10/24/2016 - cityofpaloalto.org

701-32

DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE:

LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL

RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS

ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS

ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES

ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES

Prepared for: 10/24/2016 Document dates: 10/5/2016 – 10/12/2016

Set 1

Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet

reproduction in a given week.

City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 10/12/2016 7:54 AM

1

Carnahan, David

From: Boris Foelsch <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:18 PMTo: Council, CitySubject: Adobe Creek Bike Bridge

Honorable Members of the City Council, Soon, maybe this week, the rains will lead to the closure of the 101 underpass at Adobe Creek. That, along with the election, reminds me of the fact that many of us seem to have lost track of what is happening with the overpass project which many of us are eagerly awaiting, especially here on the south side of town. I also wonder if we're in any danger of losing any of the funding, (IIRC from the county) we got if we don't do anything with it. Will we move quickly enough? Can you please clarify that? It's such a cost effective project. Without easy access that avoids San Antonio, more of us will drive again in the winter, not because we want to. Please get it done for your constituents! Sincerely, Boris Foelsch Louis Rd.


1

Carnahan, David

From: Leda Krakirian <[email protected]>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 10:17 AMTo: Council, CitySubject: aircraft noise

To The City Council, Thank you for your work towards reducing aircraft noise and pollution, which has increased exponentially since NextGen implementation accelerated about a year and a half ago. Low-flying aircraft headed to SFO and San Jose Airports continue to be a source of great disturbance to our lives in Leland Manor, Palo Alto. Hundreds of these flights are significantly below 5000 and even 3000 feet. The flights begin well before dawn and continue throughout the day to past midnight, disturbing all facets of our life from work and study, to sleep and quiet. At certain times of the the day the noise is just continuous without a break between one aircraft passing and another one arriving overhead. This disturbance continues to worsen each week, with more planes that seem to be getting lower in altitude and with later and earlier flight hours. I urge you to please do your utmost to alleviate and reverse this problem. We appreciate the work that you have done so far. Unfortunately the problem has worsened with louder, lower and more frequent aircrafts. We urge you to take stronger action towards changing NextGen implementation as currently envisioned by the FAA and help put into place a different concept that takes into account the vast disturbance of citizens by continuing overhead low-flying, concentrated aircraft. Sincerely, Leda Krakirian


1

Carnahan, David

From: Rosemary Gill <[email protected]>Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 6:44 PMTo: Council, CitySubject: Airplane noise

Please work to alleviate the ongoing issue of airplane noise over this area. It is particularly disturbing at night. I had a very hard time going to sleep last night. 11 o'clock, midnight, 1 am, flights overhead as frequently as every 3-5 minutes. It. Never. Stops! In our second story bedroom, it sounds as if the planes are only a few feet above us. Please bring us some relief from this. Thank you, Rosemary Gill 2783 South Court Palo Alto, CA 94306


1

Carnahan, David

From: Amrutha Kattamuri <[email protected]>Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2016 10:26 PMTo: Ann L; Council, CitySubject: Concerned Parents of Palo Alto School district regarding dangers of RF/EMF radiation

Dear City Council, We are current parents of Palo Alto Unified School District reaching out to you to discuss about the public health issue related to chronic environmental exposure of RF/EMF radiation. My friend Ann (Medical Doctor, Physical Medicine and Rehab) and I have been working on bringing awareness about detrimental health effects that range from allergies, ADHD, Autism, depression, rashes, nosebleeds to cancer, due to (chronic) exposure to microwave radiation (Any Wireless technology - Ex: exposure to radiation from cell towers, WiFi routers, etc) on developing children and driving/opting for safe technology in schools among parents, teachers, our principal, district CTO, district PTA members, school board members, district sustainable schools committee members, Sixth district PTA - VP of health, neighbors. This has been going on since the beginning of February, when I first discussed this issue with our pediatrician. We have also been working on educating general public and have been reaching out to Santa Clara County Supervisor and his staff, City Council, School Board members and congress personnel, public health officer regarding this, as this is also a public health issue. We have communicated with 23 multidisciplinary experts on this topic and received tremendous support and tons of research material and articles on this topic. There are a few parents in California and other state public schools, who are tirelessly working on this important task to protect our little children. Following are a few links that we picked to share with you among the several tons of research articles that we received from these experts: http://ehtrust.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=D98K2zvjBWI https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=vGQP0NZVk74 It would be great if it is possible for us to meet with you


2

to discuss further about this. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thank You! Best Regards, Amrutha

City of Palo Alto | City Clerk's Office | 10/6/2016 1:26 PM

1

Carnahan, David

From: Arlene Goetze <[email protected]>Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 12:32 PMTo: Dave Cortese; Joe SimitianSubject: Correction: arsenic in fluorides the same

Correction: On Oct. 4, I sent one email with 5 short articles about Fluoride starting in San Jose on Dec. 5. No. 2 article about arsenic being higher in hydrofluosilicic acid put in tap water than sodium fluoride in toothpaste is incorrect.

There is no advantage of sodium fluoride over HFSA relating to arsenic. Dr Hirzy, author of the article apologizes for the math mistake he made in that research. However, Phyllis Mullenix, expert toxicologist, wrote in 2014 that Fluoride additives contain metal contaminants that must be diluted to meet drinking water regulations. Her study provides determination of the metal content of raw fluoride products. Her conclusion is that "Such contaminant content creates a regulatory blind spot that jeopardizes any safe use of fluoride additives". A new perspective on metals and other contaminants in fluoridation chemicals by Phyllis Mullenix, International Journal of Occupational and Envionmental Health, 2014, Vol.20 NO.2157 Sorry for the error. Arlene Goetze, No Toxins for Children, [email protected] N.B. Dr. Mullenix did 2 years of study on fluoride in mice over 20 years ago and found that every male mouse/rat in 500 was born with ADHD and females with central nervous system problems. ADHD did not exist in 1950 when sodium fluoride was put in U.S. water. It showed up in 1960s when hydrofluosilicic acid (a waste product from fertilizer that is much cheaper than what comes from aluminum) was put in. Here's what Healdsburg residents submitted as reasons for their recent moratorium initiative petition: Recent studies strongly indicate that fluoridated water, acting as a neurotoxin, has adverse effects on early childhood brain development, including ADHD (Malin & Till 2015). Fluoridated water also plays a role in hypothyroid condition, and in certain cancers. Particularly concerning, fluoridation chemical certification deals only with average concentrations per contaminant.


2

“However...each raw additive batch supplied to water facilities does not come labeled with concentrations per contaminant. This omission distorts exposure profiles and the risks associated with accidents and routine use." - From “A new perspective on metals and other contaminants in fluoridation chemicals” (Mullenix 2014). \


1

Carnahan, David

From: Loran Harding <[email protected]>Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2016 5:01 PMTo: dennisbalakian; David Balakian; Doug Vagim; Mark Kreutzer; huidentalsanmateo;

Raymond Rivas; [email protected]; Mayor; CityManager; sal.quintero; paul.caprioglio; [email protected]; lee.brand; bretthedrick; beachrides; mike; [email protected]; terry; Cathy Lewis; Tranil Thomas; [email protected]; kfsndesk; newsdesk; [email protected]; richard.wenzel; popoff; Irv Weissman; [email protected]; [email protected]; President; [email protected]; [email protected]; robert.andersen; Ann Duncan; jboren; bmcewen; Daniel Zack; Dan Walters; Council, City; Greg.Gatzka; Gary Turgeon; bballpod; Chris Field; Paul Dictos; hennessy; steve.hogg; igorstrav; Joel Stiner; Jason Tarvin; jerry ruopoli; kclark; Mark Standriff; scott.mozier; [email protected]; Steve Wayte; [email protected]

Subject: Fwd: Morgan Hill and the four routes under consideration by HSR there

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Loran Harding <[email protected]> Date: Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 4:43 PM Subject: Fwd: Morgan Hill and the four routes under consideration by HSR there To: Dan Richard <[email protected]>

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Loran Harding <[email protected]> Date: Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 4:16 PM Subject: Fwd: Morgan Hill and the four routes under consideration by HSR there To: Loran Harding <[email protected]>




2

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Loran Harding <[email protected]> Date: Sat, Oct 8, 2016 at 3:11 PM Subject: Morgan Hill and the four routes under consideration by HSR there To: Loran Harding <[email protected]>

Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 Mr. Dan Richard Chairman of the Board California High Speed Rail Authority Dan- I thought you should see this, if you have not done so already. http://www.morganhilltimes.com/opinion/guest-view-weigh-in-now-on-hsr-route-through-morgan/article_8b8df7a2-8bf6-11e6-8a67-ebd9634afadc.html I spent yesterday in San Mateo, Burlingame and Palo Alto. After a prep for a crown by the great Dr. Lawrence Hsu at the great Hui Dental Group in San Mateo, I took my Breitling to Topper Jewelers in B'game for a battery. It's like a trip to 1950. I told them "There must be a mutation here. All of the women in Burlingame are blond". They sell a lot of high-end watches and have a great reputation. These blond women zip around in big Mercedes, Audis, BMWs and, I am sure, Cadillacs, etc. Blond high school girls walk along on the sidewalk ignoring me, even with my "Stanford Alumni" T-shirt. Jail bait one and all, of course. Then to the Stanford Shopping Center where I spent more time than I should have in the Tesla store. They said "fire away" when I asked if I could take pictures. They have a Model S, a Model X, and a Model S chasis with wheels, on the floor. I sat in the Model X again and it just exudes quality. Huge touch screen. Touch it, and your door opens or closes. The windshield wraps up and up into the roof, the largest single sheet of glass in any production vehicle. Gull-wing doors sense if any obstruction is there as they open or close and, if there is one, they stop. There is kind of a trim strip along the edge of the door, and that has the sensor in it. You'd never guess it. The chasis is fascinating. It says in fine print right in the metal that it is an alloy of Al, Si, Mg, and Mn. The floor of it is a big flat space and the batts are under it, so distributed weight, as they will be in the Chevy Bolt. The store goes clear through a building there, and so they can drive cars through the back, glass doors by just putting a little ramp at the curb. They have a few out in the parking lot if anyone wants a test drive. If GM puts a store in Stanford Shopping Center, especially showing, and selling, the Volt and Bolt, they should try to get the same arrangement. The Tesla store is in a big building that the Stanford Shopping Center built recently, trying to absorb all of the wealth. Next to Tesla is an even bigger Apple Store, with three tall glass walls. Must be over 200' long. The watches and phones are just lying out on tables there. We joke here that they wouldn't do that in Fresno. The electronics and the tables would soon disappear.


3

I asked if they actually sell the Teslas there, and he said "yes". The customers then take delivery at a store in Menlo Park on El Camino Real. He said one man with his kids looked at the Teslas and one child created one on the computer and asked if they could buy it. We'll have to ask your mother. The man returned an hour later with his wife and they bought it, for $140,000. A Model X can run to that, apparently. I asked if one can finance a Tesla, and he said yes. I mentioned that I was in the Executive Office of GMAC in New York and that, by the 80's, GMAC had a net income of over $1 billion. This it remits as a dividend to its one shareholder, GM- if, when, and to the extent that GM directs it to do. So there is money to be made in financing cars. Does Burlingame, Atherton, Palo Alto exude wealth? I think so. And GM does not have a store in Stanford Shopping Center, the epicenter of the world for technology and wealth. If they run out of people with $40 billion to spend, there are always the brain surgeons hard at work at the Stanford Medical Center, a 10 minute walk away. It is a center for displaying technology, innovation and quality. GM should be in there. Then a fabulous dinner at the McDonald's in SSC, and then over to Palo Alto and Mr. Packard's Stanford Movie Theatre. He is running a "Vienna Festival" and showed two German movies last night made ~1931 and 1932, in Deutschland. Alles auf Deutsch, naturlich. The sound quality was still so bad then that it was hard to catch all of the Deutsch. Too bad, because one can learn there. You don't invite someone to come in with Kommen Sie hierein. It's just "Hierein". One movie featured a young Conrad Veidt, of 1942 Casablanca fame. 1932 was the pit of the Depression in the U.S., and if Hollywood had made those, they would have been more amateurish, with less production value. The Germans came out of the Depression earlier than we did, or at least they put more money into their movies by 1932 than Hollywood did. As you looked at all of these German actors, you had to realize that within a year or two, they would be living under the rule of Adolph Hitler. They displayed a certain giddiness at points, as if they knew that their salvation was just around the corner. I still hope that HSR can be built clear up the peninsula to San Francisco. If it is not too intrusive, it would be a fitting, high-quality addition to a beautiful, super-wealthy area of the United States. The Athertonions would come to love it, I believe. Can't it be buried through Atherton? If one tried to build HSR 100 feet from Buckingham Palace, or the White House, there would be justifiable calls for it to be built underground. It is apparently proposed to run that close to some homes in Atherton, which average $4.5 million. Some run to $35 million. Mr. L. William Harding Fresno, Ca.


4


1

Carnahan, David

From: Kerry Yarkin <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 8:16 AMTo: Council, CitySubject: Intolerable Flight Tracks

Dear City Councilmen/women: I just received the Freytag and Assoc. route proposals,which I am sure you have all received too. For these route solutions to get a fair hearing, I would love to see our CITY come out with ONE voice to support these solutions. I think your presence at the Select Committee on this Thursday, October 13, 1 - 5 pm in the Council Chambers would be a GREAT time to show support. Could you and your fellow Council Members come and sit together in the front row? This would definitely get the attention of the Select Committee. Also, could the City Manager, Asst. City Manager and City Attorney also attend this meeting to show that the Full weight of our City is behind these proposals? So far, I have attend all the Select Committee Meetings and am dismayed that Palo Alto is barely even mentioned, even though I live with 250 or more jets flying over my home, with the intersection of Oceanic, Bodega and Serfr converging over where I live in Midtown. The noise is persistent and intolerable. My quality of life and health has been very much affected, and I think seriously about moving out of Palo Alto to live in a peaceful, quiet place (which Palo Alto used to be for my family). I do want to thank Eric and Greg for attending many of the Select Committee Meetings, and all of you for spending City monies to hire Freytag and Assoc. to do the air route study. Now is the time to really come out strong and show support. Please come and sit with your fellow Palo Altans so we can make a STRONG showing at this Thursday's meeting! By the way, Santa Cruz has about 30 citizens that drive from Santa Cruz, wearing red shirts to attend these 3 hour meetings. Respectfully, Kerry Yarkin Leadership Palo Alto 2015


1

Carnahan, David

From: Stephanie Munoz <[email protected]>Sent: Friday, October 07, 2016 10:02 PMTo: Kniss, Liz (internal)Cc: David Werner; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Council, CitySubject: microunits can be beautiful as well as practical.

Dear Liz: I think the reason you have had such success getting elected is because of your nurse's training: people know they can depend on you to run whatever you're running so it works. Maybe not always run it the way we might prefer, but it works. Well, whoever second guessed the original Palo Alto planners--I guess it was Terman--improved in a way that didn't work. He knew there was a lot of money to be made if Stanford, instead of building houses in its foothills, put its land and its superior knowledge in the service of a knowledge industry. And there was, and the then City Fathers went along because all that money would provide a magnificent school system and they wouldn't have to share it with the masses. Of course, he wasn't doing Mrs. Stanford any favor because the masses--the poor boys of California--were exactly what she intended to educate. She had already reared one paragon to be governor or senator like his father, or maybe President, and typhoid fever put an end to her plans But if you have the destination here, and the workers have to go somewhere else, then all the pathway in between, both in the town and outside the town, becomes very congested, even the air. The surrounding towns may not be as smart, well educated and wealthy as Palo Alto, but they're not stlupid, and they soon started setting up money factories of their own, so the congestion and air pollution spread out even farther. The only remedy--and I notice some philanthropist is funding a Stanford MBA if the recipient will move to the Midwest. Take an interest in Facebooks five thousand jobs, with a small fraction to be housed? Menlo Park is also going to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and the irony is that a four million dollar gymnasium does not make better educated citizens, and if housing is too expensive for the teachers to teach in Palo Alto, you're killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. What's keeping you from building teacher housing? The city has to keep its money someplace, and nice rentals make lots of money, even if the rent is reasonable. I talked to the associate superintendent; he said they love to have Palo Alto build them some teacher housing. Incidentally, when you geve p ermission for a developer to build more than he was previously allowed to build, you're gifting him with a large amount of extra profit.That's the time--when he stands to improve his profit margin--to ask for rent control. Set an initial rent agreed by all to be an adequate profit, and increase it by a percent every year. Give some thought to today's paper. Some workers who have families down in Anaheim are willing to sleep 14 to a house during the week so as to keep their job in high tech here. But you aren't going to let him do it, are you? What's wrong with the tech company building units of 200 square feet, at or near their workplace, intended for singles. You asked "Where else are such small units?" Why, all over the world. They call them "hotels". They start out as a luxury, for people with the means to travel, or the need to travel to make money; As cities grow, the center becomes older, denser, and less desirable for living, so the hotels become living units for the less prosperous. Palo Alto has not been willing to tolerate any part of town being "second rate" or "less desirable"--One President Hotel is enough, thank you, but small doesn't have to mean "poor". The hotels catering to businessmen in


2

Paris are very small, but very nice, very expensive, If people were allowed to share the space, it would be affordable. If a thousand square foot house rents for $2,000 a month, why couldn't five young workers, or five pensioners, pay $400. a month each to share the same amount of space? One of my grandsons, who graduated from Stanford last year, is living in SF in a five bedroom house with four other people; each of them pays $1000 each. Of course, it's a real house, but if you designed multies with ample garden space, about 100 square feet each, each, same FAR, and the same Sunset magazine effect of indoor, outdoor California living. I have an apartment at 101 Alma, which was built with those generous balconies, and I'm in the process of furnishing the swing bedroom and balcony so I can invite all of you deciders to see just how gorgeous a 200 square foot sro could be. I hope you'll come. Of course, the most useful feature is location on the 22 bus line as is the VTA property now under consideration. Surely we could have one place in town dedicated to people who can't or are willing not to drive cars? What is the point of "transit oriented housing" if you intend that the occupants drive cars? Of course, seniors are a natural for carless housing because of their eyesight, or lack of it, and their tendency toward dementia, plus they have a small but steady income, and they can benefit from the Senio Nutrition Program (free for those who declare themselves in need) and they could share services: physical therapy, visiting nurse, housekeeping but it wouldn't have to be limited to seniors If it created a demand, more of these small units could be built. It seems to me, also, that if such little units were available, People wight be willing to help finance them with the proviso that , in exchange, they be at the head of the waiting list to occupy them, and their three bedroom houses could then be rented to some young family that can't afford to buy. The other possibility for low income housing has to do with the availability of land. Why is Stanford allowed profit from all that office space, but not obligated to furnish housing for hospital workers, both professionals and workers?who are by no means well paid, and there are three shifts for every position. And Stanford has all that land! hundreds and hundreds of acres.And what about the Federal government? Why should they be allowed to rent out to a tech company, when all the surrounding towns are impacted with workplaces, but in spite of all the money, have insufficient funds for the schooling and social services make necessary by years of putting profits before people? The last thing I want to bring to your attention is homelessness, especially of women. I was dumbfounded a couple of months ago when a woman who had just given birth by Caesarian Section was denied a tubal ligation which, by my lights, she had already paid for, since it's a fringe benefit of the pretty expensive section. Although I'm a Catholic, I'm scandalized that Catholics should presume to tell other people how to manage the most sacred and important role of a human being, bringing another person into this world, in which every square inch is owned by somebody or other. It seems to me if we're going to take it on ourselves to say that these poor children must be born, even if the mother thinks it's not a good idea, then we owe them the bare minimum of survival: food, shelter and medical care. We need single payer, that is, access for all to the medical system their taxes pay for, at the very least for children, and women, least of all young, fertile women, should just plain not be left out unprotected from the elements and predators. If necessary, herd them into city hall overnight. This is an election year, and you've done pretty well in the traditional centrist position, but Senator Sanders, an avowed Socialist Jew, struck a chord with many, many Americans, and certainly gave the traditionalists a run for their money. You know that what we have is just not working, and it doesn't require that we all go to Lesbos and succor the refugees, just a little turn in the direction of believing we are put on earth to help each other would make an enormous difference. How about it? Best wishes,


3

Stephanie Munoz


1

Carnahan, David

From: herb <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 3:46 PMTo: Historic Resources BoardCc: French, Amy; Silver, Cara; Council, City; Clerk, CitySubject: October 12, 2016, Historic Resources Board Meeting, Item #1: 450 Bryant Street

Herb Borock P. O. Box 632 Palo Alto, CA 94302 October 11, 2016 Historic Resources Board City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 OCTOBER 11, 2016, HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD MEETING, AGENDA ITEM #1 450 BRYANT STREET, AVENIDAS [16PLN-92] Dear Historic Resources Board: Today, October 11, 2016, you were not able to hold a legal meeting of the Historic Resources Board (HRB) because the officially posted agenda required by the Brown Act, the state's open meeting law, did not disclose that one of the HRB members whose participation was needed to create a quorum for doing business would be teleconferencing instead of being present in person at the meeting. While you still had a quorum of five members, two of the HRB members, Chair Martin Bernstein and Boardmember Beth Bunnenberg recused themselves from participation in the quasi-judicial matter of 450 Bryant Street because they had expressed an opinion about the application prior to hearing all evidence in a properly noticed and held meeting. When you were left with only three members present where a quorum is four members of the HRB, you continued the meeting to tomorrow, October 12, 2016, the Day of Atonement, but only after you proceeded to receive information and make comments on the proposed project despite the fact that I had already advised you that today's meeting violated the Brown Act and that the only things you could do were to adjourn and continue the item to a future meeting.


2

You seem to believe, based on advice of staff, that the Brown Act only applies to meetings where you vote, and that it was proper to receive information and make comments at today's meeting that was not a legal meeting of the HRB. The California Attorney General's guide to the Brown Act makes clear that meetings subject to the Act include "any congregation of a majority of the members of a legislative body at the same time and place to hear, discuss or deliberate upon any mater which is under the subject matter of the agency." Your meeting today that received information on the project, and at which you discussed and deliberated on the project despite the fact that the meeting was not properly noticed and you did not have a quorum of the HRB present, was subject to and a violation of the Brown Act. Expressing an opinion about a project outside a legal meeting when that project is a quasi-judicial matter creates a bias in the decision-making process. You do not have the option of participating in this quasi-judicial matter due to the "rule of necessity" that permits persons to participate in non-quasi-judicial matters in which the have a financial conflict of interest. I urge Vice Chair Wimmer, and Boardmembers Bower, Di Cicco, and Kohler to repent on the Day of Atonement and follow the example of Chair Bernstein and Boardmember Bunnenberg, and recuse yourselves from taking action on this project due to the fact that you stated your opinion of the project today outside of a legal meeting. Thank you for your consideration of these comments. Sincerely, Herb Borock


1

Carnahan, David

From: Kerry Yarkin <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 8:19 AMTo: Council, CitySubject: Please show support for Quality of Life

Dear City Councilmen/women: I just received the Freytag and Assoc. route proposals,which I am sure you have all received too. For these route solutions to get a fair hearing, I would love to see our CITY come out with ONE voice to support these solutions. I think your presence at the Select Committee on this Thursday, October 13, 1 - 5 pm in the Council Chambers would be a GREAT time to show support. Could you and your fellow Council Members come and sit together in the front row? This would definitely get the attention of the Select Committee. Also, could the City Manager, Asst. City Manager and City Attorney also attend this meeting to show that the Full weight of our City is behind these proposals? So far, I have attend all the Select Committee Meetings and am dismayed that Palo Alto is barely even mentioned, even though I live with 250 or more jets flying over my home, with the intersection of Oceanic, Bodega and Serfr converging over where I live in Midtown. The noise is persistent and intolerable. My quality of life and health has been very much affected, and I think seriously about moving out of Palo Alto to live in a peaceful, quiet place (which Palo Alto used to be for my family). I do want to thank Eric and Greg for attending many of the Select Committee Meetings, and all of you for spending City monies to hire Freytag and Assoc. to do the air route study. Now is the time to really come out strong and show support. Please come and sit with your fellow Palo Altans so we can make a STRONG showing at this Thursday's meeting! By the way, Santa Cruz has about 30 citizens that drive from Santa Cruz, wearing red shirts to attend these 3 hour meetings. Respectfully, Kerry Yarkin Leadership Palo Alto 2015


1

Carnahan, David

From: Keene, JamesSent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 4:10 PMTo: Gitelman, Hillary; Council, City; John GerrityCc: De Geus, Robert; Sartor, Mike; Mello, JoshuahSubject: Re: Dangerous Bee Hive in City Tree on Park Blvd

Thanks. Jim

Get Outlook for iOS _____________________________ From: Gitelman, Hillary <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 6, 2016 8:12 AM Subject: RE: Dangerous Bee Hive in City Tree on Park Blvd To: John Gerrity <[email protected]>, Council, City <[email protected]> Cc: Mello, Joshuah <[email protected]>, De Geus, Robert <[email protected]>, Sartor, Mike <[email protected]>

John: Thanks for getting in touch. Someone from the City’s parks staff who is knowledgeable about such matters is going to inspect and see what steps need to be taken. They have a good protocol in place and will see if signage, hive relocation, or other steps are necessary. Hillary

Hillary Gitelman | Planning Director | P&CE Department 250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA 94301

T: 650.329.2321 |E:[email protected]

Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you!

From: John Gerrity [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2016 4:38 PM To: Council, City Cc: John Gerrity Subject: Dangerous Bee Hive in City Tree on Park Blvd

Palo Alto City Council,


2

This is to let you know of a largebee hive in a City owned tree which is located near the intersection of Park Blvd and Cambridge Ave at approximately 2276 Park Blvd. The bee hive is very close to the sidewalk, parking curb and bike lane which could make it a threat to nearby human traffic.

When the City encouraged bicyclists to use the bike lanes on Park Blvd as a part of its vision for Park Blvd to be a major bike route, it probably did not anticipate that bicyclists would have to ride through an area of the north bound bike lane where bees are coming and going from a large bee hive in a tree owned by the City. It would make sense for the City to inform the public of this danger, especially for those with bee allergies like me, so when they ride bicycles through this area they can decide whether or not to detour from the bike route. It would also seem to be appropriate for the City to set up a detour route for those concerned bicyclists. Is either practical? Probably not.

Perhaps the City could relocate this bee hive. This would completely eliminate any danger to the public and it would preserve the bees in a new location where there is no human traffic.

John Gerrity Palo Alto, CA


1

Carnahan, David

From: Keene, JamesSent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 5:53 AMTo: Mello, Joshuah; Rius, Rafael; Aggarwal, Ruchika; John GuislinCc: Andrea Lichter; Tim Lindholm; Gitelman, Hillary; Godfrey, Carolyn Elizabeth; Council,

CitySubject: Re: Gratitude for Progress on Middlefield North Traffic Issues

On behalf of the City Council, I want share our appreciation for your nice email. Our transportation staff really does care and is thoughtful and creative. We are lucky to have them. Jim

Get Outlook for iOS

On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 7:37 PM -0700, "John Guislin" <[email protected]> wrote:

Josh, On behalf of residents of Middlefield North we want to express our appreciation for the workshop you held on October 6. It is clear that you and your team listened to residents when we voiced concerns about the accidents, speeding and congestion issues on this stretch of Middlefield and that you designed some possible solutions based on resident input. You and your team engaged productively with residents who attended the workshop resulting in the development of at least one new option (" the hybrid option") to address the multiple traffic and safety issues. This workshop left many of us with the most hopeful and positive feelings toward city government we've experienced in a long time. Kudos to you, Rafael and Ruchika for carefully processing resident input and producing solutions that can make a real difference in safety for all as well as improved resident quality of life. Of course, proposals remain only good ideas until we see implementation and monitor results. Residents remain ready to engage in further detailed discussions about what can be implemented and when and how we will measure the impact of any changes. We fully understand there are trade-offs with any solution and it is very important that we remain engaged in those decisions. Again, thank you for really hearing us and working with our concerns and ideas to create solutions that will make Middlefield North a better experience for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and residents. John Guislin Carolyn Godfrey Tim Lindholm Andrea Lichter


1

Carnahan, David

From: Liz Kniss <[email protected]>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 2:51 PMTo: John KovalCc: Shikada, Ed; Felice Rebol; Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City; Burt, Patrick; De

Geus, RobertSubject: Re: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve

Thx Ed! Re‐Elect Liz Kniss to Palo Alto City Council http://www.lizkniss.com On Oct 10, 2016, at 2:21 PM, John Koval <[email protected]> wrote:

Ed, Thanks for looking into this. The work was definitely in progress on single track trails. It looks like the vehicle roads/trails have been paved over with a similar material in the past, which is understandable why you might use it there. Thank You, John Koval

From: Shikada, Ed [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 12:01 PM To: John Koval; Felice Rebol Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City; Burt, Patrick; De Geus, Robert Subject: RE: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Dear Mr. Koval and Ms. Rebol, Thank you for contacting the City regarding this matter. Our Community Services Director Robert De Geus is looking into the issue. We currently use recycled material in limited areas in our open space preserves, typically where vehicles need to travel or park. We have asked our parks staff to cease any further work pending review the scope of the project. Mr. De Geus will respond to you when we have more information on the issue. Best regards, Ed Shikada, Assistant City Manager

From: John Koval [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2016 5:50 PM To: Burt, Patrick; Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Subject: FW: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Mr. Mayor, Vice‐Mayor and City Council,


2

I was out for my weekend run at Arastradero this weekend and was dismayed to find our hiking and running trails being paved with recycled construction debris. I hike and run and Arastradero because of it’s natural, unpaved, trails as do others. Using recycled construction debris (recycled crushed concrete road base) is a bad idea for both the community and the trail users on numerous levels, particularly health risks:

‐ Paving our trails with recycled concrete road base is damaging to knees, hips and backs when we walk, hike and run on hard surfaces. If a resident wants that a paved experience, they can go to the Stanford “Dish” and walk the sidewalks of Palo Alto and Stanford.

‐ The paving of our trails with recycled concrete from construction projects carries with it the

dust of Silicon Dioxide. Silicon Dioxide is the major contributor to a fatal health condition called silicosis. Silicosis is caused by abrasive blasting with sand and demolition of concrete by mechanical means (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis ). See this table in the makeup of Cement (a major component of concrete) at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cement . Silicone dust is created when the recycled material is disturbed by horses, bicyclists, runners, walkers and hikers scuff the surface of the trails.

‐ Cyclists will become much more of a danger than they already are with the newly paved fast

trails. This is already a dangerous situation with frequent surprises of cyclists coming down the trails at high rates of speed.

Much investment has been made to bring Atascadero back it’s original “natural” environment so why someone would dump construction debris on the trails is puzzling to me. As a very frequent user of our beautiful open space areas, placing construction debris on the trails will make Arastradero unusable as a primary outdoor exercise and enjoyment area. I am urging that you and the City council put a stop to this project (not sure, but it may be under the Parks and Rec Dept.) until a thorough review of the procedure and community has a chance to weigh in. If the mayor and city council is unaware of the trail issue at Arastradero please inform me immediately who the decision makers and stake holders are in this decision as I will continue to pursue this issue with those individuals. Please confirm when you receive this message. Thanks, John Koval [email protected] 650-642-7781


3

Carnahan, David

From: John Koval <[email protected]>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 2:22 PMTo: Shikada, Ed; 'Felice Rebol'Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City; Burt, Patrick; De Geus, RobertSubject: RE: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve

Ed, Thanks for looking into this. The work was definitely in progress on single track trails. It looks like the vehicle roads/trails have been paved over with a similar material in the past, which is understandable why you might use it there. Thank You, John Koval

From: Shikada, Ed [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 12:01 PM To: John Koval; Felice Rebol Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City; Burt, Patrick; De Geus, Robert Subject: RE: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Dear Mr. Koval and Ms. Rebol, Thank you for contacting the City regarding this matter. Our Community Services Director Robert De Geus is looking intothe issue. We currently use recycled material in limited areas in our open space preserves, typically where vehicles need to travel or park. We have asked our parks staff to cease any further work pending review the scope of the project. Mr. De Geus will respond to you when we have more information on the issue. Best regards, Ed Shikada, Assistant City Manager

From: John Koval [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2016 5:50 PM To: Burt, Patrick; Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Subject: FW: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Mr. Mayor, Vice‐Mayor and City Council, I was out for my weekend run at Arastradero this weekend and was dismayed to find our hiking and running trails being paved with recycled construction debris. I hike and run and Arastradero because of it’s natural, unpaved, trails as do others. Using recycled construction debris (recycled crushed concrete road base) is a bad idea for both the community and the trail users on numerous levels, particularly health risks:

‐ Paving our trails with recycled concrete road base is damaging to knees, hips and backs when we walk, hike and run on hard surfaces. If a resident wants that a paved experience, they can go to the Stanford “Dish” and walk the sidewalks of Palo Alto and Stanford.


5

Carnahan, David

From: Felice Rebol <[email protected]>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 12:44 PMTo: Shikada, Ed; 'John Koval'Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City; Burt, Patrick; De Geus, RobertSubject: RE: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve

Thanks so much for your quick response. Felice Rebol 650‐642‐7783

From: Shikada, Ed [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 12:01 PM To: John Koval <[email protected]>; Felice Rebol <[email protected]> Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal) <[email protected]>; Council, City <[email protected]>; Burt, Patrick <[email protected]>; De Geus, Robert <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Dear Mr. Koval and Ms. Rebol, Thank you for contacting the City regarding this matter. Our Community Services Director Robert De Geus is looking intothe issue. We currently use recycled material in limited areas in our open space preserves, typically where vehicles need to travel or park. We have asked our parks staff to cease any further work pending review the scope of the project. Mr. De Geus will respond to you when we have more information on the issue. Best regards, Ed Shikada, Assistant City Manager

From: John Koval [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2016 5:50 PM To: Burt, Patrick; Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Cc: Scharff, Gregory (internal); Council, City Subject: FW: Save our trails at Arastradero Preserve Mr. Mayor, Vice‐Mayor and City Council, I was out for my weekend run at Arastradero this weekend and was dismayed to find our hiking and running trails being paved with recycled construction debris. I hike and run and Arastradero because of it’s natural, unpaved, trails as do others. Using recycled construction debris (recycled crushed concrete road base) is a bad idea for both the community and the trail users on numerous levels, particularly health risks:


1

Carnahan, David

From: Keene, JamesSent: Sunday, October 09, 2016 2:16 PMTo: RAS; Council, CityCc: Shikada, Ed; Rice, Danille; Alaee, KhashayarSubject: RE: We really need help on this jet noise assault in Palo Alto

Mr. Skalsky, On behalf of the City Council and myself, please be assured we are doing everything possible as a city on behalf of our residents on the current problems affecting our community. Thanks for reaching out.

James Keene | City Manager 250 Hamilton Avenue | Palo Alto, CA [email protected] Please think of the environment before printing this email – Thank you!

From: RAS [mailto:fogz9000‐[email protected]] Sent: Friday, October 7, 2016 9:47 AM To: Council, City <[email protected]> Subject: We really need help on this jet noise assault in Palo Alto

Dear Palo Alto City Council, I am a long-time Palo Alto resident and I’d like to ask that you continue to do everything in your power to reduce aircraft noise over Palo Alto and our neighboring communities. Thank you for your work thus far towards reducing aircraft noise and pollution, but the aggravating noise has increased exponentially since NextGen implementation accelerated about a year and a half ago.

Our lives here in the northern part of Palo Alto continue to be greatly disturbed and degraded by continuous low-flying aircraft headed to SFO and San Jose Airports, as well as the Palo Alto and San Carlos airports. Hundreds of these flights are significantly below 5000 and even 3000 feet. The flights begin well before dawn and continue throughout the day to past midnight, sometimes less than a minute apart, disturbing all facets of life from work and study, to sleep and enjoyment of our property and parks. This disturbance continues to worsen each week, with more planes, lower planes, and later and earlier flight hours. Meanwhile, it’s a huge sky, with plenty of room to raise, spread, and reroute flights to avoid this needless disturbance and audio assault on our senses.


2

Many of us have been filing noise complaints with the stopjetnoise website for more than a year now, and not a single day goes by without many, many thousands of complaints, yet the problem continues to worsen. I have seen days when complaints totaled more than 17,000 complaints in a single day. It is impossible to sit in my yard and carry on a telephone conversation. Even inside my house, I often have to tell callers to hold on a minute until the rumbling jet passes over so I can hear the caller again. And then 20 to 40 seconds later, yet another rumbling jet passes over and I have to again pause the conversation. This is not healthy for anyone living in this region. It simply amazes me that thousands and thousands of complaints per day have been filed everyday for more than a year, and yet the problem gets worse and worse as time goes by.

Until planes fly much higher over residential areas (think thousands of feet higher, not hundreds), there won't be any relief. The great news is that we have the Bay nearby that could be used as a logical descent towards SFO. The issue is a matter of political will, not a technical one. As Anna Eshoo said months ago, everybody is entitled to some quiet, which is why we need to keep pushing for real solutions that reduce noise for everyone and not be satisfied with a DAVYJ proposal that does not reduce noise but just shifts it to other neighborhoods. We're supposed to be the most advanced country in the world, yet this problem and the FAA ignoring thousands and thousands of complaints every single day makes us look like a third world country.

Please do everything possible to alleviate and reverse this problem as soon as possible. We appreciate the work that you have done so far, but from here on the ground, I want you to know that, so far, there hasn't been any effective change and, in fact, the problem has continued to worsen. We need you to take stronger action towards changing NextGen implementation as currently envisioned by the FAA and help put into place a different concept that takes into account the vast unhealthy disturbance of citizens by continuing overhead low-flying, concentrated aircraft. Our childrens' mental and emotional and physical health is depending on the grownups in the room taking some immediate action. I'll save the massive exhaust pollution issues being dumped on us from these jets for another time, but that too is a major issue that most everyone seems to be ignoring. Sincerely, ~~~Richard Skalsky Palo Alto, CA


1

Carnahan, David

From: Kerry Yarkin <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 8:24 AMTo: Council, CitySubject: Re: Your e-mail to City Council was received

Whoops typo: Select Committee meeting is Thursday, October 13, 1-4pm., not 1-5. On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 8:18 AM, Council, City <[email protected]> wrote:

Thank you for your comments to the City Council. Your e‐mail will be forwarded to all nine Council Members and a printout of your correspondence will also be included in the next available Council packet.

If your comments are about an item that is already scheduled for a City Council agenda, you can call 329‐2571 to confirm that the item is still on the agenda for the next meeting.

If your letter mentions a specific complaint or a request for service, we'll either reply with an explanation or else send it on to the appropriate department for clarification.

We appreciate hearing from you.


1

Carnahan, David

From: Stephanie Munoz <[email protected]>Sent: Friday, October 07, 2016 5:58 PMTo: Daily News, Palo AltoCc: WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Council, CitySubject: Should Zuckerbergs (sp?) be allowed to build what they want on their own property?

The Zuckerbergs are doing a lot for society. It would really be too bad if they got the idea that people are allowed to do what they want with their own property,but they are being thwarted because they're rich.. Like continue to own it? My husband's great grandparents were forced to get off their land so they could be replaced by somebody who would use it more productively. And more recently, hundreds of owners all over this land were forced to give up their homes, land and all, to urban renewal. Even if you wanted to recreate Chartres, or the Taj Mahal, they won't allow you to do it because it doesn't harmonize with what's already in place. Stephanie Munoz


1

Carnahan, David

From: Linda M. Saunders <[email protected]>Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2016 1:50 PMTo: Linda M. SaundersCc: Bob Wheeler; Mark C Lawrence; [email protected]; Kathleen M.

Baldwin; Eileen O'Rourke; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jo-Ann Cuevas; Police; City Mgr; Clerk, City; Council, City; Dueker, Kenneth; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Lisa Ann Lapin; Lawrence M Gibbs; Lowell W Price; Norman W Robinson; Robert L. Carpenter; Lance J. Lougee; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Scott B. Stocker; Katherine M. Puglisi-Chan; Andrew Harding Freeberg; Michelle J. Horton; Bond, Brandon; [email protected]; Perron, Zachary; Williams, Simon; Kathy Harris; [email protected]; Vicky Lao; Monica Sanchez Lopez; Minshall, Suzan; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Natalie Seer; [email protected]; bingschool; Laurie R Friedman

Subject: Stanford AlertSU Test Announcement - Please Distribute Widely

Stanford AlertSU Test Announcement - Please Distribute Widely

On Thursday, October 13, between noon-12:30 pm, Stanford University will conduct its annual test of the campus AlertSU system. Alert messages will be sent via text message and email to the Stanford community.

Also being tested is a new enhancement to the AlertSU system via Cisco VoIP speaker phones. VoIP speaker phones are found in many of the academic and office buildings throughout campus. If you have a Cisco phone in your area, the alertsu message will broadcast from the speaker phone and a banner message will appear in the display. The test will also include activation of the outdoor warning system, which will sound an audible tone for approximately 60 seconds followed by a verbal message from each of the 7 sirens at various campus locations. The sirens will be audible throughout the campus and may also be heard in parts of the surrounding communities including Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Los Altos. If this were a real emergency, you would be asked to follow the specific instructions in the alert message. Other avenues, which might be used to inform the community about critical incidents, include: * Stanford's emergency website: http://emergency.stanford.edu * Department of Public Safety website: https://police.stanford.edu * KZSU 90.1 FM * University emergency information hotlines: 650-725-5555 and 844-253-7878 (844-AlertSU) Upon receipt of an AlertSU message, notify others in your immediate vicinity to ensure they are also aware of


2

the situation and the recommended safety precautions. For more information about the AlertSU system, please visit the AlertSU FAQ page at: https://police.stanford.edu/alertsu-faq.html. Evacuation procedures and how to respond to other emergencies have been included at the end of this announcement. They can also be found in the Safety, Security, and Fire Report 2016, https://police.stanford.edu/security-report.html and the Stanford University Emergency Response Guidelines: http://web.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/general/erprep/EmerGuide/EmerGuide_Oct_2011.html Thank you for your cooperation. Stanford Department of Public Safety

Dear Palo Alto City Council Members -

I understand that the City of Palo Alto is considering allowi~ Q~E o6ts~ ~Bey, Pets in Need, to take over Palo Alto Animal Services. I volunteer with several German Shepherd Rescue groups and as such my interactions with the shelter are as an advocate for rescued dogs, but I am concerned about all animals and are very concerned about this proposal.

Pets In Need's "No-Surrender" Policy: Pets In Need's Redwood City facility is a private SELECTIVE admissions adoption agency. They are not a shelter and they do not accept animals that are being surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them or animals that are sick, injured or aggressive. Pets in Need may say they will accept these animals but they have no experience in handling these types of animals.

Currently, Palo Alto Animal Services accepts all animals surrendered by our residents. A no-surrender policy in Palo Alto would mean more Palo Alto animals will be abandoned to either starve or be killed on our streets in traffic accidents. This is a heinous policy that is both unethical and immoral and this is how Pet in Need has operated for over two decades.

Pet's in Need's Policy of Saving Only Cats and Smaller Dogs: Pets In Need does not accept livestock, birds, reptiles, exotics, wildlife, or anything other than small dogs and catSthat are highly adoptable and hand picked. The care of these animals is very specialized and requires a lot of training and experience: Pets in Need has no .experience in dealing with these types of animals. ·

Palo Alto Animal Services tries to save all animals surrendered or picked up by Animal Control Officers without regard to species, breed, or size. They have found homes and saved the lives of horses, rabbits, chickens, reptiles and many wonderful large dogs. I am concerned that Pets In Need might transfer some of these large dogs to other shelters, where they might be euthanized due to shelter overcrowding. Additionally it is not enough for Pet in Need to say they will now accept these animals. Must they not demonstrate that they can indeed care for these animals?

Pet's in Need's "No-Kill" Adoption Agency: Pets In Need promotes itself as a "No Kill" shelter. It claims that it is a no-kill shelter but this is because it takes in only highly adoptable dogs and cats that it hand-selects from various open admission shelters. But the facts are that both Pets In Need and Palo Alto Animal Shelter currently operate under the same "No Kill" guidelines:No Kill describes a philosophy that reserves euthanasia onlv for animals that are terminally ill or dangerous to the public which how Palo Alto Animal Services already operates.

Consequently P.alo Alt() Animal Services already has a "No Kill" shelter that actually saves more species, breeds and sizes of animals than Pets In Need

currently even attempts to save or will ever attempt to save. Pets In Need's Adoption Agency also does not care for their dogs adequately.

Admittedly their cat rooms are wonderful, but their dogs are kept in small square indoor spaces with no toys and no beds, not even a blanket, and no access to the outdoors. Dogs need stimulus, toys, a soft bed to sleep on. This sterile environment is detrimental to their psyche. Even puppies have no toys at Pets In Need. The kennels at Palo Alto Animal Services may be older, but as dog fanciers rest assured, the dogs there are housed in a much better environment than those at Pets in Need. The dogs have bed, blankets, toys, play groups, a wonderful pay yard and access to the outdoors and sunshine.

Potential Termination of Highly Trained and Dedicated City - Employees: This takeover by Pets In Need could result in the termination of many long-time, well-trained and dedicated city employees who currently work at the shelter and that I have dealt with for many years. These employees provide many services that Pets in Need has no experience with. I have always been impressed by the shelter employees and I can't imagine losing their collective years of experience.

Pets in Need has no experience with any sort of Animal Control or the types of shelter activities currently performed by Palo Alto Animal Services. Even if the City of Palo Alto keeps the animal control officers, Pets in Need will be responsible for:

a. Licensing. b. Citations. c. Redemptions. d. Socializing of shy and scared animals. e. Spaying and Neutering of 10-20 animals per day. f. Answering phones not merely returning calls at their leisure. g. Maintaining correct records required by law. h. Using a reputable software program endorsed by the industry. i. Accepting surrendered animals from the public, many of which are sick, injured or not behaviorally sound. j. Dealing with aggressive animals.

Replacing our current Palo Alto Animal Services with a Pets In Need shelter will negatively impact the lives of not only Palo Alto animals but the animals and citizens that use the shelter on a daily basis.

Thank you,

dt,/ Deborah Bergfeld Peninsula Foster Coordinator, Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue