1. Team-Building/Goals Workshop
Working with Theresa, Nancy Hetrick will be meeting with each of you for about 30 minutes to discuss the August Team Building Workshop. Thank you for taking the time for the pre-meeting. I think it will be important for each of you to come to the meeting with the same expectations. Nancy will be sharing the format of the meeting and discussing any issues of concern related therein.
The August workshop is not a goal-setting workshop. It is an opportunity to build and reinforce the positive team (both Council and Executive) moving forward.
2. Managers Meeting - Menlo Fire Nexus Study
I am meeting on June 30 the City Managers of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park as well as a representative from the County to discuss the Fire District Nexus Fee Study and next steps/recommendations. Consideration of the Nexus Fee Study is on hold pending the outcome of these discussions and next steps. It is tentatively scheduled for the September Study Session.
3. ECR HAWK Beacon Project
This project is moving ahead as planned. No significant delays reported.
4. Atherton Fiber
We have received comments from Atherton Fiber on the draft agreement and are reviewing the issues internally. I will be setting up a meeting with Atherton Fiber after July 4 to discuss the draft Agreement and next steps. There are some issues that have arisen related to Atherton Fiber obtaining a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), the impact on a potential franchise agreement with the Town, and the efforts of Zayo and Wave Broadband service enhancement.
5. Marsh Road Project
The project is moving along and remains slightly ahead of schedule. Flaggers will continue on the project into the coming weeks to help mitigate identified impacts.
6. No Train Horn - Quiet Zone
The issue of sounding the horn within the Atherton Station has largely been addressed. Caltrain and the FRA are paying attention to the Almanac articles that have been recently printed on the Atherton Quiet Zone. The FRA’s position remains that the Atherton Station is designated as an at-grade pedestrian crossing (public). Caltrain asserts the same position as you can see from the most recent linked correspondence Regardless of those assertions, only the northbound train sounds the horn as it passes through the station (the SB train sounds in the station for the Watkins Crossing) and the sounding in the Station NB is not consistent engineer to engineer. Staff’s position is that Caltrain is in substantial compliance with the Town’s quiet zone. We have received a copy of the CPUC law that Caltrain is referencing noting that they will sound the horn at all crossings.
The Town’s consultant asserts that the Station’s pedestrian boarding areas are incorrectly designated as crossings. They are not owned by the Town and it was Caltrain that filed the designation with the FRA. Further, even if they were designated as crossings, the CPUC rule is referencing horn sounding at highway-rail grade crossings not pedestrian crossings.
At this time, we have determined that given Caltrain’s substantial compliance, unless the horn sounding through the station becomes a nuisance, the Town will address the station crossing issue as part of the feasibility analysis on the Watkins Crossing. If improvements to the Atherton Station need to be made to properly perfect the quiet zone once Watkins has quad gates, we will address the issue(s) with Caltrain (station owner) at that time.
7. PG&E LED Conversion Program
The PG&E LED Conversion Program has begun in Atherton. There is a recent article (linked here) related to health safety concerns and LED lights. PG&E has purchased all their light conversion packages for communities in San Mateo County. However, they are also producing a response to the American Medical Association’s press release. Once the Town receives that statement/response, we will provide it to the community. Hillsborough is also moving forward with their conversion program (as have many other communities in PG&E’s territory) - and as have many communities with their own LED lights.
8. ADAPT Disaster Drill
We will be working with ADAPT on their next Disaster Training Exercise. We will be participating in the exercise, setting up the EOC, coordinating with volunteers, advertising, and observing.
9. FAA Rules on Drones
Linked here is a recent article on drones and the FAA rules. At the conference in Monterey this week it was noted that one of the good things that came from the rule is that local regulation of drones at less than 400 feet is not preempted by federal law.
10. Peninsula Clean Energy - Meeting New CEO
Council Members DeGolia and Widmer and myself will be meeting in July with the Peninsula Clean Energy new CEO, Jan Pepper.
11. Planning Commission Meeting - June 22
The Planning Commission took the following action at its June 22 Meeting:
- Accepted for filing the Annual Sacred Heart Master Plan Update for 2016 and TDM Reporting
- Recommended the City Council approval a Conditional Exception to the Subdivision Ordinance for a Lot Line Adjustment at 279 Park Lane and 60 Santiago.
- Approved a Special Structure Permit for a tennis court in the rear yard at 355 Stevick Drive.
As a note, PG&E is scheduled to make a presentation to the Commission on its pipeline safety program and progress on any tree removal activity - July 27.
12. Stormwater Resource Planning Effort - Grant Program
I reported that staff had considered participating in the Stormwater Resource Planning Effort Grant Program under the Regional Water Quality Control Permit and submitted the possibility of a detention basin (filtration system) at the Park as a possible grant project (draft concept). We have withdrawn the possibility. The decision to withdraw is based on the new understanding that the facility that would be scoped out for Atherton would be required to address any mercury or PCB issues that are currently county-wide issues not specific to Atherton. If Atherton has placed such a facility in Town, the long-term maintenance obligation would fall directly on the Town. In short, the Town would be responsible for clean-up and maintenance of a system whose contributors were upstream without remuneration. If a project could be scoped that does not require the extensive long-term maintenance and operation of a large pump station and subsurface filtering chamber, we might reconsider participation.
Any project would need to be vetted by the Council before formal submission for consideration.
13. Green Bicycle Lanes - Valparaiso and Middlefield - MENLO PARK
Menlo Park will be installing green bike lanes at a few intersections in Menlo Park. The roll-out includes a few spots within Atherton on Valparaiso and Middlefield. They have applied for and received an encroachment permit from the Town. With the proximity of these improvements, we will take the opportunity to use their project to help educate our residents about further green lanes along Middlefield in Atherton in advance of our project implementation.
14. Mosquito & Vector Control District - AB 1362
In January, the SMCMVCD moved in opposition to AB 1362. One of the two nay votes to not oppose was the Town’s Trustee Mason Brutschy. The legislation reduces the number of trustees on the Board and changed the appointment process from local agencies to the County City Selection Committee. It essentially eliminates the one-city one representative concept for the Board. If the Town would like to add its voice to the issue, please advise. Here is a link to the bill information. It is presently back in Committee.
Special Event Permits Authorized as of June 24, 2016
This is a list of the upcoming Special Event Permits approved or under review.
- June
- June 3 - NASDAQ Summer Concert - Menlo College (TBD)
- June 10 - NASDAQ Summer Concert - Menlo College (TBD)
- June 11 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- June 18 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- June 17 - Company Picnic - Menlo College (11 am - 3:30 pm)
- June 18 - Company Picnic - Menlo College (11 am - 6 pm)
- June 19 - Father’s Day BBQ - Circus Club (5 pm - 9 pm)
- June 20 - Steve/Kates Camp - Encinal School (7:30 am to 6 pm) through August 19
- June 24 - NASDAQ Summer Concert - Menlo College (TBD)
- June 25 - Company Picnic - Menlo College Quad (9 am to 4 pm)
- July
- July 4 - 4th of July BBQ - Circus Club (4 pm - 9 pm)
- July 9 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- July 9 - Bike for Breath - Encinal Elementary School/Streets (4:30 am - 2 pm)
- July 15 - NASDAQ Summer Concert - Menlo College (TBD)
- July 16 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- July 16 - Company Picnic - Menlo College Quad (9 am to 4 pm)
- July 19 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- July 20 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- July 22 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- July 27 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- July 29 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- August
- August 2 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- August 3 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- August 4 - Music @ Menlo - MA High School (8 pm - 10:30 pm)
- August 6 - Company Picnic - Menlo College (11 am - 3 pm)
- August 8-14 - Horse Show - Separate Permit
- August 12 - Company Picnic - Menlo College Quad (9 am to 4 pm)
- August 13 - Company Picnic - Menlo College Quad (9 am to 4 pm)
- August 13 - Bark For Life - HPP (10:30 am - 1:30 pm)
- September
- September 3 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- September 3 - Wedding - 214 Oak Grove (4:30 pm to 1 am)
- September 5 - Labor Day BBQ - Circus Club (5 pm - 9 pm)
- September 10 - Polo Match - Circus Club (10 am - 7 pm)
- September 17 - Las Lomitas School (streets) (8:30 am to 11 am)
- September 18 - Atherton Now Family Affair (1 pm to 5 pm); or
- September 25 - Atherton Now Family Affair (1 pm to 5 pm)
- October
- October 7 - SHS Under the Lights (4:30 pm - 9:30 pm)
- October 27 - Halloween Party - Circus Club (7 pm - 9 pm)