CITY COUNCIL
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Regular Meeting
April 14, 2025
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers and by virtual teleconference at 5:30 P.M.
Present In Person: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker Present Remotely:
Absent:
Special Orders of the Day
1. Proclamation Honoring National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 13 -19, 2025
NO ACTION
2. Proclamation Honoring National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week April 13 -19, 2025
NO ACTION
3. Proclamation Celebrating César Chávez and Dolores Huerta
NO ACTION
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
Public Comment
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 04/14/2025
Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
Consent Calendar
MOTION: Council member Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Council member Reckdahl to approve Agenda Item Numbers 4-10.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
4. Approval of Professional Services Contract Number C25193356 with Martina Entriken in the Amount Not to Exceed $658,390 for a Preschool and Toddler Program for a Period of Five Years. CEQA Status - Not a Project.
5. Approval of Amendment No. 2 via Change Order No. 2 to Contract Number C22183580 with MP Nexlevel of California, Inc. in the Amount of $4,000,000 for a Total Not -to- Exceed Amount of $15,347,390, and Extending the Three -Year Term of the Contract for an Additional Four Months Through August 31, 2025 to Provide Substructure and Utility Trenching Construction Services for the Foothills Rebuild Wildfire Mitigation and Grid Modernization for Electrification Projects; CEQA Status: the Foothills Rebuild and Grid Modernization Project are Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15302, 15303 and 15183
6. Approval of Contract Amendment Number 1 to Contract Number S22183286 with The Permanente Medical Group Inc in an Amount Not to Exceed $100,000 for Pre - employment and Other Occupation- Related Medical Services; CEQA Status – Not a Project.
7. Approval of Professional Services Contract No. C25191690 with InfoSend in an Amount Not to Exceed $2,344,573 to Provide Utilities Bill Print and Mailing Services for a Term of Five Years; CEQA Status - Not a Project.
8. Approval of Professional Services Contract Number C25191738 with Sedgwick Claims Management Services in an Amount Not to Exceed $612,840 for Administration of Workers Compensation Benefits through June 30, 2025; CEQA Status – Not a Project.
9. FIRST READING: Adoption of an Ordinance Setting the Regular Meeting Time of the Finance and Policy & Services Committees by Resolution or Ordinance (Palo Alto Municipal Code §§ 2.04.190 and 200); and Adoption of a Resolution Setting the Regular Meeting Times at 5:30 pm for Finance and 6:00 pm for Policy & Services; CEQA status – not a project.
10. SECOND READING: Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter
2.32 (Sales and Use Tax) and Chapter 4.10 (Solicitors, Peddlers, Pawnbrokers,
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 04/14/2025
Secondhand Dealers, and Other Businesses Regulated by Police) of the Municipal Code to Delete Obsolete References to the California Board of Equalization and Replace Them with References to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (FIRST READING: March 24, 2025; PASSED: 6-0-1, Veenker absent)
City Manager Comments
Ed Shikada, City Manager
Action Items
11. Review and Provide Direction on a Preferred Option for a New Parking Structure and Reserved Space for Future Affordable Housing at 375 Hamilton Avenue and Direct Staff to Pursue Preliminary Design and Environmental Review for the New Downtown Parking Garage Capital Project (PE-15007) for the Preferred Option; CEQA Status - Not a Project MOTION: Vice Mayor Veenker moved, seconded by Council member Stone to direct staff to proceed with preliminary design and environmental review for Option 1a, a new 274 -space parking garage, featuring six levels of above -ground parking with a reserved area to allow for future construction of affordable housing on the site with separate access on Waverley Street.
MOTION PASSED: 5-2, Burt, Reckdahl no
12. PUBLIC HEARING/QUASI -JUDICIAL: 70 Encina Avenue [24PLN -00095]: Adopt an Ordinance Rezoning the Subject Property and an Adjacent Vacant Parcel to Planned Community/Planned Home Zoning and Adopt the Record of Land Use Action to Demolish a Surface Parking lot and to Construct a New Three -Story, 19,035 Square Foot Building with 10 Residential Condominium Units. CEQA Status - Streamlined Review in Accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 (Comprehensive Plan Consistency).
Zone District: CC (Community Commercial).
MOTION: Councilmember Lu moved, seconded by Councilmember Lythcott-Haims to:
1. Consider the CEQA Guidelines section 15183 checklist analyzing the project’s consistency with the Comprehensive Plan 2030 Environmental Impact Report (SCH#2014052101);
2. Approve an Ordinance (Attachment B) rezoning the subject site from Community Commercial to Planned Community/Planned Home Zoning; and
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 04/14/2025
3. Approve the Record of Land Use Action (Attachment C) approving the proposed project, based on findings and subject to conditions of approval to the City Council.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
13. FIRST READING: Adoption of an Ordinance Adding New Chapter 9.75 (Fair Chance in Housing) to Title 9 (Public Peace, Morals, and Safety) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Limit the Use of Criminal History Information in Rental Housing Decisions. CEQA Status - Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Council member Reckdahl to refer this item to the Policy and Services Committee.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:18 P.M.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
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City Clerk Mayor NOTE: Action minutes are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC)
2.04.160(a) and (b). Summary minutes (sense) are prepared in accordance with PAMC Section
2.04.160(c). Beginning in January 2018, in accordance with Ordinance No. 5423, the City Council found action minutes and the video/audio recordings of Council proceedings to be the official records of both Council and committee proceedings. These recordings are available on the City’s website.