AGENDA PACKET
Town of Atherton
City Council
JANUARY 14, 2026
SPECIAL MEETING – STUDY SESSION
4:00 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.
SPECIAL MEETING STUDY SESSION
The Study Session will begin with a CLOSED SESSION that will start at 4 pm. The Study Session item will be heard immediately following the Closed Session.
ROLL CALL – Lane, Widmer, Lewis, Vice Mayor DeGolia, Mayor Holland PUBLIC COMMENT – Public Comments can be emailed directly to [email protected]
As a Special Meeting, this portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter on the Agenda. Speakers’ time is limited to three minutes. Speakers may also speak when the item appears on the Agenda during the meeting. 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. 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.
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION – Report by City Attorney Ebrahimi ACTION ITEMS
STUDY SESSION
1. UPDATE ON MENLO COLLEGE CAMPUS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Report: BRITTANY BENDIX, CONSULTING TOWN PLANNER
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council review and discuss the update regarding oncampushousingdevelopmentatMenloCollegeandprovidedirectiontostaffonnextsteps.
Meeting Agenda Packet – January 14, 2026
may, at the Mayors 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.
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION – Report by City Attorney Ebrahimi ACTION ITEMS
STUDY SESSION
1. UPDATE ON MENLO COLLEGE CAMPUS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Report: BRITTANY BENDIX, CONSULTING TOWN PLANNER
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Council review and discuss the update regarding oncampus housing development at Menlo College and provide direction to staff on next steps.
Description: This item relates to an update presented to Council on Menlo College’s campus housing development project.
COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS
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 time 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 prior to 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, disruptorotherwiseimpedetheorderlyconductofthemeetingIfanypersoncontinuestobreachthe Meeting Agenda Packet – January 14, 2026
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 Packet – January 14, 2026
Item No. 1
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – STUDY SESSION
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: BRITTANY BENDIX, CONSULTING TOWN PLANNER
DATE: JANUARY 14, 2025
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CAMPUS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council review and discuss the update regarding on-campus housing development at Menlo College and provide direction to staff on next steps.
BACKGROUND
On September 3, 2026, the City Council held a study session to discuss how the Town could assist with realizing the development of on-campus housing at the Menlo College property, as encouraged by the Town’s adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. At this meeting, staff reported that the college still had interest in pursuing housing opportunities and would appreciate assistance from the Town.
The Council discussed three approaches to support this effort:
- Providing staffing and/or financial support to seek grants and loans that support housing development for educational uses.
- Foster public-private partnerships (P3s) between universities and developers by dedicating staff resources to assist the college with a competitive solicitation for P3 partners.
- Facilitating a donor-driven development by tasking a committee of residents to contact potential donors and solicit donations.
The Council directed staff to provide some high-level research relative to grant opportunities and requested residents to work with the college to identify preliminary design needs for fundraising efforts. This report provides an update on those efforts.
January 14, 2026, City Council Staff Report
Study Session – Campus Housing Update
DISCUSSION
Resident Efforts
Since the September study session, two resident developers, Carol Flaherty and Jeff Morris, met with representatives of the college and toured the site. Through this effort they have conveyed to staff the following information:
- The college prefers siting a potential four-story residential building with below grade parking on the parking lot off of Alejandra Avenue. This is consistent with the location of the current RM-20/40 multifamily zoning overlay.
- The college would need to replace the off-street parking lost from the residential development. - A site design and layout for a multifamily structure that includes 45-60 units will be completed by the end of January for review by the college. Once the layout is approved by the college, Pacific Peninsula Group (PPG) has agreed to provide elevations, typical floor plans and a site plan to use for fundraising efforts. Aesthetically, the current preference of the college is that exterior will align with the architectural style of Arrillaga Hall. - The residential programming will provide a mix of studios and 1-bedroom units for graduate students and faculty or staff. Two-bedroom units are not currently anticipated, as the increased size reduces the overall number of available units.
- The college has indicated that they will start a multi-year fundraising campaign in 2026 that could pursue up to 100 units.
Grant Financing
Staff received a list of 15 housing grant opportunities from California Consulting, a firm that specializes in grant writing. Upon reviewing the grants, the primary challenge with grant financing as an approach for Menlo College is aligning the needs of the school with varying eligibility requirements. To be eligible for these grants, the college may need to partner with a public agency, such as the Town, or a non-profit organization that is focused on addressing a specific housing issue like remediating a contaminated site or providing housing of a specific population group like those who are transitioning out of homelessness. Additionally, some grants provide funding only after entitlements for the development are received and are not intended to fund preliminary efforts.
Timing and Next Steps
The Council should indicate how it would like to use the Town’s resources to continue to pursue campus housing and indicate a reporting timeline and method so that staff can continue to keep the Council informed on any updates.
Given the timing provided by the residents working directly with Menlo College, staff recommends that the Council receive a subsequent update at the regular City Council meeting on March 18, 2026. This update will coincide with the Council’s review of the Annual Progress
January 14, 2026, City Council Staff Report
Study Session – Campus Housing Update
Report for 2025. This timing also reflects a general pattern of quarterly updates to the Council on this topic.
FISCAL IMPACT
None at this time.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
▪ Goal 1 – Preserve Small Town Character and Quality of Life ▪ Goal 4 – Be Forward Thinking
▪ Land Use & Planning Priorities – Objective 8 – Work with multi-family project developers to address the Town’s affordable housing targets with specific emphasis on Menlo College.
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