• Allow taller buildings, more homes, more afforable development and stop standing in the way.
Rezone more areas for high density developent -- up to 14 stories! Invest in more public transit.
Get rid of parking minimums and so many requirements for development. • Answering 311 issues
• approve applications for more dense housing, like those 4-story condos all along El Camino up and down the Peninsula, not just for high-income rental but FOR PURCHASE BY FAMILIES. • Approve permits faster.
• As seniors, we would like to have access to free daily meals as all the Chinese elderly are given.
Why are they the only group offered those "Self-Help" free meals?? • As the population has grown, facilities are difficult to find - summer camp for kids get booked within seconds, tennis courts are always full, most of the useful retail has left the city. It will be good to invest in bolstering small businesses, services, camps, retail. • Be in their offices at city hall!
• Be less involved in home changes/upgrades.
• Be more aggressive about reducing the airplane noise from both commercial jet and general aviation overflights.
• Be more decisive. Don't always worry about consensus. Stop these ridiculous consultants. • Be more fair about new housing development in terms of north Palo Alto and south Palo Alto. It seems like most of the new housing is in south Palo Alto. Build brand new pickle balls courts instead of repurposing tennis courts.
• Beautify the Oregon/101 entrance/exit ramps
• Being more efficient in city council making good decision • Better all year fire protection in our area
• Better code/traffic enforcement.
• Better design of new developments. I feel that so many recent developments have infringed on sidewalks And are frankly pretty ugly. It's very hodgepodge, Especially in South Palo Alto. • Better enforcement of driving laws and speeding
• Better enforcement of gas leaf blower ban.
• Better enforcement of traffic rules: running red lights, speeding, kids on fast throttled e-bikes • Better renter protection and affordability of apartments and childcare (in particular for early years)
• Better retail plan for downtown. Redwood City and Menlo Park seem much more focused on creating an integrated retail / living environment.
• Better support for the unhoused
• Better talent in the Planning Department. Chiraq in particuar • Better timing of traffic lights, especially Embarcadero near Paly/Town and Country and relation to El Camino timing.
• Better traffic enforcement, esp. on Embarcadero Rd
• Better traffic oversight and management on the main city arteries • Better traffic patrol around major travel areas during school start time. Especially in and around Charleston/ El Camino/ El Camino Way. Hold cyclists including electric scooters and bicycles accountable for following traffic laws as well as cars. Adjust traffic lights so no gridlock at Charleston between El Camino and Charleston. Enforce traffic laws to prevent intersections blocking.
• Better zoning - I'd like more mixed use development and walkable areas. • Bike boulevards to Stanford Mall and the Baylands
• Bike lanes that are separated from cars
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• BMR- Housing purchase program, a program that provides home in PALO ALTO for low and moderate income buyers.
• Bring back retail to Cal Ave and University Ave
• Bring in another yoga studio to midtown
• Broad up zoning of residential areas to increase affordability, availability of amenities like shops and restaurants, and help fight the ongoing legacy of residential segregation in Palo Alto and EPA.
• Build a bicycle underpass near Paly.
• build a safer community
• Build a viaduct for rail grade separation
• Build housing to support all income levels
• Build lots and lots of low-cost housing close to train stations and high streets. • Build more affordable housing
• Build more affordable housing
• Build more affordable housing
• BUILD MORE HOMES. ELIMINATE NO-GROWTH AGENDA.
• build more housing
• Build more housing to improve affordability. Allow more mixed zoning that combines retail and housing.
• Build more housing, especially along El Camino
• Build more housing, knock off the zoning ********, none of the rest of this crap matters to me • Build/allow more cafes in south Palo Alto. This area feels neglected compared to the richer downtown and cal ave areas.
• Ceate more separate bike paths and give the streets back to cars. • Celebrating Pride Month and promoting the safe spaces business campaign. • Change city manager and director of PAUSD attract
• Change the process for getting things done, especially housing. • cheaper electricity and gas rates
• Cheaper utility bill-half paid =tax. If I use $100/month, I ended up paying $200. Garbage is too expensive. We don't need affordable housing yet - need to take care of those already living in the city. Planning dept for remodeling home projects:1. (currently contractors are working for the city) Please speed up the process within 2 months to approve......2. Need to expand footage allowed when residents are remodeling home. a. High ceiling >17 feet should not be counted as extra footage. High ceiling can cool down a home and save energy - should promote in new and remodeling projects. b. Garage should not be counted as 100% living space. 99% of homes have cars in the garage - why penalized the whole community? Please go back to counting garage as 60% of square footage allowed for homes. c. City is allowing ADU - why hold people back with counting high ceiling >17" and 100% of garage space as living space? This was old rules - to create more space on limited plots of land - the city planners/contractors need to review and update rules of building codes to allow more living space being created.3. Traffic lights - some major intersections need sensor to move traffic along. If timed - there may be no traffic in one direction, but everyone has to stop on opposition if based on set timing for traffic lights.Thank you so much.Please carefully read my comments - they are frustrations of people living ion PA.Thank you for doing your best in this city. All your efforts are appreciated.
• City attorney who supports resident's interest.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• City beautification: I notice little bits of trash all over our neighborhood and street sweeping only does so much. Enforce residents to take care of their lawns better. Increase the plantings/flowerings around city - add some hanging flower baskets around the city, bring some color and vibrancy to the plants in addition to trees!
• City building code enforcement officer do not abuse their power upon residents • City council make decisions faster.
• City council more open to addressing international concerns • City government should be more responsive to citizens. For example, City Hall should be open! • City leadership is slow as molasses to make decisions and has allowed areas such as Cal Ave to become dilapidated. Leadership should look to neighboring cities such as Redwood City (see downtown) and Mountain View (see Castro St.) for examples of how to build vibrancy, and create spaces that are appealing to visit.
• City staff (Ed Shikada, Kristin O'Kane) cooperating with the nonprofit organization, PAMSACO, consenting for their teams to participate in league competitions, and ideally productive cooperating with them to improve middle school sports in Palo Alto. • City staff that better listens to resident concerns and isn't so developer/corporation friendly. • Clean up the downtown area. It is dirty and unkept.
• Clean up the mentally unwell unhoused population that has come to palo recently. Tied of seeing drug use on the pathways our kids take to school. Students now feel unsafe going to town and country.
• Clean up the neighborhoods - enforce keeping your home at least fairly decent looking • Close the Palo Alto Airport, shut it down altogether -- doing so would improve health, environment, and climate dramatically. Did you know that people who live near airports have higher blood pressure? That's just one example. The airport serves a very limited number of people, most of whom don't even live in our City. The emissions are terrible. The noise is horrendous. Its impact on the Baylands' wildlife, visitors, and overall clean air and water is terrible. Also, because I don't know where else to comment about it: See Question 20 -- we have already replaced our hot water heater and our furnace with heat pumps, so the question has no logical answer for us except "Very unlikely". Someone needs to help with a lot of these surveys.
This isn't the first one I've tried to respond to that doesn't allow for a logical response to some questions (the one about the airport expansion was extremely biased!). • Close University Ave to traffic, or make it one lane/one way like Menlo Park did on Santa Cruz Ave.
• Combating anti-semitism, in the public schools in particular • Commit to dramatically reducing car trips by greatly improving alternative modes, possibly reducing car trip convenience.
• Community building
• comprehensive plan for more affordable housing with plan to mitigate resulting increase in traffic
• Control the speeding on my street: Greer Road between Embarcadero and Channing. Family cars, construction vehicles of all kinds, delivery people from all companies, gardeners use it as a fast track side street from off or to Embarcadero. Never patrolled by law enforcement. • Control traffic violations and cars running red lights and speeding through neighborhoods • Convert more unused tennis courts to pickleball courts • Convince CalTrans to maintain the roads adequately and provide bicycle safety solutions City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Council agenda items need rework on process: 1) City staff presentation on topics should show a balanced perspective, instead the residents' point of view is done by public comment versus the staff report (should show both sides) and 2) the Staff should be checking in with council instead of the consternation they put the residents/neighbors through when parameters from council could be defined in advance before getting everyone wound up e.g., PAO. • cover every parking lot in the city with PV panels
• creat tree lined street center improve biking safety • Create a "Quiet Zone" and significantly reduce train noise. • Create better surveys. This one is totally biased. I have reasons for each answer. We have way too many services and employees for a city our size
• Create incentives for residents to install solar panels and sell back power to the grid. • Crescent park and community center have too many break ins and property crime. My neighbor had their car stolen out of their driveway, my other next door neighbor has a video of someone trying to open car doors at 1:30am, and someone a few doors down was burgled. It weighs on my mind that crime could happen to me and while we've taken steps with flood lights and cameras, that isn't enough for some criminals. I'd like to see more proactive engagement from PAPD to address this issue and if they need more budget or drones or dogs or whatever to make a bigger presence and catch property crime, then so be it. We lived in San Francisco for 10 years and never in the city did we have so many people around us experience crime in such a short time (8 months).
• Curate more awareness and opportunities for willing residents to participate in the care of the city.
• Cut down on the frikin airplane noise!
• Deal with the crazy drivers in downtown. I don't know how but it is just plain dangerous! • decrease airplane noise
• Dedicate more housing opportunities to affordable housing, preferably in a mix of housing. • Define problems and take actions to resolve them more quickly • Develop a plan for Cubberly to include, studios for artists, classrooms, exercise facilities, rooms for non- profits
• Develop and stick to a future vision rather than constantly spending time and money to ask for community input, and then ignoring it to do short-sighted piecemeal projects that add up to a mess.
• Discourage auto use.
• Disinvestment in automobile infrastructure in favor of other transportation options • Do a better job of making University Avenue, California Avenue and Midtown nicer with better consumer oriented businesses. Los Alto and Menlo Park have done a much better job keeping the downtown areas looking beautiful, vibrant with fine businesses, a variety of food offerings and traditional hardware stores, clothing and furniture. Events are more interesting and grocery stores are accessible in those cities. Midtown is a mess and the plan for California Avenue is a disaster. There are maybe 2-3 places I visit on University..Letter Perfect , Cafe Venezia and Teatime. City events are rehashed versions of what has been happening forever. Try bringing back Palo Alto square theatre with indie films! Adult classes that are more interesting. • Do not allow a single resident or family to purchase multiple adjoining properties and turn it into a personal compound that disrupts the quality of life of all surrounding neighbors. • Do not expand airport. Do not take homes for train. Listen to XCAP recommendations re train.
Keep Churchill open. No bike tunnel on seale.
• Do not expand the airport
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• DO NOT EXPAND THE AIRPORT. PROTECT THE BAYLANDS.
• Do something with the traffic lights at the intersection of Embarcadero & El Camino • don't expand the Palo Alto airport.
• Don't focus on climate change - nothing Palo Alto does makes any difference. • Don't keep increasing the utilities rates. The more water one saves the more the rates go up.
Same with all the other stuff.
• Don't make the city denser. There is huge pressure to do so, to infill everywhere, but It already feels uncomfortably crowded. And that makes life ever more difficult for the animals, taking up all there space. I know this is very non-PC, but more housing should be built in places that have more space, and more water. Palo Alto isn't abundant in those things. It's well-meant to want to build more and more housing, but Palo Alto doesn't have to do it just because it's a big applauded idea at the moment. Step back and look at the big picture. Where can the animals live, when the city is denser, and when it has more cars? • Don't waste my tax dollars on senseless projects like dolphin painting and redesign of interaction on Louis which wasted tax dollar money and caused more confusion. • Dont upzone single family neighborhoods
• Dramatically increase building of new housing and clean up El Camino so it is not an embarrassment.
• Educate people to stop at stop sign. Improve signage at stop signs! • Eliminate fees for foothill park
• Eliminate the economic disparity that makes this place elitely unaffordable. • Eliminating homeless encampments and reducing "smash and grab" crimes (e.g., stores like Apple)
• Enable public servants, eg police, teachers, dental techs to live here • Encourage affordable Senior housing for retirees.
• Encourage more vibrancy in the downtowns
• Ending exclusionary zoning, more housing built, less car dependency, making the city more walkable by allowing small shops and stores in and near where people actually live, more and safer protected bike routes
• Enforce code violations promptly
• Enforce our existing laws and codes, seems like next to nothing is enforced in this city. • Enforce the ban against gas blowers. The current enforcement is not effective. • Enforce the traffic laws. Walking and riding a bike is dangerous. I have had near misses while walking and riding my bike. The police dept is a joke. My coworkers laugh about the police here .
If you are white or Asian you don't get tickets. I don't think it's funny because I live here. • Enforce traffic laws (running stop signs and speeding EVERYWHERE! • Enforcement of speed limits
• ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS. People run stop signs all day, every day, even by schools.
Reckless speeding everywhere, especially residential areas. I witnessed a cyclist get hit by reckless driver in Palo Alto. A few days ago my dentist hygienist was shaken due to having to call 911 for a cyclist hit by a reckless driver (in Palo Alto) and pinned under it. With what I am seeing on the roads, unless significant enforcement starts now, I'm confident we'll eventually see bouquets and memorials on our streets where a person or child was killed by reckless driving. Cars going 40-50 mph down Meadow Dr. Yes it's that bad! I stopped going Downtown to University ave, it doesn't feel safe. California Ave is excellent however! PS: For question 20 I already did all four selections so "very likely" isn't accurate, because already done.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Engage the economic divide and social divides that permeate the city and city govt. South Palo Alto and Midtown are the poor step children of the Palo Alto story. • Engaging residents on every project decision/review done by the city. • Enhanced oversight of the Buena Vista redevelopment.
• Ensure continuation of water supply fromSan Francisco/Hetch Hetchy. We feel strongly about this.
• Ensure fair concern and treatment toward different sections of the City, i.e downtown/North vs Midtown/South PA, etc.
• Equity in high school facilities.
• Establish quiet zones along the rail corridor
• Even safer bike lanes and policies for slower traffic and pedestrian safety • Expand schedule for Palo Alto Link
• extensive system of protected bike lanes (physically separated from car trafiic) • Faster decisions and processes
• Faster home renovations approval.
• Fewer consultants and committees. We have paid staff who should be able to make decisions and study options for most issues.
• fewer consultants, use the expertise of the city staff • Fight Prop 19 with Huntington Beach, et-al
• Find ways to encourage more retail and commercial activity in the downtown and California Ave. Right now there are a large number of vacant offices and stores in both areas, which make the them less vibrant, offer fewer options for shopping and entertainment, and reduces tax revenues to the city.
• Find ways to reduce noise pollution from planes, trains, construction, etc. • Finding a parking especially in the downtown area and some shopping centers can be challenging.
• Fix Pope Chaucer bridge
• Fix potholes on many streets especially el Camino.
• Fix sidewalk hazards, e.g. tree wells not covered by a grill, which are major tripping hazards. • fix sidewalks and streets
• Fix the potholes and uneven sidewalks-it can be a hazard walking around town for a person with disabilities.
• Fix the railroad crossings, all of them.
• Fix the road at Forest and Ramona at Citihall.
• Fix the roads and traffic. Decide on a plan for the train crossings. Either stop the transfers from the utilities to the general fund or treat it as a tax that it is. The current approach to raise utility rates masks the actual value of city owned utilities.
• Fix the terrible Caltrain intersections at Meadow Drive and Charleston. The behavior of these lights is unacceptable: they allow one car through when the train is on-coming, and then make no attempt to extend the light timing to catch up later when there aren't trains. I regularly curse the engineers who designed these intersections.
• Fix the timing of the traffic lights.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Fix the timing on traffic lights so simple errands aren't eating all my time. And stop allowing constant tear downs and construction of houses in our neighborhoods. Several houses on one street is ridiculous. For the amount of taxes we pay there should absolutely be air conditioning in all classrooms. Our kids are breathing so much smoke during wildfire season. There are also way too many empty buildings downtown and on Cal Ave that should be used for retail. Why are they empty for years? We need more doctors that aren't Stanford affiliated. Terrible cell service around town.
• Fix the traffic and walk signals at train crossings to reduce traffic jams • Fix traffic issues. By reducing lanes for "traffic calming" this has created more traffic, longer times to get anywhere, and more car pollution as a result. By adding more housing our traffic problem will become impossible.
• Fix up the downtown area with cleaner, nice streets and better stores and restaurants • Focus on areas of city besides north PA.
• Focus on cars not bikes!
• Focus on diversity and ensure there are spaces for Black and Brown people • Focus on essentials that only City can do-- street maintenance, broken sidewalks/tripping hazards, drainage, building permits faster, police patrols. • Focus on maintaining residential ethos, not cramming in more housing and adding to traffic. • Follow Zoning rules equally for every resident. Also make residents feel safe from home break- ins and other aggressions.
• For the police department enforce the law equal to all residents. Inforce the speed limits and have more police presence all around Palo Alto.
• For the police to be more responsive,
• From the road perspective, better maintenance for driving and bicycling and better traffic enforcement (specifically, stop sign and red light enforcement) • Funding for public schools
• Funding more to police
• fyi: I'm disabled. You didn't have a category for that. • Get all electricity through non-CO2 producing sources • Get FAA and SFO to minimize noise from passenger jets overhead, especially during nights • Get grade separation done at rail crossings
• Get important stuff done. The "Palo Alto Process" is a nightmare, resulting in major issues being unaddressed for years. For example, it is an embarrassment that we don't have a grade crossing solution at Churchill after how many years of fussing. As a lifelong resident, whenever I've had an issue (like playground equipment at Peers Park being condemned for safety reasons years ago), the city has been unable to find an actual solution in a timely fashion. Things get bogged down in a process practically designed to create inaction on real annd practical issues.
Instead, the council seems to focus on symbolic actions. A major issue right now is that turning California Avenue into a real walking street is long overdue. It is great that the council closed it, but why is it taking so long to take the next step? The public process so far has been a major waste of time -- really we needed to all vote on the look & style? The real issues in my view are things like traffic flow around the closed street, vacant buildings, etc. The city keeps asking versions of the same questions and not getting on with the important work. • Get new businesses into the vacant downtown units.
• Get people to slow down their driving.
• Get rid of CivicRec; provide the JMZ with more staffing City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Get rid of parking on bike lanes and enforce these parking rules. Provide more public transportation
• Get rid of residential parking program in Crescent Park • Get rid of the airplane noise!
• Get rid of the homeless people downtown and reduce theft • Get rid of the RV's on our streets which are both an eyesore, health/safety hazards and NOT ACCEPTABLE HOUSING! Close the PA Airport down so we can enjoy the Baylands. • Get the roads resurfaced/repaired
• Getting the police force back to full capacity. Adding officers so they can patrol again. Traffic crimes have almost injured me and my children to bike to school multiple times a month. Police need to be able to keep us safe from crime and commuters most of all. • greatly increase enforcement of traffic speeds - rarely does one see police enforcing traffic speeds and laws
• Have City Council Members who listen to residents and vote for the direction of residents rather than voting for their own interests. It is disturbing.... • Have events/activities for young adults. Similar to events for teens, but make it for young adults who have returned to live at home and/or those who work at companies in Palo Alto • Have more recording cameras.
• Have ride share or bus shuttle in my neighborhood
• Having participated in a city-program in the past, I feel that our neighborhood is ignored when it comes to transportation safety. We also get 8Mbps as DSL as our only non-cable option...NOT FAST internet. It would also be nice if the city was proactive and didn't rely on residents reporting hazardous issues like cracked sidewalks.
• Help us with our psychotic neighbor
• Higher first tier electric rates in winter for those who do not use natural gas. • Humanly find ways to get the unhoused and those dealing with mental and or drug issues off the sidewalks and out of the bushes.
• I know it's in the works and has been planned for a while, so there's nothing to do now, but by god, resurface El Camino already! No need to preserve the travelling experience from the 1700s (I joke, but really, folks, really...) Improve sidewalks for wheelchair users. • I really like Palo Alto, but it's SO expensive. Also, people speed in my neighborhood and there's no enforcement.
• I want us to make it easier to add housing in our community. Yes, this will add density and decrease privacy, but I would like to live in a community that is less skewed towards wealth; one that is more economically diverse as well as racially and ethnically diverse. • I wish there was no gas. It's polluting and dangerous. Thank you for moving towards that goal. • I would be so much happier with less jet noise. The City needs to address noise because it is a HUGE quality of life and health issue. During Covid, everyone noticed and was happier with less jet noise and cleaner air. The City needs to be more proactive with noise and air quality measurements, and invest in more advocacy to reduce noise .
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• I would like to see the city leadership show greater concern with the issue of global change, particularly global warming and sea-level rise. As large and broad as this issue is, the city can become a model for green energy use and long-term planning for sea-level rise, partnering with county, state, and federal agencies and projects to reduce greenhouse gasses, both proactively and through conservation. This issue is the 900-pound gorilla "in the room" that nobody in either of the two major political parties wants to talk about or deal with. But deal with it we'll have to, sooner or later, and the sooner we do, the more tractable these problems are going to be.With regard to sea-level rise as a consequence of global warming, we will not be able to deal with this problem just within the limits of the city alone, but will have to join a cooperative effort that includes all the Bay shoreline communities. These efforts will require thoughtful assessments of the long-term impacts of sea-level rise, and the necessary solutions to a variety of contingencies, including protection, mitigation, and relocation. • I would love it if my children and relatives could afford to live here. Cost of housing prevents that. As a result, we live in a rich bubble, to the detriment of enriching the city culturally and otherwise.
• I would love University Ave to be pedestrian-only!
• I would put train underground and I would allow branded stores onto university avenue. (i have heard there is a rule about what type of retail can open on Unversity. • I'd like to see answers given to simple questions asked of staff (and Council) by citizens at City Council meetings. AND - more 'equity' between N and S Palo Alto. e.g. new/high density/low income housing in NPA; more investment in amenities/infrastructure in SPA. • If the city got back to providing improved basic services and stopped virtue signalling and hiring useless consultants like the retail consultants who never even visited here. Cut utility rates. • If there was a way to make Palo Alto a "quiet car" city, that would make me happier. We live near the on ramps to 101, and there are too many cars with souped up engines/exhaust that are so loud and disturbing.
• Improve affordability of homes (and reduce number of foreign bought empty homes • Improve City Manager's performance.
• Improve cubberley facilities as community center even small changes. For example increase lighting on driveways and parking lots.
• Improve downtown and California Ave. Support small local businesses. The bike lane on El Camino was a slap in the face to all of the local merchants. I also think the City/State needs to adjust the housing criteria. PA is not growing like it's been predicted. We do not need all of the housing that is being proposed.
• Improve free transit between downtown and midtown
• Improve quality/vibrancy/variety of University Ave. downtown - more entertainment/events, retail, safety and less offices, banks, vacant stores.
• Improve retain on University and California Ave to make those streets really attractive like in Carmel
• Improve safety for students walking & biking to school • improve safety. resolve the flood issue.
• Improve the "Palo Alto Process" to be faster and more efficient. Permitting and construction decisions are a great impediment to making personal and city-wide improvements. Shift away from paying retired City employees medical insurance; provide payroll funds for the employee to purchase and invest. (I didn't get it in my local employment and find the escalating health care costs to be bankrupting the City)
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Improve the parking sitution at Bixbee Park (e.g., paint parking lines on the existing lot and expand the lot or permit parking along the road leading up to the park). Reduce flight noise.
Simplify the building permit process.
• improve traffic (traffic lights esp. El CamXEmbaradero and Churchill X Alma), and lower utility bill.
• Improve traffic backups at major intersections
• Improve traffic flow and road repair
• Improve traffic signal timings on east Bayshore at Laura lane and embarcadero to make getting in and out of east palo alto easier.
• Improve traffic/congestion at Town and Country / Paly area of Embarcadero • Improve turn around time for lot line changes and building permit approvals. • Improved bicycle infrastructure.
• Incentivize construction of higher density housing
• Increase density of housing
• Increase of affordable housing options, Increase height limits • Increase opportunities for responsible development to create more housing and reduce the cost of living
• Increase PAPD budget to include more police officers for traffic enforcement. Speeding and running red lights are serious problems.
• Increase pedestrian and bike safety on El Camino and Embarcadero crosswalks, especially during school days
• Increase police presence and response substantially. Enforce all laws effectively. Pursue criminals and persecute to the fullest extent of the law. Zero tolerance for any assaults, hate crime, catalytic converter theft, property crime, etc.
• Increase police sensitivity to minority and mental health issues • Increase the education standards at PAUSD. We are heart of Silicon Valley and need to be the change rather than follow state/federal induced lower standard of education.Allocation of more funds towards K-12 education!
• Increase the number of pickleball courts, preferably at Mitchell Park • Increase the number of Twilight Concerts. The program has become almost nonexistent. The concerts were a great opportunity to get community together with people of all ages in many of the local parks. Other local towns have extensive programs. Meanwhile our city wastes $300k on a temporary art project. And the city is funding the 3rdThursday program to the exclusive benefit of businesses, not residents.
• Increase the quantity and frequency of bus routes.
• Increase traffic enforcement
• Install fiber on Palo Alto Avenue in Downtown North
• Install fiber to the home so that we can cancel Comcast internet. Fix pot holes faster • Interactive 2-way government-community communication and government solicitation of "broad meaningful" community input for overall, and specific, program priorities • Invest in Community Neighborhood Garden Spaces
• Invest in schools that don't deteriorate children mental health (PAMC is a good example for a step in the right direction), don't let PAUSD set a bar that pushes students outside the school district. Stop making it impossible to remodel residents homes. Living in Palo Alto feels like living in a supposedly high quality environment yet being treated badly by the city you pay a ridiculous amount of money of taxes.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• It has been 3-4 years since regular cleaning of the Matadero Creek. Please prioritize creek channel maintenance.
• It is imperative that the City take an aggressive and proactive approach to reducing the incessant airplane noise from SFO flights. The planes are audible continuously and neither the noise nor particulate pollution is acceptable. The current FAA plan is nonsensical when reasonable alternatives (such as flying over the Bay) are easily within reach, and places a severe and almost exclusive burden on Palo Alto versus surrounding areas. • It should be much easier to build new multi-family housing units • It would encourage more middle-class values, as it once did, and be less elitist. • It's just really expensive to live / retire here, but I'm not sure what to do about it. • Keep sidewalks clear of cars and vegetation; improve traffic enforcement • Keeping kid safe.
• Less airplane noise!!!
• Less construction (noise, dust, pollution)
• Less expensive utilities maintenance of
• Less focus on green house and diversity. More focus on the actual quality of life in the area bordering the 101. We have constant noise, smell, and air pulsation. Yet we don't have a sound wall to protect us. This is really basic. I asked for it many times, in email,s, community meetings and I've being ignored. also allowing RV to camp on Fabian make our neghibrhood feel like the rundown part of the city. Will you allows RV parking next to city hall instead? Will you allow RV to park in old Palo Alto? Will you rotate the area where RV can camp? How is that decision was made and can it be changed?
• Less high density building. Causes more traffic. We are on a peninsula. There is less land. And housing is less affordable. The whole character of PA is changing and not for the better. • Less high density housingSafer bike routes
• Less onerous regulation within private property, e.g., protected tree requirements • Less traffic
• let commercial landlords rent to people.... there is so much vacancy and the city makes it impossible for landlords to get tenants
• Lower cost recreation, remember that it takes a CAR to get to the Open Space. Profide easy way to report excess garbage starting to accumulate at a recently vacated business (eg Honey BAked Ham) - can't even figure out waht department!! eg Police, Code enforcement, other. I gave up.
• Lower property prices
• lower property taxes, lower utility prices, overall cost of living may drive me away eventually • Lower property taxes!
• Lower taxes and stay out of my business. Focus on economic viability. Decrease crime and homeless population on the streets. Get rid of vans parked on El Camino. Stop the senseless climate nonsense - just move the problem to China and send the Palo Alto residents the bill.
And fix the streets and sidewalks - going on six or seventh tire/rim! • Lower taxes and utilities costs; less FYEs
• Lower the cost of services. Palo Alto spends much more than other Bay Area cities on a per capita basis, and much of this spending is due to administrative bloat and feel-good issues such as combating global warming.
• Lower utilities cost
• Lower utility rates
• Maintain R1 zoning as is
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Maintain roads and improve traffic signaling. Finish crossings for Charleston and Meadow. • maintain single family home zoning. No ADUs
• Make all our parks dog friendly. Recently, dogs off-leash have been restricted in the city which forces us to take our dogs to the very few and dusty dog parks where some dogs are aggressive. We need grassy areas cordoned off for pets to run freely and interact with other dogs. Every city park should be off-leash dog friendly. • Make bathrooms available at all the public parks!
• Make California Avenue permanently pedestrian-only and make it a shopping/dining hub. • Make Channing Ave safer for pedestrians and cyclists. • make city government and bureaucracy understand that the needs of long-time residents are as important as the needs of future residents.
• Make cycling/public transit better
• Make ECR safe for bikes
• Make electric service more reliable
• Make it affordable for regular people beyond the very few "affordable or low income" units at new complexes.
• Make it easier and faster for reasonable multi-family housing developments to be approved and built - where at least some of the units are affordable to those with relatively modest incomes. • Make it easier for businesses to operate so they want to stay here! • Make it easier for much needed affordable housing to be built. Remove existing barriers that make it difficult for projects to be completed in a reasonable time. Provide more funding for affordable housing.
• Make it easier to add housing to expand the options for all economic levels • Make it easier to walk at night. When I was a kid (1960s), our streets were bright and safe at night. Now they're too dark to walk without a super-bright flashlight. My dog loved our late- night walks. Now I can't even see the sidewalk, and trip over curbs. So I don't.Also, the city council needs to stop wasting money on artsy-craftsy nonsense. Why should I pay for stuff that benefits no one?
• Make it more walkable and bikeable, preferably without the current method of increasing complexity and pavement! People don't meet people in cars. • Make it safer and less noisy.
• Make it safer to bike around the city.
• Make it safer to walk by enforcing bicycle rules of the road. • Make more efficient progress on city projects and revitalization for the masses. • Make Palo Alto beautiful (better architecture, open space, fewer cars, walkable/bikeable city, etc)
• Make the airport LARGER
• Make the city manager more accountable to the city council. • Make the city more beautiful and a destination with a variety of high quality establishments like RH
• make the remodeling process less daunting and unfair
• Make University a pedestrian mall
• Making new buildings , new homes and downtowns attractive. • Making Palo Alto a quieter place to live. The sound of planes screeching as they break really decreased my quality of life.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Massive amounts of new housing across the economic spectrum and across the city - I want to see density and affordability and am tired of seeing the City Council again and again get in the way of this inevitability.
• massively expanded (more routes, more stops, nights and weekends) public transit • Matadero creek weeds should be cleaned up and maintained regularly just like before Pandemic! Now the weeds are so tall and dirty all the time. We no longer get to enjoy the beautiful views of ducks and birds resting on the creek water. Not to mention my worry that it may flood during rain season. Please send workers to clean up the creek now. • Metrics! Reduction in city costs -- $1.2 Billion for 2025. Ridiculous. • minimize the crime
• More "fun" citywide events, like how Los Altos does first fridays and beer crawls. Health fairs downtown just don't do the same thing.
• More accessible tennis courts - very difficult to get open courts her. MV and Sunnyvale have tennis centers that charge for courts for non residents - we should too. • More affordable areas for youth to hang out
• More affordable hoiusing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing (condos and apartments in appropriate locations) • More affordable housing BUILT NOW
• More affordable housing options
• More affordable housing, lower property taxes
• More attention to safer walking/bike infrastructure.
• More bathrooms in parks
• More bike lanes and infrastructure
• More car-free infrastructure! More multi-family/mixed use zoning! Put a set of apartments above every business on University. Sidewalks wide enough for two people to pass shoulder-to- shoulder!
• More city sponsored events to boost engagement with downtown. • More classes for kids so they don't fill up so fast!
• More creative options for affordable communal and noncommunal housing that uses existing buildings rather than new construction offering everyone the right to own at least a fractional interest of where they live. I would have preferred any housing near the Bay happen at the Palo Alto Airport rather than at the end of San Antonio Rd.
• More diversity and welcoming diversity
• More diversity from African American community
• More diversity on City Council,and Committees
• More dog parks!
• More dog parksschoo
• More economic growth, more shopping, eating, and entertainment - be the next best thing to SF • More family and adult entertainment options.
• More focus on residents by parks and rec
• more housing - both affordable and market rate - Palo Alto is woefully behind in supporting housing infrastructure.
• More housing and more affordable housing! It's just ridiculous! City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• More housing available, rent control, and allow people to have pets in rentals. It is very limiting as a family of 5 to find housing for us. We enjoy living in palo alto but its very challenging to find housing.
• MORE HOUSING FOR MORE INCOME DIVERSE PEOPLE
• More housing of all types
• More housing options
• More incentives for solar power, power walls, electric vehicles, and in particular tankless water heating systems that don't take up too much space in small houses, unlike heat pumps. • More inclusion for autistic friendly camps, parks and activities • More Link cars.
• More opportunities to interact with community members in fun meaningful ways • More opportunities to see art and theater that is walkable from Cal Ave. • More organised activities for teens and seniors
• More parks for diverse group of people. The city focuses only on parents but there's growing number of households that don't have kids and don't plan to have them. We need to provide entertainment places for elderly, pets, and adults. There are no good parks for dogs with grass and no mulch or sand which are disgusting.
• More patrol cars for traffic and crime prevention
• More pickleball courts
• More pickleball courts
• more pickleball courts - courts are so full that it is hard for residents to play. • more police, more police patrols and better traffic enforcement • More public transportation with more routes and more frequent time table. • more Senior services
• More shade along more streets
• More small neighborhood grocery stores so I can limit my driving. • More traffic enforcement
• More transparency and more support to individuals instead of special interests • More trees and birds
• More vibrant downtown with kid friendly activities and snacks • More welcoming to younger, less affluent individuals. Support less car centric design, higher density near walkable areas, and public transportation. Make bike lanes protected and available across the city.
• Move El Camino underground so that we can have pedestrian-only public spaces. Have protected bike lanes like what Amsterdam has -- not just a lane that is painted a different color.
Have better architecture so that it's fun to walk around • My house is already all electric. The city can refocus on walkable neighborhoods - making sure amenities are within walking distance of homes. Refurbish Cubberley that is such an eyesore.
Actively encourage workforce housing for missing middle. Also, repair of sidewalks! • My very local concern is the amount overhead electric lines on my lot as well as in the neighborhood. I see no effort to underground making the city look like a village from the 1950s. • Neighborhood preservation, no high density projects
• neighborhood streets seem to be constantly in a state of disrepair and never gets to a state of being "fixed". Beyond this, it would be fantastic to see a utilities undergrounding effort taken - eliminating all the poles and wires from neighborhoods would be transformative in terms of beauty and desireability, not to mention lower fire risks. • Never taking away our natural gas hook up
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• No eminent domain -taking families property and/or homes- related to train and focus some attention on people who rely on cars for daily transport- enough with emphasis on bikes!!!! • No eminent domain for the train and Consider aging population who don't ride bikes and stop taking parking spaces
• No homeless or rv parking on the streets
• Noise and pollution caused by air traffic is VERY IMPORTANT, as is eliminating the continued use of gas leaf blowers. Palo Alto needs to do more about SFO planes that fly too low and too frequently over our area. There are days when I can't have a conversation while sitting in my yard, or have to turn up the volume on my TV to compensate for the noise. • None
• Not allow houses to be overbuilt and too high for their neighborhood. We have a monstrous house next door that has taken all privacy away from our back yard. I would also like a say on allowing a childcare center next door. We have one and the noise is outrageous. • Not allowing enormous houses to be built that hardly leave any land to spare • Not overbuild--there is already too much traffic and too many large buildings • Not waste residents time asking our opinion and then ignoring it, e.g., North Ventura planning process. Residents wasted thousands of collective hours on this. • Nothing comes to mind
• Nothing. AOK
• Offer fiber to my residence.
• Offer less expensive recreation classes (such as intro to pickle ball) • Open Baylands to legal hunting, establish a gun and and archery range, focus on fishing/hunting opportunities.
• Open city hall for drop in business from residents
• Open City Hall to the public!
• Options for a economically wide range of residents - yes there are city services, but so few most people don't bother to even look into them after trying at first. Go to a rec class- all full immediately and no services are scheduled for the access of working people- no transport or after care, neighborhood library and city services accessible hours are not available after work, etc. Even calling the city services or police- service is not accessible and Never answer the phone! Try obtaining child care or finding family friendly restaurant- non existent. Tell visitors about our great zoo or foothills- well you can't get in at the entrance. Go to the neighboring city and the library is Packed with free events and services and extended hours. For middle class residents and visitors we are not welcoming. The services provided for this population feels like they are put out to 'check a box' we did have a cultural event, we did provided a low-income option- but does not actually try to address the need nor the population- looks good on a website. This is a lovely place We wish could be experienced by all. • own a house
• Parking somewhat difficult around parks on weekends due to park sports reservations. City should create more parking so residents don't struggle to find parking, all weekend long. • People with their dogs racesyou used to have them
• Permit more high density housing.
• Physical safety - no crime please
• Plant milkweed at the Baylands for Monarch habitat
• Plant more native trees and other plantings
• Plant more trees and native plants
• Plant the tree in my front yard that they removed over two years ago City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Please add "Look both ways" signage at every ramp from Oregon Expwy where they enter Alma.
Drivers only look left and it is VERY hazardous for pedestrians and bicyclists. An ongoing, daily issue! And cheap and easy to fix.
• Please do not take people's homes away for the ridiculous Caltrain project. People who have lived here for decades will be forced to leave Palo Alto, their friends and the benefits of living here
• PLEASE get rid of huge "Builder remedy" buildings. Also, do everything possible to reduce airplane noise.
• Power wash University and California Aves weekly. The weekly farmer's market mixed with the urine smell on Ca Ave is horrible.
• Preserve and take care of natural open spaces. Stop intensive zoning. • Preserve parks and green space, don't build up in areas with sfh • prioritize walkers over bikers
• promote diversity and inclusion
• Protect bike lanes during contruction
• Protect the Baylands and golf course by not expanding Palo Alto Airport • Provide affordable housing so workers don't have to drive 100 miles • Provide incentives and programs for residential electrification • provide more affordable housing
• Provide more affordable housing
• Provide more affordable housing
• Provide more street parking permits for residents.
• Provide quality transportation for getting around town at a reasonable price. • Provide reduced electric rates or at least tier allowances for fully electric homes. I already did all of the things mentioned in Q20.
• Provide school busses again. Too many high school kids driving to school. Too much traffic getting in and out of Palo Alto.
• Provide some free park based community events eg group tai chi, group yoga, group art lessons • Public transportation. School Bus
• Push back against state housing/zoning regulation.
• Put in safe crosswalks and protected bike lanes. Improve pedestrian (and bicyclist) safety, and prioritize pedestrian (and bicyclist) access and convenience. Stop designing streets and traffic lights for cars instead of pedestrians.
• Put sunshades over playgrounds
• Put the train tracks into a city long tunnel. we have been talking about this for more than 10 years and it could already have been done by now costing LESS than the sum of these grade separation projects at Churchill, EAst meadow and san antonio - which will cost MORE now because of inflation, etc. the longer you wait (the typical approach of city council which never wants to make a decision but rather push the can down the road) the more costly it will be. • Put the train underground
• Putting in place protected bike lanes on the major routes to the school and busier road that have bike lanes.
• Quiet zone for caltrain on Palo Alto avenue
• Quit transferring money from the utilities account to the general find. Because of this, the city needs to keep raising utility rates. Also do not give any mores raises to city of Palo Alto workers with the exception of Police and Fire Departments. • Rebuild Cubberley Community Center
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Receiving meaningful feedback to questions asked to City staff and City Council • Recruiting and supporting independent small businesses that will bring people together in walkable public spaces; this is how to create community. I want to be able to walk to a public area where my neighbors and friends are likely to be shopping and eating (affordably) on the weekends. Where is my walkable, local, "square"?
• Redevelop California Avenue
• Reduce 'light pollution' at night!! I can't see stars at night due to businesses NOT having the right types of outdoor lighting fixtures that comply with City/County/State lighting codes to block lighting "glare" and "trespass" into neighboring properties and the night sky. Have a city- wide 'campaign' for a full year that educates and encourages businesses to upgrade their outside attached light fixtures to be 'capped' / 'covered' with opaque tops and/or 'screens' that block these flood lights from shooting up into the windows of residential apartments. • Reduce air traffic noise
• Reduce air traffic noise. It seems to be getting worse. • Reduce Aircraft Noise
• Reduce aircraft noise please! This excessive noise really has a negative effect on the quality of life here when we have such great opportunities to be outdoors much of the year. It even makes me consider moving. No airport expansion in Palo Alto, and work with officials to get the flight paths for SFO and SJC further away from populated areas again. • Reduce airplane noise
• Reduce Airplane Noise and Limit locations of Cell Towers near homes • Reduce airplane noise over my house
• reduce airplane noise. Ensure that new housing developments include walkable access to parks and services like groceries and schools. Don't just build housing ... make infrastructure for communities
• Reduce airplane noise. Reduce risk of flooding on SF Creek - build the storm drain on Hamilton and replace Newell Road and Chaucer Street Bridges.
• Reduce barriers for retail/restaurants to set up in Downtown & Cal Ave. Look at what Redwood City is doing right.
• Reduce chances of flooding in our area from San Francisquito Creek • Reduce city rules that make things more complicated
• Reduce cut-through traffic on our purely residential street • Reduce jet noise
• Reduce Middlefield Road to two lanes in Midtown from Oregon Expressway to Loma Verde and put in proper bike lanes and more trees. Midtown is my local shopping district and I would love to spend more time patronizing the businesses there but I find it difficult and unpleasant to access on foot or bike (my primary mode of transportation around Palo Alto). Same for accessing Safeway and the Winter Lodge. Middlefield has bike lanes south of Loma Verde and North of Oregon and also reduces to two lanes north of Oregon. Why can't the two lane section be extended South of Oregon? Those of us in South Palo Alto also deserve pleasant tree lined streets with reduced traffic. Lots of kids from Greene and JLS also congregate by bike in Midtown in the afternoons, and are forced to dangerously ride on the sidewalks and through the parking lots. We should be encouraging folks to patronize their local establishments by making them safe and pleasant to access. Midtown could be a lovely place to spend and afternoon if bikes and pedestrians were prioritized, much as they are in Downtown and Cal Ave but instead we are stuck navigating the ugliest, most dangerous few blocks of Middlefield Rd. • Reduce noise - including air traffic (NextGen) and train horns (quiet zone implementation) City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Reduce noise from train and airplanes
• Reduce noise! Shut down the Palo Alto airport or at least limit its use, reduce SFO, SKO, and OAK noise. Crack down on gas powered leaf blowers.
• reduce obstacles to building housing, especially affordable housing • Reduce overall cost of living. In answering questions above, the services are overall very good - but the cost of living here (inclusive of property taxes, garbage collection, utilities) is extremely high compared to other places I have lived, with the level of services being about the same. • reduce tax
• Reduce the air traffic noise.
• Reduce the bureaucracy and red-tape associated with buildings and getting projects done • Reduce the crazy overregulation of everything. And encouragement for neighbor to rat out, neighbor on things that are trivial, or should just be dealt with on a neighbor neighbor basis • Reduce the flooding possibility at Pope Chaucer Bridge • Reduce the number of city employees by 30%, with the reductions all from management positions, to free up money for infrastructure and services of direct benefit to residents, and thwart the inevitable future bankruptcy of an increasing number of city retirees on large pensions with defined benefits. The quality of service would increase with task-level employees facing fewer meetings and more empowered to do their excellent work. • Reduce the number of ultra-wealthy foreigners who buy homes here, drive up the cost of real estate, and make it impossible for even families with seven-figure incomes who are American- born US citizens to buy homes here
• Reduce the population of unhoused members of our community. • Reduce traffic on Middlefield from San Antonio northward. • Reduce vehicle traffic
• Reduced bureaucracy in building process
• Reducing noice and traffic - cars and planes. Getting rid of zillionaires like Zuckerberg who are ruining the neighborhood.
• Reducing traffic congestion and train crossing wait time near Paly • Reduction in airplane noise both from Palo Alto airport and sfo • Remodel Cubberley to a useful, modern multi-use space • Remove all the foreign elderly from senior and adult low income housing so homeless Veterans have housing near the VA Hospital. We are too generous to foreign elderly when they contribute little. Housing should be owned by American citizens only. • Remove all the parklets and car-free zones in our shopping districts that sprung up during Covid. They aren't necessary any longer and they make going to these districts a hassle for a lot of people, which means people don't shop there as much. The city council seems to just assume that they are good for our shopping districts. I'm not sure why that is--while it is the case that you see a lot of people eating meals in them, if you look inside the adjoining restaurants, they are mostly empty, which means that the extra capacity provided by the parklets is not necessary and is reducing possible parking. Also, why do we have so many rug galleries in downtown palo alto? That seems like a poor use of prime real estate since people don't shop for rugs very often...
• Remove fee for resident parking passes
• Remove the traffic control center from the five corners (Hamilton, Lincoln, Center, East Crescent Streets)
• Removing red tape and making the gov't more responsive to citizens. Also, district elections for city council and school board.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Rent control
• Rent control!
• Repair pavement (and force third-party contractors like fiber installers to repair the damage they leave behind)
• Repair the Chaucer Street bridge to make the San Francisquito watershed less susceptible to overflow/flooding.
• Replace City Council Members who do not vote in reflection of the residents and instead vote for their own interests to include do not take away -via eminent domain - families homes or land for the train - the train which has reduced ridership. Should be criminal - the lawsuits will cost the City millions...
• Replace our City Manager
• Replace Pat Burt and Greer Stone on the City Council. Have the current City Council Members listen to the PA residents concerns re the expansion of the airport (do NOT do it); and do not take people's homes and/or land via eminent domain re the train plans which is NOT what XCAP recommended.
• require better building restrictions for ADUs so they do NOT impinge on neighbors' privacy, set- backs and daylight plane. Consider the added burden of utilities, schools, parking, etc. REQUIRE THAT ADUs ARE ACTUALLY USED FOR HOUSING, NOT OFFICES OR OTHER NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE FLYOVER OF COMMERCIAL JET TRAFFIC. AFTER LIVING HERE FOR 50 YEARS, THE AIR TRAFFIC HAS GONE FROM OCCASIONAL TO FLYOVERS THAT CAN OCCUR EVERY 5 MINUTES FOR HALF A DAY. • Require every new or rehabbed multi-family building to include 30% units far below market rate (like $1200/month for a 1 bedroom)
• Respectable and quick response during construction. Permit generation and inspectors aren't the friendliest.
• Restoring the number of middle-income, single-family homes by (the City) purchasing large lots and leasing mid-sized, affordable homes to residents.
• Rethink housing re parking needs and neighborhood resources/availability. • Return University Ave to a pedestrianized street
• Revitalize our downtowns (University Ave and California Ave.) areas to feel more updated, modern w/pedestrian only streets, more areas to hang out in park like settings with cafes/ music and social gathering opportunities. Include more nice outdoor restaurant spaces that are more permanent and aren't just bordered by sidewalks and cars. Create more of a vibrant , youthful, interesting downtown for residents to want to come and socialize. And that isn't just filled up with expensive restaurants and bars, etc.
• Revitalize the University Ave. business district.
• Revitalize University Ave retail scene
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Revive downtown. I grew up in Palo Alto and after living in SF for 20 years, moved back to raise my kids here now. The schools seem great but I have never seen downtown so depressed, so many empty storefronts. Palo Alto used to be cool in the 1990s and now it's completely lame.
No cool bars, no nightlife, no music. Also, with young kids, there's nothing for kids to do except play at playgrounds, but what happens when they outgrow those? Palo Alto kid's community classes fill up in minutes due to limited spots. There are no toy stores anywhere in Palo Alto now. No music venues, no gathering places for kids. No fun community events. High priced rents have forced creativity out of Palo Alto. It's depressing to walk down University Ave. Also, as a young girl, I could ride my bike everywhere. There's so much traffic now, and everyone drives so fast and doesn't stop at stop signs, I'm frightened for my children walking or riding bikes in Palo Alto. There MUST be more control of cars speeding and not paying attention to road signs. Place cameras on every main road for automatic ticketing. The city must do something to revive and protect our community. Take a look at what San Carlos has downtown and you'll see what Palo Alto can be. We pay so much in property taxes, and the general feeling from residents is "for what?". Where is all that money going, Palo Alto? • Safe parking for bikes. If I knew that my bike would not be stolen, I would bike around the city more instead of driving.
• Safer bike routes and slowing down cars
• Safer streets for all users -- reducing speeds and adding safety engineering to reduce risk for all users like European countries have been doing for years. Wider and faster is NOT better! • Safety - it can become a major issue quickly. Invest more in our police officers and technology. • Safety for bikers
• School bus route
• See an occasional police car cruse through the neighborhood • Sensible people-friendly development, not densification, to retain town or village feel vs urbanization
• Significantly prune city owned trees that were planted when not enough was known about their suitability.. And dont' expand the airport!
• Simplify the approval of permits and decrease the cost of bureaucracy in city hall • Slower growth, less office development, better paved roads • Solve the San Francisquito Creek flooding issue before the next disaster • Speed and traffic light enforcement on Embarcadero Rd • Speed control (traffic enforcement) on Embarcadero between 101 and Middlefield. • Speed up converting utility lines underground. Decades for small areas is ridiculous. • Speed up the replacement of Pope Chaucer and Newell Road Bridges • Spend more energy on using non-internet communications with residents. Not everyone is computer savvy. Especial the seniors.
• Sponsor monthly events to train people to switch from driving to biking (commuting, dropping off and picking up school kids)
• Spruce up the downtown and Cal Ave to make it more inviting, provide more retail and restaurants on ground level, close University Ave and Cal Ave and give them a very nice pedestrian makeover. Asphalt is not a friendly, attractive or inviting look! Clean University Avenue and Cal Ave regularly , it always looks like a mess now. If you need ideas, go to Burlingame, Walnut Creek, Mountain View, Santana Row(and many other Bay Area Cities) and take a look what they have done.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Start cleaning up the entire city - trash, cracked sidewalks, homeless encampments are everywhere. The city no longer looks attractive for visiting. You cannot rely on the city's previous "prestige"
• Start enforcing some of the traffic laws ( Speeding, running lights and stop signs, overall aggressive driving. Its crazy how bad it is now. no excuses for not enforcing laws that are still in effect. YOU FAILED THIS
• Stop airplane noise!!!
• Stop arguing and finally decide on train crossings. Traffic on Charleston and Meadow is becoming unbearable at certain times of the day. At times I struggle to get out of my neighborhood.
• Stop being hostile to residents.
• Stop being manipulated by developers
• Stop building more housing until the infrastructure & roads are able to handle more people. • Stop building structures in the ugly cold modern style. It doesn't fit with the existing historical architecture of our town. That includes commercial and residential. • Stop building unaffordable big buildings
• Stop catering only to the wealthy residents. And it sucks after fifty years of feeling very safe not to feel safe here at all anymore.
• stop charging me for gas. I've been paying for it on my utility bill since 2009, though I've never used gas
• Stop closing streets for bikes. NO ONE BIKES except kids. I walk or bike every where. Not one person I know understand it or would do it. You are completely out of touch with the real residents and only listen to the special interest groups • Stop enabling developers to build massive residential buildings. Slow down all growth, both housing and commercial.
• Stop funneling utilizes charges to the general fund.
• Stop overbuilding
• Stop overbuilding.
• Stop planning residents' social lives.
• stop putting money and effort into bike causes and consider more the many people who rely on cars as daily transportation
• Stop raising utilities rates, especially water
• Stop raising utility prices!
• stop speeders and stop planes from flying directly over the city • Stop speeding! Cars routinely do 50 on Middlefield and 60 on Embarcadero! And stop cutting off streets from cars. Traffic on my residential arterial has tripled since I moved here. • Stop spending so much money on consultants
• Stop subsidizing city government with funds from Utilities • Stop the inefficient on-going effort to block Castilleja construction. The school has complied with request and put forth a reasonable plan and it feels like the PA City Council remains held hostage by a small but vocal group of neighbors. Doesn't the City Council have more important matters to spend their time on? 10 years has been too long! This is just one tangible example of how PA growth has been despite its civic leadership. Hard decisions need to be made and no decision for change will ever be unanimous; it feels like we need some stronger clearer leadership that does not take for granted that change and growth need to happen to ensure that Palo Alto remains as vibrant as it has been in the past.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Stop the madness - do NOT take peoples homes or land for the train issue. No need to destroy Charleston etc for the train. Reduce the 'approved' train plans as the citizens did NOT want nor approve such after many, many meetings. Get rid of current City Council members who are NOT transparent with citizens. Stop Airport expansion. Protect way of life. Stop cramming so many people into the area and changing our homes so we do not feel safe at night anymore.
Hire more police to support our excellent police force. Stop allowing mega size homes to be built and crammed on smaller lots. Get rid of current City Manager who won't even take calls or respond to messages - sad. Keep certain bathrooms in all places including schools to be separated by declared gender - if you want to add non-gendered bathrooms > ok. But not all bathrooms should be open to all. Stop trying to be so 'woke' at the expense of young ladies who will 'hold it' until they get home/safe which will can lead to infections. • Stop trying to be the beacon to the world and making it costly for the residents • Stop trying to forbid gas usage and instead allow people to reduce GHG in multiple ways through individual choice based on their individual situations • Stop virtue signalling and provide cost-effective services, get rid of the idiot costly "retail" consultants that destroy businesses and LISTEN to the residents. Get • Stop wasting so much tax money on projects that provide little or no benefit for Palo Alto citizens (e.g., Ross Street bike boulevard).
• Streamline permitting process. And stop trying to unreasonably control what people do on their own property
• Stronger focus on public safety/crime reduction
• stronger resistance to state control of zoning and building. • Succeed at getting rid of incessant noise from planes landing at SFO • support a more thriving retail, office, and restaurant environment • Support the efforts to create pollinator corridors that are part of the parks master plan.
Volunteers are doing it but there needs to be a paid position for a biologist/botanist to create, engage, and maintain these spaces in perpetuity.
• Take a firm stand to make pedestrian life safer and pleasant. There has been a noticeable increase in the use of bikes and scooters (especially electric that can go as fast as cars) in pedestrian areas like the path along the tracks and California Ave. • Take all necessary actions to reduce aircraft noise over Palo Alto,. That includes the noise caused by PAO traffic as well as Stanford helicopters, which use PAO mainly as a refueling station (not transporting patients or medical things). For example, Stanford could build their own refueling station (they have plenty of land), refuel at other airports, switch to electric helicopters when feasible, vary the routes to avoid affecting the same residents over and over. • Take care of homeless people living in campers in my neighborhood • Take care of the vagrancy and drug sale problems along El Camino in south Palo Alto • Take seriously the potential health impacts of cell tower installations, gas leaf blowers, application of toxic pesticides, rodent poisons, flights over our city and baylands, etc. Strive to create a healthier environment for us to live in.
• Target store!!!
• The street sweepers should be all electric!
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• The city is severely missing casual group entertainment options. Bowling alleys, laser tag, mini golf, etc. All of these things are gone now that used to be around 10-15 years ago.I don't think the government has to be the one providing them. But cramming in more housing and hotels while losing recreation makes for a very boring city to live in.The plans for rethinking Cubberley that I saw included switching some of it to housing (bad idea) when I think it could be creatively used as a community entertainment center, plus all the important community serving uses.
Would be great to have some FUN! Put back into Palo Alto.When we think about how to serve our youth - a reasonably priced bowling alley would be great. • The city should LISTEN to their community members. I am VERY disappointed that community members volunteer to work on committees to address major projects, (such as Fry's site - North Ventura committee, the underpasses at Meadow & Charleston, bike bridge over 101, Medical Disaster Response unit,) then the city completely disregards all their years worth of work and does what it wants anyway. Why make the pretense of wanting community input, allowing us to spin our wheels, and then disregarding our work???? After living in this community for more than 45 years, I no longer wish to volunteer on any project that involves the city. • The investment in the arts is embarrassingly small. West Bay Opera is forced to cut back on programming with no city financial support. No decent live theater in Palo Alto. Arts and theater facilities outdated and falling apart, forced to rely on donations.. capacity is woefully inadequate at the arts center. It would be a joy to live somewhere with a vibrant arts scene. Need subsidized studios and housing and stipends for artists. Need to enlarge the arts center to serve even a fraction of the community demand. Maintenance on city facilities is poor: broken sinks in art center take months to repair. Broken SOS phone in parking garage under city hall.
Inadequate restrooms in Lucy Stern center for audience size. These are just examples. Midtown area gets no investment from the city and needs a vital business and cultural center. • The Libraries are a mess - too many branches, poor service, too limited collections. • The pound used to be better, and I miss that. I miss local theaters like the Varsity and the Fine Arts. I'm sorry the Nut House closed.
• The so-called "Palo Alto Process" kills civic engagement by needless and endless delays for seeking a "perfect" solution. The need for rail grade separations is a good example. Prop 1 in 2008 raised the alarm, 16 years later, the endless debate of 'what to do?' continues. Sad. • The time and effort being spent on heat pumps promotion is a luxury and unreasonable for existing structures. For new builds or massive remodels they may be appropriate. Palo Alto is increasingly a community of renters and small scale landlords who are not financially capable of making such an investment.
• There is so much trash along roadways coming off the freeway. Along meridians, and road loops. Bushes obscure vision of oncoming cars particularly At Embarcadero coming from Baylands then going over 101. They need a bigger yield sign!! Most drivers Don't stop and yield.
So dangerous there.
• To have the Police Department be more responsive to people's calls and concerns. • Toilets at Eleanor Pardee Park
• Too many council decisions are made without legal transparency and inadequate or incomplete staff reporting.
• Traffic calming measures on Alma. It's insane.
• Traffic enforcement for bicycles -very dangerous !
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Two things - Improve wireless cell service or make it easier. Why is it that we live in the heart of technology, and I can't get cell signal regardless of provider? It's embarrassing for our city. 2nd, why do we charge so much to rent the school gyms in PAUSD? Let the kids use the gyms for free or at a nominal cost. Get them off their phones and being active. My kids play indoor volleyball and there's no place for them to play. Others play badminton or indoor basketball. • underground all power & utility lines; plant many more street trees & preserve the ones we have • Underground our power lines
• Underground the Overhead utility lines!!
• underground utilities
• Underground utilities in the ares that haven't been, yet (e.g. Ventura). • University Avenue downtown is a bit boring to visit. Emerson Avenue sidewalks could do with a thorough wash down. You wouldn't ask someone to meet you downtown to take a stroll and enjoy the ambience. It's lacking a gathering place such as a book store, art gallery, family- friendly restaurant. Thank goodness for Crepevine, Oren's Hummus etc. When Jing Jing closed down this year, I've realized we haven't been downtown since. President's Barbers are reliable and the Post Office on Hamilton is a go to, even if there are mostly two staff members at the counter with long lines. Do Stanford students even make it downtown. I imagine for them there's just the frozen yogurt stores to visit on a student's budget. My High School teens only visited Town N Country as there was nothing downtown. It's very difficult to meet everyone's wishes but I feel downtown is lacking charisma. The side walk trees lit at night is always welcoming. See this Website for most beautiful main streets in America https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-main-streets-americaThe welcoming buzz in my home European university town reaches different target audiences.
There's permitted busking, known shops (either local and nationwide chains) that people can peruse and shop in, book stores, coffee shops, family-friendly restaurants, lively pubs with either music or sport for night life, music store or two with one selling musical instruments (for all those buskers!) craft store to attract tourists (local artisan pottery, knitwear, art), art gallery with local artists work, colorful outdoor murals, walking history tours and affordable fast food stores - burger joint, fish and chips, that the teen kids can afford. It's a broad mix and accommodates all needs.
• Until the state of California has the power grid issues and wild fire situation managed, I am not interested or comfortable with total dependance on electricity. The price of electricity is too high in our state, and often unreliable. Cooking with a gas stove is better and produces better food outcomes. The idea that gas stoves, water heaters and home heating systems are being outlawed is completely ridiculous and outside the realm of the rights of citizenship. Crime has skyrocketed. Just this week my license plates were stollen off my car while parked in my driveway. Theft of cars, personal property, break ins and other lawlessness are rampant and the laws and criminal justice system need reforms. Homelessness is a problem and I am tired of feeling unsafe walking in downtown because of these people, who are largely mentally unstable, addicted to drugs and usually have criminal backgrounds. Our neighbor's daughter had her throat slashed by a homeless women a couple of years ago in broad daylight off of University Avenue. It's time to get tough on crime and put our tax dollars to work making our state and town safe, prosperous and beautiful.
• Update Cubberly as a city resource.
• Upgrade to the health and rec facilities at cubberley and rinconada. Our gyms, pools, locker rooms and spaces are not great relative to Menlo Park.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Urban planning, it is sad to see the independently opened stores gone for the most part. These types of merchants create a community and we no longer have that. University Ave feels like a food court. There are now book stores, art stores, fabric stores, toys stores etc....Palo Alto has become a shell of what it was when I moved here 40 years ago. • Use utility money only for utilities, speed bumps on Hamilton, would get heat pump for water and heat but not feasible.
• Use viaducts for rail crossings.
• Vacancy at for home and business
• Vigorous enforcement of posted prohibitions on long-term RV parking. • We are about to leave Palo Alto because the superintendent Don Austin is terrible. So fix the schools. The rankings don't mean anything if the kids aren't allowed to learn. • We have a shortage of Frontline workers in hospitals and in schools. We need to value all labor is skilled labor and create affordable housing or we're going to see the shortage affecting our hospitals and our schools and our future. We also and Alto have lost our public transportation for the children to get to school and seniors and other people who don't have cars. The new transportation system does not work cannot count on it and you can get stranded. We can't run a healthy community without being inclusive of the fact that not all people make a lot of money, but their jobs are still really important. For example, the janitors at Stanford are homeless , but they work two jobs. Until we address this issue we're gonna run out of those people to take care of those jobs that are vital to a healthy community and we need to find a way to include them and make it affordable for them to live somewhere near here because commuting isn't gonna work either . Thank you, I am disabled, and so these things are more important to me as we've lost a lot since Covid
• We need to embrace expanded affordable housing now.
• We replaced gas hot water heater in 2018 and all the rest in Q10 in 2023 -- in each case, JUST BEFORE CPAU started rewarding residents with discounts. It would really have made us happy to have received some form of reward for being early adopters!! • Weed the foxtail grass in city parks so dogs don't get hurt, & trim the trees before they fall. • Well, I don't live 'here'. I hear you have something other than PG&E! More power to you, and I wish RWC did too. Anything that makes Palo Alto green, shaded, and welcoming to visitors will bring me in even after I retire.
• Work harder to bring in new businesses to Cal Ave and downtown, to fill vacant storefronts. • Work more effectively to balance residents' quality of life with business and construction development
• work towards pedestrian-only University Ave
• working on items that facilitate public transport.. not talk for ever as in electrification of the train crossing
• You could stop the insanely loud planes from flying directly over our home !! We've lived there 50 years and since the FAA has changed their routes, it's difficult to get sleep. They don't stop until almost midnight and start at 6 !!
• You do too many costly studies
• You need very low affordable housing I don't mean 3000 a month I mean 1000 or less .food pantry services ,visibility of community events besides on the website.
Question 20: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want to maintain?
• 100% green electricity
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• A clean aesthetic city
• Access to electricity (this shouldn't be a compliment) • access to open space
• Access to public assets and services.
• activities, parks, libraries,
• Adult education and recreation opportunities
• all the great services for kids -- libraries, offering a wide range of children's activities through Palo Alto Enjoy Online, Jr Museum
• All the green areas where we can enjoy nature and get a break. • Almost everything pertaining to city owned parks
• Although rarely needed, police response has been excellent. They were great helping a lost little boy, and checking out. Suspicious noise. Very professional. • Ambulance services
• Animal control is the best!!!!
• Animal control team
• Answering the phone
• Art and nature
• Art Center exhibits and programs are first class; as are the Library programs • Arts and culture offerings/parks & playgrounds
• Arts and music, especially Third Thursdays
• Arts and Recreation activities.
• Attention to open space, parks
• Attract world class professionals to make PA their home • Attracts intelligent people to the city council
• Availability of city parks
• Availability of parkss.
• Baylands
• Baylands, parks, soccer, little league, foothills,
• Beautiful parks and open spaces.
• Beautiful parks and rec areas
• Better management t of the services and programs already offered such as the heat pump replacement program, gas powered ordinance and use of 311. • Bicycle infrastructure
• Bicycle routes
• Bicycling.
• Big garbage days
• Bike routes
• Bike safety
• Bikes
• Broadcasting city council and other meetings on the Midpen Media Center. • Bryant Street Bike Boulevard
• California Avenue is a treasureI love that it is blocked off for pedestrians and regularly has music and, of course, the farmer's market.
• Can't think of any. I had terrible experience dealing with the city staff as first time Palo Alto resident
• Car free downtown areas
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Care of trees and parks
• Caring for seniors (La Comida, etc.)
• Caring for the physical environment, particularly the thousands of trees in the city and the Foothills and Baylands Preserves.
• Caring for tree Canopy and the environment.
• Cater to developers - oh you're already doing that constantly! How nice! • character of city
• Children enjoy parks and libraries and open spaces
• Children's library extended hours
• Children's theater
• Children's Theatre
• Children's Theatre!
• City Council did not approve airport expansion!! Yeah! They prioritized the Duck Pond and Baylands.
• City does most things well
• City events
• City feels safe but we can't be complacent and need to maintain the safety of it's residents • City is clean and generally a happy place to live, but the quality of life has decreased since 2020 here
• City of Palo Alto utilities
• City of Palo Alto Utilities
• City owned utilities
• City owned utilities
• City owned utilities.
• City owned utilities.
• City parks and open spaces are excellent
• City parks, in particular Baylands, foothills, arasterdero. Baylands is real treasure please continue to protect wildlife and environment. Make sure people keep their dogs on lease in these parks as well
• City plazas wellMaintained
• City services (streets, trees, utilities)
• City street trees
• City tree program (also libraries!)...
• City utilities and libraries, and small-town character • City wide entertainment.
• City wide landscaping
• City-owned utilities.
• Civic engagement
• Clean streets
• Clean up days
• Cleanliness of City streets and sidewalks
• close foothills to all non residents. Gas water and electric programs seem well designed. • Commitment to honesty and inclusion.
• communicate
• Communication
• Communication
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Communication and city services seem responsive. Good job. • communication, public service
• communications, and public safety
• Community activites like Thursday night on CA ave
• Community engagement
• Community engagement
• Community involvement
• Community services
• continue to cover parking structures with PV panels
• Continue to improve libraries. MV is much better. I often go there for books PA does not have or put me as 112 on the wait list!!
• Continue with our own utility unit. No PG&E, no outside garbage company..... • Continued focus on reducing/minimizing impact to the climate. • Continuing to keep streets and properties clean.
• Crime is low
• Cultural activities
• Cultural offerings
• Customer service at utilities dept. is excellent
• Does well: I can't think of anything other than have meetings to talk about plans but never do the actual plans. Want to maintain: nothing really
• Electric rates are great
• Emergency and library services
• Emergency communication
• emergency services come quickly when called.
• Encourage high quality of life
• Encourage recreational activities and library use.
• enforce local building standards to keep our city green and push back against the dictate from Sacramento to build more housing - which will only be a boon for developers and unaffordable for those who actually need it.
• Ensuring our city is safe from crime and residents feel like they are in a connected community. • environment maintenance
• Environmental concerns, including biking
• Everything you are doing' A+o
• Excellent libraries
• excellent utilities service, particularly lower electricity prices compared to PG&E and few outages
• Family friendly place
• Feeling safe to take walks and go to downtown
• Financial support & communication of the Arts and Cultural events, i.e. Palo Alto Players, Music in the parks, Children's Theater, PA Art center.
• Fire and safety
• Fire stations and libraries in the neighborhoods - need more of them • Fix the road on 82
• Foothills Park
• for the most part, it is willing to listen to its resident's concern and seek input to see how should prioritize concern.
• Friendly and helpful staff.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Friendly and welcoming atmosphere
• Garbage and recycling.
• Garbage Collection
• Garbage, compost and recycling collection.
• General walkability and bicycle access in neighborhoods. • Generally good services.
• generally happy with the schools (though wish the state budget were better) • Giving itself raises and hiring consultants who given them the answers they want -- a self- perpetuating problem
• Good libraries
• Good school system
• Good schools
• Great libraries - keep on improving them!
• Great lilbraries, thank you.
• Great parks & libraries
• Great parks and open space
• great parks and trails maintenance, love utility efficiency tips, operating in good faith • Great parks, bike lanes, recreational clubs/activities • Great police department
• Great schools, parks and libraries
• Great walking and biking culture
• Green landscape and zoning
• Green spaces
• Green spaces and library services
• Green Waste customer service employees are very nice and knowledgeable. Please keep them. • Hard to pick one ... the city is doing LOTS of things right • Hardly anything, I think the city is going downhill and it is doing. It's very best to not change. • Has a distinct sense of identity, balancing lifetime residents with new arrivals • Has a very well trained police department who care about the residents. • Having holiday actives.
• Having holiday events
• Having open parks and tennis courts.
• Hires top police officers
• I don't know.
• I feel safe walking around town. I don't worry about porch pirates. Our cul-de-sac feels very safe. • I have no idea
• I LOVE Rinconada pool, the parks, our clean streets, and generally I feel safe - please keep I that way. thank you thank you
• I love the animal welfare officers
• I love the community libraries
• I love the email newsletters!
• I love the public services, parks, and keeping utilities private! • I really liked blocking off California Ave to car traffic. • I think Palo Alto is a good steward of open space. We should continue to protect Foothills, Arastradero, and other properties to maintain their high quality prioritizing Palo Alto residents. • I think the city does a wonderful job - thankyou
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• I think the City works toward making this a good place to live for all Palo Altans. • I think the PA Utilities work pretty well well and I'd like to see the maintained. • I think the utility services are fair for the area and the department does a good job of communicating to the public.
• I would like the city to maintain its focus on being environmentally friendly. • Ignoring the building codes and allowing really awful eye sore homes and businesses to get uglier each day. They have really done a great job of making us look like like San Jose and daily city. Keep going this will allow for affordable housing in no time. Don't believe me look at Monterey park.
• Importance of sustainability programs
• In the last year or so, it seems that the City is deepening its commitment to sustainability and making a more serious effort to meeting the 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. Let's do this!
• Infrastructure is well maintained.
• Investing in library resources.
• involve citizens
• It seeks to make the city more and more eco-friendly. • It's a fantastic place to raise kids
• It's a very nice city to live in if you have managed to own your own home which you bought a generation ago.
• it's a walkable city
• It's a well run city with thoughtful employees. I grew up here and raised my kids here. • It's very clean
• Its police force
• Just one? Hard to do. Up keep of trees on the streets and parkways. Up keep of Parks. School quality.
• k-12 education
• keep Cal Ave pedestrian
• Keep duck pond as is without expanding airport and not putting a tunnel under Seale • Keep it as a special place to live
• Keep it walkable, love my local grocery store.
• Keep on prioritizing park and recreational and natural space and city beautification efforts overall
• Keep pushing for affordable housing, although it took the state to make the city to address this problem.
• Keep residents aware of emergencies and power shutdowns • Keep Stanford shopping center!
• Keep the lovely trees and help maintain them. Also, love that CPA encourages and creates safe bike routes
• Keeping and supporting the Children's Theater
• Keeping its own utilities
• Keeping parks beautiful and our city clean
• keeping parks in good condition
• Keeping PAUSD a top-quality education system.
• Keeping residents informed and inviting residents to voice opinions on policies. • Keeping the residents involved in matters and taking feedback • Keeping the town clean
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Keeping us informed of outages.
• Keeping vagrants from sleeping/camping on the sidewalks and 'lanes' (i.e. 7W) aka alleyways, downtown and on the pedestrian/bike path from Town and Country to the Homer Street/train underpass. I've noticed an alarming uptick of vagrants setting up tents along the bike path from Town and Country to the downtown train station in the last year... some lasting for weeks. • Keeps things running and safe
• Landscaping of city gardens
• libraries
• libraries
• libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries and kids' activities are good.
• Libraries and parks
• Libraries and parks
• Libraries are excellent
• Libraries--one of Palo Alto's strongest assets
• Libraries, art center.
• Libraries, parks
• Libraries, Parks, valuing the arts
• libraries, schools and parks
• Libraries!
• Libraries! And Thursday night music on Cal Ave.
• Libraries.
• libraries. Bring back author alerts
• library
• Library and early childhood recreational camps
• Library resources
• Library services
• Library services
• Library services and other public spaces
• Library, arts, utilities department offer a lot of useful servicees. • Library, park and recreation services
• Like the parklets, bulk trash pick up
• Link but allow pre-orders, CAL AVE improvements
• Listening to the community
• Listens to people. Attempts to be forward thinking.
• Local parks and green space. Would be nice to pave the Baylands trails like Mountain View did to make them better for children on bicycles and dog walking. • Locally owned utilities.
• Lots of community infrastructure is great - Jr Museum, library, parks City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Lots of green space, libraries
• lots of trees
• love the farmers markets
• Love the Idea of city owned utilities, especially if they are affordable. Especially appreciate the reliability of utilities. Love the idea of a car/ride share option if accessible to all (including kids as there is no bus system!)
• Love the schools, parks, library and regular events organized by the city. • Low rise buildings
• Lower exorbitant prices to live here
• maintain a healthy shopping area downtown and calif st • Maintain and beautify parks
• maintain and improve quality of life services. For example zoning, city services, budget controls, etc.
• Maintain City-owned municipal utilities
• Maintain clean streets
• maintain excellent libraries PLUS make the county library system offerings more available to library users
• maintain parks
• Maintain public safety and not reduce fire stations... • Maintain quality mix of housing, nature (parks, trees, etc.), and services/events (quality environment).
• Maintain quality of life locally
• Maintain SFR zoning and bar sale of ADU's independent of SFR property (see S. Jose alarming decision!)
• Maintain the overall high quality of life for Palo Alto residents. • Maintain the tree canopy, but STOP property owners from cutting down protected and heritage trees.
• Maintaining and preserving Palo Alto's parks and open space • Maintaining greenspace and community activities
• Maintaining quality public school system including adult education • maintaining street trees
• Maintaining the parks, the trees and the more natural environment. 2) Trusted, respected police department, including Animal Control. There are many areas where Palo Alto excels. • Maintaining the tree canopy and general walkability
• Maintains parks and recreational opportunities
• Maintains the baylands.
• Maintenance of open space.
• Maintenance of streets and parks
• Maintence in all facets of the community and safety
• Making our streets more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. • Making the outdoors attractive and liveable, with parks, closure of Cal Ave, events (e.g. Third Thursdays on Cal Ave)
• Managing our utilities
• Managing utilities.
• Mitchell Park Library and Neighboring Parks
• Mixes of cultures
• MOST City services.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Most things are done quite well
• municipal utilities
• My favorite thing about Palo Alto is the College Terrace Library. I like the libraries, and I wish the city would revert to pre-covid levels for funding the College Terrace Library. • N/A
• Natural environment
• Nature preserves
• Nature preserves, open space.
• Neighborhood greenery and small town look
• Nice libraries but now not as usable with the unhoused • Nice parks and bike lanes
• No cars on Cal Ave (would love to see the same on University Ave) • No homeless
• None
• Not much.
• Not sure
• Not sure
• Nothing.
• Offering public services
• Ongoing attention to transportation and transportation safety for children/youth • Open space
• Open space
• Open space
• Open space
• open space (foothills park, baylands, e.g.)
• Open space and Recreation
• Open space protection
• Open space, parks, libraries
• Open space/parks
• Open spaces, parks and outdoor areas.
• Openness to diversity
• Our beautiful parks.
• Our city government is pretty effective, and I feel it is getting better. Although there is grumbling from people who want more rapid change from our city council/government, I do feel building consensus takes time and is generally worth it when approaching difficult topics. Keep up the communication.
• Our education and safety are top notch!
• Our first responders are awesome and are doing a great job in spite of the crazy climate they now have to work in.
• Our large parks, including Foothill and the Baylands staying protected!! • Our libraries are great. Please keep the wonderful staff and facilities intact. • Our library system is excellent. They are clean, beautiful and staffed with helpful and knowledgable staff.
• Our police department, emergency service and utilities are amazing • our schools
• Outdoor and public spaces, education offerings
• Outdoor space including parks and open space
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Overall day-to-day services are great. We finished a remodel recently and have good experience with building department.
• Overall dedication to and support of parks, recreation, and open space. • Overall parks and facilities are well maintained
• Overall range and quality of services available to residents • Overall safety, walkability, community feel, nice parks and facilities. The schools work well for our daughter (not for our dyslexic son)
• Overall, I think the City is well run.
• Own utilities.
• Owning our own Utilities. Open spaces and parks
• Owns its own utilities.
• Palo Alto Cultural Center
• Palo Alto does a good job at continuing to keep our town relatively safe from crime. Although, we do need more officers patrolling.
• Palo Alto is clean and safe. Our police department is very responsive. • Palo Alto is extremely bike friendly. I brag about it to my friends who don't live here! • Palo Alto Utilities is excellent
• Palo Alto's electric system.
• Palo Alto's emphasis on having bike paths and improving them is really good. But please do more.
• PAPD is GREAT
• PAPD is very good. Quick to respond and they take care of issues. A pleasure to work with them.
• park and Baylands maintenance
• Park and reck are pretty good. But could be improved with creative planning, such as public access to JLS pool in the summer when school is out and it gets very little use. If it were to have an open entrance on the Mitchell Park (east) side, it probably would get more use from residents. Also a safe natural swimming place in either Foothill Park or Arastradero Park, like Sonoma County has provided for residents is a super benefit for residents. Sonoma county has diverted a small creek, to make a natural community swimming area and it's just wonderful. • Park maintenance
• Park maintenance
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks & Recreation
• Parks and facilities are nice
• Parks and green spaces
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries.
• Parks and natural space
• Parks and open spaces
• Parks and open spaces
• Parks and openspace
• Parks and opportunities for children's activities
• Parks and public areas
• Parks and rec
• Parks and rec
• Parks and rec and utilities.
• Parks and Rec; parks, libraries, facilities.
• Parks and rec.
• Parks and Rec.
• Parks and recreation programs
• Parks and recreation services
• Parks and recreation services and facilities
• Parks and Recreation; Libraries
• parks are good
• Parks are in good shape, although we could always use more pickleball courts! • Parks seemed well maintained. Utilties seem very reliable compared to PG&E. • Parks that are safe and well maintained and fun and beautiful and available to all to enjoy. • Parks, bike lanes, Utilities's services and upgrades. • Parks, but we need to build more pickle ball courts instead of repurposing tennis courts. We need ALL of our tennis courts for tennis!
• Parks, Community Resources (PAAC, PACT, PA Libraries) • Parks, Libraries,
• Parks, Library, Recreation
• Parks, Open Space
• Parks, street cleaning, community police car, and ESPECIALLY Palo Alto Link!!!! • Parks. Summer concerts.
• parks/rec
• Performance of the Police Department
• police
• Police
• Police and firefighters
• Police and safety
• Police department
• Police force and fire department are very good.
• police response time
• Police services
• Police, fire crew, school
• Police/Fire services
• Polite and Rapid response to phone and email inquiries to assist with issues as they arise. • Preservation and use of open space.
• Preservation of and access to parks, libraries, baylands.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Preserve small-town feel despite mandated construction of multiple-housing complexes • Preserve the 1950's suburbia low density with extremely high housing prices. • Prioritizes public spaces such as parks for public use. This will be more important as denser housing becomes more common.
• Private utilities, garbage and recycling and compost
• Promotion of bicycling as a means to get around town
• Prompt utilities department response to problems
• Protect the Baylands and maintain programs like the Art Center classes and Children's Theatre. • Protect trees
• Provide utilities
• Provides a high class community/environment also with privately-owned utilities • Provides a serene environment.
• Provides adequate greenspaces for residents.
• Providing and maintaining parks and open space
• providing open space for parks and playgrounds
• Providing safe, clean place to live.
• public K-12 education
• public libraries
• Public libraries
• Public Libraries
• Public library system
• Public parks are the absolute best!
• Public safety and fire safety
• Public safety and police services.
• public schools
• Public services - police, fire and utilities are all very good. • Public utilities
• Quality of K-12 grade education. Pls maintain. If you allow more affordable housing and temporary housing for the homeless- pjs make sure you have to prepare twice the effort and manpower to educate these less fortunate children.I have worked with many and find that they have no support at home and poor lifestyle and courtesy and social responsibility concepts pls don't ignore them and just let them go to school. The standard of education in Palo Alto needs to be maintained, as this is the main attraction for younger families. Thank you. • Quality of PA schools is excellent.
• Quality of public schools
• Quality of public space is good.
• Quality schools
• Recreational opportunities
• Reduce overdevelopment. Roads are already overcrowded during lengthen rush hours. More people will make it worse.
• Reduce utility prices
• reliable utilities
• Repairing electric outages
• Respect for everyone and our surroundings. In Palo Alto we can keep the schools open as parks because the residents feel respected ad therefore are respectful (they clean up after themselves and their dog)
• respond quickly to emergencies.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Responsiveness of police, utility people, etc. Palo Alto workers are "on it." • Restraint from building too much residential houses
• Restrictions on residential development
• Rinconada Pool
• Run the essential services like police and utilities
• Running its utilities.
• Running our own electric an gas utility
• Sadly, the best I can come up with is Parks.
• safety
• Safety
• Safety
• Safety
• Safety - I feel very safe in Palo ALto
• Safety. Clean.
• Safety. PA Police do a great job.
• Schools
• Schools
• Schools
• Schools
• Seeks community input, provides and supports many services, excellent libraries, excellent open space.
• Sense of Community
• Sidewalk repair
• sidewalks are wonderful, police department is great.
• Soliciting input from the community and offering transparency and involvement • Speed bumps. We need LOTS more speed bumps to slow down idiots. • Stop taking funds from the utility department...reduce the city budget. Improve building permit process.
• Street are clean
• Street cleaning.
• Street trees
• summer programs, sport programs,
• support local non-profits
• Support libraries
• Support of local parks and trees, native plant areas, etc. • Support the library.
• Sustainability and Climate Action Plan and promoting electrification to combat climate change • Taking good care of the trees
• Talks issues to death at City Council meetings :-)
• Thanks you City of Palo Alto for all the fun festivals and art shows • That the city council has decided they will not undedicate park land (the Palo Alto Bayland Preserve) for any kind of airport expansion. have appreciated the few times I have had to call about house construction going on on my street past the posted time/day limits; officers usually have driven over to those addresses to tell workers to stop.I wish the city could control speed limit on Embarcadero Road. It is too heavily congested all the time and everyone drives so fast.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• The Bryant Street bikeway is awesome. And I really like the new bike lanes along Charleston/Arastradero.
• The city does a great job with our parks and opens spaces for recreation. • The city does most things well but nothing exceptionally, primarily because there are too many management layers. The City needs to defend R-1 zoning while working to aggressively build affordable housing in non-R-1 zones. 20-year moratorium on new office space. Work with East Palo Alto on transportation and housing.
• The city feels like it's not working in the best interest of its residents. Kids who struggle mentally or academically suffer in the school system with no real support or resources. It honestly feels like the city is working against it's residents.
• The city has had a strong focus on improving bike infrastructure and street safety and I would love to see that continue and expand.
• The city owned utilities are extremely valuable in enabling our community to take actions that positively impact climate change. Let's keep improving! • The city provides many opportunities for residents/community members to come together socially and civically
• The City provides many parks that offer plenty of recreational opportunities to residents and visitors.
• The City seems to succeed despite itself. It has many more resources (tax base, funding) than other towns but seems to take for granted that people will always find PA attractive • The city utilities are well managed.
• The city was very helpful when I reserved courts for Junior Team Tennis matches for my 10- year-old son's team.
• The city-owned utilities are great and I hope they add fiber internet! • The garbage/recycling/compost pick up is timely and efficient. • The good staffers are excellent. Knowledgeable, approachable, etc. The problem is when the staffer is not good.
• the libraries
• The Libraries and Rinconada pool
• The libraries are amazing! Our police/fire is excellent. More support for our Police and fire is needed. Baylands and Foothills preserve is superb, but please increase weed maintenance on the trails. Foothill preserve is tick infested and waist high weeds on trails is terrible. Bike safety and planning is also excellent. Unfortunately the lack of traffic enforcement negatively impacts the bike safety efforts around town. What good are wide clearly marked bike paths when cars speed, run stops signs and traffic lights non stop?
• The libraries are great. Specifically, the children's library. The city has great engagement opportunities for kids through classes and events. The farmers markets are fantastic. I'm glad the airport expansion won't destroy the duck pond.
• The library and recreation programs
• The library and the parks are excellent!
• The open space parks (Baylands, foothill, Arastradero) are amazing!!! • The Palo Alto libraries are a treasure. I use them constantly and they add so much to my quality of life here.
• The parks are excellent! Please keep up the good work. • The parks are good. Some just need bathrooms eg Eleanor Pardee and Bol park. The children's library is awesome. Rinconada pool is great also.
• The parks are nice. Now fix the darn streets. I spent thousands on my car because of pot holes.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• The parks are wonderful
• THe parks we have are very nice but not adequate for current of increasing population • The pickleball courts at Mitchell (though they need expansion) • The public libraries are top notch and provide places for people to learn and gather. They should be maintained at a high level.
• The quality of its residents.
• The safety of our neighborhoods.
• The schools are great.
• The tree cover and city parks like Foothills Park and Palo Alto Baylands are important to protect. • The trees and natural beauty.
• The trees. Although I am worried because the pace of replacement rate for trees cut down or brought down by storms, seems very slow.
• The utilities dept. is remarkably responsive to questions and actual service needs. Yay! • Their Utilities
• There a lot of things the city does poorly - code enforcement, building - planning, adherence to going all electric while not acknowledging that not everyone could afford to go electric, even if they wanted to. The city does a nice job of events, but a terrible job of letting people know ahead of time.
• There are many things the city does well.
• They focus on offering lots of programs and services that really add to the quality of life. • Third Thursdays on Cal Ave
• Thoughtful about ecological enviry- keep this and invest in it, invite us in to specific time bounded opportunities e.g. recycle drives, put it unwanted items for free day • trails, parks, golf course, airport, recreation, theater, libraries, community event • Transparency in communications.
• Transparency of communication
• Trash collection and recycling
• Tree canopy.
• Tree maintenance
• Tree trimming
• Trees
• Trees. Being mindful that not every large/old tree still works in its current location. Trees can outgrow the space available.
• Underground wire program was great plan..., especially if you want homes to electrify- maintain the program.
• Updates on parks and community areas
• Upkeep of parks and libraries
• use of community center
• utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• utilities and landscape maintenance and garbage collection City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
• Utilities are consistent in that power is rarely out. Festivals and facilities such as library and theater is well maintained.
• Utilities are great - love that we own them. Way less expensive than PG&E. PAUSD also awesome (would be first if our kids were still around, but we are empty nest now) • Utilities compared to PG&E
• Utilities do a great job.
• Utilities ownership
• Utilities services
• Utilities, basic services
• Utilities.
• Utilities. Excellent job by that group.
• Utilities. Excellent. Especially when compared to other cities. Well done!!! • Utility has inexpensive reliable electricity. We gotta get rid of the natural gas... This survey took too long with too many questions...
• Utility ops
• utility services
• Utility services
• Utility services
• Utility services.
• Very clean street streets
• Very few utility outagesChloe what are you doing
• Vibrant economic community that attracts great people • Walkability, biking
• Walkability, parks and playgrounds
• Water supply
• We have excellent police and fire departments.
• We have great public parks and libraries.
• We love libraries, pools, and parks. We also love the middle school sports programs and young chef classes hosted by the city recreational department. • We still have somewhat of a "small-city" environment, but it's rapidly changing. We need to decide whether we are going to become a big, tall city with perennial high traffic flow and high- rise buildings, or try to preserve. some of the small-town, residential qualities that we've had in the past. City government has been historically effective in maintaining open space, especially public parks, and expanding new open-space, such as the Baylands. There is, however, the danger of surrendering to development pressures, such as faster traffic flow and relaxation of zoning regulations, at the expense of the city's small town atmosphere, one which is rapidly disappearing.
• Well maintained bike routes
• Wonderful parks and libraries
• working to preserve and make available open space
• Would be great to have more formal and informal interactions between the City and Stanford, with it's focus on sustainability, climate issues, deep understanding of policy, regulation, economics, sciences, humanities, etc.
• Yummy food, books, (SO sad the bookstore(s) on University Ave. are gone), events, (I like the farmer's market but parking is terrible!) and generally looking forward to things I can do in retirement.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Appendix F: Survey Materials
The following pages contain copies of the survey materials sent to randomly selected households within the City of Palo Alto.
Dear Palo Alto Resident,
Our annual Community Survey is a critical feedback tool that helps the City Council and City staff understand resident perspectives on current services and programs, as well as unmet needs and priorities. You can wait for a paper survey in the mail, or you can go online and complete the survey at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link. This survey is for randomly selected households only.
The City will conduct a separate survey that is open to all residents just a few weeks from now.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to join the conversation and provide input, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
idioma, seleccione su idioma en el menú
desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
想要使用您的语言回答在线调查，请在调查
页面顶部的下拉菜单中选择您的语言。 Scan the QR code to take the
survey on a mobile device!
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Tell us what you think! Please complete the Palo Alto community survey. ¡Su opinión nos interesa! Participe en la Encuesta Comunitaria de Palo Alto. 请告诉我们您的想法！请完成帕洛阿尔托社区调查。
City Manager’s Office
250 Hamilton Avenue, 7th Floor
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94
August 2024
Dear City of Palo Alto Resident:
Your household has been selected at random to participate in the 2024 Palo Alto Community Survey. The annual Community Survey is a critical feedback effort that helps the City Council and City staff understand resident perspectives on current services and programs, as well as unmet needs and priorities. The survey is one way among many through which we gain insights from residents regularly.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the enclosed survey. Your participation is very important – especially since your household is one of only a small number of households being surveyed. The survey results are reviewed by the City Council and City staff and your input helps inform the City’s decision-making and potential changes to City services.
A few things to remember:
• Your responses are completely confidential.
• You may return the survey by mail in the enclosed postage-paid envelope, or you can complete the survey online at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to engage with the City, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage.
Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
idioma, seleccione su idioma en el menú
desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
想要使用您的语言回答在线调查，请在调查
页面顶部的下拉菜单中选择您的语言。
Scan the QR code to take
the survey on a mobile
device!
QR Code
Placeholder
2024 Community Survey
Please complete this survey if you are the adult (age 18 or older) in the household who most recently had a birthday (the year of birth does not matter). Your responses are anonymous and will be reported in group form only.
1. Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Palo Alto.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Palo Alto as a place to live ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Your neighborhood as a place to live ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Palo Alto as a place to raise children.............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Palo Alto as a place to work .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Palo Alto as a place to visit ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Palo Alto as a place to retire .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The overall quality of life in Palo Alto ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design, buildings, parks and transportation systems) .............................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto .............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto .................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Residents’ connection and engagement with their community ....................... 1 2 3 4 5
3. Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following.
Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks .................... 1 2 3 4 5 Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years .................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends .................................... 1 2 3 4 5
4. Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community does at each of the following.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Making all residents feel welcome ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Attracting people from diverse backgrounds .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) ........... 1 2 3 4 5
5. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo Alto ................. 1 2 3 4 5 Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto ............................ 1 2 3 4 5 Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Employment opportunities ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Shopping opportunities ................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Cost of living in Palo Alto ............................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Traffic flow on major streets ......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of public parking ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto ................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto .............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of walking in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Variety of housing options ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of affordable quality housing ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto ............................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of paths and walking trails ........................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails, etc.) ....... 1 2 3 4 5 Recreational opportunities ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of affordable quality mental health care ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5
6. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool ....................................... 1 2 3 4 5 K-12 education ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Adult educational opportunities ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to participate in social events and activities .............................. 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to participate in community matters ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Openness and acceptance of the community toward people
of diverse backgrounds.............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn) ................. 1 2 3 4 5
7. Please indicate whether or not you have done each of the following in the last 12 months.
No Yes
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services ................................................................................... 1 2 Visited a neighborhood park or City park ................................................................................................. 1 2 Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services ......................................................................................... 1 2 Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2 Attended a City-sponsored event ............................................................................................................ 1 2 Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors ................................................................................. 1 2 Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills ........................................................................... 1 2 Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills ...................................................................... 1 2 Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help or information .......................... 1 2 Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to express your opinion ................. 1 2 Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City Council or County Commissioners, advisory boards, town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch, etc.) ................................... 1 2 Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting .......................................................................... 1 2 Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto ....................................................................... 1 2 Voted in your most recent local election .................................................................................................. 1 2 Used bus, rail, or other public transportation instead of driving ................................................................ 1 2 Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone ............................................................... 1 2 Walked or biked instead of driving .......................................................................................................... 1 2 Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) ...................... 1 2 Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2 Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto .............................................................................................. 1 2
8. Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto government performance.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident involvement ......... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall confidence in Palo Alto government ................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Generally acting in the best interest of the community ................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Being honest ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Being open and transparent to the public ...................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Informing residents about issues facing the community ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Treating all residents fairly ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Treating residents with respect ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
9. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
The City of Palo Alto ..................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The State Government ................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The Federal Government .............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
2024 Community Survey
10. Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Traffic enforcement ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Traffic signal timing ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Street repair ....................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Street cleaning ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Street tree maintenance ..................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Sidewalk maintenance ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Land use, planning, and zoning ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) ....................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands and greenbelts) ................. 1 2 3 4 5 Building and planning application processing services .......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Affordable high-speed internet access ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Electric utility ...................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Gas utility ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Utility payment options ....................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Drinking water .................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Sewer services ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees, etc.) ......................... 1 2 3 4 5 Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste) .......................... 1 2 3 4 5 Police emergency services .................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Crime prevention ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Animal control .................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ambulance or emergency medical services .......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Fire emergency services...................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Fire prevention and education ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Palo Alto open space (e.g Foothills, Baylands) ..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 City parks ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Recreation programs or classes ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Recreation centers or facilities ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen events, bookclubs) .... 1 2 3 4 5 Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment, accessibility) ............................. 1 2 3 4 5 Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming, databases, audiobooks) ... 1 2 3 4 5 Art programs and theater ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 City-sponsored special events ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 City website (cityofpaloalto.org) .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees
(police, receptionists, planners, etc.) ............................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
11. Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto Utilities’ services:
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Reliability of utility services ................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Affordability of utility services ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Community value received from the City owning and operating its own municipal utility services ......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Utilities online customer self-service features ..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or business ...... 1 2 3 4 5 Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you pay ............ 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the City’s website ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of contacting Utilities department staff ...................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff ............................. 1 2 3 4 5
12. Please rate how important, if at all, you think it is for the Palo Alto community to focus on each of the following in the coming two years. Very Somewhat Not at all Essential important important important
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design, buildings, parks and transportation systems) .................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall economic health of Palo Alto ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto ............................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto ........................................ 1 2 3 4 Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts .................................... 1 2 3 4 Residents’ connection and engagement with their community ........................... 1 2 3 4 Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions ............................................... 1 2 3 4 Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries ........................ 1 2 3 4 Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information ............................................. 1 2 3 4 Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public safety issues ....... 1 2 3 4
13. In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t likely likely unlikely unlikely know
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple) ......................... 1 2 3 4 5 Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors ........... 1 2 3 4 5
14. What mode of transportation do you use most for your typical daily needs for getting around town? Driving Biking Train Palo Alto Link Carpooling Walking Bus Scootering Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service
15. If you did not have access to a car for your usual daily transportation around town, how convenient (based on time and proximity) would you consider each of the following methods of getting around? Very Somewhat Somewhat Very
convenient convenient inconvenient inconvenient
Walking ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Biking ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 Bus ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 Train ................................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Scootering ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 Palo Alto Link .................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service ................................................. 1 2 3 4 Carpooling ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4
16. If you plan to purchase or lease a car within the next two years, what is the likelihood of it being one of the following: Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know
All-electric ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Plug-in hybrid .................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Hydrogen fuel cell .............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Other:_____________________________________________ .......... 1 2 3 4 5
17. How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2030?
Extremely familiar Very familiar Moderately familiar Slightly familiar Not familiar
18. How likely are you to do the following to support strategies that reduce GHG emissions? Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater ....... 1 2 3 4 5 Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system ............... 1 2 3 4 5 Considering whole home electrification ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction cook top .... 1 2 3 4 5
19. As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would make you happier?
2024 Community Survey
20. As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want to maintain?
Our last questions are about you and your household.
Again, all of your responses to this survey are completely anonymous and will be reported in group form only.
D1. What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do you think the impact will be:
Very positive Somewhat positive Neutral Somewhat negative Very negative D2. What is your employment status?
Working full time for pay
Working part time for pay
Unemployed, looking for paid work
Unemployed, not looking for paid work
Fully retired
College student, unemployed
D3. Do you work inside the boundaries of Palo Alto?
Yes, outside the home No
Yes, from home
D4. How many years have you lived in Palo Alto?
Less than 2 years 11-20 years
2-5 years More than 20 years
6-10 years
D5. Which best describes the building you live in?
One family house detached from any other houses
Building with two or more homes (duplex,
townhome, apartment or condominium)
Mobile home
Other
D6. Do you rent or own your home?
Rent Own
D7. About how much is your monthly housing cost
for the place you live (including rent, mortgage
payment, property tax, property insurance and
homeowners’ association (HOA) fees)?
Less than $500 $5,500 to $5,999
$500 to $999 $6,000 to $6,499
$1,000 to $1,499 $6,500 to $6,999
$1,500 to $1,999 $7,000 to $7,499
$2,000 to $2,499 $7,500 to $7,999
$2,499 to $2,999 $8,000 to $8,499
$3,000 to $3,499 $8,500 to $8,999
$3,500 to $3,999 $9,000 to $9,499
$4,000 to $4,499 $9,500 to $9,999
$4,500 to $4,999 $10,000 or more
$5,000 to $5,499
D8. Do any children 17 or under live in your
household?
No Yes
D9. Are you or any other members of your
household aged 65 or older?
No Yes
D10. How much do you anticipate your household’s
total income before taxes will be for the
current year? (Total income from all sources
for all persons living in your household.)
Less than $25,000 $250,000 to $299,999
$25,000 to $49,999 $300,000 to $349,999
$50,000 to $99,999 $350,000 to $399,999
$100,000 to $149,000 $400,000 to $449,999
$150,000 to $199,999 $450,000 to $499,999
$200,000 to $249,999 $500,000 or more
D11. Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino?
No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino
Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or
Latino
D12. What is your race? (Mark one or more races to
indicate what you consider yourself to be.)
❑ American Indian or Alaskan Native ❑ White
❑ Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander ❑ Other:
❑ Black or African American ___________
❑ Middle Eastern or North African
D13. In which category is your age?
18-24 years 45-54 years 65-74 years
25-34 years 55-64 years 75 years or older
35-44 years
D14. What is your gender?
Woman
Man
Identify in another way → go to D14a
D14a. If you identify in another way, how would you
describe your gender?
Agender/ I don’t identify Transgender man
with any gender Transgender woman
Genderqueer/gender fluid Two-spirit
Non-binary Not listed, I identify as:
_________________
D15. What is your sexual orientation?
Heterosexual Bisexual
Lesbian Identify in another way
Gay → go to D15a
D15a. If you identify in another way, how would you
describe your sexual orientation?
Asexual Questioning
Pansexual Not listed, I identify as:
Queer ____________________________
Thank you! Please return the completed survey in the postage-paid envelope to:
National Research Center, Inc., PO Box 549, Belle Mead, NJ 08502 Dear Palo Alto Resident,
Just a reminder—if you have not yet completed Palo Alto’s 202 4 Community Survey, please do so.
If you have completed it, thank you! Please do not respond twice.
Your participation in this survey is very important—your answers will help City Council and City staff understand resident perspectives on current services and programs, as well as unmet needs and priorities. Please complete the confidential survey online at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link. This survey is for randomly selected households only.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to join the conversation and provide input, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
idioma, seleccione su idioma en el menú
desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
想要使用您的语言回答在线调查，请在调查
页面顶部的下拉菜单中选择您的语言。
Scan the QR code to take the
survey on a mobile device!
QR Code
Placeholder
Tell us what you think! Please complete the Palo Alto community survey. ¡Su opinión nos interesa! Participe en la Encuesta Comunitaria de Palo Alto. 请告诉我们您的想法！请完成帕洛阿尔托社区调查。
City Manager’s Office
250 Hamilton Avenue, 7th Floor
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94