City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: January 13, 2025
Report #:2412-3936
TITLE
Retail Committee Recommendation to: (1) Revise the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Appropriation at Mid-Year to Enhance Cleanliness Efforts in Both Downtowns; (2) Revise the Ongoing Parklet Regulations to Require Consent to Expand Beyond Own Frontage; and (3) Refer Staff to Follow- up on Revising the Temporary Use Zoning Rules and Exploring Improvements to Downtown Infrastructure and Experience
RECOMMENDATION
The Ad Hoc Retail Committee recommends that the City Council confirm direction to staff to:
1. Revise the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Appropriation at Mid-Year to enhance cleanliness efforts in both downtown areas, as outlined in attachment A included with this report
2. Revise the ongoing parklet program so that parklets’ extensions into adjacent frontages may only occur with the consent of the adjacent property owner
3. Refer staff follow-up on the below items recommended by the Retail Committee:
a. Developing a revision to the temporary use permit rules b. Exploring a plan for improvements to downtown infrastructure and experience
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
During the December 18 Ad Hoc Retail Committee meeting1, the committee reviewed the recommendation presented by staff following the November Study Session on addressing retail vacancies in the University Avenue Downtown. The recommendation following the study session included efforts to enhance cleanliness in the downtowns, potential revisions to the 1 December 18 Retail Committee Agenda:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=15632
ongoing parklet program, and potential opportunities to better facilitate temporary uses.
Following the discussion, the committee unanimously approved the following motion2:
1. Recommend that Council revise the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Appropriation at Mid- Year to enhance cleanliness efforts in both downtowns as described in the staff report.
2. Recommend that Council revise the ongoing parklet policy so that parklets extension into adjacent frontages may only occur with adjacent property owner’s consent
3. Recommend that Staff develop a revision to the temporary use permit rules designed to incentivize short term activation, taking into account fees, duration, code compliance, signs, aesthetics, as well as a plan for who will be the point of contact for business operators and Real Estate brokers seeking to fill such vacant storefronts
4. Request staff to explore a plan for:
a. promotion of the character of downtown
b. temporary parking needs and locations
c. other medium term physical improvements
The full video3 of the committee confirmation is available on the Retail Committee website4.
The memorandum includes the Retail Committee Staff Report to provide additional context.
The proposed recommendations are intended to support efforts to address retail vacancies.
If approved, staff will implement the recommendations of this report through a variety of channels. The recommendation related to enhancing cleanliness will be addressed as part of the Mid-Year budget review. Staff will incorporate specified revisions to the ongoing parklet program at the administrative level. Staff will incorporate discussion of following-up on temporary use permit revisions and exploring a plan for improving downtown infrastructure and experience as part of the 2025 City Council priority-setting discussion.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Recommendation #1 relates to the City’s Mid-Year Budget review, which will be considered by the City Council in February. Staff would implement this direction by incorporating it into the staff recommendation to be considered by the City Council at that time. Funding for subsequent years is subject to City Council approval through the annual budget process.
2 Retail Committee Action Minutes:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Public/CompiledDocument?meetingTemplateId=15633&compileOutputType =1
3 December 18 Retail Committee Meeting Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyaPcr1bem4&t=2s 4 Retail Committee Website: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Departments/City-Clerk/City-Council- Committees/Retail-Committee
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Stakeholder engagement has been a key element of the Retail Committee. The City has actively involved, and continues to involve, retailers, restaurant owners, real estate brokers, and residents, many of whom have participated in public comment and panel discussions.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The recommendation does not qualify as a project under CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Retail Committee Staff Report #2411-3839
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager