s crucial not to dismiss anyone, but rather hear their concerns and to bring them into the conversation. Remind them of the benets of a more walkable city. Promoting pedestrian-friendly environments does not imply the elimination of cars, for example. And investments in proper lighting and accessibility can help ensure that everybody is safe and accounted for in the initiative. By promoting dialogue, municipal leaders are better able to navigate these challenges while emphasizing the collective advantages of working toward a more vibrant and accessible urban landscape. Walkable cities are not merely a passing trend; they represent the future of urban planning, and for good reason. The same level of energy, resources and data-driven approaches should be allocated to walkability initiatives as for other important endeavors—because walkability deserves it. By prioritizing pedestrian-friendly environments, cities can enhance the well-being of their residents, foster sustainable transportation options, improve public health, and create vibrant and livable communities. Embracing walkability as a core principle of urban planning is essential for the future success and prosperity of cities worldwide. Melissa Lee, CNU-A is a principal at Public Works Partners LLC, a WBE/DBE/SBE certied planning and consulting rm specializing in multi-stakeholder initiatives and building strong connections across the government, nonprot and private sectors. 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Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head oce is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG. From:Kristen Van Fleet To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; kou.pacc@gmail.com; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer;Tanaka, Greg; greg@gregtanaka.org; Veenker, Vicki; Planning Commission Subject:ELLSWORTH PLACE - UPS APPROVED Delivery Spot & Other Safety Measures Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 1:35:56 PM Attachments:Ellsworth Place - UPS Delivery Spot & Safety_11-2-2023.pdf ELLSWORTH_UPS Letters of 8-25-2023_to_9-25-2023_ Kristen Van Fleet-combined.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Regarding: LEGISLATIVE - Amending Planned Community 2343 zoning for 2901 - 2905Middlefield Road Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone, and members of the City of Palo Alto City Council, Please find attached 2 PDFs pertaining to 702 Ellsworth Place and 2901-2905 MiddlefieldRoad, which will continue before the City Council this coming Monday, November 6, 2023. The first PDF is an outline from Ellsworth Place Neighbors with our requests for: 1. The UPS-approved delivery spot on Ellsworth Place2. The site triangle used for driveway ramps, which matches the unique conditions on Ellsworth Place3. NO FENCE or anything over 1 foot within the site triangle 4. Adding arrows, red paint, and "No Parking" to the first 100 feet of Ellsworth Place5. Adding tactile paving to the sidewalk on either side of the Ellsworth Place private road The second PDF contains all communications with UPS regarding a delivery spot on Ellsworth Place and it gives their approval in writing for a space placed where the first utilitypole is currently located. The communications also state that the proposed "smaller truck" delivery space is not useable, and makes an alternative suggestion for using parking space inthe parking lot shared by Winterlodge and Kim Grant Tennis. Those businesses were asked about UPS's second suggestion to use parking lot spaces in their lot, and Kim Grant Tenniscan't comment on this since they rent space from Winterlodge, which rents space from the CPA. Given the spaces are filled every afternoon, this doesn't seem feasible. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 650-646-8677 Thank you for your time and attention to this important issue affecting Midtown, Palo Alto.We appreciate all you do to help our city remain safe. Sincerely, Kristen A. Van Fleet on behalf of Ellsworth Place Residents Page 1 of 7 - November 2, 2023 Ellsworth Place Residents Request the Following Regarding 702 Ellsworth Place and 2901-2905 Middlefield Road 1) Implement the delivery space solution approved by UPS (see attachment). This provides enough space to allow daily delivery trucks to turn around and park on Ellsworth Place, then drive forward to exit the road. This subsequently makes it safer for pedestrians and vehicles traveling by this intersection on Middlefield Road. ● UPS is known for its safety record and it has approved this idea. ● It does not require the removal of public parking on Sutter Ave which is already short on parking. (See the letter from Dr. James Stephens, DDS of 10/25/2023) ● Sutter Ave is too far to be useful to Ellsworth Place (.25 to .33 miles round trip) ● It utilizes a “compromised” “26-foot-wide private road” width; from CPA City Code ● Daily delivery trucks don’t have to back up into or park on Middlefield Road. ● There is no need to ban 24-foot trucks on Ellsworth Place; these are used for moving purposes and large appliances or furniture deliveries which rarely occur. ● The proposed “smaller” truck delivery space on Ellsworth Place isn’t useable: ○ It is too narrow; not enough room to open the doors once parked. ○ The 2nd utility pole is in the delivery space’s backup path. ○ It requires an empty driveway at 702 Ellsworth Place to utilize, and most delivery companies don’t allow their drivers to use private driveways. ● On the 702 Ellsworth Place side: ○ It does not impede Handa’s existing house plans. ○ IT PREVENTS THE DANGEROUS DESIGN of the public road ending directly into the private walkway of the proposed 702 Ellsworth Place house by extending the driveable 2.5-foot widened road to the fence located at 706 Ellsworth Place. ○ This solution DOES NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL PAVING above what is already slated to be paved and it lowers the cost of paving by switching paving material to drivable asphalt in place of expensive pavers with no noticeable design change overall. ○ This could be done as a public benefit in exchange for the 6-foot rear setback line being requested by Handa on the drafted ordinance. (The actual rear setback code on a substandard R-1 lot is 20 feet with less than 50% of the house at 14 feet.) ● On the 2901-2905 Middlefield Road apartment side: ○ It requires the removal of the first utility pole to make room for a delivery truck space, with the guy wires relocated to the second utility pole, (which may already have to occur for the currently proposed parking space #16). ○ Parking space #16 easily fits in the proposed “small delivery truck space”. ○ The 3.5-foot wide strip of driveable, asphalted road would be extended to the “new” guy wires at the “2nd” utility pole, and connect to the open space behind the carports. This creates enough room for a delivery truck Page 2 of 7 - November 2, 2023 to 3-point turn, angling back towards Handa’s driveway and then parking in the delivery space facing the exit of Ellsworth Place. ○ IT DOES NOT REQUIRE REMOVING THE BEAUTIFUL OLIVE TREE. Additional Road Circulation is Shown Below in Yellow. The green rectangle is the UPS-approved delivery truck space (located where the 1st utility pole is currently located) The Subdivision Map Below Gives Measurements in Feet and Shows How Far Away Sutter Ave is From the End of the 525 Foot Long Ellsworth Place Page 3 of 7 - November 2, 2023 2) IMPLEMENT THE LINE-OF-SIGHT TRIANGLE under code: 18.54.070, FIGURE 6 - Driveway ramps and setback zones which is an L.O.S. triangle of 28 feet x 160 feet that is specifically designed for ramped exits. ● Ellsworth Place has a UNIQUE RAMPED EXIT found nowhere else in Palo Alto, except in underground parking garage exit ramps. ● This keeps the line-of-site clear to the Matadero Creek fence, at the top of the hill where the bend in the sidewalk creates a blind spot. ● Hexagon’s Traffic Review, on page 4 states, “According to Table 5 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code 18.54.070, 20 feet is the minimum width to serve residential developments ( footnote : The intersection of Ellsworth Place and Middlefield Road has historically been accessed by a 20-foot driveway located on 702 Middlefield Road. To be conservative, this report treats the driveway approach as equivalent to an urban driveway serving over 11 multi-family units.)” ● Doing the math, this places the trajectory of the L.O.S. triangle on the south corner of the 702 Ellsworth Place lot at about the Matadero Creek fence, (18 feet in from the city curb), which is where people are looking to see the blind spot caused by the bend in the sidewalk at the overpass. ● This L.O.S. triangle maintains enough room for a patio enclosure on the front of the proposed 702 Ellsworth Place house (Middlefield Road side). A Site Triangle That Works for Ellsworth Place Page 4 of 7 - November 2, 2023 3) NO FENCE WITHIN THE LINE-OF-SITE TRIANGLE ● NO FENCE or anything over 1 foot in height should be allowed within this 28 x 160 foot line-of-site triangle ; (With exception for Matadero Creek infrastructure). ● The “fence photo” supplied by Handa for the packet has only one row of fencing which is NOT ACCURATE and misleads the actual conditions at this unique, double-inclined intersection caused by the Matadero Creek overpass. ● Children on the sidewalk are hidden by a fence. Can You See The Child? A Corner Fence Doubles the Number of Bars a Driver Has To Look Through -AND- The Slope of the Inclines at Middlefield Road and Ellsworth Place Makes It Taller Than 3-feet Page 5 of 7 - November 2, 2023 Who Monitors the 1-Foot Height Rule INSIDE of the Fence? Ellsworth Place Residents may have to call code enforcement to keep the sight triangle at 1 foot, adding stress to the neighborhood! 4) ADD RED PAINT and “NO PARKING” to the curbs and street along the first 100 feet of Ellsworth Place, and two-way arrows with a lane-divide line at the entrance ● This is consistent with the apartment driveways on Middlefield Road ● Creates a FIRE LANE and also prevents parking at the entrance to Ellsworth Place, which can block the road; especially in an emergency ● Allows any car parked in the red to be legally towed. Page 6 of 7 - November 2, 2023 Red-Painted Curbs Are Utilized at both Multi-Family Residential Complexes on Middlefield Rd (NOTE: Both have a cul-de-sac space in the back, and neither have a STOP sign because they are actual driveways and not roads. Ellsworth Place is a private road; not a driveway.) Above: Condos at 3069 Middlefield Road Below: Apartments at 3085 Middlefield Road Page 7 of 7 - November 2, 2023 5) ADD TACTILE PAVING with yellow detectible warning pavers to the sidewalk on either side of the Ellsworth Place private street opening. ● These are commonly used around town to indicate to pedestrians that a roadway is present ● Gives a visual warning to pedestrians that the Ellsworth Place road is there. ● Gives a tactile warning to visually impaired pedestrians that the Ellsworth Place road is there. . Above: Entrance to Alma Village Below: Entrance to Santa Rita Elementary School, Los Altos Kristen Van Fleet < UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com>Fri, Aug 25, 2023 at 1:49 PMTo: Good afternoon, I received your message, unfortunately there was no description of what you were calling for. I see your package was delivered 8/23 to your front door. I show it left on your brick porch with ared door and greyish house. Please respond to this email on what information you are looking for. Regards,Katie Menlo Park UPS ref:_00DF05wsA._5003k2b2NOl:ref This e-mail and any attachments thereto may contain information which is confidential and intended for the sole use of the recipient(s) named above. Any use of the information containedherein (including, but not limited to, total or partial reproduction, communication or distribution in any form) by persons other than the designated recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender either by telephone or by e-mail and delete the material from any computer. Thank you for your cooperation. Kristen Van Fleet <Fri, Aug 25, 2023 at 1:58 PM To: UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com> Hi Katie, The ticket was opened today for a larger issue and the customer service representative needed a recent package tracking number to open the ticket. A developer is proposing to build a home on the parking lot at the start of the private street I live on here in Palo Alto, and the apartment complex that sold the parking lot has proposed adelivery truck space that does not work for UPS trucks. I spoke with a UPS driver about this issue this morning and he recommended I contact the Menlo Park UPS office. If the developer's plan goes through, then a UPS driver will no longer be able to safely come down Ellsworth Place without having to use someone's driveway to back up and turn around. I wastold by the driver today that they are not allowed to use people's driveways. I have a copy of the proposed "delivery space" plan and it's subsequent "back-up manoeuvers" to use it, as wasprepared by Hexagon, for this the developers are using to say their proposed plan is safe and useable. This issue affects all 15 home addresses here at Ellsworth Place in Palo Alto, CA. Can someone please contact me about this issue? I will be presenting to the City of Palo Alto City Council about this problem on September 18, 2023, and need to include TRUTHFUL delivery information in my presentation to the City Council members and to the City Mayor, etc. Thank you for your help with this urgent issue. Sincerely, Kristen A. Van Fleet [Quoted text hidden] Kristen Van Fleet Fri, Aug 25, 2023 at 2:11 PM To: UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com> Sorry, I hit send too quickly. To see the truck delivery space design, please use this link for access to the public comments from the Planning and Transportation Commission meeting of July12, 2023. On PDF pages 58 - 62 is the TRUCK TURNING TEMPLATE. I have also attached these pages in a PDF, and there is a screenshot of the first template added into this email. The delivery parking space measures 10 feet x 30 feet, with a building wall on the left and a fence on the right side of the parking space. The delivery driver told me today that it was too small for his truck. I need something in writing from UPS to help us get the developers to plan a better solution for delivery truck parking that is safe for the neighborhood and useable by the delivery truck drivers. I am also reaching out to other delivery companies for help with this. https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-reports/agendas-minutes/planning-and-transportation-commission/2023/ptc-7.12-public-comments6.pdf [Quoted text hidden] ptc-7.12-public-comments_pages 56-62_ELLSWORTH PLACE TRUCK TURNING TEMPLATE.pdf1303K UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com>Fri, Aug 25, 2023 at 3:00 PM Kristen, I printed out your emails and gave them to our center manager. He will follow up with you, most likely with a phone call. Regards,Astaria --------------- Original Message ---------------From: Kristen Van Fleet Sent: 8/25/2023 2:11 PMTo: customerservice@ups.com CAUTION! This email originated outside of the organization. Please do not open attachments or click links from an unknown or suspicious origin. Sorry, I hit send too quickly. To see the truck delivery space design, please use this link for access to the public comments from the Planning and Transportation Commission meeting of July 12,2023. On PDF pages 58 - 62 is the TRUCK TURNING TEMPLATE. I have also attached these pages in a PDF, and there is a screenshot of the first template added into this email. The delivery parking space measures 10 feet x 30 feet, with a building wall on the left and a fence on the right side of the parking space. The delivery driver told me today that it was too small for his truck. I need something in writing from UPS to help us get the developers to plan a better solution for delivery truck parking that is safe for the neighborhood and useable by the delivery truck drivers. I am also reaching out to other delivery companies for help with this. https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-reports/agendas-minutes/planning-and-transportation-commission/2023/ptc-7.12-public-comments6.pdf [cityofpaloalto.org] Kristen Van Fleet < UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com>Mon, Sep 18, 2023 at 6:04 PM Hello Kristen, Miriam has passed your case and conversations over to me as she has not been with UPS longer enough to answer your questions. I have reviewed the pictures and the information you have provided. You are correct in your evaluation of the proposed "space" planned for delivery. UPS has a strict policy and training for drivers to not place themselves or their delivery vehicle in a situation to cause harm or property damage. This policy includes an addendum that states (and is enforced) that the driver must limit placing themselves and delivery vehicles in a situation to cause them to "back up" to exit the delivery area. There are very few exceptions to this and it applies to all delivery vehicle sizes. The size of the delivery vehicles that services the area are 14 feet long and 10 feet wide. Since the drivers have found an alternative (although not a perfect solution), the current proposed plan of 11 feet is unacceptable. Based on the first picture you sent to show how the delivery vehicles used to park for delivery, would be the only acceptable solution for the Ellsworth Place deliveries. As this is no longer the case, the drivers will continue to park on Middlefield Rd until we are able to devise a better solution. I do hope this information is helpful for your meeting. Please continue to reply to this email if there are any more questions or information. Thank you Angelita Q UPS Menlo Park [Quoted text hidden] [Quoted text hidden] 1/3 Kristen Van Fleet < Wed, Sep 20, 2023 at 2:30 PM To: UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com> Hi Angelita, Thank you for getting back to me in time for the City of Palo Alto (CPA) City Council meeting last Monday, September 18, 2023. I was able to get your letter to the Council Members while they were in discussion about Ellsworth Place deliveries, and it provided the needed information to support the fact the proposed delivery space does not work. So the City Council voted to extend the meeting to give the developers time to find a suitable delivery space. Earlier today I spoke with our main delivery driver, Josh, and showed him your letter and the following idea I came up with for a delivery space on Ellsworth Place. He gave me his permission to use his name in this email. Josh said that he could park his truck safely in this green space, as shown in the diagram below, which I created by using Photoshop to rework the developer's transportation plan. He said with the road at the width of the orange netting (the 26-foot wide mark), it may require one backup maneuver to get into the space, angling the truck back towards the driveway of the proposed home, (but not onto the pavered driveway), and then he could pull into that spot where there is currently a utility pole now. Then to leave the space he could safely drive forward and back out to Middlefield Road. Josh also said that parking here allows him to reach the business where Samyama was located, at 2995 Middlefield Road. (That building is currently vacant, but it will have tenants again at some point in the future.) Notes: • There is currently a utility pole in this location, so the guy wires would have to be relocated to the second pole. • The yellow lines indicate a driveable, blacktopped road, with a width of 26 feet up to where the delivery space begins. • The yellow box on the left side ends where the guy wires would begin to brace that second utility pole. • The proposed home on the right side of the road would have a pavered (non-driveable) walkway and driveway to the right of that yellow driveable road line. Other ideas mentioned during Monday night's meeting were: 1) The apartments provide package lockers for the residents on Ellsworth Place. Ellsworth Place Residents DO NOT WANT THIS, as we are not an apartment complex! We need to get packages delivered to our front doors! Not all of our neighbors own cars and some of our 2/3 senior citizen-aged neighbors no longer drive, so there would not be an easy way to retrieve packages from East Menlo Park, should they be too large for a parcel locker! (Not to mention the logistics of maintaining the lockets, the rate of theft, etc.) 2) The City of Palo Alto Transportation Department were also going to look into making a delivery/loading zone on Sutter Ave, but this greatly extends the amount of walking needed. In calculating the length to reach the far end of Ellsworth Place, which is a 525-foot-long road, it would require 1/4 to 1/3 mile of walking to make the round trip. (Josh said that was too far to walk!) Below is our parcel map that shows the lengths in feet of this location. The Green Star is where the green rectangle is located in the diagram above. The Pink Star is where Josh is currently parking on Middlefield Road. The Yellow line is the walking path from Sutter Ave. Please give your thoughts and/or approval or suggestions on the proposed idea. I will then forward this email to the CPA Transportation and Planning department and also to the developers. We are seeking a solution that works for everyone here on Ellsworth Place, including the apartments, and also keeps it safe for all who traverse on or near Ellsworth Place. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely, Kristen A. Van Fleet [Quoted text hidden] 4 attachments Screenshot 2023-09-12 at 10.54.27 AM.png 5655K 3/3 Screenshot 2023-09-12 at 10.57.16 AM.png 5111K Screenshot 2023-09-12 at 10.57.16 AM.png 5111K Screenshot 2023-09-12 at 10.54.27 AM.png 5655K 1/1 Kristen Van Fleet < UPS CUSTOMER SERVICE <customerservice@ups.com>Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:00 PM Good evening Kristen, I do apologise for the late response, as I have been out of office. I am glad to hear that you wwere able to talk to Josh and work out some solutions to the issue at hand. Unfortuneately, Josh is right in that the parking and walking from Sutter Ave will not be a viable option. This is due to the fact the drivers have set time allowances for each delivery. Whenthere are and will be closer options, parking and having to walk that far from Sutter Ave to make deliveries will not be allowed by UPS standards. We would agree that proposed delivery space indicated by the green star is workable for the driver and a sound delivery option for all involved. Until the green star location is ready to be utilized, our drivers will need to continue to use the the location indicated by the pink star. There is also an option for the driver to use that involes using the parking lot area between 2995 Middlefield Rd and the Matadero Canal. This option would only be usable if that particularparking lot area is vacant at time of delivery. It would involve the driver entering at the driveway between 2995 Middlefield Rd and 3009 Middlefield Rd and then looping around the back of 2995 Middlefield Rd to the parking lot area by Matadero Canal. Once in the parking lot area (if empty) the driver will be able to pull up into the last several parking spaces and when donewith deliveries pull away onto the driveway entering back onto Middlefield Rd. This area is also only a few feet away from where the drivers have been parking (the pink star). I hope this information will help you and the City Council come to a viable solution. [Quoted text hidden] [Quoted text hidden] From:Michael Eager To:Council, City Cc:EPNA-discuss Subject:Keep Cal Ave closed Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 1:01:21 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from eager@eagercon.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ Honorable City Council Members: I encourage the City to keep the two block section of CaliforniaAvenue closed to vehicular traffic. Everyone wants California Avenue to be a thriving and welcomingcommercial district, providing services to the neighborhood andvisitors, and a successful environment for the store and restaurantowners. Without question, this is not the current situation. Thequestion is how to achieve this goal. I was encouraged by the community meeting in December a year agoto solicit neighbor views and discuss possible improvements to CalAve. At the same time, it seemed that this meeting could have beenheld a year earlier; little had changed since 2021. I was disappointedto hear that improvements proposed for Cal Ave would be delayed fora year. The consultants released a report in May, 2023, which summarizedwhat both neighbors and shop owners long recognized: California Avenueis disorganized, uninviting, lacks variety, has many vacant stores,uninviting orange barriers, lacks signage, and more. Notably, in thereport, the consultants mention that Cal Ave offers severalopportunities, among them, the ability to: - Demonstrate new ideas - Implement change quicklyThe report identifies four demonstration projects: - Replace ugly orange barriers - Flexible community spaces - Wayfinding and signage - Public art The actual results are sorely disappointing. There were addedmurals and ground art. The "flexible community spaces" seems tobe putting out tables and chairs and a chess board on the street.There's an apparently little-used miniature golf site. The moreeffective and impactful improvements, replacing the barriers and addingsignage have not been done. Rather than "implemented quickly" and"demonstrating new ideas", the City has been slow and ineffective inimplementing even the minimal recommendations in the report. California Avenue is not a failed "pedestrian mall," it is one which has never been implemented. I urge the City to stop treating California Avenue as a second-class commercial area and act with speed to implement improvements along the street to create a welcoming and vibrant area. --- Several store owners on California Avenue have proposed opening CalAve to one-way traffic, with a bike lane. It's not a new idea; theymade the same proposal a year ago. I think that this is ill-consideredand poorly defined. There seems to be a conflict between wanting to retain outdoordining and creating a street open to traffic. There will be no accessto handicapped parking on the street if the spaces are filled withrestaurant seating. Similarly, visibility of the store fronts isblocked by the on-street seating. Keeping bicycle and car trafficfrom "mixing dangerously," as they propose, seems impossible withstreets made narrow by outdoor seating areas. The proposal mentions that there is little rear access to parkingbehind the stores. In fact, there is parking all around the Cal Aveshopping district. Some stores, like California Paint, allow access tothese these parking areas or private parking spaces (although there isno signage directing patrons to these spaces). Other stores blockaccess to the parking lots. Perhaps they could address this customerneed. The store owners say that they want to direct traffic away fromresidential streets. We, in the neighborhood, are all in favor ofeliminating business traffic from our streets. But traffic divertedfrom Cal Ave is on Sherman or College, neither of which is residential. The store owners imagine that removing the barriers at the ends ofthe two-block section of California Avenue will roll the clock backto 2019 or to the nostalgic days when there were bookstores, a theater,and a variety of other stores on Cal Ave. Sadly, that won't happen.The throngs of lunch-time customers from Stanford Research Park ornearby startups are gone and they won't magically return. Times andthe economy changes and the store owners need to adapt to changingconditions. --- When the public health order prohibited indoor dining, the emergencyactions taken by the City to allow sidewalk and street dining wereimportant to keeping restaurants open. That emergency ended long ago.The restaurants have benefited greatly from this expansion of seatingarea, in some cases, doubling the number of tables. At this time, Iurge the City to terminate the fee waivers offered to the restaurants.The street and sidewalks do not belong to the restaurants (althoughsome seem to have that view) but to the public. Use of public areas,gratis, for private benefit, was appropriate during the public healthemergency. That is no longer the case. --- Finally, California Avenue is at risk of becoming blighted. One contributor to this is the number of vacant storefronts. While some of the stores were casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the storefronts have been empty for almost five years. I urge the Cityto implement a vacancy tax, perhaps $1/sq ft after six months, toincentivize property owners to find suitable (preferablynon-restaurant) tenants, rather than leaving the property empty. The best way, in my opinion, to support making California Avenuea vibrant shopping district as well as a robust restaurantdestination, is to encourage a variety of stores which will drawpeople to the street. -- As others have mentioned, continued indecision and waffling aboutthe future of California Avenue has an adverse effect. The proposalfrom the consultants is to conduct another study, with more publicoutreach, more business owner meetings, more community meetings.This seems hardly different from the same consultant's proposalsome 18 months ago. Disturbingly, the proposal calls for a "What WeHeard" report with a draft Q1 2024 and a final report Q3 2024, almosta year from now. There was a "What We Heard" report published in Maythis year. I cannot imagine what might change in a year-long delay,other than evidence of increased frustration on the part of residentsand shop owners at the lack of progress. I ask that the City Council move to make immediate improvements inthe California Avenue environment, establish consistent standardsand style for outdoor dining, replace barriers, add signage, and makethe many other improvements which virtually everyone agrees on.Make closure of California Avenue permanent and stop kicking the candown the road with redundant studies. Thank you for your attention. --Michael Eager From:Beatriz Pastor To:Council, City Subject:Requesting Keeping California Ave Free of Cars Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 10:25:31 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from bpastor@altahousing.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, I am sending this email to request to keep California Ave, free of cars. Thank you! Best regards, Beatriz Pastor California Ave resident View this email in your browser From:LWV Palo Alto Winter Luncheon CommitteeTo:Council, CitySubject:Come to the Winter Luncheon on December 6th!Date:Friday, November 3, 2023 8:59:57 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. LWVPA ANNUAL WINTER LUNCHEON Wednesday, December 6, 2023 12:00 - 2:00 pm 520 Cowper St, Palo Alto 94301 Register Now Tickets are $40/person. Register Early as Space is Limited Members are welcome to bring a guest. In Conversation with Donna Norton A Founder and Executive VP of MomsRising About The Power of Moms Learn about how moms are making a difference online, and on the ground, across the nation to advocate for policies like early education, maternal health, and immigrant rights that lift families and mobilize their communities to vote. Donna Norton is a founding member of MomsRising and serves as MomsRising’s Executive VP and Chief Advancement & Strategy Officer, helping to develop and drive the strategic direction of MomsRising’s agenda. Norton is an innovator and strategic manager with more than 20 years of experience working on women’s rights and gender equality on a variety of policy challenges. Since 2006, she has led numerous winning campaigns at MomsRising, including the national healthcare campaign, the national early learning campaign, and the national immigration campaign. Prior to joining MomsRising, Norton directed the National Workplace Resource Center on Domestic Violence for Futures Without Violence and was the Executive Director of the Southern Alameda County Domestic Violence Law Project. Norton has also worked in international development, serving as the Rule of Law Program Officer at U.S. Agency for International Development in Moscow, Russia in 1994-95, conducting research on dowry related violence at the Indian Law Institute, and speaking at numerous conferences and events in Russia while her husband, Michael McFaul, served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia from 2012-2014. Norton holds a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree in public policy and public administration from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University. Tickets are $40/person. Register Early as Space is Limited Members are welcome to bring a guest. LWVPaloAlto.org Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Email Email Copyright © 2023 League of Women Voters Palo Alto, All rights reserved. Register Now From Voter Recipient List Our mailing address is: League of Women Voters Palo Alto 3921 E Bayshore Rd Ste 209 Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Binder, Andrew; Cecilia Taylor; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; D Martell; DavidS. Norris; Dennis Upton; District1@bos.sccgov.org; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Ed Lauing; Enberg,Nicholas; Jensen, Eric; Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; Greg Tanaka; Human Relations Commission; JIMMINKLER1; Jack Ajluni; Jethroe Moore II; Joe Simitian; Joe Simitian; Hornung, Joel; Jose Valle; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; Mata, Anthony; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag,Minka; ParkRec Commission; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Raj Jayadev; Raymond Goins; Roberta Ahlquist;Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Sameena Usman; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Supervisor Otto Lee;Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu;bob nunez; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns;editor@paweekly.com; Figueroa, Eric; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; jaxpolo@yahoo.com; Tannock,Julie; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick; yolanda Subject:Re: Reinstate Dr. Zaki Masoud at NYU Langone Winthrop Hospital Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 11:26:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I just signed the petition "Reinstate Dr. Zaki Masoud at NYU Langone Winthrop Hospital" and wanted to see if you could help by adding your name. Our goal is to reach 150,000 signatures and we need more support. You can read more andsign the petition here: https://chng.it/gcSW9sBWyj Thanks, Aram From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Baker, Rob; Binder, Andrew; Cecilia Taylor; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; DMartell; Daniel Kottke; David S. Norris; Dennis Upton; Don Austin; Donna Wallach; DuJuan Green; EPA Today;Lauing, Ed; Enberg, Nicholas; GRP-City Council; Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; Greg Tanaka; HRW Silicon Valley; Human Relations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Jose Valle; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims;KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Holman, Karen (external); Lewis james; Linda Jolley; Kou, Lydia; Mata, Anthony;Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; ParkRec Commission; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Raj Jayadev; RaymondGoins; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Salem Ajluni; Sameena Usman; Sean Allen; Shana Segal;Shikada, Ed; Sue Dremann; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Tom DuBois; Vara Ramakrishnan;WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda;citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; districtattorney@sfgov.org;editor@paweekly.com; editor@almanacnews.com; josh@sanjosespotlight.com; Tannock, Julie;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick; rabrica@cityofepa.org; walter wilson; yolanda Subject:Re: March for Palestine • Harvest Fair Returns! • Climate Action Events • And more... Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 7:10:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. On Thu, Nov 2, 2023 at 4:30 PM Peninsula Peace and Justice Center<ppjc@peaceandjustice.org> wrote: West Coast Mass March forPalestineSaturday, November 4, 1:00 PMCivic Center, San FranciscoEvent Web Page Sponsors: Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM);Arab Resources and Organizing Center web-banner-980x411 image (AROC); U.S. Palestinian Community Network(USPCN); Act Not to Stop War and End Racism(ANSWER); Al-Awda; NorCal Sabeel; Party forSocialism and Liberation (PSL); CaliforniaCoalition for Worker Power (CCWP); OaklandEducation Association (OEA); QueersUndermining Israeli Terror (QUIT); TeachingPalestine; Art Focus; International JewishAnti-Zionist Network (IJAN); Workers WorldParty (WWP); Jewish Voices for Peace Bay Area(JVP); Council on American-Islamic Relations(CAIR); Union of Palestinian American Women(UPAW)   New from PPJC!Peace & Social Justice Harvest FairSunday, November 1911:00 AM - 2:00 PMFellowship Hall, First Presbyterian Church1140 Cowper Street, Palo AltoEvent Web Page Promote Fair Trade • Reduce your carbonfootprint • Celebrate the wonderful workbeing done by local organizations •Enjoy free food and beverages • Havefun! Sponsored by First PresbyterianChurch and Peninsula Peace and JusticeCenter   Fridays For Future Climate VigilFriday, November 3, 12:00 NoonPalo Alto Civic Center, King Plaza, 250 Hamilton Avenue,Palo Alto How are you feeling about climate change? In associationand solidarity with the global Fridays for Future movement,Fridays For Future Palo Alto conducts a climate strike everyFriday in front of Palo Alto City Hall. This Friday, KimberlyWiefling will facilitate her popular Creating-A-Vision Workshop, in which we willenvision life in Palo Alto in the year 2040. More...   Silent Vigil for Peace in Israel/Palestine Friday, November 3, 12:00 NoonEl Camino Real & Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto This Friday, members of Women's Int'l League for Peace &Freedom - Peninsula/Palo Alto Chapter grieve that the needarises again, to stand against the violence of war, with theterrible attacks of Hamas against Israelis, soldiers, womenand children alike, and taking hostages; and thesubsequent bombardment and counter attacks in Gaza, killing Hamasmembers/sympathizers and innocent civilians, women and children alike. More...   Goodbye Gas, Hello EVs!Thursday, November 2, 7:00 PMVirtual Event - Register Here Everyone’s talking about electric vehicles: they cost less tofuel and maintain, and they fight climate change. Come tothis webinar to learn why EVs are all the rage and how to goelectric. Join a breakout room after the main presentation toask about a specific model you're eyeing. RSVP now to getin on the EV action! More...   Transforming Communities 2023: A Program on Single-Payer Health CareWednesday, November 8, 5:00 PMWashington Square Hall, Room 109, San Jose State Univ.,San Jose - RSVP SJSU's College of Health and Human Sciences and HumanRights Institute 2023 Transforming Communities programis partnering with the Santa Clara County Single PayerHealth Care Coalition to screen the documentary Healing US, a compelling newdocumentary on the human, moral and material cases for a single-payerhealthcare system for all Americans. Panel discussion to follow. More...   Catch up with latest from PeaceAndJustice.org   Video: Emergency Gaza Webinar with Prof. JoelBeinin Recorded on October 19, already watched by1500+ people. The Rhetoric of War and Genocide Is on Displayby US and Israeli Media The U.S. and Israel aresecuring their populations’ support for Israel’sbombardment through calculating rhetoric andsupportive media systems. They aremanufacturing consent for violence. Gaza bombing adds to the generations ofPalestinians displaced from their homes Palestinian refugees represent the longestprotracted refugee situation in modern history.For 75 years now, they have been forced to live asa stateless population without the ability toreturn to their homeland. Don’t Silence Palestinian Voices "An estimated10,000 of us showed up — it was a historiccommunity call for peace. Yet it was noticeablyabsent from local news coverage. Just theprevious week, a smaller rally in support of theIsraeli government was covered by a swath oflocal news outlets." 400,000+ US Citizens to Top Democrats: FixSupreme Court Corruption “It’s time for Senateleaders to step in and do something,” said onecampaigner. “If the court cannot act in an ethicalmanner and put the will of the people over theirwealthy benefactors, then Congress must actnow.”   Please support our work with a contribution. Thank you. Peninsula Peace and Justice Centerppjc@peaceandjustice.org peaceandjustice.org | www.facebook.com/penin.pjc https://youtube.com/ppjcvideo (650) 326-8837    Peninsula Peace and Justice Center | 4546 El Camino Real B10-335, Los Altos, CA 94022 Unsubscribe abjpd1@gmail.com Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by ppjc@peaceandjustice.org powered by Try email marketing for free today! From:Scott O"Neil To:Council, City Subject:Status of Cal Ave During Study Period Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 6:42:04 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Palo Alto City Councilmembers, I write regarding Monday's decision on the status of California Avenue and Ramona. I will mostly speak to California Avenue because I do not believe keeping Ramona open as a people- first space is under serious threat. (As a South Palo Altan, I'll try not to read too much into that.) The pandemic is over, but some changes will always be with us. Some of our neighbors are immunocompromised and will always be masking. Many others discovered some basic precautionary habits that keep us healthier, such as dining outdoors. I expect this will stay in elevated demand, indefinitely. And California Avenue is a special part of Palo Alto that makes it uniquely suited for meeting this demand. Unlike our other Downtown, Cal Ave is centrally located, with seamless safe bike access extending even to our southernmost neighborhoods. I drive to City Hall, but I bike to Cal Ave. Which brings me to a compromise that is before you for consideration. I got to California Avenue year-round. And what brings me there is: Being able to move across the street or even walk down the middle without worrying about being run over. Enjoying myself without hearing cars, neither their motors nor the sounding of horns. Breathing clean air. Always. The proposed compromise is that we would not be allowed to move so freely and so safely. I would be subjected to car noise and horns. I would occasionally get that familiar waft of exhaust. What I'm trying to get at, is: the reason people want this to be a car-free space has nothing to do with some numerical quantity, like the allocation of square footage. It is about having a person-first space. That's categorical. It either is, or it isn't. Just as splitting a baby in half does not serve to compromise on who gets any given baby, closing just one lane of California Avenue to humans is not actually compromise in any sensible use of the word. And make no mistake: Palo Altans do want this to stay a people-first, car-free space -- categorically. In the city's outreach, 79% of respondents favor keeping the space people-first. You don't often see that kind of unanimity in polls. In 2013 PPP did a fun one that I sometimes use to contextualize extreme survey results like this. [1] Only 67% of Americans disapproved of lice. Root canals? 56-34. Traffic jams were disapproved of by only 56 percent. When you see a number like 79% of Palo Altans want to keep cars off Cal Ave --that's a ridiculous result that you should never expect to find in a staff report. But it's right there on page 17 of Attachment E. This isn't like housing policy. The State isn't standing over your shoulder, making sure you have to make some kind of decision that will be unpopular. You can simply do the popular, the safe, the less-noisy, the odor-free, the staff-recommended thing on this hot-button topic of city-wide concern. Thank you. -Scott O'Neil P.S. I am a board member at Palo Alto Forward, writing for myself. [1] https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/poll-congress-less-popular-than-cockroaches- root-canals-and-nickelback/ From:Pamela Walsh To:Council, City Subject:Ramona Street - Outdoor Dining Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 6:21:59 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from pamela@pamelawalshgallery.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Councilmembers, As a business owner on Ramona Street, I am writing to show my support for maintaining the street closure for outdoor dining. My business does not operate outside, but I have benefitted greatly from the street closure. There has been an uptick in foot traffic for my retail business because of the draw of outdoor dining. I am in favor of keeping the dining areas indefinitely. People love the experience on Ramona Street – it makes this a fun and festive place to visit. With the challenges we have faced since the pandemic began, small businesses have struggled to stay open. The street closure has help keep us afloat! I hope you will take that into consideration when you vote on this issue. Sincerely, Pamela Pamela Walsh c. 415-420-5122 540 Ramona Street | Palo Alto, CA www.pamelawalshgallery.com From:Deborah Goldeen To:Council, City Subject:Office Workers and Cal Ave Retail Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 4:32:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ I shopped at Gamelandia (on corner of Birch and S California Ave) this afternoon. Since, I was there I asked the clerk if he thought moving Gamelandia to the closed portion of Cal Ave would increase their sales. He said, “No, it wouldn’t make any difference.” He then told me about how he used to work at Gray Matter, a store that was on the closed section of Cal Ave both before and after the closure to cars. He said, “It’s the office workers who did most of the shopping. That’s what’s hurt retail. They are all gone and, it seems, not coming back.” Pre-COVID, Sandhill Rd VCs required startup offices to be within a “thirty minute drive” of Sandhill Rd. That meant the majority of startups were tethered to northern Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County (Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Redwood City). A month into the pandemic and VC figured out how to do all their business over Zoom. That seems to have turned out well enough for them. For our local, Cal Ave retail, not so much. Deborah Goldeen 2130 Birch, (650)799-3652 From:Michael Knowles To:Council, City Subject:Please close Cal Ave permanently Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 2:03:36 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from michael.c.knowles@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear Members of the City Counsil: As a resident of Evergreen Park for the past 32 years, the temporary closure of Cal Ave has been the best thing that has happened to our neighborhood. Closing it permanently could give way to investment by merchants to cater to a walking clientele. Castro Street in Mt View is a good example of a thriving community asset. I have read with interest the minority view that allowing the street to stay open will assist non-restaurant merchants, but their arguments are simply not compelling with ample free parking behind businesses on both sides of the street. This is a historic opportunity to make Cal Ave truly a lasting asset for the community. I hope you will make the right choice. Thank you for listening, Mike Knowles 380 Oxford Avenue Sent from my iPhone From:Simon Firth To:Historic Resources Board Cc:darlene.yaplee@gmail.com; Council, City Subject:The need to require affirmative consent from property owners for historic designation Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 1:39:34 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from simonfirth@earthlink.net. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ Dear Historic Resources Board Members: At the recent Community Meeting regarding the 2023 Historic Resource Reconnaissance Survey both boardmembers and city staff present suggested that the neither the HRB nor the city council are likely to add properties tothe city’s historic register agains the wishes of property owners. That seems like the right thing to do. It matches thestate and national processes for historic designation, and is appropriate given the degree to which the significance ofbeing placed on the register is both in dispute within the community and appears likely to shift over time (as newincentives are developed, for example). The meeting also made clear that the outreach to home owners has been very limited (essentially, a couple of piecesof generic-seeming mail sent to the building address regardless of where the owner resides). I think it’s thereforesafe to assume that many building owners will only find out well after the fact that the city has chosen to change thestatus of their homes with genuine consequences for their ownership. Given these two facts - that owners who are aware of the process appear unlikely to have their homes designatedover their objections, and that an unknown number of owners are unaware of the process that is underway - I thinkyou need to expect that approving the designation of a building as historic without the owner’s affirmative assentwill be asking for trouble. At the very least, I think you need to discuss and understand the legal ramifications of sodoing at your next meeting. If the HRB and city council decide not to designate any building over the objection oftheir owners, it seems to me that you will need to discuss and outline a simple process for homeowners who werenot aware that this process was happening to undo a designation once they do find out that it has occurred andobject. Even if both the HRB and council do decide to designate some buildings over the objections of their owners,you can still expect legal and other ramifications from owners who were not aware that their homes were coming upfor designation and therefore weren’t in a position to offer their opinion on the matter. I do think you have a way to avoid this potential legal and procedural mess: explicitly require affirmative consentfrom property owners for historic designation. By doing that, you will upset zero homeowners, and you will addsome number of houses to your historic list since some homeowners will be very happy to have their propertiesplaced on it. Most importantly, since acquiring homeowner consent will require that you actually reach them, youcan be confident, in a way that you simply can’t be at present, that both the HRB and city council won’t be facinglegal and other ramifications from aggrieved building owners upset that either they didn’t get the veto that othersreceived or had their buildings designated without a realistic opportunity to object. I do hope that you will be able to discuss this solution prior to your considering specific houses for designation atyour next meeting. It keeps the process amicable, discourages litigation, demonstrates goodwill on your and thecouncil’s part, and will still result in some number of homes being newly designated as historic. As you know from my previous correspondence, I think that you before you do anything, you should be revisitingthe reasoning behind historic designations in the light of changed attitudes toward the need for housing in Californiaand the weakening hold that the “great white men” approach to history enjoys in the state. That would result in anewer, more justifiable, set of criteria for historic designation that you could create while also rethinking theincentives you offer homeowners for a designation that, however mistakenly, many are currently desperate to avoid. It would also likely merit many additional houses in the area being viewed as equally “historic” as the ones on the current and now random-feeling list created decades ago. Although that process could result in far less rancor that the one you are undergoing at present, my impression is that you feel that you have no option to but to barrelthrough with discussing the current set of buildings before you. If you really do have no other choice than to keepgoing, I hope you at least can build in affirmative ascent as a pressure relief valve that works to the benefit of allparties in the process. Many thanks for your consideration, Simon Firth2131 Harvard StPalo Alto, CA 94306 From:matt@evolutionaryteams.com To:Palo-Alto@FridaysForFutureUSA.org Subject:FFF Follow Up – Oct 27 (Week #94) Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 11:35:29 AM Attachments:image001.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. David joined up to celebrate Heat Pump Water Heater Day! We visited the heat pump water heater on display in the City Hall lobby. Let’s keep raising awareness of Palo Alto’s water heater replacement program! Thanks for joining us, David! George informed us about an upcoming action in San Francisco sponsored by Oil and Gas Action Network and XRSF to protest the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) CEO summit. Find details in the upcoming climate action section below. Thanks, George! Casey shared that her passion for climate action is motivated by wanting to secure the best possible future for her daughter. She takes inspiration from other climate activists who are likewise fighting for our future. We all expressed our appreciation for celebrities who have taken up this challenge like Mark Ruffalo, Dolly Parton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damen and Jane Fonda. Thank you for sharing that, Casey! David shared that his environmental awareness arose from his older brothers’ commitments to veganism which inspired lifelong activism. Thanks, David, for your passionate commitment! After visiting the heat pump water heater display at City Hall, we marched to Anna Eshoo’s office, urging her staff to communicate our concerns about the use of tax dollars to fund the killing of children and to join the resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza." Then, during our lunch, Sakura joined us and shared her experiences of participating in protest actions in Seattle during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement." Thanks, Sakura, for your passion and inspiration! This Friday is our field trip to Stanford to support our allies at the True School of Sustainability. If you haven’t RSVP’ed yet, you can do that here: Event Details & Registration | Scientists Speak Up Keep Up the Fight and See You Friday! Climate Justice is Social Justice Upcoming Events Friday, Nov 3: Noon to 1:00, FIELD TRIP to Stanford: MIT Prof. Charles Harvey presents Decoding CCS: Oil Companies’ Role and the Climate Crisis. Let’s support our allies at the Coalition for a True School of Sustainability! RSVP: Event Details & Registration | Scientists Speak Up Friday, Nov 10: Noon to 1:00, Joint Event – Climate Stike and Climate Friends Book Club – we will discuss All We Can Save chapter 5 – King Plaza in front of Palo Alto City Hall Wed, Nov 15: 7AM – Oil and Gas Action Network and Extinction Rebellion Protest at APEC CEO Summit in SF. More details here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/pledge-to-resist-the-asia-pacific-economic-cooperation-summit-in-san- francisco-nov-11-18/ Wed, Nov 15: 6:30-8:30PM – Conversation about "Just Action" with Richard Rothstein and Leah Rothstein discussing “Just Action.” – Imagination Lab School, 4050 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Details here: https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/events/2023/11/15/conversation-about-just-action-with-richard-rothstein-and- leah-rothstein EngageOn calendar: https://www.engageon.org/events Peninsula Peace and Justice calendar: https://peaceandjustice.org/events-calendar/ More Climate Action Matt is preparing a talk to climate curious business leaders who are asking the question, “What Can I Do?” Here is the latest draft: https://youtu.be/k53hMQzs83M Feedback welcome! Open up your brain to new ideas about our fossil-free future and add your Headlines from the Future to our Palo Alto Vision 2040 here. Casey recommends both Third Act and Environmental Voter Project, Palo Alto’s Heat Pump Water Heater Program Status Here’s the latest data on the Heat Pump Water Heater Program: As of:10/2 9/7 7/27 6/29 6/1 4/27 4/5 HPWH full-service interest list signups 549 521 459 511 488 466 432 Site assessment agreements (SAA) sent 549 519 458 437 399 345 125 Signed SAAs 407 387 326 306 280 156 70 Completed site assessments 342 311 244 147 111 58 22 New HPWH rebate applicants TBD 7 12 4 Rebates paid this month TBD 6 2 5 Installations Total Full Service HPWHs installed 90 70 27 16 12 8 1 Total DYI HPWH installed TBD 13 TBD TBD Total HPWHs installed 90 83 TBD TBD Target Installations 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 Monthly Installation Rate Monthly Installation Rate 20 43 13 9 4 7 n/a Target Monthly Installation Rate 83 83 83 83 83 Weekly Photos FFF Oct 27: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SK82JczqS9KGEoey5 What We Are Reading/Watching/Listening to: James Hansen just released his latest peer-reviewed paper. Based on his paleoclimate model, this paper 4.8C temperature rise based on current GHG levels, not 3C as previously modeled. Also, this paper claims that geoengineering interventsion are now required to preserve a human-habitable climate. Read the paper here: https://www.eenews.net/articles/james-hansen-is-back-with-another-dire-climate-warning/ The Letter is a film about Pope Francis’ Laudato Si. https://www.theletterfilm.org/ Roger Hallum, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, Designing the Revolution podcast series. Climate One podcast: https://www.climateone.org/listen-watch/podcasts (By the way, I interviewed co-host Greg Dalton here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epzK2e161JA ) The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens (podcast): https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/ Follow Fridays For Future Palo Alto: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fridaysforfuture_paloalto/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fri4Future_PA Email notifications of FFF Palo Alto events: https://mailchi.mp/c8c130127345/join-fridays-for-future-palo-alto You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in supporting climate action in Palo Alto. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please let me know. Matt Schlegel Organizer Fridays For Future Palo Alto Cell: 650-924-8923 Email: Palo-Alto@FridaysForFutureUSA.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fridaysforfuture_paloalto/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fri4Future_PA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMGKrv_ADB5k7HPK9FJO_Hw Web: https://fridaysforfutureusa.org/local-groups/palo-alto/ Email List: https://mailchi.mp/c8c130127345/join-fridays-for-future-palo-alto From:Hanna corny To:Council, City Subject:Opening California Avenue Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 11:31:11 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from hannaashly@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. City Council,As a concerned resident, I would like you all to consider the reopening of traffic on California Avenue. I am a Palo Alto resident who used to frequent California Avenue. With the streetbeing closed I no longer find it a desirable place to go. It is inaccessible for day-to-day needs. I have been down there a few evenings to dine but otherwise, I feel like it’s hard to access myusual Molly Stones and Caltrain. I used to use Starbucks but found the street to be too dreary during the daytime hours. I now find myself headed to University Ave. It’s sad to see suchdeterioration in the area. You put in an entire parking garage yet there is no traffic to occupy it. Reopening the street doesn't have to mean opening all lanes forever. We need to see thecouncil at least trying to solve this situation for the businesses on Cal Ave that are NOT benefiting from this closure. Making it a one-lane street? Opening it for a year then closing itfor a year, alternating? Think about it! a lot of people's businesses depend on your decisions. Thank you, Hanna Ashly View this email in your browser From:LWV Palo AltoTo:Council, CitySubject:Introducing "First Thursdays" - Join us tonight @7 PM!Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 9:00:08 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. LWVPA First Thursdays Thursday, November 2, 2023 7:00 - 8:00 pm Chamber of Commerce Conference Room 355 Alma Street, Palo Alto What's new at the League? We are launching monthly League meetups called “First Thursdays.” These will be informal get togethers on first Thursday of each month, some in the morning for coffee and some in the evening after dinner, so people with varying demands on their time could join. These gatherings will feature interesting conversations on topics related to our community and provide a place where we can share ideas and build community in an informal way. There will be no RSVPs, just bring your own snacks and drop in! Our first gathering will be on November 2 at 7 pm, and we will sit down to chat with Adina Levin, Board Member at Seamless Bay Area (SBA). SBA envisions the integration of housing and transportation around the bay, and Adina will walk us through the inspiring efforts of how the Bay Area would achieve this vision. Does Palo Alto have a role in this and what could it be? We hope you’ll join us for our first "First Thursdays"! If you have questions or suggestions for future topics, please email contact@lwvpaloalto.org. Speaker Bio: Adina Levin is Seamless Bay Area's Advocacy Director. She is also Executive Director of Friends of Caltrain, a nonprofit organization which supports successful modernization of Caltrain in the context of integrated system of sustainable transportation. She contributes to a variety of local and regional advisory bodies on transportation and connections between transportation and land use. She is a serial entrepreneur with a background in for-profit and nonprofit ventures. Seamless Bay Area is a not-for-profit project whose mission is to transform the Bay Area’s fragmented and inconvenient public transit into a world-class, unified, equitable, and widely-used system by building a diverse movement for change and promoting policy reforms. LWVPaloAlto.org Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Email Email Copyright © 2023 League of Women Voters Palo Alto, All rights reserved. From Voter Recipient List Our mailing address is: League of Women Voters Palo Alto 3921 E Bayshore Rd Ste 209 Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. From:David Asher To:Council, City Subject:Open California Avenue Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 7:59:03 AM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from david.asher38@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ KEEP Open California Avenue Sent from my iPhone From:Jim Kleckner To:Council, City Subject:Support for Car Free California Ave Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 7:00:23 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jim@kleckner.net. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. As a long time resident of Palo Alto, I would like to express my support for the "Car FreeCalifornia Avenue" proposal. I think it makes this area attractive and adds value to our community. Jim From:Aram James To:Bryan Gobin; Council, City; Donald Mendoza; Ed Lauing; GRP-City Clerk; GRP-City Council; JIM MINKLER1; JoshBecker; Linda Jolley; Zelkha, Mila; Reifschneider, James; Supervisor Otto Lee; Perron, Zachary; Zelkha, Mila;chuck jagoda; cindy.chavez@os.sccgov.org; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig; james pitkin;supervisor.ellenberg+newsletter@bos.sccgov.org Subject:My Name Is Lisa Kalvelage Date:Thursday, November 2, 2023 12:44:26 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?lang=en&id=701 From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Binder, Andrew; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Kottke; DavidS. Norris; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; Lauing, Ed; Enberg, Nicholas; GRP-City Council; Gennady Sheyner; GreerStone; Greg Tanaka; Human Relations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; JulieLythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Karen Holman; Lewis james; Linda Jolley; Ortega, Javier;ParkRec Commission; Raj Jayadev; Raymond Goins; Representative Eshoo; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; SalemAjluni; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Sue Dremann; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg;Tom DuBois; Vara Ramakrishnan; Vicki Veenker; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu;Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; dennis burns; districtattorney@sfgov.org;friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; Tannock, Julie; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; Burt, Patrick Subject:Re: Affirming resolution passed by Alameda County Democrat Central Committee on Wed 1st Nov Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 11:28:59 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. On Wed, Nov 1, 2023 at 10:47 PM Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Nov 1, 2023 at 10:28 PMSubject: Affirming resolution passed by A CDC in Wed 1st Nov To: Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com> -- Books you must read: "Against Our Better Judgement: The hidden history of how the U.S. was used to createIsrael" by Alison Weir http://www.againstourbetterjudgment.com/ "State of Terror: How Terrorism Created Modern Israel" by Thomas Suarezhttp://thomassuarez.com/SoT.html "The Hundred Years War on Palestine"by Rashid Khalidi "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine"by Illan Pappe Other important websites to visit http://www.ifamericansknew.orghttps://wearenotnumbers.org/ https://electronicintifada.net/https://www.palestinechronicle.com End the illegal Blockade/Siege/collective punishment on Gaza! Tear down all the Apartheid Walls in West Bank & Gaza!Tear down all the illegal checkpoints throughout the West Bank!End the illegal War Criminal Settler-Colonial Apartheid Terrorist Israeli Occupationof all of Historic Palestine!Right to Return to their homes and land in Historic Palestine for all Palestinians!End all U.S. aid to IsraelFree Palestine! Long Live Palestine! Support Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) & Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)Campaigns!http://www.bdsmovement.net http://www.WhoProfits.orghttp://www.pacbi.org Support Solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla - We will sail until Palestine is Free! https://freedomflotilla.org/ Support ISM volunteers in West Bank and Gaza Strip!http://www.palsolidarity.org Donna Wallachcats4jazz@gmail.com Skype: palestinewillbeTwitter: @PalestineWillBe (cell) 408-569-6608 From:Pat Marriot To:Council, City Subject:Time to open California Ave Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 10:07:31 PM Attachments:CalAve-Ad-Post_MS FINAL (2).pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from patmarriott@sbcglobal.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council Members, Instead of yet another study that will keep Cal Ave closed for yet another year, why don’t you do the right thing and listen to ALL the business owners? In 2015, the city completed a $7M streetscape project. http://paloaltoonline.com/news/2014/03/14/cover-story-making-a-new-downtown The slogan was “California Avenue: Making a new downtown.” Four lanes were reduced to two. Remember the healthy trees that were cut down? Remember the glass in the sidewalks? Years later, we’ve got a hodgepodge of restaurant parklets and a miniature golf course (!) on a public street. We do not have a “new downtown.” The attached ad from 2012 – presumably the old downtown – lists over 50 diverse businesses that once made the area vibrant. Most of them are gone. I’m not suggesting the street closure is responsible for the loss of many of those 50 establishments, but prolonging the closure – long after the COVID pandemic – shamelessly favors a few restaurants at the expense of other restaurants, retailers and services. For those who say closed city streets are reminiscent of pleasant outdoor spaces in Europe, I offer this photo from a recent Palo Alto Weekly. I don’t recall anything this trashy in the European cities I visited. Stop kicking the can down the road while throwing money down the drain. Look back at what worked – not just for a few restaurants – but for the entire district. Forget winners and losers. Stop pretending Cal Ave is a Paris boulevard or an Italian piazza. It was, and could be again, a thriving district of diverse and successful shops and restaurants that would draw a diverse crowd of residents and visitors. It’s time to open Cal Ave for the benefit of ALL. Thanks for listening, Pat Marriott CALIFORNIAAVENUE... WHAT’S IN THE WORKS Small Improvements Can Make the California Avenue Business District Even More Successful and Vibrant. As businesses in the California Avenue Business District, we are eager for the long delayed and much needed improvements to California Avenue. Many of the improvements would make the area more attractive and improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and automobiles. We have encouraged the City to provide better parking for cars and bicycles, repaving and restriping the streets, and creating raised and brightly marked crosswalks. We are also in favor of thoughtful and sustainable planting, better lighting, and more recycling/rubbish stations. The businesses represented here have all raised serious concerns about the short- and long-term impact if the lanes on California Avenue are reduced from four to two. The current lane reduction plan has bikes sharing the same one lane with cars, emergency vehicles and delivery trucks. Many of our customers arrive by car, and we believe that traffic backups with two lanes would be inconvenient, potentially dangerous, and detrimental to business. Also, this would likely have an unintended congestion impact on our surrounding neighborhoods. The California Avenue Business District is already successful due to its unique character and the longevity of its local small businesses. We hope that the City continues with safety and beautification efforts for the District, but leaves the existing lane structure intact. We truly want what is best for everyone: for businesses, for the people who live and work here, and for those who come visit us. PAID FOR BY BUSINESSES CONCERNED WITH THE FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA AVENUE. Accent Arts (Since 1970) Anatolian Kitchen (Since 2010) Antonio’s Nut House (Since 1972) Avalon Art & Yoga Center (Since 2002) Baumé Restaurant (Since 2010) Beauty Spa by Ereeda (Since 1992) Birch Street – Bistro Elan (Since 1995) Brite n’ Clean (Since 1996) Café Brioche (Since 1995) California Ave. Norge Village Cleaners (Since 1961) California Paint (Since 1946) Campus Barber Shop (Since 1999) Cho’s Dim Sum (Since 1979) Cigar House (Since 2010) Country Sun Natural Foods (Since 1971) Cut Color Style Pro Salon (Since 2011) Demetra Paras Therapy (Since 2005) DiPietro Todd Salon (Since 1998) European Cobblery (Since 1942) Farmer’s Insurance (Since 1967) Hairshaper’s Club (Since 2010) Heshmat Pain Management (Since 2006) Ingrid’s Suntanning (Since 1985) Izzy’s Bagels (Since 1996) Jinsho Japanese (Since 2007) Keeble & Shuchat (Since 1965) La Bodeguita del Medio (Since 1997) La Jolie Nail Spa (Since 2007) Law Office of Peter N. Brewer (Since 1995) Leaf & Petal (Since 1978) LeHot Properties (Since 1979) Lotus Thai Bistro (Since 2008) Marty Klein, Ph.D., Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (Since 1987) Massage Therapy Center (Since 1981) Maximart Pharmacy (Since 1972) Meffert Investment LLC (Since 1988) Mollie Stone’s (Since 1990) Morton CPA (Since 1980) No Knew Books (Since 1988) Office of Dr. Kenneth Seeman (Since 1970) Office of M. Goldeen (Since 1965) Palo Alto Eyeworks (Since 1998) Palo Alto Baking Company (Since 1982) Palo Alto Sol Restaurant (Since 1992) Ramona’s Too Pizza (Since 1976) Space Age Publishing Company (Since 1977) Spalti Restaurant (Since 1996) Stanford Mortgage (Since 1993) Szechzuan Café (Since 2008) Taqueria Azteca (Since 1986) The Industry Hair Artists (Since 2008) Uzumaki (Since 2008) Vin, Vino, Wine (Since 1985) Zen Garden Nail Salon (Since 2010) Zombie Runner (Since 2008) From:Viranchi To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 7:54:14 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from vpatel29@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:Carol Ezrati To:Council, City Subject:Leave Cal Ave Closed Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 6:44:38 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from cezrati@icloud.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ I live about 4 blocks from California Ave. closing the street to cars has been a huge advantage to the neighborhood. The street is hopping almost every night and attracts many from outside the area. I know retailers are concerned that the road closure has reduced their business. There is plenty of parking behind the businesses and in the local parking lots. The lack of business is more closely correlated to remote workers and empty office buildings. Even if the road was open, the retail traffic would be limited because there are fewer people working in the area. Please don’t be swayed by a few vocal retailers. A closed Cal Ave is better for most people. Carol Ezrati Sent from my iPhone From:Lester D Ezrati To:Council, City Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 6:39:03 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from lezrati@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council This is an easy one. Keep the cars off California Avenue. Best regards Les Lester Ezrati6505754714 From:Sheena Hillier To:Council, City Subject:Please Keep Cal Ave Car Free Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 1:12:05 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from hillier.sheena@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, I relocated to live near Cal Ave specifically as I love how it's car free and my family and I canenjoy the space. We've visited the restaurants there significantly more since the kids can play in the street and it's safe. Please please please do not reintroduce cars back to this area. Sheena From:slevy@ccsce.com To:Council, City Cc:Arce, Ozzy; Bansal, Megha; Nose, Kiely; Guagliardo, Steven; Lait, Jonathan Subject:111/6 agenda item 9 on street closures and related issues Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 10:34:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou and council members, I am writing in support of the staff recommendations for three major reasons. 1) The staff memo makes clear to me that any of the alternatives to the Dec 2024 closure continuance have serious logistical and resource barriers and may be in contradiction of study findings as they emerge over the year. 2) My experience as a DTN resident who walks the area every day is that the Ramona partial closure is a big success and even more inviting with the changes made to include activities and free communal seating areas. I see activity there throughout the day. I followed all of the Cal Ave presentations and heard and read in the staff report that while opinion is not unanimous, the majority of respondents favor the partial closure. 3) The studies and street design activities planned for 2024 address many of the concerns and questions posed by residents and businesses. We should wait for this new information. I have a couple of observations on my DTN and Cal Ave experience as a resident. 1) Cal Ave is partially closed and Univ Ave is fully open to traffic yet both have active dining and cafe activity and retail struggles and vacancies. To me this does not make a strong case that the partial closure is the main factor affecting store retail on Cal Ave. As a recent example Country Sun (where we go every week) is closing as a result of online and other competition for their products. 2) I see lots of people walking and eating DTN on my daily walks. That means they are able to access DTN throughout the day. They are there and can access the retail stores as they wish. 3) I support the council and staff moves to add fun activities and meeting spaces in both areas. And I support the moves to improve signage. These changes WILL help. We visit Ventura frequently to see our grandchildren. DTN has six blocks closed to cars with good signage, ample off street free parking and few vacancies. Stephen Levy From:Reid Kleckner To:Council, City Subject:Cal Ave streetscape Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 7:48:55 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from reid.kleckner@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi Council, I found agenda item #9 regarding the upcoming contract to study the car free Cal Avestreetscape, and I wanted to voice my support for continuing to maintain a car free space. I would like to see the city direct the consultant to study: 1. Bike access through cal ave2. Rezoning to add housing over retail to grow the cal ave customer base 3. Eliminating regulatory and zoning barriers to opening new businesses in vacant storefronts4. Planting street trees to grow the canopy and better shade the street Thank you for listening, Reid From:Yahoo Mail.® To:J.B. Hockersmith Subject:Pfizer can"t HIDE this anymore and could be SUED out of existence | Redacted with Clayton Morris Date:Wednesday, November 1, 2023 12:32:40 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from honkystar@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Hi J.B. Steve Kirsh EXCELLENT VIDEO YES WE NEED ALL WE HAVE ON OUR SIDE (AND GROWING) TO REACH A CRITICAL MASS We are about 8 MILLION STRONG this year, up from 4 MILLION last year, up from 2 Million 2021 1 million 2020, 500,000 2019 (covid), 200,000 2018, 100,000 2017, 50,000 2016 (28 page intel 9/11)and the first 16 years since 2000 to reach 50,000 Americans is a DISGRACE, SHAME ON AMERICA !WE? began DOUBLING population since 2016 because of the 9/11 issue (one Senator 28 page INTEL)In April of 2018 the Lawyers Committee for 9/11 Inquiry made it to FEDERAL COURT in New York Cityonward years to the Supreme Court (ONLY TO BE DENIED STANDING?) but the EVIDENCE is still thereAND THE FACTS ANYBODY CAN SEE IS ON THE LAWYER'S COMMITTEE (lcfor911.org) WEBSITE The reason that it is almost impossible to move swiftly with progress in our cause is that our own? (NOT) THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS A CORRUPTED BUSINESS up to and including the SUPREME COURT (LCfor 9/11? "NO STANDING" hmm) OUR? PROBLEM This crazy world is filled with liars and abusersWe've been dancin with the devil way too longcheaters and deceivers, go along to get alongnot fighting for truth, now time to pay all our duesbut what do we OWN to pay any of our dues with as our parents handed over our trust fund at birthwe need an intervention before we're too far gone. OUR? REACTION Well if WE? have ALL THE EVIDENCE in the WORLD of any crimes committed presented in any COURT, if the WORLD doesn't get to see or hear any of it? then who is judge and JURY ? lower courts 12, Federal and Grand 18 -24, supreme 9 (that's under 50 people) If we in MASS were to SEE and HEAR it SWIFTLY then WE THE PEOPLE are the JUDGE AND JURY AND then ALL of WE THE PEOPLE would KNOW we can NOT get any justice in any OWNED by? SYSTEM.If WE? don't OWN it, then WE? have no say or STANDING in any of what WE? DON'T OWN?For TRUTH and JUSTICE since the house we love got DIRTY we can move away and buy a new house or just stay in the house we love and find ways to clean up our DIRTY house. OUR? SOLUTION WE? must OWN what WE CREATE (ie National American Renaissance Movement) WE? must OWN our own VISUAL (few do) WE? must OWN our own RADIO (few do) WE? must OWN our own PRESS (few do) WE THE PEOPLE MUST BE IN CONTROL (of what WE OWN) IN A NUTSHELL "JUST SAY NO" to the man who would be king QuestionHow does FREE ASSOCIATION sound meaning NO RULER / NO MASTERwith only ONE RULE (mandate? law? lol) to HONOR, RESPECT and OBEYONLY ONE DO NO HARM FREE ASSOCIATION? (the nicey nice speak) THE MASSES CAN HANDLE THE NICEY NICE SPEAK FREE ASSOCIATION? AKA what the man who would be king calls chaos? lol He know not the meaning of it? ANSWERWE? don't use the WORD? that ONLY MEANS NO RULERS NO MASTERS but does NOT mean no RULE?because the MAJORITY (Duh Mock Crazy) RULES We're taught this WORD brings all of the world CHAOS? WE? can use the words FREE ASSOCIATION to the benefit of all mankind that practically all would accept it. For now I've taken on the full armor of God, no names can ever hurt meas for sticks and stones breaking bones, taken on a full metal jacket too :) The FOCUS of our GROUP is VACCINES and we are doing well speaking truth to power about the CRIMINALS of the POWERS that be, that of the INDUSTRY (AMA, FDA,, FTC, NIH, WHO, BIG PHARMA CRAZY) ETC LOL BUT there are MANY OTHER SOCIALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES that must not be left UNCHALLENGED? Things are NOT as they appear here is ONE major piece of info video makes the case against 5G Nescience is excusible because it means to not know (moreover because it can't be known ie HIDDEN)IGNORE ance is NOT excusible as it means to IGNORE readily available information, so buckpassers begone :) In Any EventKEEP STRONG BROTHER :) <3 https://www.messenger.com/messenger_media? attachment_id=1013825516406119&message_id=mid.%24gAAciJresWdmRqkoIS2LeQTADud66&thread_id=2007874522601945 On Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 03:41:01 AM EDT, J.B. Hockersmith <hockersmith1970@gmail.com> wrote: Thanks for sharing that excellent interview and I attached the latest one from two days ago. There was brief mention in both interviews about a batch(s?) that ended up including elements of glass but I’m guessing that wouldn’t have anything to do where the documentation Dr. Ana and others shows “assembly” / "disassembly” formations in the sludge. It’s awesome to see such a crack in the wall with hopefully a huge wave of lawsuits against Pfizer,CDC, etc. As cool as this course of action will be, the downside is that it'll take forever, IF, thosemulti-generational, globalist (beep)suckers are ever brought to justice. What are your thoughts on how said upcoming movement including investigations and lawsuits might help or hinder what National ARM seeking to do with its Grand Jury petition drive? Could you see us being interested in meeting Kirsch? I’d be curious as to what extent their legal process scientists would go to immediately halt distribution of the sludge, just like our folks in Florida are doing. Thank you - JB * * * * * * * * * J.B. Hockersmith US +1.470.354.6847 LinkedIn Profile: "This is DEVASTATING Covid Vaccine News for Big Pharma” with Steve Kirsch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrrVyuQazt4 On Tue, Oct 31, 2023 at 2:00 AM Yahoo Mail.® <honkystar@yahoo.com> wrote:https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/ABaADJNl7-kxZTgfzgkYIIayJ2g?reason=invalid_crumb https://youtu.be/w64Ckh_VZ5o?si=YOS9UEDw Alfred Gluecksmann <alfred@agpatents.com>; Cameron Batschke <cameron.batschke@nationbuilder.com>; David Meiswinkle <drmeiswinkle@aol.com>; Tiffany <tmcadams7@gmail.com>; Dr. Ana Mihalcea<dr.mihalcea@ammedicalmd.com>; Dr. Joseph Sansone <jsan1017@comcast.net>; Dr. Peter Breggin<breggin@hotmail.com>; Francis A Boyle <fboyle@illinois.edu>; Frank Agamemnon <honkystar@yahoo.com>; Gail Gage<gail@richardgage911.org>; Hannah Mendez <hannahmendez777@gmail.com>; hello@healthrightsMA.org<hello@healthrightsma.org>; J.B. Hockersmith <hockersmith1970@gmail.com>; Joe & Gerrie Spinale<dondiego407@hotmail.com>; Jordan Bernard <jbernard@nationbuilder.com>; Kevin Dolan<kdolan@beaconcommunitiesllc.com>; Kreutz Kimberly <kimkreutz@yahoo.com>; Legal Aid Amanda Hesse, Attorney <ahesse@justicema.org>; Maureen Colton <mcolton@beaconcommunitiesllc.com>; Michael Diamond <michaeldiamond@comcast.net>; Michael Richardson <mike@insurewithrichardson.com>; Mike Springmann <mike@mikespringmann.net>; mjkreutz@yahoo.com <mjkreutz@yahoo.com>; Nicole Northrup <northrupni64@gmail.com>; Norma Elizabeth Spinale <normaspinale@yahoo.com>; Richard Gage, AIA <rgage33@gmail.com>; Robin Nunes <luvinunes8@gmail.com>; Seal Rescue <sarah.mccormack@whales.org>; Susan Marie Spinale <sssangel118@gmail.com>; Susan Villaverde Private <greenvillagesv@gmail.com>; Terri Cockerham <terrijoy@gmail.com>; The Marti & Bob Hopper<the-hoppers@comcast.net>; Toni Murremäki <toni.murremaki@gmail.com>; Wendy Mendez<wendymendez777@hotmail.com> Pfizer can't HIDE this anymore and could be SUED out of existence | Reda... Pfizer can't HIDE this anymore and could be SUED out of existence | Reda... From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Afanasiev, Alex; Angel, David; Angie Evans; Binder, Andrew; Cecilia Taylor;Cerise Castle; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; D Martell; David S. Norris; Dennis Upton; Diana Diamond;District1@bos.sccgov.org; Don Austin; Douglas A. Murray; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Enberg, Nicholas; Jensen,Eric; Gennady Sheyner; Human Relations Commission; JIM MINKLER1; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian;Joe Simitian; Hornung, Joel; Jose Valle; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Lewisjames; Linda Jolley; Mata, Anthony; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; RobertaAhlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Sue Dremann; Supervisor Otto Lee;Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; Barberini,Christopher; chuck jagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns;districtattorney@sfgov.org; Figueroa, Eric; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; Tannock, Julie; Foley, Michael;Burt, Patrick Subject:Watch "Dr. Richey Breaks Down The TRUE History Between Israel & Palestine" on YouTube Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 11:59:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://youtu.be/sG58m1Cbxxo?si=UJ_fNxOIjV-CNCcl From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Binder, Andrew; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Kottke;Dennis Upton; District1@bos.sccgov.org; Don Austin; Donna Wallach; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Jensen, Eric;Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; Greg Tanaka; HRW Silicon Valley; Human Relations Commission; JIM MINKLER1;Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith;Holman, Karen (external); Lewis james; Kou, Lydia; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; ParkRec Commission;Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Sue Dremann; Supervisor Otto Lee;Supervisor Simitian; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Tom DuBois; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Zelkha, Mila; chuckjagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; dennis burns; dennis.burns@cityofpaloalto.org; Figueroa, Eric;friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick Subject:IIan Pappe’s groudbreakihg book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 11:01:18 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Ilan Pappe’s groudbreakihg book The Ethnic Cleansing Of Palestine Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe's groundbreaking book revisits the formation of the State of Israel. Between 1947 and 1949, over 400 Palestinian villages were deliberately destroyed, civilians were massacred and around a million men, women, and children were expelled from their homes at gunpoint. Denied for almost six decades, had it happened today it could only have been called "ethnic cleansing". Decisively debunking the myth that the Palestinian population left of their own accord in the course of this war, Ilan Pappe offers impressive archival evidence to demonstrate that, from its very inception, a central plank in Israel’s founding ideology was the forcible removal of the indigenous population. Indispensable for anyone interested in the current crisis in the Middle East. From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Afanasiev, Alex; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Cecilia Taylor; CindyChavez; Council, City; D Martell; David S. Norris; Dennis Upton; Diana Diamond; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPAToday; Lauing, Ed; Enberg, Nicholas; Jensen, Eric; GRP-City Council; Gennady Sheyner; Greer Stone; GregTanaka; HRW Silicon Valley; Human Relations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian;Joe Simitian; Jose Valle; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Karen Holman; Lewisjames; Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; Zelkha, Mila; Palo Alto Renters" Association; ParkRec Commission; RobertaAhlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Sameena Usman; Sean Allen; Seelam Reddy; Sue Dremann; Supervisor OttoLee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Tom DuBois; Vara Ramakrishnan; Vicki Veenker; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto;Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee,Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; districtattorney@sfgov.org; Figueroa, Eric;friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael; Burt,Patrick; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; yolanda Subject:Watch "Israeli Historian Ilan Pappé on Gaza War, Hostages & the Context Behind Current Violence" on YouTube Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 10:08:11 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://youtu.be/yK7jckzam5c?si=XhEjLFD54DSbUtXB From:bretande@pacbell.net To:Lait, Jonathan; French, Amy; Council, City Cc:Abendschein, Jonathan; Eggleston, Brad; Eggleston, Brad; Hodge, Bruce Subject:Heat Pumps and the Electrification Equipment Ordinance - Consent item 8, Nov. 6th, 2023 meeting Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 8:00:53 PM Attachments:PastedGraphic-1.pngimage002.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Hello Council and Staff Members, Thanks for the continuing work on the proposed noise ordinance changes. We would like to re-emphasis the need for continued discussion and clarification of the current proposal. The most important concern is the allowable noise limit for inverter heat pumps. We continue to believe the levels in Table 1 of Attachment A should be raised by 5dBA (to a maximum of 60dB at a 3 foot setback). We are strengthening our argument (laid out in our prior letter, attached) with results from some additional analysis of Heat Pump HVAC Noise Levels for popular inverter models. The latest chart below adds more product lines and highlights the two types of units, the low profile, “suitcase”, style units and the familiar “cube” shaped units typical of central AC systems. You can see that the suitcase modes have significantly lower maximum sound levels as a group. Most single family homes in Palo Alto will likely need units on the high end of the capacity range, 36kBTU or above which means the quietest units available for them will fall in the 55 - 60dB maximum sound level range. Aside from the substantive change needed above, the proposed Table 1 of Attachment is in need of correction and clarification. We understand the purpose of the Table 1 is to define exceptions to the established noise ordinance maximum sound levels only for standard heat pumps and inverter heat pumps as specific subcategories of Electrification Equipment. In that case the first two columns would apply to standard heat pumps (currently “Equipment”) and the 3rd and 4th columns to inverter heat pumps (currently “inverter pumps”). These terms should be clearly defined and table labeled accordingly. Thanks for your consideration. We are happy to discuss the topics in more detail any time. Best Regards, Bret Andersen Bruce Hodge Carbon Free Palo Alto From: Bruce Hodge <hodge@tenaya.com> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2023 11:14 AM To: Jonathan Lait <jonathan.lait@cityofpaloalto.org>; Amy French <Amy.French@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Council <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org> Cc: Jonathan Abendschein <Jon.Abendschein@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Eggleston, Brad <Brad.Eggleston@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Bret Andersen <bretande@pacbell.net> Subject: <DRAFT>Palo Alto's Proposed Noise Ordinance: Relevant Data and a Proposal Hi All, Thanks for your work on this important ordinance which has an outsize impact upon the ability of Palo Alto to electrify and meet its 80/30 climate goals. First we offer two different spreadsheets, then a proposal. The document Sound levels in side yards essentially provides the reverse relationship established by the proposed ordinance - for a given allowed noise level (in dBA) at the property line it lists the maximum sound levels for any device given its distance from the property line. We’ve listed values in 1 ft increments starting at 3’ from the property line and ranging up to 10’ away. It’s quite easy to extend the table to have a finer granularity of distances or a greater range. This table is populated using the formula referenced by this resource and assumes that the maximum sound levels provided by the manufacturer are measured at 3’ from the device. The table in the proposed ordinance makes the same assumption. Looking at the lines in the table for 55 dBA as the maximum allowed noise (starting at line 18), one can see that a device located at 3’ from the property line would have to be rated at 55 dBA or less. This is essentially the situation for all 6’ side yards (we allocate a 3’ wide zone for a device sited next to the building wall). If you have a 8’ side yard then you can locate the device 5’ from the property line and your device can emit up to 59.4 dBA. So 55 dBA for inverter units is better than before, but it’s still problematic for 6’ side yards. The reason for that is that not many devices have sound levels low enough to qualify. HP HVAC Noise Levels shows data from a survey of maximum noise levels of heat pump inverter condensers from various primary manufacturers. The range of maximum noise levels is approximately 48-68 dBA. Based on our limited survey and incorporating some amount of guesswork, we estimate that only about a third of the units we surveyed qualify at the 55dBA property line limit in 6’ setback yards. If that limit is raised to 60dBA at the property line, then about half of the units would qualify in 6’ setback yards. We also note that manufacturers vary in the way the measure and disclose levels, some provide a minimum sound level (e.g. Bryant / Carrier) in brochures and maximums only in their data sheets. Some values in the table and graphs are extrapolated in those cases. We did not check every model in every range but we attempted to capture the low and high capacity, which generally corresponds to lower to higher max noise levels for units within a given model range. We would actually be in favor of disallowing devices where the manufacturer does not provide maximum noise levels. It would also be helpful if all manufacturers disclosed their methodology for obtaining the maximum sound levels. In light of this data, we propose adding a third table that allows up to 60 dbA at the property line for inverter based units in 6’ setback yards. This could be conditional such that if about half of available units eventually qualify under the 55 dBA limit, then the 60 dbA limiit would be retired. We’re in favor of moving ahead with the current 55dBA limit for inverter units for now to allow projects that have been put on hold to proceed. Then staff should come back in 3 months or less with further analysis and either accept our proposal or make a counter proposal that would allow a greater choice of inverter units in 6’ side yards. Thanks for your attention to this and happy to answer questions or meet. Best, Bruce Hodge Bret Andersen Carbon Free Palo Alto From:Ayesha Z To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Closed Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 6:55:55 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from z23ayesha@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed,and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove thisfurther. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to therestaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There isbasically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourishas our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose moresales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decreaseleading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoordining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! From:Sally Morton To:Clerk, City Cc:John Hanna; Alina Hernes; lisalawson@lawson2.com; jimduathlete@gmail.com Subject:November 6 Council Mtg - Traffic Calming Project in the Crescent Park Neighborhood Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 6:16:08 PM Attachments:Picture Attachments.pdfCity of Palo Alto, ltr[10 31 23].pdf You don't often get email from smorton@hanvan.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. Hi City Clerk, Please find attached letter and attachments from John Hanna for distribution. Thank you! Sally Morton Paralegal NOTE: NEW ADDRESS AS OF 1/1/22!Hanna & Van Atta 525 Middlefield Road, Suite 210 Menlo Park, CA 94025Telephone: (650) 321-5700 Facsimile: (650) 321-5639 E-mail: smorton@hanvan.com This e-mail message may contain confidential, privileged information intended solely for the addressee. Please do not read, copy, or disseminate it unless you are theaddressee. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please call us (collect) at (650) 321-5700 and ask to speak with the message sender. Also, we would appreciateyour forwarding the message back to us and deleting it from your system. Thank you. From:Dinkar Bansal To:Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave Carfree Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 6:13:53 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from medinkarbansal344@icloud.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council, I'm emailing to advocate to keep the street on California Avenue closed for numerous reasons. Based on the 2021 survey which had 84% of people advocate for the street to remain closed, and over 86% of people want to see outdoor dining on the street. This overwhelming consensus still persists and we urge you to provide another survey so we can prove this further. Only small retail businesses trying to blame post covid struggles think a one-way lane would benefit when it really doesn't provide any upside and is an unnecessary determent to the restaurants which bring life to the street. Also these handicap Parking spaces were almost never available before and with growing DoorDashers they most likely never will be. There is basically no upside to this proposed solution apart from increasing likelihood of accidents. The closed street on California Ave. has created a communal space for families, students, and residents to dine, shop, play, etc. It has brought life to the street and will continue to flourish as our Third Thursdays demonstrate. We want it to stay this way and most importantly remain safe for all, especially given the large amount of kids, students, and bikers around the area. Lastly, many of the businesses that oppose the street remaining closed may arguably lose more sales with the reduced foot traffic and still not solve the general issues that affect small retail shops in our modern web-based world. The outdoor ambiance and sales of all restaurants on the strip will also certainly decrease leading to less tax revenue for the entire city. This affects the value of nearby homes and businesses, deterring potential buyers. Given almost all residents are in support of the street remaining closed, want more outdoor dining, and it is the best economic choice for the majority of people we hope you make the correct decision. Thank you! Dinkar Sent from my iPhone From:Joe Hirsch To:Council, City Cc:O"Kane, Kristen; Hansen Dick; Robin Wedell; Louie Donna; Thomsen Carl; Jill Asher; acribbs@basoc.org; ayotopoulos@avenidas.org; Greg Schmid (external); Green Maury; Machado Paul Subject:Cubberley Site Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 5:07:44 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from jihirschpa@earthlink.net. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links.________________________________ Dear City Council Members, As the City considers a 55-year lease agreement with the PAUSD for some or all of the 27 acres the PAUSD ownsat Cubberley, I ask that you recall what happened with the 20-year Lease-Purchase Agreement that the City had withthe PAUSD re: Terman (now Fletcher). After 20 years of agreed upon payments, the City was to acquire ownershipof the Terman property. However, in the 20th year just before the last payment was to be made, but after 19 years ofpayments had been made, the District told the City that it wanted to retain ownership of the Terman property andwould not transfer it to the City as agreed upon.The negotiated resolution was that the District retained ownership ofthe Terman property, but transferred the 8 acres at Cubberley that the City now owns outright (and can, if it wishes,develop it without approval from or by the District). I bring this to your attention for two principal reasons: (a) the City needs to be thoughtful in how it deals with theDistrict, given the District's track record at Terman, and (b) to urge the City to consider developing the 8 acres itowns at Cubberley, in advance of the (i) possible lengthy negotiation of the 55-year lease and (ii) the lengthyprocess to decide how the newly leased acreage obtained from the District (if any) will be developed. In this regard, Avenidas and my cardiac rehabilitation group (the Cardiac Therapy Foundation of the Midpeninsula)approached the City in 2015 with the concept to build a world-class, first rate Wellness Center on the 8 acres that theCity owns at Cubberley. We are here 8 years later and the Wellness Center is still not a reality, although no one thatI know of is opposed to having one. I am fearful have if (b)(i) and (b)(ii) happen, it will be way too many yearsbefore the Wellness Center will be built. Please don't let that delay happen. Develop the 8 acres the City already hasand don't let whatever happens with the newly leased Cubberely property (if the lease agreement ever matures) holdup what can be accomplished sooner on the 8 acres the City already owns. Thanks for considering the implications of this email and best regards to all. Joe HirschGeorgia AvenuePalo Alto From:Paul Machado To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; julielythcott-haines@cityofpaloalto.org;Veenker, Vicki; Lauing, Ed Subject:California Ave. Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 4:56:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Country Sun is closing, and soon nothing but restaurants will be left on the closed portion of the avenue. Restaurants do well on weekends and some weeknights, but during the day much of the closed street is dead. Many cities such as Los Altos,Menlo Park, etc. have opened the street to limited traffic, kept the parklets and theyappear to be doing very well.. Downtown has done this and is doing much better than Cal Ave. Perhaps it is time to open the street to see if it helps businesses other than restaurants. I understand some of those businesses support this idea. Thank you Paul Machado From:Michelle To:Council, City Subject:Car Free California Ave Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 2:22:34 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from msibly@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello, I would like to express my strong desire to keep California Ave car free. With the street closedto vehicles, and the restaurants expanding onto the street and sidewalks, Cal Ave has become a really great center of the community. I go there all the time with my family and we reallyenjoy being able to wander all over the street without having to worry about cars and crossings. I understand some might think that opening the street up to cars would help the businesses, butI disagree. There is a ton of parking all around, including the large parking lot on Cambridge which always seems to have ample parking. All that would be achieved by opening Cal Ave tocars is traffic congestion, less space for the community to enjoy, and maybe an extra 30 parking spaces which are not even needed. I urge the council to listen to the community and keep California Ave car free permanently! Thanks,Michelle Sibly 301 Oxford Ave From:Otis Cunningham To:Council, City Subject:Quick phone call for Lydia Kou - Palo Alto City Council? Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 11:31:15 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from okknbcxsdyjhcdfy765@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello, I appreciate it is a weekday, so I will be fast… It seems your company might be getting a ton of incoming calls from customers . Have youever looked into expert help responding to them? All the best, Otis Cunningham, Missell From:Natalie Bukhan To:Council, City Cc:Transportation Subject:Fwd: Assistive tech for visually impaired Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 11:18:40 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from nbukhan@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello City Council Members, Thirteen days ago, on Oct18th I sent an email to the Palo Alto Transportation department asking them to consider installing assistive devices for visually impaired residents of Palo Alto. I, Natalie Bukhan, a resident of Palo Alto, is one such persons. Despite the claim on the Transportation website that a response would come within three days, I have gotten no response. I am asking for your help in getting a response, but ultimately giving this matter your utmost attention. The City's Transportation disregard for the needs of visually impaired is in clear dissonance with the requirements and spirit of the American With Disabilities Acts (ADA). I respectfully request a reply from you shortly. Natalie Bukhan, 650 279 3033 3200 Ramona St, Palo Alto, CA 94306 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Natalie Bukhan <nbukhan@gmail.com>Date: Wed, Oct 18, 2023 at 4:04 PM Subject: Assistive tech for visually impairedTo: <Transportation@cityofpaloalto.org> Hello, My name is Natalie Bukhan. I reside at 3200 Ramona St, Palo Alto. I am a severely visually impaired person ("legally blind"). I do have some peripheral vision that allows me to walk the streets of Palo Alto on my own. What I have tremendous trouble with is crossing some of the busy streets in the city. A good exception is the crossing of Middlefield Road and Colorado Str that is equipped with an "accessible pedestrian signal (APS)" that emits audio signals when it is safe to cross the street. But most other crossings in Palo Alto are not equipped with it. I personally am very much interested in having the following crossings having the APS: - Oregon Expressway and Bryant Str - Oregon Expressway and Cowper Str - San Antonio Road and Middlefield Road California ADA Title II "requires that State and local governments give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services and activities (e.g. public educations, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts, voting, and town meetings)." I would like to ask the Transportation Department to install assistive signals on the busy street crossings to make my life and the lives of many older and visually impaired people more independent and fulfilling. Natalie Bukhan nbukhan@gmail.com 650 279 3033 3200 Ramona Stre, Palo Alto From:Office of Supervisor Susan EllenbergTo:Council, CitySubject:Happy Halloween - Read Our October Newsletter!Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 10:51:41 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from supervisor.ellenberg@bos.sccgov.org. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. Greetings D4 residents & friends - Kind of spooky how fast the year goes, right?! I hope you had a fun Halloween & meaningful Día de los Muertos if you celebrated either or both. As we head intothe holiday season, please bear in mindthat while for some these months are filledwith joy, others may be experiencing stress, sadness or anxiety – I urge you to take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Parade of Champions We did a new thing this year. My team hasproudly participated in the City of SantaClara’s Parade of Champions since its reconstitution in 2019 but this year we also recognized our own district 4 champions who were honored with certificates, sashesand the opportunity to join the D4 team aswe walked in the parade. Check out thefirst and awesome D4 Champions here: Brooke Ramirez - Cambell Resident andVolunteer - Brooke is the point person forCampbell Parade Bunnies and Bonnets. Neighbors say she is the heart and soul of this beloved tradition and works tirelessly to make sure everyone enjoys the event. Maria Ines Ortega - Vice President ofCadillac Winchester Neighborhood Organization - Maria served as the CWNA President for 5 years and has always been an advocate for her community. She alsovisits Westmont and Monroe schools,where she meets with staff to discussways to prevent bullying and violence. Edward Saum - President of Shasta Hanchett Neighborhood Association - Ed hosts meetings to strategize how to betterhis community. He does an incredible jobof keeping residents informed of servicesand events happening around the neighborhood. De Anna Mirzadegan - President of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association - DeAnna is a natural and effective connector.Under her leadership, WGNA has hostedamazing events including National Night Out, Movie Nights, and the unveiling of the Illuminated Clock in Willow Glen. Vince Navarra - President of HammanPark Neighborhood Association - Vince isnever afraid to speak up about issues in theneighborhood. He organizes litter pickups and maintains the park. This year he brought the community together for a picnic in the park! Dr. Nira Singh - Dr. Nira Singh accepted acommunity award for AACI. AACI is one of the largest community-based organizations advocating for and serving marginalized communities in SCC. Recently we havecollaborated with AACI, to provide healthfairs in our District, and overall, they dogreat work for our community. Scroll down to see pictures from our D4Champions ceremony! Grail Family Services 2023 GFS SiempreAward Supporting all children and families hasbeen and always (siempre!) will be one of my focal points to measure my office’s success. I was honored to receive the 2023 Grail Family Services Award whichrecognizes the work my office has done tosupport the wellbeing of children andfamilies throughout the county. State Grant for $500,000 to Fund Four Faith-Based Reentry Resource Center Children and families with incarceratedfamily members are often invisible victimsof our justice system. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, of the 2.3 million people incarcerated in 2016, more than half were parents. To better assist these families in ourCounty, State Senator Aisha Wahab championed the successful allocation of $500,000 to fund four fellowships at our County’s four Faith-Based Reentry Resource Centers. These fellowships willdevelop programs for our reentry clients'children such as tutoring, counseling, andextracurricular activities. These children need to know they are valued. We have a responsibility to support these children, especially in cases wheretheir parents also need assistance. Thesefunds will expand our efforts to support ourreentry programs as well as provide enhanced childcare in challenging times. President Biden Visits Santa ClaraCounty I enjoyed a second opportunity to greetPresident Biden when he landed on the Moffett Field tarmac earlier this month. These moments certainly offer exciting photo opps, but they also afford me anopportunity to elevate the work of localgovernment (he acknowledged that local electeds have the toughest jobs and I agreed, though allowed that his work is important, too). During our first encounter, Ithanked him for his executive ordersaround childcare as economic stability.This time, I expressed appreciation for the new federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention and shared some of the work we are doing right here. Both times, thePresident was warm and gracious and trulymade the moments quite memorable. Special Olympics Northern California My position as Board President sends me to many different places and gives me the opportunity to speak to a myriad ofdifferent people. Although I am honored toparticipate in all of these events andprograms, there are some moments thattouch me in a deeper way. My interview with a Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) athlete/journalist was one of those moments. SONC offers free year-round programs forchildren and adults with intellectual disabilities as well as training and competitions for 11 sports. The impact of these programs is tremendous, and I loved being interviewed on their fan favoriteseries, The Special Report. Angela Page dida great job and I encourage everyone towatch our episode and follow the great work SONC continues to do across Northern California! Blog Post: Community-CenteredSolutions In this month's blog post I give some insight to the work put into creating a health fair with AACI and the importance that community voices have when creatingpolicy. Give it a read on Medium! Until next month, be well. And if you needanything, I and my team are here to provideassistance and support. Warmly, Susan Ellenberg Board President Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 4 70 West Hedding East Wing, 10th Floor San Jose, CA 95110 (408) 299-5040 Email Supervisor Ellenberg District 4 Website Unsubscribe from future messages. From:Jody Glider To:Council, City Subject:Please keep Cal Ave closed to traffic! Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 10:47:16 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from gliderjs@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. At least in warm weather, such a pleasant space to dine and congregate. Jody Glider From:Nick Weiss To:Council, City Subject:Two cents on cal Ave street closure Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 9:29:57 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, Thanks to Steve, Ed and Ozzy for running our “town hall meetings” over zoom. They are very professional and handle a lot of differing opinions very well. My name is Nick Weiss, born and raised in the California Avenue neighborhood and currentlyco-own PerformanceGaines gym on the corner of Birch/Cal Ave. My business partner and I are indifferent to whether the street is closed or open, as it pertains to our business. On a personal level, we love having the street closed. It creates a really niceambiance on the street and is a great place to grab a coffee and walk around during the day. And in the evening the restaurant vibes are great. I think one thing that could make everyone a bit happier is replacing these ugly orange roadbollards with planter boxes and plants/trees. Those are also easily removable, if needed. And they will look a whole lot more welcoming. I think the problem with the orange bollards isthat it makes it look like the street is under construction and gives people the idea they should stay away. I’d love to have a more welcoming vibe for people who are driving by or not used to the CalAve area. The colorful chairs and games are great, but those can only be seen once you are on the block. If people driving or biking or walking by saw planter boxes and people sittingaround or walking around they’d be a lot more inclined to come check out Cal Ave. Thanks again for all the hard work. Much appreciated, Nick Nick Weiss Performance Coach650.387.5502 Nick@PerformanceGaines.comwww.PerformanceGaines.com From:Getting it Right from the Start To:Kou, Lydia; kou.pacc@gmail.com; Council, City; City Mgr; Clerk, City; EnjoyOnline; EnjoyOnline; pdsdirector; CityAttorney; Edward.Daligga@PHD.SCCGOV.ORG; Nicole.Coxe@PHD.SCCGOV.ORG Subject:Getting it Right from the Start Presents: 2023 California Local Cannabis Policy Scorecards Date:Tuesday, October 31, 2023 9:19:54 AM Attachments:2023_Summary Scorecard Methodology_Delivery_Outside Only_State of Cannabis Policy in CA"s Cities & Counties.pdf Palo Alto.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from gettingitright@phi.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear California City/County Officials, Getting it Right from the Start, a project of the Public Health Institute, is pleased to announcethe official release of our 2023 Local Cannabis Policy Scorecards for each California jurisdiction that allows storefront and/or delivery retail cannabis sales; your jurisdiction'sscorecard is attached and those of all jurisdictions by county are now available at https://www.gettingitrightfromthestart.org/custom/23-fall-updates/map-2023.html. Since 2019 we have collected annual information on the cannabis retail, marketing andtaxation policies passed by all cities and counties in California, using resources including CannaRegs (a commercial database), municipal codes and jurisdictions' websites. Using theseresources, along with direct feedback received from jurisdictions, we have developed a set of "scorecards" for every California jurisdiction that allowed cannabis retail sales at storefrontsor by delivery. These scorecards measure how far jurisdictions have gone beyond state law to promote public health and advance social equity. They are modeled off the "State of TobaccoControl" report cards long used by the American Lung Association to promote local action for tobacco control. We hope they will serve as a useful roadmap for community leaders such asyourselves to promote a safer cannabis market. Please note that policies evaluated in our 2023 Local Cannabis Policy Scorecards werethose passed by January 1, 2023; policy changes passed after January 1, 2023, are notreflected - they will be in the 2024 scorecard. To advance and evaluate to what extent potential best practices were adopted to protect youth, promote public health, and advance social equity, scores are based on six public health andequity-focused categories. A summary of the methodology, along with your jurisdiction's scorecard and a map with concrete examples of best practices adopted by your fellowCalifornia cities and counties, are enclosed. A comprehensive explanation of our methodology can be found on our website at: https://www.gettingitrightfromthestart.org/custom/23-fall-updates/map-2023.html. We realize these scorecards can't capture all the ways local governments are implementing their laws, inspecting cannabis businesses, or funding prevention and implementation, whichwe recognize many local governments staff work hard to do, but they seek to accurately reflect your laws. To pursue our collective goal of developing more equitable and public health centeredcannabis policy, we offer free technical assistance, supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and have developed tools and resources for your benefit, including three modellocal ordinances for California on cannabis retail, marketing and taxation, a comprehensive policy map to help take advantage of the good work of your neighbors, and a listserv dedicated to maximizing all our efforts and sharing learning. We hope these resourceshelp jurisdictions to allow legal sale without promoting the development of a new tobacco-like industry in our state. Please let us know if we can be of assistance to your jurisdiction and don't hesitate to addressany questions or feedback to Jason Soroosh, at jsoroosh@phi.org. The Getting it Right from the Start team: Alisa A. Padon, PhD Research Director Aurash J. Soroosh, RD, MSPH Policy Associate Lynn Silver, MD, MPH, FAAP Director Kiara Gonzalez Garcia Health Equity Program Coordinator Getting it Right from the Start Public Health Institute 2000 Center Street, #308 Berkeley, CA 94607 From:Bruce Hodge To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: Palo Alto"s Proposed Noise Ordinance: Relevant Data and a Proposal Date:Monday, October 30, 2023 7:56:16 PM Attachments:PastedGraphic-1.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Forwarding to City Council since it didn’t show up in public comment letters posted by the City. Thanks,Bruce Hodge Begin forwarded message: From: Bruce Hodge <hodge@tenaya.com>Subject: <DRAFT>Palo Alto's Proposed Noise Ordinance: Relevant Data and a Proposal Date: October 19, 2023 at 11:14:17 AM PDTTo: Jonathan Lait <jonathan.lait@cityofpaloalto.org>, Amy French <Amy.French@CityofPaloAlto.org>, City Council <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>Cc: Jonathan Abendschein <Jon.Abendschein@CityofPaloAlto.org>, "Eggleston, Brad" <Brad.Eggleston@CityofPaloAlto.org>, Bret Andersen <bretande@pacbell.net> Hi All, Thanks for your work on this important ordinance which has an outsize impact upon the ability of PaloAlto to electrify and meet its 80/30 climate goals. First we offer two different spreadsheets, then a proposal. The document Sound levels in side yards essentially provides the reverse relationship established by theproposed ordinance - for a given allowed noise level (in dBA) at the property line it lists the maximumsound levels for any device given its distance from the property line. We’ve listed values in 1 ftincrements starting at 3’ from the property line and ranging up to 10’ away. It’s quite easy to extend thetable to have a finer granularity of distances or a greater range. This table is populated using the formulareferenced by this resource and assumes that the maximum sound levels provided by the manufacturerare measured at 3’ from the device. The table in the proposed ordinance makes the same assumption. Looking at the lines in the table for 55 dBA as the maximum allowed noise (starting at line 18), one cansee that a device located at 3’ from the property line would have to be rated at 55 dBA or less. This isessentially the situation for all 6’ side yards (we allocate a 3’ wide zone for a device sited next to thebuilding wall). If you have a 8’ side yard then you can locate the device 5’ from the property line andyour device can emit up to 59.4 dBA. So 55 dBA for inverter units is better than before, but it’s stillproblematic for 6’ side yards. The reason for that is that not many devices have sound levels low enoughto qualify. HP HVAC Noise Levels shows data from a survey of maximum noise levels of heat pump invertercondensers from various primary manufacturers. The range of maximum noise levels is approximately48-68 dBA. Based on our limited survey and incorporating some amount of guesswork, we estimate thatonly about a third of the units we surveyed qualify at the 55dBA property line limit in 6’ setback yards.If that limit is raised to 60dBA at the property line, then about half of the units would qualify in 6’setback yards. We also note that manufacturers vary in the way the measure and disclose levels, some provide aminimum sound level (e.g. Bryant / Carrier) in brochures and maximums only in their data sheets. Somevalues in the table and graphs are extrapolated in those cases. We did not check every model in everyrange but we attempted to capture the low and high capacity, which generally corresponds to lower tohigher max noise levels for units within a given model range. We would actually be in favor ofdisallowing devices where the manufacturer does not provide maximum noise levels. It would also behelpful if all manufacturers disclosed their methodology for obtaining the maximum sound levels. In light of this data, we propose adding a third table that allows up to 60 dbA at the property line forinverter based units in 6’ setback yards. This could be conditional such that if about half of availableunits eventually qualify under the 55 dBA limit, then the 60 dbA limiit would be retired. We’re in favor of moving ahead with the current 55dBA limit for inverter units for now to allow projectsthat have been put on hold to proceed. Then staff should come back in 3 months or less with furtheranalysis and either accept our proposal or make a counter proposal that would allow a greater choice ofinverter units in 6’ side yards. Thanks for your attention to this and happy to answer questions or meet. Best, Bruce HodgeBret Andersen Carbon Free Palo Alto From:Shannon Rose To:Council, City Cc:Shannon Rose Subject:Discussion Regarding Cal Ave Date:Monday, October 30, 2023 5:27:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou and Council Members, I was caught by surprise to read that you are contemplating keeping Cal Ave closed permanently. When you closed the street at the beginning of Covid it made sense. It doesn’t make sense now. For so many reasons it’s time to reopen the street, particularly to protect the retail businesses that are suffering because the closure prevents normal access. I live in Mayfield and I travel through Cal Ave in every direction every day. Here are major reasons the street should be reopened. We are trying to keep public transit alive in the Bay Area yet closing Cal Ave creates congestion, confusion and delays that make it harder for drivers, bikers and pedestrians to enter and exit this area. This does not encourage anyone to use the Cal Ave train station and our VTA buses. We need to restore vehicular and bicycle traffic flow back to our pre-Covid normal. Cal Ave is more dangerous when it is closed. Getting in and out of the Cal Ave area isn’t remotely intuitive. The closure causes snarls at the dead ends and pushes traffic into the narrow residential streets and the Jacaranda alleyway. These side streets were never designed to carry traffic! Mayfield is penned in by Oregon Expressway, the railroad tracks, bollards to prevent cars from cutting through Evergreen Park, and the ever busy El Camino Real. I urge you to ride a bike eastward on Cal Ave. Cross El Camino and then continue to the train station. The reality of how awkward and dangerous you’ve made it will shock you. While cars can’t cross the tracks at Cal Ave, many pedestrians and bicyclists use the pedestrian underpass to get to shopping, the train, food stores, banks, work and the University. Shoppers, workers, students, neighbors and others deserve to move safely from east to west. With no Oregon Expressway pedestrian crossing, Cal Ave carries a lot of foot and bicycle traffic. It wasn’t perfect before Cal Ave was closed, but it’s a dangerous mess now. It’s a fantasy that consultants can solve the myriad problems this street closure has caused. You’ve already wasted too much money on consultants. With Cal Ave closed, drivers struggle to move through and around this small blocked off area. They roll through stop signs, often speeding on our narrow streets. This inefficiency and confusion makes people impatient. Every day I see cars stopped at the Ash Street and Cal Ave intersection. They often park and double-park where it’s illegal, causing needless and difficult back and forth U-turns, wasting drivers’ time and causing needless emissions. Have you seen a truck trailer trying to negotiate that intersection? Unbelievable — yet they need to service the stores and restaurants on Cal Ave. Try riding your bicycle through this area to get to your bank, your grocery store, etc. It’s a ridiculous and dangerous mess. I’d also like to comment on the messy and dangerous situation you’ve created. Play areas for children and adults on Cal Ave? Chalk scrawled on the asphalt, huge chess pieces tipped over, and brightly colored tables and chairs with no one using them are scattered around the street (who paid for the furniture and who cleans and puts them in place every day?). We have nearby parks — we DO NOT need to make Cal Ave a park and have children running around. This could cloud children’s understanding of roads and how they need to be cautious on roadways. Last, it is good that most of the Cal Ave restaurants managed to survive Covid and in some cases they prospered. But at what expense? Mayfield residents need their groceries, footwear and bike stores, banks and other businesses. Your decision to keep Cal Ave closed has hurt retail businesses. This is unfair and immoral. It’s time to recognize that dining is great but it’s not the be all and end all. For those council members and others who are enamored of outside dining year round — get over it. New developments can include patios and rooftop dining. Cal Ave was NOT designed to be a restaurant mecca. We enjoyed the restaurants before Covid and we’ll continue to enjoy them, regardless of whether they have tables in the street. We must reopen Cal Ave to regular traffic. Sincerely, Shannon Rose McEntee 410 Sheridan Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306