City Manager's Blog

The City Manager's Blog is an online educational tool to provide general information to the community in open communication style. Periodically, the City Manager will post articles of general interest covering topics such as the Town's budget, budget process, capital projects, upcoming meetings, community issues, public safety, and general Town operations.

Articles in the blog are not designed as press releases or Town publications, rather, they are written in more of a conversational style. The Blog does not have a comments feature but readers are free to respond to the Blog and its entries view email directly to the City Manager.

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Nov 18

That's A Wrap! - November 17, 2021

Posted on November 18, 2021 at 8:00 AM by grodericks grodericks

Thats A Wrap

 Council Meeting Date: November 17, 2021
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured
Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative.

The City Council met for the November Meeting on Wednesday, November 17 at 6 pm via Zoom Teleconference pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Presentations. The City Council heard a presentation from Harris & Associates on the process and options for the formation of Underground Utility Assessment Districts. The presentation (preceding link) along with the video of the Council Meeting andTown FAQs will be hosted on the Town's website. Following presentations, the Council moved to Public Comments.

ReportFollowing Public Comment, the Council moved to the City Manager's Report (~6:45 pm). The City Manager's Report is typically prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it typically includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, PlanningPolice, and Public Works.  

Consent_AgendaFollowing the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 7 through 16 (~6:46 pm). Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were minutes of various meetings, bills and claims, agreement with the County of San Mateo for responsibilities for disposable food service ware, approval of an amendment to the Commute.org Agreement, adjustments to the Street Sweeping Contract, release of an Request for Proposal for Design Services for the Train Station Remodel Project, acceptance of work for the pavilion restrooms and Park turnaround project, acceptance of the Treasurer's Report, and certification of the continuing emergency. Following an opportunity for questions or comments, the Council approved the Consent Agenda.

Public_Hearing_ImageNext was Public Hearings.
 
Public Hearings are typically held for Ordinances, Budget Adoption, Fee Adoption, and Land Use approvals. Item No. 17 was Introduction of an Ordinance Adding Chapter 18 Solid Waste and Edible Food Recovery - requirements of SB 1383. (~6:50 pm) Following a staff report, presentation and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to format of the Ordinance, compliance requirements for SB 1383, responsibility of the County - Greenwaste Recovery - and Town, applicability to public and private schools, reporting, and food recovery organizations. Following discussion, the Council introduced the Ordinance for 1st Reading.  
 
Regular_Agenda_ImageNext up was the Regular Agenda (~7:23 pm).

Item No. 18 was discussion of the final resolution of median street tree replacements at Tuscaloosa Avenue and at Mt. Vernon Lane; and acceptance of a donation to fund a larger tree at Mt. Vernon Lane. Following a brief staff report and opportunity for public comment, the Council discussed the design of the median around the Tuscaloosa tree and the amount of donation from residents around the Mt. Vernon tree. Following discussion, the Council accepted the solutions for replacement and acceptance the commitment for a donation to fund the larger tree at Mt. Vernon.

Item No. 19 was an update on the Neighborhood Traffic Management Action Plan and a review of the Short Term Phase I priorities (~7:34 pm). Following a brief staff report and opportunity for public comment, the Council discussed the proposed Phase I priorities, methodology for implementation, timing of implementation, phasing of future priorities, design of speed humps to conform with Fire District requirements for emergency response routes, proposed increases to stop sign sizes and retention of Atherton's small town character regarding sign proliferation. Following discussion, the Council accepted the Short Term Phase I priorities but directed staff to return to the Council with the specific proposals for increasing stop sign sizes for review before implementation.

The last item on the Agenda was Item No. 20, Town Center Update. (~7:51 pm) The City Manager provided a brief report on the status of the Town Center Project.

Under Council Comments, the City Council Liaison to the Airport Roundtable provided an update on overflight activity from San Francisco Airport over Atherton and encouraged the Council to express their opposition for the increased flight patterns at San Francisco Airport as they affect the Town.

Having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 7:56 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!


The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting/Study Session on December 1 at 4 pm. The December meeting will be focused on discussions around changes to the Town's Historic Preservation Ordinance to address the Mills Act; and at 5 pm will be a Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission to report and discuss the impacts and strategies around Senate Bill 9. 
 
 
GeorgeThanks for reading!
 
 George Rodericks
 City Manager

Town of Atherton
grodericks@ci.atherton.ca.us