AGENDA
Town of Atherton
City Council
DECEMBER 17, 2025
REGULAR MEETING
6:00 PM
Council Chambers
80 Fair Oaks Lane
Atherton, CA 94027
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This Agenda may not reflect the actual order of items. The order of items is subject to change based on Council action. The public may participate and provide public comments in person or via Zoom Meeting. Please be advised that when all Council Members are attending the meeting in person, the teleconferencing option is provided as a courtesy to the public. If, for any reason, there are technical difficulties, the City Council meeting will continue in person, provided there is a quorum at the meeting.
REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL – Lane, DeGolia, Widmer, Vice Mayor Holland, Mayor Lewis
PRESENTATIONS
CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION
Message from Outgoing Mayor – Elizabeth Lewis
Selection of Mayor and Vice Mayor – Administered by the City Clerk Oath of Office for Mayor and Vice Mayor – Administered by the City Clerk Message from Incoming Mayor – Mayor
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Public Comments can be emailed directly to [email protected]
This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter not on the Agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. State law prohibits the Council from acting on items not listed on the Agenda except by special action of the City Council under specified circumstances. Comments Meeting Agenda
– December 17, 2025 –
CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION
Message from Outgoing Mayor – Elizabeth Lewis
Selection of Mayor and Vice Mayor – Administered by the City Clerk Oath of Office for Mayor and Vice Mayor – Administered by the City Clerk Message from Incoming Mayor – Mayor
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Public Comments can be emailed directly to [email protected]
This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter not on the Agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. State law prohibits the Council from acting on items not listed on the Agenda except by special action of the City Council under specified circumstances. Comments for items on the agenda is limited to three (3) minutes and comments for items not on the agenda is limited to one (1) minute. The Mayor may, at the Mayor's discretion, restrict or grant additional speaker time based on such considerations as agenda length, number of speakers, complexity of the item, or looming threat of loss of quorum.
Please refer to the footnote at the end of the posted agenda for additional notice regarding public comments.
DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS – City Council Members should disclose any communications they have had on the agenda items at this time.
DEPARTMENTAL WRITTEN REPORTS
Discussion: The Departmental Reports include written reports from the Town’s various Departments.
Staff is present to answer any questions the Council may have on the multiple topics noted in the written reports. The Council may ask questions and discuss any of the various items.
Link to Departmental Reports
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1 – 4)
1. APPROVAL OF BILLS AND CLAIMS FOR NOVEMBER 2025 IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,730,227
Report: ROBERT BARRON III, FINANCE DIRECTOR/ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Recommendation: It is recommended that Council accept and approve the Bills and Claims Report for November 2025.
Description: This is a routine item regarding the approval of Bills and Claims for November 2025.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 19 AND DECEMBER 3, 2025 Report: ANTHONY SUBER, CITY CLERK
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council approve minutes for November 19 and December 3, 2025 meetings.
Description: This is a routine item to approve City Council meeting minutes.
3. SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ATHERTON MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 17.52 “ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS”
Report: BRITTANY BENDIX, TOWN PLANNER
GERRY MARTIN, ASSISTANT PLANNER
Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance and amend Chapter 17.52 “Accessory Dwelling Units” with the purpose of aligning the current standardswithstatelegislationandprovidinggreaterclarityduringdevelopmentreview.
Meeting Agenda
– December 17, 2025 –
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council approve minutes for November 19 and December 3, 2025 meetings.
Description: This is a routine item to approve City Council meeting minutes.
3. SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ATHERTON MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 17.52 “ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS”
Report: BRITTANY BENDIX, TOWN PLANNER
GERRY MARTIN, ASSISTANT PLANNER
Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance and amend Chapter 17.52 “Accessory Dwelling Units” with the purpose of aligning the current standards with state legislation and providing greater clarity during development review.
Description: This item concerns the second reading and adoption of an ordinance to update the Atherton Municipal Code to align with current state standards.
4. ACCEPTANCE OF TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
Report: ROBERT BARRON III, FINANCE DIRECTOR
Recommendation: Accept the Treasurer’s Report for the First Quarter Ended September 30, 2025.
Description: This item concerns the Treasurer’s Report to Council for the first quarter of the 2025/2026 Fiscal Year.
PUBLIC HEARING (Items 5 – 5)
5. CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INTRODUCE FOR FIRST READING, BY TITLE ONLY, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE ATHERTON MUNICIPAL CODE ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE, RETAINING EXISTING MODIFICATIONS; AND RATIFY THE FIRE REGULATIONS, AS ADOPTED BY THE MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Report: FRED LUSTENBERGER, BUILDING OFFICIAL
Recommendation: Conduct the Public Hearing and Introduce for First Reading, by title only, an Ordinance amending Title 15 of the Atherton Municipal Code adopting by Reference the 2025 California Building Standards Code, retaining existing modifications; and ratify the fire regulations, as adopted by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Description: This item concerns the first reading of a potential new ordinance to the Atherton Municipal Code to formally adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code and to ratify the fire regulations adopted by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
REGULAR AGENDA (Items 6 – 6)
6. SENIOR TASK FORCE EVENT REPORT AND REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MARKETING MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
Report: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council receive a report from the Senior Task Force related to the September 2025 Senior Seminar Council provide direction regarding a request from the Senior Task Force for financial support to market a Senior Seminar that will take place at Woodside Town Hall in March 2026.
Description: This will be a Council discussion to consider a request for financial support to a Town Designated Group for the cost of mailing/postage and refreshments for events hosted by the Senior Task Force in 2026.
Meeting Agenda
– December 17, 2025 –
REGULAR AGENDA (Items 6 – 6)
6. SENIOR TASK FORCE EVENT REPORT AND REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MARKETING MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
Report: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council receive a report from the Senior Task Force related to the September 2025 Senior Seminar Council provide direction regarding a request from the Senior Task Force for financial support to market a Senior Seminar that will take place at Woodside Town Hall in March 2026.
Description: This will be a Council discussion to consider a request for financial support to a Town Designated Group for the cost of mailing/postage and refreshments for events hosted by the Senior Task Force in 2026.
COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
ADJOURN
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
If you challenge a Town zoning, planning, or any other decision in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the Town at, or prior to, the public hearing. Judicial review of any Town administrative decision may be had only if a petition is filed with the court not later than the 90th day following the date upon which the decision becomes final. Judicial review of environmental determinations may be subject to a shorter period.
Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before each regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 7520500. Notification of 48 hours before the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. (29 CRF
35.104 ADA Title II)
Public Comments:
The Town of Atherton Council and Committee or Commission meetings are a limited public forum, and all public comment must relate to something that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committees. If comments do not relate to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committee, we will stop the comment and a warning may be provided. If the comment continues to be outside of the subject matter jurisdiction the speaker will be stopped, and we will move on to the next speaker.
Speakers found in violation of this rule of procedure may be removed from the meeting.
Rules of Decorum:
No person participating in a public meeting shall engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct — including but not limited to applause, whistling, feet stamping, booing or making any loud, threatening, profane, abusive, personal, impertinent or slanderous uttering or comments. No person is allowed to disturb, Meeting Agenda
– December 17, 2025 –
The Town of Atherton Council and Committee or Commission meetings are a limited public forum, and all public comment must relate to something that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committees. If comments do not relate to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Committee, we will stop the comment and a warning may be provided. If the comment continues to be outside of the subject matter jurisdiction the speaker will be stopped, and we will move on to the next speaker.
Speakers found in violation of this rule of procedure may be removed from the meeting.
Rules of Decorum:
No person participating in a public meeting shall engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct — including but not limited to applause, whistling, feet stamping, booing or making any loud, threatening, profane, abusive, personal, impertinent or slanderous uttering or comments. No person is allowed to disturb, disrupt, or otherwise impede the orderly conduct of the meeting. If any person continues to breach the Rules of Decorum in a manner that disturbs, disrupts or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting following an order from the Mayor, or Presiding Officer, to cease the offending conduct, the Mayor, or Presiding Officer, may order that person to leave the meeting.
Meeting Agenda
– December 17, 2025 –