CITY COUNCIL
ACTION MINUTES
Special Meeting
May 19, 2025
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers and by virtual teleconference at 4:30 P.M.
Present In Person: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone Present Remotely: Veenker
Absent:
Sp
ecial Orders of the Day
1. Proclamation Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Palo Alto Fire Department Paramedic Program and EMS Week May 18-24
NO ACTION
2. Proclamation Recognizing May 2025 as Foster Care & Resource Parent Awareness Month
NO ACTION
St
udy Session
3. 788- 796 San Antonio Road [25PLN -00062]. Request for Council Prescreening to Rezone the Subject Property from Commercial Services to Planned Community/Planned Home Zoning and to Allow Construction of 168 Rental Units in an Eight -Story Structure on a 43,414-Square-Foot (One-Acre) Site. CEQA Status: Not a Project.
NO ACTION
4. 800/
808-814 San Antonio Road [25PLN -00
066]: Request for Council Prescreening to
Amend an Existing Planned Community Ordinance (Ordinance 5622) to Allow the Construction of 120 Residential Units and 1,078 Square Feet Commercial Space in a Five- Story Structure on a 38,194-Square-Foot (0.87-Acre) Site. CEQA Status: Not a Project.
N
O ACTION
Docusign Envelope ID: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
ACTION MINUTES
Sp. City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 05/19/2025
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
P
ublic Comment
C
ouncil Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
C
losed Session
5. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS City Designated Representatives: City Manager and his Designees Pursuant to Merit System Rules and Regulations (Ed Shikada, Kiely Nose, Sandra Blanch, Nick Raisch, Tori Post, Molly Stump, Lauren Lai, Paul Harper, and Jennifer Fine) Employee Organization: Service Employees International Union, (SEIU) Local 521 Hourly Unit, Utilities Management and Professional Association of Palo Alto (UMPAPA), Palo Alto Peace Officers’ Association (PAPOA), Palo Alto Police Management Association (PMA), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) local 1319, Palo Alto Fire Chiefs’ Association (FCA); Authority: Government Code Section 54957.6 (a)
AA1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—POTENTIAL LITIGATION (two cases) Subject: Initiation of litigation in two cases, American Federation of Government Employees v. Trump, US District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 25-CV-03698 and City and County of San Francisco v. Trump, US District Court for the Northern District of California,
Case No. 25-CV-01350 Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4) MOTION: Council member Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Council member Lu to go into Closed Session.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Council went into Closed Session at 7:01 P.M.
Council returned from Closed Session at 9:25 P.M.
Mayor Lauing announced no reportable action.
Docusign Envelope ID: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
ACTION MINUTES
Sp. City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 05/19/2025
Consent Calendar
MOTION: Council member Reckdahl moved, seconded by Council member Lythcott-Haims to approve Agenda Item Numbers 6, 8-10, AA2.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
6. Approval of Minutes from May 5, 2025 Meeting
7. Climate Action and Sustainability Committee Recommendation to Council to Direct Staff to Develop an Affordable Multi -Family Housing Electrification Grant Program and to Approve a Budget Amendment in the Gas Utility Funds; CEQA Status: Under CEQA Guidelines section 15183, projects consistent with an existing general or comprehensive plan do not require additional CEQA review Item Removed Off Agenda
8. Approval of Blanket Purchase Order with Olin Finance Company LLC for the Purchase of Bulk Sodium Hypochlorite for the Regional Water Quality Control Plant for a Two -Year Term with an annual amount of $400,000, for a Total Not -to-Exceed Amount of $800,000; CEQA Status – Not a Project
9. Approval of a Lease Agreement with Embarcadero Way Property Owner, LP, c/o BioScience Properties, Inc. for Laboratory and Office Space at 2470 Embarcadero Way for a Period of 20 Years, at an Initial Annual Lease Amount of $1.11 Million Per Year plus Common Area Expenses, and $4.5 million in Tenant Improvements; CEQA Status – Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301
AA2. Approval of the Appointment of Alan Kurotori as Utilities Director
10. Approval of Construction Contract No. C25193197 with Anderson Pacific Engineering Construction, Inc. in the Amount Not- to Exceed $47,282,100 for the Local Advanced Water Purification System project (WQ -19003); Authorization of Contract Contingency in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $4,728,210; and Approval of Amendment No. 2 to the First Amended and Restated Contract No. C059999 Between the City of Palo Alto and the City of Mountain View; CEQA Status - Addendum to the 2015 Environmental Impact Report for the Palo Alto Recycled Water Project (SCH 2011062037) Item Reordered to be Heard Under Consent Calendar, Supplemental Report added
C
ity Manager Comments
Ed Shikada, City Manager
Docusign Envelope ID: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
ACTION MINUTES
Sp. City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 05/19/2025
Action Items
11. FIRST READING: Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Section 18.42.110 (Wireless Communications Facilities) of Title 18 (Zoning) to Modify the Permit Process and Required Findings for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Wireless Communications Facilities to Require Architectural Review Board review and Repealing the Objective Aesthetic, Noise, and Related Standards for Wireless Communication Facilities in the Public Rights of Way.
MOTION: Mayor Lauing moved, seconded by Council member Stone to adopt a Temporary Ordinance amending Section 18.42.110 (Wireless Communications Facilities) of Title 18 (Zoning) with the following adjustments:
1. Direct Architectural Review Board (ARB) to:
a. Promptly review the standards for approval of cell tower applications, amend them as needed, and return them to council for approval. b. Define a process of how and when ARB should review submitted applications.
2. During the effective period of this temporary ordinance, the ARB shall have the opportunity to review all applications after an initial decision by the Planning Director who will submit such applications with his decision on the ARB Consent Calendar. a. The ARB can vote to pull items from the Consent Calendar for discussion and possible action. Those applications not pulled for debate shall be deemed complete. Those pulled and then approved by ARB will also be deemed complete. Those pulled from Consent which result in a recommendation that differs from the Planning Director’s initial decision will be forwarded for final action to City Council with a report of what is recommended for compliance/approval.
3. Refer ARB recommendations to Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) in whole or in part as, and if, needed.
4. Direct staff to engage a qualified outside consultant to investigate the technical feasibility of tower setbacks of one hundred (100) feet from any structure approved for residential use and 1500 feet from daycares and schools. In those cases that are not technically infeasible at one hundred (100) feet or more, the consultant should provide the maximum distances from a residential structure that would still provide adequate coverage.
AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE FINAL MOTION BY THE MAKER AND THE SECONDER FINAL MOTION: Mayor Lauing moved, seconded by Council member Stone to adopt a Temporary Ordinance amending Section 18.42.110 (Wireless Communications Facilities) of Title 18 (Zoning) with the following adjustments:
1. Direct Architectural Review Board (ARB) to:
Docusign Envelope ID: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
ACTION MINUTES
Sp. City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 05/19/2025
a. Promptly review the standards for approval of cell tower applications, amend them as needed, and return them to Council for approval. b. Define a process of how and when ARB should review submitted applications.
2. Refer ARB recommendations to Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) in whole or in part as, and if, needed.
3. Direct staff to engage a qualified outside consultant to investigate the technical feasibility of tower setbacks of one hundred (100) feet from any structure approved for residential use and 1500 feet from daycares and schools. In those cases that are not technically infeasible at one hundred (100) feet or more, the consultant should provide the maximum distances from a residential structure that would still provide adequate coverage to the extent permissible by law.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Ad
journment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 P.M.
A
TTEST: APPROVED:
____________________ ____________________
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.
Docusign Envelope ID: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: B8FB4CC7-EDB8-4072-AF41-27A3B03A373B
Status: Completed
Subject: May 19, 2025 Draft Action Minutes.pdf
Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 5
Signatures: 2
Envelope Originator:
Certificate Pages: 2
Initials: 0
Christine Prior
AutoNav: Enabled
EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled
Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto , CA 94301
[email protected]
IP Address: 165.225.242.108
Record Tracking
Status: Original
6/4/2025 12:30:19 PM
Holder: Christine Prior
[email protected]
Location: DocuSign
Security Appliance Status: Connected
Pool: StateLocal
Storage Appliance Status: Connected
Pool: City of Palo Alto
Location: Docusign
Signer Events
Signature
Timestamp
Ed Lauing
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 67.188.59.65
Sent: 6/4/2025 12:31:53 PM
Viewed: 6/4/2025 1:13:32 PM
Signed: 6/4/2025 1:14:03 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Mahealani Ah Yun
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 12.75.216.115
Signed using mobile
Sent: 6/4/2025 1:14:04 PM
Viewed: 6/6/2025 8:44:52 AM
Signed: 6/6/2025 8:45:48 AM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
In Person Signer Events
Signature
Timestamp
Editor Delivery Events
Status
Timestamp
Agent Delivery Events
Status
Timestamp
Intermediary Delivery Events
Status
Timestamp
Certified Delivery Events
Status
Timestamp
Carbon Copy Events
Status
Timestamp
Witness Events
Signature
Timestamp
Notary Events
Signature
Timestamp
Envelope Summary Events
Status
Timestamps
Envelope Sent
Hashed/Encrypted
6/4/2025 12:31:53 PM
Envelope Summary Events
Status
Timestamps
Certified Delivered
Security Checked
6/6/2025 8:44:52 AM
Signing Complete
Security Checked
6/6/2025 8:45:48 AM
Completed
Security Checked
6/6/2025 8:45:48 AM
Payment Events
Status
Timestamps