CITY COUNCIL
ACTION MINUTES
Regular Meeting
March 09, 2026
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:
Call to Order
Agenda Items Numbers AA1 and 12 Heard Out of Order.
Clo
sed Session
12. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—POTENTIAL LITIGATION (four cases) Subject: Initiation of litigation in four cases, United States v. Minnesota, US District Court for the District of Minnesota, Case No. 25-CV-3798; United States v. City of Rochester, US District Court for the Western District of New York, Case No. 6:25-cv- 06226-FPG-MJP; United States v. City of Newark, et al., US District Court for the District of New Jersey, Case No. 2:25-cv-05081-EP-AME; United States v. City of New York, et al., US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Case No. 1:25-cv-04084.
Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4)
MOTION: Councilmember Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to go into Closed Session.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Council went into Closed Session at 5:36 P.M.
Council returned from Closed Session at 6:19 P.M.
Mayor Veenker announced that Council in closed session voted unanimously to authorize the City Attorney to become a signatory for the city to future amicus briefs in the four cases identified in the closed session agenda title.
Docusign Envelope ID: 1C07025F-7944-4D72-BB60-126851A9E808
ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 03/09/2026
Special Orders of the Day
1. Proclamation Recognizing March 2026 as Youth Arts Month
NO ACTION
A
genda Changes, Additions and Deletions
P
ublic Comment
C
ouncil Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
St
udy Session
2. 51 Encina Avenue [25PLN -00312]. Request for Council Prescreening for a Zoning Text Amendment to Palo Alto Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning) Section 18.18.070 (Floor Area Bonuses) and Section 18.18.080 (Transfer of Development Rights) to Expand Floor Area and Transfer of Development Right Benefits to Category 1 and 2 Buildings on the City's Historic Inventory in the CS Zone District. CEQA Status: Not a Project.
NO ACTION
C
onsent Calendar
MOTION: Councilmember Reckdahl moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Stone to approve Agenda Item Numbers 3-6, 8-9 (Agenda Item Number 7 Removed Off Agenda).
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
3. Approval of Minutes from February 23, 2026 Meeting
4. Appointment of 2026 Emergency Standby Council
5. Adoption of a Resolution Setting the Regular Meeting Times at 4:00pm for the Finance Committee and 6:00pm for the Policy & Services Committee; CEQA status - not a project.
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ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 03/09/2026
6. Stanford University Medical Center (SUMC) Annual Report to Council for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 2025)
7. Approval of Professional Services Contract No. C26194015 with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. in an Amount Not to Exceed $795,965 for Design and Outreach Services for the City Park-Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project for the period of March 9, 2026 through March 31, 2028; CEQA Status – Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15306 Item Removed Off Agenda
8. Approval of Contract Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. C23185922 with Kittelson & Associates, INC. to Increase Compensation by $17,000 to $350,945 and to Extend the Term for an Additional Six Months Through December 31, 2026, for the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update; CEQA status - exempt under Public Resource Code section 21080.20.
9. FIRST READING: Adoption of an Ordinance Adding a New Section 18.70.105 (Noncomplying facility - De minimis exceptions) to Chapter 18.70 (Nonconforming Uses and Noncomplying Facilities) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code; CEQA Status: Exempt Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption).
C
ity Manager Comments
Ed Shikada, City Manager
Ac
tion Items
10. Receive Update and Provide Direction to Staff on the Implementation of Senate Bill 79 (2025) and Work Related to the Downtown Housing Plan. CEQA Status: Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Section 15262. Item Removed Off Agenda
Agenda Item Number 10 not heard.
11. Ap
proval of City Council Values (as Recommended by Policy & Services Committee), 2026 Objectives, Ad Hoc Purpose Statements, and Committee Workplans MOTION: Vice Mayor Stone moved, seconded by Mayor Veenker to approve the r evised Council Values, as recommended by the Policy & Services Committee, with the following changes:
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ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 03/09/2026
3. Accountable Governance. Earn public trust through transparent leadership, inclusive engagement, [and] open communication, and centering equity in decision-making.
5. [Equity and] Shared Prosperity and Housing Leadership . [Center equity in every decision, and] Advance housing, workforce, and social policies that promote inclusion, socioeconomic diversity, and opportunity
FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
M
OTION: Mayor Veenker moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Stone to approve the 2026 City Council Group 1 Objectives , excluding objective 36 which will be referred to staff and returned to Council.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
MOTION SPLIT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VOTING
MOTION: Mayor Veenker moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Stone add an additional 2026 City Council Group 1 Objective:
- C ouncil support position allocation as a short -term pilot ( 6 to 12 months ) funded from the Council Contingency fund.
MOTION PASSED: 5-2, Reckdahl, Burt no
C
losed Session
AA1. Public Employee Appointment
Title: City Attorney
Authority: Gov. Code Section 54957(b)
MOTION: Councilmember Reckdahl moved, seconded by Vice Mayor S tone to go into Closed Session.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Council went into Closed Session at 10:12 P.M.
Council returned from Closed Session at 11:28 P.M.
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City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 03/09/2026
ACTION MINUTES
Mayor Veenker announced the Council will be continuing agenda item number A A1 to resume meeting at 5:15 P.M. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:29 P.M. and will be continued on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 5:15 P.M.
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on March 11, 2026 at 5:15 P.M. A c ontinuation of the March 9, 2026 meeting.
Pr
esent In Person: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker Present Remotely:
Absent:
Call to Order
C
losed Session
AA1. Public Employee Appointment
Title: City Attorney
Authority: Gov. Code Section 54957(b)
MOTION: Vice Mayor Stone moved, seconded by Councilmember Lauing to go into Closed Session.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Council went into Closed Session at 5:18 P.M.
Council returned from Closed Session at 7:30 P.M.
Mayor Veenker announced no reportable action.
Ad
journment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:32 P.M. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Action Minutes: 03/09/2026
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.
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Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: 1C07025F-7944-4D72-BB60-126851A9E808
Status: Completed
Subject: March 9, 2026 Action Minutes
Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 6
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: 165.225.242.121
Record Tracking
Status: Original
3/24/2026 4:04:57 PM
Holder: Christine Prior
[email protected]
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Vicki Veenker
[email protected]
City of Palo Alto
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Sent: 3/24/2026 4:06:02 PM
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Viewed: 3/24/2026 4:14:02 PM
Signed: 3/26/2026 4:30:44 PM
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Mahealani Ah Yun
[email protected]
City Clerk
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Sent: 3/26/2026 4:30:45 PM
Viewed: 3/30/2026 3:06:33 PM
Signed: 3/30/2026 3:07:35 PM
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