City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: September 14, 2026
Report #:2606-6478
TITLE
Appointment of Candidates to the Historic Resources Board (HRB); CEQA Status – Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council make up to three appointments to fill the full-term vacancies on the HRB, and authorize staff to continue recruitment if any positions are not filled through this action.
BACKGROUND
Recruitment for the Historic Resources Board opened on January 13, 2026 and was extended until a sufficient number of applications were received. Details on the vacancies and membership requirements are summarized in the analysis section. Applications may be accessed online1. The City Council scheduled interviews to occur on September 9, 2026. These interviews may be viewed on the City’s YouTube Channel2.
ANALYSIS
A summary of the vacancies and eligibility requirements are included below. In addition to the requirements below, no commissioners can be Councilmembers, officers, or employees of the City.
Historic Resources Board (HRB)
Vacancies and Term Dates Seat Numbers Number of Applicants 3 Full Terms
4/1/26 – 3/31/29
1, 2, 3 3
1 August 24, 2026, City Council Staff Report #2605-6350 https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=897164&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 2 City of Palo Alto YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto
HRB Eligibility Requirements5:
Palo Alto residency is not required
All members shall have a demonstrated interest in and knowledge of history, architecture or historic preservation.
Two members shall be professionals in the disciplines of architecture, architectural history, planning, landscape architecture, or related disciplines, or pre-historic and historic archeology, folklore, cultural anthropology, curation, or conservation. oThis requirement is currently fulfilled by three members of the commission, two of which do not have expiring terms. Therefore, this requirement will remain fulfilled regardless of applicant selection in this recruitment. At least one member shall possess academic education or practical experience in history or a related field such as American studies, American civilization, or cultural geography. oThis requirement is currently fulfilled by three members of the commission, and all three have expired terms in this recruitment. At least one new appointment must meet this requirement.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
None.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
City staff publicized the recruitment through the City’s Uplift Local community newsletter, City Clerk’s Office newsletters, the City’s website, and the City’s social media channels. The recruitment was also advertised in both print and online in the Palo Alto Daily Post, as well as the Palo Alto Weekly print and a LinkedIn online ad. Recruitment information was also posted at Palo Alto libraries, City Hall, and public facing facilities. Information was also emailed to previous applicants, community-based organizations, and businesses related to the commission’s issue areas.
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
5 Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 2.27.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0- 0-0-61523