City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov City Council
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Date: 4/28/2026
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Locations: Teleconference and
City Council Chambers
751 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025
Regular Session
A. Call To Order
Mayor Nash called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
B. Roll Call
Present: Combs Nash, Schmidt, Taylor (remote and exited the meeting at 7:55 p.m.), Wise
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Justin Murphy, Assistant City Manager Stephen Stolte, City Attorney Nira Doherty, Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk Judi A. Herren C. Agenda Review
The City Council reordered agenda bringing item M. to come after item E.
D. Public Comment
• Pete Colby spoke on First Amendment Auditors in Downtown Menlo Park. • Liam Goudge spoke on concerns related to vehicle speeding on College Avenue (Attachment). • Adina Levin spoke on the sequence of the meeting and requested public comment after the E4.
SamTrans presentation and before City Council discussion. • Jack Cackler spoke in opposition of the recycling station with large digital screen near the Safeway in Sharon Heights Shopping Center.
• Mukta Dhanuka provided a follow-up comment from the April 14 meeting related to habitability compliance for renters.
E. Presentations and Proclamations
E1. Proclamation: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (Attachment) Mayor Nash introduced the proclamation.
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates Board Member Billy Chow accepted the proclamation (Attachment).
E2. Proclamation: Jewish American Heritage Month (Attachment) Mayor Nash introduced the proclamation.
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov Chief Community Officer at Jewish Silicon Valley Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia accepted the proclamation (Attachment).
E3. Proclamation: Bike Month (Attachment)
Mayor Nash introduced the proclamation.
• Kathrine Dumont spoke in support of the proclamation.
Complete Streets Commissioner Meredith Bergin Bailey accepted the proclamation (Attachment).
E4. Presentation: SamTrans Senate Bill 63 Local Investment Plan (Attachment) SamTrans Chief Communications Office Emily Beach made the presentation (Attachment). • Adina Levin spoke in support of the plan and the need for bus shelters. • Brian Schmidt spoke in support of the presentation and plan. • Kathrine Dumont spoke in support of the plan and the need for bus shelters.
The City Council received clarification on the Dumbarton Express line bus schedule and public participation in the ballot measure.
The City Council discussed additional clipper card upload locations.
E5. Presentation: Peninsula Clean Energy update (Attachment) Peninsula Clean Energy Chief Executive Officer Shawn Marshall made the presentation (Attachment).
The City Council discussed partnership with Peninsula Clean Energy and city school districts.
F. Advisory Body Vacancies and Appointments
F1. Consider applicants and make appointments to fill vacancies on various advisory bodies (Staff Report #26-050-CC)
Deputy City Clerk Sarah Sandoval made the presentation. • Tim Rochte spoke in support of their serving on the Complete Streets Commission. • Nabil Saad spoke in support of their serving on the Environmental Quality Commission. • Bob Hubbell spoke in support of their serving on the Parks and Recreation and Housing Commission and expressed a preference for serving on the Housing Commission. • Patrick Ye spoke in support of their serving on the Housing Commission. • Brittany B. Goodwin spoke in support of their serving on the Environmental Quality Commission, Housing Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission. • Justin Van Buren spoke in support of their reappointment to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
• Sumi Hachmann spoke in support of their serving on the Environmental Quality Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission and expressed a preference for serving on the Parks City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov and Recreation Commission.
• Michael Barclay spoke in support of the reappointment of Sally Cole to the Complete Streets Commission.
• Steven Switzer spoke in support of their reappointment to the Housing Commission.
Applicants within the City Council chambers provided their name and preferred advisory body for appointment.
The City Council discussed the scope of the Planning Commission.
The City Council made appointments to fill vacancies on the Complete Streets, Environmental Quality, Housing, Library, Parks and Recreation and Planning Commissions:
Complete Streets Commission:
Sally Cole – term expiring April 30, 2030
Athena Ierokomos – term expiring April 30, 2030
Environmental Quality Commission:
Brittany B. Goodwin – term expiring April 30, 2030
Eduardo Lopez Hernandez – term expiring April 30, 2030
Housing Commission:
Steven Switzer – term expiring April 30, 2030
Library Commission:
Kim Crockett – term expiring April 30, 2030
Brian Westcott – term expiring April 30, 2030
Parks and Recreation Commission:
Justin Van Buren – term expiring April 30, 2030
Planning Commission:
Nancy Larocca Hedley – term expiring April 30, 2030
Jennifer Schindler – term expiring April 30, 2030
G. Consent Calendar
G1. Accept the City Council meeting minutes for March 21 and 24, 2026 (Attachment) G2. Award a construction contract to Cratus, Inc. for the Sand Hill Water Main Replacement project in an amount not to exceed $6,157,530 and approve an appropriation from the unassigned fund balance in the water capital fund (Staff Report #26-058-CC) • Kevin Rennie spoke in support of the addition of a protected bike lane and requested clarification on bike lane closures.
The City Council received clarification on the project.
G3. Waive the second reading and adopt an ordinance adding Chapter 5.80 (Massage Businesses) of City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov Title 5 (Business Licenses and Regulations) of the City of Menlo Park Municipal Code, relating to the regulation of massage businesses (Staff Report #26-060-CC) G4. Receive and file the single audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the independent accountants’ report on the calculation of the appropriations limit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and the auditors’ communication at the conclusion of the audit (Staff Report #26-061-CC) G5. Authorize the city manager to purchase library books and media from current vendor Ingram Content Group in total amount not to exceed $141,785 during fiscal year 2025-26 (Staff Report #26-062-CC)
G6. Authorize the city manager to execute an amendment to the agreement with AECOM Technical Services Inc. for supplemental work on the Downtown Parking Management Study and approve an appropriation from unassigned fund balance in the Transportation Fund (Staff Report #26-063-CC)
G7. Consider and adopt a resolution approving an administrative amendment to Paragraph 2.2 of the Peninsula Clean Energy Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement reflecting the name change of Peninsula Clean Energy Authority to WestLight Energy (Staff Report #26-065-CC) G8. Approve a professional services agreement with Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., for a comprehensive Classification and Compensation study in an amount not to exceed $300,000 (Staff Report #26-064-CC)
G9. Consider and adopt a resolution to authorize the city manager to execute an Affordable Housing Loan Agreement, Secured Promissory Note, Leasehold Deed of Trust, Assignment of Rents, Security Agreement and Fixture Filing, and Below Market Rate and State Density Bonus Law Housing Agreement and Declaration of Restrictive Covenants, each substantially in the form attached, with 320 Sheridan LP with respect to a loan in the amount of $1 million from the below market rate housing special revenue fund for the construction and development of affordable housing at 320 Sheridan Dr., and approve the appropriation of $1 million from the below market rate housing special revenue fund in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget for the construction and development of 87 affordable housing units at 320 Sheridan Dr. (Staff Report #26-066-CC) G10. Authorize the city manager to purchase data processing supplies from SHI International Corp. in an amount not to exceed $130,000 for fiscal year 2025-26 (Staff Report #26-067-CC) ACTION: Motion and second (Wise/ Nash), to approve the consent calendar, passed 4-0-1 (Taylor absent).
H. Regular Business
H1. Consider and adopt a resolution ratifying the Menlo Park Fire Protection District’s Ordinance No. 60-2026 adopting the 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments (Staff Report #26-068-CC)
Community Development Director Deanna Chow and Menlo Park Fire Protection District Fire Marshall Gage Schlice made the presentation (Attachment).
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov • Virginia Chany Kiraly spoke in support of adopting the resolution. • Adina Levin spoke in support of potential changes to regulations in the future that affect driveways and building design and seeking opportunities for different size equipment to optimize streets and Complete Streets Commission review.
The City Council received clarification on the size of equipment, response times and routes, and applicability of new sprinkler requirements to residential.
ACTION: Motion and second (Wise/ Schmidt), to adopt a resolution ratifying the Menlo Park Fire Protection District’s Ordinance No. 60-2026 adopting the 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments, 4-0-1 (Taylor absent).
H2. Consider and adopt a resolution establishing the Slow Streets Program, superseding the Neighborhood Traffic Management program and authorizing the installation of traffic control devices consistent with the California Vehicle Code (Staff Report #26-059-CC) Senior Transportation Planner Catrine Machi and Public Works Director Azalea Mitch introduced the item.
• Ken Kershner requested clarification on scoring criteria and speeding percentile and provided amendments to the resolution.
• Janet Poses spoke on concerns to residential streets, the need for sidewalks and provided amendments to the resolution (Attachment).
• Laura Melahn spoke on concerns to dangerous conditions on College Avenue (Attachment). • Adina Levin spoke in support of the Slow Streets Program (Program) with additional sidewalks and on concerns with the use of the 85th speed percentile. • Saaya Thompson spoke on concerns of dangerous conditions on College Avenue. • Joseph Thompson spoke on concerns of dangerous conditions on College Avenue. • Will Biederman spoke in support of the Program and to include College Avenue. • Randy Avalos spoke on value and cost inefficiency resulting from the points system. • Sue Kayton spoke in support of removing Midde Avenue traffic calming measures. • Bill Kirsch requested staff to review and install quick build traffic calming measures on Partridge and College Avenues.
• Katie Behroozi spoke in support of Middle Avenue traffic calming measures and the need for additional safe streets with pedestrian measures.
The City Council discussed prioritization, civic engagement, quick build pilot programs and the City Council’s role in program development and implementation.
The City Council received clarification on adding sidewalks, systemic speeding and the point system related to streets without sidewalks.
The City Council directed staff to add the 95th percentile of speeds and note where there are no sidewalks as unscored details for tracking purposes for the next report out.
ACTION: Motion and second (Nash/ Wise), adopt a resolution establishing the Slow Streets Program to supersede the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program and authorizing the installation of traffic control devices pursuant to the California Vehicle Code, passed 3-1-1 (Combs dissenting and Taylor absent).
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov H3. Authorize the city manager to execute an amended memorandum of understanding with Caltrain to advance the design and environmental clearance documents for the Middle Avenue Caltrain Crossing project (Staff Report #26-069-CC)
Public Works Director Azalea Mitch introduced the item. • Adina Levin spoke in support of the amended memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the project.
• Sue Kayton spoke in opposition to the project.
• Michael Barclay spoke on concerns about funding for the project. • Bill Kirsch spoke in opposition to the project.
The City Council discussed additional funding needs before the next grant cycle.
The City Council received clarification on shovel ready status and timeline, project funding opportunities and transportation impact fee (TIF) funding strategy.
ACTION: Motion and second (Nash/ Schmidt), authorize the city manager to execute an amended memorandum of understanding in the amount of $1,000,000 with the Caltrain to advance the engineering design and environmental clearance documentation for the Middle Avenue Caltrain Crossing Project for a total agreement amount of $3,000,000, passed 3-1-1 (Combs dissenting and Taylor absent).
I. Public Hearing
I1. Consider and adopt a resolution amending the City’s comprehensive master fee schedule for the following departments: general administration, administrative services, community development, library and community services, police, public works, and Menlo Park Municipal Water (Staff Report #26-057-CC) (Supplemental documentation)
Administrative Services Director Brittany Mello, Assistant Administrative Services Director Fenny Lei and Government Consulting Partners, Inc. Director Cindy Sconce made the presentation (Attachment).
Mayor Nash opened the public hearing.
• Pete Colby spoke in opposition to newsrack fees.
• Jamie Fraser spoke in support of non-profit rental rates with clearly defined guidelines. • Eleanor Raab spoke in opposition to newsrack fees.
• Adam Dawes spoke in opposition to newsrack fees.
• Nabil Saad spoke in opposition to newsrack fees and in support of parking enforcement. • Adina Levin spoke on credit card fees, automations to reduce fees and on concerns to impacts on affordable housing from increased/new fees.
• Randy Avalos spoke in opposition to newsrack fees.
• Kathy Newman spoke in opposition to newsrack fees.
Mayor Nash closed the public hearing.
The City Council discussed waiving or zeroing out the newsrack fee, additional newsracks or distribution in Belle Haven neighborhood, opportunities for City Council review of the master fee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov schedule and Consumer Price Index (CPI) increases.
The City Council received clarification on if the new fees impact affordable housing development, the credit card convenience fee and how it applies to debit cards, ability to accept cash or ACH (Automated Clearing House) for fees, newsrack fee calculations and staff inspection process and maintenance, gymnastics and Menlo Children’s Center preschool cost recovery tiers and non-profit rental fees.
ACTION: By acclamation, the City Council extended the meeting past 11 p.m.
The City Council directed staff to retain the 2021 newsrack fees and proceed with staff recommendations for gymnastics, Menlo Children’s Center preschool and credit/debit card convenience fees.
ACTION: Motion and second (Combs/ Nash), adopt a resolution amending the City’s master fee schedule to incorporate proposed changes in fees to become July 1, 2026, for the following departments: general administration, administrative services, community development, library and community services, police, public works, and Menlo Park Municipal Water, while waiving the permitting newsrack fees and retaining the 2021-level newsrack enforcement fees, passed 4-0-1 (Taylor absent).
The City Council took a recess at 11:29 p.m.
The City Council reconvened at 11:34 p.m.
J. City Council Initiated Items
J1. Request by City Councilmember Schmidt for a future agenda topic (Staff Report #26-070-CC) City Councilmember Schmidt introduced the item.
The City Council discussed city childcare approach and balancing costs.
The City Council received clarification on tracking the San Mateo County Child Care Blueprint.
No action.
K. Informational Items
K1. City Council agenda topics: May 2026 (Staff Report #26-072-CC) K2. Annual City Council priority setting workshop final report (Staff Report #26-071-CC) L. City Manager Report
City Manager Murphy reported out on upcoming May 12 and 19 City Council meetings, the Bike Rodeo May 2, Bike to School day May 6, Bike to Wherever day May 14 and the Downtown Developer Open House May 7.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov M. City Councilmember Reports
Mayor Nash reported out on City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo (C/CAG) Resource Management and Climate Protection (RMCP) committee, Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) meetings, Encinal Elementary Earth Day Bike Fest, Love Our Earth event and Mayor Tree Planting events.
Vice Mayor Wise reported out on the Chamber of San Mateo Commerce Progress Seminar.
City Councilmember Taylor reported out on the Chamber of San Mateo Commerce Progress Seminar.
City Councilmember Schmidt reported out on the Chamber of San Mateo Commerce Progress Seminar.
N. Adjournment
Mayor Nash adjourned the meeting at 11:59 p.m.
Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk Judi Herren
These minutes were approved at the City Council meeting May 19, 2026.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
SPEEDING ON COLLEGE AVENUE
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
DAILY SPEED DISTRIBUTION
30.4mph
WEEKLY V85
Exceeds the 25 mph
speed limit daily
37.0mph
MONDAY MAX
Upper whisker reaches
12 mph over
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
SPEEDING MEETS PEAK FOOT TRAFFIC
V85
V85 exceeds 25 mph every active hour of the
day.
9 AM MORNING PEAK
V85 hits 33.9 mph while 97 pedestrians &
cyclists share the street.
5–7 PM EVENING PEAK
Up to 197 bikes/pedestrians per hour while V85
runs at 28–30 mph.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
AGENDA ITEM E-1 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
AGENDA ITEM E-2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
AGENDA ITEM E-3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Menlo Park
April 28, 2026
Connect Bay Area Local Investment Plan
1 AGENDA ITEM E-4 Page E-4.1 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026
• SamTrans Snapshot
• Key Issue
• Connect Bay Area Measure
• Transportation Funding in San Mateo County
• SamTrans Financial Outlook
• Local Investment Plan
• Take the Survey and Spread the Word
Agenda
2 Page E-4.2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
▪ Established in 1976 – Celebrating 50 Years!
• San Mateo County, parts of San Francisco, City of Palo Alto • 315 buses serving 76 bus routes, 10 million annual boardings • Other services: Redi-Wheels and RediCoast paratransit, Ride Plus on-demand rideshare (two zones), shuttles
• School-oriented bus service
▪ Rider Profile
• 94% low income (68% extremely low income) based on SMC affordable housing metrics
• Lowest household income among major Bay Area transit agencies • 40% speak a language other than English at home
• Nearly 80% do not drive/own a car
• 98.8% of pre-pandemic ridership
3 SamTrans Snapshot
Page E-4.3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
• Caltrain, BART, SFMTA, and AC Transit are facing deficits as post-pandemic fare revenue lags and operating costs
rise
• Despite ridership gains and cost efficiency measures, expenses are outpacing revenues
• Federal and state support has declined
• Need for a stable, predictable source of funds to keep these agencies going
4 Key Issue
Page E-4.4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
• 14-year, 1/2 cent sales tax in 4 counties (San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa), full cent
in San Francisco
• Would generate approx. $980
million annually
• Includes accountability and
oversight provisions
• 24% of SMC sales tax to Caltrain,
27% to BART, 7% to Muni, 37%
SamTrans Local Investment Plan
5 Connect Bay Area Measure
Page E-4.5 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
• Approximately $50M annually for 14 years for public
transit in San Mateo County; Total = $700M
• Funds may be used for:
• Public transit operations and capital
• Public transit components of larger capital projects
• Targeted pavement repairs on local roads served by fixed-route transit
6 Connect Bay Area Measure –
San Mateo County
Page E-4.6 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Transportation Funding in SMC
7 Measure A generates approximately $120 million annually. Measure W generates approximately $60 million annually for SamTrans local transit and $60 million annually for SMCTA to allocate for broader transportation improvements and operations throughout the county.
Page E-4.7 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
8 SamTrans Financial Outlook
FY26-FY36 Operating Outlook (assumes zero new tax revenue) $M
• Operating deficit projected
to begin in FY28
• Average annual deficit over
next 10 years of nearly $30M
• Increased labor, energy, and
contracted services costs
• Cost saving measures
• No new positions approved,
reducing consultant use
• Cuts across all discretionary
spending $-
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
FY26 FY27 FY28 FY29 FY30 FY31 FY32 FY33 FY34 FY35 FY36
Operating + Debt Service Only
Net Operating Surplus Net Operating Deficit Total Sources Total Uses Page E-4.8 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
• SamTrans’ Local Investment Plan will be informed
by:
• San Mateo County Transit District Strategic Plan
and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
• SamTrans Board of Directors
• Stakeholder and Agency Advisory Group
meetings
• City Council presentations
• Public outreach
• Goal is to have a Board-adopted plan in June 2026
9 Local Investment Plan:
Your Input Matters!
Page E-4.9 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Local Investment Plan Categories
10 Page E-4.10 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Local Investment Plan
Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Stakeholder and Agency Advisory Group Meetings:
February – April, May (if needed)
Public Communications Effort: March – May
City Council and other presentations: March – May
Board Information Item: May 6
Board Action Item: June 3
11 Approximately 10 weeks for public engagement
Page E-4.11 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Take the Survey and Spread the Word!
12 Visit
https://www.samtrans.com/projects/LocalFundingPlan
• Multilingual online survey + printable mailreturn version • Multilingual fact sheets
• Social media toolkit
• Translations in Spanish, Simplified Chinese,
Tagalog
• Additional support and language assistance
available at 1-800-660-4287
Page E-4.12 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Questions/Comments?
13 Contact us!
[email protected]
Page E-4.13 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Thank You
14 Page E-4.14 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Peninsula Clean
Energy Update
City of Menlo Park
April 28, 2026
AGENDA ITEM E-5 Page E-5.1 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026
Generation Delivery Savings
Page E-5.2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Moving Local Climate Goals Forward in Menlo Park
10 Years of Local Impact,
Delivered Together
• Lower costs
• Clean energy
• Investment of $3.25M with projected savings of $2M across solar projects at the following locations:
• Belle Haven Child Development Center
• Burgess Pool
• City Hall
• Main Library
• 210 EV Chargers (inc. Kelly Park)
Page E-5.3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
$17M in savings...
7 free days of electricity per year
for each household
A Decade of Delivery in Menlo Park
$3.6M in community reinvestment
Bill credits, solar system credits, DAC-GT discounts,
customer rebates, and Zero-interest loans
100% clean energy sources
Provided from solar, wind, hydro & geothermal
Page E-5.4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Our role has expanded
…to long-term partnerships that
help customers make energy
investment decisions for their homes
and businesses.
From electricity provider
focused on greening the grid while
maintaining lower rates....
Page E-5.5 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Focus on Menlo Park
The Year Ahead
• Continued rate savings, currently at
~10% discount
• New residential solar+ storage roll out
• Recognized the City of Menlo Park for
leadership on reach codes at the 2026
Sustainable San Mateo County Awards
Page E-5.6 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Focus on Menlo Park
The Year Ahead
• $600k to Menlo Park schools through GovBE for heat
pump HVAC upgrades (Encinal School, Hillview Middle
School, Oak Knoll Elementary, Laurel School Upper +
Lower Campus). To be installed summers 2026 –
2028.
• $786k to Menlo Park through Member Agency Grant for
Arrillaga Family Recreation Center electrification
project.
• Large GovEV project at City Hall and Corp Yard (~26
chargers)
• Partnering with Menlo Park on CEC electrification grant in Home Upgrade Program
Page E-5.7 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
And coming soon!
The spirit of the West meets the power & promise of Light PCE becomes WestLight Energy
Same great agency, great new chapter
Page E-5.8 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Support Our Next Chapter
Our Ask Tonight
• Approve the JPA amendment that
reflects our new name
• Help us clearly communicate the
change to customers
• Join us in marking our 10-year
service anniversary!
• Policy reception in the Fall
• Community activities
• Shared communications
Page E-5.9 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Thank you from the PCE team!
Page E-5.10 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
2025 Fire Prevention Code
Ratification
Deanna Chow, Community Development Director
1 H1-PRESENTATION City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
2025 Fire Code Adoption Summary
California Building Standards Code is published every three, mostly recently becoming effective Jan. 1, 2026
Applicable to all buildings that submit a building permit application during its effective period
City adopted the 2025 Building Code and local amendments in Nov. 2025
Menlo Park Fire Protection District (Fire District) is responsible for adopting and enforcing the Fire Prevention Code
City ratifies the Fire Prevention Code to make the provisions enforceable in Menlo Park
2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
2025 Fire Code Adoption Summary
Fire District Board adopted Ordinance No. 59-2025 on Oct. 21, 2025 and No. 60-2026 on Feb. 17 to include the Fire District’s Standards and Guidelines Manual
All jurisdictions within the Fire District’s authority have ratified the Fire Code
2025 Fire Prevention Code generally remains the same as the 2022 Code with a few minor edits and several added local amendments
Gage Schlice, Menlo Park Fire Protection District Fire Marshal, to provide an overview of the 2025 Fire Code
3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Ratifying the Menlo
Park Fire Protection District’s
Ordinance No.60-2026
MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
FIRE MARSHAL GAGE SCHLICE
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Overview of the Changes
Formal adoption of the Standards & Guidelines Manual
New sections related to Electric Vehicles in Parking Garages (S-2) Ability to prevent excessive nuisance(false) alarms
Updated language and deleted duplicate information already found in the code. Compliance with AB 306
Full compliance with the establishment of a moratorium (6 years) on changes to state and local building standards for residential units.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Questions
Fire Marshal Gage Schlice
P: 650-688-8400
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.menlofire.gov
THANK YOU!
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Recommendation
Adopt resolution ratifying the Menlo Park Fire Protection District’s Ordinance No. 60-2026 adopting the 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments
7 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Safety concerns on residential streets lacking continuous sidewalks Growth in Bike/Pedestrian Use intersects with Significant Increase in Vehicle Speeds and Commercial TrafficThe National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) states that when a street lacks dedicated infrastructure for people walking or biking, it functions as a "shared street" where the target speed is 20 mph or less. “We can’t reduce traffic deaths without lowering speeds”Source: NACTO Because
The "Survival" Factor: Speed is the most critical variable. At 20 mph, pedestrian survival rates are ~90%At 30 mph, that survival rate drops significantly closer to 50% H2-PUBLIC COMMENT
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026 Page 46 of 77 Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
The College Avenue Example
Growth in Bike/Pedestrian Use influenced by 215 units at Middle Plaza and Significant Increases in Vehicle Speeds and Commercial Traffic influenced by speed bumps on Middle Ave. ~200 bikes and pedestrians every day -Kids biking to school and Nealon -Parents pushing strollers and walking 3 and 4 year-olds to pre-schools on Middle
-Grad student, faculty and staff biking to Stanford-Residents walking dogs, getting exercise, older neighbors using mobility devices to stay active
>700 vehicles each day>150 vehicles speeding over 31 MPH each dayTop speeds exceed 40MPH at times even 50MPH City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026 Page 47 of 77 Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Highest volume of cars and speeds over the speed limit coincide with times of highest pedestrian and bike use. Morning and early evening.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026 Page 48 of 77 Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
Confidential - Oracle Restricted \Employees Only
How Menlo Park can help protect vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists
1. Please add a Vulnerable Road User / Pedestrian-in-Roadway Exposure criterion to the Slow Streets program
2. Please use AB 43 to support lower speeds where vulnerable users are present
3. Please authorize 90-day quick-build pilots using signs, striping, and flexible bollards.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2026 Page 49 of 77 2024
SAFETY MATTERS TODAY
H2-PUBLIC COMMENT City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
2024 Now
SAFETY MATTERS TODAY
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Caltrans CASE STUDY
SAN FRANCISCO
-14%
decrease in median
speeds
-36%
decrease in
collisions
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Master Fee Schedule Adoption
Brittany Mello, Administrative Services Director
Fenny Lei, Assistant Administrative Services Director
Cindy Sconce, Director, Government Consulting Partners, Inc. 1 I1-PRESENTATION City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Agenda
Cost of services study background
Updates since March 24 Study Session
Proposed fees
City Council direction
2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
3 Cost of Services Study
Background
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Background
The most recent cost of services study was completed in 2017 Master Fee Schedule has not been comprehensively adjusted since 2019
- Fees have not kept pace with neighboring jurisdictions - Fees have not factored in annual cost escalation factors like CPI or personnel costs
The City’s User Fee Cost Recovery Policy was updated in 2022 - Transparent framework for setting fees based on clear, supportable criteria
4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
State Law
Proposition 218 (1996) Ensures user fees are fair, transparent, and directly connected to the actual cost of the service provided.
Proposition 26 (2010) States that user fees are limited to the "estimated reasonable cost of providing a service" by
Government Code section 66014(a) and other supplementary legislation.
- It should be noted that fees charged for the use of government property are exempt from Proposition 26. These include fees for parks and facility rentals as well as other equipment rental fees. All of these fees may be set at a price the market will bear.
5 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Policy
Strives to balance cost recovery with access and community benefit
Three tiers: low (0-30%), mid (30-70%), high (70-100%) Higher cost recovery for services that benefit individuals and for regulatory services
Lower cost recovery for community-wide services
6 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Policy
Many services in library and community services are
intentionally subsidized to advance equity and community goals Library and community services programming fees are set at reduced rates to ensure accessibility
- Reduced rates for residents vs. non-residents
- Hyperlocal resident fees for the neighborhood service area of the Belle Haven Community Campus
Financial assistance remains available
7 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost of Services Study
The cost of services study was conducted over approximately six months to evaluate the full cost of providing City services:
- Staff time to deliver the service
- Materials
- Overhead
- Administrative support
The full costs were then compared to current fee levels Proposed fees either reflect the full cost of providing that service or a reduced cost that reflects the cost recovery policy framework
8 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
9 Updates to the Proposed
Fee Schedule
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Overview of Revisions Since Study Session
Differentiated the Heritage Tree Appeal fee to set a substantially lower rate for community member appeals than for permit applicants Several Public Works fees and the credit card convenience fee were adjusted to achieve 100% cost recovery
Menlo Children Center (MCC) fees were increased by 5% to better align with comparable market rates
Proposed annual updates to be brought to the City Council to incorporate annual cost escalations based on the greater of CPI or personnel cost increases; includes updates to fees based on City hourly rates
Administrative updates were made to improve clarity, including fee name revisions, formatting changes, and overall reorganization of the fee schedule
10 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Updates Proposed for Tonight
Revert site license wireless fee back to $270, amount established by FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
Remove the El Camino Real and Sand Hill Road Banners fee, which was inadvertently included in the schedule
Typographical and naming corrections — includes updates to fee terminology (e.g., "technology surcharge" → "technology fee"), subsection titles and names, spacing, punctuation, capitalization, and missing words
Updating the unit of measure column to better reflect the context of the fee (e.g., per meal, per season)
General formatting changes in certain sections to improve readability including separating impact and in-lieu fees 11 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Supplemental Documentation
Supplemental document prepared to help with readability and provide additional context for each fee, including:
Brief description and estimated volume
Cost recovery policy tier, current vs. proposed cost recovery level Current and proposed amounts with dollar and percent changes Annual cost, subsidy amount, current and projected revenue 12 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
13 Proposed Fees For Further
Discussion
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Highlights – Gymnastics
Low cost recovery per policy (0-30%)
With recommended 10% increase to the fees, cost recovery will reach 51%, with General Fund continuing to subsidize
approximately $1 million operating cost annually
With the increase, fees are still 60% below programs that offer similar services
14 Gymnastics
Peer Average $178
Menlo Park (current) per month
equivalent
$72
Dollar Difference ($106)
Percentage Difference -60%
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Highlights – MCC Preschool
High cost recovery per policy (70-100%)
With recommended 5% increase to the fees, cost recovery will reach 39%, with General Fund continuing to subsidize
approximately $1.3 million operating cost annually based on 2024-25 fee volume
Lower enrollment due to universal transitional kindergarten 15 MCC - Preschool
Peer Average $2,696
Menlo Park (current) $2,493
Dollar Difference ($203)
Percentage Difference -8%
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Newsrack Fee
Newsrack Fee meant to capture use of public property
and maintenance concerns
Prior Council direction to waive fee in 2021
Direction on cost recovery level needed
Fee able to be reduced or delayed for further evaluation 16 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Highlights – Credit Card
Credit Card Convenience Fee
Cities and other government entities may charge a convenience fee when payments are made by credit card.
The City of Menlo Park has experienced a large increase in costs associated with credit card fees.
GCP recommends implementing credit card fee passthrough where supported by POS (point of sale) systems, charging the actual processing cost and applying a 2.5% convenience fee for payment methods that do not support passthrough to offset transaction costs.
17 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
18 Council Direction
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Timeline
Pursuant to Government Code Sections 66016 and 66017, fees imposed on development projects shall not take effect for at least 60 days
Proposed Master Fee Schedule changes effective July 1, 2026 Approved fee updates will be incorporated into the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget’s revenue projections
Staff may return to City Council for a discussion of service levels and potential reductions to bring expenditures in line with revenues
19 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Items for Discussion
Areas highlighted for further discussion and City Council feedback:
Gymnastics fees
Menlo children center preschool fees
Newsrack fees
20 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Council Direction
Staff recommends that City Council adopt the proposed Master Fee Schedule, with fees effective July 1, 2026
Incorporate updated fees into the fiscal year 2026–27 budget development and five-year forecast
21 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Highlights – Gymnastics
Low cost recovery per policy (0-30%)
With recommended 10% increase to the fees, cost recovery will reach 51%, with General Fund continuing to subsidize
approximately $1 million operating cost annually
With the increase, fees are still 64% below programs that offer similar services
22 Gymnastics
Peer Average $178
Menlo Park (current) per month
equivalent
$72
Dollar Difference ($106)
Percentage Difference -60%
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Cost Recovery Highlights – MCC Preschool
High cost recovery per policy (70-100%)
With recommended 5% increase to the fees, cost recovery will reach 39%, with General Fund continuing to subsidize
approximately $1.3 million operating cost annually based on 2024-25 fee volume
Lower enrollment due to universal transitional kindergarten 23 MCC - Preschool
Peer Average $2,696
Menlo Park (current) $2,493
Dollar Difference ($203)
Percentage Difference -8%
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
Newsrack Fee
Newsrack Fee meant to capture use of public property
and maintenance concerns
Prior Council direction to waive fee in 2021
Direction on cost recovery level needed
Fee able to be reduced or delayed for further evaluation 24 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026
25 Thank You
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2026