City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: April 1, 2024
Report #:2403-2771
TITLE
Review List of Applicants for Board and Commission Openings and Select Candidates to Interview. CEQA Status - Not a project.
RECOMMENDATION
Review list of applicants and select candidates to interview for vacancies on the Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Board, Human Relations Commission, Public Art Commission, Planning and Transportation Commission, Stormwater Management Oversight Committee, and Utilities Advisory Commission.
BACKGROUND
The 2024 Board and Commission Recruitment closed on March 17th, 2024. A total of 45 applications were submitted during the recruitment period. 2 applicants withdrew and 7 applicants did not meet the minimum requirements mandated by the Palo Alto Municipal Code.
At the February 26, 2024 meeting the City Council deliberated on the process to select candidates to interview. The direction provided was to allow each Council Member a limited number of votes (number of vacancies plus 50%, round up) to select their preferred candidates to interview with a threshold of 2 votes for an interview. The breakdown for each commission is listed below:
•Architectural Review Board – 2 vacancies, 6 applicants, 3 votes each. •Historic Resources Board – 4 vacancies, 1 applicant. Interview all. •Human Relations Commission – 2 vacancies, 7 applicants, 3 votes each. •Public Art Commission – 4 vacancies, 10 applicants, 6 votes each. •Planning & Transportation Commission – 1 vacancy, 2 applicants. Interview all. •Stormwater Management Oversight Committee – 3 vacancies, 4 applicants. Interview all.
•Utilities Advisory Commission – 2 vacancies, 6 applicants, 3 votes each.
Council members will submit votes via email for their preferred candidates to the City Clerk and a supplemental memo will be published prior to the April 1, 2024 meeting with the final vote results.
Membership Requirements
Each Board or Commission has different requirements for appointment such as mandatory residency, specialized training, or professional service in a specified area. For each of the Board or Commission with current vacancies, the requirements are listed below. Additionally, appointed members cannot be council members, officers or employees of the City of Palo Alto.
Architectural Review Board
•At least three members shall be architects, landscape architects, building designers or other design professionals (PAMC 2.21.010). This requirement is currently fulfilled by all 5 members of the Architectural Review Board.
Historic Resources Board:
•Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of history, architecture or historic preservation (PAMC 2.27.010).
•One member shall be an owner/occupant of a category 1 or 2 historic structure, or of a structure in a historic district (PAMC 2.27.010). This requirement is currently fulfilled by Alisa Eagleston-Cieslewicz (term expires 2026) and Gogo Heinrich (term expires 2024). •Three members shall be architects, landscape architects, building designers or other design professionals (PAMC 2.27.010). This requirement is currently fulfilled by Margaret Wimmer (term expires 2024), Caroline Willis (term expires 2024), and Gogo Heinrich (term expires 2024).
•At least one member shall possess academic education or practical experience in history or a related field (PAMC 2.27.010). This requirement is currently fulfilled by Samantha Rohman (term expires 2026) and Michael Makinen (term expires 2024).
Human Relations Commission
•Palo Alto residency. (PAMC 2.22.010)
Public Art Commission
•Each member of the Commission shall either be members of the Architectural Review Board or shall be professional visual artists, professional visual arts educators, professional visual arts scholars, or visual arts collectors whose authorities and skills are known and respected in the community and, whenever feasible, who have demonstrated an interest in, and have participated in, the arts program of the city. (PAMC 2.18.020)
Planning and Transportation Commission
•Palo Alto residency. (PAMC 2.20.010)
Stormwater Management Oversight Committee
•Each member shall be a resident of Palo Alto, an employee of a business located in Palo Alto, or an owner of a real property within the City. (Resolution 9969) Utilities Advisory Commission:
•Each member of the commission shall be a utility customer or the authorized representative of a utility customer. (PAMC 2.23.010)
•Palo Alto Residency for at least six members of the commission (PAMC 2.23.010).
Currently Megan Mauter (term expires 2026) resides outside of Palo Alto; therefore, all newly appointed members to Utilities Advisory Commission this year must be Palo Alto residents.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A – Architectural Review Board Applications Redacted Attachment B – Historic Resources Board Application Redacted Attachment C – Human Relations Commission Applications Redacted Attachment D – Public Art Commission Applications Redacted Attachment E – Planning and Transportation Commission Applications Redacted Attachment F – Stormwater Management Oversight Committee Applications Redacted Attachment G – Utilities Advisory Commission Applications Redacted APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk