Item No. 3
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – CONSENT AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ROBERT OVADIA, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: OCTOBER 15, 2025
SUBJECT: WAIVE THE SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN
ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 10.06 TO THE ATHERTON
MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SPEED LIMITS
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council waive the second reading and adopt the attached Ordinance adding Chapter 10.06 to the Atherton Municipal Code relating to Speed Limits.
BACKGROUND
This is the final reading for adoption of an Ordinance adding Chapter 10.06 to the Atherton Municipal Code relating to speed limits.
Cities and counties in California are required to follow the California Vehicle Code ("CVC") Section 22358(a) to establish speed limits within their jurisdictions. CVC section 22358(a) permits a local agency to determine and declare via ordinance, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study ("E&TS"), a prima facie speed limit lower than 65 miles per hour if certain conditions are met. Speed limits cannot be set arbitrarily and must be justified by an E&TS in accordance with guidelines set by the CVC and the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Atherton Municipal Code Section 10.04.010 provides the authority to the City Council to adopt, by resolution, such rules and regulations as it finds necessary for the governing of traffic and parking on various streets and highways within and under the jurisdiction of the Town and subject to the authority granted to local legislative bodies as set forth in the CVC. However, CVC Section 22358(a) requires certain speed limits be adopted by ordinance, not resolution. Speed limits are effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon the street.
ANALYSIS
Ordinance Adding Chapter 10.06
Relating To Speed Limits
OCTOBER 15, 2025
This ordinance codifies existing speed limits in the Atherton Municipal Code. Changes to two existing speed limits are proposed by lowering those road segments by 5 mph. The other road segments' speed limits will remain the same.
Previously, the Town has set speed limits via resolution in 2017, 2018, and 2020 for the following road segments:
Street or Roadway Segment Declared Speed
Limit
Alameda De Las Pulgas – (between Camino Al Lago and Stockbridge Ave) 30 mph Alejandra Avenue – (between El Camino Real and Emilie Ave) 25 mph Atherton Avenue – (between Stevenson Ln and El Camino Real) 25 mph Atherton Avenue – (between Alameda de las Pulgas and Stevenson Ln) 30 mph Camino Al Lago – (between Alameda De Las Pulgas and End of Street) 25 mph Elena Avenue – (between Atherton Ave and Valparaiso Ave) 25 mph Encinal Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd and Laurel St) 25 mph Fair Oaks Lane – (between Middlefield Rd and El Camino Real) 25 mph Frederick Avenue – (between Greenoaks Ave and Ringwood Ave) 25 mph Glenwood Avenue – (between Laurel St and Middlefield Rd) 25 mph Greenoaks Avenue - (James Ave and Frederick Ave) 25 mph Isabella Avenue – (between El Camino Real and Elena Ave) 25 mph James Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd and Irving Ave) 25 mph Marsh Road – (between Fair Oaks Ave and Middlefield) 30 mph Middlefield Road – Full Length (Encina Ave to Ringwood Ave) 30 mph Oak Grove Avenue – (between Marcussen Dr and Middlefield Rd) 25 mph Oak Grove Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd and Greenoaks Ave) 25 mph Park Lane – (between Elena Ave and Valparaiso Ave) 25 mph Polhemus Avenue – (between Alameda de las Pulgas and Selby Ln) 25 mph Selby Lane – (between El Camino Real and W. Selby Ln) 25 mph Selby Lane – (between W Selby Ln and Atherton Ave) 25 mph Stockbridge Avenue – (between Alameda las Pulgas and El Camino Real) 25 mph Valparaiso Avenue – (El Camino Real to Cotton Street) 30 mph Walsh Road- (between Alameda de las Pulgas and Valley Rd) 30 mph Watkins Avenue – (between El Camino Real and Middlefield Rd) 25 mph Ordinance Adding Chapter 10.06
Relating To Speed Limits
OCTOBER 15, 2025
Under Assembly Bill 43, effective January 1, 2022, E&TS's are valid for an initial period of 7 years and can be valid for up to 14 years if a registered engineer determines that no significant changes in roadway or traffic conditions have occurred, including, but not limited to, changes in adjoining property or land use, roadway width, or traffic volume. The Town of Atherton conducted E&TS's for streets where the initial 7-year period for the E&TS’s have or are expiring. The E&TS’s do not recommend any changes to the speed limits for those streets.
Also under Assembly Bill 43, the Legislature gave local authorities more discretion to lower speed limits. If a local authority finds that a speed limit is still more than reasonable or safe following an E&TS, an additional lowering of 5 mph is permitted if the portion of roadway has been designated as a safety corridor. In 2024, the Town designated various segments of road as a safety corridor. The two relevant segments to this proposed ordinance are Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue.
As seen and highlighted above, the current speed limit for both Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue is set at 30 mph. However, 25 mph is more than reasonable or safe for these road segments. For Middlefield Road, the additional 5 mile per hour reduction is warranted based its accident history, the significant bicycle and pedestrian traffic associated with Encinal Elementary School and Menlo-Atherton High School, its High Injury Network designation in the San Mateo County C/CAG Countywide and Town of Atherton Local Roadway Safety Plans, and its listing in the San Mateo County Safe Routes to School Youth-Based High Injury Network. For Valparaiso Avenue, the additional 5 mile per hour reduction is warranted based on the significant bicycle and pedestrian traffic associated with Menlo School and Sacred Heart Schools, its High Injury Network designation in the San Mateo County C/CAG Countywide and Town of Atherton Local Roadway Safety Plans, and its listing in the San Mateo County Safe Routes to School Youth-Based High Injury Network. For the reasons explained, and because both Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue have been designated by the Town as safety corridors, staff recommends lowering the speed limit of Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue by 5 mph as permitted by CVC section 22358.7, thus making the speed limit on those segments of road 25 mph. This reduction in speed limits by 5 mph is lawful pursuant to CVC section 22358.7 because Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue are safety corridors and currently have speed limits that are more than reasonable and safe.
Additionally, it is recommended that the speed limit on Walsh Road be reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph. The previously supplied ET&S with the staff report for the 1st reading of the ordinance included an error indicating that the posted speed limit was 25 mph rather than 30 mph, with a recommendation to maintain the 25 mph speed limit. It is recommended that the speed limit be reduced to 25 mph, as permitted by the CVC.
If the ordinance is adopted, the speed limits listed in the table below will be codified in the Atherton Municipal Code. The only changes in speed limits are to Walsh Road, Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue, which are highlighted and bolded:
Ordinance Adding Chapter 10.06
Relating To Speed Limits
OCTOBER 15, 2025
Street or Roadway Segment Declared
Speed
Limit
85th
Percentile
Speed
Recommended
Speed Limit
Alameda De Las Pulgas – (between Camino Al
Lago and Stockbridge Ave)
30 mph 34 mph
(2020)
30 mph
Alejandra Avenue – (between El Camino Real
and Emilie Ave)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Atherton Avenue – (between Stevenson Ln and El
Camino Real)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
30 mph
Atherton Avenue – (between Alameda de las
Pulgas and Stevenson Ln)
30 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Camino Al Lago – (between Alameda De Las
Pulgas and End of Street)
25 mph 28 mph
(2020)
25 mph
Elena Avenue – (between Atherton Ave and
Valparaiso Ave)
25 mph 33 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Encinal Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd and
Laurel St)
25 mph 29 mph
(2020)
25 mph
Fair Oaks Lane – (between Middlefield Rd and El
Camino Real)
25 mph 30 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Frederick Avenue – (between Greenoaks Ave and
Ringwood Ave)
25 mph 27 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Glenwood Avenue – (between Laurel St and
Middlefield Rd)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Greenoaks Avenue - (James Ave and Frederick
Ave)
25 mph 26 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Isabella Avenue – (between El Camino Real and
Elena Ave)
25 mph 28 mph
(2020)
25 mph
James Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd and
Irving Ave)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Marsh Road – (between Fair Oaks Ave and
Middlefield Rd)
30 mph 34 mph
(2020)
30 mph
Middlefield Road – Full Length (Encina Ave to
Ringwood Ave)
30 mph 33 mph
(2020)
25 mph
Oak Grove Avenue – (between Marcussen Dr and
Middlefield Rd)
25 mph 33 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Oak Grove Avenue – (between Middlefield Rd
and Greenoaks Ave)
25 mph 30 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Ordinance Adding Chapter 10.06
Relating To Speed Limits
OCTOBER 15, 2025
Park Lane – (between Elena Ave and Valparaiso
Ave)
25 mph 28 mph
(2020)
25 mph
Polhemus Avenue – (between Alameda de las
Pulgas and Selby Ln)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Selby Lane – (between El Camino Real and W.
Selby Ln)
25 mph 30 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Selby Lane – (between W Selby Ln and Atherton
Ave)
25 mph 30 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Stockbridge Avenue – (between Alameda las
Pulgas and El Camino Real)
25 mph 32 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Valparaiso Avenue – (El Camino Real to
Cotton Street)
30 mph 32 mph
(2019 – MP)
25 mph
Valparaiso Avenue – (Cotton Street to City
Limit)
30 mph 37 mph
(2019 – MP)
30 mph
Walsh Road- (between Alameda de las Pulgas
and Valley Rd)
30 mph 31 mph
(2025)
25 mph
Watkins Avenue – (between El Camino Real and
Middlefield Rd)
25 mph 29 mph
(2020)
25 mph
If the above speed limits are adopted, the CVC 22358.7(d) mandates a thirty (30) day grace period for traffic citations on Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue due to the lowering of the speed limit pursuant to CVC 22358.7. For 30 days after the new speed limit signs are posted on Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue, if a driver is going 0-10 mph over the new speed limit, the driver shall only be issued a warning citation. If a driver is going 11 mph or greater over the new speed limit, the driver may be issued a traffic citation. Similarly, CVC 22358.8(c) provides a thirty (30) day warning period for the speed reduction on Walsh Road.
FISCAL IMPACT
Limited impacts. The recommended speed limits are the same as the existing posted speed limits with the exception of Walsh Road, Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue. New speed limit signs will be required for Walsh Road, Middlefield Road and Valparaiso Avenue. There are sufficient funds in the existing Public Works operating budget to cover the cost of the new signs. For the existing posted speed limits that will remain the same, other than adoption of the proposed ordinance, no action from the Town is needed.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal B - Improve Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Ordinance Adding Chapter 10.06
Relating To Speed Limits
OCTOBER 15, 2025
POLICY FOCUS
There are no significant policy issues related to this Report.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1. Draft Ordinance adding AMC Section 10.06 - Speed Limits Attachment 2. 2025 Engineering and Traffic Surveys (E&TS’s)