City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: February 9, 2026
Report #:2512-5774
TITLE
Cubberley Project: Receive Update on Third Round Polling Results, Approve a Letter of Intent with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, and Direct Staff on Next Steps
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Review and discuss results of the third community poll (Attachment B);
2. Approve a Letter of Intent (LOI) with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley for collaboration on a long-term public-private partnership for theatre space at the Cubberley site (Attachment C); and
3. Provide any further direction to the Ad Hoc Committee or staff regarding next steps.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Palo Alto (City) is advancing a plan to redevelop a 15-acre portion of the Cubberley campus, including seven acres proposed to be purchased from the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) for $65.5M. The purchase and improvements are dependent on the City identifying funding, such as a successful ballot measure for a parcel or sales tax, development impact fees, and private/public partnerships. A master concept plan for the 15-acre site was developed following a robust community engagement effort. The master concept plan will be advanced for City Council adoption and associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) clearance in April 2026.
In anticipation of Council consideration of placement of a November 2026 ballot measure to fund the purchase of the seven acres and advance the project or a portion of the project, staff engaged with a polling expert and ballot strategist to conduct community polls to gauge voter support for a bond or tax measure to fund the project. Three of four planned polls have been completed, and results indicate support levels for both the parcel tax and sales tax funding mechanisms at 48%; an improvement from the last poll but short of the levels required for
approval. A parcel tax requires a two-thirds super majority, while a general-purpose sales tax requires a simple majority (50% + 1) of voter support.
City staff and the Cubberley Ad Hoc committee are coordinating with community partners to advance elements of the Cubberley project using a public private partnership model. A proposed partnership with TheatreWorks would create a two-theater complex by renovating the existing Community Theatre and Pavilion and adding new construction. The existing Cubberley Theatre would be upgraded for continued use by local community groups, including new restrooms, an expanded lobby, and improved accessibility, while the Pavilion would be renovated as a home for TheatreWorks. Staff recommends Council approve a Letter of Intent (Attachment C) with TheatreWorks to formalize a joint commitment and enable advancement of this project component.
Additionally, the Friends of the Recreation and Wellness Center and City staff continue to develop terms for an agreement to advance a recreation and wellness center that will provide new multi-court gymnasium space on the Cubberley campus.
BACKGROUND
The City is advancing a plan to redevelop a 15-acre portion of Cubberley, building on previous community engagement and re-engaging residents to reimagine and prioritize community uses of the campus. The City of Palo Alto (City) and the Palo Alto Unified School District (District) have an agreement that would enable the City to purchase seven acres, upon passage of a voter approved tax or bond measure, to support a reimagined community center and fund school improvements. The City currently owns eight acres at Cubberley; acquiring an additional seven acres would create an opportunity to update the ageing facility for the benefit of the community.
There has been extensive foundational work completed to support the advancement of the Cubberley Project, including several actions by the City Council. Attachment A shares a summary of actions to date and the history of the Cubberley site.
ANALYSIS
Results of the Third Community Poll
The City engaged with Fairbank, Maslin, Metz & Associates (FM3) to develop and conduct polling on public opinion in advance of potentially placing a measure on the November 2026 ballot. The City’s workplan includes four rounds of polling: the first released in April 2025, the second released in November 2025, the third released in January 2026, and the final poll to be released in spring 2026.
On December 15, 20251, staff and the City Council discussed launching the third poll in January 2026. The Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee reviewed the poll outline on December 18, 2025. The poll ran from January 5 through 12, with a total of 416 residents interviewed via phone and online. Poll results are attached to this report (Attachment B) and summarized below:
Just over one-third see at least “some need” for additional funds for updated facilities, dropping from 55% in November 2025 and 58% from April/May 2025. Support of a parcel tax and a sales tax from interviewed residents improved from the last poll:
oParcel tax: received 48% support (from 39% in the second poll); below the required two-thirds requirement to pass on the ballot. Segmenting these results, those interviewed were:
Consistently yes: 39%
Consistently no: 37%
Undecided: 24%
oSales tax: received 48% support (from 37% in the second poll); below the 50% + 1 requirement to pass on the ballot. Segmenting these results, those interviewed were:
Consistently yes: 39%
Consistently no: 35%
Undecided: 26%
Voters’ top priorities:
oGeneral-purpose tax: maintaining storm drains, fixing potholes, maintaining streets, and maintaining the City’s financial stability. oCubberley: preserving trees and outdoor space, upgrading outdated and deteriorating electrical and plumbing, upgrading buildings to meet current standards, and providing safe spaces for children and teens after school and in the summer.
Results of this poll were reviewed by the Cubberley Ad Hoc on January 27th. Emergence of partnership opportunities, discussed in the next section of this report, has expanded possible funding streams for the Cubberley project, and these partnership opportunities are part of the funding model. To ensure the highest probability of success and offer the best path forward, the Ad Hoc and staff continue evaluating options for funding and financing strategies.
The fourth poll is scheduled to launch in Spring 2026. It is planned to inform whether support from partnership opportunities and other revenue source(s) such as development impact fees, grants, and philanthropy will increase voter support for both funding mechanisms. With several regional measures appearing on the upcoming ballot, the next poll plans to assess voter 1 City Council, December 15, 2025; Agenda Item #3; SR# 2503-4355, https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=246305&repo=r-704298fc support for a City tax measure among the various regional measures. In addition, the City is a regional shopping destination wherein a portion of sales tax is paid by non-residents; forthcoming analysis of this non-resident versus resident paid sales tax will be presented to the Ad Hoc and Council for review.
Partnership Opportunities
Public Private Partnerships provide an opportunity to advance elements of the Cubberley project through a combination of City and private investment while offering valuable programs and services to the community. Several community nonprofit organizations have expressed interest and both staff and members of the Ad Hoc are engaging in conversations with potential partners, including TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and the Friends of the Recreation Wellness Center.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
TheatreWorks began as a Palo Alto program 55 years ago, and now, as a nationally recognized professional nonprofit theatre company, produces mainstage productions at two locations, the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto and the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Through a partnership with TheatreWorks, a 2-theater complex would be created, through renovation of the existing Community Theatre and Pavilion and new construction. The existing Cubberley Theatre would be upgraded for continued use by local community groups, and would include adding restrooms, an expanded lobby, and upgraded accessibility and technology, while creating a second theatre in what is now the Pavilion as a future home for TheatreWorks. A joint Press Release was issued on January 28 announcing the partnership3.
To establish a framework for future actions, the Letter of Intent (Attachment C) outlines mutually cooperative strategies to guide ongoing discussions on the key terms and conditions of future agreements. Following approval of the Letter of Intent, the two parties will establish terms for a future agreement that will include cost sharing fundraising goals, timelines, management structures, and other terms.
Friends of the Recreation Wellness Center (Friends)
The Friends formally organized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in December 2022 for the purpose of fundraising and building a multi-use gymnasium or recreation wellness center in Palo Alto. A Letter of Intent with the Friends was approved by the City Council on December 2, 20244 to demonstrate the City’s commitment to provide the land for a recreation wellness center and the Friends’ commitment to raise donor funds for construction. The Friends and City staff 3 Press Release, January 28, 2006; https://www.paloalto.gov/News-Articles/Community-Services/Palo-Alto-and- TheatreWorks-Silicon-Valley-Partner-on-Home-at-Cubberley 4 City Council, December 2, 2024, Agenda Item #18; SR# 2410-3634, https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=112713&repo=r-704298fc&searchid=3427593c-3b18-424c- bf15-a4d2ead10a05
continue to discuss the key terms that will form a future agreement for continued collaboration.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
As discussed in this report, to fund critical community improvements at the Cubberley Campus, staff are evaluating a potential tax measure, together with funding from partnership opportunities, use of development impact fees, and philanthropy. Purchase of land from PAUSD totals $65.5 million. While cost estimates for the master concept plan for the project exceed $300 million, implementation can advance in phases with initial investments focusing on immediate repairs and partnerships.
Project resources, including planning, administrative costs, and special studies remain within FY 2026 adopted budget appropriations.
The total project budget, funded from transfers from the Real Property Reserve, is $1.7 million across FY25 and FY26. To date, spending includes contract commitments for the master plan update with Concordia ($697k), CEQA environmental review with Rincon ($202k), and ballot-readiness polling with FM3 ($153k) and Lew Edwards Group strategy support ($108k).
Remaining FY 2026 allocations cover legal counsel, general expenses, outreach materials, and other contractual services needed to complete site review, financial advising, and community engagement.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Community outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts for the project have been extensive and remain a central component of the overall process. Following the second and third community meetings, recordings of the presentations were uploaded to the project website to ensure broader access. Community members who could not attend in person were invited to share their input through an online public comment card, providing additional opportunities for feedback to the broader community.
Additionally, staff, in coordination with the City Council Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee, developed a Strategic Activation Plan to guide near-term enhancements and activations at the Cubberley site. This plan builds upon the many events and activities already taking place daily at the Cubberley campus, including City-run programs, tenant-led offerings, rentals, special events, artist studio workshops and open studios. It is intended to complement and enhance the existing vibrancy of the site. The plan was inclusive of key stakeholders, and the document outlines a range of potential ideas to build community excitement and momentum for the project including a mix of short-term physical enhancements, community events, and temporary art installations and performances that will be facilitated through the City’s Public Art 2026 ArtLift Community Grant program. Activations that have been completed include a 10- foot community canvas banner that was presented and signed by the community at the third community meeting and hung on the Cubberley campus, a three-part Family Movie Night series at Cubberley Theatre that averaged 100 participants per night and brought new families to campus, new banners featuring real-life participants, Cubberley Artist Studio Program Open Houses and Workshops, and the launching of the 2026 ArtLift Community Grants. The new campus directory signs and tenant door painting initiative are nearing completion.
Engagement with community partners has been ongoing and is intended to understand which community organizations may have an interest in contributing financially to development of the site while bringing exciting community programs and events to Cubberley.
In addition to community meetings and updates to the City Council, Project updates and ways to stay involved and informed are shared through:
Project website (www.paloalto.gov/improvecubberley),
Online comment card asking for priorities and open fields to share vision and service needs,
City updates via medium.com blog space,
Project updates sent via email newsletter to the project distribution list and project updates shared through City channels including Nextdoor and digital newsletters, and videos,
Utility bill inserts,
Resident mailers, and
Tabling at key City events.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review is underway for the Cubberley Master Concept Plan Project and will be brought to the City Council at a future date.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Background on Cubberley Project
Attachment B: Cubberley Poll #3 Results
Attachment C: Letter of Intent with TheatreWorks
APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director