Menlo Park City Council
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov City Council

SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Date: 7/14/2026
Time: 5:30 p.m.

Locations: Teleconference and
City Council Chambers
751 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025
Special Session
A. Call To Order
Mayor Nash called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.

B. Roll Call

Present: Combs, Nash, Taylor, Wise

Absent: Schmidt
Staff: City Manager Justin Murphy, City Attorney Nira Doherty, Assistant City Manager Stephen Stolte (arrived at 6:50 p.m.), Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk Judi A. Herren
C. Closed Session
C1. Conference with labor negotiators
Government Code Section 54957.6
Labor negotiations with Service Employees International Local 521 and Service Employees International Union Local 521 – Temporary Employees Unit Agency designated representatives: City Manager Justin I.C. Murphy, Assistant City Manager Stephen Stolte, City Attorney Nira Doherty, Administrative Services Director Brittany Mello, Legal Counsel Charles Sakai
• Sokny Sy spoke in support of fair contracts for the Service Employees International Local 521 and Service Employees International Union Local 521 (SEIU). • Cesar Sanchez requested the City Council adjust wages to competitive market compensation to the 75th percentile level and create a path to permanent positions for temporary employees. • Brandon Bond spoke on labor negotiations, their role during union strikes and working in a union.
• Matt Pruter spoke on the need to recognize the workload of employees and in support of retaining the city’s workforce.
• Alyssa Allen requested wages and benefits that keep up with the economic situation.

Regular Session
D. Call To Order
Mayor Nash re-called the meeting to order at 6:50 p.m.

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov E. Report from Closed Session
No reportable actions.

F. Agenda Review
The City Council opened the first public comment period for the informational items after G. Public Comment.

G. Public Comment
• Brian Schmidt spoke on the City of Burlingame adopting Menlo Park’s flex path reach codes.

H. Presentations and Proclamations
H1. Proclamation: Park and Recreation Month (Attachment) Mayor Nash introduced the proclamation.

Parks and Recreation Commission Vice Chair Justin Van Buren accepted the proclamation (Attachment).

H2. Proclamation: SamTrans 50th anniversary (Attachment) Mayor Nash introduced the proclamation.

SamTrans Government & Community Affairs Officer Charlsie Chang accepted the proclamation (Attachment).

H3. Presentation: Annual Complete Streets Commission work plan report out (Attachment) Complete Streets Commissioner Athena lerokomos made the presentation (Attachment).

H4. Presentation: SamTrans 101 Corridor Connect Program (Attachment) San Mateo County Transportation Authority Manager of Planning and Fund Management SueEllen Atkinson made the presentation (Attachment). • Katie Behroozi spoke in support of the 101 Corridor Connect Program, prioritizing Marsh Road and submitting the grant application.
• Kevin Rennie spoke in support of prioritizing Ringwood Avenue. • Pam D. Jones spoke in support of prioritizing Marsh Road and not adding additional housing in the Bayfront area.

The City Council received clarification on grant application deadlines.

H5. Presentation: Update from Caltrain (Attachment)
Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard and Caltrain Chief of Staff Casey Fromson made the presentation (Attachment).

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov • Charles Chapa spoke in support of improving the area around Menlo Park's train station.

The City Council received clarification on the 75% farebox recovery rate, reducing costs and maintaining level of services, funding models and the regional funding measure on Nov. 3 ballot.

I. Consent Calendar
I1. Accept the City Council meeting minutes for June 9, 2026 (Attachment) I2. Consider and adopt a resolution amending City Council Policy #CC-26-030 Public Meeting Accessibility (Staff Report #26-123-CC)
• Pam D. Jones spoke in support of the policy and services.

I3. Consider and adopt a resolution dedicating a Public Utility Easement adjacent to 100 Terminal Ave. (Staff Report #26-115-CC)
I4. Award a construction contract to SCC Electric, Inc. for the Belle Haven Child Development Center Electrification project, approve an appropriation from the unassigned funds in the General Capital fund (Staff Report #26-124-CC)
I5. Consider and adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the second amendment to the Urban County Cooperation Agreement with the County of San Mateo for the Community Development Block Grant program (Staff Report #26-116-CC) • Pam D. Jones requested a presentation on the Block grant process, background and funding.

I6. Consider and adopt a resolution rescinding Resolution No. 6704 and adopting City Council Procedure No. CC-26-024 updating the City’s purchasing policy (Staff Report #26-121-CC) I7. Authorize the city manager to execute an amended memorandum of understanding with Caltrain to complete the design and environmental clearance documents for the Middle Avenue Caltrain Crossing project (Staff Report #26-125-CC)
• Peter Colby spoke on concerns related to the cost of the project. • Michael Barclay spoke on concerns related to the cost of the project.

The City Council discussed funding for the underpass.

ACTION: Motion and second (Nash/ Combs), to approve the consent calendar, passed 4-0-1 (Schmidt absent).

J. Study Session
J1. Provide direction on the Willow Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Improvements Project (Staff Report #26-119-CC) (Presentation)
Senior Transportation Engineer Kristiann Choy made the presentation (Attachment). • Robin Severns spoke in support of allowing bike traffic through the Veterans Affairs (VA) City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov Hospital.
• Athena Ierokomos spoke in support of bike lanes and pedestrian safety measures. • Pam D. Jones requested clarification on the Willow Road traffic signal timing aimed at making the intersections safer for bikes and pedestrians.
• Miyko Harris-Parker requested clarification on pursuing Option 3 and the need for an additional environmental impact report (EIR).
• Sally Cole spoke in support of the project and not deferring the pedestrian improvements.

The City Council received clarification on the current scope and cost of phasing the project, data from previous projects and grant funding and timelines.

The City Council discussed front loading with the pedestrian improvements and using the Bayfront Mitigation Fund.

The City Council directed staff to continue the current project design, to pursue grant funding and to use the Bayfront Mitigation Fund up to $1.75 million.

The City Council went to recess at 8:40 p.m.

The City Council reconvened at 8:55 p.m.

K. Public Hearing
K1. Consider and adopt a resolution to deny an appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s approval of 1) a use permit to determine the floor area limit on a lot less than 5,000 square feet in area, and to construct a new two-story, single-family residence on a vacant substandard lot with regard to minimum lot width, depth, and area in the R-1-U (Single Family Urban Residential) zoning district, at 305 Haight St. and 2) six variance requests to reduce the interior side setback to three feet where five feet is required, reduce the corner side setback to six feet where 12 feet is required, reduce the rear setback to 13 feet where 20 feet is required, reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces to one compliant space where two compliant spaces are required, increase the maximum building coverage from 722 square feet to 729.4 square feet, and increase the height of the daylight plane to approximately 23 feet, 11 inches where 19 feet, six inches is required (Staff Report #26-120-CC) (Staff Presentation) (Appellant Presentation) Associate Planner Matt Pruter made a presentation (Attachment).

Applicant Attorney Charlie Bronitsky made a presentation.

Appellant Naveena Ganta made a presentation (Attachment).

Applicant Attorney Charlie Bronitsky made a rebuttal.

Mayor Nash opened the public hearing.
• Rajesh Shetty spoke in favor of upholding the appeal and on concerns related to impacts to heritage trees and to neighbors.
• Siva Yeruva spoke in favor of upholding the appeal.
• John Brady Barksdale spoke in favor of upholding the appeal. • Robin Severns spoke in favor of upholding the appeal.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov • Joey Huang spoke in spoke in favor of upholding the appeal. • Noopur Gupta spoke in spoke in favor of upholding the appeal and on concerns related to impacts to property values and the number of variances.

Mayor Nash closed the public hearing.

The City Council discussed parking, modifications to the Planning Commission recommendations and maintenance of the property.

The City Council received clarification on Planning Commission discussion of Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), average accessory dwelling unit (ADU) square footage, the number of variances for this project and the removal of a heritage tree on the property.

The City Council directed staff to return with a resolution to uphold the appeal and deny the Planning Commission's decision.

ACTION: Motion and second (Combs/ Taylor), to uphold the appeal and deny the Planning Commission’s approval of 1) a use permit to determine the floor area limit on a lot less than 5,000 square feet in area, and to construct a new two-story, single-family residence on a vacant substandard lot with regard to minimum lot width, depth, and area in the R-1-U (Single Family Urban Residential) zoning district, at 305 Haight St. and 2) six variance requests to reduce the interior side setback to three feet where five feet is required, reduce the corner side setback to six feet where 12 feet is required, reduce the rear setback to 13 feet where 20 feet is required, reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces to one compliant space where two compliant spaces are required, increase the maximum building coverage from 722 square feet to 729.4 square feet, and increase the height of the daylight plane to approximately 23 feet, 11 inches where 19 feet, six inches is required, passed 4-0-1 (Schmidt absent).

K2. Consider and adopt a resolution amending the City’s comprehensive master fee schedule to revise gymnastic program fees in library and community services (Staff Report #26-117-CC) (Presentation)
Library and Community Services Director Nick Szegda made the presentation (Attachment).

Mayor Nash opened the public hearing.

Mayor Nash closed the public hearing.

The City Council discussed phased options and private contractor fees.

The City Council received clarification on resident versus non-resident enrollment.

ACTION: Motion and second (Wise/ Combs), to adopt a resolution amending the City's Master Fee Schedule to increase gymnastics program fees in library and community services by 10% above the currently adopted rates at the start of fall 2026 and spring 2027, passed 4-0-1 (Schmidt absent).

L. Regular Business
L1. Consider and adopt a resolution to make back-in angled parking permanent at Nealon Park frontage and seek direction on vehicular access to Blake Street at Middle Avenue (Staff Report #26-126-CC) (Presentation)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov Senior Transportation Planner Catrine Machi made the presentation (Attachment). • Michael Barclay spoke in support of retaining the back-in angled parking at Nealon Park. • Julia spoke in support of the permanent closure on Blake Street. • Ashley Callahan spoke in support of the permanent closure on Blake Street. • Agesen spoke in support of the permanent closure on Blake Street.

The City Council discussed making back-in angled parking permanent at Nealon Park and the resource needs for Blake Street closure.

The City Council directed staff to retain the temporary vehicle access restriction on Blake Street and to return in a year to revisit the resources needed to consider permanently closing Blake Street.

ACTION: By acclamation, the City Council extended the meeting past 11 p.m.

ACTION: Motion and second (Nash/ Taylor), to adopt a resolution as recommended by the Complete Streets Commission to make back-in angled parking permanent at Nealon Park, passed 4-0-1 (Schmidt absent).

M. Informational Items
M1. City Council agenda topics: August 2026 (Staff Report #26-127-CC) M2. Update on the City of Menlo Park’s internal controls assessment report (Staff Report #26-118-CC) M3. Update on Housing Element Regional Housing Needs Allocation capacity and progress, and tentative project schedule for development on Parking Plazas 1, 2 and 3 (Staff Report #26-122-CC)
M4. City Council fiscal year 2026-27 work plan (Staff Report #26-128-CC) N. City Manager Report
None.

O. City Councilmember Reports
O1. Mayor Nash report (Attachment)
Vice Mayor Wise reported out on the July 4 event.

Mayor Nash reported out on the annual advisory body training and appreciation event and a West Light Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) meeting.

P. Adjournment
Mayor Nash adjourned the meeting at 11:08 p.m.

Assistant to the City Manager/ City Clerk Judi Herren
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.gov These minutes were approved at the City Council meeting August 25, 2026.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Proclamation
PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH JULY 2026
WHEREAS, parks and recreation are an integral part of the Menlo Park community, promoting wellness, belonging, togetherness and celebration while improving physical and mental health for residents of all ages and walks of life; and
WHEREAS, park and recreation programming and education activities, such youth sports, summer and afterschool enrichment and extracurricular activities, are critical to childhood development; and WHEREAS, parks and recreation encourage physical activities by providing space for sports, hiking, swimming, skating, celebrating and many other activities designed to promote active lifestyles; and WHEREAS, parks and recreation increase a community’s economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses and crime reduction; and
WHEREAS, parks and recreation are essential and adaptable infrastructure that help our communities be resilient in the face of natural disasters and climate change; and WHEREAS, parks and recreation professionals foster a sense of belonging in their community by providing welcoming and inclusive programs, essential services for all ages and abilities and safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connections; and
WHEREAS, as we have more multi-family housing and the number of our city residents increases, parks and recreation facilities become ever more important; and
WHEREAS, the City of Menlo Park appreciates the dedicated efforts of the Parks and Recreation Commission, Youth Advisory Committee, City staff and community volunteers who support and maintain our parks, as well as the residents and community members who visit them;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Betsy
Nash, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby proclaim and celebrate July 2026 as Parks and Recreation Month in Menlo Park.

Betsy Nash, Mayor
July 14, 2026
AGENDA ITEM H-1 Page H-1.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

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City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Proclamation
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SAMTRANS
WHEREAS, SamTrans began service on Thursday, July 1, 1976, when several local bus systems in San Mateo County were consolidated into one agency serving the Peninsula, creating a clearer and more consistent public transit system with a focus on countywide mobility; and WHEREAS, in its earliest years, SamTrans moved quickly to expand what transit could offer the region. By 1977, the agency launched service along El Camino Real stretching the length of the county, strengthening a corridor that remains central to SamTrans service today; and WHEREAS, around the same time, SamTrans introduced paratransit service, 14 years before it became a federal requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and WHEREAS, as communities and travel patterns changed, SamTrans continued to evolve. The agency modernized routes, expanded service and invested in new ways to make transit more convenient and flexible.

Most recently, SamTrans completed the Reimagine SamTrans project, a systemwide effort focused on improving reliability, access and ease of use; and
WHEREAS, over the past 50 years, SamTrans has provided approximately 750 million rides across San Mateo County; and
WHEREAS, SamTrans’ role has also grown beyond bus operations. The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) now serves as the administrative home for key transportation partners, including shared services that support Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA). Together, the District provides what the community has relied on for five decades — a transit system built to connect people, neighborhoods and opportunities, operating 74 bus routes and serving more than 10 million riders annually as of 2026; and WHEREAS, SamTrans’ mission to revolutionize mobility and create a more equitable and sustainable region is a worthy one that deeply benefits Menlo Park, San Mateo County and the entire San Francisco Bay Area; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Betsy
Nash, Mayor of the City of Menlo Park, on behalf of the City Council and City, do hereby recognize and celebrate SamTrans’ 50th anniversary.

Betsy Nash, Mayor
July 14, 2026
AGENDA ITEM H-2 Page H-2.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

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City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

1 Complete Streets Commission
2025-26 Report Out
AGENDA ITEM H-3 Page H-3.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Agenda
 2025-2026 work plan
 Project highlights
2 March 11, 2026 - Complete Streets Commission meeting
Page H-3.2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

2025-26 work plan
3 1) Advise the City Council on the implementation of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP)
2) Advise and provide input to the City Council on transportation policies/programs 3) Provide input and recommendations, as it relates to transportation, to the City Council and/or Planning Commission on the City’s major land use and development projects that are not subject to SB 330 for which a TIA and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) are required.
4) Support the Council’s initiatives to improve access to Downtown and support downtown businesses
5) Support Climate Action Plan Strategy No. 4 - Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 25% or an amount recommended by the Complete Streets Commission Page H-3.3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Pilot Projects
 Nealon Park frontage
parking
 Blake Street
temporary closure
 Coleman Avenue
Traffic Calming
Measures
4 Page H-3.4 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Development Review
5 Page H-3.5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Regional Initiatives
 Grand Boulevard Initiative
 Reimagine Dumbarton
 Active 101 and 101 Corridor Connect
6 Page H-3.6 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Project and Program Review
 Slow Streets Program
 Pierce Road
7 Page H-3.7 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

2025 Ad-Hoc Subcommittees
E-Bike Policies and Guidelines
Safe Routes and Community Outreach
El Camino Real Complete Street
Transportation Master Plan Monitoring
Bike Rack Inventory
Climate Action Plan
8 Page H-3.8 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

9 Thank you!
Page H-3.9 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

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City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

101 Corridor Connect
Program Update
City of Menlo Park
AGENDA ITEM H4 Page H-4.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA)
• Plans, funds, and delivers
transportation programs and
projects throughout San Mateo
County
• Manages funding from voterapproved local sales tax (Measure A and Measure W)
Page H-4.2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

WHAT IS 101 CORRIDOR CONNECT?
• A collaborative program to identify and prioritize congestion management projects along US 101 in San Mateo County.
• It looks beyond just highway infrastructure and considers the mobility needs of the corridor as a whole.
• Program partners include Caltrans, cities, transit agencies, San Mateo County, and C/CAG.

Page H-4.3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Program Goals
4 Connected
Connect people
to the places
they need to go.

Sustainable
Improve air quality
and reduce
emissions.

Inclusive
Increase access
for underserved
communities.

Safe
Enhance safety
for users of the
transportation
network.

Page H-4.4 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

101 Corridor Connect Working Groups
North County
Local Jurisdiction Staff
Brisbane, South San Francisco, San
Bruno, Millbrae, San Mateo County
Transit Agency Partners
Caltrain, BART, SamTrans, San
Francisco Bay Ferry
Stakeholders
Commute.org, Caltrans, C/CAG,

MTC, SFO
Mid County
Local Jurisdiction Staff
Burlingame, San Mateo, Foster City,
Redwood City, Belmont, San Carlos,
San Mateo County
Transit Agency Partners
Caltrain, SamTrans
Stakeholders
Commute.org, Caltrans, C/CAG,
MTC
South County
Local Jurisdiction Staff
San Mateo County, Menlo Park,
Redwood City, East Palo Alto,
Atherton
Transit Agency Partners Caltrain,
SamTrans
Stakeholders
Commute.org, Caltrans, C/CAG,
MTC
5 Page H-4.5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

MULTIMODAL STRATEGIES
North County | Mid County | South County
6 Page H-4.6 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

What is a
Multimodal
Strategy?
7 The Multimodal Strategies are planning
documents that identify and prioritize
needed projects in San Mateo County.

Multimodal Strategies were developed for
the entire 101 corridor as the first
initiative of 101 Corridor Connect.

Projects include highway, active
transportation, transit, other types of
improvements.

Page H-4.7 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

8 North County
Brisbane, Millbrae, San Bruno,
South San Francisco
1 Mid County
Belmont, Burlingame, Foster
City, San Carlos, San Mateo,
Redwood Shores
2 South County
Atherton, East Palo Alto,
Menlo Park, Redwood City
3 Page H-4.8 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Community/
Stakeholder
Engagement
Components
9 • Project webpage • Multilingual factsheet and
Frequently Asked Questions
document
• Press release • Online survey • Interactive recorded presentation • Interactive mapping (available online and at in-person events)
• Pop-up activities at local events
• Small group meetings with
community-based organizations
• Temporary signs at bus stops
Page H-4.9 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Multimodal Strategies Engagement Statistics
1,265 online
survey
responses
5,850 votes on
how to
improve travel
574
interactions at
pop-ups
429 comments
on interactive
maps
114 attending
CBO meetings 12 pop-ups
Page H-4.10 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Priority Projects
After the scoring and weighting, projects were ranked with the top 20 highest scoring projects.
11 Page H-4.11 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

ACTIVE 101: US 101 SAN MATEO

COUNTY CROSSINGS

IMPROVEMENT PLAN
12 Page H-4.12 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

WHAT IS ACTIVE 101?
Page H-4.13 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

FALL 2024 COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT
Mult ilingual
Pop Up Event s
Present at ions To
St akeholders
Responses To The
Online “Fund It ”
Act ivit y
26 270+
6 Page H-4.14 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Page H-4.15 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

101 Corridor Connect Program
Next Steps
16 Page H-4.16 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Priority Multimodal Safety and
Congestion Relief Projects
Menlo Park • Multimodal Strategy - Marsh Road Interchange and Overcrossing
- Willow Road
• Active 101 - Marsh Road - Chilco Street - Newbridge Street 17 Page H-4.17 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Mini Grant Program
$4M Available
New multi-year effort
that will fund and
provide technical
assistance to
jurisdictions
Jumpstart planning
of priority capital
projects identified in
the program
Begin moving
projects from lines to
reality
Page H-4.18 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

101 Corridor Connect Mini-Grants
Funding for priority projects
Multimodal corridor study
Conceptual design alternatives
Community engagement
Available Funding
$750,000 per project
Up to $1M for multi-jurisdictional projects
No local match required
Streamlined Application
Letter of Interest including confirmation of
staff availability or technical assistance
request
Site Walk (if selected, must include at least
one City Council member)
19 Page H-4.19 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

101 Corridor Connect Mini-Grants
April – May 2026
Talk with SMCTA
about potential
projects
June 2026
CFP released
July 2026
Applications due
August 2026
Funding
Decisions
20 Page H-4.20 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Key
Action
Items
21 Talk with staff and SMCTA about
projects
Apply to mini-grant program
Participate in site walk if selected
SMCTA CBO Bench for engagement
Page H-4.21 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

22 Questions?
Sue-Ellen Atkinson
Manager, Planning and Fund Management
[email protected]
Page H-4.22 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Caltrain
Overview and
Budget
Menlo Park July 14, 2026
AGENDA ITEM H-5 Page H-5.1 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Caltrain Connects • 77 miles connecting San
Francisco, San Mateo, and
Santa Clara counties
• 31 stations across 20
communities
• Over 160 years of continuous
rail service
• 82% favorability rating voters • 91% favorability with riders 2 Page H-5.2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Caltrain is Part of Everyday Life
• Helps millions of people get
to work, school, and events
• Reduces traffic on major
highways like US-101
• Connects communities
across the Peninsula
• Supports access to jobs
and opportunities
Page H-5.3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Every Day, Caltrain provides regional benefits
*Based on Caltrain’s average weekday ridership for Tuesdays. **Caltrans most recent AADT available for 2023. ***2025 Triennial Survey.

Less Traffic:

Removes the equivalent of ~3
freeway lanes of traffic at peak
times * US-101 traffic is 93% of
pre-pandemic levels at rush
hour.**
Stronger Ecomony:

Today, 2.9 million people, or
37% of the 9-County Bay Area’s
population, live in the 20 cities
served by Caltrain. Corridor
economic driver of the state and
country.
4 Cleaner Air
• Reduces greenhouse gas
emissions with 100%
renewable electric service
• Improves local air quality
and reduces noise
Page H-5.4 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

5 Caltrain is Supporting Local Economies
• Higher property values near stations • Increased business activity and office demand • Supports downtowns and local development • Contributes to local tax bases across the corridor Average rent per square foot refers to annual full service gross rents per square foot weighted by the building’s rentable building area.

Source: Costar, 2018; Strategic Economics, 2019.

Page H-5.5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Partnerships on
Major Initiatives
● Corridor Crossing Strategy
● Transit Oriented Development
● Redwood City Transit District
● Battery Electric Multiple Unit Train
● Diridon Station Business Case
● Portal (SF Downtown Extension)
Innovative,Cost Effective:

Safety Enhancements
Worked with technology providers to improve audio
and visual directions by tracks
Page H-5.6 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Improved Service
• Faster: Express and local trains
• More Frequent:
- Every 15-20 mins weekday rush hour
- Every 30 mins, every station, 7 days a week
(compared to once an hour)
- 20% more service (26% equity priority stations)
• Better Experience: Free wi-fi, outlets at every
seat, bathrooms, digital displays, quieter inside
and outside the trains
• On-Time Performance: over 95%
Page H-5.7 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

8 Growing Ridership
• Since electrification: fastest growing transit system US (APTA); over 50% growth year over year; weekend highest ever; Giants/Sharks/Warriors 30%-50%+ increase from previous season • Diversified ridership: 50% moderate or above income and 37% low income; 10% youth, seniors, or people with disabilities
Page H-5.8 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

9 Caltrain Ridership Trends by City
Page H-5.9 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Welcome City Partnerships
• Go Pass Program: City benefits economic, parking
and traffic relief, GHG reductions
• Creative partnership, example: Downtown destinations
Page H-5.10 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Caltrain Fiscal Outlook and Ridership
11 Page H-5.11 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

0 10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
0 2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26* FY27*
Average Weekday Ridership
Total FY Ridership
Total Fiscal Year and Average Weekday Ridership (FY19-27) Total Annual Ridership Average Weekday Ridership
Caltrain Ridership Trends
12 Projected FY25 to
FY26: +25% YOY
Total Annual
Ridership
Sources: Caltrain Annual Ridership Reports; Caltrain Fare Media-Based Ridership Estimates. *FY26 and FY27 projected. • Ridership demand continues to grow in response to Caltrain’s electrified service improvements.

Page H-5.12 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Notes: FY19-25 Actuals; FY26-27 projected.

DRAFT
Role of Fares in
Caltrain’s Business
Fares No Longer Cover the Same Share of Costs
• 2019, fare revenue comprised over 70% ($100M) of operating revenue • Today, while still nation leading, fare revenue accounts for ~30% ($43M) of operating revenue. 13 72%
56%
24% 21% 25% 24% 26% 28% 29%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26* FY27*
Caltrain Farebox Recovery Ratios (FY19-27)
Page H-5.13 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

14 FY26 Budget
FY25 Forecast
Why Does Caltrain Have a $75M Annual Operating Deficit? Commute Patterns
Shifted
Sustained, significant
changes in work patterns
across San Francisco and
Silicon Valley since the
pandemic.

Ridership &
Revenue Less Than
Before
Fewer riders meant lower
fare, parking, rental, and
advertising income.

Costs Rose
With Inflation
Operating costs grew
faster than revenue
across the transit
industry.

Electrification
Raised Fixed Costs
51 miles of new 25KV
electrical infrastructure to
maintain.

Combined result: These factors and the exhaustion of one-time COVID related funding sources have compounded to create a structural operating deficit that cannot be resolved through cuts or self-generated revenue alone.

Page H-5.14 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

-
100
200
300
400
500
600
FY2027 FY2029 FY2031 FY2033 FY2035 FY2037 FY2039 FY2041 Millions
Projected Operating Deficit as of April 2026
Revenue Expense
15-Year Operating Budget
Baseline Forecast Without External Funding
15 $75 Million Average Annual Operating Deficit
Page H-5.15 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Cost Containment Strategies
• Strategic hiring freeze
• Comprehensive cost reduction efficiency
program
• FY27: Line by line review, held operator
contract to previous level
• Implemented crew scheduling efficiencies
• Recouping costs for electricity returned to the
grid through regenerative braking
• Develop and evaluate Battery Storage Plan
Page H-5.16 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Non-Fare Revenue Strategies
5-20 Year Long Term
Exploring new revenue sources
Expand advertising &
media package
train wrapping
naming rights of
rolling stock and
station assets
Advertising and
Naming Rights
Solar farm, energy
storage facility for
traction power and
station energy needs
Solar, Energy
Storage Systems, EV
Charging Leasing
Cell tower leasing,
fiber leasing
Fiber Optic Cable and
Telecommunications
Leasing
Property conveyance
lease
commercial leasing
Transit-Oriented
Development
TOD and Commercial
Leasing
Private car
Charter train
Sport events
Special Events
1-2 Year Short Term 2-5 Year Medium Term
Page H-5.17 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Schedule
18 Continue FY26 Service Levels
Maintain current service level using one-time State Loan funds through FY27.

March 2026:

State Loan
FY2026 FY2028
Continue FY26 Service Levels
Plan and Prepare for Service Cuts Service Cuts
FY2027
June 2026: Caltrain Board Adopt
FY27 Budget and Framework for
No External Funding Scenario
November 2026: General
Election
Summer 2027: Measure Funds
Flow for FY28
Page H-5.18 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Fiscal Year 28+
19 Page H-5.19 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Current Service vs. Potential Cuts in a No External Funding Scenario Today: Frequent Service 7 days a week Potential Service Cuts (FY28+) 25 Frequent Weekday Service
Trains every 15 minutes peak; every 30 off-peak
Weekend Service
Trains every 30 minutes Saturday and Sunday
Long Hours of Service
Trains from ~5 AM to ~1 AM
Special Event Service
Extra trains support concerts, games and more
Hourly Weekday Service
Once per hour all day
No Weekend Service
All Saturday and Sunday trains eliminated
Early Shutdowns
End operations by 9 PM
No Special Event Service
Eliminate all special event trains
Station Closures
Close more than one-third of all stations. Potential for full service suspension if no external funding continues.

Page H-5.20 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Why Cuts Make the Problem Worse (Downward Spiral)
Cut Service
Reduced frequency
and span of service
delivers most savings.

Fewer Riders
Fewer riders due to
inconvenient service,
reducing ridership by a
projected 60% to 70%
Less Revenue
Less fare, parking,
advertising, leasing
revenue offsets
cost savings
Creates Cycle
Difficult to
Reserve
Deficit persists,
forcing
further reductions
Ridership could decrease significantly,
with losses compounded by other
agencies' contemplated cuts.
21 1 2 3 4
Page H-5.21 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Regional Transit – Connected Implications
22 • Specific cuts are not certain yet.
• Contemplated cuts other agencies in
conjunction would increase Caltrain’s
ridership loss.
• If no external funding, could stop
passenger service, and focus exclusively
on maintenance and safety of the corridor
and assets.
• Once shut down, minimum 2-4 years to
resume Caltrain passenger service.

Page H-5.22 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

23 Critical Inflection Point
No External Funding Scenario
Even Significant Cuts Won't Solve
the Deficit
Cutting service drives away riders,
reducing operating revenue in
a downward spiral, offsetting much of
the savings from cuts. Significant
deficit remains.

Reduce to hourly service
Eliminate weekend service
End service at 9:00 PM
Close ~1/3 of stations
Cut segments of service
Cuts to administrative costs
Eliminate special event service
Suspend all Caltrain service
Ridership & Revenue Are Growing
Caltrain will continue to grow
ridership, generate revenue, and find
cost savings — but growth and cuts
cannot close the gap.

Page H-5.23 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

Important Crossroads
Page H-5.24 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

FOR MORE INFORMATION
WWW.CALTRAIN.COM
Page H-5.25 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

WILLOW ROAD CLASS IV BIKEWAY AND
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTCity Council Study Session July 14, 2026 J1-PRESENTATION
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 70 of 130
• Project location and existing conditions
• Project history and prior community engagement• Proposed project design• Additional community engagement• Project cost estimate and funding strategy• Alternatives• Schedule• Direction requestedAGENDA 2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 71 of 130

PROJECT LOCATION
3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 72 of 130
 Caltrans facility from Chester Street to Bayfront
Expressway
 30,000 to 50,000 vehicles per day Buffered Class II bike lanes from Newbridge Street to Hamilton Avenue
 Class II bike lanes and Class IV bikeways on the US 101 overpass
 No separate bicycle facilities between O’Keefe Street and Bay Road
 High-stress Class II bike lanes given high-speed and highvolume traffic and too few crossings in a 1.3 mile stretch. 4 EXISTING CONDITIONS AM1
AM2
AM7
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 73 of 130
Buffered Class II Bike Lanes
5 BICYCLE FACILITIES
At-Grade Class IV Bikeway Raised Class IV Bikeway
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 74 of 130
 The Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan includes Class IV bikeways from SR 84 to U.S. 101 as a top-tier priority.
 The City’s 2020 Transportation Master Plan identifies Willow Road as “Stress Level 4” given the existing Class II bike lane’s proximity to high-speed traffic.  Willow Road is a countywide backbone bikeway network that links regionally significant destinations across local jurisdictions - C/CAG Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (2021).  Caltrans completed a Project Initiation Document in 2023.  The City’s Vision Zero Action Plan identified Willow Road as a high collision corridor.
 Project Approval/Environmental Documentation Phase started in December 2023 and is nearly complete
6 PROJECT HISTORY
Source: City of Menlo Park Transportation Master Plan, November 2020.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 75 of 130
 Initially considered at-grade Class IV Bikeway
– Original limits – Bay Road to Bayfront Expressway
 Prior grant application in 2022 Hosted community engagement pop up events – Soleska Market– Belle Haven Elementary School
 Online survey
7 PROJECT EVOLUTIONPRIOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 76 of 130
8 FEEDBACK RECEIVED Overall support for bicycle and pedestrian improvements
 Concerns about high vehicle travel speeds on Willow
Road
 Concerns about crossing Willow Road as a pedestrian Concerns about poor pedestrian lighting Need for low-stress bikeway for all ages and ability Request for continuous bike facility Merging and weaving issues at the interchange AM9
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 77 of 130
9 PROPOSED PROJECT DESIGN
 Raised Class IV bikeway
– Willow Village frontage would be at-grade, to be raised with completion of that development
– Narrow width areas will also be at-grade
 New crosswalks at O’Brien Drive and Bay Road New refuge islands at Ivy Drive Interchange improvements Class II bike lanes between O’Keefe Street and Chester Street Narrow lane widths In-lane transit boarding City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 78 of 130
10 WILLOW ROAD EXISTING AND PROPOSED RENDERING

EXISTING PROPOSED
Raised
Class IV
Class II
Buffered
AM4
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 79 of 130
 Complete Streets Commission Meeting
 Attended community meetings/events
– Gateway Rising resident meeting– Belle Haven Community Resource Fair– Belle Haven Neighborhood Association meeting  Feedback received, overall positive
– People preferred raised Class IV bikeway over existing buffered bike lanes
– Residents would use the project to walk and bike to community destinations including schools, parks and convenience/grocery stores 11 ADDITIONALCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 80 of 130

FUNDING
GAP
SMCTA
GRANT
CITY
FUNDS

MILESTONE COST
PA & ED $915K $915K N/A N/A
Design (PS&E) $2.6 M $1 M $1.6 M $0Right of Way $50K $25K $25K $0 Construction $12.8 M $2.4 M $3 M $7.3 MTotal $16.3 M $4.4 M* $4.7 M $7.3 M 12 PROJECT COST ESTIMATE
⃰ City currently has $1.7M remaining in the CIP budget to complete design phase and some preliminary construction work. Funding source(s) will need to be identified for the remaining matching funds AM8
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 81 of 130

MILESTONE COST
Prior Work $915 KCIP Budget Remaining $1.7 MTotal City Matching Funds $4.4 MMatching Funds Needed* $1.7 M 13 CITY FUNDS NEEDED
⃰ Should the City be successful in obtaining the $7.3 M grant funds, this funding source will also need to be identified as the grant programs are reimbursement funds City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 82 of 130
14 FUNDING STRATEGY Recently submitted grant application for ATP Cycle 8 – Requested full construction funding gap– No match required  Apply for MTC Safe Routes to Transit and Bay Trail
grant due in October– Received highest ranking on the non-funded project list– Plan to request full construction funding gap– No match required  Future SMCTA Highway Grant cycle
– Received highest ranking for the last two cycles– Requires 25% local match City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 83 of 130
15 ALTERNATIVES –TO REDUCE COSTS
* Funded through City CIP & SMCTA’s Measure A &W Highway Program Grant Alternative Elements Included
 At-grade Class IV bikeway (install posts or delineators in existing two-foot wide painted buffers)
Alternative 1 – At grade Class IV, no pedestrian improvements  At-grade Class IV bikeway (install posts or delineators in existing two-foot wide painted buffers)
 New crosswalk at O’Brien Drive New refuge island at Ivy Drive Alternative 2 – limited pedestrian improvements
 At-grade Class IV bikeway (install posts or delineators in existing two-foot wide painted buffers)
 New crosswalk at O’Brien Drive and Bay Road New refuge island at Ivy Drive Class II bike lanes between O’Keefe Street and Bay Road Alternative 3 – limited pedestrian improvements, short bike lane segment AM5
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 84 of 130
16 POTENTIAL AT GRADE TREATMENTS
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 85 of 130
17 ALTERNATIVES
Alternative Cost
$15.4 million ($3.5 million funded by the City)
Current design – Raised Class IV with pedestrian improvements $650,000 (anticipated to be funded by the City)
Alternative 1 – At grade Class IV, no pedestrian improvements $1.4 million (anticipated to be funded by the City)
Alternative 2 – Alternative 1 + limited pedestrian improvements $3.1 million (anticipated to be funded by the City)
Alternative 3 – Alternative 2 + limited pedestrian improvements + short bike lane segment City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 86 of 130
2025

PROPOSED SCHEDULE
18 Project Approval/Environmental Documentation
Final Design
Construction*
2026 2027 2028 2029
g
*Schedule contingent
on funding
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 87 of 130
19 PROVIDE DIRECTION Option 1: Continue current design and advance the design phase and continue to pursue grant funding– Currently fully funded for design– More competitive for grant funding  Option 2: Pause design phase pending ATP funding
decision– May require current grant extension– Delay may result in additional costs  Option 3: Revise project scope and design with a lower cost alternative– Less competitive for grant funds– Likely need to return previously awarded grant funds– Pending Caltrans approval AM10
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 88 of 130

THANK YOU
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 89 of 130
305 Haight St. Appeal
Matt Pruter, Associate Planner
1 K1-STAFF PRESENTATION
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 90 of 130
Background
2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 91 of 130
Background (cont.)
 Currently undeveloped lot  R-1-U (Single Family Urban Residential) zoning Substandard with regard to:
- Lot width (21.7 feet where 65 feet is required)- Lot depth (95.3 feet where 100 feet is required)- Lot area (2,064 sq. ft. where 7,000 feet is required) 3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 92 of 130
Proposed project
 Use permit requested:
- To construct two-story, single-family residence on substandard lot- To establish floor area limit (FAL) for a lot < 5,000 sq. ft. (1,333.1 sq. ft.)  Six variances requested:
1) Reduce interior side setback from five feet to three feet2) Reduce corner side setback from 12 feet to six feet3) Reduce rear setback 20 feet to 13 feet4) Reduce required off-street compliant parking spaces from two to one5) Exceed maximum building coverage of 722 sq. ft. (729.4 sq. ft.)6) Increase height of daylight plane from 19 feet, six inches to 23 feet, 11 inches
4 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 93 of 130
May 4, 2026 – Planning Commission meeting
 Approved 5-2, with two Commissioners opposed Factors Planning Commissioners considered:
- Unusually small lot width and lot area- Consistency in applying zoning regulations- Design in relation to flood zone, daylight plane, and maximum height- Fire safety and public safety- Visibility near the subject property and the intersection of Laurel Avenue and Haight Street
5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 94 of 130
May 12, 2026 – Appeal filed
 Appeal included the following concerns:
- Legal defectiveness of hardship- Senate Bill (SB) 9 inapplicability- Fire apparatus access not supported for public health and safety- Special privilege and precedent- There is no guaranteed right to build- Impairment of light and air to 935 Laurel Avenue 6 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 95 of 130
City Council options for action
 Deny appeal, uphold Planning Commission approval (staff recommendation)
 Uphold appeal, deny Planning Commission approval Modify Planning Commission approval 7 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 96 of 130
Staff recommendation
 Deny appeal, uphold Planning Commission approval:
- Compatible with neighborhood and meets R-1-U zoning intent- Alignment with Housing Element policies H4.2 and H4.3 and Land Use Element policy LU-2.1
- Proposed FAL provides adequate livable space for the size of the lot- Unique hardship exists and the findings for all six variances can be made
8 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 97 of 130
Recommended public hearing format
 After staff presentation, staff recommends the following steps:
- Remarks by applicant team – Charlie Bronitsky (10 minutes)- Presentation by appellant team – Naveena Ganta (10 minutes)- Rebuttal by appellant team – Naveena Ganta (5 minutes)- Optional rebuttal by applicant team – Charlie Bronitsky (5 minutes)- Public comment- City Council discussion and action 9 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 98 of 130
Thank you
10 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 99 of 130
Appeal of PLN202500005
305 Haight Street
Seeking Proportionate and Compatible Development
Agenda Item K1  |  Staff Report #26120CC
City Council Hearing: July 14, 2026
Appellants: Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva & Naveena Ganta 935 Laurel Avenue) K1-APPELLANT PRESENTATION City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes July 14, 2026

305 Haight Street Compatibility Study
Key Takeaway: We support building a home on this site, but it must be proportionate to the substandard lot to ensure public safety and neighborhood compatibility.

Currently, standard residential properties surround this block. The proposed 21-foot-wide, flat-roofed two-story box is highly incompatible with the established
neighborhood character.

Rather than fitting the logical constraints of the lot, this design shifts the burden of six simultaneous variances
onto a single neighbor.

We seek a cooperative solution that respects local
planning guidelines and guarantees long-term public safety and architectural compatibility.
2,064 SF
Substandard Lot Size
Less than 30% of the 5,000 SF R1U minimum
6 Variances
Simultaneous Requests
Shifting development burdens onto one neighbor
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

305 Haight Street - History
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva ● The property was acquired by the current owner approximately two years ago. ● The lot's pre-existing constraints and development limitations were matters of public record and knowable at the time of purchase.
● The Planning Commission's approval appears to have been influenced by references to SB-9, despite the fact that the project does not qualify for SB-9 provisions, particularly those concerning lot splits.
● A key requirement for lot splits under SB-9 is a signed affidavit from the applicant attesting to their intent to occupy one of the units as a principal residence for at least three years. This condition doesn’t exists for this project although being approved based on SB-9 reference. ○
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

305 Haight Street - 6 Variances
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva

1. Reduce the interior side setback from 5 feet to 3 feet;

2. Reduce the corner side setback from 12 feet to 6 feet;

3. Reduce the rear setback 20 feet to 13 feet;

4. Reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces from two compliant spaces to one compliant covered space;

5. Exceed the maximum building coverage of 722 square feet with a total of 729.4 square feet; and

6. Increase the height of the daylight plane from 19 feet, six inches to 23 feet, 11 inches.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

305 Haight Street - Current design
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

General Plan Consistency & Neighborhood Character
Menlo Park's General Plan directs the City Council to protect residential character and ensure strict neighborhood compatibility.

The Willows neighborhood boasts a 75-year heritage of homes with conventional proportions, pitched roofs, and standard setbacks. In contrast, the proposed two-story, flat-roofed box rises nearly 24 feet at a mere 3-foot property line, rendering it completely out of scale and incompatible with the existing housing stock. "Protect the character, variety, and stability of established residential neighborhoods."
— Menlo Park General Plan | Goal LU2 & Policy LU2.1
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Cumulative Impact: Concentrated Variance Requests
Six simultaneous variances on a single property line create severe, disproportionate impacts 6 Simultaneous Variances

64.6%
Floor Area Ratio FAR
40%
Side Setback Cut 5' to 3')
Key Takeaway: Over-concentrating variances results in an outsized 64.6% FAR footprint 1,333.1 sq ft FAL, far exceeding the 4056% FAR allowed for conforming lots. 50%
Corner Side Setback
35%
Rear Setback
Reduction
50%
Off-Street Parking Cut
22%
Daylight Plane
Envelope

35.3%
Exceeded Building Coverage
Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Zoning Standard: Self-Created Hardship
Menlo Park Municipal Code
Explicitly excludes "loss of prospective profits"
as a qualifying hardship for obtaining a
variance.

Planning Commission Record
"The buyer could have known that the zoning
code wouldn't guarantee anything to be built on
this lot."
— Commissioner Sillen
Voluntary Investment Risk
A variance requires a hardship not created by
the owner. Under established standards, the
loss of prospective profit does not qualify as a
hardship.

The applicant voluntarily purchased this
known-substandard investment lot
approximately two years ago, with all
development constraints fully recorded in public
databases.

Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva SB9 Ineligibility & Public Safety Analysis
Fire Access & Public Safety
California Fire Code Section 503 apparatus
access is distinct from wall fire ratings. With
only 56 feet of clearance, written MPFPD
verification is required.

No Variances Under SB9
The SB9 context does not legally support or
permit variances. Actual, physical fire
apparatus access must be verified on-site
rather than bypassed.

Legislative & Dimensional Rules
Lot Split Mathematically Ineligible
● This 2,064 sq ft lot cannot be split under SB9. A
split would create parcels of 1,032 sq ft, which is
168 sq ft below the statutory 1,200 sq ft floor.

Mandatory SB9 Setbacks
● SB9 explicitly requires a 4-foot setback. This
statutory mandate is more generous and
restrictive than the currently approved 3-foot
setback.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Two Code-Compliant Paths for Development
Appellants offer two reasonable, code-compliant paths that allow development while protecting adjacent properties.

Option A Preferred Single-Story
A single-story alternative allowed under
code at 40% coverage 825 sq ft footprint).

This functional home requires no variances,
creating zero second-story impact or
daylight plane issues.

Preferred Path: 40% Coverage | No Second-Story Impact
Option B Two-Story Compromise
If a two-story is approved, requires restoring
the 5-foot interior side setback, a 2-foot
second-floor stepback, capping the daylight
plane at 21 feet, and mandating a certified
shadow study alongside MPFPD access
documentation.

Compromise Path: 5' Setback + 2' Stepback + 21' Height Cap Appeal of PLN202500005 | Appellants: Naveena Ganta & Siva Raja Sekhar Reddy Yeruva City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026

Gymnastics program fee
adjustment
Nick Szegda, Library and Community Services Director
1 K2-PRESENTATION
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 111 of 130
Agenda
 Gymnastics fees background Updates since June 23 Master Fee Schedule and budget adoption
 Proposed fees City Council direction
2 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 112 of 130
Gymnastics fees
background
3 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 113 of 130
Background
 April 28, City Council adopted a comprehensive update to the Master Fee Schedule (effective July 1)
 Update followed a citywide cost-of-recovery study by
Government Consulting Partners
 Gymnastics fees were increased as part of the update Current fees recover approximately 51% of program costs City Council expressed interest in improving cost recovery while maintaining affordability
4 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 114 of 130
Updates since Master Fee Schedule and budget
adoption Move gymnastics fees closer to the cost of service over time  A phased fee structure - Increase gymnastics fees by 5% over four consecutive program seasons, resulting in a cumulative 20% increase above the currently adopted rates (fall 2026 to fall 2027) - Two 10% increases implemented over two program seasons (fall 2026 and spring 2027, or any two seasons as directed)
- A single 20% increase implemented at once (effective fall 2026) 5 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 115 of 130
Proposed fees
6 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 116 of 130
Proposed fees – Option 1
 5% increase at the start of each of four consecutive seasons Applies to class registration fees, private lessons, and birthday parties
7 Summer 2027 (+20% from current)
Spring 2027 (+15% from current)
Winter 2027 (+10% from current)
Fall 2026 (+5% from current)
Class (per Currenthour/per week)
1-2 hours $18.00 $18.90 $19.80 $20.70 $21.60
3 hours $17.00 $17.85 $18.70 $19.55 $20.40
6 hours $14.00 $14.70 $15.40 $16.10 $16.80
9 hours $13.00 $13.65 $14.30 $14.95 $15.60
12 hours $12.00 $12.60 $13.20 $13.80 $14.40
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 117 of 130
Proposed fees – Option 2
 10% increase at the start of fall 2026 and spring 2027 - Could also start with fall 2026 and winter 2026/2027
8 Spring 2027 (+20% from current)
Fall 2026 (+10% from current)
Class (per Currenthour/per week)
1-2 hours $18.00 $18.90 $21.60
3 hours $17.00 $17.85 $20.40
6 hours $14.00 $14.70 $16.80
9 hours $13.00 $13.65 $15.60
12 hours $12.00 $12.60 $14.40
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 118 of 130
Proposed fees – Option 2
 20% increase at the start of fall 2026
9 Fall 2026 (+20% from current)
Class (per Currenthour/per week)
1-2 hours $18.00 $21.60
3 hours $17.00 $20.40
6 hours $14.00 $16.80
9 hours $13.00 $15.60
12 hours $12.00 $14.40
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 119 of 130
City Council direction
 Staff recommends that City Council adopt resolution to increase gymnastics fees by up to 20%
 Implement any of the presented options
10 City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 120 of 130
Catrine Machi, Senior Transportation Planner
Nealon Park Parking and Blake Street Pilot Projects –City Council July 14, 2026 L1-PRESENTATION
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 121 of 130
Agenda
HistoryAnalysis – Blake StreetAnalysis – ParkingStaff recommendationNext steps City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 122 of 130
Introduction
As part of the Middle Avenue Complete Streets project, the City implemented pilot changes at Nealon Park and on Blake St. Back-in angled parking replaced parallel parking along the Nealon Park frontage
- Done to increase parking and
address bike / ped conflicts.
Vehicular access to Blake Street
at Middle Avenue was restricted at the Blake St / Middle Av. Intersection - In response to a community petition
to address safety concerns
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 123 of 130
Nealon Park Parking Pilot Project History
2024 to present
Back-In Angled
Parking Pilot
(Buffered Bike Lane)
Oct 2023
Parallel Parking
Pilot
(Buffered Bike Lane)
Before Oct 2023
Perpendicular
Parking
(No Bike Lane)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 124 of 130
Analysis – Nealon Park Parking Pilot Project
 Collision data
- There is no collision history along the segment of Middle Avenue that is adjacent to Nealon Park.  Survey results
- Feedback was mixed, concerns focused on the difficulty backing into parking spaces  This configuration presents the lowest relative exposure to multimodal conflicts among the alternatives evaluated.
 Observed driver compliance with the configuration has improved over time.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 125 of 130
Nealon frontage parking recommendation
 Keep the reverse back-in angled parking
- CSC evaluated multiple design concepts and recommended retaining the existing back-in angled parking configuration.

Nealon Park frontage back-in angle parking
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 126 of 130
Blake Street Pilot Project history and timeline
3 Mar. 2022
Community Meeting on the Middle Ave Complete Streets
23 Mar. 2022
Residents submitted a petition
Fall 2022
RRFB was added to Middle Crosswalk at Blake
End of 2023
Blake St. access temporarily closed
Blake St. Pilot (no access to/from Middle Ave.)
City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 127 of 130
Analysis – Blake Street Pilot
 Vehicle volume data
- Volumes have increased on nearby neighborhood streets.  Traffic speed
- Speeds have either stayed the same or reduced on nearby streets.  Collision data
- May 2023: One collision at Blake and College involving a driver and parked vehicle City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 128 of 130
Analysis – Blake Street Pilot
 Survey results
- Residents were supportive of vehicular access restriction.  CSC recommendation
- Recommended Blake Street temporary vehicular access restriction to be made permanent.  Overall findings:
- Pedestrian crossing conditions have been improved with the RRFB and traffic calming (speed tables and cushions, speed feedback signs, crosswalks) on Middle Ave. - Speeds have reduced on several nearby local streets.- Circulation is impacted by the vehicular access restriction.- Recology pick up is impacted by the vehicular access restriction.- Based on current conditions, maintaining vehicle access restriction is more intensive than the types of traffic-calming measures that would typically be considered.

City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 129 of 130
Next steps and City Council feedback
 Staff recommends that City Council adopt a resolution to make back-in angled parking permanent at Nealon Park frontage
 Staff seek direction on one of the following options for Blake Street:
- Option 1 – Restore vehicular access- Option 2 – Retain the temporary vehicle access restriction and conduct a circulation study- Option 3 – Restore vehicular access and conduct a circulation study City Council Special and Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2026 Page 130 of 130