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City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
APPOINTMENTS
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: April 13, 2026
Report #:2512-5765
TITLE
Appointment of Candidates to the Human Relations Commission (HRC), Planning & Transportation Commission (PTC), and Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC); CEQA Status - Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council appoint members to fill 1 partial-term vacancy on the HRC, 2 full-term vacancies on the PTC, and 3 full-term vacancies on the UAC.
BACKGROUND
Recruitment
The Spring 2026 Boards & Commissions recruitment opened Tuesday, January 13, 2026, and closed on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Details on the vacancies and membership requirements are summarized in the analysis section. Applications may be accessed online1.
The City Council scheduled interviews on March 23, 2026, and April 6, 2026. These interviews may be viewed on the City’s YouTube Channel2.
Voting
The City Clerk’s Office will conduct live voting during the meeting and will announce the results and how each Councilmember voted. Each Councilmember will be allotted a number of votes equal to the number of vacancies for each commission. A majority of 4 votes is required to appoint a candidate. Additional rounds of voting may be required if there is a tie or no candidates receive a majority of votes.
1 March 2, 2026, City Council Staff Report 2512-5763
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86657&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 2City of Palo Alto YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto
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ANALYSIS
A summary of the vacancies and eligibility requirements are included below. In addition to the eligibility requirements below, no commissioners can be Councilmembers, officers, or employees of the City.
Human Relations Commission (HRC):
• 1 Partial Term (4/1/26 – 10/31/26)
• Eligibility Requirements 5: Palo Alto residency is required Planning & Transportation Commission (PTC):
• 2 Full Terms (4/1/26 – 3/31/30)
• Eligibility Requirements 6: Palo Alto residency is required Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC):
• 3 Full Terms (4/1/26 – 3/31/29)
• Eligibility Requirements 7:
oEach member shall be a utility customer or the authorized representative of a utility customer.
o6 members of the commission shall at all times be residents of the City. The 4 commission members whose terms are not expiring in this recruitment are currently residents. Therefore, at least two Palo Alto residents must be appointed in this recruitment to maintain this requirement.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
None.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
City staff publicized the recruitment through the following methods:
Electronic distribution via the City’s Uplift Local community newsletter, City Clerk’s Office newsletter, City’s website, and City’s social media channels; 5 Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.22.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0- 61312
6 Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.20.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0- 61274
7 Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.23.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0- 61350
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Physical posting and distribution of flyers to 10 city locations including City Hall posting boards and public meetings, libraries, and community centers; Print and online ads in the Palo Alto Daily Post, as well as print ads in the Palo Alto Weekly;
Paid LinkedIn Advertisement; and
Outreach to previous applicants, community-based organizations, and businesses related to the commissions’ purview.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5).
ATTACHMENTS
None.
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk