paloaltomatters

City finds new way to dig basements

by paloaltomattersJanuary 12, 2018January 23, 2018Leave a comment

Palo Alto sees uptick in cutoff walls to curb groundwater pumping

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner / January 12, 2018

On a single block of Webster Street in the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, a tale of two basements is unfolding — one that illustrates the city’s evolving debate over groundwater.

The use of cutoff walls in Palo Alto can be attributed in large part to a citizens group called Save Palo Alto’s Groundwater, formed in 2015 to protest the growing number of dewatering projects and to promote new restrictions. Their advocacy prompted the city to gradually add requirements for projects that require groundwater pumping.

Kniss new mayor, Filseth vice mayor in an event that had controversy and cake

by paloaltomattersJanuary 9, 2018February 1, 2018Leave a comment

Palo Alto Daily Post – by Allison Levitsky / January 9, 2018

Palo Alto’s mayoral and vice mayoral election — normally a straightforward coronation ceremony — was accented with controversy last night after Councilman Tom DuBois raised concerns about the active state investigation into Mayor Liz Kniss’ alleged nondisclosure of campaign donations during the 2016 election.

“On completion of the investigation, if violations were found, we as a body should reconsider tonight’s vote,” DuBois said. “In the absence of a ruling, I am willing to give Liz the benefit of the doubt. I will support her for mayor tonight.”

“While supporters of a candidate often suggest that fair practices complaints arise from mere sour grapes, these rules are fundamental to ensuring a fair process for all,” DuBois said.

Despite DuBois’ comments, Kniss was elected unanimously, as was Vice Mayor Eric Filseth.

Hotel plan draws opposition in south Palo Alto

by paloaltomattersJanuary 9, 2018January 23, 2018Leave a comment

Residents concerned about building’s density, traffic impacts

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner / January 9, 2018

For Palo Alto’s elected leaders, the hotel boom that is transforming south El Camino Real is a trend to be embraced: a welcome boost to the city’s revenue stream at a time of rising infrastructure costs and growing pension obligations. The City Council signaled as much last year, when it voted to explore allowing greater density for new hotels, particularly in the downtown area.

But for residents of Palo Alto Redwoods, the promise of new riches comes at a high cost. On Dec. 21, a group from the 117-unit condominium complex came to City Hall to protest the latest entry into the crowded field: a 90-room hotel proposed for 4256 El Camino Real, site of Su Hong restaurant. From their point of view, the new project will cause traffic havoc, threaten the health of area redwoods and create parking problems.

If approved, the new hotel would occupy a stretch of El Camino that has become a magnet for hotels, big and small. These include two recently constructed hotels — Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites — as well as Crowne Plaza Cabana, Palo Alto Inn, Americas Best Value Inn, Oak Motel and Dinah’s Garden Hotel.

Planned Cambridge Avenue development meets opposition

by paloaltomattersDecember 27, 2017January 23, 2018Leave a comment

Residents and business owners raise concerns about proposed three-story building

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner / December 27, 2017

Karen Price, a massage therapist with a practice on Cambridge Avenue, believes the three-story building on her block won’t just change the character of the surrounding area.

It will also, she said Thursday, threaten the character of the city by accelerating the displacement of small, community-serving businesses like her own by tech companies with a global clientele.

Price was part of a group, which included area businesses and residents, who attended the Dec. 21 meeting of the Architectural Review Board to speak out against the project in the California Avenue Business District.

Navigation Apps Are Turning Quiet Neighborhoods Into Traffic Nightmares

by paloaltomattersDecember 24, 2017January 24, 2018Leave a comment

New York Times – by Lisa W. Foderaro / December 24, 2017

With services like Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps suggesting shortcuts for commuters through the narrow, hilly streets of Leonia, N.J., the borough has decided to fight back against congestion that its leaders say has reached crisis proportions.

In mid-January, the borough’s police force will close 60 streets to all drivers aside from residents and people employed in the borough during the morning and afternoon rush periods, effectively taking most of the town out of circulation for the popular traffic apps — and for everyone else, for that matter.

Housing crisis spurs Berkeley to consider a fast track for affordable housing

by paloaltomattersDecember 8, 2017January 23, 2018Leave a comment

Mercury News/Bay Area News Group – by Katy Murphy / December 8, 2017

BERKELEY — Responding to growing concerns about the lack of affordable housing for low-income residents, Berkeley is inching toward a solution that would dramatically speed up approvals for subsidized housing developments.

In a departure from its famous embrace of civic engagement for matters large and small, the Berkeley City Council late Tuesday unanimously directed the city’s planning commission to rewrite the rules so projects meeting Berkeley’s zoning requirements will be automatically issued permits — without any public hearings.

For new bike boulevard, it’s not smooth sailing

by paloaltomattersDecember 8, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by Sue Dremann / December 8, 2017

New Ross Road fixtures are confusing bicyclists and drivers, creating danger, residents say

The city of Palo Alto’s effort to turn a south Palo Alto street into a bicycle-friendly boulevard is encountering a chorus of complaints from residents who say that the changes are making the road more dangerous.

Editorial: The risks of secrecy

by paloaltomattersDecember 8, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by PA Weekly editorial board / December 8, 2017

School board splits on whether and how to accept large anonymous donations

When developing a new public policy, a sure warning sign should be when the policy has to thread a needle to avoid violating existing laws and, in doing so, becomes convoluted and irrational.

The Palo Alto school board struggled Tuesday night trying to balance competing interests of transparency and donor privacy, and a bare majority (Ken Dauber, Jennifer DiBrienza, Terry Godfrey) approved a new policy that, in our opinion, skates on the edge of the law and brings an unacceptable level of secrecy.

New housing laws roil officials in Burlingame

by paloaltomattersDecember 7, 2017January 23, 2018Leave a comment

State’s loosened development standards costing local control raise eyebrows on the City Council

San Mateo Daily Journal – by Austin Walsh / December 7, 2017

New state housing laws requiring city governments to cede a substantial portion of their local control alarmed Burlingame officials who fear the regulations may bring unintended consequences.

Officials raised concerns the legislation will invite development of boilerplate, cookie-cutter plans by sapping officials authority to enforce design driven decisions.

“Burlingame for many years has worked very hard to develop guidelines, but many of those guidelines have to deal with neighborhood consistency, so all of that goes out the door with this,” said Keighran.

School board approves new rule for anonymous donations

by paloaltomattersDecember 6, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by Elena Kadvany / December 6, 2017

Members disagree on how to balance gifts and public accountability

The need to strike a balance between welcoming anonymous donations and providing transparency as a public agency divided the Palo Alto school board on Tuesday night, with its members ultimately approving in a 3-2 vote a new requirement for internally disclosing donors’ identities.

People or organizations who give the district more than $50,000 and wish to remain publicly anonymous will now have to disclose their identity to the superintendent, who would then inform each board member verbally, one by one. The board can waive this requirement in public session.