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November 13, 2023 City Council Emails
701-32 DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE: LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES Prepared for: 11/13/2023 Document dates: 11/6/2023 – 11/13/2023 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. From:Ted O"Hanlon To:Council, City Cc:Lait, Jonathan; Sar Peruri; Amy Shyr Subject:11/13/2023: Item #9 Letter on behalf of Creekside Inn property owner to City Council Date:Monday, November 13, 2023 11:41:36 AM Attachments:Creekside Owner Rep CC letter 11-13-23.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Councilmembers Please review the attached letter highlighting potential limiting factors to housing projects at the Creekside Inn property at 3400 El Camino Real as part of the Area Focus Plan to bereviewed with Item #9 this evening. I do plan to be present at tonight's session and available to respond to any questions regarding the letter or the property in general. Thank YouTed O'Hanlon --- Ted O'Hanlontedohanlon@gmail.com 415.317.5070 mobile/text CA DRE #01868277 Page 1 Explore Real Estate CA BRE # 01478789 2625 Middlefield Rd, #101 Palo Alto, CA 94306 November 12, 2023 City Council City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Subject: El Camino Real Focus Area Plan and 3400 El Camino Real (Creekside Inn property) Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council: On behalf of SF Creekside, LLC, an Oxford Capital Group-led joint venture that owns and operates the Creekside Inn (Creekside) property we are taking this opportunity to share observations regarding potential constraints to redevelopment and creating housing on the property. Background Presently the Creekside Inn property contains 11 buildings with 180 hotel rooms with ancillary event, operations and conference space with 2 retail dining venues on approximately 3.6-acres at 3400 El Camino Real. In 2022, a “pre-application” to redevelop the property with 382 residential units was submitted and considered by Planning Staff and City Council. See Figure 2. In June 2023, another preliminary application was submitted utilizing the “Builder’s Remedy” tool that proposed a mixed use that would continue the hotel presence as suggested by City Council in 2022, while retaining several existing buildings. The plan would create 185 new residential units in two new buildings, a cluster of 4 townhome units would replace an existing operations structure adjacent to Matadero Avenue. The renovation of 3 existing hotel buildings with 63 rooms and a new hotel building with another 137 guest rooms, would total 200 guest rooms on the property. See Figure 3. ECR Focus Area Plan & 3400 ECR Page 2 of 6 Area Focus Plan Recently the City of Palo Alto has studied an Area Focus Plan to promote housing projects on El Camino Real that included the Creekside property. The focus plan suggests significant increases in development standards, most notably in building heights of up to 85 feet and a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 4.0. However in comparison to other properties in the focus area, there are 2 characteristics that significantly limit Creekside: 1) Matadero Creek, and 2) the property relationship to R-1 zoning, that result in challenges in achieving an FAR of even 2.5 let alone 4.0. Thus, while being included in the Focus Area with the intent to motivate a project that includes a significant number of housing units, by further curtailing the property area and/or heights where FAR can be placed, this can also yield no project at all. Recently the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) reviewed the Focus Area and recommended several items that would significantly constrain a potential project. Riparian Setbacks We understand and are mindful that Matadero Creek is a valuable and sensitive area. At the commencement of ownership’s consideration to redevelop the site, WRA Environmental Consultants were retained to study the area to better understand its constraints and opportunities. In doing so, we have understood that a 20 foot setback from the top of the bank is reasonable and supportable given existing conditions and guidelines. As it is today, there are existing buildings encroaching in this area and at the El Camino Real frontage of the property where Matadero Creek transitions to a culvert and is covered by a parking lot (see Figure 1 herein, areas highlighted in red). At the same time, WRA identified several opportunities to enhance Matadero Creek including native habitat restoration (currently dominated by non-native flora) and providing public recreation access. Further, a redevelopment would alleviate several of the existing encroachments as owner planning has been attentive to enhancing and respecting this setback area and as such would further enhance the area adjacent to the creek. Property Setbacks The property’s existing zoning adjacent to the R-1 neighbors is multi-family with a required 10 foot setback. As Figure 1 illustrates, highlighted in blue, 2 existing buildings are already closer to the property line or at this setback measure. An increase in the rear setback to 20 feet, as suggested by PTC, would eliminate the opportunity for housing units in the rear of the site along Matadero Avenue that most recently proposed 4 attached townhomes. Also in the 2 previous owner proposals from 2022 and 2023, particularly the other corner of the property, a significant setback has been proposed that would be greater than the 20 feet that PTC recently recommended as part of the Focus Area. ECR Focus Area Plan & 3400 ECR Page 3 of 6 As the Planning Staff and ordinance text note, Planning and Transportation Commissioner Hechtman dissented on the extension of 10 foot setbacks to 20 feet. This was based on the observation that the current setbacks of 10 feet are indicative of the existing zoning that has been in place and it would be reasonable to remain without the need for further setback extensions. So for these 2 setback matters, any extensions of the rear property or to riparian setbacks beyond current standards greatly diminishes housing potential and would likely preclude the pursuit of a project in not meeting initial feasibility requirements. Building Height Limits from R-1 Zone Current zoning standards require a 35 foot height limit 150 feet from the adjacent property line. The Focus Area initially, and specifically for the Creekside property, suggested modifications to this setback area that might allow for greater heights starting 75 feet from the property line, such that the first 75 feet maintain the 35 foot height limit, but the next 75 feet provide a transition for greater building height, particularly for the proposed 85 foot height allowances on El Camino Real. As the Focus Area has progressed through review, PTC is recommending that the first 100 feet maintain the 35 foot height restriction. Similar to Matadero Creek’s current and future environmental condition, there is understanding of the sensitivity to building height and the adjacent R-1 neighborhood. However when considering this criteria, and the opportunity for housing it might contain, we would caution to defining the area in advance of a collaborative effort to refine what is a feasible, actionable and supportable for this specific area. Best Regards, Ted O’Hanlon Consulting Project Executive cc: Jonathan Lait (jonathan.lait@cityofpaloalto.org) Sar Peruri (SPeruri@oxford-capital.com) ECR Focus Area Plan & 3400 ECR Page 4 of 6 Figure 1- Existing Property Layout ECR Focus Area Plan & 3400 ECR Page 5 of 6 Figure 2 – July 2022 Proposed Site Plan, note rear building setbacks ECR Focus Area Plan & 3400 ECR Page 6 of 6 Figure 3 – June 2023 Proposed Site plan – note rear building setbacks and existing >50’ hotel building within 150’ of rear property line From:Art Liberman To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: El Camino Paving - any update Date:Monday, November 13, 2023 11:22:58 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from bpawebman@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant Mayor Kou and Council Members Inaction on the part of policy makers of the City of Palo Alto has left the Office ofTransportation and members of the public high and dry regarding what possible changes Caltrans might take while performing the repaving of El Camino besides just re-doing theroadway. The following emails, from me to Sylvia Star-Lack, Transportation Planning Manager, were attempts to find out what information the City of Palo Alto has regarding possible removal ofparking along El Camino to allow for the possibility of bicycle lanes when Caltrans does the repaving of the roadway. There are a number of other questions and requests made by PABACthat are unanswered. A public meeting with Caltrans, called by Senator Becker and Assemblyman Berman at which the public is invited, is going to be held in Mountain View tomorrow to discuss the repavingproject. "Senator Josh Becker and Assemblymember Marc Berman invite you to a community meeting with Caltrans on November 14 to discuss the status of El Camino Real roadway improvements. The hybrid community meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 14 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 South Rengstorff Avenue. Representatives from Caltrans will discuss pothole repair, the upcoming pavement rehabilitation project and other topics. In addition, city staff from Mountain View, Los Altos and Palo Alto will be on hand to address concerns and answer your questions. The meeting will be held in person and virtually." It appears that residents of Palo Alto (and Transportation staff) who will attend the meeting will have no proposals to present, nor have any answers to their questions. Does anyone have some information on this? Arthur Libermanmember, PABAC ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Star-Lack, Sylvia <Sylvia.Star-Lack@cityofpaloalto.org>Date: Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 9:53 PM Subject: RE: El Camino Paving - any updateTo: Art Liberman <bpawebman@gmail.com> Hi Art, We don’t know what Caltrans has decided. Caltrans is a state highway, and Caltrans likely cando whatever they want to do, but we are unsure if they are going to do it with or without Palo Alto support. -Sylvia Sylvia Star-Lack (she/her)| Transportation Planning Manager Office of Transportation | City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301 T: 650.329.2546 |E: Sylvia.star-lack@cityofpaloalto.org Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you! Use Palo Alto 311 to report items you’d like the City to fix!! Download the app or click here to make a service request. From: Art Liberman <bpawebman@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2023 7:38 AMTo: Star-Lack, Sylvia <Sylvia.Star-Lack@CityofPaloAlto.org>Subject: Re: El Camino Paving - any update What I meant is more than has Caltrans "Proposed".. but has Caltran "decided on" removingparking? Or are they asking Palo Alto to agree to remove parking, or does it not matter what Palo Alto decides to do? On Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 7:27 AM Art Liberman <bpawebman@gmail.com> wrote: Sylvia - You've told PABAC in the past that Caltrans has total control of the region of El Camino between the curbs. So has Caltrans proposed (with or without Palo Alto's consent)to remove parking and install the bike lanes? Art On Wed, Nov 8, 2023 at 1:01 PM Star-Lack, Sylvia <Sylvia.Star-Lack@cityofpaloalto.org>wrote: Hi Art, As I have shared previously, Mountain View has done the community outreach anddesign for bike lanes on El Camino. In addition, the MV Council voted to remove parking on ECR. I have no updates on the ECR project to share. Feel free to contact the Caltrans PublicInformation Officer Victor Gauthier for questions about the project. victor.gauthier@dot.ca.gov Thanks! -Sylvia Sylvia Star-Lack (she/her)| Transportation Planning Manager Office of Transportation | City of Palo Alto250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301 T: 650.329.2546 |E: Sylvia.star-lack@cityofpaloalto.org Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you! Use Palo Alto 311 to report items you’d like the City to fix!! Download the app or clickhere to make a service request. From: Art Liberman <bpawebman@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, October 27, 2023 9:42 PMTo: Star-Lack, Sylvia <Sylvia.Star-Lack@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: PABAC <Pabacpaloalto@googlegroups.com>Subject: El Camino Paving - any update CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Becautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Sylvia - I am aware that the repaving of El Camino will start south of us, and then come through Mountain View and then Palo Alto. I am aware that this won't happen untilsometime next year, giving Palo Alto time to finish the sewer work. However, I am still unclear as to what Caltrans has decided to do regarding parking, among many other openquestions about the project in Palo Alto. Has Palo Alto had some updated communication with Caltrans on the project? It appearsfrom the following link that Mountain View is miles (metaphorically speaking) ahead of Palo Alto in its planning for the repaving project and has a connection with Caltrans onthe project. Any comments? Mountain View El Camino Improvements. Someone in my community mentioned a communication from Assemblyman Berman about a meeting in Mountain View next month in to discuss the project (Mountain View Community Center on November 14th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm). Is this something that Palo Altans should attend? Thanks, Art From:President LWVPaloAlto To:Council, City Subject:LWVPA Communication item #9 at 11/13/23 meeting Date:Monday, November 13, 2023 10:49:26 AM Attachments:LWVPA PACC 11.13.23 Agenda item 9.docx Some people who received this message don't often get email from president.lwvpaloalto@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. November 13, 2023 RE: Agenda item 9 Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone and Council Members, The League of Women Voters writes in support of the city increasing height and densities inzoning districts throughout Palo Alto, along El Camino Real, close to existing transit, parks, retail, and jobs. The City’s recent priorities, Climate Change and Housing for Social and Economic Balance, align with the League of Women Voters positions that local government should adopt policiesthat do not provide decent housing and a suitable living environment for people of all income levels; reduce greenhouse gas emissions from lengthy commutes; and does not result in theisolation of lower-income families. More than half of our regional housing allocation requires the production or preservation ofhomes serving low-moderate-middle income households. More than half of our green-house gas emissions, according to the Air Resources Board, come from tail-pipe emissions fromcars, a significant portion from lengthy commutes by people working here who cannot afford to live here. Additional height and density changes along ECR and other districts close to existing public transit are a good first step which could result in more housing (both market rate and belowmarket rate); reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; and walkable, car-free neighborhoods. Increasing height and density city-wide also could help address the City's Duty toAffirmatively Further Fair Housing, as noted by the HCD in its letter rejecting the City's Housing Element. Increased height and density is currently concentrated in the southeast SanAntonio Road corridor, potentially isolating low income housing in one neighborhood away from the City's major job centers, close to a polluting freeway which currently lacks publictransit, parks, and retail. We urge the City to use the MTC grant money to study increasing height and density in the area east of University Ave CalTrain, which is a high opportunityarea close to public transit, shopping, and jobs. We believe, however, that changing zoning by itself will not be enough to produce the low andmoderate income units needed to address displacement of low and moderate income households. The City should make it a priority to identify additional sources of financing forproduction and preservation of low and moderate income housing, such as tax-exempt bonds; adopt programs which lower the costs of building, renting or home ownership, including landbanking and the use of public lands; and adopt even stronger tenant protections against displacement than currently exists. We look forward to upcoming city discussions on thesematters. Sincerely, Judy Kleinberg & Nancy ShepherdCo-Presidents, League of Women Voters of Palo Alto 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto CA 94303 (650) 903-0600 www.lwvpaloalto.org November 13, 2023 RE: Agenda item 9 Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone and Council Members, The League of Women Voters writes in support of the city increasing height and densities in zoning districts throughout Palo Alto, along El Camino Real, close to existing transit, parks, retail, and jobs. The City’s recent priorities, Climate Change and Housing for Social and Economic Balance, align with the League of Women Voters positions that local government should adopt policies that do not provide decent housing and a suitable living environment for people of all income levels; reduce greenhouse gas emissions from lengthy commutes; and does not result in the isolation of lower- income families. More than half of our regional housing allocation requires the production or preservation of homes serving low-moderate-middle income households. More than half of our green-house gas emissions, according to the Air Resources Board, come from tail-pipe emissions from cars, a significant portion from lengthy commutes by people working here who cannot afford to live here. Additional height and density changes along ECR and other districts close to existing public transit are a good first step which could result in more housing (both market rate and below market rate); reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; and walkable, car-free neighborhoods. Increasing height and density city-wide also could help address the City's Duty to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing, as noted by the HCD in its letter rejecting the City's Housing Element. Increased height and density is currently concentrated in the southeast San Antonio Road corridor, potentially isolating low income housing in one neighborhood away from the City's major job centers, close to a polluting freeway which currently lacks public transit, parks, and retail. We urge the City to use the MTC grant money to study increasing height and density in the area east of University Ave CalTrain, which is a high opportunity area close to public transit, shopping, and jobs. We believe, however, that changing zoning by itself will not be enough to produce the low and moderate income units needed to address displacement of low and moderate income households. The City should make it a priority to identify additional sources of financing for production and preservation of low and moderate income housing, such as tax-exempt bonds; adopt programs which lower the costs of building, renting or home ownership, including land banking and the use of public lands; and adopt even stronger tenant protections against displacement than currently exists. We look forward to upcoming city discussions on these matters Sincerely, Judy Kleinberg & Nancy Shepherd 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto CA 94303 (650) 903-0600 www.lwvpaloalto.org Co-Presidents From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Annual Meeting & Holiday Party on Dec. 5th - Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Date:Monday, November 13, 2023 10:00:28 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Annual Membership Meeting Flyer We look forward to seeing all of our members at the 2023 Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party. Enjoy light refreshments and drinks, sponsored by Homewood Suites by Hilton, proud member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PST Homewood Suites 4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA, 94306 Members: Free Guests: $20 REGISTER This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:Jessica Rose Agramonte To:Council, City Subject:ECR Housing Nov 13, 2023 City Council Meeting Agenda Item 9 Date:Monday, November 13, 2023 8:47:54 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Council Members, I am writing regarding the El Camino Real Housing Focus Area. We are commercial property owners of 2951 El Camino Real who have carefully investigated options for multifamilyresidential development on this ideally located site, that is included in the Housing Element. The site is located on the Eastside of El Camino Real, across from the current El Camino RealHousing Focus area. We have two requests, consistent with notes and recommendations in the Planning Staff Report: 1) Please DIRECT Planning Staff to further study the Eastside of El Camino Real to include itin the El Camino Real Housing Focus Area. 2) Please approve the original Planning Staff recommendations for the El Camino Real Housing Focus Area, as they were based on experienced consultants who recommended a 10'setback from R1, with a 75' transitional setback for 35' heights and 75'-100' transitional setback for 45' heights. Anything more, (such as the current 100' setback for 35' height) wouldmake multifamily residential development unfeasible, in an otherwise ideal location on El Camino Real, located within the transit corridor. Thank you for your consideration of these requests, Jessica Rose Agramonte From:Deborah Goldeen To:Council, City Subject:More Zoning For Housing Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 9:51:36 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ It’s my understanding that item 9 on tonight’s agenda (Nov.13) about changing zoning to allow for more housing? I just read through item 9 three times and can’t make heads or tails of it. But I do know that I would like to tear down my single family stand alone house and replace it with a duplex or a triplex so that maybe one or two more families can buy into Palo Alto, but City of Palo Alto zoning won’t allow it. The emotional undercurrent of this city has gone from optimistic and progressive in the ’70’s to excited and ambitious in the ‘80s to overwhelming and distressed in the ’90’s to just plain mean in the 00’s. In the past couple years, there is now a palpable anger. Why it is such a hard concept to understand that other people matter and that those other people need housing too I don’t know. Not only is ignoring that wrong and bad, but at some point it becomes perilous. I think it behooves the council to do whatever it can to modify zoning to allow as much housing as possible. At the very least, if someone wants to use their property to increase housing stock, city zoning should allow for that. Deborah Goldeen, 2130 Birch, (650)799-3652 From:walter wilson To:Sheriff Transparency; Aram James Cc:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Barton; Daniel Kottke; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Human Relations Commission; Jeff Moore; Jose Valle; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Maelin Aquino; Raj Jayadev; Reifschneider, James; Richard Konda; Sean Allen; Stump, Molly; Vara Ramakrishnan; Veenker, Vicki; Perron, Zachary; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; rabrica@cityofepa.org; stephen.connolly@oirgroup.com Subject:Re: Police chief and union head resignations called for Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 5:28:22 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from walterlwilson@hotmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Who is the founder and leadership in this group who wrote this letter? Walter Sent from Outlook From: Sheriff Transparency <sccsherifftransparencyinfo@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2023 5:00 PM To: Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> Cc: <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com> <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; April Wagner <april.wagner@cityofpaloalto.org>; Binder, Andrew <Andrew.Binder@cityofpaloalto.org>; CityCouncil <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; D Martell <dmpaloalto@gmail.com>; Daniel Barton <dbarton@nbo.law>; Daniel Kottke <daniel.k@earthlink.net>; Don Austin <daustin@pausd.org>; DuJuan Green <dujuang@sbcglobal.net>; EPA Today <epatoday@epatoday.org>; Human Relations Commission <hrc@cityofpaloalto.org>; Jeff Moore <moore2j@att.net>; Jose Valle <jvalle1800@gmail.com>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <julieforpaloalto@gmail.com>; KEVIN JENSEN <KP14him@aol.com>; Maelin Aquino <maquino@asianlawalliance.org>; Raj Jayadev <raj@siliconvalleydebug.org>; Reifschneider, James <james.reifschneider@cityofpaloalto.org>; Richard Konda <rkonda@asianlawalliance.org>; Sean Allen <sallen6444@yahoo.com>; Stump, Molly <molly.stump@cityofpaloalto.org>; Vara Ramakrishnan <vara@acm.org>; Veenker, Vicki <Vicki.Veenker@cityofpaloalto.org>; Zachary.Perron@CityofPaloAlto.org <zachary.perron@cityofpaloalto.org>; christopher.barberini@cityofpaloalto.org <christopher.barberini@cityofpaloalto.org>; chuck jagoda <jagodachuck@gmail.com>; craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org <craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org>; cromero@cityofepa.org <cromero@cityofepa.org>; dennis burns <dennis.r.burns@gmail.com>; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org <kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org>; rabrica@cityofepa.org <rabrica@cityofepa.org>; stephen.connolly@oirgroup.com <stephen.connolly@oirgroup.com>; walter wilson <walterlwilson@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Police chief and union head resignations called for Hi Aram, While we will hold comment on the latest with the Antioch PD with this article, we will saythat maybe it's time for our group to align and join forces with other Bay Area groups.WE have for a long time, and particularly since Sheriff Jonsen got elected, that thecommunity needs to focus on the leaders of the Departments, especially those with a sordidpast who are or potentially can be a problem. Our attempts to call attention to the very issue that you can remove, fire, charge, and decertifystreet cops or jail deputies, but the real problem remains in the leadership who will replace the dirty ones with others who are just as bad. Leadership needs to take immediate and swiftaction. Leaders need to acknowledge the problem they have and promise the community that these issues will not be tolerated and swift action will be the norm. Leadership needs tocontinue to remind the community that they are constantly monitoring and reviewing the issues that would pose a problem and not sit on it or move it under the carpet. We have found several police chiefs and sheriffs across the USA whose own past, whetherriddled with civil or criminal issues or worse, both, are serving without anyone calling attention to them. These are the same leaders who pose the real problem along with theirofficers who are a menace and danger to our communities. It's hard for them to take action or listen to the community especially when they have backgrounds or are poor decision makers,sometimes worse than their officers. Hypocrisy is detrimental to their mentalities and egos. We applaud SJPD Chief Mata and other astute leaders for their swift actions and for speaking up with our communities that the problems will not be tolerated. Members of our group havecommunicated with Chief Mata and his leadership and they listen very well and are aware that the community will no longer tolerate Chiefs and Sheriffs taking a back seat. Our group isconfident that the SJPD will continue to move forward with cleaning their house and taking care of the problems front and center very quickly. In addition, we hope that officers' actionswill be closely scrutinized before siding with Dept policies as in the Antioch cases. We also have to keep in mind that Officers terminated too quickly without full justification or due process, could get their jobs back through civil service appeal. If this happens,decertifying becomes next to impossible. Just as defendants' cases during court trials are dismissed due to a technicality or wrongdoing by the judicial system, it's not common thatthey are ever tried again. Everyone knows what our group focus is and we hope to expand that focus within the Bay Area and to other groups in California and across the Nation. Either the current Chiefs,Sheriffs, and their leadership resign or retire, or their backgrounds or previous poor decisions will be brought out and scrutinized, and whether they are fit to serve their Depts and thecommunity. ~SCCSTG On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 9:41 AM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:. Police chief and union head resignations called for https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=25f8e1f3-1155-43ae-bcad-b39bd46f1312&appcode=SAN252&eguid=deb3d9a3-4d37-4312-a3f7- ac2cea1f1439&pnum=40# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Greg Schmid To:Council, City Subject:Agenda Item #9 on Nov 13: Land Use Element of Comp Plan Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 5:24:13 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. The 6,086 housing units required by HCD to be built in Palo Alto between 2023 and 2031 are based entirely on a Bay Area new jobs forecast made by HCD in 2019. The new jobs numbers were subsequently translated into jobs in each city with new housing concentrated near the new jobs by an internal technical committee directed by MTC that included the state agencies HCD and DOF. California Code 65584.01 (current as of Jan 1, 2023) states clearly that the totalpopulation projected for the region by the Department of Finance shall be within 1.5 percentage points of that made by the Council of Governments. If it is not then "the population of the region shall be the population projection for the region prepared by the Department of Finance". Note that in 2019, the Department of Finance forecast a population growth of 7% for the SF Bay Area in the period 2020-2030, consistent with the housing numbers. But, in April 2023, the Department updated their projection that showed a populationdecline of 1.7% for the Bay Area from 2020-2030. (Note that the 2023 projection showed a decline of 1.2% for Santa Clara County). Before approving the Land Use Element of the Comp Plan, it would be appropriate toask a representative of DOF to appear publicly before the Council to state clearly whether that state agency approves of the 2019 population and housing projections used in the current Bay Area Housing Element. Those numbers appear to be wildly out of range. Gregory Schmid Palo Alto gregschmid@sbcglobal.net From:Sheriff Transparency To:Aram James Cc:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Barton; Daniel Kottke; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Human Relations Commission; Jeff Moore; Jose Valle; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Maelin Aquino; Raj Jayadev; Reifschneider, James; Richard Konda; Sean Allen; Stump, Molly; Vara Ramakrishnan; Veenker, Vicki; Perron, Zachary; Barberini, Christopher; chuck jagoda; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; rabrica@cityofepa.org; stephen.connolly@oirgroup.com; walter wilson Subject:Re: Police chief and union head resignations called for Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 5:00:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi Aram, While we will hold comment on the latest with the Antioch PD with this article, we will saythat maybe it's time for our group to align and join forces with other Bay Area groups.WE have for a long time, and particularly since Sheriff Jonsen got elected, that thecommunity needs to focus on the leaders of the Departments, especially those with a sordidpast who are or potentially can be a problem. Our attempts to call attention to the very issue that you can remove, fire, charge, and decertifystreet cops or jail deputies, but the real problem remains in the leadership who will replace the dirty ones with others who are just as bad. Leadership needs to take immediate and swiftaction. Leaders need to acknowledge the problem they have and promise the community that these issues will not be tolerated and swift action will be the norm. Leadership needs tocontinue to remind the community that they are constantly monitoring and reviewing the issues that would pose a problem and not sit on it or move it under the carpet. We have found several police chiefs and sheriffs across the USA whose own past, whetherriddled with civil or criminal issues or worse, both, are serving without anyone calling attention to them. These are the same leaders who pose the real problem along with theirofficers who are a menace and danger to our communities. It's hard for them to take action or listen to the community especially when they have backgrounds or are poor decision makers,sometimes worse than their officers. Hypocrisy is detrimental to their mentalities and egos. We applaud SJPD Chief Mata and other astute leaders for their swift actions and for speaking up with our communities that the problems will not be tolerated. Members of our group havecommunicated with Chief Mata and his leadership and they listen very well and are aware that the community will no longer tolerate Chiefs and Sheriffs taking a back seat. Our group isconfident that the SJPD will continue to move forward with cleaning their house and taking care of the problems front and center very quickly. In addition, we hope that officers' actionswill be closely scrutinized before siding with Dept policies as in the Antioch cases. We also have to keep in mind that Officers terminated too quickly without full justification or due process, could get their jobs back through civil service appeal. If this happens,decertifying becomes next to impossible. Just as defendants' cases during court trials are dismissed due to a technicality or wrongdoing by the judicial system, it's not common thatthey are ever tried again. Everyone knows what our group focus is and we hope to expand that focus within the Bay Area and to other groups in California and across the Nation. Either the current Chiefs, Sheriffs, and their leadership resign or retire, or their backgrounds or previous poor decisionswill be brought out and scrutinized, and whether they are fit to serve their Depts and the community. ~SCCSTG On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 9:41 AM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: . Police chief and union head resignations called for https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=25f8e1f3-1155- 43ae-bcad-b39bd46f1312&appcode=SAN252&eguid=deb3d9a3-4d37-4312-a3f7-ac2cea1f1439&pnum=40# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Michael Sporer To:paloaltoca@alarm-billing.com; Council, City Cc:ZENMOMMY@live.com Subject:Re: Palo Alto False Alarm Reduction Program Notification Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 4:50:35 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from mgsporer@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I protest the manner in which this is being handled. On October 11th I replied to theemail dated October 3rd. I never got any response. I should not be penalized for alack of response from the 3rd party company handling this program. We havecancelled our alarm plan which calls Palo Alto police. Please tell me what my optionsare. Thank you.Michael Sporer On Thu, Nov 9, 2023 at 6:49 AM <paloaltoca@alarm-billing.com> wrote: Dear Alarm User, Attached is a notification from the Palo Alto False Alarm Reduction Program. The attachednotification is in reference to account number 10255. If you have any questions, pleasecontact the Palo Alto False Alarm Reduction Program, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., at (855) 809-2062 or by responding to this email. Thank you, Palo Alto False Alarm Reduction Program From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Barton;Daniel Kottke; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Human Relations Commission; Jeff Moore; Jose Valle;Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Maelin Aquino; Raj Jayadev; Reifschneider, James; Richard Konda; SeanAllen; Sheriff Transparency; Stump, Molly; Vara Ramakrishnan; Veenker, Vicki; Perron, Zachary; Barberini,Christopher; chuck jagoda; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org;rabrica@cityofepa.org; stephen.connolly@oirgroup.com; walter wilson Subject:Police chief and union head resignations called for Date:Sunday, November 12, 2023 9:41:53 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. . Police chief and union head resignations called for https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=25f8e1f3-1155-43ae-bcad-b39bd46f1312&appcode=SAN252&eguid=deb3d9a3-4d37-4312-a3f7- ac2cea1f1439&pnum=40# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: From:Aram James To:Council, City; Dennis Upton; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Ed Lauing; Jensen, Eric; Human Relations Commission;JIM MINKLER1; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Hornung, Joel; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVINJENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Karen Holman; Lewis james; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; ParkRec Commission;Raj Jayadev; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Supervisor Otto Lee;Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Vara Ramakrishnan; Veenker, Vicki; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Barberini,Christopher; chuck jagoda; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; districtattorney@sfgov.org;Figueroa, Eric; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; Tannock, Julie; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael;planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; rabrica@cityofepa.org; walter wilson Subject:Re: The War on Gaza and Israel’s Fascism Debate – Verso Date:Saturday, November 11, 2023 1:24:06 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. On Fri, Nov 10, 2023 at 11:25 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: The War on Gaza and Israel’s Fascism Debate – Verso https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/news/the-war-on-gaza-and-israel-s-fascism-debate From:Camas J. Steinmetz To:Council, City; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker,Vicki Cc:Lait, Jonathan; Stump, Molly; Shikada, Ed Subject:JCC & Moldaw Ltr re Nov 13 Agenda Item No. 9- HE Rezonings Impacting Fabian Way Date:Friday, November 10, 2023 4:10:18 PM Attachments:image001.pngJCC & Moldaw Ltr re Nov 13 Agenda Item No. 9- HE Rezonings Impacting Fabian Way.pdf 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. Dear Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council: On behalf of my clients, the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and the Moldaw Residences, please find and consider the attached letter prior to taking action Monday on the proposed Resolution Amending the Land Use Element of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and an Ordinance Implementing Program 1.1A and 1.1B of the Housing Element. Sincerely, Camas J. Steinmetz Camas J. Steinmetz, Partner 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 JOSEPH H. FELDMAN 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 Camas J. Steinmetz (650) 743-9700 | cjs@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 10, 2023 Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council City of Palo Alto city.council@cityofpaloalto.org Via Email Re: November 13, 2023 Agenda Item No. 9- Resolution Amending the Land Use Element of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and an Ordinance Implementing Program 1.1A and 1.1B of the Housing Element (the “Amendments”) Dear Honorable Mayor Kou and Members of the City Council: This law firm represents the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center (the “JCC”) and the Moldaw Residences, a senior living community (“Moldaw”) with respect to the potential redevelopment of certain parcels of land on Fabian Way that abut the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto (the “Campus”), where both organizations are situated. If the proposed Amendments are adopted, these adjacent parcels on Fabian Way will be eligible for substantial increases in maximum height and density. While the JCC and Moldaw support the City’s goals to create more housing, we are concerned that if these increases are granted as a matter of right – without exercising the City’s general police power to protect the public health, safety and welfare - the existing neighbors will be negatively impacted. We understand that these Amendments serve the laudable goal of accommodating increased residential density to meet the City’s RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Allocation) obligations. However, we are concerned that – as applied to the proposed 3997 Fabian Way project in particular - these Amendments, with their relaxed development and use restrictions, will have unintended negative consequences on the members, users and elderly residents of the Campus. The average age of the Moldaw resident is 87 years and many have limited mobility requiring the use of walkers and canes. They spend a significant amount of time in their homes, 2 so any adjacent development resulting in the deprivation of natural sunlight in their rooms will have a material impact on their mental and physical health. We therefore ask that the City exercise vigilance in continuing to: (1) require and enforce compliance with the contextual design criteria and objective design standards set forth in Municipal Code Chapter 18.24; (2) exercise its discretion in requiring project modifications and conditions to satisfy the architectural review findings set forth in Municipal Code Sections 18.76.020; and (3) exercise its general police power to protect the public health, safety and welfare. Particularly in current circumstances, and given the age and composition of the residents and visitors to the Campus, a large new complex overlooking the Campus merits rigorous scrutiny from the City. For example, the proposed Amendments allow multifamily residential use (which is currently prohibited) on the 3997 Fabian Way project site (zoned GM and designated as an opportunity site) and increase its maximum height to 60 feet. We remind the City that this 60-foot standard is a maximum and not a by right entitlement. In other words, the City will still retain its discretion to require a reduction in this maximum height to protect the public health, safety and welfare, bring the project into compliance with the contextual design criteria and objective design standards set forth in Municipal Code Chapter 18.24, and satisfy the architectural review findings set forth in Municipal Code Sections 18.76.020. including for example, to provide “harmonious transitions in scale, mass and character to adjacent land uses and land use designations” and to “enhance living conditions on the site (if it includes residential uses) and in adjacent residential areas”. See Municipal Code Section 18.76.020(d)(2)(D) and (E). In closing, the JCC and Moldaw support the City’s obligation to meet its assigned RHNA allocation by adopting the proposed Amendments, and we look forward to working with the City and their neighbors to make sure that any new developments subject to these Amendments do not negatively affect the Campus and the Campus community. Sincerely, Camas J. Steinmetz Cc: Ed Shikada, City Manager Molly Stump, City Attorney Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Director From:Yarkin, Genna (SFO - X56990) To:Council, City Cc:Plume, Tamsen (SFO - X56941); Gary Johnson (gary@acclaimcompanies.com); Mark Johnson Subject:Public Comment - Item 9 for 11-13-2023 Hearing - Stakeholder comments by Acclaim Companies Date:Friday, November 10, 2023 12:37:17 PM Attachments:Acclaim Companies - Stakeholder Comments on Item 9 for 11-13-2023 Hearing.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from genna.yarkin@hklaw.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Good afternoon Councilmembers, On behalf of our client Acclaim Companies, enclosed please find public comments that address Item 9 you will be hearing this coming Monday evening, November 13th. Thank you for your attention to this matter, Genna Yarkin | Holland & Knight PRIDE She/Her/Hers Associate Holland & Knight LLP 560 Mission Street, Suite 1900 | San Francisco, California 94105 Phone 415.743.6990 | Fax 415.743.6910 genna.yarkin@hklaw.com | www.hklaw.com ________________________________________________ Add to address book | View professional biography NOTE: This e-mail is from a law firm, Holland & Knight LLP ("H&K"), and is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed. If you believe you received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete the e-mail from your computer and do not copy or disclose it to anyone else. If you are not an existing client of H&K, do not construe anything in this e-mail to make you a client unless it contains a specific statement to that effect and do not disclose anything to H&K in reply that you expect it to hold in confidence. If you properly received this e-mail as a client, co-counsel or retained expert of H&K, you should maintain its contents in confidence in order to preserve the attorney-client or work product privilege that may be available to protect confidentiality. From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce News & Updates - November 10, 2023 Date:Friday, November 10, 2023 10:37:52 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. NEWS & UPDATES - November 10, 2023 Sibling Cities Town Hall - Climate Action & Sustainability Holiday Shop & Stroll at Town & Country Village Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party City of Palo Alto Tree Lighting Member Spotlight: Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum City of Palo Alto Business Tax Information Sessions iCode Palo Alto Grand Opening Celebration Sibling Cities Town Halls Want to help knit this country back together? Ready to listen with curiosity and empathy to residents of Palo Alto’s Sibling City, Bloomington, Indiana? Curious what they think about how to get along, climate action, and race and belonging? Want to share your views and build friendship, trust, and respect across the miles? Come to a Town Hall where Palo Altans will gather in person and connect by videoconference with a room full of people in Bloomington. Co-sponsored by the cities of Palo Alto and Bloomington, these events aim to renew our public square and offer opportunities to discuss tough issues with fellow Americans distant from us. Two more Town Halls will be held on Sunday afternoons from 1-3 pm: Race & Belonging, November 12 Climate Action & Sustainability, December 3 In Palo Alto, we’ll gather at the Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road for conversation, comparing and contrasting how these issues arise in each of our communities and sharing both concerns and potential solutions. To register, go to www.siblingcitiesusa.org/events or use this QR code: Sibling Cities USA is a non-profit organization that fosters relationships between city pairs using three pillars of Connection: Community, Commerce, and Civil Discourse. Palo Alto and Bloomington have engaged in numerous joint activities over the last year to get to know each other and develop friendship and respect. Join the movement! Holiday Shop & Stroll at Town & Country Village Town & Country Village Discover Holiday Shop & Stroll Join us for our Holiday Shop & Stroll on Thursday, November 16 at Town & Country Village from 5:00pm-7:30pm as we showcase our immense variety of retailers, restaurants, and services. Help us kick off the joyful holiday season while enjoying exclusive offers, specials, and treats. Discover tradition at Town & Country Village. Receive a $5 Gift Card to use atparticipating merchants this holiday season. Expires 12/31/2023. Limited space available and RSVP required. >Reserve a Spot Online Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party Annual Membership Meeting Flyer We look forward to seeing all of our members at the 2023 Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party. Enjoy light refreshments and drinks, sponsored by Homewood Suites by Hilton, proud member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM Homewood Suites 4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA, 94306 Members: FreeGuests: $20 REGISTER City of Palo Alto Tree Lighting City of Palo Alto Tree Lighting Flyer Kick off the 2023 Holiday season and join us for a family friendly evening of live music, bell ringers, carols and winter treats! Friday, December 1st 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Lytton Plaza 200 University Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Friends of the Junior Museum & Zoo logo This month, we are spotlighting The Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo (Friends) a nonprofit organization that works to support and enhance the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo (JMZ), a beloved Palo Alto institution whose mission is to engage a child’s curiosity in science and nature. For generations, the Friends have funded learning and discovery at the JMZ through hands-on exhibits. Most recently, the Friends supported the California Dinosaur Garden exhibit that features life-size dinosaur and animal sculptures, prehistoric plants, and interactive exhibits– including a fossil dig.Woman holding turtle nose-to-nose with dinosaur. MEMBER SPOTLIGHT The Friends also funds impactful programs that expand access to the JMZ and to science education in the community, such as: Super Family Sundays – Special days for families who have children with disabilities, which provide exclusive access to the JMZ in a calm and friendly environment. JMZ Science Outreach – Exceptional and engaging science programming for K-5 students, brought to children in the Ravenswood City School District and East Palo Alto Charter School. To learn more about the JMZ Science Outreach Program, please watch this video: To learn more about the Friends, our corporate sponsorship opportunities or how to getinvolved: www.friendsjmz.org 1451 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 326-6338 Follow the Friends on Instagram @friendsjmz City of Palo Alto Business Tax Information Sessions Business Tax Implementation 2023 Business Tax Administrative Regulations Considering feedback from the September 2023 Focus Group sessions and virtual consultations to date, City staff has issued Administrative Regulations which are linked under the Resources section of our Business Tax Implementation website. Compared to the draft released in August 2023, the final version includes instructions on how to file for parent companies and subsidiary companies. If you have any questions, feel free to attend one of our information sessions being held in the coming months. It is not too late to register! Please see the details below. REMINDER: Registration for Information Sessions In addition to scheduling a Virtual Consultation, City staff, and HdL are hosting two virtual Information Sessions. These sessions will include a brief overview of the tax filing and payment portal and will be an open forum for participants to ask questions. Please see the dates, times, and registration links below: Wednesday, November 15, 9:00-10:00 AM | REGISTRATION Tuesday, December 5, 9:00-10:00 AM | REGISTRATION iCode Palo Alto Grand Opening Celebration iCode Palo Alto Grand Opening Celebration flyer Get ready for an evening of fun and prizes! iCode's Grand Opening Celebration is on Saturday, December 2nd. Join us from 4-7pm for a fantastic time featuring stations with fun demos for the kids, including drones, robotics, and more. Learn about how to become a platinum founding member with exclusive lifetime benefits in person. 1765 E Bayshore Rd G Palo Alto, CA 94303 See Our Upcoming Events Learn More About The Chamber PALO ALTO CHAMBER & VISITORS CENTER 355 ALMA STREET | PALO ALTO | CA | 94301 | 650-324-3121 WWW.PALOALTOCHAMBER.COM This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. From:Palo Alto Forward To:Council, City Subject:Comment Ltr, Agenda Item #9 Date:Friday, November 10, 2023 9:51:38 AM Attachments:CC Zoning Cmnt Ltr (Agenda Item 9).pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Mayor and City Council, At Palo Alto Forward, our aim is to bring people and organizations together to build thefoundation of support you need to ensure more housing is constructed in our city. Please see our attached letter that includes our partners in housing, the environment, and commitment toequity: Mothers Out Front350SV Palo Alto Climate Action Palo Alto Student Climate CoalitionSV@Home Action Council of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Thank you, -- Amie Ashton Executive Director, Palo Alto Forward650-793-1585 November 10, 2023 SUBJECT: Agenda Item #9 - Housing Element Programs Implementation Mayor Kou and Honorable City Council Members, We applaud the work of the Planning Department in keeping the Housing Element moving forward. We also extend our congratulations to the Housing Element Working Group and the City Council for taking additional actions related to zoning changes on a portion of El Camino Real (described below) that will facilitate economically viable housing development. The innovative zoning regulations being explored for El Camino Real between Page Mill Road and Matadero Avenue are a step toward a compliant Housing Element and ultimately actual construction of much-needed housing. The higher floor area ratio (FAR), height, and density allowed, as well as reduced parking mandates, are what is needed to make housing economically feasible in our city. These changes are - very simply - not enough . This sentiment is shared by the coalition of citizens and organizations who are signatories to this letter for the reasons outlined below. For the Environment: If we do not build housing near our existing jobs, we put further pressure on the far suburbs, agricultural land, and natural habitats. Our decisions locally drive sprawling developments in distant suburbs on a regional level. Constructing housing here in our city near jobs, shopping, services and transit also shows our commitment to the environment and climate and demonstrates our compliance with the goals in the city’s Sustainability/Climate Action Plan. For our Schools: Declining enrollment is a continued threat to our outstanding local schools. These schools underpin our sense of community and neighborhood identity. We need planned housing growth near schools in coordination with the school district officials to keep our education system strong and children thriving, and prevent neighborhood school closures/program reductions caused by insufficient enrollment. For our Businesses: Local businesses experience difficulties in hiring and retaining employees, higher worker costs, more traffic congestion, more air pollution, less time with family, and less time participating in community recreational activities and events. Additional housing construction would provide high-quality jobs to local skilled workers, which drives our local economy. In addition, more housing would provide more customers for our local businesses hard hit by the customer decline from work from home. For our Commitment to Principles of Equity: We have much work to do to address Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) concerns raised regarding Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. For example, we need to spread the units more evenly across the city. Decreasing reliance on the City’s discretionary Housing Incentive Program (HIP), and fixing constraints and processing timeline issues can result in lower development costs and decreased rents for rent-burdened households (which tend to be BIPOC households). We understand that the agenda before you tonight relates to very specific area rezonings. However, we urge you to include in your motion direction to Planning Department staff to expand the reach and scope of the El Camino upzoning to other areas, specifically to parcels near transit and job centers. This direction could be included in the third draft of the Housing Element, which would show HCD we are serious about compliance. Recent public comments on the Housing Element have been overwhelmingly supportive of increased development standards. We can and should be a leader in creating innovative housing solutions, beautiful environments, community spaces, and exciting architecture. We fully support your efforts to achieve great things for our city. Linda Hutchins-Knowles Co-Founder & Team Coordinator Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition Regina Celestin Williams Executive Director Amie Ashton, Executive Director on Behalf of the Board of Directors Action Council of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Wagner, April; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; D Martell; Daniel Barton;Diana Diamond; Don Austin; DuJuan Green; EPA Today; Jensen, Eric; GRP-City Council; Greg Tanaka; HumanRelations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Hornung, Joel; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; KalomaSmith; Holman, Karen (external); Linda Jolley; Zelkha, Mila; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; Pacific GrovePD; ParkRecCommission; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Reifschneider, James; Roberta Ahlquist; Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen;Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Vara Ramakrishnan; Vicki Veenker; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary;Barberini, Christopher; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Figueroa, Eric; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; Foley, Michael; Burt, Patrick; rabrica@cityofepa.org Subject:More on racist text scandal Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 10:51:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. More on racist police text scandal https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/11/09/san-jose-cop-who-wrote-racist-texts-should-face- steeper-punishment-say-black-community-leaders From:Aram James To:Binder, Andrew; Council, City; Dennis Upton; Emily Mibach; KEVIN JENSEN; Palo Alto Renters" Association;ParkRec Commission; Sean Allen; Shikada, Ed; chuck jagoda; cindy.chavez@os.sccgov.org;dennis.burns@cityofpaloalto.org; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org Subject:Cop who tased suspect several times as man begged him to stop charged with cruelty Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 7:04:31 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Cop who tased suspect several times as man begged him to stop charged with cruelty https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/cop-tased-suspect-times-man-begged-stop-charged/story?id=104520348 From:upcomingsales@friendspaloaltolib.org To:Council, City Subject:Considerable Copious Colossal Book Sale - Friends of the Palo Alto Library Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 5:55:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. BOOK SALE NEWSLETTERTHIS WEEKEND ATCUBBERLEY Visit our web site CUBBERLEY USED BOOK SALES Saturday November 11Bargain Room 9:30am - 4pmChildren's Room 10am - 4pmPopup Music Sale 10am - 3pm(outside Main Room)Main Room 11am - 4pm Sunday November 12 All Rooms 11am - 4pm (Popup Music Sale Saturday Only) FEATURED IN NOVEMBER Classic Fiction Library of America Military History/WW1 Fall/Winter HolidaysPostcards 4000 Middlefield Road Palo AltoNE corner of the CubberleyCommunity Center (650) 213-8755 www.fopal.org Maps and DirectionsMore information on the salesDonate your used books, DVDs, &c ALL NET PROCEEDS GO TO HELP PALOALTO LIBRARIES Main Room In our Main Room, prices are way below what used book stores charge.Hardcover books start at $3.00 andsoftcover books start at only $2.00. No numbered tickets this month! Please note that due to crowding during the first two hours of the Book Sale, no strollers, rolling carts, etc. can be brought into the Main Room. This is for the safety of shoppers and volunteers alike. By 12:30 or so, the crowd thins out and shoppers are welcome to bring these items into the sale. Children's Book Sale The Children's Room is located in theportable next to the soccer field nearGreendell School. It is entirely filledwith children's books and toys. You'llfind picture books, school age fictionand non-fiction, fiction for teens, awardwinners, non-English titles, CDs andDVDs, and books for parents andteachers, most for 50 cents or $1.Strollers are welcome in the Children'sRoom at any time. Bargain Books in H-2 The Bargain Room is located in Rooms H-2 and H-3 of the Cubberley maincampus, between Marty's Room andMiddlefield Road. On Saturday,paperbacks are 50 cents, hardcovers are$1, and children's books are 50 centseach. The room also contains manyrecords, CDs, and DVDs at $1 each. OnSunday, the room opens at 11 am and all prices are half off. Or, save even more on Sunday by buying green FOPAL reusable bags from us for $3/ea (or bring your own grocery-size reusable bag) and stuffing them with any items in the room for $5/bag. Fill four bags at $5/bag and fill a fifth bag FREE! (We no longer receive sufficient used paper grocery bags along with donations for this purpose.) News from the Library, by E-mail and RSS If you have ever given the Library your e-mail address, like this newsletter editor did when he signed up for a Palo Alto Library card, you have probably noticed that they are sendingyou one to a few e-mails per month. The Library would like you to know that they're celebrating Native American Heritage Month and Diwali. Also that the Library will be closed on Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11 for Veterans Day and again on Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 for Thanksgiving. You can read more about this on their blog. You can subscribe to their blog with an RSS reader. The Library also has an Events Calendar that is full of stuff to do. -Frank McConnell FOPAL Closings for November In observance of Thanksgiving FOPAL will be closed for donations on Thursday November 23rd and Friday November 24th. We will be open for donations on Saturday November25th. -Janette Herceg FOPAL Members Get the First Pick at Members' Early Sale A super big FUN FESTIVE FOPAL Members' Early Sale is scheduled for Saturday, December 9th. Twice a year, FOPAL holds a Members' Early Sale, at which members of the Friends of the Palo Alto Library are admitted early to the Main Room sale. Members enjoy a less crowded Main Room and get the first look at FOPAL's wonderful collection of materials! Saturday, December 9th - At our Members' Early Sale, Life and Sponsor Members (and one spouse or guest) may enter at 9AM and can purchase up to 100 books per membership from 9 AM to 10 AM. Other Members enter at 10AM and are able to purchase 25 books at a time. General admission for all including non-Members begins at 11AM. The usual limit on purchasing 12 books at a time lasts until there is no longer a line waiting to enter. Remember, you may renew your membership, or join FOPAL, on the sale day. Renew, or join now at... www.fopal.org/join. -Janette Herceg What's special for November '23? A sizable number of books from a retired professor's donation can be found in our Classic Fiction section and Library of America special. Look for the Library of America, American classic special on your right as you enter the Main Room this November. "The Library of America is a nonprofit publisher of classic American literature. Founded in 1979 with seed money from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation, the LOA has published over 300 volumes by authors ranging from Nathaniel Hawthorne to Saul Bellow, Frederick Douglass to Ursula K. Le Guin, including selected writing of several U.S. presidents." -Wikipedia, loa.org We worked diligently to bring out all the seasonal Fall/Winter Holiday books, DVDs & CDs FOPAL has been collecting these many months. If you are looking for seasonal fun inspiration on how to liven up your holidays, look no further. You are sure to find something you'll be excited to read, listen to, or share with loved ones during this upcoming holiday season. Look for the festive display as you enter the Main Room on the left. You'll find a large selection of the Fall/Winter Holidays books, DVDs & CDs in the Bargain Room/H2 as well. The Military History World War 1, 11/11 special can be found in the special area to your right as you enter the Main Room. This past month this popular section received a larger-than-normal number of books on a variety of subjects, the WW1 special is being offered this month in recognition of Veterans Day. Look for full shelves again in thePostcards section as a result of a nice donation from a local collector's donations that continues to come through. The special area/bay is full of Postcards for November. In Memory of David Mezynski- FOPAL would like to thank the Mezynski family for theirgenerous donation. David Mezynski's donation included books on enology and viticulture aswell as some wonderful cookbooks. FOPAL is grateful for the opportunity to offer thesebooks at the November sale. Children's Bargain Room- All books are priced at .50 cents and are half off on sale Sundays! Regardless of the sticker prices on the outside of the books, ALL Children's Bargain Room books are .50 cents until Sunday when they are .25 cents or buy a bag for $5! -Janette Herceg Classic Literature Special FOPAL received a large donation from a Professor of English at Stanford, including many volumes from The Library of America. Our Classic Literature special just inside the entrance of the Main Room has 161 slip cased volumes of English and American essays and fiction. The books are in pristine condition and are generally priced at $3 - $5, although there is one shelf of higher value books. There are also 6 volumes in the Philosophy section, 11 volumes in the Poetry section, and 8 volumes in the Drama section. The books have beige, dark blue, green, or dark red bindings and make a very attractive display. -Classic and Modern Fiction Team World War I Special At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, a treaty signed just hours earlier in a railway carriage just outside Compiegne went into effect to signal the end of World War I. In honor of Armistice Day FOPAL is having a military history special featuring the books from a recent donation. The books are in excellent condition and cover a range of topics, including some very specific battles in the Somme and the Marne. -Military History Team Popup Music Sale This month we will continue our series of outdoor Popup Music Sales. Look for a large trove of new discs at bargain and value prices on the tables adjacent to to Main Room entry ramp. Inside the Main Room we have stocked two shelves of classical boxed sets in the Photography Section across from the cashier's tables. Additionally, we will have a table in front of the Bargain Room where you can fill a FOPAL bag with International and Easy Listening LPs for just $5. -George Chaltas, LP sales manager Home & Crafts November Home specials include: The Style Sourcebook by Judith Miller and Judith Leiber's The Artful Handbag. Check out The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece. You'll find unique books on fashion history: What People Wore by Douglas Gorsline and A History of Jewish Costume by Alfred Rubens. Modern fashion showcases Vogue: The Covers. Look for Roaring '20's Fashions: Deco by Susan Langley. Other shelves feature home building and remodeling, as well as home maintenance planners, such as Zero Waste Home. Don't miss A Room of Her Own: Women's Personal Spaces by Chris Casson Madden and multiple titles for painting and color decorating. French country styles include: Provencal Interiors and Pierre Deux's Normandy. Other design titles range from Private New York to San Francisco: A Certain Style. The Holiday Crafts books have arrived! These shelves provide resources for floral arts andarranging, featuring Christmas Tree, and Malcolm Hillier's Christmas. Don't miss Sunset'sChristmas Treasury: Holiday Foods, Gifts, and Decorations. There's also Holiday Crafts: 35Projects for the Home and for Giving. Here's a special crafts idea: Make Your Own PaperDragon. You'll also find numerous coloring books of mandalas for adults and children alike.Seasonal fabric arts include: Quick Quilts for the Holidays, Quilt in a Day Christmas Quiltsand Crafts, and Cross-Stitch Christmas, plus more. Find your favorite stocking present:Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Sock Book. Or try: The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting andCrochet Stitches. And for that special knitting friend, delight them with The Free-RangeKnitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Look for one or many unique crafts projects to createfor the holidays! Photos can be found at www.fopalbooks.com. -Virginia Perry Antiques & Collections November showcases noteworthy jewelry titles including: Great Jewelry of the World by Caroline Childe, Diamonds: A Century of Spectacular Jewels by Penny Proddow and Marion Fasel, The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor, plus Christie's New York The Magnificent Jewels of Margaret Adderley Kelly. You'll also find An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry by Harold Newman. This month, furniture titles range from Francois Linke 1855-1946: The Belle Epoque of French Furniture to Habegger and Osman's Sourcebook of Modern Furniture. You'll also find a collection of specialty rugs: Anatolian Kilims 1-2, as well as the Turkish Republic's Ministry of State and Culture Turkish Handwoven Carpets: Catalog No: 1-5. Peruse and purchase these titles for your collecting reference. Photo can be found at www.fopalbooks.com. -Virginia Perry Medicine and Health Wonder if you are getting enough sleep? We have three books for you.... The Sleep Revolution, The Promise of Sleep, and Why We Sleep. For inspiration, read The Enchanted Ring-The Untold Story of Penicillin and The Mold in Dr. Florey's coat-The Story of the Penicillin Miracle. Other highlights include The Gene-An Intimate History, by the author of The Emperor of AllMaladies, and the beautiful Atlas of Human Anatomy illustrated by the superb artist FrankNetter... plus check out dozens of texts in every medical specialty waiting for you. -Pam Parke and Suzanne Cholko Poetry November rain! November rain! Fitfully beating the window pane. This month, among our other picks, The most obscene of limericks. We also feature at this time Those better known for prose than rhyme. -Mandy MacCalla Puzzles and Games Puzzlers, November kicks off our annual holiday and winter themed puzzle extravaganza. A full vertical section of these priced-to-sell puzzles on shelves marked off with green tape await you. And for those who gave the bargain puzzles and games section a pass last month, every one of those leftovers below yellow shelves has been again marked down. All are now priced $1-4, most $2-3. Gamers, few new ones came in this month. If you no longer play some of your old strategy game favorites, please consider donating them so we can have a nice selection again in the near future. -Vicky Evans Historical Fiction Those of you coming to the sale--Saturday-Sunday, November 11-12--take a look at the red cart in Historical Fiction: Two great bargain opportunities:1-Complete set of Winston Graham's Poldark novels for $102-Complete set of C.S. Forester's Hornblower novels, including commentary, for $12. -Peggy McKee Philosophy For November the set Hypatia: The Journal for Feminist Philosophy, is being offered as individual volumes to enable you to choose topics of interest from the 35 journals. The premier new arrivals are two volumes of Thoreau and four volumes of Emerson both from The Library of America, being very well bound and in slip cases. Shelf photo at https://fopalbooks.com/philosophy.html. -Nigel Jones Children's Room Way ahead of Black Friday, it's your first call for beautiful, giftable holiday books--for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. We've been saving them all year and there are multitudes, all priced to sell. These are the first half of our annual November/December sale; the second tranche will appear in December. Books make great gifts! You can also stock up on holiday gifts in our Activities section, where you'll find dozens ofKiwi Co. science kits and Doodle craft crates--enough for every rainy day this winter! Inour games section we've included some vintage items, such as a large woodencaroms/checkers game board complete with playing pieces. We also have a wealth ofpuzzles for all ages; those in bags could make great stocking stuffers. For more hands-ongifts, see our two bins of cookbooks, many like new. Add a wooden spoon and you're set! Non-fiction features a new collection of Star Wars and Lego books, along with lots of 2024 calendars. In World Languages, look for holiday books in German and French. And it's another packed month for Chinese and Japanese books. On the Chinese shelves you'll find textbooks from various regions including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, along with DVDs, VCDs, CDs, and graphic novels. The Japanese shelves are very well stocked, from picture books to lovely classic chapter books. Check the School-age Fiction section for early books in the Harry Potter series, in excellent condition. These shorter books are perfect for elementary-age readers to get their feet wet in the series. The Fantasy shelves offer oversized picture books with surprises and secret hiding places: Monsterology, Dragonology, and The Princess Primer. In Classics we have beautiful collectors' editions of Alice in Wonderland (originally $55!), Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories, Little House on the Prairie, and Trumpet of the Swan. As always, the Beginning Readers section offers books at various levels, with fun facts onanimals, famous people, history, science, and sports. In Parenting you'll find books on infants through teens and kids with special needs. Several nice photo albums will allow you to save treasured memories. Shop our fabulous collection of DVDs with favorites from Disney, Dreamworks, and Harry Potter. The November sale is Not To Be Missed! You are certain to find something to please each child on your holiday gift list. --Carolyn Davidson Children's Vintage It's always hard to know what to highlight in Children's Vintage because all of the books in this section are part of someone's childhood and are therefore special. For example, thismonth we're featuring a donor's collection of fictional nursing books. You can just see thatyoung reader curled up on their bed, fantasizing about nursing adventures (Surgical Nurse!Wilderness Nurse!) as they're planning their life's course. Maybe that reader was you! Butwhether you became a nurse or not, I'm betting that A Cap for Mary Ellis or Belinda of theRed Cross will ring some memory bells! And if that doesn't do it for you, the history sectionrunneth over (again!) with some good Landmark history books plus our general fictionsection has some nice copies of the classics; The Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden,and Back of the Northwind, among others, are waiting for you. On the younger children'sshelves, we are featuring several books by Pearl Buck, including two copies of The BigWave, both in dust jackets. And what would November be without a couple of books aboutThanksgiving, reminding us to be grateful for our blessings! Shelf photos available at https://fopalbooks.com/kids.html -Lisa Heitman European Languages The European Languages section has lots of vintage books in Polish (including several books by Jan Parandowski) and some Czech (including a book by Karel Capek and one by Jaroslav Seifert), a book for Catalan learners, and some books for learners of Welsh or Arabic (including Arabic Stories for Language Learners). -Susan Strain Self Help/Personal Growth I've added Personal Growth to the name of the Self Help section! They're similar, but to me, Personal Growth has a Positivity and Empowerment slant which I like. Growing personally helps us each to create a better life for ourselves and, by extension, others around us. A featured book this month is The Greatest Mindset, 2023, by Lewis Howes, with science backed tools to design the life of your dreams and turn it into reality! I have 11 brand new looking copies for $5 each, a bargain since lowest internet price, used, is $10 plus shipping. Special deal: if you take all 11 copies it's only $50 (one free) - just show this note to the cashier. The subsections are all the same, although I've added a subsection of 'Christian Oriented Personal Growth' books since quite a few came in recently. Some are popular on Amazon so I'm interested to see if they sell. Come by and browse; most books are only $2 and $3. Enjoy, -Marnie Judaica Browse the Judaica section for books on the Jewish religion and culture including editions of the Torah and other basic texts, Kabbalah, Jewish history, the Holocaust, memoirs,Israel, Jewish Women, the Jewish American Experience and other related subjects. New this month - Jews and American Comics; Hebrew Book of the Dead; Love in the Promised Land; Front Page Israel: Major Events as Reflected in the Front Pages of the Jerusalem Post; 1949 the First Israelis; Women in the Holocaust; Palestine/Israel: Peace or Apartheid; The Wonders of America: Reinventing Jewish Culture 1880-1950. Most fiction with Jewish themes will be found in Modern Literature/Classics or Current Fiction. Books entirely in Hebrew are shelved in the European Languages section. Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/judaica.html. -Charlotte Epstein, Judaica Section Manager Reference This month I have slashed prices on several items, all of which I have moved to the Genealogy shelf. The next shelf below Genealogy features an unusual variety of books ofquotations and aphorisms, as well as three dictionaries that are intended for Englishlearners. Loads of AP subjects, as well as other Test Preparation manuals are located to theright. -Bruce Heflinger STEM We are getting a last-minute donation of earth science books from the USGS. We will be processing them up until sale day and putting them up on the shelves for sale. Whatever is left will be put up next month. Additionally, we have had a strong set of math book and popular science donations. The pop-sci books have overflowed their usual shelves to the top shelves of regular STEM books. A copy of the 1971 art & science combination book Splendor of Iridescence has shown up. As usual, shelf pictures will be available at https://fopalbooks.com/STEM.html -Edwin El-Kareh Sheet Music A significant donation of jazz technique books have been donated. Many are from the Jamey Aebersold line of books. All are in excellent condition. As usual, shelf pictures will be available at https://fopalbooks.com/sheetmusic.html -Edwin El-Kareh Curious Books The holidays are a busy time, so stop by this month for the Curious Books selections targeting your 2024 upgrade. Unsought advice and detailed instructions are available to help you start your new year with possible positive improvement. Points of view may vary. There is a cute cat book section as well, and much more. -Donya W. Computers The different interest areas ebb and flow with donations. This month, Java is fat with books, the Scripting section has an unusual number of Python and Ruby books, and thenumber of C language books has for once exceeded the number of C++ ones. Plus thecomplete New Yorker and National Geographic on CDs. -David Cortesi History November is Presidents Month! Featured this month is a very nice copy of the 1940 Sangamon edition of Sandberg's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Abraham Lincoln - some volumes contain the author's signature. They'll make a great addition to your Zoom backgrounds! There are several new books about Grant, both Roosevelts - and a controversial analysis of Woodrow Wilson by Sigmund Freud. History this month also received a new influx of ancient Greek and Roman, British, Indian, and Latin American histories. -Lin McAllister Donations We accept donations on Monday through Saturday from 3-5 pm in the Main Room. But we close to donations in the week before the sale so that we can prepare the Main Room for the sale. Which means that we are closed for donations from Sunday November 5 through Sunday November 12. Please hold your donations until Monday November 13. Please read our donation guidelines before you bring materials to us. Suggestions? We're always eager to hear your suggestions for ways to improve our book sale. Please email us at suggestions@friendspaloaltolib.org. This notice comes to you from the non-profit organization Friends of the Palo Alto Library. No trees were felled in the making of this e-mail. Visit our web site. Become a member by joining online. Be sure to receive your own free copy of this e-mail notice so that you'll know about all special upcomingbooks sales. To sign up, just e-mail us. We carefully protect the privacy of your e-mail address. We will not share your e-mail address with any other organization and we will not use it for any purpose other than tosend you these notices. If you do not wish to receive these e-mail notices in the future, please reply withthe words "Remove Me" in the first line of the text. From:Annette Isaacson To:Council, City Subject:zoning Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 4:02:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear City Council Members, Thanks for voting to keep California Avenue closed to car traffic. I think it was the right decision. My friend and I walk to CAL Ave. every Monday, stopping for coffee at Printers' Cafe or Backyard Brew and buying items at the local hardware store afterwards as needed. When I visited some young friends in Eugene, Oregon, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that their apartment was on the second floor of a three story building. The bottom floor had restaurants, a drug store, a coffee shop, a dry cleaners, and various shops that you could frequent on your way home from work, after you had parked your car or gotten off the bus. There was a small park, just around the block for their kids to play in. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live on Cal Ave? Get off the bus or the train, walk a few blocks home, stopping to pick up some needed items before you walk into your apartment? You might think you were in Paris! If the zoning on Cal Ave is changed to allow for mixed use (retail on the ground floor and a few stories of housing up top), perhaps the Country Sun lot and the Bank lot could be the start of this mixed use area on California Avenue. It seems like a perfect place to start. Sincerely, Annette Isaacson 2550 Webster St From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Council, City; Dennis Upton; Diana Diamond; Jensen, Eric; Greer Stone; JeffMoore; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Karen Holman; Lewisjames; Linda Jolley; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Bains, Paul; Paul George @ PPJC; Sean Allen; Shana Segal;Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu; dennis burns; Figueroa, Eric;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org; ladoris cordell; Foley, Michael Subject:Cop: I hate Black people Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 3:46:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/sj-police-chief-announces-resignation-of-officer-who- sent-racist-texts-after-shooting-bystander-in-2022/ From:Ann Balin To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: Tree Ordinance Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 12:26:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: Ann Balin <alafargue@mac.com>Date: 8 November 2023 at 15:29:42 GMT-8To: planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.orgSubject: Tree Ordinance Chair Summa & commissioners, I am writing to endorse the recommendations by Peter Gollinger to strengthen the existing Tree Ordinance. I salute the prudent decision of the city’s arborist to require residents to usecertified arborists from the authorized list. I am a native Palo Alton and have redwoods and cedars that my family planted in 1926. I have lived through at least two long term droughts. We have used a familyrun arborist business based in Portola Valley McClenahan now owned by Bartlett. McClenahan has been serving the area for over one hundred years. I implementedtheir recommendations to have industrial soaker hoses for the redwoods and to place cedar mulch. These critical additions saved my stressed redwoods. Palo Alto has continued to benefit from our magnificent canopy. Please support our community’s treasure and keep this Tree Ordinance in place. Respectfully, Ann Lafargue Balin View this email in your browser From:LWV Palo Alto Winter Luncheon CommitteeTo:Council, CitySubject:Come to the Winter Luncheon on December 6th!Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 9:11:53 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:Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce To:Council, City Subject:Annual Meeting & Holiday Party on Dec. 5th - Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 9:04:18 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Annual Membership Meeting Flyer We look forward to seeing all of our members at the 2023 Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party. Enjoy light refreshments and drinks, sponsored by Homewood Suites by Hilton, proud member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PST Homewood Suites 4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA, 94306 Members: Free Guests: $20 REGISTER This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. Having trouble viewing this email? View online. From:Gail Price To:Council, City Subject:Fwd: [ccBookClub] Fwd: Webinar Reminder | Nov 14th | Permitting Reform: Accelerating the Energy Transition Date:Thursday, November 9, 2023 8:48:14 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Koo and Palo Alto Council members,This may be of interest to you. Gail Price ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Gwyn Dukes <gwyndukes@gmail.com>Date: Wed, Nov 8, 2023 at 12:00 PMSubject: [ccBookClub] Fwd: Webinar Reminder | Nov 14th | Permitting Reform: Acceleratingthe Energy TransitionTo: Climate Change Book Group <climate-change-book-group@googlegroups.com> FYI - Here's another webinar from Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment --experts discuss how reforms of the permitting system can speed the transition to clean energy,and related issues.See below for info and to register. Gwyn ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment <woods-events@stanford.edu>Date: Wed, Nov 8, 2023 at 9:00 AMSubject: Webinar Reminder | Nov 14th | Permitting Reform: Accelerating the EnergyTransitionTo: <gwyndukes@gmail.com> Stanford Environment and Energy Panel Series Permitting Reform How Best to Combine Accelerating the Energy Transition, Protecting the Environment and Ensuring Fairness TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Climate ChangeBook Group (Mitchell Park Library)" group. Virtual via Zoom About the Event Robust standards for protecting frontline communities and the environment are critically important, but permitting clean energy projects is often complex, contentious and slow. Finding ways to speed permitting while still ensuring robust standards is necessary if the US is to meet its clean energy goals for 2030 and beyond. However, despite broad agreement that reform is needed, philosophies differ about approach. Should regulations be changed to prioritize some kinds of projects or locations? Can reviews be streamlined in ways that still allow full consideration and broad engagement? Will progress come mainly from changes in regulations or from more collaborative approaches? Experts in energy and energy politics from Stanford, government and the private sector will provide insights into the permitting process including how permitting and the environmental assessment process might be improved for completion efficiency and strengthened for environmental and human health and safety outcomes. Speakers Register to Attend To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to climate-change-book-group+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/climate-change-book-group/CAG-fGZXCoBuLcYA4UoJE25KxhO402ekE0umFdveA4dXOE4TdsQ%40mail.gmail.com. This webinar is sponsored by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, the hub for interdisciplinary environment and sustainability research at Stanford University. The Woods Institute is part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Register to Attend This email was sent by woods-events@stanford.edu. Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Jerry Yang & Akiko Yamazaki Environment & Energy Building - MC 4205 - 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305 USA This email was sent to gwyndukes@gmail.com why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment · 473 Via Ortega · Jerry Yang & Akiko Yamazaki Environment & Energy B · Stanford, CA 94305-4121 · USA From:Fred Balin To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Clerk, City Subject:Zoom Bombing 2: You were lucky Monday ... but next time ??? Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 7:28:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. Mayor Kou, fellow council members, city manager, city clerk, and city attorney, You caught a break on Monday night as the remote "Zoom bombers" who “raised their hands”for Item 1, the Special Orders of the Day proclamation, either did not realize or did not care thatit was a numbered agenda item in which speakers needed to stay on topic. Therefore Mayor Kouwas quickly able to mute each one after the remote bomber strayed into hate-filled comment.Good. On return from your closed session, council then moved Public Comment to the end of themeeting, similar to what you did on October 16, after several Zoom bombers let loose under 1stAmendment cover during that initial comment period. So going forward, your plan appears to be to push public comment, or the balance of publiccomment, to the end of a meeting if a “bomber” shows up either before or during publiccomment. This approach, however, will allow at least one remote pubic commenter, to spew their hate atthe start of the meeting and possibly others if they choose to wait until the suspended itemreappears at the end. You can, of course, and have for the October 16 meeting, edited out theoffending public comment from the video that goes public, so the abuse may not extend beyondthe live meeting itself. You could move also move public comment to the end of each meeting, hoping the bombers willnot show up. Or, better in my view, you could enact the the suggestion I raised to you on October23 (text repeated below) to require all public speakers for the open-ended public commentperiod that is referred to in your policies and procedures as “Oral Communications” to be presentin the chambers. If there is no way to stop hate speech during remote oral communications unless it breaches afew of the exceptions to the 1st amendment, e.g., incitement, defamation, fraud, obscenity, childpornography, fighting words, and threats, I see requiring the speaker to be in chambers, to be abetter deterrent. Here’s to your wisdom and best judgment during the current period of assaults on ourgovernmental processes. -Fred BalinColumbia StreetPalo Alto —My comments at the council on October 23 Thank you Mayor Kou for your sincere and personal appeal last week to unite in common grief and to move forward with common humanity in troubled times. Now, how do we best protect the community and our open processes in the wake of the planned, coordinated, and hateful attacks that coincidentally followed; a series of gut punches to anyone who experienced it. Pre-pandemic, pre-remote public participation, on rare occasion hateful words have been spoken at this meeting. But there was an important difference: we could see who the speakers were, which was a deterrent to their returning. Both then and now, for all numbered (and lettered) agenda items, as per your written procedures: “Public comments or testimony must be related to the matter under consideration.” Therefore, the mayor should and did interrupt and shut off any speaker who, after fair warning, strayed from the agenda item. I recommend the warning and the trigger be sooner and any follow-up statement be held until the bigot is completely off-line. But in the un-numbered public comment period – this one – it is the speaker who chooses the topic and who can inject hate speech, shielded by its First Amendment protections. Staff and/or council leaving the room, facing away, or listening but not tolerating are not the best responses in my view. Because there is no First Amendment right to remote public comment. And so, I recommend that for this “open mike” public comment period only, speakers should be required to be present in the chambers. Our good citizenry who cannot attend, can write to the council directly or ask a friend to speak here on their behalf. It is a small price to pay to give pause to those who seek cover in the shadows for their hate. And to allay any fears in these chambers as well as to maintain decorum, which was breached during this public comment period last week, there should be a uniformed public safety officer present during that time. Thank you. ## From:Michael Dreyfus To:Council, City; Historic Resources Board; French, Amy Cc:Darlene Yaplee; Don JAckson; Jessica Tsoong; Monica Corman; Mary Gullixson; Sherry Bucolo; John Young; Noelle Queen; David Gray; Umang Sanchorawala; Mary Gilles; Omar Kinaan; Shena Hurley; Mary Jo McCarthy Subject:Nomination of eligible historic resources to the City"s historic inventory Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 6:28:21 PM Attachments:MichaelDreyfushistoric.pdf Some people who received this message don't often get email from m.dreyfus@ggsir.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Council Members and Board Members, My name is Michael Dreyfus, and with over three decades of experience as a real estate agent, 24 years of which I've worked in Palo Alto, I've sold more than 300 homes in Palo Alto and remain a dedicated participant in itsmarket. I lived for 15 years in a historic home in Professorville. Many community members have sought my insightsregarding the implications of the City's recent initiative to designate their properties as “Palo Alto HistoricInventory." I'd like to first address the claim by some City officials and Board members that assigning a property historic statusdoesn't devalue it, and may in fact increase its worth. Based on my extensive experience, I can categorically refutethis. In Palo Alto, a historic classification can reduce a property's value by 10% to 20%. This is essentially commonsense; owning property is about the rights that come with it. The more these rights are limited, the lower theproperty's value becomes. Historic designation constrains the alterations one can make to a property. For example, Ihandled the sale of a home in the Old Palo Alto area, where the land alone was worth $5.5 million, but due tohistoric restrictions, it sold for only $4.5 million. Local realtors would unanimously prefer to lift the historicdesignation if possible. While it's arguable that such a status preserves a property's existing condition, it must beacknowledged that this preservation comes at a considerable financial cost to the owner. For over two decades, Palo Alto has contended with the effects of an unofficial historic preservation policy, despitea 52% majority defeating Measure G in 2000. In the subsequent 23 years, this de facto policy has been inadvertentlystrengthened, by City staff and consultants, leading to the categorization of previously unmarked homes as historic.This has bred confusion within the real estate sector due to constantly evolving rules and a lack of consistentprocedure. The 1-4 classification system currently in place is ineffectual. Decisions by the Historic Review Boardseem capricious and lack clear directives. I recall an incident where, during a review concerning my property inProfessorville, half of the board objected to replacing windows due to their "historic" nature, while the other halfinsisted on new windows to distinguish the historic sections of the house. We were left without a clear verdict andeventually abandoned our renovation plans. Furthermore, there's a growing ambiguity and overreach surrounding what qualifies as historic. The City nowtentatively considers any property labeled "eligible" for historic status as such, burdening homeowners with theresponsibility, and expense, to prove otherwise. This involves engaging a City-appointed consultant at the owner’sexpense (often $7,000 to $10,000) and securing an affirmative ruling. This presumptive approach to historic status isnot only burdensome for property owners but also disrupts the clarity and predictability that should be inherent inreal estate processes. It is time for the City to acknowledge the negative financial and procedural burden the historic system is placing onPalo Alto homeowners. The decision to declare a house “historic” should be brought out of the shadows and have aclear set of qualifications and process that requires the informed consent of the homeowner. Michael Dreyfus The following local real estate agents have indicated support for, and agreement with, the points I have raised here. Mary Gullixson, Compass Realty Sherry Bucolo, Compass Realty Umang Sanchorawala, Compass RealtyMonica Corman, Compass RealtyNoelle Queen, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyJohn Young, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyMary Gilles, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyOmar Kinaan, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyShena Hurley, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyMary Jo McCarthy, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International RealtyDavid Gray, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Michael Dreyfus, Broker Associate Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty 650.704.7928 | m.dreyfus@ggsir.com | License No. 01121795 Honorable Council Members and Board Members, My name is Michael Dreyfus, and with over three decades of experience as a real estate agent, 24 years of which I've worked in Palo Alto, I've sold more than 300 homes in the area and remain a dedicated participant in its market. I lived for 15 years in a historic home in Professorville. Many community members have sought my insights regarding the implications of the City's recent initiative to designate their properties as “Palo Alto Historic Inventory." I'd like to first address the claim by some City officials and Board members that assigning a property historic status doesn't devalue it, and may in fact increase its worth. Based on my extensive experience, I can categorically refute this. In Palo Alto, a historic classification can reduce a property's value by 10% to 20%. This is essentially common sense; owning property is about the rights that come with it. The more these rights are limited, the lower the property's value becomes. Historic designation constrains the alterations one can make to a property. For example, I handled the sale of a home in the Old Palo Alto area, where the land alone was worth $5.5 million, but due to historic restrictions, it sold for only $4.5 million. Local realtors would unanimously prefer to lift the historic designation if possible. While it's arguable that such a status preserves a property's existing condition, it must be acknowledged that this preservation comes at a considerable financial cost to the owner. For over two decades, Palo Alto has contended with the effects of an unofficial historic preservation policy, despite a 52% majority defeating Measure G in 2000. In the subsequent 23 years, this de facto policy has been inadvertently strengthened, by City staff and consultants, leading to the categorization of previously unmarked homes as historic. This has bred confusion within the real estate sector due to constantly evolving rules and a lack of consistent procedure. The 1-4 classification system currently in place is ineffectual. Decisions by the Historic Review Board seem capricious and lack clear directives. I recall an incident where, during a review concerning my property in Professorville, half of the board objected to replacing windows due to their "historic" nature, while the other half insisted on new windows to distinguish the historic sections of the house. We were left without a clear verdict and eventually abandoned our renovation plans. Furthermore, there's a growing ambiguity and overreach surrounding what qualifies as historic. The City now tentatively considers any property labeled "eligible" for historic status as such, burdening homeowners with the responsibility, and expense, to prove otherwise. This involves engaging a City-appointed consultant at the owner’s expense (often $7,000 to $10,000) and securing an affirmative ruling. This presumptive approach to historic status is not only burdensome for property owners but also disrupts the clarity and predictability that should be inherent in real estate processes. It is time for the City to acknowledge the negative financial and procedural burden the historic system is placing on Palo Alto homeowners. The decision to declare a house “historic” should be brought out of the shadows and have a clear set of qualifications and process that requires the informed consent of the homeowner. Michael Dreyfus The following local real estate agents have indicated support for, and agreement with, the points I have raised here. Mary Gullixson, Compass Realty Sherry Bucolo, Compass Realty Umang Sanchorawala, Compass Realty Monica Corman, Compass Realty Noelle Queen, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty John Young, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Mary Gilles, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Omar Kinaan, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Shena Hurley, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty Mary Jo McCarthy, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty David Gray, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty From:slevy@ccsce.com To:Council, City Cc:Lait, Jonathan; Shikada, Ed; Nose, Kiely; Guagliardo, Steven Subject:Nov 13 item 9 Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 4:55:11 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 want to thank the staff and support the proposed zoning and development standards revisions for the ECR focus area and Stanford properties. Here are my takeaways from that effort: 1) Direct engagement with property owners and their team produced a substantial upward change in density and FAR and other changes that can hopefully produce economically feasible housing projects that also include a 20% BMR commitment. 2) There is a strong inference that similar efforts DTN, around Cal Ave and in the GM/ROLM areas will produce similar results that can strongly increase our ability to meet our housing goals. The ECR effort is a great start and calls for replication. I applaud the council for their decisive action Monday to maintain Cal Ave and Ramonaareas car free, based in part from their recognition that a loss of customers from work fromhome and online shopping are the major forces restricting retail growth in DTN and Cal Ave. Here are my takeaways from that positive discussion: 1) More housing DTN and near Cal Ave will add customers and customers with minimal need for cars to access these shopping and dining areas. 2) Though it has not been a past council preference, limited office growth (if there are proposals) can offset some of the loss of customers from WFH. 3) More housing in these areas (I live DTN) will more evenly distribute new housingbetween north and south PA and in areas close to shopping, services, jobs and transit. I hope the council will acknowledge and pursue the strong connections between housing, retail and making it easier to access areas without using a car. Not related to the housing discussion, i do support better signage and the other improvements discussed for making the streets attractive but also call attention to the Cal Ave study findings that zoning and permitting complexity were identified by owners as barriers to new development. Stephen Levy From:Shubhie Panicker To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; Kyle Scholz Subject:Palo Alto Historical Inventory - Objection Letter for 245 Ramona Street Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 3:53:26 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from shubhie@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Historical Resources Board and Amy French, We appreciate the opportunity to provide our input for your consideration on our property’s potential nomination for listing on the Palo Alto Historical Inventory. This email conveys our objection to including our property at 245 Ramona Street for any suchlistings. Based on our review, the drawbacks of inclusion (including impact on resale value) clearly outweigh the benefits for us. Sincerely,Shubhie Panicker and Kyle Scholz Homeowners - 245 Ramona Street From:Jeanette Harrison To:Council, City Subject:Cal Avenue should stay car free Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 3:44:53 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from jeanette.l.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. ________________________________ Palo Alto residents want to be active - walking and biking areas throughout Palo Alto. One of those areas is Cal Avenue. Being able to being active without the worry of dealing with cars and possible accidents holds a lot of value to us. Safely strolling the street and going to restaurants should be a high priority for community leaders. Please keep Cal Avenue car free. Thank you, Jeanette Harrison Bryant Street resident From:Don Jackson To:Council, City; Historic Resources Board; Shikada, Ed; Lait, Jonathan; French, Amy Subject:Additional comments on Historic Resources Inventory process Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 3:09:45 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. November 8, 2023 Honorable Council Members, Historic Resource Board Members, and Staff: In addition to our earlier letter objecting to the inclusion of our property, I want to make the following points: It is unambiguously clear from the Council minutes that the primary motivation for this reviewand update to the historic inventory was to prevent such properties from utilizing SB-9 authorized subdivision. I asked Staff what percentage of eligible residential properties are subject to SB-9 and have not yet received an answer. Subsequently I undertook the laborious and tedious effort to determine that 37% of theeligible properties are NOT zoned R-1, and thus ineligible for SB-9. Given this, why are these properties still being considered for inclusion? I propose that at a minimum, all SB-9 ineligible properties be removed fromconsideration unless the property owner explicitly requests their inclusion. As a former Commissioner on the Utilities Advisory Commission, I learned about the City’s decarbonization and sustainability goals, of which I am now a strong proponent. In order to “practice what I preach” I undertook the electrification of my home, which after 3+ years, is finally complete. The City’s existing permitting processes accounted for 1 year of delay to my projects. I strenuously object to adding any additional reviews, consultations, or limitations to thepermitting process, which would be the inevitable consequence of a historic designation of my property. One element of my home’s electrification was the addition of PV panels, which necessitated a roof replacement, and one of the best roof materials to support solar panels is standing-seammetal. We’ve been told by Staff that had we undertaken this effort as a designated historic property,permitting for the metal roof and the addition of solar panels on the front of our house (which receives the most sunlight) would be denied. These additional restrictions on historic homes are in direct conflict with the City’sdecarbonization goals. Inexplicably, although my home now has both a metal roof, and front-yard facing solar panels, these not-allowed-on-historic-home features do not disqualify my home from a historicdesignation! Property owner choice is crucial, if an owner favors inclusion on the historic register that is absolutely their right, but the current nomination and review process is unfair, burdensome, and stressful to owners that object to their property’s inclusion, to wit: Staff recommends to HRB that property owners who object be rescheduled to a laterHRB meeting, with no guarantee HRB will defer objecting properties for another meeting.When the HRB reviews the properties of objecting owners, there is no guarantee the HRB will act in accordance with the owner’s wishes.Although Staff has stated "We don't suspect the council would designate a property to the inventory over the objections of the property owners" there is no assurance thatCouncil will do so. As a result, the involuntary inclusion of an objecting owner’s property to this inventory createsa “ticking time bomb” of uncertainty and stress, with no mechanism to opt-out of this multi- month ordeal.I request that Council and the HRB define a process where a property owner can opt-out of this (or future) historic designation efforts, without any need for additional hearings or review. Respectfully, Don Jackson845 Waverley Street From:jerry.smith@sonic.net To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City Subject:RE: Objection to declaring 162 Bryant St on the historic preservation list Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 2:37:54 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jerry.smith@sonic.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello: I strongly object to including my property at 162 Bryant St in the historic preservation inventory. First, a radical remodel of this house was performed in 1989 costing more than $150K, including: Raising the entire structure 4 feet , placing it on a new foundation Adding a full basement with a concrete floor which includes windows facing the street that did not exist in the previous structure, as well as adding outdoor stair access to the new basement and visible from the street, replacing the old cellar doors Demolishing the garage structure which was in poor repair and replacing it with completely new structure with a concrete floor Adding a full porch across the back of the house Replacing the concrete front porch and porch steps with a new wooden structure Replacing wooden columns at the foot of the front steps with stone columns Replacing the wooden siding with new wooden siding Replacing the wooden gutters which were no longer functional with modern sheet metal gutters Replacing the cracked parallel concrete strips that constituted the driveway with a full brick driveway Converting the interior of the structure from a duplex into a single family dwelling To argue that this revised structure is historic is to make a mockery of the term. It is no more historic than completely new structures built in Victorian or Tudor styles. Secondly, I believe that applying this designation to my property would have a significant negative impact on my property value. It seems obvious that adding constraints to the use of the property that do not apply to other residential properties would make the property less valuable. Third, this designation would in all likelihood preclude me from making changes, such as adding an additional story (matching the height of structures on both sides of my house) to allow my son and his family to live close to me and allow my wife and I to gracefully age in place if we should choose to do this. It would also preclude making changes that would help the city to comply with the state mandate to create additional density. Fourth, I believe that it is basically unfair to suddenly and selectively apply extra regulations to my property unless I opt in to some sort of historic preservation program. If the city is mandating preservation of historic structures, then surely the residences of the past, current, and future city council members should be included in this list. These city leaders are defining the rules that determine the city’s history, and preserving their environments at the time that these decisions were made has historic significance. Those structures certainly have more historic significance than the home of an ordinary citizen like me. Finally, I object to the process by which this evaluation is being carried out. We were notified that our property may be on the list, but the implications of being on this list were not clarified. Since we were out of the country visiting relatives for the past 2 weeks, we missed a couple of the hastily scheduled meetings and are barely back in time to attend the Nov. 9 meeting to let our wishes be known. Also, it appears that my unavoidabIe absence could have resulted in decisions being made for me by the HRB, which hardly seems fair. Why is this policy being introduced so quickly and non- transparently when so many other pressing municipal issues drag out for years? George (Jerry) Smith From:matt@evolutionaryteams.com To:Palo-Alto@FridaysForFutureUSA.org Subject:FFF Follow Up – Nov 3 (Week #95) Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 12:03:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Seven of our FFF members joined the field trip to Stanford to hear MIT Prof. Charles Harvey’s talk sponsored by Scientist’s Speak Up, Fossil Free Research and The Coalition for a True School of Sustainability. Folks, the news was not good. Prof. Harvey explained how incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act provide profits for the fossil fuel industry to extract geological natural gas, two-thirds of which can be CO2, separate the CO2 from the methane, and pump the CO2 back into the ground for financial credits. They also profit from selling the methane. This perverse subsidy results in more extraction, more emissions and more Big Oil profits, not less! Thank you, Prof. Harvey, for sharing this enlightening information. Representative Eshoo once told me frankly that nothing happens in DC without permission from the fossil fuel industry, and now we have a better understanding of how Big Oil is profiting from the Inflation Reduction Act. You can hear more from the student organizers here. Horrifyingly, while we were at Stanford, a Stanford student was struck by a car in an alleged hate crime. The ongoing war in Gaza is having violent consequences in our own community with rising Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. While recovering in the hospital, this compassionate student released a statement that gracefully speaks not only to how we can stand up to the forces that perpetuate war, but also to those (many of the same forces) that are perpetrating the climate crisis: Today, as I share my story, my hope is to ignite a spark of empathy, a desire for change, and a call to action to foster a society where love overpowers hate, where understanding douses ignorance, and where compassion binds us in a tapestry of unified strength. Keep Up the Fight and See You Friday! Social Justice is Climate JusticeUpcoming Events 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 Heat Pump Water Heater Program Update On top of our recent canvassing effort, new state incentives for heat pump water heaters and increased discounts for Palo Alto’s program are driving a significant increase in interest and signups for the program! As of:11/2 10/2 9/7 7/27 6/29 6/1 4/27 4/5 HPWH full-service interest list signups 604 549 521 459 511 488 466 432 Site assessment agreements (SAA) sent 604 549 519 458 437 399 345 125 Signed SAAs 448 407 387 326 306 280 156 70 Completed site assessments 381 342 311 244 147 111 58 22 Installations Total Full Service HPWHs installed 117 90 70 27 16 12 8 1 Total DYI HPWH installed 37 n/a 13 Total HPWHs installed 154 90 83 Target Installations 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 Monthly Installation Rate Monthly Installation Rate 64 7 43 13 9 4 7 n/a Target Monthly Installation Rate 83 83 83 83 83 83 Highlighted numbers not accurate because of missing data point Weekly Photos FFF Nov 3: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9vaRzrLn8CRx3QzJ6 What We Are Reading/Watching/Listening to: Prof. Harvey cited this documentary during his talk: https://youtu.be/I32R6Yx9PTI?si=ttZk-_qTXwMHC4HZ 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 interventions 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 Schlegel Consulting 650-924-8923 Author: Teamwork 9.0 Website: evolutionaryteams.com Blog: evolutionaryteams.com/blog/ Linked In: linkedin.com/in/mattschlegel/ Twitter: twitter.com/EvoTeamMatt Instagram: instagram.com/MattSchlegel6 Facebook: facebook.com/mattschlegel.77 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLkUMHuG4HVa831s9yeoZ5Q Enneagram Quiz: www.EnneaSurvey.com From:Michelle To:Council, City Subject:Re: Car Free California Ave Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 9:49:50 AM 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 wanted to send a quick note to thank the council for listening to the community and voting to keep California Ave car free! I can't tell you how much this means to me and all of myneighbors. Hopefully the next step will be investing in some better infrastructure and filling up the vacant storefronts, possibly with a vacancy tax? But for now I just want to express mygratitude to the council and excitement for the future of our amazing community! Best,Michelle On Tue, Oct 31, 2023 at 2:22 PM Michelle <msibly@gmail.com> wrote: Hello, I would like to express my strong desire to keep California Ave car free. With the streetclosed to 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 andwe really enjoy 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,but I 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 byopening Cal Ave to cars 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:John Bard To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; Maureen W Bard Subject:Palo Alto Historical Inventory - Objection Letter for 947 Waverley Street Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 8:43:39 AM Attachments:johnbard.vcf Some people who received this message don't often get email from johnbard@comcast.net. 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 regarding 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 947 Waverley Street. Please withdraw our property from consideration. We purchased our home almost 25 years ago with great appreciation for its historical character, and we intend to maintain its integrity as we make improvements going forward. That said, we do not see any relevant incentives and many potential risks to being listed in the Palo Alto Historical Inventory program. We believe that listing a property in the historical inventory reduces the appeal to potential buyers, and creates inequities between two similar adjacent properties. Creating an involuntary inventory to preserve Palo Alto’s character would unfairly apply regulations at the expense of a small group of homeowners. We see a risk to having our property listed without fully understanding the code benefits and restrictions that you plan to determine later. That uncertainty is also a risk given inconsistencies and restrictions in the current building codes (energy efficiency requirements, setbacks/height limitations, R1/R2/RMD differences). 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. The City has previously chosen not to participate in the Mills Act program so it is unlikely to be a realistic incentive in the future for property owners to participate and offset costs. Other key benefits of the program as described on the web site primarily apply to commercial rather than residential property owners. This program only protects individual properties and will not protect the character of neighborhoods. There are many examples in the City today where one older home is surrounded and overwhelmed by newer development (such as 640 and 650 Waverley Street, 533 Bryant Street, 564 University Avenue, 446 Forest Avenue). We run the same risk in our own immediate neighborhood of mixed zoning, lot sizes, and building styles. Thank you for your consideration, Maureen and John Bard 947 Waverley Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 mwestenberger@gmail.com johnbard@comcast.net From:mark weiss To:Shikada, Ed Cc:Yolanda Conaway; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Council, City; Binder, Andrew Subject:Re: WELCOME, KOJO>>>tank Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 8:04:04 AM Attachments:image001.pngimage003.png and if you have four minutes more for Diversity Equity and Inclusion I strongly recommend this video of Tank Ball of the 504 on national tv a few years back - -I have a link from myblog per se but it does not translate when I send you a copy... Tank And The Bangas - Nice Things (Live on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) Later later later alligator AY!!! Mark Weissin Palo Alto but born on the south side and briefly an expert in 2003 on NoLA music.... cc: yolanda, julie, doria, we the people, chief On Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 07:58:22 AM PST, Shikada, Ed <ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Good morning Mark – FYI, it was Central Perk on Friends. --Ed From: mark weiss <earwopa@yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2023 7:46 AMTo: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <julieforpaloalto@gmail.com>; Summa, Doria <doriasumma@gmail.com>; Binder, Andrew <Andrew.Binder@CityofPaloAlto.org> Tank And The Bangas - Nice Things (Live on theTonight Show Starring Jim... Cc: Yolanda Conaway <yconaway@pausd.org> Subject: WELCOME, KOJO CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. We The People perks: or, can you open up the doors for me? Posted on November 7, 2023 by markweiss86 My coffee today is courtesy of We the People. I greeted two City of Palo Alto leaders* and inour conversation, the senior of the two offered me a cup of coffee— my normal cappuccinoeven — and I accepted. This rarely happens. It gives me pause — not to bust her, if this is notkosher. A kosher perk. Perk in two ways: perquisite meaning a gift; and perk like perky,meaning full of energy. Wasn’t there a fictional shop on “Friends” called "City Perks"^ orsomething? I almost wrote “We The Perkle” but my friend Amy Perkel from Dartmouthmight think this song is about her.The new employees are Melissa McDonough who works towards building homes that housethe homeless, I think she said. She is from Cleveland and has been here about a year. She wasorientating Kojo Pierce who said he is…give me a sec…DIE or DEI…Diversity…Equity…Inclusion. I spotted him because he was here just yesterday with The Chief. And he has nice hair. Now, I am learning that apparently it is bad form or perhaps illegal tocomment on someone’s personal appearance, even if my intentions are good. And hehas good hair. And I once produced with Venus Opal Reese a Stanford MFA or PhD in thearts her monologue or one-woman or one-person or one-perker about how women especiallyin U.S., Africa and France can bond over their hair even if hair is their only mutual language,so to speak. Kojo to my eye has braids or dreads piled or styled into a ball or shape facing forward. Notsure what you call that, but it’s pretty cool. And says “Black” or “Africa” in some ways — thiswould not look as good on a white person. Like, I sometimes say that Adam Duritz ofCounting Crows is one of my favorite rock contemporaries — I’m a music promoter — andperhaps emblematic or epitome of my generation of activist and non-conformists and he usedto wear dreads but I also am pretty sure he switched to a weave fairly early on. Not to digress,but when I dated Anthea Charles my Gunn classmate and the daughter of Susan Charles theschool principal she said that while they were at UC Berkeley together he would ask her abouther hair. And I also say – and it still happens apparently, I have not learned — that Antheascolded me once for mis-remembering or mis-stating that someone we had just met had braidsnot dreads. I lump them together so to speak but others do not. Duly noted.I think noting our mistakes is a step towards fixing them, but maybe not.Kojo said he is from Ghana originally but has a degree from San Jose State. And I said that my mother and my wife both have or had degrees from there. Terry (Terry Acebo Davis) has aBFA which she got mid-career and an MFA and was, I said, on the Palo Alto Public Art Commission. She was actually the chair of such when We The People built the new librarycomplex The Mitch so we know like the back of our hands that the three art elements Percent for Art are by Bruce Beasley, Brad Oldham and Roger Stoller (the arch, the owls, the tree). I think I succeeded in not triggering his animus by pulling from my bag a copy of a book about Nelson Mandela I know this to be true Chronicle Books Nelson Mandela Foundationwhich I bought from Gwen Gasque at Letter Perfect. (Not to be confused with Nelson Mandela Education foundation of Cape Town which is run by my Gunn and Dartmouth schoolmate Kim Porteus who came to my Tuck & Patti show and may or may not accept myinvite to hear and see Abdullah Ibrahim next week at SFJazz). I recounted for Kojo and Melissa that at Dartmouth in the 1980s the anti-apartheid pro-divestment activists would yell AMANDLA AWEYTHU which means “power to the people”. And I also sometimes say FIST UP — and I demonstrated, in fact I sort of shoutedand sang AMANDLA AWEYTHU here in The Coup, a coup of a sorts, methinks. And I also name-checked Tommy Smith and John Carlos and Kojo said “We have a statue”which foreshadowed his mention of SJSU per se. All good omens for Palo Alto being a better place for We the People. Fist up. Tanks for the perk. (Cue Tank and the Banghas): nice things! (there was a video of a stylish music group from New Orleans here: "Nice things" whichincludes a lyric about opening the doors for me) *We the People thru our leaders attempt to self-govern. Our leaders are elected Councilmembers, appointed commissioners and paid staff including Melissa and Kojo but alsoChief Andrew Binder and city manager Ed Shikada. I think of myself as dissent in that I ranthree times and applied 10 times but mostly just speak out and observe very little result. Or,things would be worse but for my occasional utterance like AMANDLA and FIST UP or this.Good luck and thank you in advance for your service Melissa and Kojo.and1: somewhere in there I name checked Brandynn Williams aka Kopa and AntonioPierce, both coaches — which are leaders and sometimes educators. But I forgot tosay Rigo who made this monument and artwork: (I meant to insert a photo of Rigo's monument in San Jose of the Olympic champions who puttheir fists into the air to such dramatic and perhaps practical effect...) andand: shout out to, here since February shambayati Alice in the City Clerk’s office — its counter to the thrust of this article to complain that it took me six tries to reach someone at 250to fact-check the name of Ms. McDonough. (and not sure why I left her name in such an awkward state, last name first name but downstyle or partly so, like cummings e.e. -duly notedshe is a Santa Clara grad who studied literature or writing) andandand but not Anand Patwardhan: history repeats every two hours or rinse and repeat: Imet Austin O’Such the real estate developer and son of my LAH Little Leaguenemesis/fremesis David O’Such and he bought me my second cup of coffee. Not that Ineeded it. I tried to recount for O’Such that his dad in a recent phone catch-up mentioned threemen who died too soon: Paul Hanley(2016), Don DeGrasse(2019) and Jerry Dowd, age 19,who died with his father and three others in March of 1984 boating accident. Actually andnow I’m really on a tangent, I met Paul Hanley’s roommate at the ASU-Stanford game lastmonth and we drank a beer in his memory and now I sound like Blanche DuBois who wasover-reliant on the kindness of strangers, according to Tennessee Williams who was,like Tarriona Tank Ball from New Orleans of which we should inport some but not all of its attempts to self-govern and just deal with being human. Bon Temps roulette, AI suggests,semi-ironically. I set an alarm to stop this after 45 minutes but went a full 90, to the chagrin of Young Dubliners, Anat Cohen and Ben Goldberg/Ben Davis 4 – I’m supposed to be selling700 tickets to upcoming shows!!!!! (So meta note to self: now I’ve checked “Plato's republic” meaning "government" and “filthy lucre” meaning "money") Oy: speaking of modest, MMcD mentioned Cleveland but not her two degrees from Mills —or that she worked at Cody’s perhaps while I was at Green Apple, though I’m likely before hertime. Which reminds me that my initial impetus and primary directive today was to read astory by Elmore Leonard in an anthology I found at the same aforesaid library. I was totingboth the Mandela book and another spine on Western writing. And there are 15 revisions of this screed. A good number of these posts are uni-drafts or less. Word count 1,150, name count: 36 which means “life”. (A uni-draft is something writtenhastily. Or less means it is really badly edited) Posted in filthy lucre, Plato's Republic | Tagged amandla aweythu, Coupa Cafe, kojo pierce, Melissa mcdonough, nelson mandela, Palo Alto, tarriona tank ball | Leave a comment We The People perks: or, can you open up the doors for me? My coffee today is courtesy of We the People. I greeted two City of Palo Alto leaders* and in our conversation, ... ^search injuns reveal "Central Perk" and as Malcolm P. Harris says Stanford could and should give "back" to Muwekma Ohlone eight thousands acres Mark Weiss 169 Bryant Street since 1974 cc: Ms Conaway of PAUSD: yo! From:mark weiss To:Shikada, Ed; Council, City; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Summa, Doria; Binder, Andrew Cc:Yolanda Conaway Subject:Re: WELCOME, KOJO Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 7:57:48 AM Attachments:tank ay!.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Tank: see attached: addendum to previous Mark Weiss From:mark weiss To:Shikada, Ed; Council, City; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Summa, Doria; Binder, Andrew Cc:Yolanda Conaway Subject:WELCOME, KOJO Date:Wednesday, November 8, 2023 7:46:02 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. We The People perks: or, can you open up the doors for me? Posted on November 7, 2023 by markweiss86 My coffee today is courtesy of We the People. I greeted two City of Palo Alto leaders* and inour conversation, the senior of the two offered me a cup of coffee— my normal cappuccinoeven — and I accepted. This rarely happens. It gives me pause — not to bust her, if this is notkosher. A kosher perk. Perk in two ways: perquisite meaning a gift; and perk like perky,meaning full of energy. Wasn’t there a fictional shop on “Friends” called "City Perks"^ orsomething? I almost wrote “We The Perkle” but my friend Amy Perkel from Dartmouthmight think this song is about her. The new employees are Melissa McDonough who works towards building homes that housethe homeless, I think she said. She is from Cleveland and has been here about a year. She was orientating Kojo Pierce who said he is…give me a sec…DIE or DEI…Diversity…Equity…Inclusion. I spotted him because he was here just yesterday with The Chief. And he has nice hair. Now, I am learning that apparently it is bad form or perhaps illegal tocomment on someone’s personal appearance, even if my intentions are good. And he has good hair. And I once produced with Venus Opal Reese a Stanford MFA or PhD in thearts her monologue or one-woman or one-person or one-perker about how women especially in U.S., Africa and France can bond over their hair even if hair is their only mutual language,so to speak. Kojo to my eye has braids or dreads piled or styled into a ball or shape facing forward. Notsure what you call that, but it’s pretty cool. And says “Black” or “Africa” in some ways — this would not look as good on a white person. Like, I sometimes say that Adam Duritz ofCounting Crows is one of my favorite rock contemporaries — I’m a music promoter — and perhaps emblematic or epitome of my generation of activist and non-conformists and he usedto wear dreads but I also am pretty sure he switched to a weave fairly early on. Not to digress, but when I dated Anthea Charles my Gunn classmate and the daughter of Susan Charles theschool principal she said that while they were at UC Berkeley together he would ask her about her hair. And I also say – and it still happens apparently, I have not learned — that Antheascolded me once for mis-remembering or mis-stating that someone we had just met had braids not dreads. I lump them together so to speak but others do not. Duly noted. I think noting our mistakes is a step towards fixing them, but maybe not. Kojo said he is from Ghana originally but has a degree from San Jose State. And I said that mymother and my wife both have or had degrees from there. Terry (Terry Acebo Davis) has a BFA which she got mid-career and an MFA and was, I said, on the Palo Alto Public ArtCommission. She was actually the chair of such when We The People built the new library complex The Mitch so we know like the back of our hands that the three art elements Percentfor Art are by Bruce Beasley, Brad Oldham and Roger Stoller (the arch, the owls, the tree). I think I succeeded in not triggering his animus by pulling from my bag a copy of a bookabout Nelson Mandela I know this to be true Chronicle Books Nelson Mandela Foundation which I bought from Gwen Gasque at Letter Perfect. (Not to be confused with NelsonMandela Education foundation of Cape Town which is run by my Gunn and Dartmouth schoolmate Kim Porteus who came to my Tuck & Patti show and may or may not accept myinvite to hear and see Abdullah Ibrahim next week at SFJazz). I recounted for Kojo and Melissa that at Dartmouth in the 1980s the anti-apartheid pro-divestment activists would yell AMANDLA AWEYTHU which means “power to the people”. And I also sometimes say FIST UP — and I demonstrated, in fact I sort of shoutedand sang AMANDLA AWEYTHU here in The Coup, a coup of a sorts, methinks. And I also name-checked Tommy Smith and John Carlos and Kojo said “We have a statue”which foreshadowed his mention of SJSU per se. All good omens for Palo Alto being a better place for We the People. Fist up. Tanks for the perk. (Cue Tank and the Banghas): nice things! (there was a video of a stylish music group from New Orleans here: "Nice things" which includes a lyric about opening the doors for me) *We the People thru our leaders attempt to self-govern. Our leaders are elected Councilmembers, appointed commissioners and paid staff including Melissa and Kojo but also Chief Andrew Binder and city manager Ed Shikada. I think of myself as dissent in that I ranthree times and applied 10 times but mostly just speak out and observe very little result. Or, things would be worse but for my occasional utterance like AMANDLA and FIST UP or this.Good luck and thank you in advance for your service Melissa and Kojo. and1: somewhere in there I name checked Brandynn Williams aka Kopa and AntonioPierce, both coaches — which are leaders and sometimes educators. But I forgot to say Rigo who made this monument and artwork: (I meant to insert a photo of Rigo's monument in San Jose of the Olympic champions who put their fists into the air to such dramatic and perhaps practical effect...) andand: shout out to, here since February shambayati Alice in the City Clerk’s office — itscounter to the thrust of this article to complain that it took me six tries to reach someone at 250 to fact-check the name of Ms. McDonough. (and not sure why I left her name in such anawkward state, last name first name but downstyle or partly so, like cummings e.e. -duly noted she is a Santa Clara grad who studied literature or writing)andandand but not Anand Patwardhan: history repeats every two hours or rinse and repeat: I met Austin O’Such the real estate developer and son of my LAH Little Leaguenemesis/fremesis David O’Such and he bought me my second cup of coffee. Not that I needed it. I tried to recount for O’Such that his dad in a recent phone catch-up mentioned threemen who died too soon: Paul Hanley(2016), Don DeGrasse(2019) and Jerry Dowd, age 19, who died with his father and three others in March of 1984 boating accident. Actually andnow I’m really on a tangent, I met Paul Hanley’s roommate at the ASU-Stanford game last month and we drank a beer in his memory and now I sound like Blanche DuBois who wasover-reliant on the kindness of strangers, according to Tennessee Williams who was, like Tarriona Tank Ball from New Orleans of which we should inport some but not all of itsattempts to self-govern and just deal with being human. Bon Temps roulette, AI suggests, semi-ironically. I set an alarm to stop this after 45 minutes but went a full 90, to the chagrin ofYoung Dubliners, Anat Cohen and Ben Goldberg/Ben Davis 4 – I’m supposed to be selling 700 tickets to upcoming shows!!!!! (So meta note to self: now I’ve checked “Plato's republic”meaning "government" and “filthy lucre” meaning "money") Oy: speaking of modest, MMcD mentioned Cleveland but not her two degrees from Mills —or that she worked at Cody’s perhaps while I was at Green Apple, though I’m likely before her time. Which reminds me that my initial impetus and primary directive today was to read astory by Elmore Leonard in an anthology I found at the same aforesaid library. I was toting both the Mandela book and another spine on Western writing. And there are 15 revisions of this screed. A good number of these posts are uni-drafts or less. Word count 1,150, name count: 36 which means “life”. (A uni-draft is something writtenhastily. Or less means it is really badly edited) Posted in filthy lucre, Plato's Republic | Tagged amandla aweythu, Coupa Cafe, kojo pierce, Melissa mcdonough, nelson mandela, Palo Alto, tarriona tank ball | Leave a comment ^search injuns reveal "Central Perk" and as Malcolm P. Harris says Stanford could and should give "back" to Muwekma Ohlone eight thousands acres Mark Weiss 169 Bryant Street since 1974 cc: Ms Conaway of PAUSD: yo! We The People perks: or, can you open up thedoors for me? My coffee today is courtesy of We the People. I greeted two City ofPalo Alto leaders* and in our conversation, ... From:Olenka S. Villarreal To:Council, City Cc:Prior, Christine; Stump, Molly Subject:A huge thank you Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 11:13:52 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from olenka@magicalbridge.org. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone, Magical Councilmembers, Christine and Molly, Thank you all for making my 60th a most magical evening for me, my family and for all on this journey to exceed "accessible". 7 years later, our foundation is a small but passionate team with incredible board members which I'm proud started here, with this city's early belief in me personally. Today started with a Marin County council meeting. The latest city asking for a Magical Bridge and we are thrilled this movement started in our community, where inclusion means everyone. IMG_8636.mov I can't wait to meet again with ideas about programming and volunteering that will make us an even more magical city. Much left to do and I hope I can count on your continuedsupport. With gratitude,Olenka Olenka S. VillarrealMagical Bridge Foundation (a 501c3 non-profit) Founder and CEO 650-380-1557 www.magicalbridge.org My TED Talk on Intentional Design (10/2019)10/2019: PBS NewsHour: A Playground for Everyone - Magical Bridge From:Jeremy Shaw To:Council, City Subject:Car-Free Cal Ave - Thank you! Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 10:12:09 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. I did a little happy dance this morning when I read the news. Thank you all for putting thecommunity first, and being decisive! Much appreciated! jeremy. Olive AvePalo Alto 94306 ... from a telephone. From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Correction: Annual Meeting & Holiday Party on TUESDAY, Dec. 5th - Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 9:18:18 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Annual Membership Meeting Flyer We look forward to seeing all of our members at the 2023 Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party. Enjoy light refreshments and drinks, sponsored by Homewood Suites by Hilton, proud member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PST Homewood Suites 4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA, 94306 Members: Free Guests: $20 REGISTER This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:Planning Subject:County of Santa Clara Zoning Ordinance Amendments Related to the Housing Element Update: PlanningCommission Hearing Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 6:04:19 PM Attachments:image001.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. County of Santa Clara Housing ElementUpdate Dear Stakeholder, Thank you for your continued engagement in the County of Santa Clara 2023-2031 Housing Element Update. The County of Santa Clara Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing at the meeting indicated below to consider the following item relating to the County Santa Clara 2023- 2031 Housing Element Update. To learn more, please visit the County Housing Element Update webpage, which will be updated to include all relevant materials on November 9, 2023. Thursday, November 16, 2023, at 6:00 PM Public hearing to consider and forward recommendations to the Board of Supervisors relating to amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding the Housing Element Update for the 2023- 2031 planning period, enactment of an -os Housing Opportunity Sites combining district, and amendments to the official zoning maps to rezone parcels to apply the -os designator. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): Environmental Impact Report certified October 17, 2023. Location: Countywide. Supervisorial District: All. All interested persons may appear and be heard during the public hearing in regard to the above- referenced matter at the Chambers of the Board of Supervisors at the County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding Street, 1st floor, San Jose, or by virtual teleconference. A link to join the meeting virtually will be published in the agenda, which will be made available in advance of the meeting at this web address: https://plandev.sccgov.org/commissions-other-meetings/planning-commission. Documents will be on file in the Department of Planning and Development, 70 West Hedding Street, East Wing, 7th Floor, San José, on or before the Friday prior to each meeting date. All members of the public may submit public comment before or during the above public hearings. Prior to the hearings, written communications should be delivered by email to planning2@pln.sccgov.org AND planning.commission@pln.sccgov.org, or by U.S. mail or physical delivery to the Department of Planning and Development, 70 West Hedding Street, East Wing, 7th Floor, San José, CA 95110-1770, and the Planning Commission, c/o Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 70 West Hedding Street, East Wing, 10th Floor, San José, CA 95110-1770. The published agenda for each meeting will include instructions regarding how to submit oral public comment at the hearings. If you challenge the above land use decisions in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues that you or someone else raised during consideration of the item at the above public meetings, or in written correspondence delivered to the County of Santa Clara Planning Commission by emailing planning2@pln.sccgov or planning.commission@pln.sccgov.org, or by delivering correspondence to the addresses above, prior to or at the public meetings. PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the public may provide public comments at these meetings as follows: Written public comments may be submitted by email to planning2@pln.sccgov.org and planning.commission@pln.sccgov.org. Written comments will be distributed to the Commission as quickly as possible; however, please note that documents may take up to 24 hours to be posted to the agenda outline. Spoken public comments will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Commission, click on the Zoom link above to access the Zoom-based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. 1. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in-browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up-to-date browser such as Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+, Microsoft Edge 12+, or Safari 7+. Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers, including Internet Explorer. 2. You will be asked to enter an email address and name. The Clerk requests that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. 3. When the Commission Chairperson calls for the item on which you wish to speak, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. (Call in attendees press *9 to request to speak, and *6 to unmute when prompted.) 4. When called to speak, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. From:qetuo895@comcast.net To:Council, City Subject:opening of California Ave Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 5:21:04 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from qetuo895@comcast.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Council people: I worked on Cambridge Ave for 20 years before the pandemic. It was fun to visit shops and restaurants on my lunch hour, and many times, I would visit merchants on weekends. When Caltrain redid the California Ave stop, it was to insure commuters access to allof what California Avenue had to offer; shops and restaurants. California Avenue has become a dead zone. It feels like s wannabe, maybe someday place; kind of like downtown Mountain View that has never drawn decent retail stores and is depressing to visit.Please support the compromise plan that the local merchants of California Avenue have proposed.Opening a traffic lane from El Camino. With Country Sun closing, what more do you need to understand retail needs your support. Sincerely,Elizabeth Robinson From:Sven Thesen To:Council, City Subject:Thank you for keeping CA Ave car free! Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 2:46:19 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from sventhesen@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Good People on City Council. Simply, thank you for keeping CA Ave car free!I look forward to seeing you all out there! Best, Sven -- Sven Thesen, 415-225-7645 EV Consultant & Founder, ProjectGreenHome.org and BeniSolSolar.com; Wonder Junkie__________________________________________________ How California Is Keeping Electric Vehicles Out Of Reach For Apartment-Dwellers From:Liz Gardner To:Council, City; Representative Anna G. Eshoo Cc:Palo Alto Renters; Palo Alto Forward; Jocelyn Dong; Gennady Sheyner Subject:48 Hour Power Shut Offs for Low Income Residents Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 1:23:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, et al, With little to no sufficient warning, low income resident families are receiving en masse 48hour power shut off notices . What a difference a day makes for the economic, rent, housing, fuel, food price, wage crisis in extremely wealthy Palo Alto. Where are the safety nets, resources ? Pay or quit. Power out out or pay rent? Reaching to lowest bottom to make up the loss at the tippy top is not the solution to justifysuch a draconian move. Sincerely, Liz Gardner -- Liz Gardner From:Palo Alto Forward To:Council, City Subject:Car-free Cal Ave - THANK YOU! Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 1:00:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Mayor Kou and Honorable City Council Members, Thank you for recognizing the many benefits of continuing the car-free areas onCalifornia Avenue and Ramona Street at the hearing last night. As regular bikers andwalkers to these commercial areas, we are excited that they will remain as we (andour families) enjoy them today. Thank you also for having the courage and insight to acknowledge that car-freestreets are not likely a significant cause of the many real challenges facing retailbusinesses in Palo Alto. We appreciate your actions and promises to continue makingthese streets attractive and accessible for everyone, including bikes and pedestrians. We look forward to further supporting your leadership efforts to make our retailcenters beautiful, enjoyable, and accessible to all residents. Warmly, Amie Ashton Executive Director, and on behalf of the Board of Palo Alto Forward From:Kristi Bascom To:Kou, Lydia; Stone, Greer; Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Tanaka, Greg;Vicki.Veemker@cityofpaloalto.org; Clerk, City Cc:Sharlene Carlson; a_m_mason@yahoo.com; Julie Baskind; Laura D. Beaton Subject:Request for action on 11/13/2023 City Council Meeting Agenda Item 9 Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 12:56:44 PM Attachments:image001.pngPAR letter to PACC re Agenda Item 9 for 11.13.2023.pdf You don't often get email from kbascom@smwlaw.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers, Please accept the attached request for Council action on Item #9 on the 11/13/2023 CityCouncil agenda (Ordinance Implementing Program 1.1A and 1.1B of the Housing Element,Including: 1) New Chapter 18.14: Housing Incentives, and 2) Modifications to Base ZoningDistricts Throughout Title 18). We represent the Palo Alto Redwoods Homeowner’s Association (PAR), a community of117 market rate and affordable condominiums located at 4250 El Camino Real. For sometime, PAR has been exploring ways to ensure that their wholly-residential communityreceives protection from the impacts of neighboring commercial uses such as late nightnoise, impacts to privacy, and protection of the daylight plane. To achieve this goal forPAR, and to also benefit other existing and future residential communities in the City facingsimilar issues, we have identified a few minor zoning text amendments. The details areexplained in the attached letter, but in short, PAR is requesting Council’s support tosupplement the zoning text amendments proposed by Staff in Agenda Item #9 with theadditional language we’re proposing. We believe our amendments can be added to theOrdinance that the Council is considering for adoption which is already amending relevantsections of Title 18. We believe these additional amendments can help demonstrate Palo Alto’s commitment tosupporting residential neighborhoods. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Sincerely,Kristi Bascom Kristi Bascom Urban Planner Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP 396 Hayes Street San Francisco, CA 94102-4421 p: 415/552-7272 x 202 | c: 925/872-6327 www.smwlaw.com | A San Francisco Green Business November 7, 2023 Via Electronic Mail Only Honorable Mayor Lydia Kou and Members of the City Council City of Palo Alto E-Mail: Lydia.Kou@cityofpaloalto.org, Greer.Stone@cityofpaloalto.org, Pat.Burt@cityofpaloalto.org, Ed.Lauing@cityofpaloalto.org, Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org, Greg.Tanaka@cityofpaloalto.org, Vicki.Veemker@cityofpaloalto.org, City.Clerk@cityofpaloalto.org, Re: 11/13/2023 City Council Meeting Agenda Item 9: Ordinance Implementing Program 1.1A and 1.1B of the Housing Element, Including: 1) New Chapter 18.14: Housing Incentives, and 2) Modifications to Base Zoning Districts Throughout Title 18 Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Palo Alto City Council: I am writing on behalf of the Palo Alto Redwoods Homeowners Association (“PAR”) to propose a few minor but important revisions to the Title 18 Zoning Ordinance Amendment you are considering at the Council meeting on November 13, 2023. These revisions will help ensure that higher density housing constructed on properties zoned for commercial uses will be treated like the residential uses they are. These proposed revisions will apply to new housing development as well as existing residential properties that have been built in commercial zones. The revisions will demonstrate Palo Alto’s commitment to ensuring that new neighborhoods – often created in non-traditional areas – are buffered from impacts created by commercial neighbors such as noise, reduction in access to daylight, and impacts to privacy. The specific zoning ordinance revisions proposed by PAR are shown in redline in Attachments 1 and 2 to this letter. Generally speaking, the text revisions extend protections that currently apply to “residentially zoned property” and apply them to “exclusively residential uses” as well. This means that whether a property is zoned residential, commercial, or mixed use, if the property is developed with a wholly residential use, it will be provided the same protection from inadvertent impacts. The proposed amendments are to PAMC Section 18.16.040(b), which protects residential uses from the impacts of late night activities, and to PAMC Section 18.16.060, which includes development standards for mixed-use and non-residential uses including requirements for setbacks, building height, and daylight plane. Honorable Mayor Lydia Kou and Members of the City Council November 7, 2023 Page 2 The proposed changes would not only provide these basic protections to the Palo Alto Redwoods community, but it would also apply other existing residential communities. Likewise, it would apply to the thousands of future residential units that the City is incentivizing through implementation of the Housing Element, many of which are likely to be sited on commercially- zoned land. Simply put, it is most fair and efficient to treat all exclusively residential properties similarly. Further, not adopting the changes could easily result in an increased burden on the City when future residents on commercially-zoned properties appeal or otherwise contest adjacent commercial development to try to get the same projections that residentially-zoned properties enjoy. In light of the City’s current efforts to update its zoning code, PAR believes this is an ideal opportunity for the City to consider these minor changes. We submitted a letter to the Planning and Transportation Commission when they reviewed the Ordinance Amending the Palo Alto Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning) to Implement Housing Element Programs 1.1A and 1.1B at their meeting on October 11, 2023 and asked for their consideration, but they were not able to act on the request (see Attachment 3). The City Council, however, can choose to do so. PAMC Section 18.80.100 (Action by City Council) states: “After consideration of the recommendation of the planning commission, and the completion of a public hearing, if any, the council may approve, modify, or disapprove the proposed change of-district boundaries or change of any other provisions of this title. Should the council determine that a change of district boundaries or change of any other provisions of this title shall be appropriate, such change shall be accomplished by ordinance.” Therefore, PAR respectfully requests that the City Council incorporates these additional zoning text amendments into the Title 18 ordinance being considered in Item 9 at the November 13, 2023 public hearing. We believe that PAR’s proposed amendments are covered under the public noticing completed for Item 9, as it broadly described the project as an “Ordinance Implementing Program 1.1A and 1.1B of the Housing Element, Including: 1) New Chapter 18.14: Housing Incentives, and 2) Modifications to Base Zoning Districts Throughout Title 18.” The amendments proposed by PAR fit within this description. Furthermore, PAR’s proposed text amendments will not result in an increase in housing production or other impacts beyond the text amendments already identified by City Staff. We believe that the CEQA documentation identified in the staff report that covers the proposed Amendments to Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) will cover these additional text amendments as well and no additional CEQA documentation should be required. We believe that these requested amendments are aligned with the Housing Element efforts the City is currently implementing and are not incongruous with the zoning ordinance amendments the City Council is considering in Item 9. If PAR had to apply for this zoning text Honorable Mayor Lydia Kou and Members of the City Council November 7, 2023 Page 3 amendment in a separate process, the cost would be at least $30,0001, and would involve additional City Staff time and effort to process the application. Because these amendments will benefit all exclusively residential uses that have been, or will be, developed on commercially- zoned land and are adjacent to commercial properties, it seems reasonable to think that the City Council would prefer to incorporate these minor changes now. If the City Council decides to not incorporate the proposed revisions at this time, PAR requests that the Council direct staff to study and initiate amendments to Sections 18.16.040(b) and 18.16.060 to incorporate the changes shown in Attachments 1 and 2. PAMC Sections 18.80.080 (a) and (b) allows the Council to make a motion to initiate changes to the provisions of Title 18 of their own accord. On behalf of PAR, we truly appreciate the City Council’s consideration of this request to incorporate the text amendments shown in Attachments 1 and 2 into the Title 18 Zoning Ordinance Amendment being considered at the November 13, 2023 public hearing. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this request or if we can provide any further information that will help with the City Council’s decision. We look forward to the Council’s discussion and deliberations at the meeting on the 13th. Very truly yours, SHUTE, MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP Kristi T. Bascom, AICP Urban Planner Attachments: 1: Proposed revisions to PAMC Section 18.16.040(b) 2: Proposed revisions to PAMC Section 18.16.060 3: Letter submitted by PAR to the Planning and Transportation Commission dated October 10, 2023 1710592.2 1 According to the City’s Fee Schedule: $4,484.53 deposit for the prescreening, $1,345.00 public noticing fee, $9,144.54 deposit for Zone Change (Regular and Text Amendments), and $14,957.00 for the legal review of legislative/zone change. The schedule also notes that “all fees will be recovered”, so those that are a deposit are likely to increase with no cap to the potential costs incurred by the Applicant. 1 18.16.040 Land Uses (b) Late Night Use and Activities The following regulations restrict businesses that operate or have associated activities at any time between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., where such site abuts or is located within 50 feet of residentially zoned properties or properties with exclusively residential uses. (1) Such businesses shall be operated in a manner to protect residential properties from excessive noise, odors, lighting or other nuisances from any sources during those hours. (2) For properties located in the CN or CS zone districts, businesses that operate or have associated activities at any time between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall be required to obtain a conditional use permit. The director may apply conditions of approval as are deemed necessary to assure that the operations or activities are compatible with the nearby residentially zoned property or property developed with exclusively residential uses. 1 18.16.060 Development Standards (a) Exclusively Non-Residential Uses Table 3 specifies the development standards for exclusively non-residential uses and alterations to non-residential uses or structures in the CN, CC, CC(2) and CS districts. These developments shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the following requirements and the context-based design criteria outlined in Section 18.16.090, provided that more restrictive regulations may be recommended by the architectural review board and approved by the director of planning and development services, pursuant to Section 18.76.020. Table 3 Exclusively Non-residential Development Standards CN CC CC(2) CS Subject to regulations in Section Minimum Site Specifications Site Area (ft 2 ) Site Width (ft) Site Depth (ft) None required Minimum Setbacks Front Yard (ft) 0 - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (1), (2), (8) None Required (8) 0 - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (1), (2), (8) 0 - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (1), (2), (8) Setback lines imposed by a special setback map pursuant to Chapter 20.08 of this code Rear Yard (ft) None required Interior Side Yard (ft) Street Side Yard (ft) 20' (2) None required Minimum Yard (ft) for lot lines abutting or opposite residential districts or residential PC districts or properties developed with exclusively residential uses 10’ (2) 10’ (2) 10’ (2) 10’ (2) 2 CN CC CC(2) CS Subject to regulations in Section Build-To-Lines 50% of frontage built to setback (7) 33% of side street built to setback (7) Minimum setbacks from alleys for structures other than public parking garages (ft) (3) Corner lots, from rear lot line on the alley Not applicable 8’ Not applicable Corner lots, from side lot line on the alley None All lots other than corner lots 20’ Maximum Site Coverage 50% None required Maximum Height (ft) 18.08.030 Standard 25' and 2 stories 50’ 37’ (4) 50’ Portions of a site within 150 ft. of an abutting residential district (other than a PC zone) or within 150 ft. of an abutting property developed with exclusively residential uses. (9) 35’ 35’ 35’ Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 0.4:1 2.0:1 0.4:1 18.18.060(e) Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for Hotels N/A - (5) 2.0:1 2.0:1 18.18.060(d) Daylight Plane for lot lines abutting one or more residential zone districts other than an RM-40 or PC zone or for lot lines abutting a property developed with 3 CN CC CC(2) CS Subject to regulations in Section exclusively residential uses. Initial Height at side or rear lot line (ft) - (6) - (6) - (6) - (6) Slope - (6) - (6) - (6) - (6) (1) No parking or loading space, whether required or optional, shall be located in the first 10 feet adjoining the street property line of any required yard. (2) Any minimum front, street side, or interior yard shall be planted and maintained as a landscaped screen excluding areas required for access to the site. A solid wall or fence between 5 and 8 feet in height shall be constructed along any common interior lot line. (3) No setback from an alley is required for a public parking garage. (4) As measured to the peak of the roof or the top of a parapet; penthouses and equipment enclosures may exceed this height limit by a maximum of five feet, but shall be limited to an area equal to no more than ten percent of the site area and shall not intrude into the daylight plane. (5) See additional regulations in subsection (e) of this Section 18.16.050. (6) The initial height and slope shall be identical to those of the most restrictive residential zone abutting the site line in question. (7) Twenty-five-foot driveway access permitted regardless of frontage; build-to requirement does not apply to CC district. (8) A 12-foot sidewalk width is required along El Camino Real frontage. (9) Distance shall be measured from the property line of the subject site. 150-foot measurement may be reduced to 50 feet at minimum, subject to approval by the Planning Director, upon recommendation by the Architectural Review Board pursuant to criteria set forth in Chapter 18.76. (b) Mixed Use and Residential Table 4 specifies the development standards for new residential mixed use developments and residential developments. These developments shall be designed and constructed in compliance with the following requirements and the objective design standards in Chapter 18.24. Non-Housing Development Projects and Housing Development Projects that elect to deviate from one or more objective standards in Chapter 18.24 shall meet the context-based design criteria outlined in Section 18.16.090, provided that more restrictive regulations may be recommended by the architectural review board and approved by the director of planning and development services, pursuant to Section 18.76.020. 4 Table 4 Mixed Use and Residential Development Standards CN CC CC(2) CS Subject to regulations in: Minimum Site Specifications Site Area (ft2) None required Site Width (ft) Site Depth (ft) Minimum Setbacks Setback lines imposed by a special setback map pursuant to Chapter 20.08 of this code may apply Front Yard (ft) 0' - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (8) None Required (8) 0' - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (8) 0' - 10' to create an 8' - 12' effective sidewalk width (8) Rear Yard (ft) 10' for residential portion; no requirement for commercial portion Rear Yard abutting residential zone district or a property developed with exclusively residential uses (ft) 10’ Interior Side Yard if abutting residential zone district or a property developed with exclusively residential uses (ft) 10’ Street Side Yard (ft) 5’ Built-to-Lines 50% of frontage built to setback (1) 33% of side street built to setback (1) Permitted Setback Encroachments Balconies, awnings, porches, stairways, and similar elements may extend up to 6' into the setback. Cornices, eaves, fireplaces, and similar architectural features (excluding flat or continuous walls or enclosures of interior space) may extend up to 4' into the front and rear setbacks and up to 3' into interior side setbacks Maximum Site Coverage 50% 50% 100% 50% Minimum Landscape/Open Space Coverage 35% 30% 20% 30% 5 CN CC CC(2) CS Subject to regulations in: Usable Open Space (Private and/or Common) 150 sq ft per unit (2) 18.16.090 Maximum Height (ft) Standard 35’ (4) 50’ 37’ 50’ Portions of a site within 150 ft. of an abutting residential district (other than an RM-40 or PC zone) or within 150 ft of an abutting property developed with exclusively residential uses. 35’ 35’ 35’ 35’ 18.08.030 Daylight Plane for lot lines abutting one or more residential zoning districts or abutting a property developed with exclusively residential uses. Daylight plane height and slope shall be identical to those of the most restrictive residential zoning district abutting the lot line. If no residential zoning district abuts the lot line, the daylight plane and slope shall be identical to that of any exclusively residential use abutting the lot line. Residential Density (net)(3) 15 or 20 (9) See sub- section (e) below No maximum 30 18.16.060(i) Sites on El Camino Real No maximum No maximum Sites on San Antonia Rd between Middlefield Rd and E. Charleston Rd. 15 or 20 (9) No maximum Maximum Residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 0.5:1(4) 0.6:1 0.6:1 18.16.065 Maximum Nonresidential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 0.4:1 2.0:1 0.4:1 Total Mixed Use Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 0.9:1 (4) 2.0:1 1.0:1 18.16.065 Minimum Mixed Use Ground Floor Commercial FAR(6) 0.15:1 (10) 0.15:1 (10) 0.25:1 (7) (10) 0.15:1 (10) Parking See Chapters 18.52 and 18.54 (Parking) 18.52, 18.54 (1) Twenty-five-foot driveway access permitted regardless of frontage; build-to requirement does not apply to CC district. (2) Required usable open space: (1) may be any combination of private and common open spaces; (2) does not need to be located on the ground (but rooftop gardens are not included as open space except as provided below); (3) minimum private open space dimension six feet; and (4) minimum common open space dimension twelve feet. 6 For CN and CS sites on El Camino Real and CC(2) sites that do not abut a single- or two- family residential use or zoning district, rooftop gardens may qualify as usable open space and may count as up to 60% of the required usable open space for the residential component of a project. In order to qualify as usable open space, the rooftop garden shall meet the requirements set forth in Section 18.40.230. (3) Residential density shall be computed based upon the total site area, irrespective of the percent of the site devoted to commercial use. (4) For CN sites on El Camino Real, height may increase to a maximum of 40 feet and the FAR may increase to a maximum of 1.0:1 (0.5:1 for nonresidential, 0.5:1 for residential). (5) Distance shall be measured from the property line of the subject site. 150-foot measurement may be reduced to 50 feet at minimum, subject to approval by the Planning Director, upon recommendation by the Architectural Review Board pursuant to criteria set forth in Chapter 18.76. (6) Ground floor commercial uses generally include retail, personal services, hotels and eating and drinking establishments. Office uses may be included only to the extent they are permitted in ground floor regulations. (7) If located in the California Avenue Parking Assessment District. (8) A 12-foot sidewalk width is required along El Camino Real frontage. (9) Residential densities up to 20 units/acre are allowed on CN zoned housing inventory sites identified in the Housing Element. Other CN zoned sites not located on El Camino Real are subject to a maximum residential density of up to 15 units/acre. (10) In the CC(2) zone and on CN and CS zoned sites on El Camino Real, there shall be no minimum mixed use ground floor commercial FAR for a residential project, except to the extent that the retail preservation requirements of Section 18.40.180 or the retail shopping (R) combining district (Chapter 18.30(A)) applies. October 10, 2023 Via Electronic Mail Only Jonathan Lait, Planning Director City of Palo Alto E-Mail: jonathan.lait@cityofpaloalto.org City of Palo Alto Planning & Transportation Commission E-Mail: Planning.Commission@CityofPaloAlto.org Re: Proposed Changes to the Palo Alto Zoning Code to Incorporate Residential Protections for the Palo Alto Redwoods Community Dear Mr. Lait and Planning and Transportation Commissioners: I am writing on behalf of the Palo Alto Redwoods Homeowners Association (“PAR”) to suggest a few minor but important updates to the City’s zoning code. The 117-unit Palo Alto Redwoods condominium complex located at 4250 El Camino Real, includes a diverse group of residents, with both market-rate and deed-restricted below- market-rate homes. As you may be aware, the land where Palo Alto Redwoods is located is currently zoned as commercial. The land surrounding Palo Alto Redwoods is also zoned as commercial. Consequently, Palo Alto Redwoods – despite being a property with only residential uses – does not enjoy some of the protections that other residentially zoned properties in Palo Alto receive with respect to buffering of incompatible land uses. PAR has explored rezoning the land where Palo Alto Redwoods is located to a high-density residential district, which would allow the community to benefit from the zoning code’s buffering protections. But City staff informed PAR in February of this year that the rezoning process could potentially cost thousands of dollars with no guarantee of success. In light of the City’s current efforts to review its zoning code, however, PAR believes there is an opportunity for the City to consider some minor changes that could Jonathan Lait October 10, 2023 Page 2 benefit Palo Alto Redwoods and similarly situated communities. These changes would afford our residents many of the protections that the City’s other residentially zoned properties currently enjoy. I have reviewed the City’s zoning code and identified two sections of the Municipal Code that that could be revised to achieve PAR’s goals with minimal changes. These sections currently set standards for hours of operation, minimum setbacks, building height, and daylight plane for commercially zoned properties located close to residentially zoned land. By changing the refences in these code sections from “residential zoning” to “residential uses,” the zoning code would provide Palo Alto Redwoods residents similar protections as other residential zones, even though Palo Alto Redwoods is located on commercially zoned land. This proposed change would not only provide basic protections to the Palo Alto Redwoods community. It would likewise benefit other existing and the 6,000 to 20,000 future residential properties that the City will be approving through implementation of the housing element, which are likely to be sited on commercially-zoned land. By including PAR’s proposed change in the City’s upcoming zoning changes, it would support residential uses in commercial zones by ensuring that such residential developments enjoy the same protections as residential uses on residentially zoned land. Further, not adopting the changes could easily result in an increased burden on the City when future residents on commercially zoned properties appeal or otherwise contest adjacent commercial development to try to get the same projections that residentially zoned properties enjoy. Simply put, it is most fair and efficient to treat all residential properties similarly. I have attached redlined versions containing proposed changes to the two referenced code sections—section 18.16.040, governing hours of operation, and section 18.16.060, governing building setbacks, building height, and daylight plane. We appreciate the Planning Commission’s consideration of these changes and hope the Commission will include these minor amendments with other the other zoning changes it is currently considering. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if I can provide any further information. Jonathan Lait October 10, 2023 Page 3 Very truly yours, SHUTE, MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP Kristi T. Bascom, Urban Planner From:Harris, Alexandra To:Lindgren, Gary Cc:City Mgr; Council, City Subject:Fiber to the Home (Ticket# 2219) Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 12:40:50 PM Attachments:Fiber to the Home.msgimage001.pngimage003.pngimage004.pngimage007.pngimage008.pngFiber - Add to Ticket #2219.msgFiber Correction on Ticket# 2219.msgimage009.png Hello Gary, Thank you for sharing your input about the fiber broadband project. On December 19, 2022, the City Council approved the expansion/rebuild of the existing dark fiber backbone and a phased approach to “build the last mile” to provide municipal broadband internet (see meeting Agenda report ID#14800 and Council’s decision in the Minutes.) Although there are existing internet service providers covering the City of Palo Alto, some areas still lack access to fiber broadband internet. Plus, the community expressed strong interest in having more options, specifically a municipal broadband internet option. Some reasons the City will offer municipal broadband internet include: 1. High speed internet: Fiber broadband has faster speeds and lower latency than traditional cable or DSL networks. 2. Affordable pricing: Community broadband networks provide high-speed, reliable connections at affordable costs. 3. Competition: Public investment in broadband infrastructure creates competition, improving services and keeping costs down for reliable high-speed internet. 4. Locally owned: Whereas large corporations are accountable to their shareholders, the Palo Alto Fiber network is accountable to our community, creating more responsiveness and local control. 5. Service excellence: Improved customer service over existing internet service providers. The decision to provide municipal fiber broadband internet evolved over years of careful deliberation. On May 24, 2021 the City Council was presented with various partnership models during the more recent decision-making process and decided to select the business model with more local ownership and financial control (see meeting Agenda report ID#12117 and Council’s decision in the Minutes). If you would like to share your comments with the City Council, you may do so at their meetings, by emailing them at city.council@cityofpaloalto.org, or mail. Again, thank you for your input and questions. You can stay updated on the project by visiting www.cityofpaloalto.org/PaloAltoFiber or at the Fiber Hub. Best Regards, ALEXANDRA HARRIS Sr. Business Analyst City of Palo Alto Utilities Department (650) 329-2410 | Alexandra.Harris@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Annual Meeting & Holiday Party on Dec. 5 - Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 9:07:08 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Annual Membership Meeting Flyer We look forward to seeing all of our members at the 2023 Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting & Holiday Party. Enjoy light refreshments and drinks, sponsored by Homewood Suites by Hilton, proud member of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, December 5, 202, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PST Homewood Suites 4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA, 94306 Members: Free Guests: $20 REGISTER This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:Carrie Jeffries To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board; Council, City; icastellano@m-group.us; Jeffries, Tony Subject:Jeffries Home - 975 Hamilton Avenue: Remove Our Home From Historic Preservation Consideration Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 8:20:19 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. TO: Amy French, Chief Planning Official & HRB LiasonIsabelle Castellano, M-Group Historic Preservation Consultant City Council: City of Palo AltoHistoric Review Board: City of Palo Alto FROM: Carrie & Tony Jeffries, homeowners of 975 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 RE: Removal of our home from consideration by the 2023 Historic Resource Reconnaissance Survey team for designation as historic by the City of Palo Alto, the State ofCalifornia or the National Register of Historic Homes. Please see the signed attached letter that clearly states that we do not want our homedesignated as historic by the city of Palo Alto, the state of California or thefederal government. We will be dropping off a copy of this signed letter to all agencies prior to the Historical Resources Board meeting on Thursday, November 9th. We will be in attendance at thismeeting to further state our vehement opposition to the action the City of Palo Alto is taking to force homes into a historic designation. From:Carl Jones To:Council, City Subject:Pallet Shelter - have we thought about giving these a try? Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 7:49:03 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from carljonesiii@hotmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://palletshelter.com/ Sent from my tablet, probably using voice recognition, so please excuse typos and strangewords! From:Aram James To:Council, City; Jeff Moore; Josh Becker; Lewis james; Salem Ajluni; Shikada, Ed; jaxpolo@yahoo.com Subject:Time to condemn Israel Now Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 2:02:11 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Lara EkwallTo:Council, CitySubject:Cut off because of time limitation…Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 1:57:28 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.________________________________ This was my closing… although I’d have more, time permitted… Sent from my iPhone From:Laurie Winslow To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue -keep it car- free Date:Tuesday, November 7, 2023 1:05:11 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from lljwinslow@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 members,I am writing in strong appreciation of California Avenue remaining closed. I am hoping that my vote helps to keep it closed. My reasons for this are many but it is awfully nice to be ableto walk there, bicycle there, meet friends, play at the games store, eat dinner at the restaurants. I used to be a frequent customer at the cobblery. I am sad to say that I haven’t found anythingin there to purchase lately as she has dramatically changed her merchandise. So there are many reasons that a store may be struggling. I hate to see them struggling, I like them a lot aspeople, but I do not believe that opening Cal Avenue to traffic again will change anything for the cobblery or really for the other stores that are grumbling. Parking is nearby and people areresourceful enough to find parking if they want to visit a shop. This parking is considerably closer than any parking you would find near a business at Town & Country or at the StanfordShopping Center. Please vote to keep the road closed and get your act together, so that the merchants know howto plan. Thanks, Laurie Winslow From:Guagliardo, Steven To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Stone, Greer Subject:RE: Please email DT sales tax data to full council Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:40:50 PM Attachments:image001.pngimage002.png Hello Councilmembers, Here is the downtown sales tax graph that was displayed during the 11/6 City Council meeting. From: Stone, Greer <Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org> Sent: Monday, November 6, 2023 9:35 PM To: Guagliardo, Steven <Steve.Guagliardo@CityofPaloAlto.org> Cc: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org> Subject: Please email DT sales tax data to full council Hi Steve, Can you email the chart for DT sales tax data to the full council? Thanks for getting this so quickly! Thanks, Greer Greer Stone Vice Mayor City of Palo Alto Phone: 650-575-0405 E-mail: Greer.stone@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From:Aram James To:Braden Cartwright; Council, City; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Kou, Lydia; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly Subject:Clapping is protected by the First Amendment Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:02:59 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Clapping is protected by the First Amendment Unless it disrupts a meeting… please check this out with our city attorney Molly Stump. Many times I've seen the councilencourage people to clap for their favorite sons or daughters.… Don't illegally prohibit clapping…in fact encourage citizens to clap in a nondisruptive manner. From:Kenneth Streib To:Council, City Subject:Country Sun Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:01:34 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. It would be great to see what we could do to save Country Sun. Thanks, Ken Streib From:Taj Singh To:Council, City Cc:MJ Marcus Subject:Earnest request to keep Cal Ave only for foot traffic and community building Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 9:00:11 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from tajinders@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 a member of the Cal Ave Joy Collective, and I wholeheartedly echo the sentiments conveyed in Mary Jane Moutsanas' email below. California Avenue, following its closure, has blossomed into a vibrant community nucleus. Itis an absolute delight to amble down Cal Ave any day of the week, witnessing families with young children in strollers and youngsters on scooters, all relishing the car-free environment.Additionally, the atmosphere is enriched by the sounds of local musicians performing live, adding to the charm of the street. Moreover, the street's transformation has given rise to an array of captivating street art andgalleries and restaurants that have breathed new life into the area. The infusion of creativity and culture has turned Cal Ave into a captivating destination for both residents and visitorsalike. Considering the positive impact on our community, I wholeheartedly urge the City Council to maintain Cal Ave's car-free status and further support this transformation by establishing apermanent pedestrian zone. This step would undoubtedly continue to bring boundless joy to our community while nurturing the flourishing arts and culture scene on our beloved street. Thanks,Taj Resident of 3689 park blvd Sent from handheld Begin forwarded message: 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 upthe 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 thecommunity (esp. after COVID) and what are creative ways those can be supported, along with supporting a thriving business district. I feel we had somuch isolation and distress during COVID that we really need to prioritize widely used community spaces (and find ways to make them more accessible toall income levels). I use 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 thearea, with more gathering possibilities (inside spaces and out), revisitingzoning so much cultural activities can occur in the spaces. I recommend permanent closurewith keeping the Ash Street fully open, and perhaps gaining access to thebank parking so people can park closer. I am part of the Cal Ave Joy Collective that welcomes all community memberswho 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 streetregardless needs a lot more support 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 From:Aram James To:Council, City; Human Relations Commission; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Josh Becker; KEVIN JENSEN; Lewis james;Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada, Ed; Zelkha, Mila Subject:Condemn Israel for war crimes and genocide Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 8:48:48 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Kristen Van Fleet To:Council, City; French, Amy; Planning Commission; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; kou.pacc@gmail.com; Lauing, Ed;Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; greg@gregtanaka.org; Veenker, Vicki Subject:Incorrect Factual Framework in Attorney Letter for Dewey & Handa, November 3, 2023 - Ellsworth Place at Middlefield Road Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 7:56:53 PM Attachments:Screenshot 2023-11-06 at 7.31.13 PM.png Screenshot 2023-11-06 at 7.29.28 PM.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone, and Members of the City Council, In reading the attorney's letter, the whole factual framework underlying the letter does notseem to be correct. Referring to section 2: "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." Please see a Google Maps photo from May 2008 which clearly shows this pole. And in November 2017, once the ivy is cleared, the ivy is cleared, the bracing shows. This is not the first time an incorrect framework has been used in a letter by the developer'sattorney. They also said none of the existing homes had ingress/egress rights, which has alsobeen proven to be untrue with letters from Chicago Title stating the ingress/egress rights fortwo of the existing homes, and we have documentation to support this for all 14 properties onEllsworth Place, including the apartments. Enough is enough! Say NO to this contrived bullying against the City of Palo Alto and theresidents of Ellsworth Place, and maintain the PC2343 as it exists for the greater good in theMidtown area of Palo Alto! Sincerely, Kristen A. Van Fleet From:Palo Alto Forward To:Council, City; Planning Commission; Human Relations Commission; Historic Resources Board; ArchitecturalReview Board Subject:You"re Invited - Holiday Party - 12/2 Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 6:31:13 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Council, Commission, and Board Members Thank you for your service, attention to detail, patience, and expertise on so many issues. You all help make Palo Alto a great place to live. I wanted to extend a special invite to the Palo Alto Forward Holiday Partyon Friday, December 1. Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. There will be amazing food (catered by local favorite Chef Julian of The Redwood) and great company. You can RSVP here (party details are at the RSVP link) or just respond to this email. Wewould love to have you there to celebrate the year and all good things to come. Warmly, Amie Ashton Executive Director, Palo Alto Forward650-793-1585 From:Marc Levoy To:letters@paweekly.com; Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave as a pedestrian mecca Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 6:29:01 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from levoy@cs.stanford.edu. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I'm writing to support the overwhelming majority of Palo Alto residents, neighbors, and visitors who want to keep Cal Ave closed. It pains me to read letters advocating reopening to cars. They use the same arguments city planners used to justify the Embarcadero Freeway, the Boston Elevated Central Artery, and hundreds of other car-centric projects that have destroyed many Americandowntowns. I warmly recommend that these folks re-read Jane Jacobs's seminal book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. The life of cities are in their pedestrians, and pedestrian-friendly districts. European cities figured this out a century ago, Colorado cities like Boulder and Aspen figured it out,Castro Street in Mountain View has figured it out, and the Slow Streets of San Francisco are gradually figuring it out. The number of people who benefit when a popular street having a diverse mix of restaurants and stores is turned into a pedestrian mecca far outweighs the number of drivers and merchants who benefitfrom reverting it to a sterile thoroughfare with parking. Spend a few hours on Cal Ave any Thursday evening (or on 3rd Thursdays, when there's live music), and you'll see what towns and cities should be about. -Marc Levoy Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus Stanford University and Vice President and Fellow Adobe Inc. From:Noel Sanborn To:Council, City Subject:Please Leave Cal Ave for Pedestrians Only Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 5:39:06 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from noelsanborn@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I so enjoyed going downtown when University Ave was closed as there was such asense of community. The reason why we chose to live in Palo Alto 24 years agoinstead of Hillsboro or Atherton is because we felt a sense of community here. We have sidewalks everywhere that people actually use. All three of our children biked to and from school every day and often to their other activities as well. We havelocal elementary schools that knit together each segment of our community. California Avenue provides a much needed gathering place for the community. Yes, there is a reshuffling happening among some of the businesses, but when thatis done, the Ave will be better than ever as a destination for people to gather, dine,listen to music and shop. Please keep Cal Ave pedestrian friendly and please announce this decision ASAP sobusinesses can decide where they want to locate. Noel Sanborn 1147 Fife Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 From:Ben Narasin To:Council, City Subject:A negative view on Country Sun. Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 5:36:04 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from ben@tenacity.fund. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I used to be a customer for many years but had a horrible experience with them and haven’tgone back since. In fact I filing the thing I bought the most (raw milk) available at Sigonas so have given them all my business as I find them hospitality and great to work with. Andhelpful. And with interesting inventory. Country sun is redundant and if their service level and general approach to their customers is a guide deserves to close. If they were better at their job they’d be in better shape as a business.It’s the natural Darwinism of retail. Ben Narasin, General Partner Tenacity Venture Capitalhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/tenacity-ventures/ From:Andrea Eckstein Gara To:Council, City Subject:Item 9 Monday Council Meeting Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 5:24:36 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from aegara@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 in support of keeping portions of Cal Ave and Ramona closed to traffic. We are down to just a few blocks where people can stroll and dine outdoors in a car-free area, nothaving to breathe exhaust, talk over traffic noise, or worry if kids stray just a few feet away. For too long, we have prioritized the ease of cars and drivers. It's time to work towards a lesscar-centric city, in keeping with our S/CAP mobility goals. These few blocks are a very small step in the right direction. The public asked to keep University closed to traffic, and wereoverruled. Please do not take away the few car-free spaces remaining. The city should work with the shop owners in the area to make sure that they are also gettingbenefits of the closure. That means making sure that their signage and access is not blocked, and offering up some perks like a night holiday market that could spill out into the street. Thanks for your consideration, Sincerely,Andrea Gara 1265 Wilson St, Palo Alto From:Ree Campaña Dufresne To:Sewer Projects Cc:Schlater, Nelson Subject:Re: Sanitary Sewer Project (SSR) 31 Weekly Update 11/6/23 “REBUTTAL” Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 5:24:24 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from ree_duff@comcast.net. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Due to the constant use of trucks, cement mixers, backhoes and other “HEAVY EQUIPMENT” moving rocks, dirt, cement and other debris adjacent to the fence opposite my front door and patio area, I have developed an inflammation of my eyes, due to the airborne debris that you are creating, and will continue to impact us for the entire length of time on this Project. Other residents only experience these intrusions on the quality of their lives “when the job moves to their stretch of El Camino Real” , as opposed to the “daily ” intrusion 6 -7 days a week, day and night that those of us “adjacent to 4146 El Camino Real are subjected to this unfair decision. This is a residential neighborhood which you have allowed to become a Constuction site! The lot is less than an Acre at “.75 of an Acre”, so it is ludicrous to say that you will move those monstrous pieces of equipment closer to El Camino edge of the lot! The parcel is TOO SMALL FOR THIS SIZE PROJECT! Were there no “properties available that were zoned for this type of Construction available for this project? I was lead to believe that you would water down while doing this work in order to “minimize” the airborne pollutants, but I do not see that happening., Is the city of Palo Alto going to pay for medical care that causes breathing problems, eye infections, and issues of sleep deprivation and constant noise from the Heavy equipment and it’s operations during this project which is right over our fence and going to continue to mid 2024? This project appears to have been approved to operate adjacent to our property without any approval or notice to those of us most impacted. How does that happen without the knowledge of the Palo Alto City Council? Sincerely, Ree Dufresne Ree Campaña Dufresne, R.N. (Ret)… Palo Alto, CA 94306. Cell: 650-224-8845 From:David Richardson To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Closure Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 5:20:29 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from davidyrichardson@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, As a frequent visitor of California Avenue who has been delighted by the closure, I would like to submit some questions and comments. 1. What prompted me to write is the “compromise solution” offered by a number of California Avenue merchants. I may be missing some details from the information I read, and if so would like to have this solution completely explained. The understanding I have is that the suggestion is to have a one-lane driving access necessarily one way from El Camino east on California Avenue. It seems that this solution allows restaurants to retain seating for dining on the street outside this lane else the solution might as well be two lanes. So the picture I have in my mind is of cars driving slowly one-way down the middle of the current road with tables on either side. There will be no parking for these cars and they will obviously disturb any nearby diners and significantly degrade the dining and pedestrian experiences. So how does this help bring new customers to the businesses on California Avenue? If they want to visit any of the businesses, they must use parking plenty of which is available now behind the current businesses. They can’t stop in the middle of the road to look around because there will be traffic behind them. Given these constraints why would any potential customers even drive down this portion of California Avenue? On the surface it seems like this is a solution in search of a problem. 2. On the other hand several merchants and others have identified the uncertainty about the closure as holding back development on California Avenue because investors don’t want to spend money there. This seems to be a valid criticism but the delay certainly has increased because of the conundrum of what to do. The vast majority of visitors polled like the closure but many merchants think their loss of business is because of the street closure. I would offer that the real loss of business was caused by the Covid pandemic which totally changed how our society operates. Thousands of workers are no longer commuting to the area. Residents and visitors have gotten out of the habit of visiting stores because of the fear of catching Covid (though that has been easing somewhat). During the heart of the pandemic and beyond it seemed as though Cal Ave was totally dead between 2-5 pm when the restaurants closed. No one was able or willing to visit other businesses. Habits completely changed after Covid. Residents and visitors (of which I am one) would spend less time on California Ave now were it not for the closure so without the closure even fewer visitors would come. So in reading the recent Weekly article the suggestion that makes the most sense to me is to come up with events that attract visitors and make the street much more attractive to pedestrians (especially pertinent when the decision for permanent closure is made). Castro Street in Mountain View is undergoing this transformation now and may become a destination location. Until these improvements are made on Cal Ave rents for the merchants should be lower. Also the faster the decision is made to make the closure permanent and improvements proposed, the sooner the possibility of investors coming up with businesses that will attract more visitors. This would be win-win for the merchants. There are many thousands of people no longer coming to Palo Alto and surrounding towns on a daily basis and it doesn’t appear that this will change much going forward. So something else has to attract the people who live and still work in the area to visit Cal Ave! This needs to become at least more of a destination place like Stanford Shopping Center and University Avenue to the residents in the Cal Ave area. 3. Some improvement in how vehicles are able to get around in the Cal Ave vicinity will happen when the safety building is completed and the closed road is opened and the detour signs removed. One idea to help direct visitors unfamiliar with the area to parking would be more prominent signage on El Camino. Respectfully submitted, David RichardsonPalo Alto Resident From:Jessica Tsoong To:French, Amy; Historic Resources Board Cc:Council, City; Waynn Lue Subject:Palo Alto Historic Inventory - 360 Kellogg Ave Objection Letter Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:49:02 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jnt2101@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Historic Resources Board and Amy French, Thank you for the opportunity to provide input regarding our property's potential nomination for listing on the Palo Alto Historic Inventory list. We would like to object to our property, 360 Kellogg Ave, being included in the HistoricInventory list. Historic Criteria: 1. In the 2023 Reconnaissance Survey, one of the reasons for Historic Inventory Criteria(Criterion 5) included in the Statement of Significance states that there is a "rear guest house designed by Birge M. Clark in 1928". This guest house is not a part of ourproperty at 360 Kellogg Ave, but is now the house at 1450 Waverley St. as the lot was subdivided many years ago. This house at 1450 Waverley St. (designed by Birge Clark)has recently been approved for demolition and new construction. 2. In the 2023 Reconnaissance Survey, Page & Turnbull stated that there have been "noalterations identified" since 2001. In 2010, a 2-car garage and cabana were added and a carport was removed. From 2018-2021, the current homeowners did an extensiverenovation to the home (addition of approx 4450 sq ft to the main house and an ADU), altering the front, side, and rear facades of the house, including significant materialreplacement and addition of new material. Future Improvements & Eco-friendly changes 1. We are particularly concerned about additional restrictions and requirements imposed on us, especially as it pertains to green & eco-friendly improvements visible from thestreet that we may wish to make in the future that would make our house more environmentally conscious. (e.g. energy efficiency, etc.) Homeowner choice: 1. We would like homeowners to have the choice to be listed on the Inventory List. 2. “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) Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jessica Tsoong & Waynn LueHomeowners at 360 Kellogg Ave, Palo Alto From:Vicki Vaughn To:French, Amy; Council, City Subject:Palo Alto Historical Inventory - Objection Letter for 317 High Street and 323 High Street Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:32:13 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from vicki_v@msn.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Amy, I know that you received my previous emails regarding my properties at 317 and 323 High Street. I'm sending this email to you as well as the city council to make absolutely sure that you know how absolutely opposed I am to having my properties designated as historical. First of all I want you to know that I LOVE both properties and have absolutely no intention of selling them anytime soon. I've always joked that my ashes will be spread in my raised bed garden. That's how long I see myself living here. I've dedicated my heart - as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars --to their preservation. Both homes have been upgraded at significant cost to make them livable in this century. They are finished and I don't see any significant remodel in the future, but if I wanted to add a live in basement or possibly attic, I don't want to be hindered by historical status. Any historical incentives would not be applicable to me. I do not want the city government deciding the status of my property for me. God Bless any homeowner who wants to do this, but please note that I object. Vicki Vaughn 650-380-4250 Owner 317 High Street 323 High Street From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Angel, David; Baker, Rob; Binder, Andrew; Braden Cartwright; CeciliaTaylor; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Clerk, City; D Martell; David S. Norris; Don Austin; Donna Wallach; EdLauing; Jensen, Eric; GRP-City Clerk; GRP-City Council; Jack Ajluni; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian;Hornung, Joel; Josh Becker; KEVIN JENSEN; Lewis james; Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; Van Der Zwaag, Minka; RajJayadev; Reifschneider, James; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; Sean Allen; Shana Segal; Shikada,Ed; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Tim; Vara Ramakrishnan; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto;Perron, Zachary; alisa mallari tu; Barberini, Christopher; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Lee, Craig;cromero@cityofepa.org; dennis burns; districtattorney@sfgov.org; Figueroa, Eric;friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com; james pitkin; jaxpolo@yahoo.com; kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org Subject:Re: Condemn the State of Israel for ongoing genocide Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:27:45 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Photo from the Nov 4, 2023 march and rally in San Francisco-by aram On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 4:13 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: From:Jeffrey Hook To:Council, City Subject:Item 9. Keep Cal. Ave closed to car traffic Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:25:05 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from tribaljeff51@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. November 6Action Item 9. Approval of a Contract with Urban Field Studio (C24188179) for a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $384,990 for the Car-free Streets Alternatives Study; Honorable City Councilmembers, I write to advocate for the continued closure of California Avenue to car traffic. Car-free zones make sense on a number of levels1. Ecological We are in the midst of an unfolding ecological catastrophe of our own making. That humansare the primary cause of global warming, dramatic loss of biodiversity, loss of forest cover and freshwater supplies, among many other symptoms, is beyond doubt. While many, perhapsmost of us, are waiting for the federal or state government to act, we can have an impact at the local level through intelligent city policy. Passenger cars account for about 30% of USgreenhouse gas emissions. The car-free zone on Cal. Ave. reinforces the idea in all visitors that we're making conscious change at the local and individual level to protect ourenvironment. 2. Sociological People engage with each other much more readily when on foot than when isolated in cars. Whether engaging with strangers or acquaintances, these "street conversations" are a very important means to create and sustain healthy community. 3. AestheticMost people prefer environments that are small scale, intimately landscaped, and quiet enough for conversation. Compare this to expanses of pavement, filled with cars. 4. Live music. The third Thursday music nights on the closed street have been verysuccessful. Let's keep this going! Some have commented that the car-free zone on Cal Ave has turned the area into a food court. Over-representation by restaurants is an issue not principally caused by car exclusion,rather the primary drive is lack of zoning regulations to ensure that local needs ("essential services") are met. The city already mandates grocery stores for specific properties. It can dothe same for retail areas like Cal Ave, to ensure, e.g. that we have a hardware store, a bicycle sales and repair facility, a pharmacy, a nursery, etc. A system that only rents to the highestbidder regardless of use is unlikely to result in the diverse mix of stores that we need. Opening the street to car traffic will indeed remove the food court, but will not address thefundamental cause. Sincerely, Jeffrey HookOxford Avenue From:Aram James To:Council, City; Jeff Moore; Lewis james; Raj Jayadev; Roberta Ahlquist; Rosen, Jeff; Tim; Perron, Zachary;citycouncil@mountainview.gov; friendsofcubberley94303@gmail.com Subject:Condemn the State of Israel for ongoing genocide Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:14:07 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Margaret Tompkins To:Council, City Subject:I support more housing! Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 4:07:21 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from margaretmtompkins@gmail.com. Learn whythis is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I would like to encourage the City Council to support better zoning in moreplaces to accommodate more in-fill housing, or housing in now-under- utilized areas. Thank you for upzoning 4 parcels on El Camino to facilitate housing development. We need more housing, at all income levels, to keepour community vibrant and diverse.Thank you, Margaret Tompkins Downtown North resident From:Kim Raftery To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:53:41 PM [Some people who received this message don't often get email from rafterykim@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. ________________________________ I have lived in College Terrace for 37 years. I think California Avenue should continue to be closed to traffic. Outdoor dining has been wonderful during the worst part of the pandemic and Covid is not over so it would be great to still have plenty of outdoor seating. Thank you. Kim Raftery 2290 Harvard Street Sent from my iPhone From:Alfred Pace To:Council, City Cc:Alfred V. Pace Subject:Time Sensitive. Comments RE California Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:51:03 PM Attachments:California Avenue copy.docx Some people who received this message don't often get email from avpace@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Please find attached my comments re California Avenue, an agenda item for tonight’s(November 6, 2023) CIty Council Meeting on the matter. Thank you kindly for you consideration. Respectfully, Al Al Pace November 6, 2023 council@CityofPaloAlto.org (mailto:city.council@CityofPaloAlto.org) Subject: California Avenue Good evening and thank you for this opportunity to comment. Twenty-five years ago, I co-founded a real estate investment and management company, located on California Avenue in Palo Alto. Our investment activities include mixed-use apartment, commercial and retail development on behalf of our own account, also advising pension funds regarding long-term real estate investments. Starting with me and my administrative assistant, today we directly employ more than ninety talented colleagues and indirectly, another 500 in various markets across the US. Pre-Covid, my company colleagues and I witnessed a slow, persistent decline of California Avenue as vacancies increased, retailers struggled and pedestrian traffic was diminished. This, notwithstanding widening of the sidewalks and art installations. Pre-Covid, California Avenue was not a destination aand we should not delude ourselves that it was. Rather, California Avenue was a declining ‘second sister’ to the then more vibrant University Avenue. Looking Forward – Reimagining California Avenue. Broader Appeal. Housing, Restaurants, Retail. Today, Palo Alto enjoys an extraordinary opportunity to create an exceptional, pedestrian-friendly, transportation-centric commercial retail, office, housing and arts environment. • Bounded by a CalTrain commuter station, three adjacent parking lots (two of them structured) and SamTrans on El Camino Real, Palo Alto enjoys the opportunity to redefine California Avenue, changing it from a declining pre-covid environment to an energized destination address populated with restaurants, retail offerings, commercial space and potentially apartment homes. • Looking forward, might the city of Palo Alto envision California Avenue as a destination address, one that not only attracts local patrons, but reaches out to the broader peninsula community? o A re-envisioned, energized pedestrian-centric California Avenue will provide Palo Altans and peninsula patrons with a desirable, destination location to spend both time and dollars, contributing to increased retail and restaurant sales as well as sales and property tax revenues…a portion of which go to support schools and other local services. Acknowledging some believe opening the street will re-envigorate their operations, this is not supported. • As stated previously, pre-covid California Avenue had street parking. Some of this parking was occupied by establishment employees and owners (rather than patrons). • Moreover, California Avenue always had parking, evidenced by structured parking facilities on both Cambridge and Sherman. • Restaurants and retailers that have embraced the current closed street environment are succeeding, if not thriving. Patrons linger with families. They embrace the community and the various California Avenue establishments and their offerings…that is if they are ‘open’. • Finally, let’s internalize that for those businesses preferring open streets, there is ample space availability throughout Palo Alto, where ‘Availble for Rent’ and ‘For Lease’ signs still punctuate the streetscape, including on the reopened University Avenue where vacancies remain high. I urge the city to grasp this unprecedented opportunity to redefine California Avenue. Once lost, it will be forever so. • Embrace your existing, valuable transportation-centric infrastructure of trains, busses, parking. • Enhance the pedestrian-friendly aspects through hardscape, lighting, landscape. • While moving to accomplish the aforementioned, seek to address the Palo Alto housing shortage and Housing Element requirements by adding zoning for mixed-use/ mixed-income rental housing atop retail structures. Palo Alto, it is very rare for a city to enjoy the opportunity California Avenue affords, particularly one with so much important infrastructure already in place. The Covid era was terrible for all. Let’s embrace one of the few silver linings of this terrible period to constructively move forward. Respectfully submitted, Alfred Pace Avpace@gmail.com From:Mary Jo Ricci To:Council, City Subject:California Ave Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:45:06 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from mjmricci@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council Members: California Avenue business district is not doing well but there are things we as citizens ANDyou as our elected officials can do to bring this gem of an area back to full life force. Reopen the street. I find an evening stroll down Cal Ave as lovely as the nearby College Terrace and Evergreen Park residents do, but that does nothing to support the businesses suffering during the othereight hours of the day. Vacancy is at an all time high. Multigenerational businesses will have to leave. Restaurants won’t be open for the end of our stroll. Other areas of Palo Alto are openand thriving and Cal Ave should also have that opportunity. Reopen the street. And what of the city’s role? No more expensive studies that result in plastic chairs and plastic putt-putt and plastic chess pieces on a chalked sidewalk. You have a WEALTH of talent onwhich to draw from the business residents. Work with them on their vision. Please. Reopen the street. Please. Sincerely, Dr. Tony and Mary Jo Ricci From:Terri Weber To:Council, City Cc:Terri Weber Subject:Cal Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:26:31 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from tlweber0@gmail.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I support the compromise plan for California Avenue of opening one lane for traffic as proposed by many members of the California Avenue Business District. This would continue to allow outdoor dining as well as give easier access to the small businesses that occupy the area. I frequently visit the California Ave, usually for dining and find that the new parking structure provides easy parking. Menlo Park has turned their downtown area into a very nice place to shop, dine and wander . California Avenue could follow this path. Terri Weber From:Ann Balin To:Council, City Subject:California Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 3:11:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ________________________________ Dear Mayor Kou & Council Members, I am writing to support the extension keeping California Avenue closed to vehicles through December 2024. I agree with the majority of residents who want to keep the avenue closed to automobiles. All of the economic forces that slammed retail due to Covid’s impact on businesses have nothing to do with cars not being allowed on the avenue. We know well that commuters that used to pour off the trains are now at thirty percent hurt brick and mortar shops including Country Sun and the European Cobblery. Shopping online has gutted sales for many retailers. Again, the decrease in sales is not because cars do not access California Avenue. I am deeply saddened to lose Country Sun. The restaurants have mainly saved the avenue. People love interacting and being together after years of isolation. Residents enjoy the music scene where Terun was accompanying diners beginning during Covid. The avenue is also safe. I have witnessed in pre-Covid era many cars blowing though the stop sign at Ash Street. Now families can walk together and dine with their children and not be constantly on alert for reckless drivers. Many in town have grown impatient waiting for the city to implement a unified look to the avenue. We need a thoughtful unified design that is not fussy. I understand that it takes time to implement all of the factors in developing this closed shopping and dining district’s identity. I understand that the city has had to work out financials as some restaurants have more square footage than others on the public avenue. That is correct to charge accordingly. Street Sense has presented the charrette for State Street in Santa Barbara which is a successful retail closed street. I honestly think the city can study and use that template for a super attractive pedestrian shopping district. The street’s surface is warm dark brick color that is complemented by the greenery along the paseo. California Avenue can be enhanced with charming landscaping and architectural details. Not too long ago many residents reached out to the city council to argue against changing the zoning at Town & Country Village to include medical services on the ground floor. The landlord was on a fishing expediton. People were vaccinated and the retailers were poised to make a come back. Now look at the success of this destination shopping venue. The city listened to the residents. Thank you for considering my thoughts regarding California Avenue. Respectfully, Ann Lafargue Balin From:Nadia Naik To:Clerk, City; Council, City Subject:Keep Cal Ave closed! Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 2:45:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable City Council Members, Please keep California Avenue closed! The street closure has been the best thing to happen to California Avenue. I’ve lived in Miami (a very car-centric place) and Europe (a very pedestrian/bike-friendly place), and I can say that in both places, the pedestrian zones create by farthe liveliest and most welcoming places that foster both social interaction andeconomic growth. Yes, Cal Ave retail has suffered, but the cause is due to larger extenuating factors likethe dominance of online shopping and the fact that fewer employees have returnedto the office full-time than expected. The permanent street closure will allow for the improvements needed to furtherimprove Cal Ave as a destination. Think about Santana Row – no one goes there to drive down the strip and see if theymight want to get out. They park and stroll around and the signage helps guide themto retail – that’s what we need at Cal Ave. Better signage helps the retailbusinesses and it helps the consumers learn about what is available and encouragesfurther exploration. A “buy local” campaign should promote the permanent closure and invite morepeople to come and see what’s new. Office workers should be lured back to Cal Ave for lunch with more incentives andactivities. Restaurants are pulling most people to Cal Ave, but the stores all close early. Havingextended retail hours that more closely match the restaurants would be helpful. Having just one lane down the middle of Cal Ave is one of the worst possibleoutcomes. I encourage the City council to be bold and decisive and commit, once and for all, toclosing California Avenue so we can focus on further enhancing the Cal Aveexperience and fostering further community vibrancy. The pandemic taught us the importance of having outdoor gathering spaces and howthis creates a sense of community. Please vote to keep the street close and choose humans over cars. Thank you. Nadia Naik From:John Guislin To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed Subject:City unresponsive to unkept Dog Park Promises Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 2:42:49 PM Attachments:Parks and Rec Letter Oct 2023.pdf Opinion_ Promised dog parks_ 6 years and counting _ News _ Palo Alto Online _ copy.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Council Members, City Manager: In 2017 Palo Alto's Parks and Recreation Commission published a Master Plan for ourrecreational facilities. In this plan the city confirmed the need for adding off-leash dog parks that should be distributed equitably throughout Palo Alto. They designate dog parks projectsas "Ready in the short term." Believing the City intended to follow through on this plan I have worked with the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Staff for years to create a dog park easily accessible to northPalo Alto. That effort has stalled. On Oct. 14 I wrote the Commission (letter attached) asking them to reconsider the existing parks along Palo Alto Avenue. On Oct. 20 the Palo Alto Weekly published my Op Ed piece (attached) about the need formore dog parks and the viable choices that could quickly provide parks. I have had no response from the Parks and Recreation Commission or anyone from City Staff. I do not expect dog parks to be the City's highest priority. I do expect elected and appointed officials to be responsive to requests from the people they serve. Here is an opportunity for the City Council to show leadership and ensure the City followsthrough on its commitments and responds to residents willing to engage for a common goal. Sincerely, John Guislin From:Greg St.Claire To:tim pham; Guillaume Bienaime Cc:Council, City; Kou, Lydia; Nancy Coupal; Pamela Walsh; Giuseppe Carrubba Subject:Re: Ramona Street! Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 2:39:17 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from greg@avenir-rg.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 had planned on coming and speaking tonight but won't be able to make it as my best friend isin the ICU post open heart that has taken a turn and I need to be with his kids. Echoing Tim and the other Ramona businesses we have a unique opportunity to do something really special on a street that is historic. Let's be bold and create an absolute gem ofa destination for Palo Alto. Let's set design standards, get rid of the temporary blockades, properly sign the street, create more bike parking in front of the wine room vs no parking. Gulliaume is going to do an amazing job with the Old Pro Space adding energy to the block. Iam currently upgrading my parklet and will invest even more if we can commit to the street. We have plenty of parking. What we don't have is pedestrian friendly or bike friendly streets. Let's do something special on this historic street! Greg St ClaireOwnerAvenir Restaurant Groupwww.avenir-rg.comwww.townsc.comwww.nolas.comwww.milagrosrc.comwww.ranchoalena.comwww.alpineinnpv.com 650-631-8813 On Fri, Nov 3, 2023 at 6:22 PM tim pham <timphamecontact@yahoo.com> wrote: Dear Mayor Kou and the City Council members, I am writing to you once again to urge you to keep Ramona Street closed for outdoor dining. 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 Pham Tea Time Palo Alto From:Carol Muller To:Council, City Subject:A question about UpliftLocal Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 2:16:57 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. ________________________________ Over last few years, I've followed the development of Uplift Local, which seems to be well-funded through the City of Palo Alto, AND duplicating efforts of (and potentially undermining?) businesses like the Palo Alto Weekly by serving as an alternative source of advertising. If you’ve decided to support this kind of advertising effort, how far could that budget go if deployed through more traditional advertising channels like the PA Weekly or other newspapers readily available to all residents (online and in-print), and through mechanisms that could save paper (e.g. circulars included with the CPAU bills) and residents' time? Furthermore, I’m really not sure why the City is getting involved in serving advertising of local businesses. I’d be interested in your thoughts. Carol Muller From:Jeff Conrad To:Council, City Subject:Ellsworth Place: Proposed Amendment of PC 2343?City Council Meeting November 6, 2023 Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 2:00:56 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from jeff_conrad@msn.com. Learn why this isimportant CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Kou, Vice Mayor Stone, and City Council Members: I am a long-time resident of Sutter Avenue. I urge you to reject the proposed amendment of PC 2343 for 2901–2905 Middlefield Rd. as the ordinance is currently written because it does not solve the problem it purports to address and it creates an unnecessary additional problem for Sutter Avenue residents and perhaps patients at the professional building at 2875 Middlefield Rd. I suggest simple modifications that would cure the proposal’s deficiencies, and I urge you to adopt them. I focus on package delivery to Ellsworth Place residents. I have little experience entering or exiting Ellsworth Place, so I shall defer to others on the safety issue. That said, I do note that the hump of the Matadero Creek bridge creates a need for extra caution when turning onto Middlefield Rd. from Sutter Avenue, a 60′-wide street without the additional complication of a jog in the sidewalk. Package Delivery for Ellsworth Place Residents Because Ellsworth Place is a dead end with no turnaround, common carriers have for decades relied on the guest parking for 2901–2905 Middlefield Rd. for deliveries to Ellsworth Place residents. Package deliveries may have been an occasional occurrence in the late 1960s, but they have become an essential means of obtaining goods today. Requiring residents to drive to a carrier’s facility to pick up packages would essentially relegate the residents to third-world status. And it would not be an option for those who no longer drive. The Non-Solution—The Ordinance as Proposed The proposed ordinance for 2901–2905 Middlefield Rd. calls for a truck delivery space on the 2901–2905 Middlefield Rd. property (§ 5(b)(i)) and a 40′ curbside loading zone on Sutter Avenue (§ 5(b)(ii)) in front of 2901 Middlefield Rd. UPS has indicated that the former is unworkable, and the latter is too far from the Ellsworth Place residences. So what is proposed would accomplish little other than to reduce parking on Sutter Avenue, which often is parked to capacity already. No mention is made of the hours for which the restrictions would be in effect. But deliveries from many carriers can occur any time between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., so a usable loading zone would reduce parking for the entire time during which it is needed most. This seems absurd since the loading zone would be used for only a small fraction of the time for which the restrictions would apply. The Solution—the Proposal by Ellsworth Place Residents The Ellsworth Place residents have proposed a more usable truck delivery space on the northwest side of Ellsworth that UPS has indicated is acceptable and that would avoid the loss of parking on Sutter Avenue. The imposition on the 2901–2905 property owner is minimal. Because the utility pole and communications lines will already need to be moved to accommodate the widening of Ellsworth Place, the additional cost should also be minimal. It should be noted that the owner of 2901– 2905 Middlefield is getting a 33% increase in density that netted him almost a million dollars. The delivery space proposed by the Ellsworth Place residents seems a minor concession to ask in return. This could easily be incorporated into the ordinance for 2901–2905 Middlefield Rd. by revising the Development Plan in Attachment 3 to show the delivery space proposed by the residents and eliminating § 5(b)(ii). For residents of Sutter Avenue as well as residents of Ellsworth Place, I urge you to make this change. Sincerely, Jeff Conrad From:HEIDI SCHWENK To:City Mgr; Council, City Subject:RE: California Avenue Discussion - Remain OPEN to Pedestrians and Dining! Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 1:46:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. RE: California Avenue Discussion - Remain OPEN to Pedestrians and Dining! Dear City Manager and City Council, Before you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions please take a survey from the Citizens of Palo Alto regarding keeping California Avenue open to pedestrians, dining, street performers, bands,dancing, children and parents/adults playing games, bicycles, scooters and sitting on the benches watching all the activities. Many Palo Altoians and visitors to the area have benefitted from utilizing California Avenue like a pedestrian/bicycle European City since the pandemic of 2023. I hope you ask all the store and restaurant owners who say they want the street to allow automobiles again to produce statements of their accounts before 2023, and since. I learned from a reliable source recently that some restaurant’s profits are up 30 to 40% since covid. By the restaurants having tables, tents and heaters on the street it has allowed them to remain in business. Many restaurants have also been able to hire more employees, which also benefits the city and economy over all. I do not believe that Country Sun, The Cobbler and Mollie Stone have lost business do to the open street. They all have ample parking either next door or behind their stores. I’ve heard that they have had more walk in customers do to the street being open to pedestrians, instead of the reverse. I am skeptical of Vino also claiming that they have lost customers considering they are rarely open. They too also have ample parking behind their store! It will be an asset to have the Nut House location redeveloped and expanded to include the parking lot. The new parking garage next to that area is rarely full. I highly encourage everyone on the Council and the Manager to visit California Avenue as often as possible, to see for yourself how the street is used. It is delightful to see parents playing ‘ring around the rosey’ (just last Saturday night, November 4, 2023); a young boy and an older man playing chess on the street during a summer lunch; and couples of all ages going to stores and restaurants; as well as walkers and bicyclers of all ages using the pedestrian area down the middle. Palo Alto needs more opportunities to form community and connection. Please adapt California Avenue to become more inviting and beautify it with more trees, benches and allow the restaurants to beautify their sites to become even more profitable for the employees, and city. Best, Heidi Schwenk 760 Northampton Drive Palo Alto, CA 94303 From:Hernan Lebrun To:Council, CitySubject:Street reopening Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 1:32:44 PM Some people who received this message don't often get email from hlebrun72@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. My name is Hernan Lebrun and I've been working at a very popular restaurant on California Avenue for the past 15 years and saw almost all street businesses on theavenue do well when the street was opened for traffic before the pandemic. However, pandemic is over now and I sincerely believe that California Avenue should be opened back to traffic like it used to be. I believe that every retailer, every restaurant every small business should have a shot to succeed. Unfortunately, that is not the situation rightnow and only a handful of restaurants are doing well. Please City Council members give us back our street, open it up so we can all do well again.Thank you Sincerely, Hernan LebrunRestaurant worker From:John Shenk To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Lait, Jonathan; Guagliardo, Steven Subject:Item 9 - November 6, 2023 Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 1:20:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Council and Staff: The Staff Report states The Car-Free Streets concept is a “Council-supported effort”. It is not backed by any professional resource. Businesses are not doing well and as Street Sense told you in person, the Council cannot create a vibrant retail district. To support a diverse vibrant retail environment the City should solely focused on SAFTEY, CLEANLINESS, and providing a ZONING CODE that is relevant, current, understandable (again this is what Street Sense told us all just a few months ago). The Ramona Street closure is particularly curious as its advocates are a vocal few. The fact this this jewel of an historic district in our downtown is a “Council supported project” that has clear negative impacts on many businesses and yet received Staff support for another year of closure and unknown expensive studies is the definition of insanity. The purported strong support from the business community rings hollow with the business community as we are not hearing the same but from the obvious economic beneficiaries of the free real estate. Some say non-food retail is dead. It is not, but the best way to be sure Palo Alto kills its non- food retail is to close streets. To improve the landscape for retailers of all sorts, we need to make the streets safe, parklets safe, and vastly improve the cleanliness of the entire area. We also need to improve access to parking and increase the supply of parking spaces as it is common for all surfaces spaces to be full and at this point Tuesday -Thursday even some garages are full. No matter your decision on again prolonging the temporary closure of Ramona, PLEASE restore Hamilton Avenue between Emerson and Ramona as it has looked like a construction zone for 3 years already. Simply restripe it or paint over the old striping. The City’s A frames, cones, and barriers prohibit street cleaning, and it is filthy. Please keep it clean and plant trees where they are missing. Please please please stop the insane study upon study upon study waste of money and resources and temporary policies. After a year of study and community involvement, Street Sense told the City what to focus on. Please do that. Last, part of supporting the business community is to provide adequate enforcement of all codes which today is virtually non-existent. As we head into the rainy season having gutters that flow is critical and very parklet surely needs maintenance and enforcement to be sure others do not suffer. Sincerely, John John R. Shenk Thoits Bros., Inc. From:HEIDI SCHWENK To:City Mgr; Council, City Subject:El Camino Real Proposed Development between Page Mill and Matadero Avenue Date:Monday, November 6, 2023 1:15:49 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. RE: El Camino Real proposed development between Page Mill and Matadero Avenue Dear City Manager and City Council Members, The underdeveloped and one of the most displeasing locations in the City of Palo Alto needs your undivided attention. I am referring to the stretch of El Camino Real between Page Mill Road and Matadero Avenue. Having lived in Palo Alto since 1989, I cringed at the image of this location. It has been under utilized by the entire community for decades. It can be improved considerably in its utility and appearance to become inviting and beautiful by providing important housing and services to Palo Alto citizens and businesses, as well as to those who visit and work in the area. Thank you, Heidi Schwenk 760 Northampton Drive Palo Alto, CA 94303