City of Mountain View, CA Recent City of Mountain View Meetings, 25 Apr 2023

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From YouTube: April 25, 2023 Joint Meeting of Mountain View City Council and Shoreline Regional Park Community

Description

Live Teleconference of the April 25, 2023 Joint Meeting of Mountain View City Council and Shoreline Regional Park Community.

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Good evening, everyone Welcome to our study session of April 25 2023., the city clerk, will take attendance by roll call.

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Councilmember Ramirez here.

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Ramos here vice mayor Showalter, here mayor Hicks,.

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We're now on item 3.1, fiscal Year's, 23, 24 and 2425 Council work, plan, development, project, prioritization and Gatekeepers. The purpose of this study session is for Council, two first review potential Council work plan projects, second receive input from advisory bodies and Department staff. Third, provide feedback on the draft fiscal year, 23 through 25 Council work, plan, project, prioritization proposed by staff for additional analysis and incorporation into the final draft of the council work plan.

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That plan will return to council for consideration and potential adoption with the fiscal year 23 24 recommended budget and last to give direction to staff regarding next steps in the gatekeeper process, given the need for council member recusals during the conflicts of interest, this item will proceed in the following manner.

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We will begin with a staff presentation which will be followed by public comment at the close of public comment. The council will ask questions deliberate and vote on matters requiring council member recusals first and then the council will ask questions and deliberate on the remaining items for discussion and take action.

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Principal management, analyst, Laurel James will present the item. Ms James.

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Thank you mayor and good evening Council. As the mayor mentioned tonight, we'll be discussing in this study session. The fiscal year is 23-24 and 24-25 Council work plan, prioritization and Gatekeepers.

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For tonight, we'll be reviewing the council work plan development process in discussing the status review, recommended project prioritization in the draft fiscal year, 23-25 Council work plan and provide feedback on Project whose priority category should be changed and the staff recommendation regarding the gatekeeper process.

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As a reminder at the January 24th council meeting, the council approved a process for this year: fiscal year, 23-25 work plan development and at the February 28th council meeting, the council identified 42 potential projects for this work plan, including 20, carry forward projects, 10 plan projects and 12 projects proposed by council members at the study session.

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These were key projects that were identified for Focus during this work plan period that our particular interest to council Advance, the council's Strategic priorities in a meaningful way and typically require significant City resources, particularly staff time to complete, and the goal of this process is to balance responsiveness to emerging or urgent counseling Community issues and with stability for efficient use of City resources and staff planning staff analyze.

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The proposed projects, using the criteria approved by the council in January, including the advancement of the Strategic priorities and other Council goals, are initiatives advancing the council's race, equity and inclusion goals, the urgency or timeliness of the project, the creation of additional capacity or dependencies for future projects, staff capacity and the fiscal impact, the analysis of which is summarized an attachment for to the staff memo.

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Additionally, potential projects were shared with the council advisory bodies to kind of feedback which is summarized in attachment, 3 to the council memo and, finally, the staff developed a draft fiscal year, 23-25 Council work plan, which is also attached to the memo.

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All these projects are intended to advance the council strategic priorities which were adopted in 2021 and pictured here for review, and additionally, this is a reminder that the council work plan is one of many special projects that staff works on, which is a represents, a proportion of Staff work that is much smaller than the core services that the city provides, which primarily include things like. Excuse me, water and sewer provision, fighting fires, policing, storm water and tree or Park maintenance, and all of the things that help the city run on a day-to-day basis.

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Here we have a Graphic that identifies the project count by lead department for those potential work plan projects, the Community, Development Department, and the public works department together account for more than 50 percent of those projects and are particularly impacted by the council work plan, project workload and then, following that, we have a total project count by department. So this includes both projects on which the department is the lead and also the projects on which the department plays a supporting role, and that supporting role includes not just typical contributions to projects but more substantive work.

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That needs to be done by that department in order to complete the project- and this is to give a picture of the workload and the distribution that we're talking about when we're talking about these proposed projects.

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Here is a proposed project count shown by strategic priority all of the projects Advance the council's Strategic priorities as a whole, and many of them Advance more than one strategic priority. Although this graph captures the main uh thrust of the advancement from that project.

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So for the draft fiscal year 23 through 25 Council work plan document, as approved by Council in January, the staff has created a recommendation that sorts the projects into three different priority categories: projects in priority category a will be the highest priority and considered first in staff allocation and phasing. The remic condition includes 20 projects in that category.

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Projects in category B are also high priority and will be considered after category a in staff allocation and phasing in the staff recommendation. This category includes 16 projects and projects, and categories c will be a priority that will be worked on as time and resources allow and the staff recommendation includes five projects in that category. One project was not recommended for inclusion in the council work plan.

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A note on these project. Priority categories, the difference between category A and B is relative. Category B prioritization doesn't mean that projects won't see substantive progress or be completed in the two-year implementation time frame of this Council work plan. Some of these projects may also already be underway.

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What it does mean is that if there are limited staff, resources and staff can't work on all of the council work projects at once, projects in category a will receive priority.

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Here's a slide that shows the projects that are included in the category a recommendation. Again, these are the highest priority projects. Staff has recommended projects that will make significant progress toward advancing the council's Strategic priorities and goals, and the projects in this category also include those that were associated with specific external deadlines, including ballot deadlines and those that are included in the housing element and also those that have the potential to increase organizational capacity. Additionally. The projects in bold were those that were most deemed most important by a majority of the council advisory bodies.

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Here we have the projects that were recommended for category B again. These are still high priority and will be considered after category a in allocation of Staffing Resources they're, closely aligned with Council strategic priorities and other goals, and the deadlines for these projects tend to be more flexible or farther in the future than those in category. A projects may also be recommended for category B. If the staff teams responsible for their implementation are also responsible for multiple other category, a projects and finally of category C projects in category see are priorities that will be considered.

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After a and b, the projects listed in category C are projects that are not as critical to advancing the Strategic priorities and other goals and initiatives, and, additionally, they don't have specific deadlines.

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They include many of the same teams responsible for category A and B projects who are already at capacity and or requires additional staff capacity to define the Project's scope. Since category C products will be undertaken as Staffing Resources allow on the attachments to the Staffing memo. They don't have to find timelines that are proposed.

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The next item that we're seeking Council feedback on tonight is The Gatekeepers process at the February 28th meeting Council directed staff to prepare a memo summarizing the process in return for further discussion this evening on April 14th, the gatekeeper process and next steps menu is provided to the council and recommended that the council retain the existing gatekeeper process and requirements.

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Hold the council study session in quarter 3 of 2023 to discuss new gatekeeper exemptions for projects that are residential for the housing element to bring back zoning amendments for Council consideration in quarter, one of 2024.

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and finally, after the adoption of amendments except gatekeeper, applications by June 2024 in preparation for a council authorization Hearing in quarter, 3 2024, as suggested in the housing element.

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So the next steps after this evening will be for staff to take the prioritization changes that Council requests during this study session, analyze their feasibility in terms of Staff capacity and bring back a final recommendation for work plan. Adoption in June alongside the recommended fiscal year, 23-24 budget The, Next, Step sort of Gatekeepers will be those that were outlined in the staff recommendation.

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If it is approved by Council to hold the study session in quarter, 3 2023 bring ordinance amendments for final adoption by quarter 1 2024 issue, a call for gatekeeper applications by June, 2024 and schedule a council authorization hearing for quarter, 3 2024.

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with that reiterating the staff recommendation to review and provide Direction on the draft Council work plan project prioritization and to to approve the staff recommendation for the gatekeeper process. The study sessions for tonight are on this slide study session. Questions. Pardon me for tonight on this slide. First, are there any projects whose priority category should be changed in the draft fiscal year? 23-25 Council work plan and second, does the council agree with the staff recommendation regarding the gatekeeper process or have any other feedback? Thank you.

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Thank you Ms chance. Are you done? Okay, thank you. um So, at this point, would any member of the public joining us either virtually or in person like to provide comment on this item.

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We'll hear people in person first.

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How much time would you like to allocate.

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We can have three minutes.

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Oh, it sounds like maybe your mic isn't on. Do you need technical assistance ah there? It is.

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Yes, um anyway, um you're I'm, passing out for your review, just a little memo that I put together. uh That I think could immediately address some minor issues um in the gatekeeper process.

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My biggest concern is even with the presentation this evening that we could be years out in postponing potential projects that could provide housing for Mountain View, consistent with the recent plan that was approved by the city and they're, actually quite minor, but they would have some benefits. That could be immediate. If you look on the memo, I just highlighted a couple areas in red and it really has to do with the gatekeeper authorization exemptions right now. It currently states that if a property is two acres or less, it could be exempt.

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I actually think my observations of different areas of town and knowing that lot consolidation is an issue for people that, if you just um were to increase that number from two acres to three acres, you would get some immediate reaction from the community. The development community that is for residential that three years carries through to the next item, is written, but there's also another area that could easily be changed for some reason, you have a very specific exemption for industrial properties adjacent to residential.

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If you were just to expand that to include mixed use or retail or other commercial areas, I think you would also get some expansion of some potential project, so those two minor changes really could do a lot to help expedite the process. Otherwise, if you wait and start the process in the fall, we could be a a year and a half to two years out and some opportunities could be lost. So thank you very much for your time.

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You do we have more in-person public commentators.

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If so, I think we do yeah, please come to the microphone and do you have a blue card.

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You can speak first, give us your name and then give the card to the city clerk afterwards, okay, hi.

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My name is Michael McDonald I'll make it short. I just wanted to make sure that A2 stays as A2. The item around um uh reviewing the city Charter. So that's it.

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Okay, thank you.

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Do we have additional public speaker.

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Card I'm, Andrea, um Bello and I support doing a cleanup and modernization of the city Charter um as per item A2 in attachment one I believe it should be kept as priority a I also prefer that it be done as a Citizens Commission.

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Thank you. Thank you.

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So this is the last call for in-person speakers.

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Seeing no one will go to Virtual speakers, Bruce England.

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Thank you, Mayor Bruce, England, Station, Drive speaking for Mountain, View Coalition for sustainable planning and green spaces, Mountain View I'll be short. We submitted a letter with details, I won't repeat the details here, but what the letter called out were a lot of details around consolidating some of the projects together.

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That is somewhat covered in the documents, but not entirely and not completely.

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There could be a problem with projects becoming siled within departments where there actually can be some cross-pollination among them and that's the kind of thing that's called out in a letter. So we suggested some groupings that you might consider, but also some in the section in attachments one and five, where you have oops nope, that's the wrong one. It's the attachment where it calls out how different departments can be involved, whether it's a primary Department covering a project, but then their secondary departments.

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I, don't have that in front of me um and we felt that there were some cases where uh partner departments were not called out. We made some suggestions about where some of those could be added. Thank you.

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So next we have Casey headerley.

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Good evening, mayor Hicks and council members, my name is Casey hederly and I'm, an intern with the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.

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We want to voice our support for prioritizing and continuing work on projects, a17, a19 and a20, and ask you to consider shifting project B22 into the a priority category project a17 develop a Parks and Recreation strategic plan, a19 developed by biodiversity strategy and a20 update the community tree master plan to create an urban chorus plan are critical and inherently connected. We are excited to see them prioritize so highly because they're essential for bird safety and biodiversity.

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It's important to consider these projects together because of the ways they will interact and affect one another, we're glad to see the prioritization of project B22 development of a Dark Skies ordinance, but we recommend re-categorizing it to Priority a in order to begin this work sooner.

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Implementing Dark Skies ordinance is vital for both bird and ecosystem safety, as well as human health. When dealing with an issue like light pollution, it is important to act quickly and take action to prevent further increases from happening once light pollution levels have increased. It becomes quite difficult to reduce them, so the sooner this ordinance can be developed and put in place the better.

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Furthermore, project B22 is also connected and related to projects a17, a19 and a20, and moving it into the a category with them would make it easier to consider and work on them altogether.

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Please consider moving project B22 into the a category and look into the connections and interactions between it and projects, a17, a19 and a20. Thank you.

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Thank you now, Steve chesson.

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Right, um thank you. Can you hear me? We.

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Can hear you thank.

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You yes, I just want to add my voice to those asking that the uh the charter review stay in the category a priority. A group um I would like to see it done, preferably by a Citizens commission, but if you do do it by a council subcommittee, then I would would hope that you would be very willing to take a lot of Citizen input into that process, and I'd also like to hear more about what the scope of that. uh What the council's envisioning would be the scope of the changes being considered.

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Thank you very much.

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Next we have Robert Cox.

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Can you hear me we can hear you, but not very well,.

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Move this up, can you hear me better? Yes,.

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Hi I'm here uh on behalf of Louisville Mountain View, to propose elevating the priority of item C 37 conduct, a holistic, city-wide review of parking regulations, and our main motivation for this is changes that have been happening due to ab2097 that has eliminated parking minimums near Transit and also the changes in the housing element that have eliminated the parking minimums in Old, Mountain, View, El, Camino, San, Antonio, East, Westman and Moffitt.

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um These are big changes in terms of you know, being able to get around our city, and many of us are concerned about how this will affect. You know residents who don't have uh right now, places to park all of their vehicles on their own property or even want to be able to come to our downtown and uh the question of using our downtown uh using cars to get to downtown businesses and being able to park around those businesses when parking minimums have been eliminated for new development is an important consideration to understand.

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So we would really want to have this discussion now, as these changes are going to be impacting us now. So please don't delay this, because it's a number c letter C item and push it off a few years, because the issue is now the potential parking problems are now and the impact on Mountain, View residents and businesses is going to happen now. So uh thank you for that. uh Having a chance to talk about this tonight.

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Next, we have Celia Palmer.

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Hi, thank you so much. um My name is representative of green spaces. Mountain View, I Echo a lot of what Bruce said and um agree with what we submitted in our letter. um I do also want to um give a shout out for uh Dark Skies initiative right now.

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I think it's kind of considered as part of parks and rec and those plans, but really we're looking at something that could fit more into our carbon footprint reduction as we reduce our energy usage through it, and it's the only form of solution that we can turn off with the flick of the switch. Quite literally um so I think it's something that we could prioritize up with the biodiversity plan, but it will kind of be it won't just be isolated in parks and rec. So I think we mentioned that in the letter.

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um So thank you so much for your time.

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Thank you. So this is the last call for virtual speakers and I, don't see any more virtual speakers. So at this point.

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um We will, at this point, I'll bring the item back for Council questions and deliberation attachment one to the study session. Memo is the draft fiscal year 23 through 25 Council work plan, project B25, which is explore. Implementation of a downtown office cap on new development and project b26, which has developed comprehensive updates to the downtown precise plan on the draft work plan, require council members to recuse themselves from any discussion regarding these projects due to conflicts of interest.

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So now the council members with conflicts of interest related to the proposed downtown office cap and downtown precise Plan update, can make their statements uh council, member Abacoa. You can go first.

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Thank you, mayor I am refusing myself from discussion of projects, B25 implementation of a downtown office gap on new development and B-26 comprehensive updates to the downtown precise plan, because my residence is located in close proximity to the project area.

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And I'll go second, I will be recusing myself from discussion of projects B25 and b26, because my residence is also located in close proximity to the project area.

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So um do council members wish to discuss project B25 implementation of a downtown office cap on new development?

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I see that someone does so. We should be recusing ourselves.

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Matacek, thank you. I do want to discuss B25 I'm, not sure that um the intention of this was clear when it was brought up the last time we talked about this, and this was supposed to be a temporary office cap and I. Don't feel like that really came through in this material and the point was to have a temporary office cap until the downtown precise plan is updated.

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So I really view these as two different projects and I, don't think I, don't think it makes sense to wait on a temporary office cap until the downtown precise plan is done. The point is we want to do the temporary office cap while we work on the downtown precise plan um so that we are managing it better. So I would actually like to move that one up and have the temporary office cap separate from the downtown precise plan.

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Would anyone else like to speak on this I'm, not seeing anybody? Oh okay, I'm, going to take a um I, well first I'd just like to say to to the people who worked on this report. This is a really huge amount of work.

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Thank you, I mean there's so much um so many pieces to it and a lot of thought went into it and um we've all given it a lot of thought too so, um but you, you gave us food for that, though anyway um I uh I kind of wanted to look at at all of these projects more in categories, slightly different categories than the staff used and one of the categories I had put together was a um revitalization of the downtown and, of course, within revitalization, of the downtown, um uh the downtown precise plan and and um this temporary and you're right.

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We did talk about it as a temporary, we're um we're just part of that. So I don't really need to discuss that anymore, but just to say that I I think that I I literally id'd 11 projects that I see as really connected to the revitalization of downtown, and um so- and these were two of them. uh One of the things, though, I thought about the particularly when this you know this. This cap is discussed, I, I kind of feel like in the current economic situation. This is a problem.

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That's going to take care of itself, I mean why would a developer be building office now I mean I, guess, there's the sobrato one that's in the pipeline, but other than that. Are there any office projects in downtown right now going on.

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Or any planned.

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Thank you vice mayor RT, shivastva um assistant city manager, community development director. We continue to have interest in building office. Many of them want to go through the process because they see um that coming out of the next two or four years they they will be able to build and examples of those are. We've got a project on Dana we've got the marwood project that wants to come in our Robert Green project um contains an office development, so we continue to see.

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But those particular projects that you just mentioned are things that have been in the works for years.

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um The Dana one is fairly.

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A while, but the other ones yes have been there for for a while um yeah for some years and then we've got small projects. You know where you see on smaller Parcels, um like the council, saw the dentist's.

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All right, well, Lisa, do you want to provide guidance that this should be a temporary recap.

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Yeah um I would say we need to clarify that it's a temporary office cap and it's until we decide what we're doing with in the downtown precise plan with office. So it would be probably until the downtown, precise plant update is finished right.

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I would move it to a you know. It's my understanding that um this already went to the EPC, but it didn't come to council, so I'm actually hoping this is fairly simple to do, um because I think staff has already worked on it is it is that the case.

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I think I see a nodding head. Is that correct.

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Thank you, council member, um yes, staff has done some work on it and we had prepared a staff report for the Planning Commission.

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Okay, okay, so I would move it to a so there's two things clarify that it's a temporary office cap and move it to a.

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Okay, so can I see a show of him? Oh, oh sorry, I didn't see you there, um council, member.

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Thank you, I guess uh some questions for staff. uh There are many different ways of structuring uh an office cap and I know there was some work done by EPC. So if we, if we accept that, then presumably that could be brought to us fairly expeditiously um and uh probably with with no need to return to EPC right.

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Thank you, council, member um I would say if we made revisions to the date which we have to it would go back to EPC, and there was the recommendations would come back to council, because um the parameters that we had developed earlier uh implied that we, you know we had different dates. We also had anticipated, starting on the downtown precise plan earlier, based on our recommendation.

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So if it's been moved back to a category B, then there will be some time lag before we start work on the downtown and we want to make sure we're talking to developers, applicants and Property Owners about it before the EPC and Council see it so.

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There would be some community outreach, yes take some time and then the EPC meeting, and then it would come to us if we, if we rank this as a higher priority and begin the work sooner. What comes off the list.

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We're going to have to go back and take a look at it. I know that we have certain implementation actions for the housing element, so some things might have to be put off an example of that is. We had intended starting work on The Moffat, precise plan. We haven't completely started yet, so we might want to wait until this is done before we initiate work on that.

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Okay, um thank you. That's that's helpful. I. Don't have a problem with uh returning to council with at least some understanding of what the trade-off would be so I I think.

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I understand what.

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Ellen has your hand.

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Up, okay got it um so I I, um an understanding of what we're trying to achieve is helpful, so temporary temporary cap um that would be in place until the downtown precise plan is complete, that that's a helpful clarification, um I'm I'm, okay, with moving it forward, but I would want an understanding of what the what would come off the priority list as a consequence. Thank you.

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Council member Comey.

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Hi, thank you um vice mayor, um so I had a couple different questions. One was um a request to to Mr Masson.

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If he can email me that handout that he passed out to council, that would be really helpful for me to review those proposed changes that he had, and my second um question is um I agree that the project name might not might need some revision and would ask a council member matachek if possible, if she has a better naming for it, um because I do see, I was just taking a quick, quick notes of all the projects.

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You know it would be great to have something in the interim as we work on the downtown precise plan, but I'm not sure that the current name of the project is um correct and then would it be possible for staff to share with Council this report that went to Planning Commission. If it's an attachment to a certain meeting, we can look at it too, but that would be a question I have for stuff. They could send that along I didn't see it.

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Okay, our um the planning director is, is nodding. Her head, so I think we'll begin yeah I can't do that. Thank you, okay, appreciate it all right, so um uh anybody else wishing to speak so uh council member matachek, do you have a suggestion for a site, name change here: I.

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Would just add the word temporary and say: explore implementing a temporary downtown office cap on new development and again that's B25.

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All right so I think the thing that we should do is um just show have a show of hands of the people who are still in the diocese and um council member camay. So I suppose that means to be a roll call about. Can.

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We just clarify what precisely we're.

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Yes, we we are voting on uh the motion to change the name of this to Temporary cap and have uh have Council consider it earlier.

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Does that include the staff analysis of what the trade-off would be? Okay, yeah. Thank you.

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Clerk, do a roll call for something like this.

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No, just a show of hands would be fine. Oh.

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Okay, okay, everybody show of hands all in favor; okay, so that would be um council member kame. Are you voting for it? Yes, oh okay, all right! So that's all all five of us all right, well, I think. Does that bring this section of the discussion of the downtown precise plan? That's right! Would anyone like to talk about the downtown precise plan that is Project b26.

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Okay, I'm not seeing anyone needing to talk about.

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So um I think that does then bring this to part of the discussion to an end. um Jennifer you wanna. Let them know that they can rejoin us.

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Welcome back mayor, hick and council member.

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Avi Koga, thank you vice mayor.

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Step three. Thank you.

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So the council will now provide feedback on the following questions related to the draft fiscal year, 23 through 25 Council work plan projects. The first question that we'll go through is: are there any projects, excluding projects, B25 and B-26, whose priority categories should be changed in the draft fiscal year? 2325 Council work plan.

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And I guess: I should also open it to any questions on those projects as well, because I have a question vice mayor.

Q

Okay, I'll go first, um one question: I do have a couple of questions to start with and then I'll go into answering the question. um I was wondering about the revitalization of the Gateway Park. It seems like this will be taken up as part of the Castro Commons discussion and or it it could be. A small part of the downtown revitalization study. I was wondering if it needed its own study or it's something we can drop.

A

I would like to ask whether I need to recuse myself from this as well. Okay, I will.

O

Be recusing myself, I'm.

A

Sorry, um you guys live close. The projects you're talking about are close to my place. Yes, all.

P

Right and I believe I need to recuse myself as well. For the same reason.

Q

Sorry I should have remembered that is where you live. You live okay, E39, revitalization of Gateway Park. Do we really need this project? Is it one? We can cut.

X

So good evening, vice mayor council members, Don Cameron, Public, Works, director and I've asked John Machan, Community Services director to be available as well, so just to clarify Gateway Park would not be part of the Castro Commons development.

X

If something goes forth, Castro comments, of course you know be looking for it to be designed in a way that will work well with Gateway Park, um so wanted to set the record straight on that now in turns whether it needs to be a separate project or not I think in the end, um it really is up to council to decide, but staff does have a proposal for how to proceed and it would not necessarily have to be a separate Park.

X

So um again, I'm going to ask Community, Services director Michelle to correct me if I misspeak it all, but one of the things that we were talking about is engaging the community over the next year or so in a general discussion about the value and the importance of Gateway Park and what they look for in in this particular Park. It's really a unique setting as we aware, and it serves you some unique purposes.

X

Currently for the community, and after doing some of that discussion and assessment, we could see then, if it's just needs a refresh that could be done more through our more typical Park renovations, um replantings work that could be done. That would serve that need that would not rise to a formal, Capital Improvement project that requires a project manager, design and construction.

X

So that would be in our mind the first step and then, if based upon that work and after doing a refresh, there still continues to be desire to do something more holistic with it and a complete redesign retrofitting of it, it could be looked at then, as a future Capital Improvement program project.

X

Is there anything you want to add.

Q

Well, I guess my my follow-up question to that is: don't we do that for all the parks on sort of a rolling basis, I mean having lived in Mountain View for a long time. I've certainly seen the, for instance, the Tot Lot in the the park. I live near changed dramatically like three or four times when it got a little old.

Y

Yes, thank you vice mayor city, council, John, Marshall, Community, Services director, so yes, typically, we do go through and look at our our parks and look for opportunities to renovate this. In particular. Property is one that we do maintain, um but it continues to be maintained year over year and hasn't been looked at for a period of time and So based on the interest of council.

Y

It would be an opportunity for us to then, as a public works director said, is to take it a community view of the benefit of what that offers to the community and how we can support that. Okay,.

Q

Thank all right, so um uh the next speaker would be Emily Ramos.

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I think councilmember magic has something relevant to this.

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Discussion: okay, sure, council, member yeah.

R

I was the one who um put this one forward: the Gateway Park uh project and it I had in mind exactly what um this Cameron and Mr Marshawn described. um It has been a very long time since that park has been looked at in terms of should we do something different and so I think. The first step is exactly what was described.

R

um We'd get community input on what would they like to see different? You know, I I, think the term Gateway is overused uh when it comes to development, but in my opinion this actually is a gateway location.

R

um Hence the name Gateway Park, um it's a very important corner to our downtown and I think it could be better. It could be more inviting and refreshed, which is why I added it to the list. Thanks.

Z

um My my question is: has to do with another item.

AA

I I, actually it's while they're already out of the room. There is one other potential project that they would have to recuse on. If you wish to discuss it so, rather than have them come in and out again, um can we just ask Council um the council members that are here? If you want to discuss project A10.

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F

Q

um uh And what number that's A10, uh all right, I personally think it's a great project. I, don't know what other people feel it's a great project, so I think we need to move that around at all all right. Okay, so is it appropriate to bring our colleagues back.

R

A

R

Q

Thank you, hyperbole,.

Q

Okay well another one: I I had a question about was um a18 Implement online permitting now I understand that this is in the ongoing mode and we've gotten some information about some major changes that have been made recently and I wondered you know, what's um kind of what's left.

S

Thank you vice mayor, our teacher vastava. Again, um we've got two pieces to the online, permitting one is being in process right now. The biggest piece of this, the building module for building permits, was implemented in April, and we expect to continue to finish it out with planning and Public Works through the end of the year. So all permits then, would go through this new module and the second piece of it is what we call the land management system and that's going to take much longer.

S

um You know and it'll probably start in this work cycle, but it won't be completed in this work cycle. We expect to start probably I have to talk to the um to our Chief Information officer, but from what I understand.

S

I believe that it's going to start closer to the end of the year, because we're going to take time to implement the first module and then it'll take probably about two and a half to three years to complete.

Q

Okay, so it definitely hasn't just gotten into the ongoing management status. Yet.

S

It's not management, it's still in the implementation status, even the first module. Okay.

Q

Great thank you. Thank you and then I wondered about a name change for b31. That's the strategy for low and middle income, home ownership, and it seems like every time we talk about this outside of what we do in partnership with Silicon Valley, Housing Trust. It's related to the Community Land Trust program, so I was wondering if we should rename it that or if it really is broader, then a community Community, Land Trust program.

AB

The mayor and Council Wayne Chen assistant community development director, so the intent of that item is to be broader. Staff, have been exploring opportunities for more down payment assistance programs, funding for closing costs to assist the lower modern income households to actually be able to enter into Housing Community Land Trust is a part of home ownership, but just one part of that that item.

Q

Okay, well, thank you good good to know all right. Well, so that's those were the questions. I had and then I have some projects I'd like to move up. One I'd like to move up is Project c37, that's conduct a holistic, city-wide review of parking regulations, and we discussed this in the study session we had on the or the or the item we had on the 72-hour Rule, and um it was also brought up by livable Mountain View in terms of dealing with changes to parking parking laws and I.

Q

Just I really don't feel comfortable for it to be in the C category. I I view that there's there's one about municipal code updates and this could perhaps be the first Municipal Code update. We do so that's one thing I'd like everybody to think about, and then the second one I'd like to see move up is Begin work on the Stevens Creek Trail um I I know that it's B21, that's just the first one into the B category, but boy, at least in terms of the people.

Q

I talk to there's hardly anything in the community that is more treasured than the Stevens Creek Trail, and um so there it seems like there's a lot of reasons to to keep going on this as as as quickly as possible one. It's it's a long-term Community dream. Two, um this section will open up a large open space. That's essentially nobody has had access to, and that's a lot of park space that we we need access to, I, think it's 16 Acres or something like that.

Q

16 or 17 acres is quite a large swath um and also I think that that making sure we go as quickly as possible on this is important from the point of view of functioning as a good neighbor to Sunnyvale right now, Sunnyvale is is beginning working on this. This is the first time in a long long. Well. This is the first time in my memory anyway that another city has stepped forward to help us and boy is that welcome on with the Stevens Creek Trail? That is very welcome.

Q

So we want to encourage that and then the other thing is that you know this. This Stevens Creek Trail really functions, I mean we started out the dream, it we thought of it as a recreation Trail, but over time, I think we we've all found out that it's a lot more than that.

Q

It's it's a real important connector in our community and it's a very important commute group, and so this uh this extension that we're being talked that we're working on next, we'll we'll, really um and increase the number of people who can use it to commute to high school and also to the North Bay Shore, and that is good for our health and it's very good for lowering our ghg emissions.

Q

So for that reason, I'd really like to see this one moved up and then the other one, a couple more uh B30 and uh that's the R3 I think this is is um this is really long overdue and it directly supports our goal of providing more housing and I. Just I feel like in the mix of of planning that we're doing getting this included as soon as possible would be.

Q

You know is a good thing and then, and then the the last one I'd really like to see moved up is um uh B24 develop a comprehensive, city-wide storefront activation program. Oh I hope this doesn't trigger. No, it's city-wide, okay. um I would really like to see this moved up. uh We we uh we have a bit of a blight problem with vacant.

Q

um Storefronts and I. I would really like to see work done to um deal with that as soon as possible. So those are the ones I would like to move up and I think I'll. Let other people take a turn and um get back with more comments later.

A

Yes, now that I'm back I'm going to ask a question, as um as the vice mayor has just a procedural question as chair um now that Pat has named four. If I took notes right to move up, I'm wondering um how how we, how staff recommends when we proceed, because I guess I was kind of thinking. We would move some up and some down, but if we all recommend moving four up, we're going to be in trouble.

AC

Thank you mayor and council members. So, yes, I was going to say without hearing from the rest of the council members.

AC

If there is interest in moving in a number of other things up or shifting them around, then you'll have to have a similar discussion about what you may want to move down, because if all of the things are in category a then yeah, it's just you know, figuring out which items you really truly do want to be finished first and then category B they'll all still be complete and started, but they may just not be worked on as quickly as the items in category a so it's just a trade-off discussion of what you want to move up and down.

AC

A

I was hoping you would suggest a magic formula.

AC

A

um I guess it's just that we review I'll review afterwards, the number of up and down I'm sure the next person speaking is Emily and Ramos I'm sure she's going to move forward down um so um I guess: I'll, just review them as I see how it how it pans out.

A

Okay, uh council, member Ramos, unfortunately, one other thing uh also I see uh Ms Logue is in the queue but I think that may be left over.

Z

Okay, it's a member Ramos, so unfortunately I'm not making any recommendations to move anything down right now, um but uh one of the items that was not listed in the priorities, the the developed strategies for residents and Market rent rate rental units um it this. This is probably my fault for not being as clear I think it was more last minute uh thinking but I wanted. It wasn't just market rate properties. It was properties that were specifically not uh protected by our csfra or our mhrso.

Z

um So one one item or one type of unit that is exempt from our csfra law- is BMR units in particular. um Those are people who you actually have to be low income to be in there um and so they're they're in a particularly vulnerable place.

Z

Now, in some cases they live in a unit or a a project that is all affordable housing with a mission-based non-profit developer, but in other times they are inclusionary within a market rate development and there are I, have some questions in terms of the protections that they have available to them. So, for example, in the csfra, you can't increase your rent above a certain amount, which is the annual General adjustment, but another factor to that is if you lose um Housing Services, that is considered a rent increase under our csfra law.

Z

I do not know if that is the same. Kind of protection is afforded to those who are in BMR units. I've been getting comments relating to that, for example, like someone's in a BMR unit in in a market rate complex and they're, like we used to have a locker and suddenly they took away the locker, and they were just like tough luck.

Z

If that was a case of a csfra unit that would have been considered a loss of service that they would have been able to say hey, you need to decrease my rent at that point um and then the other kind of clarification for being those in BMR units is the calculation of how their rent is paid. Some um I had a discussion with some of my council members on it and they're like oh, it's just automatically 30 of what they make, but my understanding is it's actually based on their level.

Z

So if you are there's if you're in that range of low income, which is the 50 to 80 Ami, um the the rent is set at that 80 Ami. So I I I sent an email question in advance, but then I was told that it was probably best to just ask it in the council, because it was a lot more complex than just throw it into our Council questions.

Z

um But so, for example, if the Ami is 100k and 80 Ami is 80k, but that range is 50 to 80k. If you make 50k um that 80k the, if you make 80k, that rent would be 30 of that would be about 2k a month. But if you're, making 50 Ami that's 48 of your income, um so I I. Don't that that's that's!

Z

That's that border of severely housing, burden and I don't know what kind of protections there are for residents like that, especially also when we get our Amis increasing at a dramatic level, because Ami increases a lot here.

AB

Thank you, council member. There are a few parts of that question and I'll try to remember each of the pieces. Our BMR program has a couple of key components. One is a 65 weighted average and a market rate developer needs to include at least two Ami levels.

AB

So what that means is, for example, a developer could say for the BMR units we'll have half of the units at 50 Ami and the other half of the units at 80 Ami, which would balance out to 65 weighted average for those units the rents would be set at the 50 Ami rents and for the other half those units would be at the 80 rent, so it would not just be all of the units in that category are all set at the at the top of that level.

AB

um In terms of rent adjustments for residents who are existing in place, we typically have a three percent annual cap for In-Place rents. If a tenant, vacates and the unit becomes open and gets refilled, then the developer property manager will look at the existing hcd income limits to determine the income qualification once a new tenant is in the units, then it's capped again at three percent on an annual basis. Our BMR program also includes kind of an intentional piece to allow over income tenants.

AB

So, for example, there are three tiers for over income allowance as an example, any unit that goes up to 80 Ami, the tenants can earn up to 95 Ami and still remain in the unit. If they exceed 95, then they have one year of a transition plan that just gives one example of the ability to allow folks to stay in place regarding amenities. Typically, what would occur is if staff is contacted. We would pick up the phone call. The property manager find out what the situation is and find a corrective measure for that.

AB

If you are hearing from tenants and BMR units where this is the situation, please do let us know I think that we have maybe not heard as much of those complaints so do direct them to staff. So we can have a conversation with Property Management.

A

Perhaps you haven't finished council.

AD

Z

um One follow-up to that so I mean we have a lot of BMR units that are in our our city. Are we keeping track that they are following those rules.

AB

Do we do that? Thank you. So we have over 170 BMR units. The majority of them are rental units. There is an annual certification process that, through our BMR administrator, currently house keys, there's an annual process for that and then on an ongoing basis. We will follow up on any issues that we may hear about regarding issues from tenants, and then we have active conversations with house keys as well on an ongoing basis, just to make sure that the BMR units are administered properly.

Z

And is this the same process for both our BMR units that are inclusionary of in market rate developments, as are 100, affordable housing developments.

AB

uh Generally, um except that for the nofa projects, we we don't have a third party administrator, like house keys. It would be property managed by typically the developer, so for say a midpem project. They have their own Asset Management arm, and then we have ongoing coordination at the staff level directly with the developer or the developers, property manager, and then we're also building up our asset management function within housing. To be able to step up the ability to do ongoing monitoring and compliance.

A

So is this uh Miss Ramos has this and a proposed project, or is it something it sounds like? Maybe something that could be addressed with an off agenda memo.

Z

A

I would love.

Z

To get some updates on this as it comes, but not necessarily Project work, but more like just I, don't know what you would call that office. What did you call an off agenda memo? Yes,.

A

An office memo I think we got we've gotten them in the past, maybe on the gatekeeper process, so um I think you're right. We could use one on this topic. Thank you. Thank you. uh We have council member matacek now.

R

Okay, thank you, um so I agree with the vice mayor about pulling in c37. That is the city-wide review of parking regulations um that one's really important to me, and um that was number one on my list to pull in. So thank you for raising that.

R

um But I do have a couple that I'm happy to push out, and um one of them is A2, which is the ballot measure to amend the city. Charter yeah I got to thinking about, um doesn't make sense to have two ballot measures on the same ballot and there's the revenue measure and then the modernizing the city Charter and, from my perspective, I think it would be better to have one at a time and so I think the revenue measure is more important to me than the modernizing the city Charter.

R

So I would push out A2 and I'm, not sure if that falls into category B or C, but I would want it on the next ballot in 2026.

R

and then I also would push out b35, which is prepare a city-wide travel demand, update and the reason I'm saying that is because um pulling in uh c37 with public works as the lead. I was looking for something that Public Works was the lead in to sort of balance. This and you know, um there's a lot of important projects that Public Works is working on, but if I had to pick, one I would say, I would push out b35.

R

And let's see, I have a general comment that I guess I'm going to make right now and that is um while I appreciate getting input from The Advisory bodies. I would like to see the process changed for next time.

R

I'm, not sure all of the members of our advisory bodies know a whole lot about this wide variety of projects and actually I Look to them to be experts in the area like Visual, Arts or bike ped and I I. Don't think you know they know about all these projects, so what I would prefer to do is before the council discusses this. We ask our advisory bodies.

R

You know what are the top, maybe one or two projects that you think the council should put on the work plan in your area of responsibility, and then that comes to counsel and we review that, along with projects we might have in mind and say yes or no to the projects that they would like to add. You know this way. I feel, like you know, I'm, not sure.

R

I can really trust the results, because I just think there's a lot of projects they're, not that familiar with and they don't fall into their area of responsibility, so I would flip it around next time. Thank.

J

A

Thank you, council member Ramirez,.

E

Thank you, mayor, I, agree with that last comment um that we've probably got to uh allow the advisory bodies to provide uh more a a general opportunity to share with us what they think some priority projects are so I I appreciate that comment. I'll start with a couple of questions because I missed that opportunity. Earlier my apologies, it sounds like we are doing one question at a time, so I'll focus on yes.

A

Okay, I did not get an opportunity earlier. You were not.

E

Right, I missed the opportunity.

E

um uh I only have one question actually for this question and that's uh operationally what is the difference between category a and category if something is placed into category a? Does that really guarantee it's going to be done within a specific period of time? And similarly, if it's in category B, does that necessarily mean that it'll be pushed out if, if other things come up.

D

Thank you for the question.

D

The difference between category a and category B is somewhat relative and again it it has to do with if there are limited staff resources- and there needs to be some prioritization of the council work plan projects in order to move things forward in a timely manner at all category, B projects will be prioritized below category a in that limited allocation of Staff resources. Again, that does not mean that category B projects won't see substantive progress or completion in the two-year work plan period.

D

It doesn't mean that some of them aren't already underway in receiving staff resource allocations. It's that, if there's a need to prioritize based on limited resources, category a will take priority. Okay, that.

E

That's helpful, but it's challenging because it's there's an element of subjectivity and there's a lot of information, we're not necessarily privy to right, so uh I think we at a high level. We know that CDD is working both on the R3 update and the Moffett Boulevard precise plan. But it's hard to know beyond that. How the two relate or don't relate and whether moving one aside necessarily means that the other will get any level of priority, and so because of that I'm I'm, very comfortable with the staff recommendations. I I don't feel like we're.

E

There's going to be a tremendous amount of value in um unless we're removing something from the list or we're we're, making a fairly dramatic shift um like taking something that's scheduled and making it unscheduled. I, don't think, there's going to be a whole heck of a lot we could actually achieve with with uh you know, moving things between categories A and B, for instance, um and I. You know so I agree with the vice mayor. The R3 update is important to me.

E

That's something that we prioritized in June, 2019 and I'd love to see it done, um but there are hope there have been a number of reasons why it hasn't been able to be completed, and you know, despite the fact that I I would love to see that done as quickly as possible.

E

I think priority B is, is a fair place to to include it relative to all of the other things that we want to achieve, and especially appreciating that CDD is so heavily impacted that we might place it in priority a but in practice that won't necessarily mean that it'll be done faster, so I'm, I'm, comfortable with the staff recommendations I would I would be interested in understanding what it would mean to place.

E

The uh holistic, city-wide review of parking regulations uh in a higher priority I have a suspicion and the Public Works director can correct me if I'm wrong that the city-wide travel demand update may not be sufficient if we were to de-prioritize that that wouldn't necessarily create enough capacity for the parking regulation, update, which feels far more significant in scale, is that a fair assessment.

X

Thank you for the question: councilmember Ramirez Don Cameron, Public, Works director. Yes, that is a fair assessment. The holistic review of all the City parking regulations dealing with our on-street parking will involve myself far more extensively than the travel demand model update, which is more technical in nature. It will also involve other departments a little more extensively than the child demand model. Update would be so it's not an even trade, um but again we're interested in hearing your priorities and we'll do what we can. If you move things up on the on the list.

E

Okay, thank you. That's helpful, so I'll I guess my yes sure.

A

Excuse me, while you're up here or before you sit down, I, actually have a follow-up question, because I have interest in uh c37 about city-wide parking demand too, but it's for slightly different reasons than other people have brought up so far tonight. I think it interacts a great deal. I agree with what some people have brought up I I guess it was Mr Cox. Then public commentary that we've agreed to dramatically change, How We Do parking with very little discussion about it.

A

It was brought about by the housing element and we haven't really talked Council hasn't really talked about it at all, so that concerns me, but in particular where it concerns me, is that I think it will interact a lot with our active Transportation plan, um which is something no one's brought up. Yet to me, it's less about parking than about that, and also our urban forestry plan, which often includes uh Street trees.

A

So what I'm afraid of when we did uh both the El Camino Real uh bike lane and also the Calderon bike line, is just two examples. I I think the process was to first look and see whether there was much parking on those two streets and when we found that there was not we put in the bike lanes and what I'm afraid of is that and I've already heard some of this from developers and I would do it myself if I wanted to make money off of a Housing Development, they look around and see are.

A

Are there? Is there a lot of parking available on the street and if there is they put less parking in their project? But then we I'm, looking out not I, mean not always for developer profits. I'm looking for the benefits of the residents and I want to make sure that we can put in bike Lanes or widen sidewalks or put in Street trees.

A

I don't want to give over our city streets, which we own to to become permanent parking lots I want to be able to use them frankly for active transportation, and that's on our that's upcoming on our agenda. So to me, I have a sense of urgency around that particular item.

X

Well, thank you for bringing that up. um So, in my mind, you're, you are talking about two separate issues, so the comprehensive are a holistic review of our parking regulations would generally involve looking at our city code. What the California vehicle code says about how we may regulate on-street parking, and these are all the different ways that we regulate on-street parking, it's whether we put time limits in to our five hour. Some folks have brought up the you know: people brought up the 72 hour limit.

X

It could be also related to various other pieces that allow us to regulate when people and how they, the public, uses our parking areas, and you know we've started writing down what the scope could look like.

X

That starts to address the various things we've heard from the community and from council members that range from using our our right away as storage or businesses, using it for their own purposes, and that's more in terms of you know as we look at regulating and enforcing, but also the future of our right-of-way in terms of making sure it remains when, when you provide public parking, the intent is it available for the public. You expect turn turnover, it's not dedicated to any specific users.

X

So we do see this as as this comprehensive review looking at the future of development and as as looking at going with less or no parking on site.

X

um What are the strategies that we would be recommending be put in place to do exactly what was brought up? How do we keep parking available for the residents in the area for other public uses that could involved revamping the residential parking permit program to potentially make it so that the city initiates it at times based upon developments coming in? It could involved looking at putting in more time restrictions- and you know the legalities around doing all of that.

X

So that's the parking regulations now the issues that you're also bringing up, which are critical policy issues, aren't really related to parking regulations, but how the city is going to choose to use the right-of-way so, for instance, as you brought up with El Camino Real, which, although it's not city right away, will pretend it was because we do do this for other streets, we did it with Calderon, for instance, we do if we want to put in, for instance, a protected Bikeway. That means we need to.

X

We need the space we need to repurpose the right-of-way as part of our community outreach and engagement. Yes, we do survey the amount of parking that's already being utilized on the street. Did they have other options off the street to park, and then we talked to those homeowners or others that are involved about the project and get their input to it.

X

Ultimately, it is a council policy decision to say this is a higher priority for the right-of-way to put in this bike lane to widen this sidewalk to put in these trees than parking, and that's not a parking regulation per se.

X

That's a decision for how the right-of-way is going to be used, so this is where the active Transportation plan, for instance, comes into play in its look at policies, and this is one of the key things for the active Transportation plan to look at as well as some of the other planning work that the city is doing is coming to a place of. If we have priorities where we want to put in improved bike facilities, wider sidewalks, more green infrastructure, and it means we need to repurpose a part of the street and remove parking.

X

That is a policy decision it it's not a parking regulation decision and that can still happen.

X

um You know these two timings don't have to one doesn't have to precede. The other is what I'm trying to say.

A

That was a longer answer than I saw expected and I want to say that we're running into some timing issues because um Senator Becker is going to come and I know that come visit us soon um virtually um yeah, and there are three council members who still need to comment and and uh council member Ramos council member Ramirez was in the middle of his comments.

A

So I think we may. We had talked when preparing for this meeting because it's unusual to have a senator Grace. Our meeting. uh We talked about beginning uh taking a break from this issue, uh allowing uh Senator Becker to show up and then restarting this issue, so I think I'm going to do that. Right now.

A

Excuse me I, don't know, but we have. We would be starting the I believe we would be. No. We wouldn't start okay. So that's just a heads up that we will be doing that.

A

Okay, so uh council, member Ramirez. Do you have more.

E

Thank you, mayor I, don't want to take up too much time, especially if we could wrap up question one that might be kind of the natural. You know uh concluding point for this, but uh so, but in short, I'm. Supportive of the staff recommendations. I think they're very well thought out. I'm I'm uh I'm comfortable with uh some some tactical revisions, including better understanding what it would mean to uh rank uh the parking regulation item as a higher priority, which I think would basically mean we want to.

E

We want to commit to achieving that priority within the two-year cycle is kind of how I interpret it. um But beyond that everything else is um I'm very comfortable with. Thank you.

A

Thank you and and I saw um council member kame's hand. Are you ready to speak council member I.

C

Am I am um so for question. One I just wanted to um say that I'm comfortable with the staff recommendations for the prioritization and I would be comfortable to the change that I've heard about moving c37 prioritization up and be 35 down um and I. Think that's kind of it. I've heard a couple others, but that would be my preference is to keep everything else as is, and just to move up, c37 down b35 and then I also wanted to comment and say that I'd like to recuse myself from the 39..

C

M

A

Council member ABI Koga.

P

Thank you, mayor, um I, I, don't have much more to say after listening to everyone, I appreciate the comments and um I guess. Just a couple of things, I would say, is I. Do support, moving up the parking, c37 item and I appreciate um Ms Cameron's comes actually mayor. Your comments, too I think there's actually a lot of things that tie together.

P

um I agree with you, you know in a perfect world, I'll just say I think we should have as many bike Lanes as we can throughout the city.

P

um But of course that is relative to the parking situation and in light of the changes in what we can require require with parking um that that's might complicate things, but um as I was listening to um the others, I was thinking that also type sizing or could tie into the TDM ordinance. If we talk about um transportation, demand management uh more, you know that a lot of that ties into active, Transportation, Transit whatnot, so I see a lot of these actually kind of melding into each other.

P

So it's a little tricky frankly to try to separate them out and into distinct projects, I think and as we work on them, we'll probably see that happening so I I want to be mindful of that.

P

So, to be frank, be knowing understanding that and then the other piece that I know is that there's um you know funding consideration, so you know again a perfect world if we got funding for the grade separations that should move up to the category a and so you know so get knowing that being mindful of that, I think this is a very you know, helpful plan, but there's a lot of room for movement. A lot of things that affect you know will affect this. That is out of our control.

P

Frankly, like funding issues so um I, you know, I think we just need to be flexible with that. um I was gonna say with the Stevens Creek Trail extension. That, actually is the piece that I was thinking is we could work on it, but there's a funding issue there. I I, don't know where we're going to get the funding to do this next reach and so I, I, guess and I appreciate sunnyvale's moving forward, I I I would be appreciative, maybe a memo, because I remember there were a couple of different options with this like.

P

If Sunnyvale were to move forward, there was a possibility that we wouldn't have to come back to this final piece. I know at one point we talked about: let's just do it anyway, but again you know.

P

I I just want to be realistic about funding opportunities and and understand better like what is possible and what we really need to do versus now that we have a collaboration with these other cities with the Alternatives can be because I think the real initially my understanding was this loop around the bay or going up to Sunnyvale up to Cupertino, but there were some challenges, engineering challenges and then Sunnyvale for a while didn't want it to go through their city, but I think they changed that direction.

P

So if it's going through Sunnyvale, do we really need to do this last piece as a question? Frankly,.

X

um Thank you for the question and if I may save myself a memo, I'd like to just answer the question: that's.

P

X

You so what's being discussed in terms of sunnyvale's moving forward, as sandyville did succeed in acquiring some grants to build a section from Remington down to Fremont Avenue. Now the Gap then is from where it ends in Heatherstone and comes down to Remington, which is the section of the project that we would be doing in partnership with Sunnyvale, and then our project also wants to cross over and connect to Mountain View High School.

X

So Sunnyvale is going to proceed with their section because it can be done as a standalone project recognizing it leaves a gap which then city streets can serve as an alternate route to. We can fill that Gap. Now we do have grant funding and we have funding set up for the design phase of our partnership section, which is between Heatherstone and Remington, headed over to the bridge. It's about 6 million. It is in our CIP. We plan to assign a project manager to that project by this fall and get started on the design work itself.

X

Now it's a construction money, that's going to be challenging, but by doing the design we do set ourselves up to try to compete for more grants and try to keep this one moving forward. So wherever you put it on the priorities, we do plan to get started on the design work. This fall and use the grant funding and we'll be coordinating closely with Sunnyvale.

P

Great, thank you well, in that case, then I think it's I'm fine with where it is right now, so the only change I would look at is the c37 thanks.

A

So the beauty of speaking last is that people have said most of what I had to say: I I, as you can tell also believe that c37 should move up and that um most of the items I agree with council member Ramirez that um his take on why most of them can stay where they are I do have a a couple of comments or questions. Well, I I liked the comments that many people made about cross-pollination between projects. You know biodiversity, Park, planning, active transportation and don't want them to be siled um and I liked.

A

The comment about advisory bodies um telling us early on giving us advice early on uh regarding their own areas of expertise, as opposed to commenting on on all the projects that Council looks at I. Think that would be more meaningful. I also want to look a bit at project A14, which is the Moffett precise plan.

A

In my opinion, when I look at the area defined for the Moffett precise plan, um it's too small, it should go all the way to where 85 crosses over the um the crosses, uh Moffett and I also think it should be renamed, not the Moffett precise plan, but the the Moffett downtown precise plan, because I do believe it's the other half of our downtown I would actually name rename both of them.

A

The Castro downtown, precise plan on The, Moffat, downtown, precise plan I think making it larger is first we're trying to do transit-oriented development, so I think making it larger makes it. uh You know we. We say that people can walk from the intersection of El, Camino and Castro to the train station. I think they can also walk in the other direction and they're we're doing ourselves a disservice or we're not really doing good transitorium development.

A

If we only look on one side of the train station and I also think that those two changes would make it more competitive, possibly for Grants, because I've heard that Grant it's not as competitive because they're not enough sites in it and I was going to ask Miss srivastava. Whether one of the properties within that area would be the Shenandoah property which, um whether that could be incorporated into an expanded, downtown precise plan, because that property is different than the rest of the properties.

S

Thank you, mayor RT, shavasaba assistant, Community assistant city manager, community development, director um I, would say yes with a caveat that property is not currently within the city. It needs to be annexed. However, the city can pre-zone it and I think we need to do a little bit of research to see what options the city has.

S

If we want to incorporate it into a precise plan, it could extend all the way from saying this is not annexed yet and we have plans for it all the way to oh, we can't pre-zone it and provide a little more Direction, so I think a little bit of research is required, but we can certainly research that and bring that back when we bring it back for the study session for Council and then, if Council wants to extend the scope, we can also look at what's a reasonable walkable distance.

S

And how far should the scope extend.

A

Well, that's something I'm highly interested in, because I want to make that more competitive and more walkable, more competitive for Grants, more walkable um and the the last I have a question also on um uh the race, equity and inclusion uh concept, because I thought that the or the equity component I thought that the proposed Child, Care Project, which staff said did not have an equity component, actually has a pretty large Equity component. I'm I'm, happy keeping it where it is.

A

But I I um wondered why I think, for um you know, women to be economically independent, to reduce uh and also for low-income families that that, like many families need two workers, I think that child care is critically important. So I think there was I just want to change that staff comment and say that it has big a big Equity component, and those are my comments.

A

So does Staff feel that we have enough clarity, or should we come back to which things I I have notes and could go over it. But do you think we have enough Clarity at this.

AC

Point, um thank you mayor, so I do think. We need to make sure that we're on the same page with where you all have landed. What I am hearing and I would ask, are principal management analyst James to fill in the blanks if I'm missing anything I'm hearing that you all are in agreement to move up c37? What I would like Clarity on is whether you're talking about category b or a because right now it's in C and then I did not hear a majority support for moving other things around.

A

So I'm going to ask the person who first brought up c37, which would be the vice mayor, whether she had a preference for a or b and and other people who chimed in anybody who wants to to answer.

Q

I I: don't really have a strong preference one way or the other, um but I yeah I don't have a strong preference.

A

Okay, council member Ramirez thank.

E

You mayor since staff is coming back with a feasibility analysis. uh Maybe it would be helpful to to return with if it were in category a what would come off the list and if it were in category B, what would come off the list, because I I'm not sure we have enough understanding of who is what work would be replaced. Now that we've prioritized this project.

A

Okay, we had some comments, but we haven't taken straw. Votes on them. Is that clear enough.

AC

So if I may I think I would just uh suggest to move this to category a okay and I. Think at that point, um because there are no other items that are really shuffling around. Unless there are other things you want to make sure that you take a straw poll on. We can move it to category a and then our Public Works director and her staff will uh figure out what else may need to be shuffled and we could come back but I, don't necessarily anticipate that we would come back with further shuffling okay.

A

Why don't we take a straw vote on on that move it to category a and everything else stay, as is all those in favor?

A

Okay, that's unanimous. Thank.

D

You mayor one point of clarification, um be 25 was also moved to category a, and that is a temporary downtown office cap um during the recusal.

A

Okay with that, we so I'm. The gatekeeper question question number two on this item: I'm going to postpone until after we begin the rest of the meeting, um so I will call to order our actually I'm going to ask for an opinion. Should we is Senator Becker here? Should we go to that and then do the GateKeeper.

AC

Thank you, mayor I, believe you can call the meeting to order and then and.

A

Then go through those go.

AC

Through the items and then when he arrives, we can make sure that we turn over the floor to him. Okay,.

A

Just um okay, so we will now be moving to our uh regular session uh and so for those of you who have just arrived good evening. Welcome to the Joint meeting of the Mountain View City Council in the shoreline Regional Park Community um for those of you who are joining us in person. Please note that, due to our hybrid environment, audio and video presentations can no longer be shared from the lectern requests to show an audio or visit.

A

Video presentation during a council meeting should be directed to City dot clerk at mountainview.gov by 4 30 pm on the meeting date. Additionally, due to our hybrid environment, we will no longer have speakers line up to speak on an item. Anyone wishing to address the council in person must complete a blue speaker card. Please indicate the name you'd like to be called by when it's your turn to speak, and the item number on which you wish to speak.

A

Please complete one blue speaker card for each item on which you wish to speak and turn it into the city clerk as soon as possible, but no later than the call for public comment on the item. You're speaking on instructions for addressing the council virtually may be found on the posted agenda.

A

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

O

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible.

A

With liberty and justice for all.

A

So we're now on item two: the city clerk will take attendance by roll call, councilman.

B

Broadway Copa here council member kame, here councilmember matacek.

E

Here, councilmember.

B

E

B

Councilmember Ramos here vice mayor, show Walter here, mayor Hicks here unicorn thank.

J

A

We are now on item number three presentations. Please note these are presentations. Only the city council will not take any action. Public comment will occur after the presentation items. If you'd like to speak on these items in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk now.

A

So I imagine that the senator is not here yet okay, so uh we will go to item 3.2 presentation on the north county, Trust mobile mental health program.

A

We're happy to be joined this evening by David Minetta, president and CEO of momentum for health to share this presentation.

A

AE

Thank you very much and, of course, sorry um we were outside thinking. It was going to be a bit, so apologies mayor, city, council, City Administration. Thank you very much. My name is David Minetta I'm, the president and CEO of momentum for health and I'm joined I'm, doing a little Moonlighting I'm working for Andrew tonight, our assistant manager, the trust program, and we are very happy and pleased to be here to present the trust program um to the city, council and City Administration.

AE

As many of you maybe already know, the trust program actually had a soft launch back in November of last year, and one of the things that we wanted to make sure we did tonight was to thank Mountain View for its support of inclusion of the north county uh in the trust, pilot um and uh I. Believe um so again, trust is a mobile crisis response team and this is a pilot program funded by the state through Mental Health Services act money. It's a four and a half year pilot again began in November of 2022..

AE

There are three pilot areas: East San Jose Gilroy and the north county, including obviously Mountain View, Sunnyvale parts of Santa Clara and Palo Alto, um the team I'll. Let Andrew talk about kind of the makeup of the team. What it does, but I just want to make sure that um that you all know that it is a 24 7 program 365 days of the year, and we could the next slide I believe.

AE

um So again uh are actually I think we have to go back in the slides. Sorry I think we started off on five yeah if we can just go back right there on slide. Two. Thank you so again on this slide. Just so, you can see that there are really three four different options for mobile crisis in the county right now, the first being the psychiatric emergency response teams, pert these are run with law enforcement teams. This is a licensed clinician going out with law enforcement.

AE

The mobile crisis response team mcrt is running by the county, that's a county-wide response team and um the mobile response stabilization services. This is run by Pacific Clinics, it's for Youth Services throughout the county and then the trusted response urgent support, team trust. This is again a three pilot, uh um three area pilot program and our team will respond to North County.

AE

So when you call 988, if folks want um a this, what Andrew will just describe in the trust team right, so people call 988, they say: hey I've got a behavioral health emergency uh or crisis. They will triage that on 988 there's a separate call Center for trust that people, then would say: hey I'd, like the trust team right and then Andrew will describe what that means.

AE

um So next slide, please.

AE

Just to give you a little history, this has been going on for a while and again that's why I want to thank uh Mountain View, because Mountain View was actually helpful in this process before it even went, and you know, went anywhere. I was talking to a council member um Abe kogo about this way long time ago, right and appreciated uh her support in talking with the county as well.

AE

uh So again, it kicked off actually with George Floyd and the idea that there was a way to respond to crisis calls and not necessarily have to have law enforcement out if there was a Behavioral Health crisis.

AE

So that has been one of the successes since November start is actually reduction in actually police involvement in in our Behavior. Our trust, calls um and I think out of I. Don't know a thousand calls so far, um I've only been like six law enforcement uh um interactions and again that's where even we're asking for help from law enforcement on certain calls.

AE

uh So with that I will again I want to turn over to Andrew real quickly. um I thank the I think Mountain View. We have to recognize the county um and to thank the county again for the pilot in support of the pilot and they're managing this and the three teams right now.

AE

AF

Thank you Dave for the introduction good evening. Everyone if we can move on to the to the next slide, to go over um what we're really doing on the calls that were being dispatched to throughout North County.

AF

So what trust is responding to are pre-crisis situations, low-level crisis situations or situations that might be involved with substance use our team that you'll see later on the slides goes out and the main goal is to create a safe space for individuals to open up about their crisis situation to us and the hopes that they'll go back down to a Baseline and be willing to take the next step in their mental health Journey as we provide resources for them.

AF

In addition, we also provide transportation, but the main goal is to create that safe space with our team. We're not approaching these calls in a clinical way, meaning we're not diagnosing individuals out in the community, we're just creating a space in hopes that we can assist them on the next step in their Journey.

AF

Next slide, please!

AF

So, as Dave mentioned, we are 24 7 365 day year program, North County, we're servicing Santa Clara, all the way up to Palo Alto next slide. We covered this information, so the call center that is run by Pacific Clinics 988 triages, with call at first it gets sent over to trust when trust receives the call from Pacific Clinics. They see where the call came from. If it's North County, our team will be dispatched.

AF

The makeup of the team consists of a peer Navigator, which is somebody with lived experience, who is able to guide a client or Community member with their own Journey that they have been on really enforcing that human to human relationship with people.

AF

We also have a first aid professional who are licensed EMTs, but acting on us under a scope of a first aid responder, and then we have a crisis intervention specialist, someone who's, you know, has experience working in this field, de-escalating situations providing coping strategies to individuals as well as familiar with resources in this given area to assist into people next slide.

AF

So we did do a soft launch a few months ago. In November, we are fully launched now servicing North County Pacific Clinics is servicing San Jose and South County. We're seeing calls come in bit by bit, but we're really trying to portray to the community that 988 is an option for Mental Health crisis person. Who's experienced a crisis doesn't need to call for themselves. You can be a Community member, you can be a bystander and see someone who's in need, or you think might need an additional help.

AF

Call 988 and our team can go out and just you know, evaluate the situation and provide assistance in whatever way we can. Thank you.

AE

I'm not sure um if it might be helpful actually to hear maybe just one example of a call in North, County I, don't know Andrew. We got just something just an example of some of the like a typical call or something that we get yeah.

AF

So we see on calls that oftentimes when we have client information and we're going to say a home setting that oftentimes the client isn't the only one who's experiencing a crisis. Family members around them might be as well stressful situation. They might be seeing a loved one experiencing a mental health crisis for the first time it takes a toll on everybody, so just examples without going too in depth, we just when we arrive at these homes or even in the community. Our team is just aware of that.

AF

It's not only the client who might be in need, but the family members around them. So if you know we were on a call with someone experiencing substance use, you know related issues and then the family members did not know how to navigate what their son was going through. So we provided education for them on how to deploy Narcan for their son, who they were fearing. That might experience an overdose.

AF

So we sat down with the family, went through the parameters of how to address those situations where to ask for help how to deploy the Narcan and things like that. So you know we're not forcing any of our. You know, clients into a level of care, but we're just there to assist them and hopefully provide enough information and a space for them to continue on their Journey.

AE

Thanks Adrian and oftentimes, it's a connection to a program right, so resources in the community and after the team will go out. There'll be a follow-up with that that person to see if the connection was made, how they're feeling uh and kind of next steps. We appreciate also uh Congressman issue. She was able to get an earmark funding for extra help for this, for the trust team in North County and through an arrangement with Palo Alto and in conjunction with Mountain View.

AE

We have both case managers coming on to do the follow-up calls to help on on the um uh after the team goes out or after many of these calls will actually be handled from the call center itself, so even from the call center doing follow-up to see how somebody is doing if they need connection to a program.

AE

uh In addition, we're we're, through the earmark, we're, also training, more mental health, first aid providers that will be going out and doing uh Community trainings on Mental Health, first aid for young folks and for adults- and this is really important in these sort of Behavioral Health epidemic. We find ourselves in now just more information on the ground for folks with families I mean for families, Faith communities, schools on and on. So again we can't thank Mountain View enough uh for the opportunity to come out and and present. We do appreciate.

AE

I know um uh Andrew talks, often about his discussions with councilmember Ramirez as well updates- and you know so- we would be available uh for the rest of the council as well. So if you have other updates, you'd like, please feel free love to come out uh and and update right. So thank you all very much.

A

Well, thank you very much. I learned a lot and I know. This is something that the council has been very concerned about for some time. Are there any council members who want to make comments on the presentation.

J

Council member Abbott Koga.

P

Thank you, mayor um I, just want to say thank you to Mr monetta and your team. um This came out during covid and um the George Floyd issue and um it really came from the community the community's interest in having alternatives to emergency response and I appreciate our councils.

P

uh You know interest in pursuing something and they're Silver Linings, there's I think this is another one of them of the pandemic and just everything we were going through at that time and just um you know trying something new being Innovative and then the partnership really I want to highlight between the city, the county and the non-profit organizations. It really is a team effort, I'm very excited that this has happened and it's happened so quickly and I appreciate also congresswoman issues, helping us get funding for it.

P

So I look forward to I hope that we can get regular updates, I hope to hear some. You know good success stories. So it's just again. Thank you very much for for being here and for your partnership.

I

AE

You thank you all.

A

Yes, oh council, member kame, do you have a comment.

C

It I do I, just I just wanted to uh thank David and Andrew and just say that I know this is something of particular interest to our psab, our Public Safety Advisory Board, and so hopefully we can pass on the side, deck and the materials um to them. um I think that just would be great. Thank you very much great.

AE

A

Yes, thank you.

AE

So much once again great thank you.

A

So next we are going to be having a presentation from state senator Josh Becker on legislative priorities for 2023. He will be joining us via Zoom welcome, Senator Becker, the last time I joined. You was on your gun, safety, Town Hall, although that was virtual. So you didn't, we didn't shake hands, but um welcome to the council meeting.

AG

Well, thank you. It's wonderful to be here. Can you hear me okay, we.

A

Can hear you yes.

AG

And is the lighting I'm looking at it as just two uh unfortunately I'm in uh my hotel room, but is it too washed out I could try to change the angle.

A

I can see you well.

AG

Okay, all right will you. Let me know if that's not the case, wonderful to be here with all of you.

AG

um It's a very uh fortuitous week, I guess to be here because there's a lot going on both from a legislative perspective as well as a um budget perspective, and let me just start with the budget, and one of my highlights of this year has been sharing one of the the key budget committees, and this is the committee- that's responsible for all natural resources, all climate uh water, about 20 billion dollars, uh Investments and obviously it's been a deep passion of mine- and you know shared by I- think many people in uh in in the area, but also give me a deeper insight into the budget and, as you know, we started the year with a budget deficit, um and people are sort of speculation that when we have What's called the May revised when we get some updated numbers um that that deficit made gross lately so uh without spilling any uh particular beans.

AG

I think you can expect to see some creative thinking from the Senate tomorrow morning, we'll be announcing some of our ideas on how we can continue to invest in key priorities, whether it be housing and infrastructure, whether it be raising finally raising our medical reimbursement rates, which have been way too long for too low for too long, whether it be Transportation which was cut in the governor's budget and topic I'll come back to in a moment um and other key priorities, including climate, which also was cut uh in the governor's budget, including climate resilience, which was cut about 40 percent over some of our previous allocations.

AG

So we put our heads together. We did a lot of creative thinking and you'll hear more about that when it's announced tomorrow- and you know, I have some concerns about one or two pieces of package, but overall I think there's a lot of a lot of good stuff in there to start a discussion.

AG

um So back now to legislation and for my focus it's really been been two things number one is what I think of as quality of life issues on the peninsula. So that may be an issue like Transportation an issue like housing, education and then second is really leveraging the platform of the of the State of California, where the for the fourth largest economy in the world.

AG

If we were our own country and leading on issues like climate or protecting women's reproductive Health rights, uh that we can really have an impact on the rest of the country and so I'll start off on the the first, a bucket of issues and uh some other little new news since I was here last, is that I was named Vice chair of the Bay Area caucus, and this is a great honor for me and gives me um a really a window into some of these issues.

AG

That's really Regional and a lot of these issues are Regional issues. When you think about Transportation housing homelessness, they really need Regional, Solutions, so being Vice. Chair of the Bayer caucus now I get to have that um that view across the area and transportation is, is one area where it's it's no secret we're at a bit of a crisis where Caltrain, particularly and and and Bart as well, are transit systems that were the most self-sufficient got hit the most.

AG

um So they had the highest fare box recovery uh and then have been most impacted by two crucial ridership in the pandemic and the increased work from home. So you, you may have heard about the fiscal cliff, but some of these- or you know some of our systems- are facing really uh accidental existential threats.

AG

They don't want to cut a service and end up in a downward spiral, but facing really significant a budget shortfall so as a caucus, we're working on that and seeing how we can Shore up these systems and do it, hopefully in a way that also improves the customer experience. So I had a seamless, Bay Area Bill last year.

AG

Some of you know we have 27 overlapping Transit agencies, and the point of that bill was to do at least do schedule, coordination, Fair coordination and do better signage and better data so that we can better coordinate the system and um that bill didn't pass.

AG

But a lot of that by going through that whole process MTC, which is our a regional transportation agency, has the ability now and the authority to go and Implement some of this on its own and so I think that's what people want to buy into a better transit system and feel like we're tackling Rider safety uh as well as um that, the coordination pieces that that I mentioned. So that's one big area and a big area to watch in the budget negotiations uh coming up here in the next couple of months.

AG

For a reminder, the budget really has to be done by mid-june. So a lot of these decisions are going to come pretty quickly.

AG

uh Secondly, in in housing and homelessness, um very proud to have a bill and homelessness that I'm very excited about, and it was and I have to say it was really inspired by the action of Mountain View standing up the the uh center with life moves where uh the governor came, and it was a one acre and built very quickly. A hundred units I think 120 people some for families, a third of it was reserve for Supportive, Services and um I know.

AG

There was some some criticism on that recently, but which is really around the length of that people can stay and- um and we do want people to stay long- and that's part of part of my bill is to really focus on these modular relocatable structures that we can scale up quickly, uh that we can really take advantage of excess public land. So that's land that doesn't have another use for five years.

AG

Remember: you're, a Community College District, a water district, a um uh another government District, maybe you're thinking about a land that you may you know, or your buildings getting entitled that's going to take a bunch of years. We can put these units on there and the key is we we, you know we lead the country in both homelessness and unsheltered homelessness. We have 50 of the unsheltered homeless in the country and so the keys we got to get everyone indoors. We've got to get everyone indoors, and this is the way to do it fast.

AG

We also have Provisions for private land and then Provisions to make sure they're both high quality and fast and inexpensive, and then the goal is again: let the people stay there longer so, like three months, probably isn't enough really for people to get back on their feet. So this is.

AG

We want people to be able to stay there long enough and we're finding some of these communities that are being built now in San, Francisco, Santa Barbara people do want to stay longer um and and that's great, we want to give them the option uh to to do that.

AG

So I'm very excited about that bill and then on housing and I was really fortunate to be at the say, the city and um uh hear you uh Madam mayor and the rest of the team and the Sea manager, and just talk about a lot of wonderful things that uh Mountain View is doing in so many areas that I talked about, and one of it was our partnership um that when uh council member kame was mayor um and our partnership around uh building affordable housing, I was able to secure money from the state um to help that project which is going to be right.

AG

Downtown. A wonderful project uh being built and I really appreciate the the city's commitment, and that's one of my goals that the state has to come up with more money for affordable housing. We know it's it's expensive to build and we really have to Target at people earning 50 percent of the area, immediate income and less, and it's hard to do that without support from the state.

AG

And we also don't want you to have is, is uh you know, five different places to go and in a really complex uh system of portable housing fans which we have now and that we have to work to streamline? So again, we have to provide you more resources if we're going to build, truly, affordable, housing um and um and uh and and again, and and really just continue to streamline that process.

AG

So things don't take so long and um and and become so uh complicated, so I know, that's always a priority and will continue to be um a priority of mine. Going forward on education. We have been able to get more slots, the UCS for California kids, which has been another huge uh priority of mine and um and that's the designated spots at the three most competitive UCS, but about 10 000 across the uh entire system, and- um and so uh we continue to push for more slots for California kids.

AG

I, don't want to have to rely and say, hey we're getting this many out of state or International kids, because they bring more money and um it's fine. If we want to you, know, make the decision. We want um that kind of uh that kind of diversity from that perspective and and to have the enrichness of of that kind of controversy.

AG

That's great, but we don't want to do it just for financial reasons, and we want to make sure the state steps up in that case and we can enjoy both our our UCS, our CSUS and our community colleges, uh which you know overall attendance has been going down and I've been working in San, Mateo County for free community college and something I'll continue to work on.

AG

uh We've actually seen the benefits of that where Community College attendance is up uh significantly, where it's really down in a lot of areas, so I think we're getting some good learnings uh from from that as well, and how we can continue to leverage um our Acuity colleges um on the environment. Again.

AG

I was very appreciative to hear that um so much of what mountain view is doing- and this is really a partnership and um what uh you all are doing um through your service on the council, but also uh through your work with Silicon Valley, clean energy and I- was talking to council member Abe Koga about Silicon Valley, clean energy. Recently and some of the Innovative pro programs that are being led uh there, and that really is what it takes.

AG

It takes that Innovation at the city level, at the regional level, now with Peninsula industry and silk Valley, clean energy, and the me and my colleagues saying that the the the the conditions at at the State uh level, and so last year, I'm very proud.

AG

After a couple years, where um you know we didn't have a lot of big things happen in Sacramento on climate last year was called the most impactful year for climate legislation in California's history, and that's because of the goal setting that we did um the budget that we allocated and then the specific pieces we started to implement. And now we need a lot of that more specific pieces. So I have seven more bills this year. That I won't go through all right now, but if we're getting serious about climate, we have to tackle everything.

AG

So that's large buildings, it's residential buildings. It's our grid itself, which includes transmission, includes hold holding PG e accountable.

AG

uh Finally, for actually connecting things to the grid, whether that be homeowners who want to Electrify or a big big buildings or housing projects that are being built and actually getting them connected in a timely fashion uh to the grid and I, have the leading bill on that um or I have a bill on cows and Cal burps and Cal flatulence, because agriculture missions and methane overall about 11 agriculture about seven percent of our emissions uh tackled Building Materials. In the past, uh we have another bill.

AG

uh That was our ought to be a law contest winner this year it just was up Stanford student, around stacking incentives for home electrification. So we have a lot of different pieces that were working because that's the opportunity- and that's also the challenge- we're really it's really about remaking our whole economy and I think we're really entering a golden age. The next five years are just going to be fantastic for implementation, with all the EV models coming on, Transportation is going to happen.

AG

It's just going to take some time um and now we're tackling all these other areas uh as well, and um it couldn't could be more happy to be involved. But a lot of the hard work happens in committee, so I appreciate when, when you all weigh in and I appreciate, councilman Ramirez coming to a press conference yesterday on on um on our homelessness Bill, and so when you go away and it really it really matters. So that covers some of what I wanted to cover.

AG

There's you know a lot more that um we're doing we're looking at AI regulation and I feel responsibility to work on that from our area. So we'll continue to open for ideas as we as we shape that I had a bill. I present today called the delete act, which is to delete our information from data brokers and uh Tim Cook. No less. Some of the Tim Cook said that in the Stanford commencement speech and later in time, this is something we absolutely have to do, um but we're battling the industry uh on that one.

AG

These data Breakers have thousands of pieces of information on all of us and it's been used to track down immigrants. It's been used to um puts women at risk for visiting reproductive health clinics. um It's been used for docs. You know public officials I mean this. For Elder scams, this information is out there. We have to make an easy One-Stop shop to delete that information so uh happy to. Is this a form to take any any questions, or would you like me to to tell a little bit more.

A

Well, if Carlos first I want to thank you for coming and sharing what is um you know, I'm glad to hear some good news, uh because it's usually we we hear so much bad news um and also to thank you for the money for affordable housing. I certainly agree that that's something that's a challenge for us and we always appreciate you know anything you can get for us I'm, going to ask whether any council members um have comments and questions. If that's, okay with you.

A

Do council members have comments and questions.

A

I'm I'm, mostly hearing gratitude, um yeah and I I also wanted to congratulate you on becoming a vice chair of the Bay Area caucus, I guess now we know who to call um and um and yeah. If you want to make some concluding remarks, that would be great.

AG

Yeah well I, just.

A

Want to continue.

AG

A

Know I don't want to interrupt you, but council member camay did raise her hand she's here virtually so she's a little hard for me to see.

C

Overall hi Senator Becker, it's good to see you I think we're both in Sacramento right now. um I just wanted to um thank you for for coming.

C

um The city has really been working on focusing on our legislative priorities and hearing directly from you, I think helps us um look at bills, find alignment and I think it's been really fruitful to hear about potential ways we can partner. We just um right before you joined us.

C

We were going over our work plan and goal setting, and one of the items is about well, several have to do with housing and one has to do with homelessness, and so it sounds like you have bills that are tackling this topic, so it sounds like it's a really good time for you to to be joining us. So I just wanted to share that back, and- and thank you again for joining us thanks mayor.

A

Yeah so uh sorry to interrupt you and if you have any, if you have want to uh close out with any additional comments, that would be great.

AG

Sure yeah, which again you know it's wonderful, to engage a lot of the best ideas. Do you happen from people in our district people in our area that was formerly now through? This ought to be a law contest which, um which was Fun Center Hill, did it before me and Senator smithian um helped start it before that, um and um but also just informally, a lot of ideas coming we're also working with El Camino Health uh uh El Camino Hospital on a bill.

AG

That's a priority, a bill for them uh this year, so I want to certainly continue to do that and again, just continue to hear from people in a variety of issues. I know that um appreciate uh that folks, in our area, my district, you know we pacing everybody, income, tax and I. Think people want to see then that progress on the roads and I know El Camino, we're finally, on the housing hounding Caltrans all the time and uh read the Mercury News, where it's always listed as the the worst area.

AG

You know the worst part of the worst roads in the area and um we're finally making some progress there. So I think people want to see uh just good return and the basics of uh the roads and and infrastructure, and and and especially in housing and transportation education. So looking to do our part there and then continue to think of ways.

AG

We can really be bold uh Visionaries in a way that makes all of you proud and makes us proud to be here in California, where we can lead in a really in a really meaningful, uh meaningful way in things like reducing our carbon emissions here around the globe and in other areas. So, thanks for having me you.

A

Know I'm seeing I I like the idea of being bold and Visionary I'm, seeing several council members having second thoughts and actually.

AH

A

To address you with with questions or comments, so council, member Abbey, Koga.

P

Thank you, Eric. Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you, Senator Becker, for being here and just for your leadership. It's just it's been really great to have a representative who's very accessible, thoughtful and um you can see the direct connection between our local jurisdictions in Sacramento in particular. I just really want to thank you for your leadership on climate change issues and that's, as we know, the most important issue for all of us and it's just again great to see someone who really understands issues and how it impacts our local communities.

P

So thank you for that and then I'll be actually going to MTC, we'll have a two-day Retreat talk about the fiscal cliff and other issues around Transportation. So again, just having that direct line to you means so much. So. Thank you so much for your leadership.

AG

Absolutely thank you on both those issues and uh we just had Earth Day. It was a great chance to celebrate. I mean solar's coming down 99 in my lifetime, and now we need to do that across other areas as well, including removing carbon from the atmosphere which I also have a bill on this year, which happens to be controversial, I, don't think it should be, um but uh uh lots to do but really exciting time. Thank you.

A

I also see that council member Ramos has a question or comment for you.

Z

Hi Senator Becker nice to see you again, it was great seeing you in person a couple weeks ago. um You have a lot of uh very important legislation moving through um now that we have a legislation program in our city. Is there anything that that we can be helpful to you in pushing your uh bills and priorities like what? What is something that we? How can we be helpful.

AG

Well, thank you for asking I'm sure we'll follow up, um but like 6 34, for example, which is our the homelessness Bill. We had the event for yesterday. uh That was up in in governance and finance committee, um and you know, there's some people who, just you know, they're very focused on permanent housing, which is great I, am as well supporting every Bill and every money we can for that. um But then they tend to look at scans at anything. That's not that.

AG

So um it actually is a bit of a uh it's a bit of a battle, so you know that's an example of of one um that you know will be a someone will be a somewhat close vote um and um but others too I'm sure we will follow up with. You I appreciate that, because it is good to hear have the local voice uh weighing in and for folks to know that that local cities are behind us when we have important legislation.

A

Okay, well once again, thank you. So much I was especially glad to hear you say that we're in a golden age for climate legislation, I think that's what we all want and um yeah I hope. You come again next year with uh with an even better update.

AG

I'll work on it.

A

Okay, thank you again.

T

A

So we are now on item 3.3 on our agenda, which is the teen week. Proclamation um we're happy to be joined this evening by our youth advisory committee. Members, uh East, Stephanie, Domingo, Leonard fomen uh yanuo- to accept this Proclamation. So um join me at the lectern and we have a surprise tonight. We don't actually have the proclamation I think do you have it up there? Oh, we have it up there. Okay, it's a surprise for me. Then um so I will be presenting it in a moment.

M

A

So I'll hand this to you after I. Read it to you. These proclamations are a little bureaucratic, so bear with me, whereas youths and teens account for 20.3 percent of the Mountain View population and whereas teens, who perceive that adults in the community value. Youth are more likely to grow up healthy, exhibit leadership, value diversity and succeed in school and whereas teens represent a large and often underutilized resource for immediate and long-term Community. Development efforts and change, and whereas teens from student-based organizations and youth committees provide positive contributions to the Mountain View Community by Leading.

A

Initiatives that prioritize mental health, climate change and sustainability efforts, lgbtq, plus inclusion and diversity, and whereas parents, teachers and community members can support teams by encouraging urging them to share their voice, provide them with meaningful opportunities and role model. Positive behaviors and whereas the youth advisory committee has developed an annual week of celebration called teen week to Showcase teens in our community, including their creativity, intelligence, activism, mental wellness and the value they provide, and whereas community members, including fellow teens, can show their support of teen week by attending events, including a teen art showcase.

A

Teen open mic night and enrichment workshops and classes and whereas teens are the future of our community and including them in decision making and celebrating their achievements is imperative. Now, therefore, I Alison Hicks, mayor of the city of Mountain View, along with my colleagues on the city council, do hereby Proclaim May 1st to May 6 2023 as teen week.

A

And here now is the proclamation and you can make any comments you want.

AH

So quickly, just starting off, so my name is Stephanie. I am the chair or president for the Youth advisory committee, and here behind me, we have some of our members for the advisory committee and just quickly for the past couple months, we've been planning and creating very digitally for these activities for teens and everything.

AH

We've been working really hard, putting all of our ideas and all of our efforts in order to make the world a more safer place for teens in general, in order for them to like be more expressive, be more open with, like everything that's going on, especially since the pandemic was a huge hit onto everyone for like Mental Health financial difficulties, especially for academics.

AH

So we're just here, and we would like to say thank you for the proclamation and we wish for all of your guys's support in in our upcoming events, such as team week, which will be in May. Thank you.

A

So do council members have any comments.

A

I just wanted to comment. Thank you very much for for bearing with us I hope you enjoyed some of the previous uh presentations and and thank you for doing this during this difficult time. You know the tail end of the pandemic. It's not the easiest time to be a team.

A

And council member may also has a comment great.

C

Thank you um so, just as chair of the youth um advisory committee, I just want to um thank you all for coming. It's always exciting when we get to see your action plan and what you're working on and I know that for the last two years, you've done your Teen Mental Health, Summit I can't wait, hopefully for fingers crossed it'll happen again um this year and I just wanted to thank our city staff.

C

Who've really stepped up to help amplify the voices of our youth and, in particular, I wanted to thank our Recreation coordinator, Lauren Eck, for working with Yak to bring next week's events to life and I know that I'll be checking out the art Showcase in the city hall rotunda and encourage everyone else to too. So. Thank you, mayor.

A

Thank you so um we'll now take public comment for all three presentation items. Would any member of the public joining us either virtually or in person like to provide comment on the presentation items? uh If so, you would click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk and we will take in-person speakers. First.

A

Do we have speakers? So next we'll turn to Virtual speakers.

A

Of which I see none so um with that, we will close out the presentation section of our agenda and we will be going on to item four, which is the consent calendar. These items will be approved by one motion unless any member of the council wishes to remove an item for discussion.

A

If you'd like to speak on this item or the next item oral Communications on non-agenda items in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk. Now um we also have uh some some announcements from Council Members council member Abacoa. Do you have an announcement to make? Yes.

P

Mayor, thank you. I will be abstaining from voting on item 4.2 related to the sergeant Ranch Quarry project. Due to my candidacy for County Supervisors.

A

And uh council member Ramos, do you have an announcement to make thank.

Z

You mayor I, am refusing myself from participation in item 4.3 relating to the extension of the Elevate MB guarantee basic income pilot program for a second year, and the amendment relate of related contracts due to a conflict of interest arising from our recently held position. As a member of the Community Services Agency board.

A

Would any member of the council like to pull an item.

A

Council member matacek.

R

Thank you, I. Don't necessarily want to pull an item. I just want to register a no vote on 4.3 and then on item 4.2 I do support this, but I would like to request that as part of this, the mayor contact supervisor submittian and have a chat with him before the Board of Supervisors votes on this. Would that be possible instead of just sending a letter before.

A

Say that one more time before before.

R

The Board of Supervisors votes on this just have a personal conversation with our.

A

I would certainly be willing to talk to.

R

Him great, thank you very much.

A

So I don't see any other council members wishing to put or any council members wishing to pull an item or make comments.

A

um Would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide uh like to um provide like to pull an item? um And if so, please click the raise hand. Button I'm, assuming these are um I'm, seeing people wanting to speak on item 4.2, so I I'm, assuming uh that we pull that um so any oh okay, we can just have you speak. Would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comments?

A

If so, please click the raise hand, button and zoom or submit a blue speaker card and we'll take in-person speakers. First, each person will have one minute, so we have Hannah Moreno.

A

And the next person, while we're coming up, they will be Elizabeth Brown.

U

um Do you guys have a timer, oh right, there perfect good evening, uh Mountain View city, council and mayor Hicks as well. My name is Hannah Moreno I'm, a mutton travel band member.

U

um Our territory is at risk right now and, as you can see in front of you, I hope, you're in support of opposing the mining. Quarry that's happening at your stock. Your stock is a really a sacred place for us, and at my people, I mean our ancestors, it's known as the big head dances and where every tribe came and gathered and had ceremony. We have many, as you probably can, maybe see from really far away.

U

I do have a lot of animals and plants that are in danger here, and our duty is to protect these animals and plants and to keep the land as it is. So I hope you can support with us in opposing the mining. Thank you thank.

A

You very much Elizabeth Brown and the next person will be Valentin Lopez and then Sarah Tran.

H

Mayor council members, my name is Elizabeth Brown I am a resident of Mountain View for the last 12 years um came down to live here after I retired from education 20-year career um I really enjoy living here uh it has a lot to offer I've been a student and teacher of History. My whole life and became aware of whose voices get Amplified and who's do not. I was really glad actually, though, to hear that Mountain View had this resolution on the agenda for tonight.

H

Excuse me in support of the tribal peoples who are trying to um take care of their land and protect what they feel is sacred and holy to them. I want to be in support of them. I want us to be in support of them. It's the right thing to do so. Thank you very much and thank you.

A

Valentin Lopez.

AI

Good evening, honorable mayor council, members administrators, my name is Valentin Lopez and I'm, the chairman of the amazing tribal band and um we're here this evening to talk to you about Euro stock. Your stock is our most sacred site. Your stock translates to the place of the big head and throughout a large portion of California. The big head dances were the most important and highest form of ceremony that indigenous people had. Our people have not been. Our spirituality has never been respected.

AI

Our tribe is not recognized, even though we signed treaties in 1851 that were sabotaged by the state of California, and that is why we are not recognized today and that's why you don't have recognized tribes in this territory today um you may ask: why are we in Mountain View, when the project is in San Jose I've been told that the only thing that could prevent this buying from being approved is overwhelming public support throughout Santa, Clara County, and that's why we're here this evening to ask Santa Clara County to join with other members of the county, other cities from within the county, to let the supervisors know that this must be denied.

AI

A

Thank you. Next, we have Sarah Tran, followed by Alice Kaufman and Jordan Grimes.

AJ

um Hello um city, council, members and mayor I'm, Sarah Tran I'm, a resident of Mountain View I live on Hope Street um nearby I've been a resident here for about a year, I've been in Santa Clara County for about five years. I moved here for University I wanted to speak in support of the resolution on 4.2, just honoring indigenous sovereignty and speaking and support of the alma mutant tribal band in terms of um honoring.

AJ

What has been taken from them and just showing up in support of indigenous rights, so I would hope that the city council would vote in support of this proposition. Thank you.

A

F

Good evening, mayor and council members, Alice Kaufman policy and advocacy director with green Foothills I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you for taking action on this issue tonight. Your stock is a unique region both for indigenous spirituality and for wildlife because of its location at the very southern end of the Santa Cruz mountains. It's the Gateway for animals to move in and out of the Santa Cruz mountains.

F

There's only two remaining Pathways for that kind of migration to occur in Coyote Valley in San, Jose and here at eurostok, and this Quarry would lie directly across the pathway that animals need to take to get underneath, Highway 101. So for animals like mountain lions, which are already at risk in the Santa Cruz mountains. This is a critically important issue and we really appreciate you taking action on it tonight. Thank you very much.

A

Thank you. That's Jordan, Grimes.

AK

Good evening Council honorable mayor, Jordan, Grimes, South Bay resilience manager with Greenbelt Alliance, like Alice I, just want to say and express our deep gratitude and appreciation for agendizing this item tonight. um As has been mentioned, this project really would be ecologically and and socially devastating um to the area, as Alice mentioned, as others have mentioned. In addition to the social aspects, um the social damage that would be caused, there would be irreparable harm done to uh critical Wildlife corridors.

AK

um Ecological sustainability is something that affects all of us. It does not respect man-made borders, which is why we're here tonight asking for your support asking for you to join with us and with other members of the county in opposing this project, and we appreciate both the resolution as well as Mountain views, considerable commitment, time and again to sustainability. Thank you. So much.

A

Workers seeing no more in-person speakers will go to Virtual speakers and the first is Teddy Simon.

V

Good evening, mayor Hicks and members of the Mountain View city council, um I'm, Teddy Simon indigenous Justice Advocate at the ACLU of Northern California and a member of the Navajo Nation, we have thousands of members throughout Northern California, including many in Mountain View and the peninsula at the ACLU. We understand indigenous Justice, fundamentally as the right and the ability of indigenous peoples to exist as indigenous people and exercise sovereignty over themselves in the land to which they belong.

V

This includes the freedom to practice, traditional ways of governing and being to teach and learn indigenous language and celebrate culture. Tribal sovereignty is inherent and Timeless in the existence of native nations is often intimately tied to land and protection of sacred sites.

V

um We're proud to join the alma mitson tribal band, and there are many allies this evening in asking that the Mountain View city council adopt this important resolution. Thank you. Thank.

A

You next we'll have Helen Carroll, followed by Casey headerley.

A

T

Hello, can you hear me I can hear you yes, okay, great I'd like to uh if this is the right time, I'd like to speak to 4.5 is that okay.

A

Yes, yes, you can speak to.

T

That okay I just wanted to uh to give my thanks to the uh to the council, the mayor, Parks and Rec commission and the parks and rec uh City staff for all the hard work they have done.

T

I'm the Helen Carroll, the president of the pickleball Club in Mountain, View uh and I just wanted to uh to let everyone know that if you need anything from uh from us or any way, we can help we're more than happy to do that, but just uh just drill with the work that the city is doing and to make Parks and Rec just available for everybody. Thank you.

A

Thank you, and next we have Casey headerley.

L

Good evening, mayor Hicks and council members, my name is Casey Heatherly and again I'm an intern with the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. We are here to support this resolution in solidarity with ahmadson tribe, to preserve your stock as open space.

L

The development of this land into a quarry will have a deficiting effect on tribal cultural resources, wildlife and the local ecosystem. Thank you for taking steps in the right direction to support this preservation of essential land. Thank you.

A

Thank you now, seeing no more virtual speakers I'll bring the item back for Council action and note that a motion to approve the consent calendar should also include reading the title of the ordinance attached to item 4.1 and the resolutions attached to items 4.2 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 and 4.9.

A

As we have a council member, a member of the city council participating virtually this evening. All votes will be done by roll call vote.

A

And council member Ramirez.

E

Thank you, mayor, I'm, happy to move the staff recommendation, um including the uh following items and I'll also register the Domo, the no vote and the recusal and the abstention. As recorded So.

E

The staff recommendation includes item 4.1, adopt an ordinance of the city of Mountain View, amending the Mountain View city code of ordinances to repeal in its entirety article 8, drainage and flood control of chapter 8 and add a new article, 8 floodplain management of chapter 8 to further the flood resiliency of the city and align the city code of ordinances with the California building code and finding the ordinance is not a project under the California Environmental Quality act to be read entitled only for the reading waived.

E

4.2 adopt a resolution of the city council of the city of Mountain View in support of the efforts of the AMA mutsen tribal ban to preserve Sergeant Ranch, slash, Euro eurostoc as open space to be read in title.

E

Only for the reading waived 4.3 adopt a resolution of the city council of the city of Mountain View, extending the Elevate MV, guaranteed basic income pilot program, Elevate MV for a second year and authorizing one Amendment of the agreement with University of Pennsylvania Center for guaranteed income research to extend the term for one year and increase the amount by 137 548 dollars.

E

Two Amendment of the agreement with Community Services Services Agency of Mountain View, Los, Altos and Los Altos Hills to extend the term for one year and increase the amount by one million, 169 165 dollars and three execution of other related agreements as necessary for implementation of of elevate MV for a second year to be read entitled only for the reading waived.

E

4.4 adopt a resolution of the city council of the city of Mountain, View appropriating and transferring 14 141 sorry, 14 181.48 cents from the general non-operating fund to the general operating fund and to increase revenues and expenditures by 14 181.48 in the general operating fund for reimbursement of fire. Personnel costs to be read entitled only for the reading waived.

E

4.5 adopt a resolution at the city council of the city of Mountain, View appropriating and transferring six hundred thousand dollars from the general non-operating fund to Capital Improvement program projects, 22-37 and appropriating, and transferring six hundred thousand dollars through Parks and Recreation strategic plan projects 22-37 to the Parkland dedication fund to return funds originally appropriated to project 22 37. To be to be read in title. Only for the reading waived and 4.9 adopt a resolution of the city council of the city of vanity.

E

Transferring uh eighty thousand dollars from the golf sub fund to the restaurant sub fund and appropriating an additional 384 thousand dollars in the Shoreline Golf Links Michael's at Shoreline restaurant fund. To be read entitled only for the reading waived.

A

And I say thank you and I see we have a second by vice mayor, Showalter, so I believe we're doing a roll call vote uh city clerk. Would you like to take the vote.

B

Councilmember Ramirez, yes,.

E

B

Ramos, yes, councilman Broadway, Koga.

P

I was the um abstention on 4.2. Thank.

B

You councilmember may yes councilmember matajek. Yes, vice mayor Showalter,.

Q

B

Mayor Hicks, yes, motion carries unanimously.

A

Maybe and I can't matter, but um next we'll move to item five oral Communications. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the Council on any matter, not on the agenda. Speakers are allowed to speak on any topic for up to three minutes during this section. State law prohibits the council from acting on non-agenda items. If you would like to speak on this item in person or the next item, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk now.

A

Would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comment? If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk. We will take in-person speakers first.

A

And each person will have two minutes, but I don't see anyone a city clerk. Do you see anyone? Okay, virtual speakers, I also don't see anyone. So with that we are going to return to our study session.

A

Oh I'm, hearing I've had lots of black breaks, but.

AC

A

I'm I'm hearing a call for a break, so we will be back at 8pm at which time we'll talk about the gatekeeper item on our agenda.

A

A

We are going to rearrange our agenda a little bit. We have a brief item, which is, if I.

W

A

It on my agenda, it is item 6.1, adopt a resolution governing compensation related to Calpers cost share for all unrepresented safety, pepra employees and Senior human resources. In that analyst, Ada Chang will present the item. Ms Chang.

AL

Thank you good evening, mayor and Council. My name is Ada Chang senior, Human, Resources analyst and I'm Sue rushingman resources, directors in the audience as well. Today, I'm bringing forward a resolution to amend the cost share for unrepresented safety, public employees, pension reform act otherwise known as pepra employees. Every year, Calpers publishes an Actuarial that shows this. That shows the employee. Normal contribution amounts every fiscal year for the upcoming fiscal year of 2023-24.

AL

The employee, normal contribution for safety, pepper employees is increasing from 11.25 to 12 percent in order to keep the total agreed upon contribution paid by safety, pepper employees. The same the employee share of the employer contribution otherwise known as a cost share, would need to be reduced by 0.75 percent for represented safety members in the Police Officers Association and International Association of firefighters. This reduction has already been processed via a side letter.

AL

However, for unrepresented safety members who do not have a memorandum of understanding, the city would need to request a contract amendment process to be started with Calpers. The first step of the Calpers contract amendment process would be for us to have current resolutions pertaining to the cost share for unrepresented safety members refract the appropriate amounts.

AL

There are three key components that are needed in order for the resolution to meet the Calpers requirements. Firstly, the sworn unrepresented employee, regular contributions have been updated to reflect the pepper contribution rate of 12 percent. Secondly, Calpers requires the employee paid employer contribution and the employee paid Survivor benefit contribution for sworn unrepresented. Employees to be combined and listed as a cost share in the resolution and, lastly, for the purposes of cost share. Calpers does not allow for single classification groups.

AL

So therefore, the fire managers will include the fire chief and the police managers will include the police chief once Council passes, the resolution staff will submit the remaining documents to Calpers for approval to begin the contract. Amendment process, pending helpers approval staff, anticipates bringing the contract Amendment for council's approval in the next few months.

A

Thank you very much to any council members have questions.

A

Saying no one would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comments on this item. If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk, we'll take in-person speakers. First, each speaker will have one minute.

A

No speakers, okay, we'll take virtual speakers and I, see no speakers.

A

um I will now bring the item back for Council deliberation and action and note that a motion to approve the recommendation should also include reading the title of the resolution attached to the report. I see a motion by council member Ramos and a second by council member matachek council member Ramos. Thank.

Z

You mayor I, move to adopt the resolution of the city council of the city of Mountain View to modify Calpers cost share contributions for all underrepresented safety, public employees, pension reform act, employees to be read in title. Only further reading waived.

A

So, with a second by council member matacek uh city clerk, would you like to take a roll call vote.

B

Councilmember Ramos aye, councilmember matacek.

AJ

B

Council, member of a Coca aye councilmember May, yes, councilmember Ramirez,.

E

B

Vice mayor shelter, yes, mayor, Hicks, yes, motion carries unanimously.

A

Okay, we will now uh return back to our unfinished study section session and I will let Ms James come back I'm, sorry to keep you all night, um and so we will be answering the second question proposed to us uh during our study session Ms James. Would it be possible to put the question up on screen to refresh our memories, so the question is: uh does the council agree with the staff recommendation regarding the gatekeeper process or have any other feedback um and I? We can start with Council questions and then counsel comments.

A

Are there questions first questions? Council, member Ramos? Is that a question because I have a question: if you, it is okay, council, member Ramos.

Z

Just understanding in terms of the gatekeeper process, this um this having The Gatekeepers heard in 2024, that is only if we want to make major changes to the GateKeeper.

D

Thank you, council member Ramos I will refer that question to Community Development staff.

S

Thank you for that question. Council member, our teacher, vastava assistant city manager of community development director.

S

um The housing element actually requires the council to take review exemptions, in particular in the gatekeeper ordinance and what staff is recommending is scheduling, a study session in the fall to discuss that we anticipate it will take until q1 of the coming year in 2024 to bring back amendments because it will have to go through the Planning Commission and therefore we're recommending that Council hold off on accepting new Gatekeepers until um the the code Amendments have been made, um and maybe they want to amend the authorization criteria.

S

So we are still recommending moving forward with the housing element process to look at exemptions amending the ordinance if necessary and then taking Gatekeepers afterwards. um So our recommendation would not be to accept Gatekeepers this year.

Z

It be possible to do Gatekeepers this year into the old program and then work on getting updating our gatekeeper process, as required of our housing element for.

S

Next year, council is entirely within your purview to do that. We're a little bit worried about even completing the council work plan and we want to make sure that we have a lot of housing element, implementation action items that were not part of the work plan that we have to get to, and so um you know we were thinking about that.

S

In addition, as we made our recommendation, but yes, Council has the purview to do that, but in the end, The Gatekeepers will always be priority three um and we will not be assigning staff to the projects until we have staff available, so they might have to wait a year or more.

D

A

Okay, so again, questions first uh council, member Abe Koga your questions.

P

Thank you mayor, um so I just wanted to confirm that if we were to proceed either way, um I know I just heard there might be interest in doing Gatekeepers doing a process this year, as is um that we I know we talked about. We would include commercial developments in addition to housing proposals.

P

W

P

That one first and then I have a default potential follow-up.

S

Thank you, council, member. um Yes, as part of the Fall study session discussion, Council may add other exemptions. We we were required to do one for the housing element and that might be a good time to discuss all of it and that could include non-residential exemptions as well. So.

P

If we were to flip the timing and go ahead and do a gatekeeper process with current requirements, that would also include commercial development.

S

Well, if Council wish to look at gatekeeper projects this year, for example- and let's say they authorize two or three projects to move forward, um those would come in through the gate, but staff wouldn't start working on them until we were done with our housing element, items, implementation items and Council work plan items and then, as we have staff available, we will assign them to the gatekeeper projects, which are priority. Three.

P

um In light of that, and the housing element, project relative to gatekeeper is to look at potential exemptions, so yeah.

S

Begging the question.

P

S

Why look at that? That would definitely get priority. Okay,.

P

So that and that's why you you have the recommended process the way it is with the study session.

S

Yeah because we wouldn't be assigning staff anyway to the ones that were authorized since their priority. Three, it just makes sense to do all of them um after Council has made the change.

P

And so are we looking at I mean we received the letter from Mr Mastin, but I I, don't know where this came from it. Maybe.

W

P

Just Mr Madison's idea, but this exemption of going from two to three acres for these exemptions is that would be something we would discuss at a study session.

S

Yeah I think it makes sense and Council. Maybe staff can provide a little bit of uh color to what a project like that could look because, um just to add a little more detail um when that that was originally intended.

S

um I think projects used to come in at maybe 40 units to the acre, so two acres would could mean potentially maybe 80 units now we're seeing projects at 100, 120, 150 and one at 200 units to the acre. Just so Council understands the magnitude of the projects, and then you can decide if you, if it's three acres, that's fine but I think just understanding what those projects could look like is going to be important.

S

A

So again, your questions vice mayor, yes,.

Q

um I understand that we've had some that the staffing has changed in the planning department. So could you tell us how how that's going I know? We've been very anxious about getting more people.

S

Yes, we're very excited to say that out of the 18 planners and managers in the planning Division and to administrative staff, we we just had I, think five people join in the last few months. In fact, three new planners, our Junior planners, joined on Monday, and so we have two positions: one for the deputy zoning administrator, that's being recruited right now, that's still not filled, and then one senior planner position which we plan to recruit for in the fall.

S

That will provide an opportunity for existing staff to be able to apply to that position, and we will have our new assistant director for planning joining in early May.

S

So there'll be two outstanding positions out of the 20. very excited, so things are definitely looking up. They are looking up good.

A

And council member Ramirez thank.

E

You mayor I, have a couple of questions about the staff recommendation, so the recommendation essentially increases the number of applications that would be exempt from having to go through the authorization process right.

S

Thank you, council, member. um Yes, it could re it could. If looking at exemptions is one of the one of the requirements in the housing element, Council may wish to loosen the regulations on projects that would be exempt, particularly residential projects, so there'll be fewer applications that would come to authors need authorization and they would be accepted over the counter. Instead, right.

E

So that that would increase the uh the demand for staff time right so, every time we exempt something that means you are required to process it.

S

S

It's something that means staff is processing it. It still doesn't mean that they're going to get certainty that the city is going to change regulations for them, but we go through a long process and typically um they do. They do take longer than the typical project that meets meets all the standards.

E

Okay, um that's helpful, thank you and then I'm. Looking at the housing element draft and in the schedule for June 2024, it says establishing gatekeeper, schedule and begin accepting gatekeeper applications and then I'm, looking at the milestones and time frame for I guess it's project 1.3, which does include some mention about The Gatekeepers.

E

The milestones and time frame section says: hold an annual gatekeeper meeting which may be focused or limited or focused on residential or residential mixed use, projects at council discretion and begin accepting gatekeeper applications before June 30 2024, but it doesn't appear to commit us to changing the process in any way right, including modifying exempts exemptions. It's just we're committing to resume the gatekeeper authorization process and start entertaining applications. Well,.

S

It does it does look at reviewing exemptions, I believe um and I. Don't have it in front of me um and that's why we recommended the fall study session. It also does talk about accepting applications by by June of 2024, and our recommendation would fall in line with that.

E

um I, we probably don't have a draft.

S

In front of you, I could split up if you just that.

E

Would be helpful, the line I'm seeing is create increased opportunities for Project Specific rezonings through the gatekeeper process. I guess I. Ask because I'm not finding a commitment in the Housing Development to modify the process. The only uh commitment I'm finding is to hear gatekeeper applications which doesn't mean we have to authorize them, but it would be helpful to understand. Do we actually have a commitment we.

S

Don't have a commitment to amend the ordinance but I believe we were going to review them to see if they needed to be changed, so it doesn't commit the city to making changes to the ordinance. Thank you, yeah.

A

So I, you might not want to sit down. I have a question as well. um Just.

S

A

Here my question is um so I I would say. One of my chief concerns about the gatekeeper process is the amount of staff time it will take. I know working and planning myself that that applications like this take a great deal of Staff time so and we have other other um things, pulling staff time as well. I'm wondering, uh for example, how many Builders remedy projects we have right now.

S

We currently have five that could qualify and they've submitted preliminary applications.

S

um We've I think most of them are considered complete, except for one that I have to check on, but the four uh were- and they have six months from that date to submit a formal application. If they choose to move forward and again, we have to keep checking and making sure that I believe they came in right before the council adopted the housing element, so they would presumably be considered Builders remedy projects and also, if they provide 20, affordable housing.

S

So there's some requirements if they continue to meet those requirements and they do submit a formal application, we would be a discussing them.

A

And uh so five submissions that doesn't give me an idea of the the number of units how many units total it's in the thousands is my.

S

Own, it's about three thousand.

A

Oh, how much three.

S

Thousand years, three thousand units.

A

At this point, yes,.

S

A

And will that take a significant amount of staff time to process if they come through.

F

A

um And then this housing element relative to previous ones. Is it uh going? It seems more sizable than previous ones. How.

S

A

uh Your staff over the next year, I.

S

Would say over the next at least three years we have a very, very ambitious um housing element and it does commit us to timelines. It also commits us to timelines beyond that, because it says if certain units are not built, the city will then embark on rezonings and doing other things. So it's an extremely ambitious housing element and very reflective of what the state is looking for, and we got a lot of input from Community groups, which is why it isn't ambitious as it is. So we do expect it to take considerable staff time.

A

And then the council projects that we just passed, I'm I, don't need you to tell us how many of those there are because I think we just reviewed that. But um how will those three interact in terms of increasing the volume of of work in your department.

S

So, as Lauren reminded us, we have a sizable list of projects that are considered permit, streamlining projects that are not reflected at all in this discussion and those are the bulk of the work we do um so, whatever staff time is left after that, that's the tip of the iceberg will be spent working on.

S

um uh You know, The, Gatekeepers and and other Council priorities with Council priorities, taking preference. So the first commitment we have is to make sure we process projects that are meet the standards in a timely manner, because we are committed to doing that. The state has very very strict requirements: that's Priority, One and then the second priority One actually is the housing element and other implementation. There are State mandates. We have to update our ordinances, so those are the priorities.

S

The second set will be Council work plan items, the ones A and B, because we are committing to starting and substantially completing those within the two-year work plan. Priority three will be Gatekeepers and we will assign staff as they become available, because our planners are working on all of these projects and they come and go depending on.

S

When applicants submit their resubmittals, so we can't always um predict and we can't plan our work purely based on our availability, because applicants are constantly resubmitting and we have to constantly send our 30-day letters and coordinating with the department. So it's a very iterative process and we figure out where this time, where the staff and then we assign them to those priority. Three projects.

A

My last question to get a concept of your workload is: um how long does it usually take newly hired planners to come up to speed.

S

I would say a minimum of six months to learn just the basics and what we call the Mountain View way, because we have a very. um We have a very good customer service model that we have to go through. We go through a lot of training, we have a lot of procedures, committees, commissions and they have to learn processes, and it takes about six months to just get your feet on the ground and up and running, and after that you know there is some very heavy supervision.

S

So all of our managers and Senior planners are also supervising other planners on projects. So there is that task as well, that they do and our planners get trained and takes about I would say at least another year and a half to be able to just get on your feet even for a senior planner, because there's so many pieces to learn about in our city, the precise plans, the replacement requirements for csfra units, it's very, very detailed, the list of items we have to learn.

S

A

You um I see councilmember matacek and the city manager. Did you want to.

AC

Yes, um thank you, mayor, councilmember Matt check for letting me go now so I would like to just add to what our community development director said just about workload and bringing new staff up to speed and also let the council know that we have about 30 percent of our employees in both uh planning, Division and also in public works that are eligible for retirement within the next two years.

AC

So, even though we are filling these positions and we're really glad that we're at this point, we are still in the great resignation period where folks are leaving because they're they're retiring, so uh it is very possible and highly likely that we will continue to see staff leave Mountain View, just because they're retiring, so we are seeing a Changing of the Guard and it's happening in every single department.

AC

So to add to what Mishra vastava said, training will continue to be a critical component, but with new people coming on, it means it's a loss of experience, knowledge, understanding how things are done, understanding all the new state laws, all the changes that are coming Fast and Furious. So I would say: that's another large component to the workload is just not only bringing people up to speed, but the constant potential for people to be leaving and then having more vacancies, and we are still the employer of choice. I mean there is no doubt about that.

AC

Mountain View is highly sought after we are very competitive, so that is, that is not the issue. It is just what's happening in the public sector in general, so I would just let let you all know that too, that um whatever we decide to do with Gatekeepers, as the Director said, they will be priority three, just because of all the ambitious projects that we have on the work plan and are very, very ambitious housing element. So I just wanted to give you that perspective as well. Thank you.

A

Thank you, I was going to say we're moving into comments, but perhaps well councilmember matacek, whichever you want yeah.

R

It's a question: I just want to make sure my understanding of um permit streamlining is correct, so I think I heard that Gatekeepers obviously are not subject to permit streamlining, but are exemptions to Gatekeepers.

S

No they're also not subject to permit streamlining just because they didn't need gatekeeper. Authorization um does not mean that their problem is streamlining any project that needs a legislative change. Change to our zoning change to our general plan is not a promise streamlining item. What about Builders remedy.

R

S

Builders remedy projects actually I believe we have to process them in a timely manner because, even though they don't comply and I have to confirm this, but we will give priority to them over Gatekeepers.

B

A

So seeing no more questions will turn to comments um and I'll just kick off. My comment is, is clearly I'm concerned about staff workload, so I'll just kick off with that short comment and I did not set up the city manager to make that comment or talk to her ahead of time about it at all. uh Vice mayor.

Q

I, too, am and concerned about staff workload, but I also think one of the reasons that we are the employer of choice is that, because we have really interesting projects to work on and um I think that uh that's one thing that Gatekeepers often bring they uh they bring new projects. It has been quite a long time since we've had a um a gatekeeper hearing, I've heard three years, I've heard four years: it's anyway, it's it's several years. It's a long time and one of the policy things I I just wanted to sort of start.

Q

The discussion off with is um our our general plan and our zoning and our precise plans. They reflect um the uh the values of our community and how we want that Community to develop and, as time goes on, those plans get. You know some of them get built out some of some of our our values change and they, um and there may be.

Q

uh There- may be uh opportunities to further our um our goal for our community that a developer would see and be able to bring to us I mean, for instance, we are now seeing a new uh kind of tech sector. The life sciences come forward and um we haven't really had that much before, but it's a new opportunity. It's it's we're having a.

Q

We have sort of strong feelings about office because of the traffic that that produces, but r d is, um you know, kind of part of our Innovative DNA and and it doesn't produce as much traffic. So so I think that this policy issue is sort of the tension between you know um the uh wanting to be Innovative and wanting to have projects that are um are reflective of what where our community wants to go now, if a project comes through in the gatekeeper process, it gives us the council an opportunity to say yeah.

Q

This is something we think would be great in our community or no, you know really. We don't think this fits, and so we don't want any more time spent on it right now. That's that's kind of the idea, and um so so I think that it's it's it's a balancing act. Obviously, if you don't have people to work on the project, the project doesn't get worked on, I mean, but but at the same time, even giving somebody a priority.

Q

Three gives them some certainty that they don't have um otherwise, so so I I think this is something we we really um should be should be looking at seriously because it has been such a long time and I think that there are a couple of really simple changes.

Q

um I I'd like to be looking at one one change in the exemptions is it says um uh it says the third one is has to do with nofa. Well, nofa deals with affordable housing. What if somebody came forward with an affordable housing that didn't want to ask us for money? I I just be as happy for them to be Exempted as people who want to ask us for money. So I would like that language change too.

Q

You know um 100 or 50, affordable, housing, I, don't know what would be best that'd, be something to talk about and then and then, when I looked at um the exemption list, uh that um no not the exemption list. The amendment authorization criteria that I really thought that um that that really aligned well with our Focus areas and um I I. Think that's. You know, that's good! It's like we're saying to the development Community.

Q

These criteria are things that um are you know that we want for our community and they align with our Focus areas such as Parkland. You know we want more Park land, environmental sustainability, mobility and connectivity. These are you know these are on that wheel. We look at so many times. Many of them are and I think another one I I I'd like to add a couple more um to um to. Does the project promote Innovative, land use and I I think we could describe maybe what that Innovative land use is like does it does?

Q

It include parcel reassembly like like the project we saw.

Q

The the only gatekeeper we've seen recently is the one for terabella, where there was the uh the parcel assembly between public uh storage and and Alta, and they they work together and they um which the private sector can do and do a lot assembly and they come out, came up with a much better project for our community which hey, that's, that's what we want so I think that's good and then another one I could see is: does the pro project promote new businesses or Industries, so I I?

Q

You know, I think that um there's been a lot of talk over the last six months or so in our community and among the development community in particular, about changes that would be helpful.

Q

I, don't know if we're going to get a lot more by having a um you know, waiting six months and having a study session, um I, I I, just don't really see that, as um as being helpful, I I think we could probably go forward with either the current one we have, or um one with some slight changes and, and that would really be better for from a from a policy point of view for our community.

Q

Even if the people who were taking part in the exercise understood that they wouldn't necessarily get their projects um uh evaluated immediately, it might be six months, it might be a year, at least they would know it would happen. So those are some things I wanted. You know, I wanted to share. I. Think I think this is about the balancing of of of helping uh the policy of our community and and the workload and it's it's always a balance so um like to hear what other people have to say.

A

Thank you vice mayor I'm, going to have uh council member kame uh speak next, because she's virtual and not in the line, okay,.

C

Okay, uh thanks thanks mayor um so um related to this question. Question two um I just wanted to share that I I do support the staff recommendation, I kind of wanted to walk through the rationale of how I got there, which is I, just appreciate the memo that was shared with us, April 14th.

C

um It's attached to the staff report and I think it really walked us through just the magnitude with which the of projects the department is taking on and appreciated, um colleague's questions, about the the hiring and and that discussion.

C

um One of the things I've talked about. That's upcoming in the June budget is kind of a reorganization within the community development department with which I think housing will be its own Division and look forward to I think what what that will bring um to the department. But we have our you know: State mandated application, their policy amendments. Then our Council work plan items which we were just kind of shuffling through earlier today, which are quite lengthy and and needy, um and then you know giving staff capacity it moves on to Gatekeepers and I.

C

Think for me, I I, understand that rationale given Gatekeepers do not fit within the general plan or our precise plans and so understand how it kind of came into the mix.

C

um You know some the reason that I think that it's important to have a study session on Gatekeepers is I, don't feel that we're stifling um Innovation I think the way the Mountain View process has worked. Is you know it allows? It always allows for all our processes allow for us to be Innovative and creative um and I. Think in terms of certainty having a process and having the gatekeeper process. I think allows for an applicant to get feedback before they put a lot of resources in um and I.

C

Think in terms of the workload topic you know, I think it helped manages having the process helps manage um staff workload which I feel like the assistant city manager, community development director was sharing and I. Think there's two items that kind of raise to the top, for me is one the Terra Bella visioning process, which was a three-year exercise which ended up not going forward.

C

You know something outside of the change area outside of the general plan and what we recently went through two weeks ago with the a bad Grant and well I know that was a unique experience.

C

I think both of those got significant feedback from the community and I feel like I, would prefer to hear input from from all members the those who are in the development Community, those who are in residential areas where they may be seeing Gatekeepers or that may be seeing some builders remedy projects, um because I think it's really important to have the community input. We just you know, adopted our housing element as well, and that took significant public input to get there.

C

We have a very engaged community and uh for me, I want to bring to fruition things that we said that we were going to do and last year many of us were talking about how we wanted to move on from the pause we had to take during the pandemic and the projects that we wanted to initially that we initially prioritized in 2019, see them through and I I want to stick to that promise.

C

I want to stick to that commitment and I worry that if we continue to put other things before the commitments that we made, that we will Shuffle the timeline even further back for what's actually on our work plan and I, don't want that to continue to happen so, especially for things that are asking for exemptions and variances.

C

I. Think that for me, the the study session I have a lot of feedback in terms of what we could do and revise it and think that that would be for me the appropriate place to have that discussion. So all of that to say I support the staff recommendation thanks mayor.

A

Thank you, council member Ramirez,.

E

Thank you, mayor, I, think I'm landing in the same place as vice mayor Showalter, but I took a different path to get there for one thing, um I I do think we need to have a study session about the gatekeeper authorization process. I think there there's a um there's a lot of opportunity to improve it and make sure that the kinds of projects that are Exempted actually help Advance Community goals I'm not terribly interested in just adding to what's already a fairly long list of exemptions that really don't have a lot of Rhyme or Reason.

E

Some of them were created specifically to help one property owner and I. Don't feel like that's a good way to go about revising the policy, so I I. Think um I would like to have a more comprehensive discussion about what Gatekeepers can do for the community and when it's appropriate to consider them I think we should do that, but I'm also not feeling a great urgency in doing that. One because it doesn't unless I'm corrected it doesn't appear to be explicitly directed by the housing element.

E

If there isn't that sense of urgency um that exists with other other types of projects, so we can be I think um a little bit more thoughtful in how we approach it. We don't have to come up with a whole bunch of exemptions. You know within the next six months and the other challenge with exemptions is that means they're not going through the authorization process so they're going to take staff time, um the staff will be required to process any applications submitted that happens to be exempt so Cree I think you know.

E

Certainly some exemptions may have Merit, but I think the trade-off is that means staff will be spending time, processing those applications.

E

um So I'm, okay, with delaying the study session but I, do feel there is some urgency in uh entertaining gatekeeper applications sooner rather than later, and the the reason I think there's value in doing so is there's a lot of development pressure and if we don't provide some some relief valve to explore more interesting projects. What we get are code compliant projects that no he likes and earlier today, I was thinking about some of the ones that have been either brought before the council or not at all.

E

Just over the past few years, so Charleston Plaza I, think has a lot of community attention because we lost retail and now we're getting bio-med I. Think and that's not something that I'm hearing a lot of enthusiasm from the community about, but it's code compliant. So the developer can do what they're doing 1001 North Shoreline, which is now the office project occupied by Google, didn't come before Council code compliant project and there's a lot of land in Terra Bella. That has the same zoning.

E

So if we don't provide some alternative pathway, we might get more Office Buildings like that that don't even come before us. A 590 Castro Street was another challenging project, a 2019 Leghorn Street, which is sort of another nondescript office, building just off of ring stores and then 1400 tarabella, right next to the Crittenden Middle School.

E

um That's that what used to have knbt I think it was at Irvine that owns that property decided to just renovate it and maintain it his office, and then there are a whole slew of residential projects, most of which had a displacement impact that were code compliant, and none of these projects, I think do anything for our community they're, perfectly legal.

E

They comply with our rules and regulations and I think what that should tell us is our rules and regulations probably need to change if we actually want to start seeing projects that provide Community benefits and have greater Merit to the community, and what I worry about is if we keep delaying the gatekeeper authorization hearing, we're going to start seeing more code compliant projects that don't Advance any of our community goals, so I'd rather provide an opportunity sooner rather than later, and some of we've I think heard from representatives of some of the property owners interested in pursuing something and it might be worth hearing what they have to say and whether there are Community benefits that are, you know sufficient and and Merit some additional staff time.

E

We could reject them all too. There's nothing that compels us to accept any of the applications, but I do feel there's urgency in at least having the hearing, because if we don't the risk, is we start seeing code compliant projects and I, don't feel there's urgency in doing the study session, although I do think we should do it and I think that there's a better way, we can approach the whole gatekeeper authorization process. Thank you.

A

Thank you, councilmember matacek,.

R

Thank you, um I do support the staff recommendation. I am very concerned about the workload um in our community development department and, um in addition to the large number of housing element, programs that need to be worked on. We have the Builder's remedy and, as I said, all of the code compliant permit streamlining projects, so um I'm not interested in adding more to their plate, even if it is projects that are lower priority, because you know if, if it's lower priority, you know people are still going to ask. When are you working on my project?

R

Do you have time to work on my project? You know it's not like they're gonna, just wait.

R

So I don't want to add that pressure to what's already um a very busy staff, um so I'm, okay, with the staff recommendation and taking stepping back and taking a look at the exemptions and the criteria in a study session and then holding a gatekeeper application next year. Thanks.

A

Thank you, council member Abbey, Coca.

P

Thank you mayor, um so I appreciate my colleagues and the comments and I agree with a lot of them, even if they might be on disparate um sides of of this issue. um I so I think I am leaning towards staff recommendation and um mainly because, as as others have mentioned, there is this issue of a workload. There are priority projects that we have to get through and realistically I. Just don't think we can get to gatekeeper projects until what stuff has already stated. It would be the schedule and um I know.

P

In the past there were um there were gatekeeper projects that were approved and but then, with a like a time a delayed time, and um so the challenge I was that with those projects were there were projects that I wasn't here to approve the gatekeeper on and.

J

P

I returned- and they came to me and- and you know and I know that's challenging because we have turnover on Council but um I guess what I you know my thought was with. That is that um we could do you know, say: okay, you're through and but you're delayed. But what? If other projects come in in that following year, that might be better projects? So isn't it better?

P

Just to say you know: do an annual geek go back, we'll probably go back to an annual gatekeeper process and just you know see what projects come in that year that that and and we can pick the best ones from that bunch I- don't want to be committed to something because we approved it earlier and then you know see other projects that we might like better come in later and then have to say no to those or delay those, because we had already made these prior commitments so um I think that's where I hesitate about doing a gatekeeper sooner um than what staff is recommending um and I I have some other um items that I've been thinking about and maybe at the bringing up.

P

When we have the study session- and this is really um you know- I know that there's pressure to provide more exemptions, but I'm, actually I've been more concerned about the bigger projects um and you know, and I've been, was trying to figure out. How do we? How do we categorize these, but um some of the project keep for projects we've seen that are larger, five, six, seven, ten acres they start to create.

P

um You know, challenges around Transportation, you know where's the park, State Park gonna go um and then there's some like unfinished business. I. Think like we I, don't know what we really decided with terabella. But my concern is that, like if we said okay, let's go back to gatekeeper and we have five projects in tarabella.

P

I have a concern about approving those. You know one by one, because when you get to we talk about assembling um it's you know in in a way you would start assembling projects in one area, and you know this came up when we had the precise or the conversation about tarabella. We have to start thinking about things like: where do the bike Lanes go or where does the park go and I remember developers coming in with their projects and saying?

P

Well, we agree there should be a park here, but not on my prop property, and so that's when it starts, we I started thinking. Well, we maybe then need to be looking at a precise plan or a master plan or some other plan to plan out a neighborhood. So that's my hesitation with allowing a gatekeeper.

P

Just you know any gatekeeper project to come through if it's starting to be in a certain area, a North, neighborhood I think we have to start deciding if we need to like take a step back and look at a more comprehensive plan. So I guess I would ask staff for more. You know for some guidance on how to determine when we need to start doing that. But that's really my concern with these gatekeeper projects and you know the whole I I appreciate um councilmember Ramirez your comments, but you know some I guess I. Look at.

P

We talked a lot about, spend a lot of time about residential projects and I. You know rightfully so, but I guess. My concern is that, and we talked about this, and that was part especially why we paused on tarabella is that we're losing our commercial space and industrial space, and you know the code compliant uses frankly are for that. That's where neuro is that's where some of these Innovative technology companies are are situating themselves and so I don't have an issue with that.

P

I think that that's part of our community- and that is a benefit to our community- that we we provide. You know land for Innovation to happen and that ends up being a community benefit, so I'm not as concerned about code compliant projects. I think they do provide benefits, so you know and I want to make sure we have room for them.

P

um I appreciate councilman, vice mayor your like, if we wanted to tweak it um I think you actually said it perfectly the again. My concern is about businesses. I know we need to do housing, but we need to also maintain a strong vibrant business community.

P

So if we were to add you know a project, does the project support you mentioned new business, new Industries I would even say existing businesses, because through covid we had a lot of businesses who you know made it through, but there might be limping along and if there's something that can happen to help them Thrive more I would be open to that. So I'd like to create a category for businesses um and I think the way you you worded it vice mayor.

P

If I can just add, you know supporting existing businesses, I could go with that. So that kind of you know I I, hear both sides, but I do think. We just need a some kind of discussion. Conversation about how we're going to proceed with you know, categorizing these projects because they are different and they impact the community in different ways based on the size or location and or you know, use so um I guess because of that, I am leaning towards doing that study session.

P

But I will say- and we've done this in the past and I know it's challenging, but I remember we had something called the p district where we would process projects alongside um you know, a precise plan Amendment or a master plan Amendment. So it was in parallel with um you know, basically trying to do both at the same time and if we can bring that back. I would be open to that. If that help with moving things along, but I think we're just pretty um backlogged right now and that's really my um top priority thanks.

A

So, council, member Ramos I'm going to go and then I'm going to give people their second path.

Z

Thank you mayor, um so one of the as I try to wrap my head around the whole gatekeeper process.

Z

One thing I've been kind of struggling with is why don't I hear this problem in other cities um and I found it really kind of interesting and I I I get different answers from different people about it, but my my general sense is is like that Tick Tock meme, where the girl is like a girl boss, too hard, and now everyone wants me to do everything um and that's how I kind of feel with our gatekeeper projects that Mountain View has been seen as such an Innovative and and forward-looking um uh City that that people want to take their chances with us.

Z

um I am concerned that we haven't had a gatekeeper in a really long time. My understanding, I I, the closest one I thought, was the the Ulta housing and the Pure Storage, but wasn't that not even like a real gatekeeper that was like a weird sidestep, GateKeeper Public Storage? Why do I I um but like I thought that was like also a special sidestep gatekeeper. So when did we last have like a true gatekeeper process and I?

Z

My my understanding is that, like other cities, don't have to deal with that level of bottleneck, and so I know that, like um there is a concern about um I thought it would be an elegant solution if we just kept our standards now and then do this.

Z

This year's and then like, as we, continue on and doing our study session on on new um gatekeeper projects or on a new gatekeeper standards that we would just start those new standards next year and therefore we we get back into the rhythm of doing annual Gatekeepers um so that they don't have to wait now five years before, they could actually submit a gatekeeper project if they wanted to make any kind of zoning Amendment General plan Amendment um the the various different amendments that you require gatekeeper projects to um the reality is, we could always say: no, we we can.

Z

We can see the projects and and get a better sense of Staff time on that, and if staff time has not improved in this year's gatekeeper batch, then we could just say no to them all.

Z

um But I I think people are really just chomping at that bit to just just they just want to be heard. They just they just want to shoot their shot on that so that that's my general sense I could live with staff recommendation, but I do I do think that we should have a gate key for prostitute process this year.

Z

A

You so my so I've learned a lot from hearing everyone, and um the most surprising thing that I learned is that some people here don't believe that code compliant projects, maybe I'm misquoting. You benefit the community, because, when I think of code compliant projects, I think so. My problem with Gatekeepers and I do think we should have Gatekeepers.

A

But my problem with Gatekeepers is that they're, very piecemeal and I feel like where we get the uh creativity is when we have General plans and precise plans and the whole Community comes in and talks about how how the whole Community is laid out. You know where there should be bike paths where there should be parks where there should be more Street trees, Etc, where there should be more density, etc, etc.

A

um I've you know, I've found some of the I have not introduced again been on Council when Gatekeepers were introduced, but the one that I worked on the 555 project. I voted for it because I, don't think you you know was so far along I, don't want to vote it down. That's one of my principles, but for me it was a problematic project. It didn't tie into I think what we could do with moffatt. It didn't seem off it as part of the downtown um it the sidewalks weren't wide enough.

A

There was no ground floor retail to walk to it was. It was as if we took just a little piece of the puzzle of Mountain View and we moved it from Mountain View and looked at it all by itself, as if it didn't fit into the rest of the puzzle and I. Don't think that's the way, the community experiences you know, that's not the way I can experience where I live. It ties into all the places around it, so I feel when we get real Community input and I. Don't know my experience.

A

Also with 555 was we didn't get community input until the very end and I think when we do ho. Hopefully, when we do precise plans and general plans, we get it earlier, so I am so. At the same time, we do see a lot of innovation with Gatekeepers as well and I'm, not against Gatekeepers.

A

But, as you know, I do have concerns about staff capacity and in my opinion we just have to be realistic about not putting more on our plate. When we already know our plate is full, but you know, maybe maybe tomorrow it won't be full. um Let's see so so. I do support I do support the staff recommendation um and I will go on to we're doing a second round of comments. So council member Ramirez.

E

Thank you, mayor, I'll, be pretty quick because it sounds like there were four votes for the staff recommendation and there's no need to continue fighting if that's not going to change, but a couple of things that I think um I'd like to respond to so I I. Actually, we agree it. Council, member robe coca about losing industrial square footage. I mean that was one of the reasons why I voted against the Terra Bella visioning plan in 2019, because I I don't think we had.

E

We had really taken enough time to think about what terabella is going to be in 20 or 30 years um and uh and I I agree. I, don't want to lose very valuable industrial land because once that's gone, did I sit. Do they misspeak um of what once that's gone? It's it's not coming back um so I I I'm, not opposed I I.

E

Think using the gatekeeper authorization process to help preserve businesses or create Innovative opportunities for business is is valuable, but that was part of the the public storage gatekeeper, right, Public Storage wanted to expand and the gatekeeper process allowed them to do so and with the community benefit that we consider substantial and then there are projects like U-Haul, which require a gatekeeper authorization for a fairly modest expansion. So clearly, I think there.

E

There are some there's room for improvement with the gatekeeper authorization process and I I don't mean at all to suggest that it should be used as a tool to convert industrial land into residential or that it should come at the expense of our business. Community I think it can also help um uh with with those Economic Development goals um and uh I I I I, don't know if what you uh summer, how you summarize my comments, you know is, is really uh I I.

E

Think you're, probably right that, generally speaking, I land in a place where I look at most of the code, compliant developments and at least the time I've been observing the council and it's hard to like them um and I I feel um I I, don't want to just re-list the ones I had talked about, but I don't know. If there's anyone. Anyone on the council who would say that any of these code compliant projects really helped achieve any of our goals or Community Schools they're.

E

Just a lot of them are office projects you know, but with no provision for affordable housing or park space or you public facing amenities. They just comply with our rules and regulations, many of which were established decades ago and haven't been updated. A code compliant project in East wisman is a different story right and a code compliant project in El.

E

Camino is a different story, but the gatekeeper authorization process tends to be used in areas where we have zoning districts that haven't been updated in decades and that's why I think we get projects that generally were less than enthusiastic for right and then you know the the I think the sort of the corollary to 555 West Middlefield is 1555 West Middlefield, where we demolished 116 rent-controlled apartments on five and a half acres of land and built 115 row houses with no Parks or affordable housing.

E

It's hard to say that that was a good project, but it complies with our code and I've got in my head a long list of those. But that's why I think there's value in having Gatekeepers I feel like we. We agree on that which is good, I, think we just differ on on timing and and maybe exemptions and some of the parameters of the program.

E

If there are four votes for the staff recommendation, I'm comfortable with that I just personally feel some urgency in hearing them sooner rather than later, and if we get more code compliant projects in that time, then we have no right to complain about them. They comply with the rules. Thank you.

A

Thank you vice mayor.

Q

Well, I I think that we've we've heard that I certainly agree that this needs to be used for Industrial and Commercial, as well as as residential I didn't if I said that I certainly didn't or if I gave you that impression. I didn't mean that that's not my intention at all I think that gay people should be pretty wide open of what we would consider. That's not necessarily what we would approve when we got them. It would of course, depend on you know the caliber of them and and how good they were um I.

Q

Just don't think that um uh I do think that there is an urgency that um is, is real and that we are sort of um inspiring the development Community to do less than they know is possible and we make it so difficult to get variances or you know or changes that they just come in with what's code compliant and that's and and and I think you know, like you, said, council member uh Ramirez in our really new precise plans. That's great because they've all been thought about.

Q

You know recently and they're sort of up to standard. But if you look in some of these precise plans, I believe the oldest one is probably at least 50 years old is that is that right, um uh Mishra basara.

S

Thank you vice mayor um I would say we have some in the 80s, but I don't think you.

J

AJ

S

Say close to 35 ish.

Q

S

But I don't think we have.

Q

One, no that's that's the 80s is 80s is 40. 40 to 50., yeah yeah, so 73 would be 50. anything before 73. So so we have some that are 40 years old. A lot has changed in 40 years here and that's those are the ones um that I, you know, I think give us heartburn, yeah and so um I will not be supporting the staff recommendation, as I said earlier, just because I think I think it's out of I.

Q

Think it's out of sync and um for the reasons I said earlier and um I would like uh I think we should have more urgency, um but I. Don't think that our uh gatekeeper process needs to be um sort of blown up and completely redone I. Think that there's some just some gentle tweaks that need to be made and that we need to do it on a regular basis. So there's some certainty for our development, community and I. Think pretty much everybody's said. That is that we really think it needs to be a regular thing.

Q

I I think it was really telling that the mayor said she had never been on the council when there was a gatekeeper hearing. You've been on the council for over four years now, so that means we haven't had one for over four years now, I know we had a pandemic and that really that was really incredible um and and uh that that put many things off, but still that's a long time um so anyway, I still in all I just want to bring back that I think we need to.

Q

We need to remember that our zoning ordinances and our general plan and our precise plans are supposed to draw a picture of how we want development to go forward in our community. That's sort of you know how we have converted our our policy understanding into maps on the ground and, as those Maps get older, they get a little stale and that's you know in the, and the gatekeeper can also be seen as something that that sort of identifies areas that need a little attention and I.

Q

Don't think that's you know, that's I, think that's also another thing we could. We should think about that they, the development Community, brings to us when they bring us. um A gatekeeper suggestions is that, maybe that is an area that needs a little attention and we should pay attention to that. Thank you. So.

A

I'll make one more comment and then one more second pass, and then council, member Avid, Koga um I I just wanted to say, although thank you for clarifying and and putting some some details on that, how I misquoted um and uh you know, I do I do think we should have Gatekeepers.

A

um I I still do support the staff recommendation. The one thing, the one additional reason that I would say that I support it. Is this idea that we should see what everybody brings to us and then we can just say no there's a tremendous amount of work involved in just seeing it. It's not. You know, staff takes it in and spends a lot of time working on it. They clearly they don't just email it to us and um so I think and then I think.

A

If we're doing that- and we can't it's a it's a third priority day or whatever we're kind of not being clear with developers because we're we're not really they don't know how full staff's plate is they you know they dwell in their own world like we all do so we're giving them the expectation that we're going to see it very soon we're giving staff a lot of work and then we're not seeing it soon so I'm hoping that we get out of this.

A

We hire more staff, we get some of the builders remedy and and housing element projects underway, and then we can see them on WE reform the process and we can see them on a regular basis and that's the process. I would like to go with council member Abby Koga.

P

Thank you, mayor, I, guess I'm trying to see how we could speed up or a gatekeeper. If we were to have a study session- and that's you know, maybe it ends up just being tweaked, so we might have a lot more conversation, but in terms of keeper criteria, could it potentially come to us sooner?

P

Is it really dependent on what happens at the study session.

S

Thank you, council member, um so the the recommendation was to First, make the change and then accept Gatekeepers, and if that change doesn't take a long time, then yes, we could put the call for projects out as soon as the changes are adopted and then once the projects come in, staff will of course have recommendations based on workload or other ideas, like maybe a precise plan is a better idea here then you know we'll have we have we'll have thoughts on those, but we can bring those earlier if we get done with the adoption of the changes earlier.

P

A

Vice mayor, do you have additional comments or are those your old.

W

A

Your registering okay, so, to sum up, what I'm hearing is that we will that the majority wants to go with the staff recommendation, but there have been calls to see whether we can speed up in any way after we have the study session actually holding a gatekeeper is that is that a fair summary or would you like straw polls,.

A

Okay, would you like a straw poll on speed up or both of those I could say?

A

Okay, so we'll take a straw poll on we go one. We go with the yeah.

C

A

C

A comment I'm sorry I do yeah I'm. So sorry, yeah no worries just um uh so. You know I appreciate the direct. You know the straw poll. It sounds like that staff already can can go in that direction. Given the study session, so I don't know if we, if staff recommends, we take that extra step, but from what I was hearing it sounded like it could be sooner. Anyways should.

A

We just go forward. Everybody happy with that.

C

I mean I, think I heard a major from what I'm hearing I heard a majority and I heard that you know post study session depending on what the discussion is. They can't proceed faster and maybe we can get into that timeline or that discussion at the study session, um which is what I would prefer, but if we need to take a straw motion, then I understand that too, but I just wanted to ask and see if we could get some clarity. Thank you mayor. Well,.

A

I'm seeing heads nodding, which is the same as straw poll but anyway, okay, we'll go with that, so to be clear, we're yes, we're we're going with the staff recommendation and then seeing whether we can speed up acceptance of okay so now um jumping through our agenda.

A

We are now going to item jumping to item 7.1, which is funding recommendations for fiscal year, 23 24 annual action plan and council member abacoca. Do you have an announcement to make.

P

Yes, thank you mayor. uh Pursuant to government code, section 84308 I am recusing myself from participation in item 7.1 related to approval of the fiscal year, 2023-24 annual action plan and allocation of Federal grant funds, because I received a campaign contribution from Michelle Liu in the amount of one thousand dollars on March 6 2023. Thank you.

A

Council member Ramos, do you have an announcement to make.

Z

Thank you mayor I am recusing myself from participation in item 7.1 related to the approval of fiscal year, 2023-24 annual action plan and allocation of Federal grant funds due to a conflict of interest arising from a recently held position. As a member of the Community Services Agency board,.

A

Okay, thank you and have a good evening. um Next, housing specialists Hersha around will present the item.

AD

A

AM

Good evening, Council I'm Harsha ramchandani housing specialist one along with Wayne Chen assistant community development director, we're pleased to be with you tonight for this public hearing to discuss Federal funding, recommendations for public service activities and capital projects, as well as general fund funding, recommendations for public service activities.

AM

The city of Mountain View is an entitlement jurisdiction which enables the city to receive annual grants on a formular basis for the cdbg and home programs directly from HUD. The amount of program funds have ordered each fiscal year fluctuates and is dependent on the federal budget adopted for these programs to receive the annual grants. The city must develop and submit to HUD a Consolidated plan. This is a comprehensive planning document outlining the city's priority goals for a five-year period and how cdbg and home funding would be used to achieve those goals.

AM

The city is currently implementing its fiscal year, 2020 through 2025 Consolidated plan. In addition, the city must also submit annual action plans, which includes a summary of the activities and projects that will be funded in the upcoming fiscal year.

AM

Shown on screen are the six priority goals identified in the city's Consolidated plan.

AM

Summarized here are the key Milestones of the funding cycle process each year staff provides program updates to the human relations commission and seeks feedback before the beginning of a two-year public services Grand cycle at the November 3rd meeting last year, the HRC approved a general funding framework and policy recommendations which include minimum funding thresholds for public service grants and cdbg capital grants, a minor home repair program and direct allocation of Home funding to the affordable housing projects pipeline.

AM

These recommendations were Incorporated in the nofa which opened on December 5th in 2022 and closed on January 17th. This year, staff funding recommendations were brought to the HRC at its March 2nd meeting and the HRC supported staff's recommendations to be forwarded to council for approval.

AM

Council action at this meeting will be incorporated and used to finalize the fiscal year 2023-24 annual action plan. The council adopted annual action plan will then be submitted to HUD by May 15 as federally required, and the program year will begin on. July 1.

AM

The city's allocations for fiscal year 2023-24 are about 610 000 in cdbg funds and about 285 000 in home funds.

AM

In addition to the annual allocations, the city also receives program, income or Pi for both programs on a periodic basis in the form of loan repayments from past cdbg and home funded capital projects, the pi may be used to fund Public, Service activities, capital projects and or Administration.

AM

Additionally, there may be funds from prior years that are considered unallocated.

AM

Unallocated funds typically occur when the city receives Pi, that it did not expect or in an amount higher than anticipated or when funds set aside for program Administration are not fully spent.

AM

Finally, the city provides an annual allocation from its general fund to supplement federal funds and support Human Services, educational, Cultural, Arts and other programs not eligible for federal funds.

AM

Furthermore, Council appropriated about 95 000 from one-time arpa funding as part of the city's adopted budget for the current fiscal year to support Public Services the table shown on screen summarizes the total funding available by funding source for each activity for the upcoming fiscal year.

AM

16 organizations applied to the snofa requesting Public Service funding for 19 programs or activities.

AM

The city received one application for administering the minor home repair program and no applications were received for cdbg Capital Project funding, as approved by the HRC in case of no or ineligible applications. The cdbg funds available for capital projects is recommended for direct allocation to the city's affordable housing projects pipeline.

AM

Each application was reviewed and scored based on the evaluation criteria, which included completeness of application and scoring awarded for furthering of Consolidated plan goals, addressing Community needs and administrative capacity to implement the program and have processes in place. Both the cdbg and general fund, Public Service applications were oversubscribed and all eligible programs scored. Highly funding. Recommendations have been made, taking into consideration several factors, as shown on screen.

AM

10 applications were received for cdbg public services, funding based on the available funding and that all eligible applicants scored highly seven of the ten applicants are recommended for proportional funding. This funding framework allows for available funds to be distributed equally, among all recommended applicants for the two-year Grant cycle.

AM

The rationale for the three applicants not recommended for cdbg funding is as follows: project Sentinel is recommended for funding through General housing funds instead, as they have been funded through General housing funds on an ongoing basis for their fair housing program services and the funding request is included as part of the city's base budget.

AM

We Care's boost program was determined as an economic development project and hence ineligible for public services. Funding the day worker, centers education, skills, training and job placement program is recommended for funding under the general fund category, along with their healthy meals program.

AM

As the requested amount is more than the available funding of the general fund allocation and arpa funds, an applicant scored highly all 10 programs and activities, including the day worker Center's, education, skills, training and job placement program, which is transferred from the cdbg list of applicants, are recommended for proportional funding.

AM

Arpa funds have a flexible expenditure deadline and will be spread over two years of the grand cycle, while the general fund allocation is per fiscal year. Making the arpa fans available to spend over the two-year cycle would allow for similar levels of funding to be available to non-profits for both years of the grand cycle.

AM

There are two recommendations for Capital funding: the city allocated 30 000 for implementing a minor home repair program and received one application from Rebuilding Together Peninsula for their safe at home program.

AM

Staff recommends that the annual action plan include an allocation of the available cdbg and home funds of approximately 2.2 million in funding for the Crestview Hotel project.

AM

At the March 14 meeting Council approved an allocation of housing impact funds towards the Crestview Hotel project, and the staff report noted that this additional allocation of cdbg and home funding will replace a portion of the housing impact fees, which is reflected in the recommendations tonight, based on previous allocations of cdbg and home funds to the Crestview Hotel and the additional funds approved on March 14.. The total city funding for the project is approximately 9.1 million dollars, which is reflected in recommendation number four.

AM

The following three slides include the recommendations, as noted in the staff report, which include funding recommendations for capital projects of the minor home repair program and Rehabilitation of the Crestview Hotel Public Service activities and Adoption of the fiscal year. 2023-24 annual action plan.

AM

This concludes staff's presentation, Wayne and I are joined by parnit dinsa human services manager via zoom, and we're happy to answer questions. Thank you.

A

Thank you. Do any members of the council have questions.

J

A

AD

It is okay, vice.

A

Q

Yeah I'm just going to um kind of re-ask a question I asked and they cancel questions.

Q

um I see that there's a sort of a deficit of a hundred and seven thousand dollars and a 107 655 from what was requested and I understand that we have a um we're expecting to have a slight budget surplus this year. So I'm wondering if, um uh if we should uh or if we could, where would the money come from to make this up.

AB

Thank you vice mayor, so in coordination with the um with vasd, we were able to determine that there is additional funds. I believe it would be. The general fund.

Q

Thanks for checking into that.

A

Thank you. So are there any other Council questions?

A

Many of us to ask so um would so now uh I'm asking whether there are any members of the public joining us either virtually or in person who would like to provide comment on this item? If so, please click the raise hand, button and zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk we'll take in-person speakers first and each speaker will have three minutes: first Mark Fishler. Then this is in person, first Mark Fisher, then Tracy, windgrove and then Tom Myers.

AN

Good evening City Council Members, my name is Mark fischler I'm, the development director for parents, helping parents wear an agency in San Jose serving Mountain View families raising children with disabilities. We have a plus 20-year relationship with you and really appreciate all the city has done and continues to do, to support the disability. Community PHP provides services to parents, whether it be advice and how to work with their child's school on how to get the proper education plan in place.

AN

How to apply for public benefits like in-home Sports Services, which you can get from the county or SSI from the federal government. We also have free mental health workshops for parents, so we do a lot to support the parents raising children with disabilities. Last in the last 12 months, I just looked today. As a matter of fact, we've supported almost 400 services to 120 different Mountain View families, so we're very active in Mountain View outside of San Jose.

AN

It's one of our busiest cities, um I just have to say in closing I heard the comment about potentially finding a little more funding to make up the deficit. Obviously I could tell you we would appreciate it because right now we're slated to get a little less money than uh is in the current Grant, so anything you guys can do to uh look at. That would be very much appreciated again. We really appreciate everything that City Mound View does for the disability community and happy to answer any questions.

AN

A

Now Tracy wingbro.

AO

Good evening my name is Tracy windgrove and I am the chief development officer at healthier, kids Foundation. We are an organization which supports families by conducting Health Care screenings in providing health, education and advocacy for underserved families and underserved areas of our Silicon Valley. Here in Mountain View, we specifically provide vision, screenings for children and we have had a long time partnership with the city- and we appreciate your support over these many years and we are so thrilled that we're able to help the families in the community with health care.

AO

One of the things that I call our secret sauce at Healthcare, kids Foundation, is that we not only provide Health Care screenings, but we also provide care coordination afterwards. So the many of the families that we work with have barriers to getting health care for their children.

AO

So once they find a vision issue, they may be don't have insurance or they don't have the language signals to communicate with a provider or they don't have transportation or there's so many barriers that they face, and we have multilingual care coordinators who work with the families all the way through until their kids get the support they need, and we recently reached a really incredible milestone in which we have helped kids and families get 10 000 pairs of glasses.

AO

So we are really again honored to support the Mountain, View Community, and so appreciative of the support from the city and I just wanted to say thank you in advance and urge you to vote for this agenda item. Thank you so much for your time. Thank.

Q

AO

You have a question.

Q

I, do have a question. Do you take re? Do you are you a place? You can you can cycle glasses? We are not. Okay,.

AO

Do you know how to do that I believe the Lions um organization, I'll Google it? Thank you. Thank you.

A

W

And yes, it is the lions that do that.

W

Madam mayor council members, uh it's a pleasure to be here before you uh this evening and, first of all to say thank you for the many years of cooperation and collaboration we've had with the city of Mountain View. It's been quite a success.

W

uh The the three programs that are before you for cdbg and general fund funding are homelessness prevention, an incredibly important uh program that was uh uh the approved throughout the pandemic when we put out the millions of dollars that went out into the community thanks to the city of Mountain View and to our incredible HPS homeless, Prevention Services team at at CSA. The second, of course, is uh senior case management program, making sure our most vulnerable seniors have access to safety net Services.

W

The third is, through the general fund, our senior lunch program, every single day between 150 and 200, sometimes more lunches at the Mountain View Senior Center, but I'm going to go off script. I had all of these different ways of describing these programs to you. You know our programs very well something that the city manager talked about earlier. That I think is really important to know about cdbg funding. Very little funding that goes to non-profits is actually available to pay for Staffing.

W

It's really really a problem in the non-profit world and cdbg funds can be used for Staffing. You will be paying for Case Management Services in both the HPS program and in the senior case management program. Staffing is really important. We're very proud at CSA that we pay better than most profits is in our compensation philosophy that we must be above the the average or the or the median pay for a non-profit to our our staff. We have an excellent health care where we pay fully for health care for our staff.

W

We also have a retirement plan for our staff. We still are seeing the problem of Staff turned over the way that everywhere else is seeing it's just Universal, but we are pretty stable right now cross your fingers. It stays that way and these funds are absolutely vital for helping us to pay for our staffing. So thank you for the many many years of of cooperation and collaboration and support. It is our pleasure to serve this community uh and uh we hope to continue to do so for many many years. Thank you.

AD

um It's Albert luster.

AP

Good evening City Council Members, my name is Albert, illustrate with the Carpenters Local 405., it's great to see local funding being granted for different projects in the city of Mountain View, but it'll be great to see this project build a responsible, general contractors, the general contractor that promotes apprenticeship, local hire health care and legal wage.

AP

The needle responsible contractor ensures the construction workers are not taking advantage by contractors by filing with a 1099 that implies the need of construction workers to pay taxes as an independent contractor at the end of the year. It also prevents wage death tax fraud, which often happens in the construction industry.

AP

Having the responsible general contractor ensures that construction workers have health care for the workers, his family and not to become a burden to the system, since 80 percent of the construction workers depend on it on some sort of government Aid.

AP

Apprenticeship, uh apprenticeship, with a responsible general contractor, promotes training education for residue minorities, women into a four-year apprenticeship program. This program provides college credits that apprentices can continue into a higher education and be able to attend a college degree.

AP

Local hire promotes quality life for the construction workers being able to spend the spend more time with the loved ones and being able to be part of the community. It also benefits the environment by reducing pollution and not pushing a local Workforce away from our city.

AP

I would like to ask our electoral officials please promote a responsible contractor that promotes apprenticeship, local hire health care and all future projects in the city of MonaVie. Thank you for your time.

A

Thank you very much so we'll now take this item back to council for deliberation and action.

T

A

There any Council people who want to make comments.

AD

Q

Yes, um I think that these are all very worthy causes and we have supported them for many years and since we have the opportunity to fill in the difference between a slightly smaller allocation that we have and and the requests I I would move the staff recommendation with the additional 107 thousand dollars to and oh push the button exactly sorry um to uh to make the difference.

A

So I see a motion by the vice mayor and a second by council member Ramirez. Are there additional comments on this? Then we can city clerk. Can you take the vote? I.

B

Roll call I smash.

Q

B

Yes, councilmember Ramirez.

E

B

Member come a yes councilmember matacek.

M

B

Mayor Hicks, yes, motion carries unanimously.

A

A

So we will now move to item 8, which is Council staff committee reports, and if there are people waiting in the wings, yes did council member Abaco leave. That's what I thought. Okay! So uh it's now time for a council staff committee reports. Do we have any of those.

A

Council member Ramos.

Z

um uh Pursuant to I, don't know what government code it would be. Okay, great I went to the league of California League of cities, Cal City Summit um two weeks ago. It was a really really great experience.

Z

um We, it was in Sacramento and I got to meet with our our lobbyists, which was really fun and and tried to work how we can push our legislative agenda that we've all agreed to it's very interesting because we had to kind of balance, there's the league of cities, positions and then there's our positions and they may not be completely aligned, but um they were uh the the big thing that we were pushing was more money to help fund, affordable housing and homelessness, which is aligned.

Z

So we would just go for that, push which was great. We got to meet with Senator Becker and it was his birthday at that time too. So we were wishing him happy birthday, couldn't give him a gift, because we were there lobbying him, and that was like frowned upon. um We also met with assembly member Berman. We met with the staff of assembly member uh lee who's, carrying a legislation for us. That seems to be going pretty smoothly through the legislature.

Z

It went on consent, calendar and the uh the subcommittee that it was at when we were there and it's it seems to be going pretty smoothly. The other bill that uh our city has co-sponsored is being carried by assembly member low who I was able to connect with, but mostly in passing, because you kind of like you walk around in Sacramento and you kind of run into like everyone at that point.

Z

um So, uh unfortunately, that bill was was um put on hold for now um and we're trying to to see what we can do, but it was great meeting with other um council members of other cities, especially when we think about like our legislative agenda, these other cities. They have legislative agendas too, and sometimes they may align with us. And then we were like hey your person.

Z

That represents you especially like when you think of the Southern California cities, because we don't really have the level of connections to Southern, California legislators and we have our connections with our legislators. And so, if we find alignment to that, I think that would be a really good way of of really meeting with each other and trying to get our goals pushed forward. But I really did enjoy my time there and meeting all the other council members I look forward to apparently the bigger conference. The real conference is actually in September.

Z

They did have some classes or or seminars, but really the focus of it was was meeting the legislators and and lobbying for our cities. So I look forward to joining everyone else for the next one.

A

So are there other reports.

A

Well, I'll just say: I went for Earth Day to Sunshine Gardens, which is one of our, uh which is an apartment in Mountain View, an older apartment where they have retrofit the apartment, using low interest, Fannie Mae loans, I guess uh designed just for this purpose uh to reduce their carbon footprint, and it was very inspiring to see all the things they did and that other older Apartments can do too.

A

You know other older apartment owners can can do to to reduce the carbon footprint of of their apartment, and there was a great turnout, also and and lots of food and I was also invited to Theater Works as mayor to Theater Works new play which, by an Egyptian author which- uh and it was on it's on um a distinct Society. Thank you and it was on it was written by.

A

Actually he calls he's a play break because it's it's not an author and the topic is immigration in the Muslim ban and I thought it was going to be preachy and pedantic and I have to say it was not and I recommend it.

A

So um vice mayor.

Q

Yes, he reminded me of some things: um I also went to the play and would recommend it. It was um it was entertaining and thought provoking, which are two really good qualities in a play, and um there was an insit. There was an inconsistency in the uh sort of in the doors.

Q

So, if you, if you go, tell me if you you catch that too anyway, that same day, I went to the um the open house that Google held in in Camp Charleston about the north bay shore master plan that will be coming to us in a few weeks, and that was very interesting and I also went to our Earth Day celebration that we had at um uh ringsdorf the community center in ringsdorf and I just want to take this opportunity to formally thank all the people on the staff who were part of putting it together.

Q

um I think it was one of those places where you know a good time was had by all is a. It was a. It was an honest thing to say and uh I think there would have probably been very few people who, um who didn't also learn something. It was really inspiring to see all of the community organizations that came out to share um their. uh uh You know their their work.

Q

I was uh sitting at the carbon free, Mountain, View table and I was next to door to the uh Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and there were you know there were a lot of organizations, so um they really. We had a great Earth, Day and um and thanks very much to the staff.

A

Call for Council reports seeing none will move on to item nine. The closed session report City attorney low. Do you have a closed session report there.

AA

Is no closed session report this evening.

A

Okay, then we will move. Thank you. We will move on to item 10, which is adjournment. The next city council meeting will be held on May 9th of 2023, and this meeting is adjourned at 9 44.

B

Thank you, bye. Everyone.