DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD
TOWN OF WOODSIDE
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES February 27, 2024
Independence Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, Woodside 7:00 p.m.
Councilmember Shaw's Teleconference Location: Spirit Mountain Casino, 27100 SW Salmon River Hwy, Grand Ronde, OR 97347, Room 415
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wall called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor WalL Staff Present:
Kevin Bryant, Town Manager
Jean Savaree, Town Attorney
Sage Schaan, Planning Director
Yazdan Emrani, Town Engineer/Public Works Director
Brandi deGarmeaux, Senior Management Analyst
Jennifer Li, Town Clerk
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Three students from the Woodside Elementary School led the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMUNICATIONS
Don Pugh, Glenwood Ave, spoke in opposition to the excess outdoor seating allowed by the COVID-19 emergency declaration, citing the end of COVID-19 and parking issues, and urged the Town to enforce the ru(es of the original 2016 Conditional Use Permit.
Jason, resident, spoke in opposition to a home school proposed at 258 Kings Mountain Road, citing concerns about noise, traffic, violations of codes, and insufficient infrastructure to support such a use, and requested a meeting with Mayor Wall to outline the concerns of the neighborhood.
Mayor Wall encouraged Jason to follow up with her about their concerns.
Bree-Anna Vail, resident, requested the Town help residents object to AT&T's application to the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to eliminate land line connections Mr. Bryant stated: County Supervisor Ray Mueller will meet with AT&T to understand the scope of this.
Councilmember Fluet added that Congresswoman Anna Eschoo's office is also working on a solution.
Jason advised lodging a formal complaint to the PUC.
David Mittelman, Grandview Drive, added that there were three hours of public communication on this topic at the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors meeting this morning; if AT&T were to not have the obligation of being the <"Carrier of Last Resort", they still need to provide service until another entity steps in to provide service.
PRESENT ATION
Moira Zbella, Chair of the Climate & Sustainability Committee, spoke of the Committee's activities, highlighting review of the Climate Action Plan and supporting solar initiatives throughout Town.
Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD
TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Mr. Bryant stated: there will be a Public Safety Town Hall on March 7, 2024, at 7 p.m.; the Housing Element is going through a sort review with State Housing and Community Development (HCD); tomorrow is a bid opening for the Kings Mountain Road/Highway 84 Crosswalk project; the new monthly eWoodsider was released mid-February, and there are 48 new subscribers.
Council discussion with staff included: concerns about Builder's Remedy until HCD approves the Housing Element; the estimated time of final approval from HCD is currently unknown; the next public hearing about the Housing Element would be adoption; the communication channels used to inform the community about the Public Safety Town Hall.
INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION (Continued from February 13, 2024) Matthew Apfel
Darrell Batchelder
Matt Garr
Richard Gonerko
Benjamin Jensen
Aydan Kutay
Alexander Tauber
Lyle Weaver
Matthew Apfel introduced himself.
Council's questions included: with the redrawn district lines, would he have any issue representing a district he is not a resident of; whether the ASRB's duties could be incorporated into the Planning Commission; what improvements or changes he would like to see on the Planning Commission; explanation about his comfort level for making unpopular decisions; whether there is any hesitation joining a body working on new and controversial changes for the Town.
In response to the Council's questions, Mr. Apfel stated: his appreciation for reviewing projects and iSSueS outside of his neighborhood while on the ASRB; the ASRB's duties could easily fold into the Planning Commission, however, he would caution that just because one can does not mean one should; he has enjoyed collaborating with applicants, and felt more impactful in a subjective role as opposed to the Planning Commission working from the code and may be guided by historical precedence; there should be assurance that the Planning Commission has enough flexibility to be a guiding body that helps applicants solve problems; from an applicant's perspective, they would desire one round of public hearings; it is concerning when an application is re-litigated/re-opened; it feels like the ASRB is a trial court, the Planning Commission is the appellate court, and the Town Council is the supreme court; predictability of the process is important; regarding making difficult decisions, he spoke of the Putnam subdivision and how the code is clear on what is allowed; changes are inevitable with disappointments along the way.
Richard Gonerko introduced himself.
Council's questions included: where he stands in terms of citizen advocacy versus Town regulations; whether his construction experience only includes single-family residences; his views on potentially needing to implement multi-unit housing in the Woodside Hills in response to State housing mandates; his experience with staff during his ADU application process; whether he has attended any ASRB or Planning Commission meetings; what he would improve on the Planning Commission; how he handles difficult decisions; his views of collaborating with community members; how he would deliver difficult news to an applicant.
In response to the Council's questions, Mr. Gonerko stated: the architectural committee is important for the approval and building process; his focus is on what is appropriate for the entire community; his experience is with single-family residences; he applied for an ADU last year, and ultimately decided to abandon the project due to costs; it was a good exercise of give-and-take and seeing the Woodside Hills Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-4208-530CF5458AAD Homeowner's Association's point of view and commitment; he has the necessary experience and logic to fill the role; Woodside is similar to the City of Los Altos; his only experience with the Town is for a Tree Removal permit; he has attended public hearings in the City of Los Altos and none in Woodside; regarding improving the Planning Commission, that is a question for a seasoned Commissioner and there will be a learning curve for him; denying an application and making recommendations for the sake of the community as a whole (i.e., maintaining the rural nature) is no problem for him; he likes to study the issues, explain what is necessary for maintenance, point out any issues, and suggest alternatives.
Darrell Batche(der introduced himself.
Council's questions included: why he abstained from the decision on the lot split application at 1101 Cariada; his thoughts on Measure A, as it was a very close vote; his thoughts on the Menlo Country Club's actions surrounding the pavilion; areas of improvement for the Planning Commission; whether he has any hesitation around implementing what would eventually be a part of the Housing Element.
Councilmember Shaw noted that the Planning Commission and the Town Council have different ways of collecting votes, and it should be evaluated in the future.
In response to the Council's questions, Mr. Batchelder stated: regarding 1101 Cariada, he did not feel the application to be as good as it could have been, but if he had been a deciding vote, he would have made a decision; listening and having enough information to make a decision are important; he has not read enough about Measure A; the Menlo Country Club had the right to build a pavilion, but it was a question whether they could use it for weddings and other events that disturb neighbors; to avoid a legal situation, it helps to find a compromise; in regards to improving the process, the Commission benefits from both new and seasoned volunteers that are enthusiastic and interested in the position; regarding the Housing Element, he worrders if the Town regulations are too inflexible; some changes are small, but costly.
The Pub(ic Comment Period opened and closed at 8:19 p.m.
Three rounds of voting resulted in the following Commissioners with at least four Councilmember votes:
Matthew Apfel, Matt Garr, Richard Gonerko, Alexander Tauber, and Lyle Weaver.
Councilmember Dombkowski moved to appoint Matthew Apfel to represent District 3 while the other Commissioners will represent their home districts.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Fluet and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall None
INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT TO THE ASRB (Continued from February 13, 2024) David Mittelman
Vladimir Taft
Mayor Wall noted: with the appointment of Matthew Apfel to the Planning Commission, there are two vacancies on the ASRB; both candidates were interviewed at the last meeting.
Councilmember Brown moved to appoint David Mittelman and Vladimir Taft to the ASRB.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Fluet and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall None
TOWN COjlTTEE APPONTMENTS
Councilmember Goeld spoke of supporting all 31 reappointment requests plus the five new applicants.
Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD CounciLmember Goeld moved to appoint and reappoint all volunteers.
Motion seconded by Councilmember FLuet and approved by roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall NOES: None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Register of Demands Against the Town of Woodside from February 1 through 16, 2024.
2. 2023-24 January Monthly Investment Activity Report.
3. Change In the Pars Strategic Asset Combination from Capital Appreciation Strategy to Balanced Index.
4. 2023-24 Mid-Year Financial Report and Resolution Amending the Adopted Budget for 2023-24, Resolution No. 2024 - 7664
5. Annual Reporting for the Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2023.
6. Annual Progress Report for the General Plan (2023).
CounciLmember Goeld moved approval of the Consent Calendar Items 1 to 6.
Motion seconded by Councilmember FLuet and approved by roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall NOES: None
Mayor Wall acknowledged Councilmember Dombkowski's service, commitment, and efforts on Item 3.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Acceptance of 2022-23 Audited Basic Financial Statements, Gann (Proposition 1l1 ) Appropriations Limit Review, Measure A and W Special Revenue Fund Reports, Memorandum on Internal Control and Required Communications, and Town Manager's Report on the Town's 2022-23 Financial Self Assessment.
Dave Eichler, Chair of Audit Committee, presented the Financial Statements.
The Council commended staff and the Audit Committee for their financial administration and detailed work.
In response to the Council's question about whether there is a potential need to start the recruitment process to fill any vacancies on the Audit Committee, Mr. Eichler stated: no.
The Public Comment Period opened and closed at 8:48 p.m.
Council's comments included: the audit process can be frustrating; the Town is fortunate to be served by the level of senior financial executive expertise money cannot buy; the Audit Committee has strived to improve the document every year; having worked.with Maze and Associates for three years, the process works; supportive of accepting these documents.
CounciLmember Goeld moved to approve Item A.
Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 4
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD Motion seconded by Councilmember Brown and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Brown, Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall None
B. Resolution Authoriztng the Town of Woodside to Deploy a solar Photovoltaic System at Town Hall and Independence Hall in partnership with Peninsula Clean Energy Should the Town Determine There are Cost Benefits Following Participatton in a Collaborative Procurement Led by Peninsula Clean Energy.
Resolution No. 2024 - 7665
Mr. Bryant introduced Peter Levitt, Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), who will present first, and then Ms. deGarmeaux will follow up with Woodside-specific information.
Mr. Levitt presented the program.
Ms. deGarmeaux noted that RafaeL Reyes, PCE, is also online, and she presented the staff report.
Council's questions included: would the design items that were not previously factored in be for this specific project or for the entire collective; how over-production metering works; whether batteries are still beneficial if there is over-production; how the cost of solar will increase almost 1 0% a year when so much money has already been invested into the technology nationwide; why Barkley Fields and Park was not a viable alternate site; clarification about the 58.4% efficiency performance of solar generation; clarification about the six-year review and 20-year term of the contract; if the Town is ready for battery storage in two years, would PCE be a partner in purchasing that equipment and installation; what the estimated cost for adding battery storage would be; if solar technology dramatically improves in the next 10 years, would PCE assist with upgrading the system; clarification about the Power Purchase Agreement.
In response to the Council's questions, Mr. Levitt stated: yes, calculations are highly individualized to the site (e.g., staging area, roof racking material); you pay to produce solar, and in the evening, you draw from solar credits; at the end of the year, you are paid a net amount (i.e., excess generation could be 5- 10% above annual load); this array is not designed to offset more than 100% of the annual load; regarding batteries, PCE is primarily focused on installing solar first so that Net 2.O can be successfully grandfathered in; after that, PCE will return to the Town with a cost-benefit analysis of adding battery storage; the value propositions are adding energy resiliency at these facilities and the prospect of further managing energy bills; the biggest drivers of projected cost increase are the need for utilities to maintain infrastructure lines, and the transmission and distribution costs over the next 20 years; the industry does not project energy costs to decrease wholistically; Barkley Fields and Park has very little, if any, energy usage on site compared to this facility; solar can be located on fields, however, in this case, the costs outweigh the benefits; community solar is not an option for Woodside because those programs focus on disadvantaged communities; the net metering structure only allows for co-located solar generation with on-site usage; under completely ideal circumstances, solar production would be 100%; each site has inefficiencies that would reduce production (e.g., modest shading during some parts of the year/day); the Town would not be penalized for having lower production; the other facilities in the program anchor this project economically by having an average production that is higher than this specific project; one of the reasons that the Town might choose to consider accelerating this project is that if they choose not to move forward with this solar project, then they would need to move forward with another in the future that would be much smaller and would offset a much smaller portion of the energy bill, thus providing savings that are also directionalLy lower; pursing a larger system that is available to the Town now could be budgetary rationale for accelerating some sort of roof project as it might pay for the roof upgrade based on the projected future savings of the array; research and development on solar technology started in the mid-2000's, and the per capita build cost for solar has tapered out; many of the efficiencies and technology gains already seen with solar panels (e.g., inverters, racking technology) happened 10 years ago; at the end of 20 years, PCE can remove the panels if the Town is unhappy with performance; at six years, the options are to purchase the array or to continue the same structure of the Power Purchase Agreement; currently, PCE does not have a managed program to offer battery storage that would pair to the solar array after the fact, however, they intend to; PCE would need to do an analysis of the facility load and use cases to understand which proposition to target for battery storage; it is highly unLikely for Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 5
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD solar technology to improve dramatically; cost efficiencies have not decreased; the agreement does not allow for any changes due to technology improvements; the Power Purchase Agreement commits the Town to purchase energy from the solar array over the contract term; there is no dollar exchange between the Town and any other party; there are terms in the contract that would alLow PCE to walk away if there are certain costs that were excluded from price increases.
In response to Council's question about the current assessment of the two roofs, staff stated: knowing the age and observing the shingles from the ground, they are at the end of its useful life; they are waiting to receive an estimate for replacing both roofs on Town Hall and Independence Hall; in the budget, there is a line item for building maintenance at 550,000 annually, which would not be enough for roof replacement; a typical lifespan of a roof is 30 years.
In response to Council's question about how the project would further Woodside's Climate Action Plan, Ms. Zbella stated: one of the 19 measures explicitly states that installing rooftop solar on Woodside properties would further the goals of the Climate Action Plan.
In response to Council's question about support from the Woodside History Committee, Mr. Bryant stated:
the one dissenting vote was the principle of using historic structures for solar; the Committee Chair is an architect who stated that one analysis when dealing with a historic structure is to ascertain whether the historic nature of the structure will be lost or damaged after undoing a change; in this case, it would not; another member commented on the project being a new adaptation of Independence Hall that meets the community's needs; seven out of eight members approved of the project.
In response to Council's question about needing to go through the ASRB or the Planning Commission for review, Mr. Bryant stated: solar array does not require any design review.
The Public Comment Period opened at 9:42 p.m.
David Mittelman, Grandview Drive, stated: his support for solar and replacing the roofs; a suggestion to use standing seam for clamping solar onto; solar costs are increasing because government subsidies will be gone by 2028; a suggestion to consider carbon credits (i.e., reselling power on a secondary market).
In response to Mr. Mittelman's question about powering Town Hall during a power outage, Mr. Levitt said:
the solar panels would not power Town Hall because solar panels need to know when solar power is coming to and from the grid; an automatic transfer switch wou(d trigger the system off-line so that line workers from PGEtE can reenergize the line safely without jeopardizing the system.
Ehsan Farkhondeh, Alta Vista Road, expressed support for solar panels.
Vladimir Taft, Preston Road, suggested delaying approval until battery storage is included or adding an addendum to stipulate battery storage.
Ed Kahl, Whiskey Hill Road, stated: his opposition to the project; preference for on-ground solar installation over roof-top; widespread ongoing technological advances will make the project obsolete in five years.
Ms. Zbella, Clim.ate & Sustainability Committee, expressed support and cited two benefits, which are:
Woodside directly contributing to the State's clean energy future, and the Town setting an example for residents to build more resiliency.
The PubLic Comment Period cLosed at 10:00 p.m.
Councilmember Brown's comments against the project included: concern about technology advancements over the 20-year plan; not being convinced that ground-mounted solar is not an option; interest in exploring ground-mounted solar options for residents and the Town; solar panels on a historic building would detract from the rural and scenic nature of Town.
The Council's comments included: commitment to clean energy; presentations were outstanding today; Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 6
DocuSign Envelope ID: 3360F8A3-58F3-439E-A208-530CF5458AAD concern about the premature use of tax dollars for roof replacement as there are limited funds and many priorities to address; concern about the not-ideal location or the roof-mounted solar; the need to act now to access available economic benefits; battery storage is important and can be installed later; if the History Committee is supportive, he can be supportive; the benefits of acting now compared to five years ago are: there are no upfront costs, PCEdoes the leg work, and PCEwill maintain it; PCEwill be a fantastic partner in this venture rather than a company that might be bought multiple times; there is nothing more rural than obtaining energy from the sun in a clean and natural way; multiple engineers stated that obsolescence is not an issue; when designing the system, an automatic transfer switch and back up battery storage need to be kept in mind; PCE's projections of 5168,000 over 20 years goes a long way to offset the cost of a roof replacement; with PG&E upgrading and maintaining infrastructure (e.g., undergrounding lines, fire resiLiency), rates are going to increase; the program uses local union labor to construct the arrays.
Councilmember Fluet moved to adopt the Resolution.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Shaw and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Dombkowski, Fluet, Goeld, Shaw, and Mayor Wall Councilmember Brown
REPORTS
C. Volunteer Committee Updates.
Mr. Bryant stated: there will be an upcoming study session on the ASRBand role of the volunteer Committees
D. Mayor and Councilmember Communications.
Councilmember Goeld congratulated the new members of the Planning Commission and the ASRB, and clarified a comment made earlier that the Woodside Hills does not include Barkley Fields and Park.
Councilmember Fluet encouraged all to advertise the upcoming Public Safety Town Hall on March 7, 2024.
Mayor Wall added that the proposed agenda will cover recent trends in crime and surrounding communities, actions the Sheriff's Office is taking to address crime, actions residents can take, automated license plate readers, the California Highway Patrol will talk about efforts and recommendations on curbing speeding at Four Corners, the upcoming Sheriff's Contract renewal, and time for questions and answers.
In response to Council's question about whether the Woodside Fire Protection District would attend, Mr.
Bryant stated: no, this Town Hall will be focused on crime.
COAAMUNICATIONS
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Wall adjourned the meeting at 10:25 p.m.
l.b
Clerk of the Town of Woodside
APPROVED:
Mayor of the Town of Woodside
Town Council Meeting Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 7