1 00:02:54,030 --> 00:02:59,290 I will call this meeting to order at 5.03 p.m. We're going to begin with oral communications. 2 00:03:00,290 --> 00:03:04,470 This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the council on any 3 00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:10,310 matter, not on the agenda. Speakers are allowed to speak on any topic within city council subject 4 00:03:10,310 --> 00:03:14,430 matter jurisdiction for up to three minutes during this section. State law prohibits the 5 00:03:14,430 --> 00:03:18,930 council from acting on non-agenda items. If you would like to speak on this item 6 00:03:18,930 --> 00:03:23,170 or the next item in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk now. 7 00:03:23,170 --> 00:03:26,870 Would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person? 8 00:03:28,470 --> 00:03:29,610 Is there no roll call? 9 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:31,770 No roll call yet. Okay. 10 00:03:32,310 --> 00:03:37,030 If anyone, if any member of the public would like to join us virtually or in person, 11 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:40,070 I'd like to provide us a comment on this item. 12 00:03:40,490 --> 00:03:43,750 If so, please so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom 13 00:03:43,750 --> 00:03:45,850 or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk. 14 00:03:46,250 --> 00:03:47,950 We will take in person speakers first. 15 00:03:48,150 --> 00:03:49,650 Each speaker will have three minutes. 16 00:03:49,650 --> 00:03:50,790 All 17 00:03:54,340 --> 00:04:01,360 right, first up, we have Jack Vorse, followed by Joel Tor Road, followed by Sue Tor Road, 18 00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:07,520 followed by Ronald Yin, followed by Robert Townsend, then Sherry Sanger, and then Ron Sanger. 19 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:09,540 Go ahead. 20 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:12,240 Good afternoon. 21 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,660 Dear council members, my name is Jack Vorse, and my wife is Linda Lenmoire. 22 00:04:18,020 --> 00:04:20,100 We have four children and three grandchildren. 23 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:25,660 children. I have been a resident a mountain view for over 40 years. We live on 24 00:04:25,660 --> 00:04:29,440 Glenborough Drive directly across the street from beautiful Sylvan Park. 25 00:04:30,380 --> 00:04:34,660 Recently my neighbors and I noticed that the grassy area of the park near our 26 00:04:34,660 --> 00:04:38,860 homes was no longer being watered and therefore the grass was dying. We 27 00:04:38,860 --> 00:04:45,100 notified the parks department and they responded that the area had 28 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:49,020 been identified as non-functional but would no longer be maintained with 29 00:04:49,020 --> 00:04:53,980 grass. We and our neighbors had never been notified that this idea was even being considered. 30 00:04:54,540 --> 00:05:00,060 We would have suggested other areas of the park which are much less utilized. The parks 31 00:05:00,060 --> 00:05:04,600 representative apologized for this lack of communications during the project planning 32 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:10,240 phase. The area of concern is at the corner of Glenborough Drive and Sullivan Drive. 33 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:15,320 For the past 40 years, this area has been used as a gathering point for neighborhood 34 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:21,420 parties, holiday celebrations, yoga, tai chi, and small children's games, etc. 35 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:28,760 Assembly Bill 1572, which was quoted to us by the Parks Department, is a proactive 36 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:33,940 measure to safeguard California's vital drinking water supplies. In it, 37 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:40,940 non-functional turf is defined as grass that serves no practical purpose for 38 00:05:40,940 --> 00:05:47,520 human activity or recreation. Quote, areas that are not regularly used for sports play 39 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:53,720 or social gathering. This is not the case for the area selected. Last week, the entire 40 00:05:53,720 --> 00:06:02,200 area was covered with 6 to 12 inches of coarse black mulch, making it completely unusable, 41 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:09,100 unstable to walk on, and as well as unsightly. It now looks like the waste from a coal 42 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:15,180 mine. I completely support the city's water saving and biodiversity plans but I think the 43 00:06:15,180 --> 00:06:20,640 area selected is completely wrong. With new housing the city's population is rapidly growing 44 00:06:21,170 --> 00:06:27,100 and thus the need for usable park space will be ever more important. I would be happy to discuss 45 00:06:27,100 --> 00:06:31,720 other areas of the park that we'd be less utilized in accordance with the city's plan. 46 00:06:32,660 --> 00:06:38,160 During this time when the nation is so polarized we need to keep community green spaces 47 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,740 is where we can come together and feel connected to each other. 48 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,800 I would like to invite the City Council members 49 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:46,200 to come and view the area. 50 00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:48,280 An area that was once beautiful 51 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:50,600 and a community gathering point 52 00:06:51,020 --> 00:06:53,840 has become unsightly and unusable. 53 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:55,720 Thank you for your attention. 54 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:58,240 Thank you. 55 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:04,520 Next we have Joel Torode and then Sue Torode. 56 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:10,080 But if you guys could line up so you can just go right after another, that would be great. 57 00:07:11,140 --> 00:07:16,360 Thank you very much and I, my wife and family have lived here for 40 years. 58 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:17,760 We've enjoyed every bit. 59 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:24,060 You've done a fantastic job with our city and we're so happy that we live here. 60 00:07:24,780 --> 00:07:31,000 And I want to say today, we just heard less than a week ago what was happening 61 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,340 to our park. 62 00:07:32,340 --> 00:07:40,160 Park. We live at Solvendilva, Solvendrive, right across, not across the street, but Kitty 63 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:47,880 Corner from that area and see it frequently being used by people who live nearby and 64 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:55,080 partially by. We would have been happy to be part of an organization or part of a group 65 00:07:55,080 --> 00:08:00,300 that was going to get together and talk about where the park is going and how it's 66 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:01,820 going to be used in the future. 67 00:08:02,500 --> 00:08:05,180 And it's been a wonderful place for our grandchildren 68 00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:08,540 and children as well to be a participant 69 00:08:08,540 --> 00:08:11,880 in what takes place in that park area. 70 00:08:12,380 --> 00:08:13,400 So I thank you again. 71 00:08:13,780 --> 00:08:16,100 And our mayor who's done a fantastic, 72 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,880 even in our main street down here in Mountain View 73 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:23,500 in the town itself for places for nourishment 74 00:08:23,500 --> 00:08:27,080 and places to go eat at night. 75 00:08:27,380 --> 00:08:28,380 Thank you so much. 76 00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:32,420 Thank you. Next we have Sue Terode. 77 00:08:38,250 --> 00:08:43,150 Thank you so much, Council. I appreciate you taking us tonight. 78 00:08:43,890 --> 00:08:50,150 My name is Susan Terode. I live at 539 Sullivan Drive in Mountain View. 79 00:08:50,690 --> 00:08:58,170 We moved in in July 1986 when that home was just being built. 80 00:08:58,170 --> 00:09:05,730 and it has been a marvelous place for our children to grow up, for our grand 81 00:09:05,730 --> 00:09:12,010 children to grow up, and I have to tell you that history-wise back in the 1990s 82 00:09:12,010 --> 00:09:17,650 we even had 4th and July celebrations of parades that would go down there. The 83 00:09:17,650 --> 00:09:21,690 Mountain View Fire Department would lead the way and the dogs were all 84 00:09:21,690 --> 00:09:26,670 dressed up and the kids were all in their bicycles. It was a fantastic 85 00:09:26,670 --> 00:09:33,070 fantastic place. And right in that particular area was where we would gather all the time 86 00:09:33,070 --> 00:09:40,130 every year. We even had karaoke meetings out there. It was just an amazing time that we 87 00:09:40,130 --> 00:09:47,990 had. And I have to tell you that is the People's Park. It is, we see every day going 88 00:09:47,990 --> 00:09:54,530 through all day long people walking, walking through the park. We even have been walking 89 00:09:54,530 --> 00:10:02,850 for years through there. I did four or five laps at one time and it's just in a marvelous time. 90 00:10:03,070 --> 00:10:10,430 But the one thing that stands out in my mind is that we had my father-in-law live with us for 91 00:10:10,430 --> 00:10:17,630 eight years. It was such a privilege and honor to have him in our home. But he loves that park 92 00:10:17,630 --> 00:10:24,190 and he was there all every single day always walking there and it meant so much 93 00:10:24,190 --> 00:10:31,930 to him that when he passed away the family and I we gathered and had the 94 00:10:31,930 --> 00:10:39,210 ability to be able to put a park bench there in his memory and we go by there 95 00:10:39,210 --> 00:10:45,490 yeah all the time every week and we see that park bench but I tell you it's not 96 00:10:45,490 --> 00:10:52,210 Not empty, there's somebody sitting there all the time, but that particular corner has 97 00:10:52,210 --> 00:10:57,950 been a historic place for all of us for over good grief in 30 years. 98 00:10:58,530 --> 00:11:01,170 And it's a lovely, wonderful place. 99 00:11:01,690 --> 00:11:08,810 And I just wish you could see some of the times when the gatherings there, when the cookouts 100 00:11:08,810 --> 00:11:11,410 are there and it's right there. 101 00:11:11,410 --> 00:11:18,790 and so we hope that you will understand and see how much this little corner it may 102 00:11:18,790 --> 00:11:25,210 just seem like a little corner but it means so much to that neighborhood and 103 00:11:25,210 --> 00:11:30,310 it's for the people and I know you care about it because you wouldn't be sitting 104 00:11:30,310 --> 00:11:34,410 there where you are and you wouldn't be serving where you are if you didn't 105 00:11:34,410 --> 00:11:42,000 care so thank you so very much thank you thank you next we have Ronald yin 106 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,460 followed by Robert Townsend. 107 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:44,880 Hello. 108 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:47,640 Hello, my name is Ronald Yin, 109 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:50,000 and I reside at 547 Sullivan Drive. 110 00:11:50,940 --> 00:11:52,340 I resided at that address 111 00:11:52,340 --> 00:11:53,760 for more than 40 years. 112 00:11:54,660 --> 00:11:55,740 I'm here to address the 113 00:11:55,740 --> 00:11:57,480 replacement of the turf with mulch 114 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,440 at the corner of Sullivan and Glenboro, 115 00:11:59,820 --> 00:12:01,540 which is only four houses away 116 00:12:01,540 --> 00:12:02,420 from where I reside. 117 00:12:03,500 --> 00:12:04,880 While the replaced mulch is 118 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,340 unattractive as well as being unsafe 119 00:12:07,340 --> 00:12:09,580 and done without the residents' feedback, 120 00:12:09,580 --> 00:12:15,120 back, I would let others address this issue. I will stick to the issue of the purported 121 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:22,740 goal of the replacement. As sensibly I'm told that the replacement was to comply with AB1572, 122 00:12:23,420 --> 00:12:29,600 which is to reduce nonfunctional turf, and I emphasize the word nonfunctional, which 123 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:36,120 means no function, not underutilization. I submit that the replaced turf was very 124 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:42,380 functional for at least two reasons. As I've said, I've lived there for more than 40 years 125 00:12:42,380 --> 00:12:48,560 and for at least the majority of that period of time, nearly every 4th of July celebration 126 00:12:49,140 --> 00:12:57,060 has occurred on that plot of soil. Activities occurred in which lawn chairs and tables and 127 00:12:57,060 --> 00:13:03,600 barbecues would be supplied by the neighbors and children's games would be played at 128 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:10,060 that area. The other day, however, I walked through that area and I nearly twisted my ankle. 129 00:13:10,740 --> 00:13:17,120 It's no longer functional. It is a veritable lawsuit waiting to happen. The second reason 130 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:22,580 for regarding the functionality of the turf is that more recently the City Council has 131 00:13:22,580 --> 00:13:29,560 encouraged the formation of many neighbors to look after one another in the event of 132 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:31,900 in our neighborhood, major disasters such as an earthquake. 133 00:13:32,860 --> 00:13:37,560 In our block area, we've called the formation of the cool kids block, 134 00:13:38,220 --> 00:13:43,040 which as you know is to encourage neighbors to help one another in the event of a disaster. 135 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:51,360 Well, we the coop, we the coop kids meet there in that corner, 136 00:13:51,620 --> 00:13:54,780 regularly to discuss activities in our neighborhood. 137 00:13:54,780 --> 00:14:01,020 This is no longer possible, we no longer can put lawn chairs there or tables there for 138 00:14:01,020 --> 00:14:07,400 half a pollock, similar to what's happening with the 4th of July then. 139 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:15,100 So I would respectfully that I request the city to reconsider this decision and restore 140 00:14:15,100 --> 00:14:16,900 the corner lot to its former state. 141 00:14:17,340 --> 00:14:17,880 Thank you. 142 00:14:19,260 --> 00:14:20,180 Thank you. 143 00:14:20,380 --> 00:14:23,040 Next we have Robert Townsend followed by Sherry Sanger. 144 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:31,890 Thank you. I concur with everyone else who's already spoken. I have an office that overlooks 145 00:14:31,890 --> 00:14:38,930 this piece of grass or was grass and there were people there every day. I would say that 146 00:14:38,930 --> 00:14:43,650 when parks people showed up they would leave because they were going to dig or make noise 147 00:14:43,650 --> 00:14:49,390 or do something. So maybe the city staff would go there and not see anyone just because 148 00:14:49,390 --> 00:14:55,110 of their own presence. But this is a place that's regularly used. The Sutter Health people 149 00:14:55,110 --> 00:14:59,490 have lunch there almost every day in the good weather. 150 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,340 So it's just a very functional piece of area. 151 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:08,160 I know that we have to reduce water use, and I feel nimby-ish, which is not a good feeling. 152 00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:14,480 However, this is an important piece of land that's made nonfunctional. 153 00:15:17,060 --> 00:15:19,300 I think that made my points. Thank you. 154 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:26,580 Thank you. Next we have Sherri Sager, followed by Rod Sager. 155 00:15:26,580 --> 00:15:36,140 here. I hope I pronounced that right. Seager. Seager. Seager. Hello. So I'm going to be reading 156 00:15:36,140 --> 00:15:40,600 a letter from one of our neighbors who... You can get closer to the mic. Oh, I'm going 157 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:47,060 to be... You can move the mic too. Is this good? Yeah. I'm going to be reading a letter 158 00:15:47,060 --> 00:15:52,100 from one of our young neighbors instead of all of us old folks. She couldn't be here. 159 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:58,720 she is picking up her kids from after-school activities. Dear Mayor and members of the 160 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,940 Mountain View City Council, I am writing as a long-time Mountain View resident and neighbor 161 00:16:02,940 --> 00:16:08,660 of Sylvan Park to kindly ask the city to reconsider the recent decision to replace the park's 162 00:16:08,660 --> 00:16:14,860 grassy area with brown mulch. When my family moved next to Sylvan Park in 2016, my son 163 00:16:14,860 --> 00:16:19,960 was two and I was pregnant with my daughter. This neighborhood park and especially a simple 164 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:24,400 open grassy space was one of the things that made it such a wonderful place to raise our 165 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:30,000 family. My children are now 12 and 9 and that field has been part of their childhood. They 166 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,340 have kitsch soccer balls, thrown frisbees, played with friends, celebrated birthdays, 167 00:16:34,740 --> 00:16:40,240 enjoyed picnics and simply run around there countless times. Its value was its flexibility. 168 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:46,600 It was an open, accessible place where children could play, families could gather and 169 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:51,400 neighbors could enjoy being outdoors, especially as an alternative to the bigger main field 170 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:57,480 which is often crowded and used for other activities. That is why I was surprised and saddened to 171 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:02,440 see the grass removed and replaced with mulch. I understand that the city may be balancing 172 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:07,520 water conservation, maintenance costs and other environmental priorities. I strongly 173 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,340 support those goals. At the same time replacing grass with mulch changes the function 174 00:17:12,340 --> 00:17:18,240 of this particular space. Children can no longer comfortably play soccer or frisbee and the area is 175 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:23,780 no longer suitable for the informal play and picnicking at once supported. We have lost 176 00:17:23,780 --> 00:17:29,680 more than grass. We have lost usable recreational space. I hope the city will distinguish between 177 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:35,060 decorative turf and grass that serves an active recreational purpose. As Mountain View 178 00:17:35,060 --> 00:17:40,420 becomes denser and many families have little or no private yard space, flexible public 179 00:17:40,420 --> 00:17:46,000 areas where children can simply run and play are increasingly important. Open grass can serve as a 180 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:51,960 soccer field, a picnic area, a birthday party space, or simply a place for children to invent 181 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:58,280 their own games. These informal spaces also help build community. Over the years this field has 182 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,900 brought children, parents and neighbors together in ways that are difficult to measure but 183 00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:08,960 meaningful to the life of the neighborhood. This was not unused or purely decorative grass. 184 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:16,780 It was actively serving as recreational space and its removal has reduced the parks usefulness for neighborhood families. 185 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:26,120 I respectfully ask the City Council and Park staff to reconsider this decision and explore restoring the area as a usable play space. 186 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:35,560 If conventional surf is inconsistent with current sustainability goals, I would welcome consideration of drought-tolerant recreational turf 187 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,120 for another environmentally responsible child friendly. 188 00:18:41,290 --> 00:18:42,230 Thank you. 189 00:18:44,150 --> 00:18:46,210 All right, next we have Rod Seger. 190 00:18:53,260 --> 00:18:58,620 Would the council consider giving her another 30 seconds, and I'll cut my time? 191 00:18:59,060 --> 00:19:02,220 If you're reading a letter, you could probably just read the end of the letter for her. 192 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:03,480 Okay. 193 00:19:21,780 --> 00:19:26,940 She asked for the city staff to seek more input. 194 00:19:26,940 --> 00:19:34,980 input. The staff did ask us for input after decisions had been made when we made our input. 195 00:19:35,180 --> 00:19:40,140 We were told in that meeting on August 5th that no changes would be made in the plan 196 00:19:40,140 --> 00:19:45,580 that they waited to put turf in until they talked to us. But they also informed us at 197 00:19:45,580 --> 00:19:52,200 that time that they were going to proceed with plans. The last paragraph of the letter 198 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:57,740 those states. Silva Park has been part of my children's lives for as long as they can remember 199 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:02,400 and I'm grateful they have had the opportunity to grow up with the park beside their home. 200 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,800 I hope future children in our neighborhood will have the same opportunity. 201 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,400 Thank you for your time, consideration and service to our community. 202 00:20:12,610 --> 00:20:18,990 So I guess my job a little bit is to summarize this and to say thank you so much for being 203 00:20:18,990 --> 00:20:26,670 willing to listen to us. We've had something of a frustrating experience. But I want to 204 00:20:26,670 --> 00:20:32,550 state a couple of things. Number one, I think everybody here, most of the people that I know 205 00:20:32,550 --> 00:20:39,450 in our neighborhood support the urban forest and biodiversity policy that was adopted 206 00:20:39,450 --> 00:20:46,310 by City Council in June. We think it makes sense. We understand the need and that there 207 00:20:46,310 --> 00:20:56,930 are varying needs within our community. So in terms of summarizing things, usable functional 208 00:20:56,930 --> 00:21:05,650 space within Sylvan Park has been lost. Biodiversity at this point has not been enhanced and it's 209 00:21:05,650 --> 00:21:11,630 not budgeted based on what we've been told by staff. The area selected for conversion 210 00:21:11,630 --> 00:21:16,690 from irrigated turf is not consistent with AB 1572. 211 00:21:18,450 --> 00:21:22,330 We were told that AB 1572 was a driving force 212 00:21:22,330 --> 00:21:26,610 behind decreasing irrigated turf. 213 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,960 Future plans are likely to further decrease 214 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:33,820 functional areas of Sylvan Park. 215 00:21:34,740 --> 00:21:37,020 If anything, we think more functional turf 216 00:21:37,020 --> 00:21:39,660 within our community is important. 217 00:21:39,660 --> 00:21:47,740 And in the context of the housing density is likely to increase in our community. 218 00:21:48,580 --> 00:21:54,120 And for physical and emotional well-being, we need more, not less. 219 00:21:54,860 --> 00:22:01,280 The ask, though, that we have is restoration of functional turf to Sylvan Park at the 220 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:06,320 corner area, bordering Sullivan and Glenborough Drive. 221 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:11,000 We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to us and having this 222 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:19,380 opportunity. It's been great and thank you so much. Thank you. We will now move on 223 00:22:19,380 --> 00:22:20,660 to virtual speakers. 224 00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:25,840 It looks like we have two online. 225 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,920 I'm so sorry I have messed up your name on that. 226 00:22:45,460 --> 00:22:45,980 Here I'm muted. 227 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:46,260 Hello. 228 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:47,500 Do you hear me? 229 00:22:48,460 --> 00:22:49,040 I can hear you. 230 00:22:49,140 --> 00:22:49,300 Yes. 231 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:50,240 Okay. 232 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:50,720 Thank you. 233 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:52,440 Good evening, City Council members. 234 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:56,420 My name is Itongun Son, a resident of the Jemini Avenue. 235 00:22:56,980 --> 00:23:02,260 I'm here to ask, does City Council members to consider excluding Jemini Avenue from 236 00:23:02,260 --> 00:23:05,260 streets where oversize vehicles can park? 237 00:23:05,260 --> 00:23:10,880 Germany Avenue sits between a residential and an industrial area which is 238 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:16,520 separated only by a row of bushes at night it was it is quite isolated and 239 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,340 oversized vehicles parking there are turning it into what feels like as a 240 00:23:21,340 --> 00:23:27,000 resident on encampment a real safety risk for residents. These oversized vehicles 241 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:33,180 routinely stay far longer than 72 hours sometimes over a month even parking 242 00:23:33,180 --> 00:23:37,540 parking right in front of the gate, police say there's nothing they can do since there's 243 00:23:37,540 --> 00:23:38,980 no ordinance against it. 244 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:45,900 Meanwhile, people repair cars and load and unload the stuff, idle engines, and run generators 245 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:50,720 right in front of our homes, again, with no ordinance to stop it per police. 246 00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:56,360 When the city set a narrow street rules for oversized vehicle parking, it should have 247 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:59,560 considered a neighborhood character, not just a street width. 248 00:23:59,940 --> 00:24:01,520 It's over 40 feet or not. 249 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:06,440 I'm respectfully asking the city council to start a real discussion about 250 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:11,560 excluding residential areas like Germany Avenue from oversized vehicle parking. 251 00:24:11,740 --> 00:24:16,620 Thank you for your attention. Thank you. Next we have April Webster. 252 00:24:19,270 --> 00:24:20,070 Hi, good 253 00:24:20,070 --> 00:24:26,550 evening. I sent a letter earlier today for the performance view that built on 254 00:24:26,550 --> 00:24:29,790 a joint letter that I and a few other members of the community submitted last 255 00:24:29,790 --> 00:24:32,570 I snuck it in pretty late, so apologies. 256 00:24:33,370 --> 00:24:34,850 I'm speaking just for myself tonight, 257 00:24:35,010 --> 00:24:37,890 and I wanted to add one point that didn't make it into the letter. 258 00:24:38,590 --> 00:24:41,450 And that is, as the CTO role takes shape, 259 00:24:41,910 --> 00:24:43,830 I'd really like to see it bring a more multidisciplinary 260 00:24:44,570 --> 00:24:46,690 and human-centered approach to transportation. 261 00:24:47,230 --> 00:24:51,010 One that can bring together engineering with planning, 262 00:24:51,630 --> 00:24:54,410 human factors, accessibility, sustainability, 263 00:24:54,830 --> 00:24:58,510 and then really focus on the way people experience our streets, 264 00:25:00,030 --> 00:25:05,450 transportation is really a human system so it matters how people perceive risk 265 00:25:05,450 --> 00:25:09,890 and they make decisions how they make mistakes and how they experience the 266 00:25:09,890 --> 00:25:14,150 streets and this is especially true for children older adults and less 267 00:25:14,150 --> 00:25:18,850 confident users. I've also been chatting with Caltran staff recently 268 00:25:18,850 --> 00:25:22,610 about the the rank store Green Complete Streets project on the SB-1 269 00:25:22,610 --> 00:25:26,450 grant and one thing that keeps standing out to me in there as well as this 270 00:25:26,450 --> 00:25:31,450 It's how multidisciplinary it is and how it connects transportation with land use, 271 00:25:31,570 --> 00:25:38,410 accessibility, safe systems, green infrastructure, etc. So it's really not just an engineering problem. 272 00:25:39,770 --> 00:25:47,590 And I wanted to also share Caltrans Complete Streets team as a really interesting example 273 00:25:47,590 --> 00:25:52,950 of a leadership that takes its form. I learned about this a year or so ago and I was really 274 00:25:52,950 --> 00:25:58,810 pleasantly surprised to learn that the person that they hired to lead that 275 00:25:58,810 --> 00:26:03,090 team at headquarters has a more of a non-traditional background. Her name's 276 00:26:03,090 --> 00:26:06,730 Suzy Lindsay and she comes from landscape architecture and she shared with me 277 00:26:06,730 --> 00:26:09,710 that they had interviewed a number of folks in from the engineering background 278 00:26:09,710 --> 00:26:14,010 but they decided to go with her because she had brought a more diverse view and 279 00:26:14,010 --> 00:26:19,770 more holistic sort of framing on on transportation. And so I'd encourage 280 00:26:19,770 --> 00:26:24,130 council to be a bit more open to candidates with this kind of non-traditional background, 281 00:26:24,910 --> 00:26:32,830 and I really hope the CTO can help make sure council direction carries through in that vein 282 00:26:32,830 --> 00:26:37,050 from, you know, planning to project scoping into engineering design and construction. 283 00:26:39,790 --> 00:26:47,110 And then I also wanted to briefly comment on Ringstorff. I also sent a letter in 284 00:26:47,110 --> 00:26:52,830 about that. And I wanted to really encourage Council to reaffirm the direction that it 285 00:26:52,830 --> 00:26:59,550 gave during the 2023 SIP. This is our first Green Complete Streets project. It sort of 286 00:26:59,550 --> 00:27:06,290 brings together our ATP and our biodiversity plan in a single project. And I think it's 287 00:27:06,290 --> 00:27:10,030 really important that we make sure we deliver on both of those, both the green and the 288 00:27:10,030 --> 00:27:14,190 complete. And I also want to add, if we're going to call it a safety and complete 289 00:27:14,190 --> 00:27:17,810 We really need to fully deliver on that, and not partially. 290 00:27:18,310 --> 00:27:20,850 So thank you so much. I appreciate your time. 291 00:27:22,790 --> 00:27:28,730 Thank you, April. That concludes our oral communications for a public comment on non-agendized items. 292 00:27:29,170 --> 00:27:31,950 We will now move forward with the closed session announcement. 293 00:27:32,450 --> 00:27:35,610 Interim City Attorney Quinn will make a closed session announcement, 294 00:27:35,950 --> 00:27:39,510 and then we will welcome public comment on the items listed for closed session. 295 00:27:40,750 --> 00:27:43,970 Thank you, Mayor. I'm going to speak before our interim city attorney. 296 00:27:43,970 --> 00:27:51,690 So, I would just like to ask the clerk to move over our community services director, 297 00:27:52,170 --> 00:27:56,910 John Marchant, to provide a couple remarks because I know there's significant interest 298 00:27:56,910 --> 00:28:02,550 in this, and also to let the community members know that we will be having a neighborhood 299 00:28:02,550 --> 00:28:08,510 meeting, and we'll be following up with the neighbors about this in the next step. 300 00:28:08,510 --> 00:28:17,820 so he's not um hold on let me just see if he is on real quick I do not see him 301 00:28:17,820 --> 00:28:19,300 on yet okay 302 00:28:24,870 --> 00:28:28,330 he must have accidentally dropped off so I think I've stated what 303 00:28:28,330 --> 00:28:32,070 I need to state so we will be following up with the neighbors staff will be 304 00:28:32,070 --> 00:28:38,530 thank you all right thank you for that now city attorney Quinn it's my 305 00:28:38,530 --> 00:28:43,350 pleasure to be back here and to make the closed session announcement and you 306 00:28:43,350 --> 00:28:50,810 will be recessing to a closed session agenda item 3.1 for public employee performance evaluations 307 00:28:50,810 --> 00:28:57,610 pursuant to California government code section 54957B1 for council appointees city manager 308 00:28:57,610 --> 00:29:03,010 and city clerk. Additional attendees at the closed session will include our city clerk 309 00:29:03,010 --> 00:29:07,330 Heather Blazer, our city manager Kimber McCarthy and Nelson Fialo, the executive director 310 00:29:07,330 --> 00:29:12,330 of RPMG. Item 3.2 in the closed session will be conference with labor negotiators 311 00:29:12,330 --> 00:29:18,930 is pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957.6a. The agency designated representative 312 00:29:18,930 --> 00:29:23,010 is our Vice Mayor, Chris Clark. Unrepresentative employees again include the City Clerk and 313 00:29:23,010 --> 00:29:29,130 the City Manager. And Mr. Fiala will also be attending the closed session. And we 314 00:29:29,130 --> 00:29:32,850 do not anticipate any announcements after this evening's closed session. 315 00:29:34,230 --> 00:29:39,330 Hey. All right. Thank you. Would any member of the public joining us virtually or in 316 00:29:39,330 --> 00:29:43,090 person like to provide comment on the closed session items listed on tonight's agenda. 317 00:29:43,570 --> 00:29:47,550 If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a speaker card to the City 318 00:29:47,550 --> 00:29:52,750 Clerk. We will take in person speakers first. Each speaker will have three minutes. I see 319 00:29:52,750 --> 00:29:56,850 no one here now. Now we will take virtual speakers. 320 00:30:01,230 --> 00:30:05,550 April or April Webster, your hand is still up. Is that from the previous one? 321 00:30:06,750 --> 00:30:08,090 No, I put it back up. 322 00:30:08,710 --> 00:30:13,230 Okay. Could you speak louder into your microphone, by the way, April? We are having a hard time hearing you. 323 00:30:13,810 --> 00:30:14,910 Sure. Is this a bit better? 324 00:30:15,390 --> 00:30:15,710 That's better. 325 00:30:16,210 --> 00:30:19,090 Okay. I have my screen right in front of me now. 326 00:30:19,710 --> 00:30:26,490 Thanks. Yes, actually, I didn't realize that I'd be able to provide comment on this particular agenda item. 327 00:30:26,490 --> 00:30:29,010 So, I'm just going to speak really briefly. 328 00:30:29,390 --> 00:30:34,230 I did mention that I sent a letter about this, and I wanted to share that I think there has 329 00:30:34,230 --> 00:30:40,110 been some real progress in some of the areas that we had looked at over the past year, 330 00:30:40,370 --> 00:30:42,170 especially moving projects forward. 331 00:30:43,090 --> 00:30:52,010 I think staff has done a great job of moving the biodiversity plan, the parks plan, and 332 00:30:52,010 --> 00:30:58,110 active transportation plan through. So I give them kudos on that. I do think that 333 00:30:58,110 --> 00:31:04,190 some of the concerns we did raise are still relevant. Some of those are around 334 00:31:04,190 --> 00:31:08,450 just, you know, more transparent communication, finding ways to achieve 335 00:31:08,450 --> 00:31:16,870 that in terms of community engagement, finding, looking into how we can do 336 00:31:16,870 --> 00:31:21,490 that earlier across the city as more of like a system change if we could 337 00:31:21,490 --> 00:31:26,390 and find a process because I think as one of the other speakers mentioned earlier, sometimes 338 00:31:26,390 --> 00:31:31,790 we're brought in a little bit too late for that to actually happen and have an impact. 339 00:31:32,210 --> 00:31:38,310 So I think this is really important and somewhere else, you know, in some of my work with Caltrans, 340 00:31:38,830 --> 00:31:45,190 that same sort of discussion and thought is happening in terms of how can you impact 341 00:31:45,190 --> 00:31:49,690 a project and bring in the community and get that feedback at the start before you 342 00:31:49,690 --> 00:31:54,070 actually get into design. So I wanted to share that. 343 00:31:57,590 --> 00:31:58,890 One of the other biggest 344 00:31:58,890 --> 00:32:05,430 questions I have is, you know, whether some of the improvements were seen, that 345 00:32:05,430 --> 00:32:08,570 we've seen, you know, in some of the departments and conversations and 346 00:32:08,570 --> 00:32:13,270 projects, is becoming more of a normal city practice. And that would be great 347 00:32:13,270 --> 00:32:18,550 to see that normalized across the city and not really depend on, you know, 348 00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:21,690 specific individuals, departments, et cetera. 349 00:32:22,470 --> 00:32:27,510 And then, actually I think I've covered most of what I wanted 350 00:32:27,510 --> 00:32:31,910 to say, but I just wanted to, you know, congratulate staff 351 00:32:31,910 --> 00:32:34,530 and, you know, keep moving forward. 352 00:32:34,890 --> 00:32:36,150 I think there have been a lot of good changes 353 00:32:36,150 --> 00:32:40,350 and I really hope that, yeah, we can move forward 354 00:32:40,350 --> 00:32:40,690 on things. 355 00:32:40,770 --> 00:32:41,450 Thank you so much. 356 00:32:42,550 --> 00:32:44,330 Thank you, April. 357 00:32:44,950 --> 00:32:47,170 That concludes our public comment. 358 00:32:48,610 --> 00:32:56,070 The council will now recess to the Plaza Conference Room for a closed session and we will not return to open session for adjournment.