CITY COUNCIL
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Regular Meeting
August 17, 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:
Closed Session
1. CONFERENCE WITH CITY ATTORNEY-EXISTING LITIGATION
Subject: Swinerton v. City of Palo Alto (JAMS Reference # 5100003409) Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
One Case, as Defendant
2. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Authority: Government Code Section 54956.8
Property: 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto (Informally known as the Cubberley Site) Negotiating Party: Palo Alto Unified School District City Negotiators: Ed Shikada, Kristen O'Kane, Sunny Tong
Subject of Negotiations: Purchase, Exchange, and/or Lease Price and Terms of Payment MOTION: Council Member Lauing moved, seconded by Council Member Lu to go into Closed Session.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Council went into Closed Session at 5:38 P.M.
Council returned from Closed Session at 8:08 P.M.
Mayor Veenker announced no reportable action. Agenda Item Number 2 is continu ed to a date uncertain.
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 08/17/2026
In-Person Public Comment
Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
Consent Calendar
MOTION: Council member Reckdahl moved, seconded by Council member Lu to approve Agenda Item Numbers 3-5.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
3. Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager or Their Designee to Transact for Electric Supplies to Meet the City’s Electrical Needs under Electric Master Agreements; CEQA Status: Not a project, CEQA Guidelines 15378(b)(5)
4. Approve Expansion of the City’s Overnight Warming/Cooling Location Program, Approve an Operating Framework for Emergency Inclement Weather Response; CEQA status.
5. Approval of Contract Number C27196410 with Salas O’Brien Engineers, Inc. for an Amount Not- to-Exceed $298,716 to Provide Professional Design Services for the Electrification of City Facilities Capital Improvement Program Project PE -24001, for a Contract Term through August 24, 2029; CEQA Status – Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301
City Manager Comments
Ed Shikada, City Manager
Action Items
6. Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Various Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapters in Titles 16 and 18 to Address Changes in State Law and Direction from City Council Regarding Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. CEQA Status: Exempt From the Provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
MOTION: Councilmember Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Vice Mayor to:
A) Approve staff & Planning and Transportation Commission recommendation;
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 08/17/2026
B) Direct staff to return to Council on C onsent Calendar an ordinance to allow for separate ADU conveyance (attachment C) with the feedback provided by council, including:
1. Removal of the 600-foot notice requirement
2. Require units be used only for residential purposes
3. Clarify Section M of the Ordinance related to fees and establish a set fee MOTION PASSED/FAILED: X-X
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilmember Lauing moved, seconded by Council member Reckdahl to:
A) Approve staff & P lanning and Transportation Commission recommendation outlined in the packet;
B) Direct staff to return to Planning and Transportation Commission with an Ordinance to allow streamlined separate ADU conveyance, and come back to Council with their recommendation before the end of 2026.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION PASSED: 4-3, Stone, Veenker, Lythcott-Haims no
7. P
UBLIC HEARING/QUASI -JUDICIAL. 762 San Antonio Road [24PLN -001 20]: Request for
Approval of a Major Architectural Review Application to Demolish Three Existing Commercial Buildings and Construct an Eight -Story Multi -Family Residential Building Containing 228 Rental Apartments. The Project is Proposed in Accordance with California Government Code Section 65589.5(d)(5) “Builders Remedy". CEQA Status: An Addendum to the Previously Certified Environmental Impact Report for the Housing Incentive Program Expansion and 788 San Antonio Mixed Use Project (SCH # 2019090070) has Been Prepared. Zoning District: CS (AD); Service Commercial (Automobile Dealership).
M
OTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to:
1. Consider the Addendum to the previously certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (SCH#2019090070) (Attachment F); and
2. Approve the Major Architectural Review application based on findings and subject to conditions of approval in the Record of Land Use Action (RLUA) in Attachment B a. Including SECTION 4 conditions of approval; and,
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 08/17/2026
b. To modify conditions of approval 99 as follows:
c. Modify SECTION 1. Background. B. to read:
Waiver 2: Upper Floor Step-back (6-foot step-back where 10-foot is required) and step-back beginning at 65 feet in height rather than 55 feet.
3. Refer to staff to evaluate and return to Council with a review of accelerating the San Antonio Road bike lane initiative.
MOTION PASSED: 7-0
Virtual Public Comment
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:28 P.M.
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Draft Action Minutes: 08/17/2026
ATTEST: 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.