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A big .

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good afternoon everyone. >> I'd like to call to order this meeting of the same as the

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city council for the afternoon of october 22nd. >> toni, would you please call the roll present torres cohen here or present your one? >> yeah, I can hear foley here

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bartra hear me? >> hear me. There you have a great thank

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you. >> all right. Now if you're able, please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag

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of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation individual

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liberty for all. >> all right. Today's invoking section will

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be provided by students who are visiting from our sister city of okayama.

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>> and councilmember foley will tell us more. >> actually, these are the students we took to okayama. >> not the visiting. Oh, to visit?

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I thought so from my dad. >> oh, no. I was misinformed. That's okay. During the summer my husband and I chaperoned a group

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of students from branham high school and silver creek high school to participate in a cultural exchange with our sister city, okayama, japan. >> during this exchange these

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students lived with japanese families experience the japanese culture and spent

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their days in tours organized by the okayama international department within the city

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of okayama. We were joined on this trip with kathy sakamoto and her

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husband jerry. Kathy leads the san jose okayama sister city program. In 2027 we will be celebrating 70 years of this relationship by joining them on this chain

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exchange where students from taiwan and korea, china, guam and bulgaria.

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each group of students was asked to present information about their hometown and

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country. Additionally, they were asked to provide some sort of entertainment and some sang and some danced. Our girls showcase their

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martial arts and soccer skills. Our boys made the formal presentation complete with

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japanese translation from one of our students. For my invocation this week I

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have asked these students jasmine, danny, elaine, alex eiji and gracie to perform the

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song they shared with the other students. >> perhaps you know it.

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do you know the way to san jose ? >> I want to thank these students. It was a blast chaperoning them.

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>> so much fun to go to japan. I want to thank these students for taking time out of their

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really busy school schedules to be here to perform for us. >> take it away.

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do you know the way to san jose ? I've been away so I make a long

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way. Do you know the way to san that I'm going back to find some

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peace of mind is there is a great big freeway but a hundred kids out by car in a week maybe

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two to make use of. We started it's so great and all those homes and everywhere

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are parking cars and pumping gas. You can really read the jose.

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>> they got a lot of space. >> there will be a place where I can say I was born and raised

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as they say. I'm going back to find some peace of mind. Same thing for jimmy is a magnet. He can play you are always the

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moon with a dream in your heart your dreams turn into dust and go away and there you are

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without a friend. You park your car and drive away.

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>> I've got lots of friends the sensitivity jose. Do you know the way to say that

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to thank you so much for shade. All right, we're on to ceremonial items.

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councilor bottura, if you would join me at the podium we will recognize and proclaim hindu american heritage month . >> good afternoon.

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never stay in a joyous happy hindu heritage month which we are proclaiming today.

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today we gather not only to celebrate the rich tapestry of hindu culture but also to

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reflect upon the importance of hinduism a heritage that has worn itself intricately into

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the fabric of our diverse society. >> hindu heritage month is a

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special time for the hindu american community to come together to honor the timeless

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wisdom traditions contributions of hinduism, hinduism with its ancient roots dating back

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thousands of years stands as one of the world's oldest religions offering insights

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into the nature of existence and the path to enlightenment. Hinduism not merely a set

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of beliefs. It is a way of life for many of our resident.

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it fosters a sense of community compassion and a deep connection to the divine hindu

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american community and reaches our lives in countless ways. Contributing to the cultural

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mosaic that makes the bay area a beacon of diversity. The values are peddled by the

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hinduism are principles that resonate with the very essence of our shared component

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humanity through unity, understanding and mutual respect.

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we can continue to build bridges that connect us all irrespective of our background

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or beliefs. Once again happy hindu heritage month to you all made this

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month and the next week continuously filled with joy, reflection and deep

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appreciation for the legacy that hinduism empowered in our community.

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I have invited many of the organizations in bay area which work tirelessly to increase

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understanding of hindu culture, hindu traditions, hindu values while respecting the cultural

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values and ethnicities of all other nations or other heritages.

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we want to build a unified community which celebrates every culture, every ethnicity,

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every background. And today I have about 20 of them here.

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that's what they work on year round celebrating these things. I am sure I have missed

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inviting some of them but the fact that you have plenty of them here from diverse ones

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which they support their activities is showing you how I'm trying to create unity

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among hindu population and the american population and all of the san jose residents.

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so mayor, I present to you this group of people to give the proclamation to and they are

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going to give a benediction and to give the blessings to all of us to promote our well-being

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. So priest swamiji, if you can start reading the all all

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of them are going to read at the same time so they have 30 minutes.

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yes. Yes, please. Just the english one meaning yeah. >> thank you. Bhattacharjee and me here in

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meeting us and to be happy to be here so may the hall to bless all of us being in the

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heritage day in october. So a good month to be here and presents all of our angel

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communities here and I especially thank our center here.

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and what a tragic uniting all of us. >> may the sun god mitra what

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an audio map hinder bruhat city and all graduating mahavishnu and all that they with us

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showered their blessings upon us. Salutation to brahma salutation

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two while you are that for self negation a brahma salutation to brahma I shall always abide by

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her my righteousness I shall always speak the truth may that protect us all or peace peace

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peace. >> thank you. >> thank you.

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yeah. Yes we had they all have the proclamation right? So you're going to you're going to write. Yeah.

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that's excellent. Welcome. We made the crowd it a little

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bit for the photo here and I don't know if we're able to do that. Okay. You can make it into the materials.

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>> yeah, go ahead. Make sure everybody can see the camera.

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yeah. And thank you for being me. Thank you very much.

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and keep doing what you're doing so thank you. Where are you?

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okay. You're okay. Very quickly. Here we go. Think everybody thank you for doing all right.

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the one all right. Tell her to what if you join me at the podium?

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we will recognize luis valdez leadership academy. Come on down.

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all right, all so that way the podium don't get in your way. Perfect.

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>> well, thank you so much for being here today. I am honored to recognize luis

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valdez as leadership academy that established in 2007 a now california distinguished school

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for their exceptional commitment through leadership, excellence, responsibility and

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resilience to prepare students for success beyond high school .

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the dedication of the teachers ,the administrators and support staff of luis valdez

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leadership academy have worked tirelessly to create an environment where students can

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thrive academically and personally their collaborative efforts and unwavering support

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have not only fostered cultural excellence but also have also been instrumental in earning an

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esteemed title of california distinguished school. This recognition is a testament

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to the hard work and dedication of the entire school community reflecting their deep

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investment in the future of their students. >> again, I want to say thank

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you to everyone luis valdez leadership academy who have made this school as an amazing

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as it is today. >> please give them a big applause and I believe we have

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a speech from our representative from luis valdez academy.

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>> hey, thank you so much. My name is dr. Sherry segura and I am the superintendent and

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ceo of the foundation for hispanic education schools. We are so honored.

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thank you so much. To be able to share this space with you and our sincerest

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gratitude to councilmember doane for allowing us to be here today.

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>> we're celebrating the hard work and achievements of our and the dedication of our

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staff. >> this is a really important award for us because it is about closing the achievement gap. That is what we dedicate our

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time and energy to every single day to ensure that a zip code doesn't protect predict

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the outcome for any child. So thank you very much. I just want you to know we

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serve 99% latino students. We are located in east san jose. 88% are socioeconomically disadvantaged. They're labeled as that.

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but we know that they have a lot of gifts and so we celebrate that and we lean into

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that every single day. And I just want everyone here to know that when we invest in our youth these are the outcomes that we can get from investing in our youth is

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eliminating that achievement gap and I would really like to just introduce dr. Silva.

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he is the principal there but I would like mr. Luis valdez the namesake and very famous

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namesake that we have. We're very fortunate to have him here today so please come

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up. Thank you so much. >> this is a wonderful occasion

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to celebrate w l.a. As a distinguished school. I can't think of anything more

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important in this life than education especially education. The research, the wonder and

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the power and the privilege of biodiversity in the human race.

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we all have something to give. >> the creator has endowed us all with the gift of genius in

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different ways and we bring that genius to the table to create a better life and a

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better world for all. >> it has been my privilege to grow up in san jose.

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I went to grammar school in evergreen, graduated from james luke high school in san jose state university. So san jose is literally my home in that sense but it

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was with wonder that I now view this growing megalopolis and know its significance in the

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world. >> and so I'm very proud to be here to celebrate the evolution

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of l.a. As an institution in our beloved community and to also spur forward the city

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of san jose to achieve its greatness through its young people, through its

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neighborhoods, through its high schools, through its educational institutions.

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may we all bond together with the promise of the future, the promise of democracy to keep

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the world alive and open and fair to everybody, especially in this election year.

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can we buy san jose gave kamala harris the l.a. Equivalent of a thank you so much.

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are you receiving the commendation? Yes.

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thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

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thank you so much for everything. Thank you.

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I appreciate. Thank you. My pleasure. Thank you again. Thank you. >> all right.

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and on to our final ceremonial item councilmember ortiz. Please join me at the podium

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and we will recognize and proclaim lights on after school day.

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>> it looks like we're inviting folks to come on down. >> hey, and congratulations,

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you guys. >> yeah. All right. For the moment everybody's been waiting for not just joking. Good afternoon, everyone. This thursday is the 25th annual lights on after school day a day to celebrate

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afterschool programs and the essential work that they do for our families, for our working

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families. Afterschool programs are a lifeline. They provide structure and childcare for the afternoon hours and give students

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structure, safety and new opportunities to grow, play and learn together.

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>> san jose is home to many incredible afterschool programs some of whom are in attendance

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today. The city is also a provider itself through the parents

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department's rock program serving students at 20 elementary and middle schools

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and offering homework assistance, recreation and of course steam education

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programing to show the immense gratitude the city has to the educators, supervisors and

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workers who make our city's afterschool programs possible. It is my honor to present this

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proclamation of this thursday as lights on afterschool day 2020 four.

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>> and now I'd like to please invite your honor's director john sis ereli to speak and

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introduce a video highlighting the great work of the rock program.

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well thank you councilmember. Good afternoon everybody. As you mentioned, it's the 25th

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year anniversary of this program. This is a national program is the only national program like it. So we'll be celebrating with

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over a million other people and students on thursday across 8000 locations in the country

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to amplify amplify the voices of our youth and and the importance of the program.

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and I think it's interesting that the one commendation just before this was talking about

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right, the investment in our youth, the importance of educating our youth that's

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exactly what these people standing behind you, behind me I should say do every day.

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>> we have over 18 hundred young people enrolled across 33 programs right now in the city.

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we've we've been operating afterschool programs for about three decades although the

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current program which is rock after school is about 15 years old now we've distributed more

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than $5 million in scholarships to youth in their families so that they can access programs

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like this afterschool have a safe place to be where the lights are on and so I want you

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to join us and our partners for example, ymca catholic charities think together the

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county office of education and many other partners on this thursday.

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a couple of fun facts also this month the santa clara county office of education has their

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college and career month and in march we'll be hitting up all the council members of course

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like we do every year for our national education association's read across

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america program that we do in partnership with the library. So really fun programing go sit with the kids and read a fun book to them. And so I want to show you a

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video of what it's like and a day in the life you might even see some of the people standing behind me on the on the video. >> so if we can cue that up. Thank you.

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so this is the rock after school program. It's going to be kids get out

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as soon as the bell rings they come here and have a good program where they can have fun

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and hang out their friends and some of the parents, you know, they work in late anything like that, whatever it may be or here to keep an eye on the kids, make sure they're

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engaged. I like running the structure program but at the same time like, you know, let the kids the kids but some have fun.

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let them hang out. Hey that's that's what the program for we get to play we get to do some crafts we get to eat you know that's the cool part.

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I've had groups of kids that come return year after year and every year I see them again and

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again and they are growing, they're changing and it's just it's really it's rewarding to

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see their progress and different social activities and situations and seeing their art

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grow. I see a lot of kids practicing their instruments here all the

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time. It's just it's it's a lot of fun. I really love working with these kids. We provide a service.

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we're like they enjoy coming because I've had a couple of kids like me said gary.

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why didn't you come yesterday like you know I want to come to rocks I got that makes me think

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like oh they want to come to rock and not like oh man, not another day I rock.

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the thing I like most about this school program is that the teachers are very nice.

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I got I got a good amount of friends so my favorite things I like to go outside and play with my friends is when I get to go outside and when and then that's that's what I like

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the most about my afterschool program is probably homework time just because it's like

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it's peaceful and it's quiet and then I get my work done. I like how we have fun like

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crafts. My favorite part would be the staff because I've known mr.

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steven for I think two years now and he's like that's my favorite part. This stuff they're really nice. Mr. Steven is a really cool guy.

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he's someone that you can trust. He's super awesome and I don't want to leave next year because he's going to leave. >> I like playing on the

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playground because you're going to swing some play with your friends. You should go to the after school program because it's really fun and you can meet a

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lot of new people over there. Thank you. >> and you can see it's as much

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fun for our staff as it is for the kids. That's why they're staying in here. This is what we do. This is what we love to do in

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parks recreation, neighborhood services. So thank you councilmember ortiz and the city council for recognizing this day.

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>> thank you. One more round of applause for the rock program.

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now I'd kindly ask the mayor to please present the proclamation to our thank you guys.

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thank you so much for your work . You guys

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okay? We are on two orders of the day .

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I have one item I would request that the council vote to add to the consent candidates item

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2.17 which is adjustments in city council appointments of committees, boards and

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commissions. It requires a two thirds vote of approval to be placed on today's consent calendar. May I have a motion to take a vote to add it to the consent

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calendar? Second. Thank you toni. Can we please vote on that and I'm sorry let me ask before we vote did we have any comment

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cards on that item on 2.17 just okay, we're not on consent yet. >> this is just on whether or

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not we should add 2.17 to consent. Okay then let's vote.

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still waiting on one. >> I don't know who it is though.

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it's the crashes in the back. I think we have to oh I knew I was looking. >> I didn't see that she was gone. Motion passes nine with davis

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absent. Okay, great. So 2.17 will be added to the consent calendar today it's and should be that is attached to the agenda does anyone else

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have any changes to the printed agenda for today? >> okay. Not seeing any others let's move on to the closed session report nor thank you mayor.

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the city manager has something to report coming out of closed session.

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>> thank you, nora. I am very pleased to announce a unanimous city council

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confirmation of my selection of paul joseph as our new permanent chief of police.

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paul will assume the position october 28th, 2024 chief joseph will lead the department with

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an annual operating budget of 543 million with 1172 sworn officers and 570 civilian

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employees. He will lead one of the leanest and most efficient major city

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police agencies in the country. He'll be responsible for the core services including crime

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prevention and community education, investigative services regulatory services response to calls for service and patrol support and the department's strategic support

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. As we all know, the chief of police position plays an important role in the leadership of the city. Chief joseph will continue

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working with community city leaders and stakeholders to continuously evaluate and

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evolve how public safety services are provided in san jose. He is also a courageous and collaborative leader who is unafraid to try new policing

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techniques, engage in important dialog with our community and build deep lasting

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relationships and accept constructive criticism. Chief joseph brings over 30

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years of broad and progressive law enforcement experience to the role he joined the san jose

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police department as a police officer in december 1994, progressing through the ranks

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to his present role as acting chief of police chief joseph previously served as the

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assistant chief of police with wide responsibility for the department's operations as a police captain he was the commanding officer of the department's western patrol

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division and as a police lieutenant he worked in the homicide unit robbery unit and

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patrol divisions in his tenure with the san jose police department. He launched innovative initiatives including the mission street recovery station

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dui pilot and helped design the mobile crisis assessment team chief joseph is a member of the

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california state bar. He holds a juris doctor from the university of california

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college of the law san francisco and a bachelor of arts in political science

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from california state university northridge. He also attended numerous law enforcement leadership training programs including the police executive leadership institute

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administered by the major cities chief association among other significant trainings.

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please join me in congratulating chief joseph. He was joined by his wife judy

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joseph stepdaughters katie and grace and stepson justin. We're also joined by just a few

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of our amazing and hardworking men and women of the police department. Would you all please stand to to recognize your support of chief joseph?

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>> and I'd like to ask chief joseph to come down to the podium to say a few words.

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>> thank you. >> thank you. I did all that.

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>> jennifer maguire, city manager I really want to thank you and your staff and the city

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manager's office for trusting me with this enormous responsibility for undertaking

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a comprehensive search and nationwide search. I know I competed against some

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pretty qualified people. There were a lot of great people in this industry and and

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I'm honored to have been selected from amongst that group to the mayor and the council. >> thank you for confirming that choice.

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I pledge to always work with you to solve the various issues that it is that we're going to

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face for the community. I know there were voices in the community that spoke to all

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of you and spoke to the city manager in support of me. I know I wouldn't be here

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without that and I know I would not be able to address all the issues that we face as a

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community without support from that community. Lastly, you know it's a one

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team approach here all the departments in the city and the city manager's office but we have a team at the police department and I got to say I'm honored I'm honored that

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members of my team are here today. >> that's very moving to me that they're all here. I will have no success without them.

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>> they're the ones that make the difference in the police department far more than I do. So thank you guys for coming. Thank you, jennifer congratulations, chief.

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I'll just say on behalf of the council, thank you for 30 years of service to our community

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you've done a tremendous job and we were very lucky that you want to continue to serve this

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city and I know you're going to do a great job of keeping our community safe, looking after

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our officers, making the department strong and effective and we're just we're just very

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lucky to have you. >> so congratulations again to you and your family. >> all right. We're going to move on now to the consent calendar.

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>> do we have any items that members of the council would like to pull from consent?

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yes, I would like to pull item 2.4 2.4. >> okay.

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>> kills for the I would like to pull through for any others mayor I'd like to fold 2.14 yup. >> okay I've got that just for comment.

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great. And then I have a memo on item 2.17 so 2.17 so I will pull

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that. That was the one you all were kind enough to add to consent

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today. >> any others? >> okay so we will take them

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one at a time. We're going to go and order a councilor to one. >> do you want to comment or make motion 2.4? >> yes.

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the reason I pulled the item 2.4 is I want to bifurcate the mayor and councilor excuse

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absence and I want to make sure that we vote separately for councilmember wilmer torres

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absent request. Okay. Do we need a vote of the

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council to bifurcate or is that I don't think is that at my discretion?

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>> how do we do that? I don't think you need to make a motion part of the motion me to bifurcate and then take the action on one so so that could be included in the motion

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or so yeah yeah makes sense. >> okay so there's a request to bifurcate 2.14 but we don't

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have a motion yet so that's noted. Councilor foley do you want to comment on 2.1 for yes thank you. I just wanted to pull this item

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two to command the department of transport and staff on their work to implement the transit

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first policy adopted in 2022 which I was a huge proponent of as our city grows the need

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for high quality, fast and frequent public transportation is going to be critical.

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>> while vta operates the busses those busses operate on our street network which is why

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we adopted the first transit first policy to acknowledge our responsibility to ensure

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transit runs smoothly and quickly. What we are approving here is the deployment of systems that optimizes signal timing to give busses green lights when

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possible and minimize their time waiting at red lights working with our vta partner to

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make transit faster ensures that public transportation is a more desirable option for

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travelers aligning with many of our city's goals around climate smart and reducing

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congestion. I'd also like to take this opportunity to challenge and challenge other agencies with roadways in santa clara county to also adopt transit first

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policies for example, the county has jurisdiction over expressways but unfortunately

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does not have an adopted transit first policy. The city of san jose is a

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leader in this space so I'd like to recognize that while also encouraging other agencies

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to join us to make santa clara county a more transit friendly area.

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>> thank you. >> great. And I will move the consent

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calendar with the bifurcation requested. >> okay bifurcating two point

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for a bifurcated the councilmember torres portion of 2.4 specifically that would

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be 2.4 a and b its own separate item and your motion includes b through f yes.

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>> okay. And I was going to comment on item 2.17.

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councilmember hoping you're including my memo in that. Okay great commentary just been

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given you no that's okay I'll just just for the public since we just added this today under

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orders of the day I brought forward a recommendation to the council that we reassign

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councilor torres's appointments to various other council colleagues given that because

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we're torres has recently been absent from all committee, commission and board meetings

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that I'm aware of over the last two weeks. I think that the public deserves to have other council colleagues fill in in those roles.

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so that's why I've brought this forward. This would be if approved in

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effect until I bring forward my annual appointment memo to the council for consideration

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in january. So this would be a temporary appointment reassignment an

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appointment for the commissions and committees and boards where councilor torres has been

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serving and there's a full list in the agenda item so that is included in the motion unless

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there are any other questions or comments I think we can proceed with a vote.

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I'm not seeing any hands up. What do we actually start with public comment if we have any. >> this is on item 2.4 so I'm going to go ahead and take it now rather than on the vote for

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2.4 a just in case. So melissa, come on down. >> hello.

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thanks for taking my comment. I'm a small business owner on luna park district three and so

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I just wanted to bring up representation. I do look forward to moving forward in that area with representation other than on my tours as office.

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>> so I definitely look forward to moving on. We need to progress and not

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stand still so I thank you mr. Mehan for bringing that up. >> thank you.

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>> back to council. Okay, thank you. It's sworn to a vote toni which

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be taken first and this is the vote on the all of the items except for 2.4 a okay motion

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passes nine zero with davis absent and now we'll go on to 2.4 a and I don't think we're

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waiting on a motion on that one . I think it was moved to be

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voted on in a by 4 to 2 by four right to vote. >> so now we need to vote on now one now 2.4 a but we don't have a motion to approve or not approve 2.4 a we had a motion

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to approve everything else so now 2.4 is up for discussion. >> okay.

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do a further discussion or a motion on two point 4ai move to approve on the 2.4 a come to

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move a second you move to approve 2.48 to be voted on right now we know we're going

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to vote on it items up now we need a motion on whether or not to approve or reject point

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of council remember? >> yeah. Councilor duane I suspect that

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now that we've isolated 2.48 now it sits with you as it relates to what you want to do

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with it. Yeah so so I don't know what your intent is but well I want to make sure that we move it forward so that we can make a separate vote.

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>> right? But it's been separated out now we're taking up that item now we're waiting on a motion a motion to to move it forward for vote.

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>> but I've got a motion to approve. Yeah, well, that's because is

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there a second? The motion to approve is the unexcused right? He's not correct. >> I just want to make point but let let's clarify this

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please. >> my motion is to make sure that we vote on council member

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torres absence excuse. >> so now we can vote on it yes or no?

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>> correct. Okay that's it. We separate out we need a

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motion to approve or reject because you because you're council member we've I okay I

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motion to to reject his excuses okay so you're moving a no vote on item two point for a look to

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reject yes councilor minutes just point of order there was a memo that was submitted so this

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is not submission of your memo or it is submission of your memo is to include my exactly

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what I stated on my memo. >> right. Okay.

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okay. Why do you just move your memo? Would that work elsewhere? Yes. Okay. So second okay I'm not hearing

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a second. Do we have another motion because from our batra what?

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I didn't raise mahan so all right, we need a motion. Mary getting a motion on what?

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>> you moved your memo. >> it did not get a second so when another motion I'll move

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to approve the item granting the unexcused absence. >> okay we've second I'll

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go ahead and second. Okay look, I'll go and make clear I'm going to go and say

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what I said to the press outside. >> I'm not happy with the situation we're in. It's not fair to the community. You heard that from a small

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business owner in the district I believe councilor torres is holding his seat hostage and

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denying representation to 100,000 residents of district three. >> we've all called on him to resign. He should resign at the same

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time after getting some insight from the city attorney, I personally am not interested in

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litigating whether or not he was sick two weeks ago so I will be supporting the motion

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and moving forward should he continue to request excused absences. I personally will want to hear a better explanation for what the illnesses when I leave it

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at that. >> this is a difficult and unique situation.

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we've got to move forward as best as we can situation we haven't been in before so there's a motion I don't know if we have any other comments or if we can move to a vote.

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there was a second councilor cohen okay, let's vote somewhere.

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to be clear we have voting yes means we are excusing his or her accepting his request for

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excuse. >> he submitted a memo requesting that two weeks ago he was ill and as has been the practice of the council, the request is that we accept his

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excuse as illness for missing the meeting two weeks ago. Whether or not the council

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should choose to do that for multiple meetings is a different matter. >> fine. Okay that's what we're voting on.

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motion passes 8 to 1 with davis absent and dwan voting no. Okay.

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thank you. Let's keep going. We have approved the rest

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of the consent calendar so we're on to item 3.1 which is the report of the city manager. >> thank you, mary. Do you have a brief report today?

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the second annual neighborhood conference called empowering residents to build safer,

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stronger communities will take place this saturday, october 26th from 8 a.m. To 2

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p.m. Right here at city hall in our rotunda the annual neighborhoods conference brings

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together residents, neighborhood leaders and city representatives to share resources and collaborate on ways to improve our neighborhoods.

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the conference underscores our commitment to supporting residents and making san jose's

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neighborhood safer, cleaner and more connected by fostering partnerships between the city and its communities and furthers our city council focus area of clean up our

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neighborhoods organized by the parks recreation and neighborhood services department. The event is part of beautify sj is ongoing efforts to

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promote cleaner safer neighborhoods through initiatives like community cleanups, blight reduction, dumpster days and graffiti removal.

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last year's conference drew nearly 250 attendees sparking meaningful connections and

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empowering neighborhoods with resources to create positive change. This year aims to build on that success with even more opportunities for

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collaboration. I invite you to join me and other san jose neighbors this

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saturday in the rotunda. >> thank you. >> thank you jennifer.

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>> appreciate your report. >> we're on item 3.3. This is the city manager's

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annual report and we have a presentation we'll turn to gems this is ready?

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yeah. Good afternoon, mayor members of the city council.

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I'm jim shannon. I'm the city's budget director. I'm joined up here by assistant director bonnie duong and our financial status coordinator. Thank you bondo together we're

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going to provide a brief overview of the city's 2324 annual report which complies with the city charter and is a city manager's vehicle for summarizing and analyzing the

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city's budget performance for the preceding year. The report provides a technical comparison of budget to actual revenues and expenditures in each budgeted fund for last

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year and as appropriate explanations concerning material differences between

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those amounts. It also provides the city council with a comparison of estimated to actual ending fund balances for all funds as well as a summary of the 2324

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year end reserves by fund based on the analysis of prior year performance updated information

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for the current fiscal year and past direction from the city council. The annual report recommends a number of 2425 budget adjustments for your

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consideration and the report here is going to highlight just the presentations.

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it's going to highlight a few things from the report but just wanted to emphasize that this sort of massive document that you see before you probably not everybody's going to read every

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page of that document but I really want to emphasize the process by which we go through to put this report together is really important. So the work that the finance

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department does that the departments do that the budget office does is sort of to go through all the city's funds, figure out what's what's going on, catch the small

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issues and problems now before they become bigger issues later on down the line is really the

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value of of what this report gives us. So I just want to highlight that for everybody here. >> so moving on. >> revenues generally performed

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as expected and overall expenditures ended the year within or below budget across

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all of those of those funds looking in the general fund specifically we had an

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extremely small surplus and most other funds ended the year with balances at or above the

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estimated level just looking at the general fund when we look at the actual available general fund fund balance, the variance was .05 percent of the combined budget for modified

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revenue and expenditures and that's about as close as we ever want to be.

386
01:07:45,733 --> 01:07:48,966
>> so it was really, really tight this year and we'll talk a little bit about that. We do have a number of actions as I said to close out the last fiscal year adjust 2425 as

387
01:07:55,133 --> 01:07:58,900
necessary and in accordance with council policy one dash 18 we recognize in grants and reimbursements and we address a few urgent needs a couple in the general fund and others and

388
01:08:04,166 --> 01:08:04,166
some special and capital funds . >> a real quick spin through

389
01:08:09,400 --> 01:08:13,166
for some of the economic indicators here that we keep an eye on from one year to the next. >> so pretty you know, a slowly growing economy with some sort

390
01:08:19,600 --> 01:08:21,433
of you know, a little bit of warning lights out we need to keep an eye on. So employment good news is we had growth but it was very, very slight.

391
01:08:24,900 --> 01:08:24,900
so just point 3% growth in jobs from year end june in 2024 to 2023 unemployment rate did tick

392
01:08:33,433 --> 01:08:33,433
up a little bit. So we're at 4.1% at the end of june versus 3.7% the prior

393
01:08:38,733 --> 01:08:42,300
year. >> our residential real estate is doing decently so the properties the changeover was down a little bit year over year by 3.3%.

394
01:08:46,166 --> 01:08:46,166
but the single family home price was up by 6.3%. Hopefully we see that number

395
01:08:52,033 --> 01:08:55,566
of transactions go up a little bit as interest rates start to come down. Construction activity evaluation. Private development and

396
01:08:56,833 --> 01:08:56,833
rehabilitation and work was up by about 22% almost year over year.

397
01:09:03,800 --> 01:09:03,800
that was driven by increase in residential and industrial but a decrease in commercial.

398
01:09:08,633 --> 01:09:08,633
I'm looking at some of the major general fund revenues this is just some of them I

399
01:09:12,833 --> 01:09:16,566
wanted to highlight here. >> so good news is property tax continued pretty good growth so we got a 6% year over year growth for property tax receipts.

400
01:09:19,666 --> 01:09:23,133
that's good news. That's the single biggest source of revenue in the general fund and it's a reflection of that you know, strong real estate market still

401
01:09:27,700 --> 01:09:30,800
I think commercial will sort of see where that hits us in the upcoming years. But really the thing that made this year in close process challenging was sales tax.

402
01:09:35,433 --> 01:09:35,433
so we ended about $10 million down year over year and just about that much below our

403
01:09:41,300 --> 01:09:41,300
estimate for the year for 23 2024 it was really challenging. We had I we look at quarterly

404
01:09:47,366 --> 01:09:47,366
sales tax information all those quarters for last fiscal year when you compare them to the

405
01:09:51,600 --> 01:09:51,600
prior year range from a growth of 7.7% to a decrease of 9.9% and that fourth quarter really

406
01:09:58,200 --> 01:09:58,200
was down quite low. It was that 9.9% I think was 9.3 was the fourth quarter

407
01:10:04,733 --> 01:10:04,733
drop. >> so that was reason why we sort of ended the year a little

408
01:10:08,866 --> 01:10:11,933
bit lower. What's going to make that challenging is to make sure we make our budget targets for the current year. So we had assumed we put the

409
01:10:15,466 --> 01:10:19,100
budget together for sales tax that we needed about a 3.5% growth in sales tax based on where we thought your investments were going to end. But because we ended lower

410
01:10:21,900 --> 01:10:25,833
we're going to need growth rate of about 5.6%. So that's going be something we have to keep an eye on as we go through fiscal year. >> couple other notes here.

411
01:10:29,800 --> 01:10:33,766
utility taxes a little bit up, business taxes a little bit down real property transfer tax or measure e is down year over year but we expected that so about 50.7 million is where it

412
01:10:39,966 --> 01:10:43,333
came in at and our budget was 50 million. So that's at least that's about where it was and we expect that to be about the same this year and hopefully grow a little bit

413
01:10:47,200 --> 01:10:51,133
in the out years. >> the franchise fees looks like it's a big year over year increase but it's just really a reflection of the timing of payments of when pga and

414
01:10:53,500 --> 01:10:53,500
pays us that franchise fee. So they sort of adjusted when that happens and so now 23, 24

415
01:10:57,966 --> 01:10:57,966
and onward are going to be more regular just regular dis disbursements and a little bit

416
01:11:02,900 --> 01:11:02,900
increase for fees charge fees rate and charges and our top at 6% growth although we're

417
01:11:07,733 --> 01:11:07,733
still below pre-pandemic levels of about 20 million. So again getting into the

418
01:11:13,433 --> 01:11:13,433
general fund we have we ended the year about $24.5 million of additional fund balance

419
01:11:20,566 --> 01:11:20,566
above the estimate that we used to build the 2425 adopted budget.

420
01:11:24,933 --> 01:11:28,400
that's what our goal is to try to make sure that we capture all the estimated year end fund balance and then spend that in 24, 20 2025. That's part of our process.

421
01:11:34,566 --> 01:11:34,566
so it's it started as 24, 20, 24.5 million but when we adjust for the technical adjustments

422
01:11:40,966 --> 01:11:44,933
to re budget funds for projects and programs already in process and some other technical adjustments, the real amount drops to about 2.4 million and as I said that's super super

423
01:11:49,166 --> 01:11:52,766
small. It's .05 percent of the combined budget for revenues and expenditures that was primarily all generated by expenditure savings because that sales tax

424
01:11:59,366 --> 01:12:03,100
number came in lower. Our revenues overall were a little bit below our estimate so we really generated out by savings mostly within the citywide expenses category and

425
01:12:06,966 --> 01:12:06,966
the high level we have here is how we are recommending to disburse the additional ending

426
01:12:12,766 --> 01:12:16,033
fund balance in the general fund. So again we have that 24.5 as our starting point we take away 22.1 for the re budget and clean up actions that are

427
01:12:22,033 --> 01:12:23,366
required to continue projects and programs already in process. So then we got our $2.4 million of that. We're recommending about $1.6

428
01:12:28,300 --> 01:12:28,300
million for a category called require technical rebalancing actions which are actions that

429
01:12:32,766 --> 01:12:32,766
align already approved revenue estimates and expenditures with the most current tracking

430
01:12:37,133 --> 01:12:41,100
information reallocate funding for ongoing appropriations based on updated needs correct technical issues in the 2425 budget or comply with actions previously authorized by the

431
01:12:47,633 --> 01:12:50,633
city council. And then we've got a net zero category of grants reimbursements and fees where we're recognizing $3.3 million of revenues and a corresponding

432
01:12:54,300 --> 01:12:54,300
amount for offsetting expenditures. And then we do have a couple

433
01:12:58,600 --> 01:12:58,600
of budget adjustments that the city manager is recommending to for council to take action on

434
01:13:02,633 --> 01:13:05,666
now in advance of the proposed budget when we normally would bring new items forward and we'll talk about those in just a moment. >> so here is a partial list

435
01:13:09,633 --> 01:13:09,633
of the number of actions that are in the annual report and when you see a negative number

436
01:13:16,066 --> 01:13:16,066
here again that's a reminder that we are spending the fund balance so we're for example in

437
01:13:20,333 --> 01:13:20,333
the first item are general liability claims. We are taking $5 million of the

438
01:13:24,433 --> 01:13:28,133
fund balance and adding it to the general liability claims appropriation to make sure we have some capacity for the city to pay out settlement claims. We also had some year end

439
01:13:32,066 --> 01:13:32,066
transaction at the end of the year for some worker's comp claims that we had effectively

440
01:13:36,300 --> 01:13:39,900
charged to general ly liability. So we need to reimburse that up appropriation. I do expect we probably have to revisit this as part of the

441
01:13:44,200 --> 01:13:44,200
mid-year budget review to make sure there's sufficient capacity in that appropriation

442
01:13:49,300 --> 01:13:49,300
11. 9 million for the coyote creek project and that money was we actually got from valley

443
01:13:54,366 --> 01:13:57,633
water last year but we didn't appropriated we're going to appropriated this year to continue that work. We have another million dollars for our contingency reserve to

444
01:14:01,033 --> 01:14:01,033
make sure we're in compliance with council policy one dash 18 making sure we have at least 3%

445
01:14:05,633 --> 01:14:05,633
of budgeted general fund expenditures in our contingency reserve.

446
01:14:10,333 --> 01:14:14,133
we've got to and $50,000 to do some election polling to get us ready for the 26 election cycle as council has given us direction to look at parks, potential parks measures,

447
01:14:18,133 --> 01:14:18,133
infrastructure measures or other new revenue measures and so we need some polling there

448
01:14:22,166 --> 01:14:22,166
to work on that. >> now you'll notice that's a lot more than two point $4

449
01:14:27,366 --> 01:14:29,400
million of fund balance, right? So we are spending more fund balance than we have because we have to make some of these fixes. And so the next items that are

450
01:14:32,500 --> 01:14:36,400
positive are things that are adding to our fund balance and we're sort of bringing forward actions as part of the annual report earlier than we otherwise would have.

451
01:14:40,000 --> 01:14:43,366
these are things we would have done probably as part of the mid-year budget review or as part of the proposed budget process to recognize sufficient amounts of ending fund balance.

452
01:14:47,233 --> 01:14:49,333
but we need to sort of generate some savings here to be able to pay for some of the actions that we know we need to do. And so we do have some savings of $2.3 million almost for the

453
01:14:54,966 --> 01:14:58,500
elections. The ballot measures the appropriation because we're not doing a ballot measure in this november's election. We have some savings there.

454
01:15:01,700 --> 01:15:05,166
so we're taking 250 of that savings and putting it toward toward polling. The rest of that is going toward fund fund balance when we we we have a reserve

455
01:15:09,200 --> 01:15:09,200
currently in the general fund to potentially buttress ourselves against fema not

456
01:15:13,400 --> 01:15:13,400
reimbursing us all we think we're owed for the covid response.

457
01:15:17,533 --> 01:15:21,066
>> however, because we've got after some reconciliation we have some additional fund balance in the emergency reserve fund we can put that reserve instead of in the

458
01:15:25,133 --> 01:15:25,133
general fund we can have that being an emergency reserve fund also bring back into the

459
01:15:29,333 --> 01:15:29,333
general fund some money that we had ceded to the emergency reserve fund in prior year.

460
01:15:35,600 --> 01:15:37,066
so that's another $2 million there. And then we do have some late fees in the water utility fund which unrestricted in their use and we can bring that into the

461
01:15:40,533 --> 01:15:44,400
general fund so those actions there provide us a little bit of capacity to do some of the maneuvering we need to do to make sure that we comply with council direction and provide

462
01:15:50,233 --> 01:15:53,700
us a little bit of capacity for these two urgent fiscal program needs. One of them the first one is for adding 4.0 animal health technician positions in the

463
01:15:57,800 --> 01:15:57,800
public works department within the animal care services division to increase our

464
01:16:02,033 --> 01:16:02,033
surgical capacity for spay and neuter. So we want to make sure that we

465
01:16:06,566 --> 01:16:10,400
can get through those animals and get them spayed or neutered that are in the facility so they can get turned around for adoptions quicker and also increase our capacity for a

466
01:16:13,500 --> 01:16:17,500
trap neuter and release program. So we want to bring those forward now instead of waiting until july for the new budget to start and then we have

467
01:16:23,833 --> 01:16:23,833
$350,000 for a some temporary staffing in a city manager's office to drive leadership

468
01:16:28,133 --> 01:16:28,133
around policy development coordination and execution both within the organization and

469
01:16:32,566 --> 01:16:32,566
with external partners including the host committees to making sure that we are

470
01:16:38,500 --> 01:16:38,500
maximizing the potential for those sporting events like fifa and the super bowl and the ncaa

471
01:16:42,766 --> 01:16:42,766
men's basketball tournament to make sure we can maximize our economic growth opportunities

472
01:16:46,966 --> 01:16:46,966
which council I know was also very interested in based on the past budget direction.

473
01:16:51,166 --> 01:16:54,466
so we have those who are bringing forward now in advance of the budget process given their importance and just a couple of notes on some special and capital funds.

474
01:17:01,466 --> 01:17:05,233
>> so looking at some revenues here, the yellow bars are our construction and conveyance, our c and c tax. So this is generated from real estate transactions while we

475
01:17:09,433 --> 01:17:09,433
are down from the epic high of 2122 we did grow a little bit in 2324 and I think we

476
01:17:15,500 --> 01:17:15,500
ended the year with with another what I see in my notes another to 3.2 million above

477
01:17:22,433 --> 01:17:22,433
where our estimate was. >> so that gives us a little bit of capacity across the

478
01:17:26,666 --> 01:17:30,666
parks funds in the fire and the library capital funds and then are the the darker bars there are building and structure and construction excise tax which is down from some of the prior

479
01:17:34,866 --> 01:17:34,866
year highs but did perform a little bit better at year end than we had anticipated.

480
01:17:39,533 --> 01:17:42,666
so that gave about $6 million or so to the traffic capital program which will provide some needed buttressing since that is a pretty tight type program there.

481
01:17:45,733 --> 01:17:45,733
>> and then we do have in the airport operating fund so we we did have passenger activity

482
01:17:53,266 --> 01:17:53,266
that did drop a little bit from where we were the prior year. >> so we're down at 11.9 versus

483
01:17:59,600 --> 01:18:03,100
the 12.1 and the adopted budget did assume 12.5 million of passenger growth. But the airport we're looking at that. I know councilmember batra had

484
01:18:07,366 --> 01:18:10,533
sort of a similar question when we did the bi monthly financial report last last week. >> we don't expect to hit that estimate any more kind of based on where july through september

485
01:18:14,800 --> 01:18:14,800
data is probably going to be somewhere around where we were last year maybe a touch lower

486
01:18:18,933 --> 01:18:18,933
and I think the good news is that the airport budgets you know pretty defensively so I

487
01:18:25,266 --> 01:18:27,100
think that decrease in passenger levels are probably still going to be good from a revenue perspective and a cost perspective and the airlines are responsible for making sure

488
01:18:31,200 --> 01:18:31,200
that they meet all their costs for the terminal operations and air operations.

489
01:18:37,333 --> 01:18:40,633
so we should still be good there although it is tough to see that passenger level go go down and then the rest of the document has a number of other adjustments for cleanup actions

490
01:18:45,433 --> 01:18:45,433
to reconcile funds. You know, we do this across all 140 funds, not just the general

491
01:18:51,100 --> 01:18:52,900
fund and a handful of capital funds. The book covers the entire city's city's budget and we have a number of adjustments to recognize grants and

492
01:18:56,800 --> 01:18:56,800
reimbursements. If you project accelerations and and adjustments throughout

493
01:19:04,900 --> 01:19:08,633
the different traffic, the different capital programs and with that I think we're just about done and I just want to maybe just before I think everybody just just kind

494
01:19:13,266 --> 01:19:16,933
of remind you know, kind of where we see the fund balance was very, very tight. We're starting off in a little bit of a defensive position for some of our revenue so this is

495
01:19:22,633 --> 01:19:22,633
going to be a tight budget year getting through 23, 2024 and heading into 2425.

496
01:19:26,800 --> 01:19:30,733
so we're going to really be sort of really careful even more on tracking and monitoring our revenues and expenses. So we do have another fund balance target that we need to

497
01:19:35,800 --> 01:19:38,566
hit for 2425. >> we assume as part of the forecast we have $30 million of fund balance on an on ongoing basis and so starting a little bit lower in revenue

498
01:19:43,933 --> 01:19:43,933
perspective is going to make that challenging. Well, we'll see it in next item

499
01:19:48,300 --> 01:19:51,600
but we you know the liquidation of prior carryover incumbrances of that $7.6 million in the general fund that's going to help us meet our current fund balance target for 2425.

500
01:19:55,666 --> 01:19:55,666
so we're not really going to get any new new money but does give us a little bit of a

501
01:20:02,000 --> 01:20:02,000
headstart to make sure we can meet at least this year's forecast perspective.

502
01:20:06,466 --> 01:20:08,366
>> so just one to provide that that context and we'll be providing updates throughout the year through our bi monthly financial reports, the midyear and other processes.

503
01:20:11,633 --> 01:20:15,266
and I'll just close by thanking my awesome management team for the incredible work that the budget office does and the departments do to put this report together and with that

504
01:20:19,733 --> 01:20:22,466
we are available for questions. >> great. Thank you jim. Appreciate the work you and the budget office do. Thank you to you and the city

505
01:20:26,466 --> 01:20:26,466
manager and everybody for bringing forward the annual report to we have public

506
01:20:33,433 --> 01:20:33,433
comment toni I have no cards. >> okay. Come back to the council.

507
01:20:38,000 --> 01:20:38,000
I see a few hands will start with councilor batra jim jim thank you very much for that

508
01:20:47,933 --> 01:20:47,933
massive report that you put together and since it still shows a little positive amount

509
01:20:58,666 --> 01:20:58,666
I continue to admire the level of accuracy that you have been able to predict things at and

510
01:21:06,066 --> 01:21:06,066
the only time I'm going to wish that you are wrong is when you start predicting deficits which

511
01:21:10,566 --> 01:21:10,566
you're not. So I'm glad on that. I do have a couple of questions

512
01:21:15,066 --> 01:21:15,066
or clarify now one, the sales tax down, is that probably being affected by the

513
01:21:25,000 --> 01:21:25,000
more switch to the online purchases? >> any idea any thoughts?

514
01:21:33,200 --> 01:21:33,200
you know, I think the you know, when the supreme court sort of allowed for more of the

515
01:21:37,700 --> 01:21:37,700
online sales tax to be collected by local municipalities in 2018 and so

516
01:21:43,633 --> 01:21:43,633
called the wayfair decision, I think we started to gain some of that back I think were more

517
01:21:51,900 --> 01:21:54,733
like a steve and selena can can weigh in or my colleagues can weigh and I think we're just seeing a little bit of a softening of the economy sales tax grew pretty strongly

518
01:21:57,200 --> 01:21:57,200
post post covid and I think we always expected that to taper off somewhat.

519
01:22:01,933 --> 01:22:01,933
you know it's been a little bit erratic but it's probably reflective a little bit of some

520
01:22:06,033 --> 01:22:10,000
of the layoff notices that we've been seeing just sort of the overall softening in the tech sector is going to have a little bit of a spillover. And so we also are seeing a

521
01:22:13,366 --> 01:22:13,366
slowing in inflation. >> so as in when flexion was high, you know that is good in

522
01:22:19,766 --> 01:22:21,466
some respects for some of the city revenue sources. So that means of revenues is higher also. So we're starting to see some of the backing off of the

523
01:22:24,333 --> 01:22:28,000
inflation growth which also is going to impact the sales tax numbers too. But I think it's more overall sort of a softening of the economy.

524
01:22:30,200 --> 01:22:30,200
>> I think yeah. >> and I think what some of the key indicators are the

525
01:22:35,833 --> 01:22:39,566
transportation categories and the construction categories look like they're sort of leading the way in the decline as came in. Do we get all of the sales tax

526
01:22:46,266 --> 01:22:46,266
for any purchases done through online for consumption in san jose we get so in san jose

527
01:22:54,366 --> 01:22:54,366
if the if the business is in san jose as a retailer for the most part we will get those

528
01:23:05,966 --> 01:23:05,966
sales tax. >> yeah you know we'll do it. Hello I'm selena obando so

529
01:23:12,666 --> 01:23:12,666
online transactions are actually captured in the county pool and the county pool is

530
01:23:19,833 --> 01:23:19,833
distributed out to the different jurisdictions within the county.

531
01:23:24,533 --> 01:23:24,533
we're san jose receives about it ranges but it's about 50% of the total county pool so we

532
01:23:31,566 --> 01:23:31,566
definitely it's different than if you just go to the store across the street we'll get

533
01:23:37,933 --> 01:23:41,066
100% of that sales tax county pool you only get roughly about 50%. But also we're getting a portion of if you live in santa clara, if you live

534
01:23:45,066 --> 01:23:48,866
elsewhere it's just the way that the online transactions are done. >> okay. How does it work if you if you are a you are buying an online

535
01:23:53,366 --> 01:23:53,366
transaction but the in in san jose different no I think that's the same that's the same

536
01:24:03,133 --> 01:24:03,133
exist it all goes through the county pool because it's done by point of destination instead

537
01:24:07,333 --> 01:24:07,333
of point of sale okay and the construction revenue where we are the constructions money

538
01:24:17,200 --> 01:24:17,200
show there 1.3 billion is that for the completed construction projects the value of the

539
01:24:25,366 --> 01:24:25,366
completed project but anything which is in progress doesn't show up in there right?

540
01:24:30,000 --> 01:24:30,000
>> that's a valuation of the project when they pull the building permit.

541
01:24:34,266 --> 01:24:38,233
so there's a schedule by which the the valuation of that project is kind of part of the building permit and then they pay the tax based on that valuation in the building the

542
01:24:42,166 --> 01:24:46,000
building permit? No. Does this include the projects which are affordable homes which don't pay any property tax?

543
01:24:52,300 --> 01:24:55,566
>> yes. The valuations include affordable housing does pay construction taxes. >> okay. So okay.

544
01:25:01,966 --> 01:25:01,966
and the employment trigger is that is snapshot at the end of the year or is it the

545
01:25:07,333 --> 01:25:07,333
average age or that is as of as of june. >> so the number of of

546
01:25:14,200 --> 01:25:14,200
currently employed people at the end of june of 24 and june of 23.

547
01:25:21,133 --> 01:25:21,133
okay. And is it a pretty accurate or it's a sort of a with a degree

548
01:25:28,100 --> 01:25:28,100
of range of error and it's the same level of data that is reported in all the economic

549
01:25:35,866 --> 01:25:39,433
circles. >> so I'm not sure how accurate is but it is accurate enough that sort of everybody relies on it from the local levels all the way up to the federal

550
01:25:43,200 --> 01:25:43,900
level. Okay. All right. Thank you very much. I make the motion to accept the report then.

551
01:25:50,233 --> 01:25:50,233
>> great. Thank you. Okay.

552
01:25:55,133 --> 01:25:58,233
we have a few more hands up before we vote so we'll go to councilor cohen next. >> thank you. I first I just want to thank jim bonnie the whole team for

553
01:26:02,466 --> 01:26:02,466
the responsible handling of our budget. I have always feel we're in

554
01:26:06,566 --> 01:26:06,566
good hands when I when I see these reports every year we're definitely, you know, have to

555
01:26:13,000 --> 01:26:16,566
be very cautious going forward because things are not quite, you know, booming. But I feel like at least we have a handle on it and I'm glad for the pre-warning

556
01:26:21,433 --> 01:26:21,433
of some of these softening is that we're seeing I wanted to just sort of ask a little

557
01:26:27,833 --> 01:26:27,833
further clarification first on the on the question about sales tax.

558
01:26:31,900 --> 01:26:31,900
so I would I would argue that 3% change is probably a flattening a leveling of our

559
01:26:36,066 --> 01:26:37,600
sales tax because of the big increase that we've had in the last few years. Is that a a another way a way of looking at it that we've we're still higher than we were

560
01:26:43,600 --> 01:26:46,633
a couple of years ago in sales tax? >> is that true? For sure we are higher than where we were several years back.

561
01:26:51,400 --> 01:26:52,733
>> yeah. Yeah okay. Yeah because I was watching some presentation last week from chris thornberg about the economy and he's pointing out

562
01:26:56,266 --> 01:26:56,266
that if you look at trend lines retail and sales people purchasing cars, consumer

563
01:27:05,600 --> 01:27:05,600
purchasing it's actually pretty high overall and so just we're going to have to we're going to

564
01:27:10,300 --> 01:27:10,300
see some leveling and dropping of that probably naturally. So we're you know given even

565
01:27:16,433 --> 01:27:16,433
though that people out there there's a there's a sentiment that the economy is softening

566
01:27:20,866 --> 01:27:24,600
or is in trouble, all the indicators such as consumer spending are actually up year over year for the last several years. So I just want to you know,

567
01:27:28,866 --> 01:27:32,700
while I'm certainly not saying we shouldn't ignore this, this is an important trend. I just also it's important to understand that this might not may not be, you know, some kind

568
01:27:39,166 --> 01:27:39,166
of indication of a future significant softening but we're probably due for some leveling

569
01:27:43,500 --> 01:27:47,400
off or small drop for sure. >> I would agree with that for sure. I think you know, it's been a little bit stickier. The transition from services to

570
01:27:50,933 --> 01:27:54,333
goods has been a little bit stickier than I thought it would be. So we've had higher sales tax for longer but we do expect the softening.

571
01:27:57,766 --> 01:27:59,400
there's also a fun chart that I showed it when I talked to other groups. I don't show it to city council very often but you know sales tax as a percentage

572
01:28:04,500 --> 01:28:04,500
of california spending is been declining for 40 years. And so we had a little brief

573
01:28:09,133 --> 01:28:12,733
respite in the covid where we ticked back up. But I do think that will continue to or the california state department of finance continues to see that as a

574
01:28:16,633 --> 01:28:16,633
proportionately decreasing revenue as a as a percentage of the economy in california

575
01:28:21,333 --> 01:28:21,333
ongoing for basis. So it's just something to watch out for, right.

576
01:28:25,466 --> 01:28:28,566
and that's a natural due to the fact that there's become more of a service economy than a purchasing economy and the state will have to figure that out going forward.

577
01:28:32,166 --> 01:28:34,100
>> I have one other question. This is related to the san jose clean energy portion. I don't I don't know that you put a slide in there but the the goal is to have one how

578
01:28:43,000 --> 01:28:43,000
many days of of reserve are we expected to have in the in sense of clean energy is 180

579
01:28:51,800 --> 01:28:54,000
days is that correct? Correct. So we're at 168 right now. Is that do we have are we worried about the fact I mean everything looks great in

580
01:28:57,600 --> 01:29:01,300
san jose. Clean energy's numbers. I mean I'm excited that we're, you know, operating where we are and still offering lower rates for residents so showing

581
01:29:05,333 --> 01:29:08,466
that it's working. But are we a little concerned about that or is it is that within the reasonable range at 200 68 days? >> no, I don't think we're

582
01:29:12,566 --> 01:29:12,566
concerned anybody clean energy can certainly join me here. But I think you know, the that

583
01:29:16,800 --> 01:29:19,766
fund health has has grown considerably over the past few years. So I mean we didn't used to have a reserve at all really and we had a commercial paper

584
01:29:23,666 --> 01:29:27,000
to pay it back. We since foley paid off that commercial paper loan and we're now building reserves. So I think I would say we're feeling pretty good about where

585
01:29:34,666 --> 01:29:38,366
we are in the san jose clean energy fund. I don't know if lori wants to weigh in on my follow up question. We had heard I know we heard in the spring we had hit our 180 day reserve and that we were starting now to spend on

586
01:29:41,400 --> 01:29:41,400
programs. Now we are a little bit below. Do we feel this is going to

587
01:29:45,466 --> 01:29:45,466
affect our ability to spend on programs going forward and is there a reason why the number I

588
01:29:52,100 --> 01:29:55,166
think the number had been like 100 890 million and now it's to night it's over to 20. >> is there a reason why it's that reserve number has gone up ?

589
01:30:05,500 --> 01:30:05,500
laurie mitchell, acting esg director, director of energy and thanks councilmember for

590
01:30:13,133 --> 01:30:13,133
the question. So our reserve target right now is still 180 days.

591
01:30:17,433 --> 01:30:17,433
>> we are evaluating whether we need to grow our reserves beyond that to make sure we can

592
01:30:24,766 --> 01:30:28,500
stabilize rates with the varying costs that the pta and all of that. >> we are still on target for that we hope to end this fiscal year above 180 days but it will

593
01:30:33,566 --> 01:30:33,566
come back with a report on that and there's no change in our spending on programs we will

594
01:30:38,900 --> 01:30:38,900
continue to offer those programs that council approved with the budget this year.

595
01:30:43,633 --> 01:30:44,900
>> okay. Thank you. I'm I'm remembering wrong in that this that the number to reach 180 days has grown or is that just because of the scale

596
01:30:51,200 --> 01:30:55,066
of what we're offering and the and the in in fact that operating expenses have grown is that has something occurred in the last few years to increase our what our target is

597
01:30:58,333 --> 01:30:58,333
for 180 days. >> yeah you are remembering that correctly.

598
01:31:02,366 --> 01:31:02,366
the main reason that we're considering that is when power supply costs have increased and

599
01:31:06,900 --> 01:31:09,866
so that that's increased our cost. But also you know when we obtained our credit rating last spring the rating agencies in order to move up in that rating

600
01:31:15,033 --> 01:31:15,033
did want us to achieve higher reserve target. So it's something we're still

601
01:31:19,233 --> 01:31:22,566
evaluating and we'll bring back to council any updated policy on that but likely we will recommend going a little bit above that 180 days while still maintaining competitive rates

602
01:31:29,800 --> 01:31:31,066
and offering programs. >> great. Thank you so much. That's it for my questions. >> thanks, councilmember councilmember for

603
01:31:36,533 --> 01:31:36,533
you jim, thank you for the presentation. >> I always like to hear your

604
01:31:40,700 --> 01:31:40,700
reports and meet with you have the one on one briefing. I really appreciate the detail

605
01:31:45,366 --> 01:31:45,366
that you provide and as councilmember batra said, the confidence that you instill in

606
01:31:52,066 --> 01:31:52,066
us that the numbers are accurate and that you're you're watching out for us you know

607
01:31:56,633 --> 01:31:56,633
every year we come up to this point and we think we're going to have this huge ending fund

608
01:32:01,400 --> 01:32:01,400
balance that we'll be able to use and play with. But this is the year we don and

609
01:32:05,600 --> 01:32:05,600
you every year you actually warn us that be careful about that depending on that ending

610
01:32:12,100 --> 01:32:12,100
fund balance it's not going to be there and this year it's not so I'm think this is good early

611
01:32:19,233 --> 01:32:19,233
advice for us or something to think of of next year as we look at the budget in 2526 and

612
01:32:26,433 --> 01:32:26,433
the impacts of our on what's happening in the economy at that time.

613
01:32:33,800 --> 01:32:33,800
just a couple of comments really and that's in relation to the personnel increases

614
01:32:38,400 --> 01:32:38,400
at the animal shelter increasing by a staff of four and then also including the

615
01:32:48,900 --> 01:32:48,900
leadership staff on the road to 2026 that road to 2026 bringing in when the super bowl will be

616
01:32:59,700 --> 01:32:59,700
in santa clara and and the world cup will be two in santa clara but have a huge

617
01:33:03,866 --> 01:33:03,866
impact on the city of san jose that could be an economic boon for us and so we need to make

618
01:33:11,700 --> 01:33:11,700
sure that we take advantage of that and getting someone a team in place, a high powered

619
01:33:16,133 --> 01:33:16,133
team who can really move the needle on on awareness and activities and events and

620
01:33:22,633 --> 01:33:22,633
everything that we need to to gain public awareness that we're going to be ground zero

621
01:33:30,133 --> 01:33:30,133
for fifa when it comes to the city of san jose. I think that's really

622
01:33:34,633 --> 01:33:34,633
insightful and brilliant and with that that's those are my only comments.

623
01:33:41,066 --> 01:33:42,500
>> I just wanted to highlight those two things. Thank you. I appreciate that. Vice mayor carmen thank you. >> thank you jim and your team

624
01:33:49,100 --> 01:33:49,100
for your presentation and all your hard work. >> I know it takes a lot to get

625
01:33:56,100 --> 01:33:56,100
to where you are today so I just wanted to publicly publicly say thank you.

626
01:34:00,166 --> 01:34:00,166
I know you mentioned the correcting of the technical issues.

627
01:34:04,333 --> 01:34:04,333
you know, as you go through this process and that it sounded like you had mentioned

628
01:34:08,500 --> 01:34:08,500
when councilmember batra talked about, you know, changes the encumbrances of 7.6 will happen

629
01:34:18,400 --> 01:34:19,700
sort of in the next budget cycle. Is that correct? Yeah. Okay. And then the other thing I

630
01:34:23,266 --> 01:34:26,833
heard and I just want to clarify on the affordable housing there's affordable housing pay property tax because I heard you say that they pay construction taxes but

631
01:34:34,233 --> 01:34:38,200
do they pay property taxes? >> I believe they do not pay property taxes. >> they do not. Okay. And then I too I'm delighted

632
01:34:41,900 --> 01:34:41,900
that investments now for the future on the road to 2026 is going to be critical and just,

633
01:34:49,033 --> 01:34:49,033
you know, wondering is that in any way in jeopardy or anything like that or in this next cycle

634
01:34:56,166 --> 01:34:56,166
we will ensure that we have a good team because I think that you have to invest in order to

635
01:35:01,566 --> 01:35:05,233
be able to get to where you want to be by then. So I'm also a little bit concerned about that. >> I mean right now we have council direction to go forth

636
01:35:11,533 --> 01:35:11,533
and make this a successful event for san jose and so you know that's what the direction

637
01:35:16,333 --> 01:35:19,766
that we are moving under every budget process council has the ability to change that that direction but right now we're operating on the assumption that we need to continue that.

638
01:35:23,300 --> 01:35:26,966
>> great. Great. Well thank you so much. Right. Thanks, vice mayor. Thanks again for the

639
01:35:31,000 --> 01:35:31,000
presentation and answering all of our questions on the city managers annual report with a

640
01:35:36,833 --> 01:35:38,533
motion and a second. >> I don't see any other hands, toni. Let's vote. Okay. Thank you know item 3.4 which

641
01:35:58,166 --> 01:35:58,166
is the encumbrances audit report have a brief staff presentation when joe and his

642
01:36:02,800 --> 01:36:02,800
team are ready. >> good afternoon joy city auditor I'm here with alison

643
01:36:36,833 --> 01:36:39,066
polly for 100 encumbrances department should regularly review all encumbrances to ensure timely liquidation. Also in the box are drew covid and victor lowe from the

644
01:36:45,500 --> 01:36:45,500
finance department. I'm going to turn over to ali to walk through the findings

645
01:36:50,000 --> 01:36:50,000
and then drew and victor have the administration's response to talk through some of the

646
01:36:54,133 --> 01:36:54,133
work today. >> good afternoon. I'm alison polly from the

647
01:36:59,533 --> 01:36:59,533
office of the city auditor. >> I'm going to start with a brief background and

648
01:37:03,733 --> 01:37:03,733
incumbrance is an amount of money that is set aside to pay for the estimated expense

649
01:37:08,366 --> 01:37:12,066
for contracted goods or services. >> it's a budgetary tool to ensure that funds are available to pay invoices when needed in fiscal year 2425 the general

650
01:37:19,133 --> 01:37:19,133
fund had $84.5 million reserve for encumbrances. This is about 5% of the overall

651
01:37:25,066 --> 01:37:25,066
general fund uses. >> the city policy manual includes an encumbrance policy

652
01:37:32,233 --> 01:37:33,700
. >> the purpose of the policy is to ensure the timely liquidation of encumbrances as in the policy departments are required to liquidate

653
01:37:38,133 --> 01:37:38,133
encumbrances and six months after the term of the agreement ends or when the encumbrance is

654
01:37:45,166 --> 01:37:45,166
no longer needed. Liquidating encumbrances releases those funds to pay for

655
01:37:49,633 --> 01:37:49,633
other city needs on a one time basis. >> this is why it's important

656
01:37:54,833 --> 01:37:54,833
to have ongoing monitoring and prompt liquidation of encumbrances when they're no

657
01:37:59,233 --> 01:37:59,233
longer needed. >> our report had two findings. The first finding was that city

658
01:38:06,166 --> 01:38:06,166
staff should review expired and unused encumbrances. >> more than a third of all

659
01:38:11,300 --> 01:38:11,300
encumbrances in the city's operating funds were not used within the previous fiscal year

660
01:38:17,966 --> 01:38:21,466
. >> or they related to purchase orders or contracts that had expired. Based on our audit review. We found that 1300 older

661
01:38:25,633 --> 01:38:25,633
encumbrances may not still be necessary or were inaccurately reported in the reporting to or

662
01:38:33,133 --> 01:38:36,200
from the financial management system. We estimated that these encumbrances total up to $30 million. This includes encumbrances for

663
01:38:40,666 --> 01:38:40,666
purchase orders that were at least six months expired as of june 2020 for encumbrances

664
01:38:45,133 --> 01:38:45,133
that were created two or more years ago that had no recorded activity in the most recent

665
01:38:51,633 --> 01:38:55,433
fiscal year. >> and it also includes encumbrances that were two or more years old that had no recorded spending or no recorded activity at all.

666
01:39:02,666 --> 01:39:02,666
I want to note that this data is the best available but the standard report does have some

667
01:39:06,900 --> 01:39:10,533
inaccuracies that we will cover when we talk about the second finding. >> additionally, some of these encumbrances may still be valid.

668
01:39:14,300 --> 01:39:14,300
>> these estimates that you see here are based on our audit review.

669
01:39:18,600 --> 01:39:22,600
>> city staff have begun the process of reviewing these encumbrances as well as more recent encumbrances and liquidating when possible. Finance will discuss the actual

670
01:39:29,333 --> 01:39:29,333
liquidation in their response and these totals were included in their supplemental memo.

671
01:39:37,266 --> 01:39:37,266
>> during our audit we reviewed a limited sample of older encumbrances by working with

672
01:39:41,300 --> 01:39:45,233
department staff to look into the details further. Of the 28 encumbrances we reviewed with staff. 21 of them needed to be liquidated and that totaled

673
01:39:50,633 --> 01:39:54,566
$950,000. Five of the encumbrances had already been liquidated and were included in the financial management system report erroneously only two which

674
01:40:01,800 --> 01:40:01,800
totaled $109,000 were still valid. >> we had one recommendation in

675
01:40:06,066 --> 01:40:09,833
this finding which was that the administration should immediately require departments to review encumbrances to liquidate or correct as needed .

676
01:40:16,166 --> 01:40:16,166
>> our second finding was that consistent monitoring and accurate reporting tools would

677
01:40:21,233 --> 01:40:21,233
facilitate the timely liquidation of encumbrances. We noted that some department

678
01:40:25,400 --> 01:40:28,766
fiscal staff were not aware of the city's encumbrance policy. Further guidance to staff and requiring regular reviews of encumbrances at the end

679
01:40:33,266 --> 01:40:33,266
of the fiscal year would improve encumbrance management .

680
01:40:39,600 --> 01:40:39,600
>> we recommended updates to training and to the city's encumbrance policy to address

681
01:40:43,833 --> 01:40:43,833
these issues. >> additionally, the primary reporting tool and encumbrances

682
01:40:48,166 --> 01:40:48,166
from the financial management system has inaccuracy issues. This includes inaccurate

683
01:40:52,866 --> 01:40:52,866
encumbrance balances missing dates and also the inclusion of some canceled encumbrances.

684
01:40:57,366 --> 01:40:57,366
>> reporting errors like these make monitoring encumbrances more difficult for city staff.

685
01:41:03,400 --> 01:41:03,400
we recommend updating the report to fix these problems or to create a new report on

686
01:41:07,800 --> 01:41:07,800
encumbrances. >> and with that I'm going to turn it back over to joe.

687
01:41:11,966 --> 01:41:11,966
thanks, ali. So overall our report our report has five recommendations

688
01:41:16,333 --> 01:41:19,700
we want to thank the finance department information technology department, the city manager's budget office for their time and insight during the process.

689
01:41:25,933 --> 01:41:27,800
I'm going to turn it over to drew covid for the administration's response now and then we'll be available for questions. >> thank you.

690
01:41:30,166 --> 01:41:30,166
thank you, joe and ali. So the finance department agrees with the findings and

691
01:41:37,366 --> 01:41:41,366
the recommendations from the office of the city auditor. We have already begun the process of implementation of these recommendations. We expect all in all

692
01:41:44,966 --> 01:41:44,966
recommendations to be implemented by the end of the current fiscal year.

693
01:41:49,733 --> 01:41:53,533
however, we have already made significant progress on liquidating a number of encumbrances. We started with a what we called the phase one of the

694
01:42:00,233 --> 01:42:00,233
liquidation which focused on encumbrances that were either had expired six months or more

695
01:42:08,600 --> 01:42:08,600
before or encumbrances with no expiration date that had no activity over the last six

696
01:42:12,933 --> 01:42:12,933
months. The total number of those encumbrances was 3850.

697
01:42:19,033 --> 01:42:19,033
in that universe and almost all of them were reviewed and considered for liquidation.

698
01:42:26,333 --> 01:42:26,333
of that amount almost 53% had either a full or partial liquidation totaling nearly $30

699
01:42:36,000 --> 01:42:39,733
million of encumbrance liquidations 7.6 million of which was attributable to the general fund. We have we are working on the second phase of the incumbrance

700
01:42:46,266 --> 01:42:46,266
review at this point which consists of all outstanding encumbrances with a focus on

701
01:42:52,833 --> 01:42:52,833
those that were closed or expired as of june 30th 2024 and we expect to have those

702
01:42:57,400 --> 01:42:57,400
results prepared for the mid-year budget february 2025. And additionally we've also

703
01:43:05,000 --> 01:43:05,000
completed the implementation of recommendation three b which was to identify and communicate

704
01:43:11,900 --> 01:43:11,900
the points of contact with the departments to ensure that they had the resources that they

705
01:43:16,033 --> 01:43:16,033
needed in order to execute the liquidation of their encumbrances.

706
01:43:20,333 --> 01:43:20,333
and additionally we are actively working with the it department and our report

707
01:43:24,566 --> 01:43:24,566
reporting vendor to get the remaining balance report corrected so that it is

708
01:43:31,700 --> 01:43:31,700
accurate for the departments to be able to report and liquidate their encumbrances as

709
01:43:38,666 --> 01:43:38,666
necessary. That concludes my staff's response.

710
01:43:44,633 --> 01:43:48,600
>> great. Thank you both for the audit and the staff response. >> let's see if we have any public comment. No public comment inside.

711
01:43:53,466 --> 01:43:57,366
okay. Come back to council. See if we have any hands up. Councilmember batra, thank you very much for that audit. And as a dcd I'd asked some

712
01:44:08,066 --> 01:44:11,333
questions about it. I'm going to ask the similar questions again on these encumbrances. What's the oldest one you found during your audit?

713
01:44:19,200 --> 01:44:19,200
the one which could have been liquidated? Any idea?

714
01:44:25,000 --> 01:44:25,000
>> there were some very old encumbrances. This is testing my memory but

715
01:44:29,733 --> 01:44:32,633
there were definitely some from the early 2000s that were included. >> but I want to make sure it's clear that some of the oldest ones were very small so there

716
01:44:36,700 --> 01:44:40,666
was just a small amount of money left but there were some that were very old. >> okay. And when you liquidate these encumbrances, these will become

717
01:44:47,266 --> 01:44:47,266
the funds available to the general fund for next year. Thanks.

718
01:44:54,466 --> 01:44:54,466
>> so for those encumbrances within the general fund, yes they would fall to fund balance

719
01:44:59,600 --> 01:44:59,600
significant no amount of the liquidations were in some of the other operating funds

720
01:45:05,766 --> 01:45:05,766
that are served different purposes. They wouldn't follow the

721
01:45:10,666 --> 01:45:10,666
general fund and that would bend 2020, 22 million but we already have our budget so this

722
01:45:18,133 --> 01:45:18,133
would basically be sitting as a separate surplus, right? These don't get allocated to

723
01:45:25,266 --> 01:45:25,266
anything automatically because they they would basically the funds put aside.

724
01:45:29,700 --> 01:45:29,700
yeah I'm going to I'm going to ask jim who's in the box to kind of talk about the

725
01:45:35,133 --> 01:45:38,700
budgetary implications if that yet. Thank you for that. So the answer to your question is yes they would require separate council action to

726
01:45:41,600 --> 01:45:41,600
appropriate those those funds to a new action so we would bring those so those would you

727
01:45:46,200 --> 01:45:49,900
know, in the normal way of doing it those would fall to our ending ending fund balance and then be available as beginning fund balance for the 2526 budget process.

728
01:45:52,833 --> 01:45:52,833
>> thank you. >> and what's the optimistic estimate of how much we may

729
01:46:00,066 --> 01:46:00,066
find in this so-called magical money? >> at this point we don't have

730
01:46:11,300 --> 01:46:11,300
we don't have an estimate. We went we went through the the old the oldest of the

731
01:46:16,733 --> 01:46:16,733
encumbrances first the ones that had either already expired or the ones that had no

732
01:46:22,233 --> 01:46:25,566
activity within the last six months. And so we think we've captured a great deal of the initial liquidation. So with that said, there's

733
01:46:30,966 --> 01:46:30,966
still thousands of encumbrances to go through and and either liquidate or remain as

734
01:46:37,700 --> 01:46:41,400
encumbered. But it's difficult to to present an estimate for what that might look like but that's what we'll come back with in february with the final number.

735
01:46:45,466 --> 01:46:45,466
>> okay. Thank you. You expect to clean up whatever

736
01:46:49,733 --> 01:46:49,733
this is before our next budget's time right? >> yes.

737
01:46:59,266 --> 01:46:59,266
as part of so the current effort is to, you know, clean up old encumbrances and ensure

738
01:47:06,433 --> 01:47:10,333
everything that can be liquidated is is liquidated that will provide, you know, potentially as jim had mentioned, $7.6 million for the the following year's budget and

739
01:47:17,733 --> 01:47:21,500
then whatever else comes from the second phase of the liquidation process and then on an ongoing basis we expect to be current with the liquidation review process as part of the

740
01:47:29,266 --> 01:47:29,266
year end close. So there may be some additional funds each year but that should

741
01:47:33,700 --> 01:47:33,700
be a relatively small amount because will be not having older stale encumbrances that

742
01:47:43,533 --> 01:47:43,533
have been sitting around for a long period of time but this one seems to be the timing is

743
01:47:47,900 --> 01:47:47,900
really a good timing for us when we are looking at a possibly a deficit of the

744
01:47:54,900 --> 01:47:54,900
budget finding this money which has been sort of reserved for us in places spread around.

745
01:48:02,400 --> 01:48:02,400
>> and so I think joe, what triggered this audit so initially got on my radar a few

746
01:48:10,933 --> 01:48:10,933
years back and in talking with a member of the public who had reached out to my office to

747
01:48:15,133 --> 01:48:19,066
better understand the budget and walking through I noticed the reserve and just kept an eye on it over the years and then I talked with the previous finance director and assistant

748
01:48:22,633 --> 01:48:22,633
finance director about you know, the process and just determined was a good time for

749
01:48:29,233 --> 01:48:30,533
us to take a look. Hello. Thank you. I think this is a great timing when we really need every dollar for balancing our

750
01:48:37,633 --> 01:48:37,633
budget, finding this kind of money which is allocated but not needed or not required.

751
01:48:45,033 --> 01:48:45,033
so this was a great time for doing this audit and planting this money.

752
01:48:49,400 --> 01:48:49,400
I know you're going to fix the system in future. We're not going to have this

753
01:48:54,400 --> 01:48:54,400
one time gains which will be good in a bad. Okay.

754
01:48:58,600 --> 01:48:58,600
so thanks for the timing of the budget and finding this money without affecting our services

755
01:49:05,966 --> 01:49:05,966
and releasing some money for next year when we need every dollar.

756
01:49:10,100 --> 01:49:14,033
okay. Good timing and thank you thank you to the department for accepting all the recommendations to clean up the future.

757
01:49:18,233 --> 01:49:18,233
okay so joe, keep fighting so hard it where we don't hurt anything and still find some

758
01:49:22,533 --> 01:49:25,066
money. >> right. All right. Thanks. >> thank you. Motion to accept the report,

759
01:49:32,500 --> 01:49:35,700
sir. >> second great. Thank you, vice mayor. Thank you. I just wanted to make a quick comment and maybe get your take

760
01:49:40,000 --> 01:49:40,000
on this because I think that encumbrances do have a place and there's nothing wrong with

761
01:49:47,300 --> 01:49:47,300
having an encumbrance. >> so I don't want the message getting out there saying that

762
01:49:51,400 --> 01:49:55,266
oh you know, if you have this money you better use it or lose it right? >> because I think that that causes sometimes decisions that perhaps are not as keen.

763
01:50:02,366 --> 01:50:02,366
so so I just I just want to ensure that, you know, there is a place for encumbrances and

764
01:50:09,766 --> 01:50:09,766
you identified something that's going to be done in you know, the next fiscal year.

765
01:50:14,633 --> 01:50:18,100
I know that it can carry over and all of that so there's nothing wrong with that. It's just a matter of you know, it's not a situation of oh, you better hurry up and use it

766
01:50:25,100 --> 01:50:26,500
before the end of the fiscal year or else you're going to lose it. So I just want to clarify that know I just quick comment. >> absolutely right.

767
01:50:33,933 --> 01:50:33,933
encumbrances are a very important purpose in terms of for for departments or the

768
01:50:40,100 --> 01:50:43,800
organization probably to manage the budget. But like any process it needs to be managed and needs to be monitored and that's you know what this order was all about

769
01:50:49,300 --> 01:50:51,000
and the whole second finding is about improving those processes. So keep an eye. >> keep a handle on things moving forward.

770
01:50:57,566 --> 01:50:57,566
>> great. All right. I don't see any other hands

771
01:51:02,800 --> 01:51:02,800
with a motion a second let's vote. Motion.

772
01:51:17,033 --> 01:51:17,033
great. Thank you all right, rhonda, item 3.6 actions related to the

773
01:51:24,433 --> 01:51:24,433
west san carlos street urban village streetscape improvements project.

774
01:51:28,500 --> 01:51:28,500
>> I don't believe we have a staff presentation so we'll go to public comment first if

775
01:51:33,300 --> 01:51:36,566
we have any. >> I have no cards. Okay. Coming back to the council move approval right to their hands toni let's vote on 3.6.

776
01:51:49,400 --> 01:51:49,400
>> motion passes nine zero. >> great. Thank you.

777
01:51:53,833 --> 01:51:53,833
okay so right to item 8.1 citywide planning activities semiannual status report.

778
01:52:00,066 --> 01:52:00,066
we do have a staff presentation on this item .

779
01:52:41,933 --> 01:52:41,933
>> good afternoon mayor city council ruth cueto principal planner with pdc with me today

780
01:52:50,066 --> 01:52:50,066
is martina davis, division manager and our department director chris burton.

781
01:52:54,100 --> 01:52:54,100
today we're presenting on the citywide teams work plan update citywide is the department's

782
01:53:01,600 --> 01:53:01,600
long range planning team and includes teams like the general plan team which is responsible

783
01:53:05,800 --> 01:53:09,733
for the general plan's maintenance and updates the housing team responsible for implementation of the housing element ordinance and policy which maintains the city's

784
01:53:15,766 --> 01:53:15,766
ordinances the urban village and station area planning groups, special projects team

785
01:53:20,200 --> 01:53:20,200
that currently oversee the sb 1333 rezoning work plan. We also housed the destination

786
01:53:27,833 --> 01:53:27,833
home planner, a grant funded position that focuses on process ing and affordable 100%

787
01:53:32,133 --> 01:53:32,133
affordable entitlements. We are currently foley staffed 19 members not including our

788
01:53:36,700 --> 01:53:36,700
deputy director which that position is currently vacant. >> so over the summer we began

789
01:53:47,066 --> 01:53:51,000
thinking through our team's work plan considering changes to the customer service charter and how we present our work to city council and to the public, we would typically look at work

790
01:53:58,166 --> 01:53:58,166
plans across 1 to 2 years but coming out of the tremendous effort that was the housing

791
01:54:02,700 --> 01:54:06,600
element update we decided to take a longer view of the work plan one of our major efforts currently underway is the tri element update looking at policies related to

792
01:54:10,933 --> 01:54:10,933
environmental justice, safety and open space. Once that work is done the team

793
01:54:15,533 --> 01:54:15,533
will shift to the next general plan four year review another multi-year process and that

794
01:54:22,300 --> 01:54:22,300
review will look at plan jobs and jobs to employed residents goals, environmental indicators

795
01:54:26,866 --> 01:54:26,866
as well as affordable housing needs. We also anticipate having to

796
01:54:31,133 --> 01:54:31,133
add additional residential housing capacity in the general plan during that time in

797
01:54:37,633 --> 01:54:37,633
anticipation and preparation for the seventh cycle housing element we've updated the way

798
01:54:44,333 --> 01:54:44,333
we show our work in the customer service charter shifting from full time

799
01:54:51,433 --> 01:54:51,433
equivalency to hours more of a consultant model and that we think that helps us better

800
01:54:56,400 --> 01:54:56,400
capture the costs of producing this work. You'll see in the next few

801
01:55:00,666 --> 01:55:00,666
slides that a lot of our work capacity is spoken for. Some of this is implementing

802
01:55:06,100 --> 01:55:06,100
the six cycle housing element work plans and policies. We also have ongoing urban

803
01:55:10,900 --> 01:55:10,900
village planning work across the next seven years. A new approach to our work plan

804
01:55:15,533 --> 01:55:15,533
is to categorize our our work as either state mandated or city priorities state mandated

805
01:55:22,833 --> 01:55:22,833
or those that we are required to do per state law. For example the housing element

806
01:55:27,900 --> 01:55:27,900
policy and programs updates and city priorities are those directed by council.

807
01:55:33,433 --> 01:55:33,433
equally important like legislative review and ordinance updates.

808
01:55:37,633 --> 01:55:41,333
but these usually have some more flexibility in terms of deadlines. >> and with that I'll hand it over to martina. >> okay.

809
01:55:45,700 --> 01:55:49,000
so this is what the new citywide planning customer service charter dashboard looks like. On the left you will see information on our active

810
01:55:53,633 --> 01:55:53,633
workloads and the number of active projects we have the number of hours we have and in

811
01:55:57,666 --> 01:56:01,566
any given month and the hours we've committed to work in any given month. So you'll see right now slightly overcommitted on the right is our future workload

812
01:56:05,500 --> 01:56:05,500
through fiscal year to 31 yahoo and you'll see that we've got about 19,000 about 20,000

813
01:56:14,733 --> 01:56:14,733
hours a year and already almost 80,000 hours worth of work that we've identified through the

814
01:56:18,800 --> 01:56:18,800
fiscal year. >> so taking a closer look at that future workload by

815
01:56:25,566 --> 01:56:25,566
fiscal year again you can see here the pink being the state mandated items, the gray being

816
01:56:30,600 --> 01:56:30,600
the city priority is I'll speak quickly on those two lines. So the 1968 is the yearly

817
01:56:37,533 --> 01:56:37,533
productive hours based on our current 19 staff members. >> I'll mention that that is

818
01:56:44,533 --> 01:56:48,500
highly dependent on the budget. >> so we included this red line showing the general fund yearly projected ours about 16 3% of our staff capacity is actually funded through

819
01:56:55,266 --> 01:56:55,266
development fees so that can fluctuate as you know the development industry changes so

820
01:57:00,000 --> 01:57:00,000
you'll see that the general fund covers not even our mandatory items.

821
01:57:07,466 --> 01:57:07,466
>> so just something to think about and again getting into a little bit more detail on this

822
01:57:12,166 --> 01:57:12,166
upcoming work so we'll show you again this fiscal year we're already foley committed so we

823
01:57:19,133 --> 01:57:19,133
have 102% of our capacity committed through next june and next fiscal year.

824
01:57:26,333 --> 01:57:26,333
we're actually already 72% committed between those state mandatory items and city

825
01:57:30,566 --> 01:57:30,566
initiatives that we have identified where council has directed us to do.

826
01:57:37,600 --> 01:57:37,600
>> and again just going out further years rate it goes down but even in these out years

827
01:57:41,933 --> 01:57:45,366
even through this goes through 2930 we're already almost half committed with mostly mandatory work. >> so again just one more level of detail if you want to know

828
01:57:52,466 --> 01:57:52,466
the city priorities. Some of the ones that we're working on this fiscal year

829
01:57:58,233 --> 01:57:59,900
billboard policy six four update the pleasant hills guiding principles which was just adopted by council last week super graphics update for those 2026 events and the

830
01:58:07,100 --> 01:58:07,100
county more every quarter or ones we're working on currently next fiscal year.

831
01:58:14,100 --> 01:58:16,966
again we're already half committed with state mandated work the 18% of our capacity we have committed right now to city priorities include zoning updates for the smoke and vape

832
01:58:21,133 --> 01:58:21,133
shops, special event permitting ,aligning agriculture zoning with the county and there's a

833
01:58:26,000 --> 01:58:29,700
couple more items on that list . Another thing I want to mention is that this is the work we have identified now so things continue to come up.

834
01:58:37,166 --> 01:58:41,166
one thing that's sort of lurking in that is likely to add a decent body of work to our work plan is the transit oriented communities compliance .

835
01:58:44,666 --> 01:58:44,666
>> that's a policy out of mtc metropole, the chair and transportation commission that

836
01:58:50,033 --> 01:58:53,033
they will be tying future transportation funding to ensuring we have certain land use policies in place including minimum densities and certain parking requirements around our

837
01:59:00,133 --> 01:59:03,633
transit stations. So we're still wrapping our heads around the workload that could be involved in that. Another example of things that come up is as you probably know

838
01:59:07,766 --> 01:59:07,766
the state constantly changes laws on us so there's a constant unknowable amount

839
01:59:11,900 --> 01:59:11,900
of zoning changes that we typically have to do every year based on state law changes that

840
01:59:16,300 --> 01:59:16,300
can be difficult to predict and with that that concludes our presentation so we are happy to

841
01:59:23,333 --> 01:59:27,066
answer any questions. >> great. Thank you, toni. Any public comment? We do not look back to the council then if everybody hands

842
01:59:34,966 --> 01:59:34,966
up we'll go to councilor butler first. Thank you for the presentation

843
01:59:43,633 --> 01:59:43,633
,chris. I have a clarification to get. I was at one of the community

844
01:59:48,600 --> 01:59:48,600
meetings recently and I received a criticism for our planning department saying that

845
01:59:58,366 --> 01:59:58,366
the planning department is a profit center and city is not making enough profit out of it

846
02:00:05,233 --> 02:00:05,233
to educate us little thank you. Council member chris burton, director of planning building

847
02:00:12,900 --> 02:00:12,900
code enforcement I've heard similar things. >> I think the the actual

848
02:00:17,533 --> 02:00:17,533
intent is that pbc is a potential revenue generator for the city.

849
02:00:25,100 --> 02:00:25,100
obviously you know as far as the budgets concerned one of the biggest proportions

850
02:00:29,733 --> 02:00:33,733
of general fund contribution comes from property tax and given state law in california the only way to really increase property tax is to modify existing buildings or build new

851
02:00:40,000 --> 02:00:43,900
ones. So absolutely we're an important part of the future fiscal health of the city which is why we often bring a fiscal lens to some of the land use

852
02:00:48,366 --> 02:00:48,366
conversation that we have as far as direct revenues through fees we run cost recovery so

853
02:00:56,333 --> 02:00:56,333
we're definitely not a profit center from that perspective it would be accurate to describe

854
02:01:04,000 --> 02:01:04,000
it was a cost recovery center than a profit center. >> so operationally we are a

855
02:01:08,533 --> 02:01:12,300
cluster covery operation. >> that's correct. Okay. All right. And I I appreciate you having a look for the longer term not

856
02:01:18,600 --> 02:01:18,600
just for one year because a lot of the planning activities are erratic in a way and keeping

857
02:01:26,800 --> 02:01:26,800
the staff or just stick to that level. I think it's a pretty difficult

858
02:01:30,900 --> 02:01:34,766
task. So appreciate what you're doing and some of the efficiencies you have brought into your work. >> one on the code enforcement

859
02:01:41,333 --> 02:01:41,333
part of it how are we handling our code enforcement because especially when we have those

860
02:01:49,433 --> 02:01:49,433
tier one, tier two tier threes I've heard from some of the community members that it's not

861
02:01:55,900 --> 02:01:55,900
clear to them what will make them go from tier two to tier one because as you know that in

862
02:02:03,000 --> 02:02:03,000
my district I've been trying to get all of these mom and pops to get their properties from

863
02:02:09,866 --> 02:02:09,866
tier three to tier two 3 to 1 and at the last meeting I attended with them they were

864
02:02:15,800 --> 02:02:15,800
saying it's not really clear to them what makes them a tier two two tier one is there some kind

865
02:02:23,166 --> 02:02:23,166
of published literature available or some kind of a presentation can be arranged

866
02:02:27,733 --> 02:02:27,733
with these people to help them understand the yeah. Councilmember there's certainly

867
02:02:35,100 --> 02:02:38,400
more outreach that we're happy to do. We can organize a follow up and then we'll be including this as a part of the studies session in december on code enforcement

868
02:02:42,566 --> 02:02:42,566
where we can drill in a little bit more on the multifamily program that you're referring

869
02:02:47,233 --> 02:02:50,466
to. >> okay. Thank you very much. I am going to seek your help to get most of them at least move a notch up and there tier

870
02:02:57,700 --> 02:03:01,466
levels. Okay. I'll make a motion to accept the report. >> okay. Thank you.

871
02:03:04,500 --> 02:03:04,500
do have a second? Great. Thank you, vice mayor for your

872
02:03:11,566 --> 02:03:11,566
thank you. >> thank you so much for your presentation and obviously when

873
02:03:19,133 --> 02:03:19,133
you were at 102% of what you're supposed to do, it's you know I mean it's it's difficult and

874
02:03:27,166 --> 02:03:27,166
given that you had that one chart where you had this series of well, we're already

875
02:03:31,400 --> 02:03:31,400
committed way into the future it seems like there's a lot more work and continues to be

876
02:03:38,800 --> 02:03:38,800
so even though I know that many of the new applications have not, you know, generated the

877
02:03:46,400 --> 02:03:46,400
the revenue necessary to keep things going as quickly. >> and I'm just wondering have

878
02:03:55,733 --> 02:03:55,733
there been other sort of paradigms out there in in throughout the nation or

879
02:04:03,866 --> 02:04:03,866
whatever who who funds, you know, building planning and building differently because I

880
02:04:11,433 --> 02:04:11,433
think that this, you know, as you see is not sustainable and then you sort of get it is sort

881
02:04:19,433 --> 02:04:19,433
of feast or famine right? And then when there's so much work and you're having to

882
02:04:26,366 --> 02:04:26,366
go outside to be able to get those additional people to to assist when you're when you're

883
02:04:34,400 --> 02:04:34,400
sort of drowning in it, I'm just wondering if this is a time to take a look at what

884
02:04:42,000 --> 02:04:42,000
other ways are what other structures do other do other departments you and the other

885
02:04:49,166 --> 02:04:49,166
planning departments use to be able to at least sort of even out balance out I don't know,

886
02:04:59,833 --> 02:04:59,833
you know some of the work and maybe there's some work that can be looked at differently.

887
02:05:04,266 --> 02:05:04,266
I don't know. I just feel that it's it's we always get the complaints oh

888
02:05:11,666 --> 02:05:11,666
you're too slow you're too slow you're not doing it you know but but at the same time, you

889
02:05:16,700 --> 02:05:16,700
know, given your work plan right now you're never going to catch up.

890
02:05:23,000 --> 02:05:26,500
>> right. Because you're sort of in this cycle. >> so I'm just I'm just wondering if there's been anything out there that can

891
02:05:33,933 --> 02:05:33,933
look differently because there needs to be something some change of some sort.

892
02:05:42,133 --> 02:05:45,733
>> thank you vice mayor and yeah, we'll we'll never catch up. >> it's the nature of the job but that's how we like it. I think there's a couple

893
02:05:50,466 --> 02:05:53,200
of parts to that. So one yes absolutely there are other cities that have different structures around how they support their long range policy work through a variety

894
02:06:00,866 --> 02:06:04,500
of different sort of avenues. So I think there are other cities that have looked at that. I think the one sort of major caveat I'll put on this that

895
02:06:07,666 --> 02:06:07,666
has really changed significantly for us over the last, you know, five slightly

896
02:06:12,000 --> 02:06:12,000
more years when we adopted the general plan back in 2011, you know, the plan was to you know

897
02:06:21,666 --> 02:06:25,100
,look at all of the various different facets in our general plan all of the planning we did and then sort of use the urban village process as a means of continuing that planning

898
02:06:29,500 --> 02:06:29,500
agenda by looking at individual areas an ongoing basis. Now we knew that that would

899
02:06:34,066 --> 02:06:34,066
require additional capacity on our team so we actually increased what was at the time

900
02:06:41,633 --> 02:06:45,266
a general plan update fee that's charged across all development and so that's what's paying for that sort of 60%. >> yeah.

901
02:06:48,233 --> 02:06:48,233
what's changed significantly over those last five years is the introduction of new changes

902
02:06:54,933 --> 02:06:56,500
and new mandates from the state. So all of that capacity that we've built in the system to allow us to do the planning work we knew we needed to do

903
02:07:02,600 --> 02:07:02,600
has been consumed by a lot of those changes at the state level and as a result we're

904
02:07:07,300 --> 02:07:10,566
sort of falling behind on some of the other work we would typically do and so that's the big shift. So when when we started this work to really kind of look

905
02:07:15,100 --> 02:07:15,100
at this path forward, this is really a path to 2031 because that's when our next housing

906
02:07:21,500 --> 02:07:21,500
element will be do we know that we're going to have to start that process 2 to 3 years in

907
02:07:26,300 --> 02:07:30,100
advance so we don't end up in the same place we're in now because the state changed the law and us again on how we process the housing element and all of a sudden we had 30

908
02:07:34,566 --> 02:07:37,833
builders remedy projects that are causing havoc with that land use process. So we're trying to get ahead of that now ahead of that we know that we don't currently

909
02:07:41,633 --> 02:07:45,400
have enough residential capacity in the general plan if oecd decides that we're going to have to provide space for even more housing, right? So that means we need to update

910
02:07:51,866 --> 02:07:55,033
our general plan here. There's at least two years worth of work in that. So I'm already backing up five years from 2031 from there and that's you know, a year and a

911
02:07:58,533 --> 02:07:58,533
half away. So so this is really what we're trying to do is make an

912
02:08:03,066 --> 02:08:06,800
assessment of all the work that's out there, especially driven by changes in state law and new state mandates so we can set priorities within the department and give the city

913
02:08:13,300 --> 02:08:13,300
council a realistic view of what's coming and what capacity we have left because I

914
02:08:17,966 --> 02:08:17,966
know there's you know, an explicit interest in continuing to refine our process.

915
02:08:24,266 --> 02:08:26,366
you know, some of the policy work will bring before the end of the year is really aimed at drives in our process, you know, much more efficiently, you know, as we look

916
02:08:32,366 --> 02:08:35,866
at different ways to explore housing production throughout the city. But all of that gets put to the wayside at some point because we have to meet these other

917
02:08:40,633 --> 02:08:43,866
requirements. You know, we're right now we're writing or updating to general plan updates. We're writing a new environmental justice element

918
02:08:47,833 --> 02:08:47,833
in the general plan. This is all work that wasn't necessarily planned for when we

919
02:08:52,066 --> 02:08:55,866
established the sort of operational structure of the team. Yeah, I guess you know when I hear martina talk about the transportation plan and how you

920
02:09:00,566 --> 02:09:00,566
have to have a plan or else you're not eligible for some grants, you know it's sort

921
02:09:04,966 --> 02:09:04,966
of like it's tough because you you want to be able to be eligible for these grants so

922
02:09:14,400 --> 02:09:16,633
that you can do the work so that you know, I mean it's sort of like chicken and the egg right? So I just I just feel that, you know, perhaps as we're looking

923
02:09:22,000 --> 02:09:22,000
at the next budget cycle how you know, how things can be done a little bit differently

924
02:09:27,166 --> 02:09:27,166
and I know it's tough because of all the mandates but at the same time they're not going to

925
02:09:33,633 --> 02:09:33,633
stop so thanks for asking for so you know based on the presentation appears we're

926
02:09:42,033 --> 02:09:42,033
spending the majority of our time on state mandated work that may or may not facilitate

927
02:09:48,400 --> 02:09:48,400
housing jobs, investment in our community. >> and while I'm in favor

928
02:09:53,033 --> 02:09:53,033
of fair rules being applied to all cities to ensure that everyone's doing their part,

929
02:09:58,900 --> 02:09:58,900
my sense is that the state often engages in a form of centralized planning that

930
02:10:03,433 --> 02:10:06,833
doesn't always result in the outcomes that our community needs. >> and so I'm curious how your department is aligning with and informing the work of our

931
02:10:11,700 --> 02:10:11,700
interim governmental relations team to ask the state for a reprieve from requirements that

932
02:10:18,666 --> 02:10:18,666
are not actually driving outcomes and to help inform the state of the impact that their

933
02:10:26,233 --> 02:10:26,233
mandates are having on our ability to do any other work that might actually unlock

934
02:10:30,266 --> 02:10:30,266
housing supply for example. You know thank you, mayor. We work very, very closely with

935
02:10:37,533 --> 02:10:41,433
intergovernmental relations typically myself and jared actually do the bulk of that work for our team. >> so we are we regularly are in contact with the league

936
02:10:46,166 --> 02:10:46,166
of cities with individual state legislators. We definitely have influenced

937
02:10:50,266 --> 02:10:50,266
some bills in certain areas. >> we we have mixed success rate.

938
02:10:57,500 --> 02:10:57,500
>> the state has decided that cities are the problem in a lot of ways, you know so we

939
02:11:02,533 --> 02:11:06,533
definitely do make our voices heard as a large city that has a pretty good reputation in sacramento we can get somewhere. But again I would say mixed

940
02:11:10,200 --> 02:11:10,200
success but it is something that we spend a good amount of time doing.

941
02:11:16,700 --> 02:11:18,366
>> okay. I'm glad to hear that. I would also suggest that we might want to extend that education to nonprofit partners who are deeply engaged in

942
02:11:24,900 --> 02:11:24,900
policy and advocacy work and sometimes I think may not foley understand the extent to which

943
02:11:29,633 --> 02:11:29,633
statement rates are driving a lot of paperwork, a lot of compliance versus getting to

944
02:11:36,700 --> 02:11:36,700
the heart of how we unlock housing supply. So I am curious to that point

945
02:11:41,033 --> 02:11:41,033
with the limited capacity we do have, how do you all think about and ensure that we're

946
02:11:45,300 --> 02:11:45,300
prioritizing council directed policies and the program aims and policies in the housing

947
02:11:52,733 --> 02:11:52,733
element that we believe are most likely talking about highest roi here most likely to

948
02:11:57,133 --> 02:11:57,133
drive investment in the jobs in housing that we need. Yes.

949
02:12:03,900 --> 02:12:03,900
so that that is our ultimate priority when we look at especially market rate

950
02:12:07,966 --> 02:12:07,966
housing production over the last five years, it's you know, effectively dropped off a cliff

951
02:12:13,733 --> 02:12:13,733
in 2024. To date we've not issued any new building permits for market

952
02:12:18,266 --> 02:12:18,266
rate multifamily housing and it's unlikely that anything will get through in the next

953
02:12:22,966 --> 02:12:26,900
two months that would change that number. So you know, our biggest focus is how do we really address those issues? >> I think we've done a lot

954
02:12:33,333 --> 02:12:33,333
both internally from a process standpoint and from a policy standpoint and we're taking

955
02:12:38,133 --> 02:12:41,800
those next steps. We intend to be in front of council before the end of the year with a policy that allows for a ministerial approvals and that is the

956
02:12:46,166 --> 02:12:46,166
ultimate streamlining right and sort of taking something like sb 35 one step further so we

957
02:12:53,133 --> 02:12:56,266
can continue to advance multifamily housing throughout the city. >> so absolutely the case I mean I think you know obviously it's always a balancing act and

958
02:13:00,900 --> 02:13:00,900
I think this is why we wanted to go through this process in particular is to give counsel a

959
02:13:05,066 --> 02:13:05,066
little bit more insight for your consideration as the policy pieces come forward so

960
02:13:12,100 --> 02:13:12,100
you know, when we look at sort of that that small percentage that's sort of city priority

961
02:13:16,500 --> 02:13:16,500
versus state mandate obviously we know that 2026 is foremost in that list because it's under

962
02:13:21,000 --> 02:13:24,933
a time constraint. We know that there's work we want to do around super graphics that as I said ministerial approval for housing development.

963
02:13:30,466 --> 02:13:30,466
>> obviously the the work that was there's some work that's already underway that has been

964
02:13:34,800 --> 02:13:38,700
time crunched because of other things coming along. So the housing element taking longer than expected so things like the monterrey corridor work has been ongoing for some

965
02:13:42,966 --> 02:13:42,966
time and again it's sort of in that small percentage because we're just trying to get it

966
02:13:47,833 --> 02:13:51,300
over the goal line at this point to free up more space for other policy priorities that sit behind it because there's a cost to putting things down and then sort of having to come

967
02:13:57,300 --> 02:14:00,200
back to them and pick them back up again. >> yeah, switching cost and then you mentioned that we haven't had any multifamily approvals.

968
02:14:04,266 --> 02:14:04,266
what do you project in in terms of volume of applications? I know it's impossible to know

969
02:14:09,433 --> 02:14:09,433
for sure but I ask because we have a citywide planning fee that's supposed to help

970
02:14:13,600 --> 02:14:17,266
facilitate our work on these policies. I'm just curious I guess the point is with with what I think may be lower volume if that's correct, how are you thinking

971
02:14:23,866 --> 02:14:27,800
about the budget and staffing levels that you'll have to not only complete the state mandated work you've outlined but the city prioritized for. >> yeah.

972
02:14:31,966 --> 02:14:31,966
and so if I just go back on the slides for say sort of that one slide that I have the chart

973
02:14:41,566 --> 02:14:41,566
with the two lines on it is exactly sort of that point so right now and again you know

974
02:14:46,066 --> 02:14:46,066
the the nature of our work often falls this way that you know we went on an aggressive

975
02:14:50,800 --> 02:14:50,800
hiring strategy to ensure that we were filling all the positions we had in the budget

976
02:14:55,400 --> 02:14:55,400
and available and we filled all those positions right as development started to decline

977
02:15:01,933 --> 02:15:05,566
and slow down. And so now we're sort of facing that challenge in our is essentially we run fund 239 which is the gap above the lower dotted line up to the top

978
02:15:13,200 --> 02:15:13,200
one sort of just represented in sort of hours available by staff labor sorry I didn't

979
02:15:17,666 --> 02:15:17,666
follow that represented by work so it's represented by hours available productive hours

980
02:15:24,300 --> 02:15:24,300
essentially in staff labor so that that's that fee right that's added on that's the 7100

981
02:15:31,266 --> 02:15:31,266
yearly projected hours in the general fund the sorry no the the delta between the 7100 is

982
02:15:38,933 --> 02:15:38,933
what the general fund pays for so we could take some money into it and then the fee is

983
02:15:43,800 --> 02:15:46,200
what's so the fee is the delta so delta 2000 yeah. Okay got it. >> so we've been building a reserves so the intent and a general plan update fee is that

984
02:15:51,733 --> 02:15:55,733
you build a reserve so that as policy work comes along and as you need to do those bigger full year reviews that the resources are available and fund 239 to draw down on

985
02:16:01,433 --> 02:16:01,433
against those where we've added a lot of this state mandated work and where we've added

986
02:16:06,033 --> 02:16:06,033
other policy priorities quite often what will happen through the budget process is we're

987
02:16:11,866 --> 02:16:11,866
allocating funds out of 239 to cover it's not just staff time. There's also cpi and consultant

988
02:16:16,300 --> 02:16:20,066
costs. So something like the pleasant hills work that we just completed right? That's I can't remember the exact number it's somewhere

989
02:16:24,233 --> 02:16:27,433
around 250,000 out of that part . So we're depleting that fund as we move forward. So we're going to have to look at that you know as we get into

990
02:16:31,766 --> 02:16:31,766
the next budget cycle and beyond as to sort of how that impacts and essentially what

991
02:16:38,500 --> 02:16:38,500
that means is that top line will come down so the available sort of productive hours will

992
02:16:42,866 --> 02:16:46,500
reduce which will continue to put pressure on how much capacity we have to do additional work. >> right? So depending on how that goes,

993
02:16:50,600 --> 02:16:54,300
we may not be able to add much to the gray that we have there today. >> yeah, that's already been planned and part of the intent of really sort of drilling down

994
02:16:58,600 --> 02:17:02,366
on this. So in the past we've typically done this work by looking at fte is a full time equivalent employees which is certainly not an exact science.

995
02:17:08,300 --> 02:17:08,300
it's a bit of a ballpark. So we're trying to get much more in depth and in detail so

996
02:17:12,700 --> 02:17:16,000
we can make more informed decisions on how we plan this work. And then also as we're doing workload assessments, you know whether it's through the rules

997
02:17:20,500 --> 02:17:23,766
process on new policy objectives or if we're responding to council's interest in new policy objectives here we can give you a more accurate impact sort

998
02:17:28,200 --> 02:17:32,000
of based on these this analysis. >> so this is part of our ongoing operational shift so we can monitor these so we can see what's coming.

999
02:17:36,633 --> 02:17:36,633
we can make decisions ahead of time and hopefully avoid difficult decisions in the

1000
02:17:42,833 --> 02:17:44,100
future. >> yeah, I appreciate you doing this analysis. Well, I'll look forward to supporting the ag your work that I know you all will inform

1001
02:17:50,466 --> 02:17:50,466
see what we can do if anything to lessen some of the state mandates or simplify or

1002
02:17:55,466 --> 02:17:59,366
streamline them in some way and then I'm sure you'll keep coming back to us to help us understand the tradeoffs that we're making in terms of which body of work you're pursuing

1003
02:18:02,800 --> 02:18:02,800
and which are getting shifted out to future years. Okay, we had comments from a

1004
02:18:10,933 --> 02:18:12,333
few colleagues. Let me see if anyone has added their name. We'll take councilor davis. >> thank you. I'm sorry I missed your

1005
02:18:18,166 --> 02:18:18,166
presentation. I was over at the county for the blue zones item over there

1006
02:18:22,800 --> 02:18:26,600
but I wanted to make sure I understood. I didn't see it in in the presentation and for today but I. I see that it's in the

1007
02:18:31,366 --> 02:18:31,366
presentation a fuller discussion about the presentation for said a fuller

1008
02:18:37,400 --> 02:18:41,066
discussion about urban villages. So do I understand correctly that the only urban village plans that you're working on right now were have been

1009
02:18:45,533 --> 02:18:45,533
already underway? You're not undertaking any new ones until you kind of take

1010
02:18:49,733 --> 02:18:49,733
another look at that process. >> is that correct? Yeah.

1011
02:18:55,766 --> 02:18:55,766
so we have three urban village plans underway. Two of them are kind of at the

1012
02:19:02,066 --> 02:19:06,066
very beginning stages. So we have five wounds which is nearing the end. The combined pavement plan and then saratoga urban village and wrong side alum rock urban

1013
02:19:14,600 --> 02:19:14,600
village yeah yeah. So those will take us probably about a year and a half to

1014
02:19:20,533 --> 02:19:24,366
couple of years and during that time we'll start that analysis on the urban village planning process and we're definitely doing these ones with that in mind you know where are there

1015
02:19:28,633 --> 02:19:28,633
opportunities to change and streamline and throughout this kind of more traditional urban

1016
02:19:32,666 --> 02:19:32,666
village process? >> so I'd like to suggest and you came to us with over 100%

1017
02:19:42,766 --> 02:19:42,766
and you I think are asking for us not to just accept this but to give us your to give you our

1018
02:19:47,366 --> 02:19:50,966
comments. Is that correct? Okay. I see a nod from chris so I'm taking that as a yes. You want to hear what I have to

1019
02:19:54,566 --> 02:19:54,566
say? >> I think it would be wise to review the current urban

1020
02:20:01,966 --> 02:20:01,966
village plans and to see what development has happened or is even in the pipeline for those

1021
02:20:09,600 --> 02:20:09,600
current urban village plans before you move forward with any of the others that are in

1022
02:20:13,666 --> 02:20:13,666
the beginning stages? >> I think that makes more sense in terms of I understand

1023
02:20:17,766 --> 02:20:17,766
you have a consultant on boarded and you have a consultant rfp closed but we

1024
02:20:24,733 --> 02:20:24,733
don't we don't have to utilize all we don't have to spend those dollars and we don't have

1025
02:20:31,400 --> 02:20:31,400
to spend that time. >> I would suggest given that I have a number of urban village

1026
02:20:36,333 --> 02:20:36,333
projects in my district, most of which haven't gone really any projects done and a few

1027
02:20:47,100 --> 02:20:47,100
that only just have a few maybe 1 or 2 projects in the pipeline.

1028
02:20:51,466 --> 02:20:51,466
>> I would suggest that this is not been the strategy that back in 2000 1011 we we our

1029
02:21:00,833 --> 02:21:00,833
predecessors anticipated it would in that we don't have 70 or even a dozen santana rows in

1030
02:21:08,400 --> 02:21:08,400
in the city of san jose because that lightning didn't strike twice and and I don't know that

1031
02:21:16,066 --> 02:21:16,066
that's the way for us to move forward with our development so I would I guess I would ask is

1032
02:21:23,233 --> 02:21:23,233
can we meet our housing element requirements without doing urban village plans in a in a

1033
02:21:31,200 --> 02:21:35,000
better streamlined way that takes much less work? Yes. So some amount of the urban village planning work is was included or baked into some

1034
02:21:39,433 --> 02:21:39,433
of the housing element work certainly not the whole thing but there's some anticipation

1035
02:21:43,600 --> 02:21:43,600
that will advance with those plans but that's only a portion of it.

1036
02:21:50,366 --> 02:21:54,100
I mean, you know 60,000 units over the next eight years or next seven years at this point is going to be difficult to meet regardless. I think the biggest opportunity

1037
02:21:57,966 --> 02:21:57,966
areas will likely be those areas that already have plans approved or other growth areas

1038
02:22:04,633 --> 02:22:06,066
like north san jose and downtown. So that's really where we're probably looking to see significant gains. So it definitely take the point

1039
02:22:12,433 --> 02:22:16,200
I think there's there's definitely a conversation that needs to be had about how we approach urban villages. >> I think as we approach another four year review

1040
02:22:20,600 --> 02:22:20,600
probably in about 2026, I would suggest that that's a great time to have that conversation

1041
02:22:27,266 --> 02:22:30,800
on kind of what the future of urban villages look like how we can sort of continue to effect that process so that is more efficient. There's definitely some work

1042
02:22:34,700 --> 02:22:34,700
again that we included in the housing element that sort of looks to streamline this

1043
02:22:38,866 --> 02:22:38,866
where we've adopted citywide guidelines and standards for design.

1044
02:22:45,400 --> 02:22:49,033
we're currently working on a process that will look at standardize mitigations for secure all of these things in theory should compress that that issue right where we don't

1045
02:22:53,800 --> 02:22:53,800
have to look at each of these as individual plans is that we can just create a framework and

1046
02:22:58,033 --> 02:22:58,033
say this applies to all and maybe there are some sort of smaller modifications around

1047
02:23:04,433 --> 02:23:07,966
sort of specific colors on the map on specific sites that we change. But generally speaking here's the plan like what are the just the edits rather than writing a

1048
02:23:12,633 --> 02:23:12,633
new plan each time? >> yeah, I foley support that. I do think also one of the one

1049
02:23:18,633 --> 02:23:18,633
of the main drawbacks of the urban village plans is it's good to go out and get

1050
02:23:23,066 --> 02:23:23,066
community input on those plans but there's a lot of agitation when when you go out and say

1051
02:23:33,700 --> 02:23:37,633
and you put those colors on the board because people think they're going to happen like that and they they don't necessarily even happen at all. >> and so there's a lot

1052
02:23:45,066 --> 02:23:45,066
of there's a lot of community education that has to go around that and a lot of engagement

1053
02:23:49,766 --> 02:23:49,766
that has to go with each of those plans. And I just think it's not

1054
02:23:54,566 --> 02:23:54,566
because we haven't seen those realized. >> I mean the first urban

1055
02:24:00,500 --> 02:24:00,500
village plans were with district one, the first three that when I was here and it was

1056
02:24:06,900 --> 02:24:06,900
a huge long before me process engagement process in the number of projects that have

1057
02:24:14,466 --> 02:24:18,400
come out of those three it was a tri village three plans is maybe half a dozen. I mean jared would probably know better than I would but maybe half a dozen out of three

1058
02:24:24,000 --> 02:24:24,000
plans and we I know the pulte homes are open and that's maybe it.

1059
02:24:30,833 --> 02:24:30,833
>> I just I just don't think we've gotten the bang for the buck.

1060
02:24:35,633 --> 02:24:35,633
and if you were looking for what should we not be doing? I would say the urban village

1061
02:24:40,233 --> 02:24:40,233
plans are what you should just just put it down and focus your focus your resources on quicker

1062
02:24:48,933 --> 02:24:48,933
wins. That's all I have to say. >> thanks, councilmember.

1063
02:24:57,633 --> 02:24:57,633
appreciate that perspective and I think it's certainly not planned out as past councils

1064
02:25:04,433 --> 02:25:06,933
had hoped and the communities I think we would say makes a lot of sense. >> okay. I don't see any other hands. Please remain we've had a

1065
02:25:11,300 --> 02:25:11,300
robust discussion. Did we have a motion I think we might have from councilor batra

1066
02:25:15,800 --> 02:25:18,533
to kick off. Okay. I'm not seeing any other hands, toni. >> let's vote. >> motion passes ten zero.

1067
02:25:32,766 --> 02:25:32,766
okay, we have one more item that may be heard before 6 p.m. That is item 10.2.

1068
02:25:42,666 --> 02:25:42,666
>> this is a text amendment to the general plan and I believe ruth is kicking us off.

1069
02:25:50,333 --> 02:25:50,333
>> all right. >> I'll get it started. >> good afternoon.

1070
02:26:05,200 --> 02:26:05,200
ruth coto, principal planner with the city white team and I also have my colleagues from

1071
02:26:09,533 --> 02:26:09,533
the airport supervising planner ryan shelton and planner john wilson.

1072
02:26:16,566 --> 02:26:16,566
we're here to discuss the general plan text amendment for a proposed modified airport

1073
02:26:21,100 --> 02:26:21,100
influence area and other associated tax changes. >> so some background on the

1074
02:26:25,800 --> 02:26:25,800
work that has been done so far and why we're here today. A major amendment to the

1075
02:26:32,500 --> 02:26:36,100
airport master plan was adopted by city council in april of 2020 which included among other things plans to update airport facilities, updated aviation demand forecasts and

1076
02:26:40,466 --> 02:26:40,466
new noise contours based on forecasts after the airport master plan was adopted from

1077
02:26:49,533 --> 02:26:49,533
april 2020 to december 2022, the santa clara county airport land use commission also known

1078
02:26:54,366 --> 02:26:54,366
as the ala arc started work on updating their plan for this airport and the airport

1079
02:27:01,500 --> 02:27:01,500
influence area. Eia to reflect changes to the san jose adopted master plan.

1080
02:27:08,533 --> 02:27:08,533
>> the california public utilities code requires that the auc plan be based on the

1081
02:27:12,933 --> 02:27:12,933
airport master plan. However, when the auc released their draft plan the auc had

1082
02:27:20,133 --> 02:27:20,133
inflated the aircraft operation by 50% and proposed to expand the air by proposed and

1083
02:27:28,200 --> 02:27:28,200
expanded eia in san jose between march 2023 and march 2024 city staff met with alec

1084
02:27:36,300 --> 02:27:36,300
and county staff six times and sent several letters detailing the city's issues with their

1085
02:27:40,633 --> 02:27:40,633
draft plan such as air core aircraft operation numbers, the inflated noise contours and the

1086
02:27:47,666 --> 02:27:47,666
expanded eia. Additionally, the city provided the a look with a report by h

1087
02:27:52,600 --> 02:27:52,600
and b t h and tb corporation, an aviation consulting firm which analyzed the airport's

1088
02:27:59,833 --> 02:27:59,833
long term aircraft operations forecast and the airport master plan that found the forecast to

1089
02:28:04,266 --> 02:28:04,266
be on target. Caltrans aeronautics sent the ala a letter agreeing with the

1090
02:28:10,600 --> 02:28:10,600
city's approach to use the airport master plan data for the amended auc plan and the

1091
02:28:15,133 --> 02:28:15,133
eia in march of 2024 the ala adopted the their plan with the 50% inflated noise contours and

1092
02:28:22,200 --> 02:28:22,200
expanded airport influence area against the objections of the city.

1093
02:28:29,500 --> 02:28:29,500
the city's main concerns with the noise contours and air in the san jose mineta airport

1094
02:28:37,633 --> 02:28:37,633
land use combat compatibility plan are foremost that the ala did not follow the public

1095
02:28:41,766 --> 02:28:41,766
utilities code which states that their plan and the eia should be based on the airport

1096
02:28:46,400 --> 02:28:46,400
master plan. The alec assumed an unsubstantiated 50% increase in

1097
02:28:52,033 --> 02:28:52,033
operations aircraft operations when calculating the noise contours for the airport.

1098
02:28:57,133 --> 02:28:57,133
these inflated noise contours were then utilized to create an expanded eia in san jose.

1099
02:29:03,833 --> 02:29:03,833
this expanded eia would add an additional 240 acres of land to the air in san jose if the alec

1100
02:29:12,100 --> 02:29:12,100
adopted eia were utilized by the city, these additional 240 acres would need to be referred

1101
02:29:19,566 --> 02:29:19,566
to the look for a determination of consistency with their plan for any general plan amendments

1102
02:29:24,100 --> 02:29:24,100
rezonings municipal and building code updates this referral process can add

1103
02:29:30,333 --> 02:29:33,733
several months to the timeline of a project. It also means extra costs for both privately or city initiated projects for reference the map above depicts

1104
02:29:41,600 --> 02:29:41,600
the prior airport influence area in green the ala adopted eia in red and the proposed

1105
02:29:48,566 --> 02:29:48,566
modified air and blue. There are lines that overlap in many areas but you can see that

1106
02:29:56,200 --> 02:29:56,200
the eia shrunk the one that the city is proposing on the west and north boundaries because we

1107
02:30:00,933 --> 02:30:00,933
do have quieter aircraft and the removal over runway there is an expanded eia in the

1108
02:30:07,866 --> 02:30:11,633
southern boundaries. The city is not disputing the changes in the north or west just those in the south. >> these two maps depict the area where there is a

1109
02:30:19,866 --> 02:30:19,866
difference between the alec adopted eia and the proposed modified eia.

1110
02:30:25,600 --> 02:30:25,600
one area includes part of downtown and the part of the area included in the diridon

1111
02:30:29,833 --> 02:30:33,833
station area plan. The other area is south of downtown and includes residential and industrial uses . The general plan text amendment

1112
02:30:38,133 --> 02:30:38,133
proposes a modified area which we which would be represented in the general plan and the

1113
02:30:45,200 --> 02:30:45,200
diridon station area plan with updated maps. Additionally to provide

1114
02:30:49,366 --> 02:30:49,366
consistency and clarity the text changes will use consistent naming convention

1115
02:30:54,000 --> 02:30:57,733
for the airports and san jose update the language to differentiate between the alec adopted air from the city approved modified air and includes a section that

1116
02:31:05,533 --> 02:31:05,533
provides background and justification for the modified air if the general plan text

1117
02:31:09,966 --> 02:31:09,966
amendment and overrule are approved by the city council, the city of san jose will

1118
02:31:14,366 --> 02:31:14,366
utilize a modified air to determine which projects will be referred to the look for

1119
02:31:18,400 --> 02:31:18,400
consistency determination with a local plan and these final slides include the

1120
02:31:25,400 --> 02:31:25,400
recommendation for the overall and the general plan text amendment and we're here if you

1121
02:31:32,300 --> 02:31:32,300
have any questions. >> great. Thank you, toni.

1122
02:31:36,366 --> 02:31:40,100
to have any public comment on this item? No. Okay. >> turning to my colleagues, we'll start with councilmember

1123
02:31:44,700 --> 02:31:47,700
cohen. >> yeah. Thank you for bringing this forward. I'm just going to briefly say it's frustrating that we don't

1124
02:31:50,800 --> 02:31:54,533
have alignment on this and that we have to take this action to overall. >> but I will make a motion to accept a staff recommendation. >> motion passes ten zero.

1125
02:32:15,533 --> 02:32:15,533
great. Thank you all. >> okay, so we have a few items

1126
02:32:20,700 --> 02:32:20,700
that were agenda ised to not be heard before 6 p.m. That's item 7.1 10.3 and 10.4 so we will

1127
02:32:32,133 --> 02:32:32,133
recess until 6 p.m.. Take up those three items and then do open forum before

1128
02:32:36,433 --> 02:32:36,433
adjournment. Thank you .

1129
02:36:47,500 --> 02:36:47,500
yeah. Mm hmm

1130
02:39:00,666 --> 02:39:00,666
. Okay I I I am

1131
02:46:33,866 --> 02:46:33,866
not am who yeah. Mm

1132
02:55:46,633 --> 02:55:46,633
. Okay I I I I am

1133
03:07:50,300 --> 03:07:50,300
not yeah. Mm.

1134
03:10:35,633 --> 03:10:35,633
no I know. >> I know I I

1135
03:16:33,200 --> 03:16:33,200
and am am who

1136
03:27:13,833 --> 03:27:13,833
yeah. Mm. >> oh

1137
03:29:26,900 --> 03:29:26,900
. Okay I I I I I I am

1138
03:35:34,266 --> 03:35:34,266
too you I

1139
03:43:42,033 --> 03:43:42,033
oh I yeah mm. Oh I I I I I

1140
03:50:10,466 --> 03:50:10,466
and know who

1141
04:00:51,600 --> 04:00:51,600
yeah . Mm.

1142
04:01:01,733 --> 04:01:01,733
>> oh . Okay I I I I I

1143
04:07:46,666 --> 04:07:46,666
am who uh I

1144
04:17:19,066 --> 04:17:19,066
oh yeah. Mm

1145
04:19:58,600 --> 04:19:58,600
I I I I I am I am who

1146
04:30:33,000 --> 04:30:33,000
oh , uh

1147
04:34:30,466 --> 04:34:30,466
yeah. Mm. >> oh

1148
04:36:46,766 --> 04:36:46,766
I I I I am who

1149
04:47:19,733 --> 04:47:19,733
oh oh , uh I good evening, everyone.

1150
04:49:01,533 --> 04:49:01,533
>> welcome back. We were back from recess and continuing on with the agenda

1151
04:49:08,933 --> 04:49:12,200
toni do you want to call the roll just to confirm that we have a quorum hermanas torres cohen ortiz davis you're don kendall was here foley here. But you're here to me here,

1152
04:49:27,233 --> 04:49:31,100
mahen here you have a quorum. >> okay. Thank you. All right. We are picking up with item 7.1 blue zone's assessment

1153
04:49:34,066 --> 04:49:36,800
readiness and feasibility report and I'll turn it over to angel. >> we're ready. Mayor city council members angel rios, deputy city manager

1154
04:49:44,300 --> 04:49:44,300
joining me here in the box is the vice present of blue zones and margaret brown, our point

1155
04:49:49,233 --> 04:49:49,233
person under children youth master plan program manager and pianist laura brousseau, an

1156
04:49:55,766 --> 04:49:55,766
assistant to the city manager peter hamilton and the blue zone's assessment readiness and

1157
04:50:03,333 --> 04:50:07,300
feasibility report that you're going to hear about today is a cross reference report from the neighborhood services and education committee. First I'd like to take a moment

1158
04:50:11,566 --> 04:50:14,800
though to acknowledge the work that has made this report possible. City funding for this effort was originally proposed by councilmember deb davis through

1159
04:50:19,566 --> 04:50:19,566
the 20 2324 budget process and that was eventually approved by the council a.c. The inner city

1160
04:50:26,433 --> 04:50:26,433
committee provided additional guidance and feedback that guided this work.

1161
04:50:33,400 --> 04:50:33,400
the city funding was further augmented by additional grants from the county of santa clara

1162
04:50:37,600 --> 04:50:37,600
adobe santa clara family health plan and the health trust. I'll also note that from the

1163
04:50:44,733 --> 04:50:44,733
start we embedded the blue zones framework into the work of our cities children and

1164
04:50:49,166 --> 04:50:49,166
youth services master plan as both efforts aim to coordinate across agencies and community

1165
04:50:55,066 --> 04:50:55,066
partners to improve the well-being of our residents. So to tell you more about the

1166
04:50:59,366 --> 04:50:59,366
report's findings, we're pleased to have margaret brown here today and I'll turn it

1167
04:51:03,533 --> 04:51:07,000
over to her. So she can kind of go over the report. >> great. Thank you, angel. Thank you all for having us

1168
04:51:14,200 --> 04:51:15,766
here tonight and putting us on the agenda. A very exciting time for us. The culmination of really more than a year's worth of work we kicked off this process in

1169
04:51:22,000 --> 04:51:25,733
january. We'll look at that timeline a little bit more here in a few minutes. I want to first say also a great thank you and I was

1170
04:51:33,166 --> 04:51:33,166
remiss in not acknowledging this in the county meeting earlier but I just want to say

1171
04:51:37,233 --> 04:51:37,233
thank you to deb's team that have supported the planning nicole airdrops and mary and as

1172
04:51:44,400 --> 04:51:44,400
well as cindy chavez and her team with coming to the table angel and laura and his team

1173
04:51:51,933 --> 04:51:51,933
that have been working behind the scenes and to our steering committee who are listed inside

1174
04:51:56,466 --> 04:51:56,466
of that report. So I just want to say thank you.

1175
04:52:00,700 --> 04:52:00,700
their work has made this possible. It has been at times you know,

1176
04:52:07,666 --> 04:52:07,666
late nights and early mornings as were some of us on the east coast and some of us on the

1177
04:52:12,166 --> 04:52:15,400
west coast. But it's all worked out. And couldn't be happier today to be able to present this this report as we get in with the time that we have.

1178
04:52:22,833 --> 04:52:22,833
I want to quickly go through just a couple of things. First, I want to orient anyone

1179
04:52:27,400 --> 04:52:31,400
who is not familiar with blue zones and just what is blue zones? Blue zones. First of all, our purpose is to empower everyone everywhere to

1180
04:52:38,033 --> 04:52:38,033
live better longer. This work this purpose was developed out of the the

1181
04:52:45,466 --> 04:52:45,466
research of dan buettner senior and the national geographic team that sought to find the

1182
04:52:53,733 --> 04:52:57,333
longest lived populations in the world. The learnings and observations from those longest lived populations places in the world where individuals are living to

1183
04:53:03,266 --> 04:53:07,133
age 100 about ten times the rate that we do here in the united states on average. >> and it was through those research study understanding kind of the environmental

1184
04:53:15,333 --> 04:53:15,333
factors that lead to that extra long healthy life. With that blue zones has

1185
04:53:19,733 --> 04:53:19,733
brought those learnings as power nine into what we call the life radius focusing in on

1186
04:53:27,000 --> 04:53:27,000
the people we spend our time with, the places where we spend our time and the policies that

1187
04:53:31,300 --> 04:53:31,300
are creating environments that really help with that choice architecture what do people

1188
04:53:36,100 --> 04:53:39,900
have access to inand throughout their daily lives in terms of food built environment? How is that kind of guiding us or helping or preventing health happiness and well-being as

1189
04:53:46,433 --> 04:53:46,433
well as alcohol and tobacco? >> the assessment process that we kicked off in january is a

1190
04:53:54,300 --> 04:53:54,300
process by which we get a preliminary free understanding of the community so we do that

1191
04:53:59,233 --> 04:53:59,233
through robust planning. We spent the first really 4 to 5 months understanding who do

1192
04:54:04,900 --> 04:54:04,900
we need to engage with, who do we need to talk to? >> he needs to be in the room.

1193
04:54:09,933 --> 04:54:09,933
additionally, what are the reports, documents, plans, comp plans, master plans, studies

1194
04:54:16,333 --> 04:54:20,200
that have already been completed and what can we learn from those? And fold them into this framework. We also completed some data

1195
04:54:24,400 --> 04:54:24,400
analysis was using the well-being gallup data to understand what is kind

1196
04:54:31,866 --> 04:54:31,866
of driving overall well-being here in the city of san jose as well as where are the value,

1197
04:54:36,333 --> 04:54:40,133
where's the value in the potential impact for the future. >> if this project is to move forward we would begin that project with a nine month

1198
04:54:47,533 --> 04:54:51,533
foundation and planning phase. It's very important to call out that during this phase there would be nine more months of dedicated time within the community to work alongside the

1199
04:54:58,533 --> 04:54:58,533
community and community stakeholders to design exactly how these recommendations and

1200
04:55:05,633 --> 04:55:05,633
potentially other evidence based measures show up for them in their communities.

1201
04:55:10,100 --> 04:55:10,100
so this is not completed the work is not completed. We would have to continue to

1202
04:55:14,900 --> 04:55:14,900
convene do some additional learning. Importantly complete an

1203
04:55:21,100 --> 04:55:21,100
oversample using data so that well-being measurement set metrics and targets for impact

1204
04:55:25,300 --> 04:55:25,300
that would be realized over what's called transformation a 3 to 5 year process that

1205
04:55:32,700 --> 04:55:32,700
culminates with certification. So that is really the process for our blue zones project.

1206
04:55:36,800 --> 04:55:36,800
>> I want to quickly showcase I'm here today on my own but we have an entire team that's been

1207
04:55:44,100 --> 04:55:44,100
dedicated to the san jose project. Some of these individuals you

1208
04:55:48,233 --> 04:55:48,233
have probably met spoken with, seen in other presentations they have really been either

1209
04:55:52,766 --> 04:55:52,766
working directly behind the scenes or here in the community as part of the assessment

1210
04:55:56,800 --> 04:55:56,800
process to help bring together this report that each of you have at your desk today.

1211
04:56:04,900 --> 04:56:08,833
>> I'm just calling out some of the engagement that we have had. Over 100 individuals participated in sessions to really understand key sectors

1212
04:56:14,000 --> 04:56:17,433
of policy. These are really leaders that are working in and in key neighborhoods in organizations, nonprofit organizations on the ground with schools in your

1213
04:56:22,433 --> 04:56:22,433
work sites, etc. To drive some of these strategies on the ground today or either leading

1214
04:56:29,866 --> 04:56:29,866
efforts that are addressing some of the the areas that blue zones works leadership

1215
04:56:37,000 --> 04:56:40,633
discussions we we we brought together a health care roundtable. We had a sports roundtable. We had other leadership discussions.

1216
04:56:44,300 --> 04:56:44,300
some of you may have participated in that and also had some broad open to

1217
04:56:48,400 --> 04:56:48,400
community type presentations also had an opportunity to invite the community in to

1218
04:56:52,966 --> 04:56:52,966
learn more about blue zones. We had over 130 participants and that night alone so in

1219
04:56:59,166 --> 04:57:02,733
addition to that there have been others since then that have come to the table, had discussions and have helped inform the process. >> let me go back if it allow

1220
04:57:10,866 --> 04:57:10,866
me here on the screen is what really is a very challenging process of all of you in front

1221
04:57:18,233 --> 04:57:18,233
of you. I have a couple of documents. You have a very robust bound

1222
04:57:22,400 --> 04:57:22,400
report version and then you also have a one page or kind of summary document that that

1223
04:57:28,900 --> 04:57:28,900
attempts to pull together what we learned over the nine months of being engaged with san jose

1224
04:57:36,233 --> 04:57:36,233
in the report is much more detail on each of these items that are on the screen now I

1225
04:57:43,533 --> 04:57:47,233
just want to call out a couple of a couple of things. First of all while we were looking at the whole of san jose, we did align with the children and youth services

1226
04:57:51,100 --> 04:57:51,100
master plan and put a deep emphasis and focus on those pilot communities that are

1227
04:57:55,333 --> 04:57:55,333
called out by the cia. And so we really looked at seven trees poco away so

1228
04:58:01,700 --> 04:58:01,700
almost mayfair etc. And really spent some time in those communities these

1229
04:58:08,100 --> 04:58:08,100
recommendations opportunities are not necessarily foley dedicated only to those

1230
04:58:12,933 --> 04:58:12,933
communities but I think these are the recommendations that most closely aligned to the c,

1231
04:58:20,100 --> 04:58:24,100
y, s and p and all of these would have a tremendous impact especially on the east side of san jose. So for example, when we're looking at built environment

1232
04:58:27,966 --> 04:58:27,966
you know a lot of individual that participated in these sessions called out in their

1233
04:58:32,533 --> 04:58:32,533
own way things like we would like to have walkable complete streets in our community youth

1234
04:58:40,333 --> 04:58:40,333
the youth commissioners that participated we simply would like to have a place to gather

1235
04:58:44,833 --> 04:58:44,833
with people our age that is safe and accessible many of them that participated also

1236
04:58:52,066 --> 04:58:52,066
said, you know, it's you have to wait till you get your driver's license in order to

1237
04:58:56,666 --> 04:58:56,666
like drive somewhere to meet your friends to sit down at a coffee shop or in a park and

1238
04:59:03,466 --> 04:59:05,433
come together. So we would like to have that in our neighborhood on the east side when looking at things around seniors seniors who are living there is it safe for

1239
04:59:11,666 --> 04:59:15,333
them to be wheelchair accessible? Is there a complete streets that allow for safe crossing pedestrian causeways etc.? So there's a lot that goes on

1240
04:59:20,700 --> 04:59:23,733
in the built environment. I think one of the most important is simply amplifying greenspace, developing the tree canopy, bringing in quick build demonstration projects that

1241
04:59:30,866 --> 04:59:30,866
help amplify the need there and also bring the user engagement and a little bit more on the

1242
04:59:34,966 --> 04:59:34,966
food systems side it really is looking at how do we build a system around food through

1243
04:59:42,033 --> 04:59:45,900
culture, food accessibility that is healthy food and healthy food options. So while there are some local markets there that do have fresh fruits and vegetables,

1244
04:59:54,366 --> 04:59:54,366
etc., there's also the need to bring in things like grab and go quick healthy meals, food

1245
04:59:58,500 --> 04:59:58,500
skills development, other types of issues around food that can help amplify the availability

1246
05:00:05,600 --> 05:00:05,600
of that food and connect it directly back with the community in the areas

1247
05:00:09,700 --> 05:00:09,700
of alcohol and tobacco. I would say while there's some great policies in place, we

1248
05:00:17,466 --> 05:00:17,466
really need to work on reducing the total number of outlets that are tobacco, alcohol

1249
05:00:25,100 --> 05:00:25,100
selling and providing these products and especially around youth areas where youth are

1250
05:00:32,700 --> 05:00:32,700
regularly convening and there's some great some detail there in that as well when it comes to

1251
05:00:37,766 --> 05:00:37,766
schools, you know, we saw firsthand a lot of great work happening in the schools, a lot

1252
05:00:45,266 --> 05:00:47,566
of great partnerships with public health and other agencies there. But really a core recommendation is to revitalize the wellness committees and

1253
05:00:52,866 --> 05:00:55,933
create a structure by which you can bring youth leadership into that process as well as parents, teachers, etc. Worksites definitely a need to engage more worksites in this

1254
05:01:04,100 --> 05:01:04,100
process including those work sites where individuals living on the east side are

1255
05:01:08,233 --> 05:01:08,233
predominantly working. That can be small work sites, large work sites but really a

1256
05:01:12,666 --> 05:01:12,666
need to engage them, understand how we can support them optimizing the environments to

1257
05:01:18,800 --> 05:01:18,800
increase not only total access to health and benefits but environments that can support

1258
05:01:23,900 --> 05:01:27,533
health and wellbeing long term and then some really key things with restaurants and grocery stores you have wonderful environment of restaurants in grocery stores available on the

1259
05:01:34,266 --> 05:01:34,266
east side culturally diverse many options. I think there's some

1260
05:01:38,900 --> 05:01:42,600
opportunity there to strengthen the overall health profile in partnership with those restaurants. That does not diminish their bottom line but helps to

1261
05:01:46,366 --> 05:01:46,366
actually boost their bottom line as well as making it more accessible friendly price point

1262
05:01:50,700 --> 05:01:50,700
friendly to families that are on that side of the community and then finally bringing in

1263
05:01:58,166 --> 05:01:58,166
civic faith based organizations ,volunteers and ambassadors to be aligned in this way offering

1264
05:02:04,600 --> 05:02:04,600
this similar type of programing within their institutions and creating a social gathering

1265
05:02:08,700 --> 05:02:12,500
place that's focused on creating a culture of health and well-being. >> so these these things are color coded and where they align and touch in on the

1266
05:02:16,866 --> 05:02:20,400
children youth services master plan with the blue zones we would imagine a process by which we would be setting up leadership structure and committee structures and would

1267
05:02:24,500 --> 05:02:24,500
be bringing in youth as ambassadors to be serving in each of those areas to help

1268
05:02:30,600 --> 05:02:30,600
make this more especially designed and tailored to the needs of the youth and

1269
05:02:38,266 --> 05:02:38,266
especially in the areas that that overlay is with the c y s&p we have from this process

1270
05:02:44,600 --> 05:02:44,600
put forward an initial recommendation for a blue zones project that would be focused

1271
05:02:52,166 --> 05:02:52,166
on the east side in these core communities we are actively in this process engaging with

1272
05:02:56,633 --> 05:02:56,633
other cross-sector leadership to really take the next step that is you know, not just a

1273
05:03:03,866 --> 05:03:03,866
city focused or county focused initiative or city county nonprofit partnered initiative

1274
05:03:11,266 --> 05:03:11,266
but how do we engage with those that have already been at the table in the way of for example

1275
05:03:18,833 --> 05:03:18,833
adobe and how do we increase that and get more of your private sector at the table

1276
05:03:24,300 --> 05:03:24,300
joining in with this effort, investing in this process and that that work is underway and

1277
05:03:30,766 --> 05:03:34,700
we hope to have an update at a later time. I will say we have some great partners here in the city as well as within the county that is working alongside us to make

1278
05:03:38,466 --> 05:03:38,466
that a reality. And with that I will turn it back for some closing remarks

1279
05:03:46,000 --> 05:03:46,000
and questions. Great angel. >> does that conclude the

1280
05:03:54,033 --> 05:03:54,733
report? Yes. Okay, great. Well, thank you so much. I appreciate the report. We're going to actually go to

1281
05:03:58,266 --> 05:03:58,266
public comment first and we'll come back to the council toni, ali, victor and that's the only

1282
05:04:04,700 --> 05:04:04,700
speaker I have for this item. Okay. And I see ali coming down.

1283
05:04:18,333 --> 05:04:18,333
>> good evening. Hi everyone. >> my name is ali victory and I

1284
05:04:23,466 --> 05:04:23,466
am here as a resident of 951111 of the target zip codes. >> been there for 43 years.

1285
05:04:32,800 --> 05:04:32,800
raised our family there. I am also the present of the seven trees neighborhood

1286
05:04:39,600 --> 05:04:39,600
association. The present of the d7 leadership group and the

1287
05:04:43,933 --> 05:04:43,933
secretary for the d.k. G. Zeta theta chapter which is an educator society made up

1288
05:04:51,700 --> 05:04:51,700
of retired and current teachers. >> I'm busy all three of these

1289
05:04:58,900 --> 05:04:58,900
groups have asked me to speak on their behalf in support of blue zones and to encourage

1290
05:05:03,366 --> 05:05:03,366
you to continue with this project and with the collaboration between the

1291
05:05:10,800 --> 05:05:10,800
county and the city. >> and now I'm hearing nonprofit and profit for profit

1292
05:05:15,766 --> 05:05:15,766
like adobe. So as residents of the seven trees we are excited about the

1293
05:05:20,200 --> 05:05:23,833
prospects of building a stronger, safer and healthier community. We've done a lot of work. >> the city has done a lot of work the county has done a

1294
05:05:30,633 --> 05:05:34,633
lot of work and there's still a lot of work to do. >> and the surrounding neighborhoods of c of d seven know that improvements in one neighborhood like seven trees

1295
05:05:39,500 --> 05:05:39,500
in santee will radiate out to all of district seven. >> and as educators we know

1296
05:05:47,933 --> 05:05:47,933
that the alignment of blue zones with the youth and children's master plan and

1297
05:05:52,600 --> 05:05:52,600
focusing on the on children will benefit not only today but the future as healthy children

1298
05:05:58,966 --> 05:06:02,933
are able to learn better, make better decisions, raise healthier families. >> so really thank you. Thank you dave for all of your work on this bringing us the

1299
05:06:10,566 --> 05:06:10,566
possibility of the blue zones and we hope that you support it and bring it to us.

1300
05:06:15,066 --> 05:06:15,066
we are so excited and ready to work. >> thank you.

1301
05:06:19,233 --> 05:06:19,233
council. >> great. Thank you, toni.

1302
05:06:26,033 --> 05:06:29,166
okay. Coming back to my colleagues, I'm going to turn first to councilmember davis who has been leading the charge on this effort.

1303
05:06:33,200 --> 05:06:33,200
>> thank you, mayor, for for those of you who don't know, it was really the pandemic as a as

1304
05:06:40,800 --> 05:06:40,800
a traumatic event but also where health disparities were clearly revealed to us on

1305
05:06:45,733 --> 05:06:45,733
council in very, very stark life and death terms that that really got me interested in in

1306
05:06:53,000 --> 05:06:53,000
bringing this to us as a way to transform our community. And I think for many people,

1307
05:07:00,766 --> 05:07:00,766
especially our youth and we heard this over the summer there is still an uphill

1308
05:07:05,066 --> 05:07:05,066
recover process from the pandemic still taking place. >> and so I, I am convinced

1309
05:07:12,766 --> 05:07:12,766
that now more than ever our community needs us to bring a transformative process to them

1310
05:07:20,133 --> 05:07:20,133
to to do things differently to help them thrive. And this very, very large

1311
05:07:27,800 --> 05:07:27,800
report is large because there are so many things that the blue zones project brings to

1312
05:07:36,033 --> 05:07:36,033
the community all at once. >> it would you saw in the kind of the eye chart slide bringing

1313
05:07:43,766 --> 05:07:43,766
together schools, worksites, restaurants, grocery stores and churches it's really meeting

1314
05:07:47,900 --> 05:07:47,900
people where they are and going so deep into the community in a way that frankly laura did for

1315
05:07:55,500 --> 05:07:55,500
the children youth services master plan to see what people want it for their youth and

1316
05:08:00,066 --> 05:08:03,800
wanted out of our services that the city in the county and it's it's kind of taking that information out and then going back out and really pulling them in to a project that that

1317
05:08:12,033 --> 05:08:12,033
is transformative for them individually, for their families and for our community

1318
05:08:17,966 --> 05:08:17,966
writ large. I feel really strongly that that we need to that we need to

1319
05:08:26,366 --> 05:08:30,166
do this. And I just want to say that I'm very grateful to christine kraft who worked in my office for a year to actually nine months to help us get all

1320
05:08:34,833 --> 05:08:34,833
of the funding and I'm very grateful to the adobe foundation, the marin council

1321
05:08:41,866 --> 05:08:41,866
for the the budget message in in accepting the budget in 2324 that helped provide the seed

1322
05:08:48,866 --> 05:08:48,866
funding for this the health trust the county of santa clara and the santa clara valley

1323
05:08:53,500 --> 05:08:53,500
family health plan for supporting the work of the assessment and I would be

1324
05:08:59,733 --> 05:08:59,733
remiss if I didn't also thank supervisors cindy chavez and her whole team who coordinated

1325
05:09:04,266 --> 05:09:04,266
with us so that we could do this in partnership with the county and we really have found

1326
05:09:11,366 --> 05:09:11,366
very early on deputy city manager angel rios found a nexus between the blue zones

1327
05:09:19,400 --> 05:09:19,400
work and the children youth services master plan work and so I'm thankful to him and to

1328
05:09:27,066 --> 05:09:31,066
laura brousseau and and peter hamilton to come on in in just the last couple of months to help us get this over the goal line and very thankful for the leadership, the creative

1329
05:09:34,666 --> 05:09:34,666
thinking, the work and and the guidance during this phase. And so today we have the

1330
05:09:41,933 --> 05:09:41,933
results of the assessment which focus in on those three zip codes that are identified as

1331
05:09:46,433 --> 05:09:46,433
pilot sites in the children youth services master plan. >> and if you saw the memo from

1332
05:09:52,866 --> 05:09:52,866
from myself and my colleagues these these zip codes are (951) 169-5112 and 95111 so

1333
05:10:00,133 --> 05:10:00,133
that's the the mayfair mayfair parkway and santee seven trees areas and this is not a cheap

1334
05:10:10,833 --> 05:10:10,833
program. I just want to be clear and I'm not asking for any money from

1335
05:10:14,866 --> 05:10:14,866
the council and we didn't ask for any money from the county earlier today because it's

1336
05:10:19,000 --> 05:10:19,000
really important for us to bring in private philanthropy and and worksite dollars into

1337
05:10:27,000 --> 05:10:27,000
this into this process because the transformation that we're going to have to do at the city

1338
05:10:34,633 --> 05:10:34,633
and that the county's going to have to do will involve re kind of reorienting the funding that

1339
05:10:41,833 --> 05:10:41,833
we already that we already have and use to really make sure that we're providing equitable

1340
05:10:49,300 --> 05:10:49,300
bowl spaces and equitable mobility options for for the east side in a way that I think

1341
05:10:57,800 --> 05:10:57,800
we haven't really done before. So it will also require a transformation at both the city

1342
05:11:02,300 --> 05:11:02,300
and the county. >> and I just want to say I'm glad I have a little bit

1343
05:11:09,500 --> 05:11:09,500
of time left if you if you didn't see that on the placemat .

1344
05:11:15,333 --> 05:11:15,333
one of the most startling statistics in this is the cost of status quo of doing nothing

1345
05:11:19,533 --> 05:11:19,533
the blue zones team conservatively estimates that without a transformation the

1346
05:11:23,966 --> 05:11:23,966
annual medical and productivity cost will increase annually by $1.9 billion over the decade

1347
05:11:31,966 --> 05:11:31,966
which means that san jose will incur a cumulative burden of $15.1 billion more in

1348
05:11:38,733 --> 05:11:38,733
medical costs and $7.6 billion more in lost workforce productivity.

1349
05:11:45,966 --> 05:11:45,966
that's a huge drain on our economy and I know you can look at those and go well, medical

1350
05:11:50,966 --> 05:11:50,966
costs we don't we don't pay those but remember that we're a large employer for the city

1351
05:11:57,200 --> 05:11:57,200
of san jose and we do pay those costs for our community as well.

1352
05:12:02,000 --> 05:12:02,000
>> so I don't think we can afford to really do nothing and we have this opportunity to

1353
05:12:12,166 --> 05:12:12,166
build on the develop the partnership that we've already developed with the county to

1354
05:12:16,633 --> 05:12:16,633
bond our two levels of government to transform positive outcomes for children

1355
05:12:21,166 --> 05:12:21,166
and youth in our community. >> and so with that I would like to move the memo written

1356
05:12:32,066 --> 05:12:32,066
by myself and council members foley, ortiz and dewan with some additions because the

1357
05:12:39,200 --> 05:12:39,200
county basically passed a very similar motion earlier today and they added in item to a one

1358
05:12:50,833 --> 05:12:50,833
in the identification of service duplication and gaps they added child care services

1359
05:12:58,666 --> 05:13:02,500
into that list and then into a two an assessment of infrastructure assets and gaps. >> they added child care facilities.

1360
05:13:08,333 --> 05:13:08,333
>> thank you. Thank you council member let's go to those very thank you so

1361
05:13:16,033 --> 05:13:16,033
much. I want to commend my colleague councilwoman deb davis on this.

1362
05:13:23,866 --> 05:13:23,866
>> this is one of those things where she has planted the seeds of whose trees and fruit she

1363
05:13:30,600 --> 05:13:30,600
will never see. >> this is this is a very, very long, long, long term vision

1364
05:13:37,466 --> 05:13:37,466
and I'm just honored that she's going to leave that legacy and whenever someone says blue zone

1365
05:13:45,433 --> 05:13:45,433
they're going to say have davis davis steve davis. >> and so I think that it is it

1366
05:13:49,766 --> 05:13:49,766
is it is something to commend and you know, to be grateful for because I think that you

1367
05:13:56,433 --> 05:13:56,433
really on to something because it really it really is more it encompasses a more holistic

1368
05:14:04,100 --> 05:14:04,100
view of the whole child, the whole family the whole community, the whole

1369
05:14:11,200 --> 05:14:11,200
environment and making it better. So thank you.

1370
05:14:18,166 --> 05:14:21,666
>> thanks vice mayor, customer and others now. >> thank you, mayor. I wanted to quickly thank councilmember davis for your leadership on this as a member

1371
05:14:28,700 --> 05:14:28,700
of the neighborhood service and education committee we did hear blue zones and the update in

1372
05:14:33,533 --> 05:14:33,533
the status updates a few times and so so it's it's I'm happy to be here today so my all

1373
05:14:43,200 --> 05:14:43,200
of our colleagues can see the great work that's been put in as well as the work that's

1374
05:14:47,700 --> 05:14:47,700
before us and and I'm especially grateful for for the inclusion of the 95122 zip

1375
05:14:53,933 --> 05:14:57,866
code which includes welch park and metaphor in my district as part of that gap analysis to see what kind of transportation and library and use services we can better provide for for our

1376
05:15:05,766 --> 05:15:05,766
committee because we do need to do better and I am grateful for that and I look forward to

1377
05:15:10,400 --> 05:15:13,433
building on on the solid foundation you've helped spearhead. >> so thank you. >> thanks, councilmember. We'll go over to

1378
05:15:17,933 --> 05:15:17,933
councilmember ortiz. >> thank you, mayor. First I just want to start by

1379
05:15:23,466 --> 05:15:23,466
thanking both our city staff and our blue zone staff for their work on this really

1380
05:15:31,000 --> 05:15:34,133
important report. >> and of course I want to join my colleagues in elevating councilmember davis for her leadership on this issue. >> as you come to the final

1381
05:15:39,166 --> 05:15:39,166
months of your your term, I just want to let you know that this is a great gift to

1382
05:15:45,666 --> 05:15:49,400
district five and district seven and to the east side and that we really appreciate your your leadership, you know, coming all the way from willow glen but you you still

1383
05:15:53,700 --> 05:15:57,666
prioritize our our most hardest hit hit neighborhoods so I just really want to elevate you and thank you for for that work but the support is a terrific needs assessment and detailed look

1384
05:16:04,133 --> 05:16:04,133
at where the city is in regards to our public health in particular it shows the need to

1385
05:16:11,333 --> 05:16:11,333
address the historic inequities that continue to be felt in our east san jose neighborhoods

1386
05:16:16,100 --> 05:16:16,100
regardless of it's district five or district seven. You know the residents of the

1387
05:16:21,566 --> 05:16:21,566
two neighborhoods in my district mayfair and polk way that are part of it

1388
05:16:26,000 --> 05:16:26,000
children and youth master plan pilot project are working class families immigrants most

1389
05:16:30,233 --> 05:16:30,233
of whom are people of color and come from these working class working poor backgrounds and

1390
05:16:39,900 --> 05:16:39,900
one of the big takeaways in this report is there are severe differences in the environment

1391
05:16:44,666 --> 05:16:46,200
. Our people are growing up throughout the city and depending on what zip code or what neighborhood you know you're raised in and

1392
05:16:50,133 --> 05:16:50,133
undoubtedly has an effect on our residents health in particular areas like east

1393
05:16:57,133 --> 05:17:00,666
san jose are in dire need of investment in their built environment including east san jose's parks and green spaces and I'm glad to support our memo with

1394
05:17:08,133 --> 05:17:11,566
councilmember davis leadership along with councilmember foley and council member dawn to heighten the city's coordination with the county on the pilot program areas.

1395
05:17:15,666 --> 05:17:15,666
>> and I'm hopeful that private funding can yield some real results so that all san jose

1396
05:17:23,133 --> 05:17:23,133
residents can live long and healthy lives because regardless of what neighborhood

1397
05:17:27,500 --> 05:17:27,500
you're born into or where you live, you deserve to live long and healthy life here in

1398
05:17:32,033 --> 05:17:35,366
san jose. >> so thank you so much. >> thanks councilmember councilmember for I too want to acknowledge councilmember davis I remember

1399
05:17:42,800 --> 05:17:46,700
when she brought this in and I actually didn't make the connection between covid and where we are today. But listening to your presentation on blue zones

1400
05:17:53,800 --> 05:17:53,800
actually made me think about project cornerstone and the 41 developmental assets that our

1401
05:18:01,266 --> 05:18:01,266
children need in order to thrive and be successful all blue zones takes it a step

1402
05:18:06,666 --> 05:18:06,666
further it incorporates the whole family, the whole community and encourages us and

1403
05:18:13,400 --> 05:18:13,400
really demands us to make the changes we need to make our environment better for all

1404
05:18:20,666 --> 05:18:20,666
around us and focusing on the three zip codes that are that are part of the pilot pilot

1405
05:18:25,866 --> 05:18:25,866
program makes absolute sense. If we're going to see success we must start there and we must

1406
05:18:33,633 --> 05:18:37,433
be successful. The families in those communities deserve it. So thank you dev for bringing this forward and for allowing me to participate in your brown

1407
05:18:44,566 --> 05:18:48,266
act. I look forward to seeing it go forward and I'm truly proud to be part of your legacy that will be going forward. This will be called the dev

1408
05:18:53,833 --> 05:18:53,833
davis blue zones I think. >> thank you. Thanks councilmember said

1409
05:19:00,600 --> 05:19:00,600
another hand going up. >> all right councilmember minutes I'll just say thank you

1410
05:19:08,000 --> 05:19:10,633
for all the work councilmember davis and I also wanted to highlight 95111 also encompasses areas in district two the roundtable area the project hope areas eatonville

1411
05:19:17,333 --> 05:19:20,933
neighborhood. There's an eatonville community center for example that has I think some vacant space. I know part of the goal is to establish an office in that

1412
05:19:23,166 --> 05:19:23,166
respective area so I just wanted to highlight that this isn't only san jose, it's south

1413
05:19:28,633 --> 05:19:28,633
san jose as well because many of the neighborhoods that are impacted by everything that

1414
05:19:33,133 --> 05:19:36,866
councilmember davis has mentioned really are in all parts of the city and I think oftentimes we forget that. So I just wanted to highlight 95111 south san jose and some

1415
05:19:40,366 --> 05:19:40,366
of these areas that need assistance as well and and councilmember you know many

1416
05:19:46,466 --> 05:19:46,466
have referenced kind of the pilot locations in alarming really disturbing statistic

1417
05:19:51,433 --> 05:19:51,433
that really came out of this blue zones report from dr. The never out of the university

1418
05:19:58,966 --> 05:19:58,966
of oxford found that residents living in these zip codes have a shorter lower life expectancy

1419
05:20:06,566 --> 05:20:06,566
of 3 to 5 years. So if you know so when we went back and jumped in and kind

1420
05:20:10,933 --> 05:20:10,933
of looked at took a deeper dive, we found that on average residents east of one on one

1421
05:20:15,066 --> 05:20:15,066
and in these high need areas are have shorter lifespans. And so I think that in and

1422
05:20:22,633 --> 05:20:22,633
of itself is kind of really our call to action right? Which is how do we how do we

1423
05:20:26,800 --> 05:20:30,333
impact the built environment, how do we impact access to better food and nutrition? How do we how do we level the playing field a little bit around, you know, the

1424
05:20:34,833 --> 05:20:38,733
disproportionate access to alcohol and tobacco and other things that are impacting our young people and other families. >> and so yeah, that was an

1425
05:20:42,566 --> 05:20:45,466
alarming statistic that I just wanted to share. Yeah. Yeah. And I appreciate that and I think I'm not the only one up

1426
05:20:47,066 --> 05:20:47,066
here but my family lives in the 95111 area code and in some of those neighborhoods and so

1427
05:20:53,566 --> 05:20:53,566
you know the statistics bear out that maybe some of my own family members won't live that

1428
05:20:57,666 --> 05:21:01,366
long if they continue to live in that area or less the area gets improved and gets the services and all these different things a wraparound sort of work if you will the

1429
05:21:05,300 --> 05:21:05,300
blue zone related work I think is super important. >> I would also say that

1430
05:21:09,833 --> 05:21:09,833
because as an example the roundtable area falls in in the 95111 area I don't know if

1431
05:21:16,200 --> 05:21:16,200
that's too many ones but what I what I can tell you is we've been I've been actively working

1432
05:21:23,333 --> 05:21:27,233
in that space for many years and in that neighborhood trying to improve a lot of the traffic patterns and things of that nature. So I'd like to think that some

1433
05:21:28,833 --> 05:21:32,433
of that work is already naturally has been happening by some of the work that we as council members and the community folks have been doing.

1434
05:21:35,200 --> 05:21:35,200
and so I'm hoping this when it gets up and running to helps supplement some of what's been

1435
05:21:39,233 --> 05:21:42,400
done already. >> thank you. >> thanks. Councilmember scored a councilor one on one to echo everything that the rest of our

1436
05:21:49,433 --> 05:21:49,433
colleagues have already said is you leaving an incredible legacy you're bringing what

1437
05:21:56,966 --> 05:21:56,966
back to the basic you're bringing family value the traditional programs for a news

1438
05:22:04,366 --> 05:22:04,366
not only changing the generation right now but changing that generation for

1439
05:22:09,066 --> 05:22:12,500
the future. >> and I just want to say thank you very much for that. Thanks, councilmember. Well repetitive at this point but I also think councilor

1440
05:22:17,266 --> 05:22:17,266
davis and supervisor chavez for bringing forward this work and bringing blue zones to san jose

1441
05:22:24,200 --> 05:22:24,200
to do this assessment. It's quite a for those who are up in the audience that are

1442
05:22:28,900 --> 05:22:28,900
watching online quite a robust assessment. >> I appreciate that it doesn't

1443
05:22:35,900 --> 05:22:39,033
reinvent the wheel that it's really aligned with the children and youth services master plan on the work that we already do to support young people in the community and

1444
05:22:42,700 --> 05:22:46,533
think about how to support families and growing healthy young people who can achieve their full potential in san jose. >> I also think anything we do

1445
05:22:51,000 --> 05:22:54,500
that takes a holistic view better aligns. >> what we're doing with the county is is a good thing and trying to get upstream of things that we spend a lot

1446
05:22:58,533 --> 05:22:58,533
of money on later like homelessness and crime and blight and all the rest so

1447
05:23:02,833 --> 05:23:02,833
various supportive of of where we're trying to go with this I do think one of the lessons

1448
05:23:09,700 --> 05:23:09,700
actually from everything I've learned about blue zones over the years is that so much comes

1449
05:23:14,333 --> 05:23:14,333
down to culture and so the question I have for staff is what we're hearing from

1450
05:23:21,133 --> 05:23:25,133
community leaders and I saw the things I appreciate about the assessment you actually name the names of people you interviewed and have pictures from the community meetings

1451
05:23:28,833 --> 05:23:28,833
which I think is really helpful but to me the success of this will be partly do we get

1452
05:23:33,333 --> 05:23:33,333
private and philanthropic entities to want to fund the work and have a multi-year view

1453
05:23:40,533 --> 05:23:44,433
but how bought in or the community leaders and are they ready to embrace and help lead the kind of cultural change if you will that the city that the city needs?

1454
05:23:48,633 --> 05:23:48,633
>> so I'd love to hear a little more about how we're measuring or sort of validating the buy

1455
05:23:53,033 --> 05:23:53,033
in of community leaders as we move forward. Yeah, I think that that's

1456
05:24:00,366 --> 05:24:04,066
really kind of the the the big challenge and the opportunity. Right. And this will only work if the community embraces this right? This can be an outside in kind

1457
05:24:11,066 --> 05:24:11,066
of approach, right? I think from a I think what's unique about this is that I

1458
05:24:15,133 --> 05:24:15,133
think with by leveraging blue zones I think we're going to be able to attract other funders

1459
05:24:19,866 --> 05:24:19,866
that we have historically not attracted into our community. So I think that's a big plus.

1460
05:24:26,066 --> 05:24:26,066
but but all this work you know ,if we do this work correctly will leverage the work and the

1461
05:24:33,333 --> 05:24:37,100
infrastructure that we've put in place around the children youth master plan right. And that is all community based at all levels children, youth, adults and at the end of the

1462
05:24:41,533 --> 05:24:41,533
day they're going to have to kind of drive the agenda. They're going to have to drive

1463
05:24:46,000 --> 05:24:49,633
the priorities and the way we're approaching that to pilot launches is this work they will have the ability to take a look at this report identified the seven strategic strategy is

1464
05:24:57,133 --> 05:24:57,133
that they themselves identified through a robust community engagement process and they

1465
05:25:01,166 --> 05:25:01,166
themselves identified the priorities and recommendations that they want to advance and

1466
05:25:06,300 --> 05:25:10,266
then we'll be helping to see that with some of our initial, you know, seed money that that we're funding towards these and with the goal being that they operationalize this into the

1467
05:25:16,633 --> 05:25:16,633
culture of the neighborhood right at all levels. So we know that that's not an

1468
05:25:20,700 --> 05:25:24,566
overnight thing that's that's not a sprint that's kind of a long game but but it starts with with with you know, starting with a different vision of the culture in a

1469
05:25:32,200 --> 05:25:32,200
different outcome and that's what I think people have been really excited about is is I

1470
05:25:36,333 --> 05:25:40,300
don't think we just need another program right? I think what we need is they want it to look and feel different and that's why people are I mean we've had to cut off

1471
05:25:45,166 --> 05:25:48,866
at some of our meetings because of space. We have to keep going to bigger locations because you know, we're you know, we're getting rsvp list of 100 plus people

1472
05:25:54,800 --> 05:25:58,066
and we're like well we got to start expanding. So that's a good problem to have. So yeah, bottom line it has to be a community driven strategy

1473
05:26:05,200 --> 05:26:07,000
. The children youth master plan is structured in that way and ultimately they'll help define the performance metrics and then we'll we'll measure those

1474
05:26:12,633 --> 05:26:12,633
. Okay, sounds good. I appreciate all that.

1475
05:26:16,900 --> 05:26:19,900
I will one follow up and then I know we've got a motion a second and I don't want to hold us up to have other important business this evening I do want to know so tonight we're being

1476
05:26:24,133 --> 05:26:27,200
asked to accept the report and some next steps that make sense to me. I'll be supportive of that as we continue the process. >> and I know this there's

1477
05:26:32,233 --> 05:26:36,100
there's a note I have around I'm coming back to the council in the new year and as we lead into the budget process talk about assigning staff resources to work, what is that?

1478
05:26:43,166 --> 05:26:47,166
what are the validation points? What should we just to kind of backwards plan from the success that we want to see we come next spring and to talk about this what should we

1479
05:26:54,466 --> 05:26:54,466
expect to see in terms of communities support engagement?

1480
05:26:59,000 --> 05:26:59,000
what tells us that there's real buy in? So I'll be making phone calls

1481
05:27:03,200 --> 05:27:07,100
and listening myself. I'm sure council members will but I'm just curious how do we how do we know that there's kind of how do we validate that there's sufficient bottom up

1482
05:27:13,566 --> 05:27:13,566
support and engagement and excitement that people are like yes, we want to go do this

1483
05:27:17,900 --> 05:27:21,566
because I mean to me that's what will make it exciting and successful and worth going out and raising the money and pushing it and committing to a five year program is if people

1484
05:27:24,833 --> 05:27:24,833
are coming out of the woodwork saying we really want this. >> yeah I can only speak to

1485
05:27:31,966 --> 05:27:35,600
this from my experience in other communities we've got a little over 90 communities in the united states today you all probably have heard or seen in the news

1486
05:27:40,566 --> 05:27:40,566
riverside county is actually launching a blue zones project right now.

1487
05:27:44,633 --> 05:27:44,633
they have begun that process and have begun hiring their team actually this week they're

1488
05:27:51,100 --> 05:27:54,100
doing their kickoff event so they're in that transfer in that foundation and planning phase. And where we are today is we're delivering a final, you know,

1489
05:28:01,933 --> 05:28:01,933
report to get moving to that next stage. What I would anticipate and

1490
05:28:06,033 --> 05:28:06,033
probably what many of you are already experiencing especially after today when we've made

1491
05:28:12,833 --> 05:28:12,833
this public councilmember davis her team has done an excellent job of sharing this out very

1492
05:28:17,900 --> 05:28:17,900
broadly connecting with all of those community members that have participated in this.

1493
05:28:22,566 --> 05:28:22,566
we see why s&p there participated with us along the way and they are continue ing

1494
05:28:29,466 --> 05:28:32,933
to get outreach to their offices to say when is this happening and you're going to probably see more of that. We've been very intentional about keeping the website up to

1495
05:28:34,833 --> 05:28:34,833
date, giving them appropriate materials and channeling them in the right direction because

1496
05:28:40,433 --> 05:28:43,933
what we what you will see and what happens in other communities is there will be kind of a growing demand where you will get calls, you will hear conversations.

1497
05:28:48,900 --> 05:28:48,900
people will be asking and so the work that generally happens from now until what you

1498
05:28:53,900 --> 05:28:53,900
reference the spring is that if we do our job right blue zones in partnership with the city

1499
05:29:00,400 --> 05:29:00,400
and county as we will have said can we bring the funding together?

1500
05:29:04,666 --> 05:29:04,666
we will have those meaningful conversations with those private nonprofit philanthropic

1501
05:29:11,733 --> 05:29:11,733
stakeholders and if we are successful we will then be able to say do we actually have the

1502
05:29:16,933 --> 05:29:20,133
demand? We will know from the conversations that we are having. We will know from the leaders such as angel and others that

1503
05:29:21,800 --> 05:29:21,800
are engaging directly is this is this what if the community wants it then we'll be ready to

1504
05:29:27,933 --> 05:29:31,800
say okay, we can move forward but you do want to have demonstration of both of those points and there'll be other opportunities to engage along the way and to ensure that that

1505
05:29:36,000 --> 05:29:39,233
is shored up before you commit and move forward to the next phase. Okay. Appreciate it. Thank you.

1506
05:29:43,166 --> 05:29:43,166
all right. I think we have a vote to take. >> I don't see any other hands

1507
05:29:48,033 --> 05:29:48,033
up, toni. What's folk? >> motion passes unanimous lee

1508
05:29:57,333 --> 05:29:57,333
all right. >> thank you all very much. Okay, we are on to item 10.3.

1509
05:30:12,233 --> 05:30:12,233
we have a short staff presentation about a planned development program for a

1510
05:30:19,900 --> 05:30:19,900
property located at 3464 ampm avenue. >> we'll wait for chris and the

1511
05:30:26,400 --> 05:30:26,400
team to get down to the box. >> thank you. Mayor chris burton, director

1512
05:30:38,200 --> 05:30:41,866
of planning building code enforcement joined today by john to our division manager for development review and david keene, principal planner for environmental review on

1513
05:30:51,133 --> 05:30:51,133
route. >> so the project members the project before you is a plan

1514
05:31:02,500 --> 05:31:02,500
development rezoning plan development permit a tentative map with associated

1515
05:31:10,166 --> 05:31:14,100
environmental impact report and sorry am indeed my apologies I knew that was coming to projects the zoning includes as I said a plan development rezoning that will allow the

1516
05:31:24,800 --> 05:31:24,800
demolition of a single family residence as well as associated accessory buildings.

1517
05:31:30,866 --> 05:31:30,866
the removal of 23 ordnance size trees and the construction of four two storey detached

1518
05:31:35,033 --> 05:31:35,033
single family residences and an approximately 2.6 acre gross site as well as associated best

1519
05:31:41,833 --> 05:31:45,700
in tentative map for the subdivision. >> the property is located just here off of amber avenue and you'll see that it has a general plan designation, a

1520
05:31:53,700 --> 05:31:53,700
residential neighborhood and an existing zoning of one five single family residence.

1521
05:32:00,366 --> 05:32:03,666
>> the proposed zoning does conform to the r15 zoning district. It just includes some limitations on setbacks because of the unique nature of the

1522
05:32:08,000 --> 05:32:11,866
site. It's actually graded there's a hill associated so we were trying to work with the applicant to deliver the most efficient site plan.

1523
05:32:18,500 --> 05:32:18,500
>> the project was reviewed for conformance with the general plan as well as the objective

1524
05:32:23,066 --> 05:32:23,066
standards contained within it regarding density and air as well as the municipal code for

1525
05:32:27,233 --> 05:32:27,233
zoning and tree removal rules as well as the subdivision and of course with sequel the

1526
05:32:33,100 --> 05:32:33,100
environmental review is an mitigated negative declaration which was circulated back in

1527
05:32:39,100 --> 05:32:39,100
june of this year. We received full comment letters that were addressed by

1528
05:32:43,133 --> 05:32:43,133
staff in formal responses to the comments back in august the mitigated negative declaration

1529
05:32:49,566 --> 05:32:49,566
found impacts related to biological resources hazards and hazardous materials as well

1530
05:32:54,333 --> 05:32:54,333
as noise with implementation of the identified mitigation measures included those in the

1531
05:33:00,933 --> 05:33:00,933
mitigation monitoring and reporting program all identified impacts would be

1532
05:33:05,466 --> 05:33:09,333
reduced to a less than significant level. So staff is recommending adoption of a resolution adopting the residential subdivision project mitigated

1533
05:33:16,566 --> 05:33:16,566
negative declaration approving an ordinance rezoning the site from 152015 pd adopt a

1534
05:33:24,033 --> 05:33:24,033
resolution approving subject to conditions the associated investing tentative map as well

1535
05:33:28,766 --> 05:33:28,766
as adopting a resolution approving subject to conditions the associated plan development

1536
05:33:33,100 --> 05:33:33,100
permit and with that staff is available for questions. >> thank you chris.

1537
05:33:39,800 --> 05:33:43,666
>> toni do we have any public comment not for this item. Okay. >> and I should just note because we have a lot of folks here I suspect for the next

1538
05:33:45,800 --> 05:33:45,800
item if you wish to speak there are comment cards down at the bit where these plastic or

1539
05:33:52,000 --> 05:33:52,000
glass boxes I think they're plastic at the base of the staircase here if you fill out

1540
05:33:56,033 --> 05:33:56,033
a comment card and turn it in, put it in the box, then we'll we'll know of a sense of how

1541
05:34:02,733 --> 05:34:02,733
many people want to speak but no public comment on this item on this item that we will come

1542
05:34:07,300 --> 05:34:07,300
back to the council. >> we'll start with I believe this is in councilor condos

1543
05:34:11,400 --> 05:34:14,800
district so we'll start with the council member thank you mayor. >> I want to just start off thinking crisp and your team for the presentation as you

1544
05:34:21,133 --> 05:34:21,133
mentioned the of the proposed development area is situated on the hill overlooking

1545
05:34:25,200 --> 05:34:25,200
surrounding neighborhoods and I have heard from some residents around concerns with the sight

1546
05:34:32,566 --> 05:34:32,566
lines and privacy issues thereby created by the by the hill structure.

1547
05:34:40,100 --> 05:34:40,100
so my question for you is how many units could this site yield without the this pd

1548
05:34:47,800 --> 05:34:47,800
zoning and with the conditions of of on of the site on the public street yeah john to

1549
05:34:56,266 --> 05:34:59,966
division manager so with the speed with three provision which would let them utilize the maximum development that the general plan designation which is eight dwelling units

1550
05:35:05,766 --> 05:35:05,766
to the acre 21 units however you went and you net out a street probably about 15 units

1551
05:35:10,900 --> 05:35:10,900
is what they can theoretically design you know give us some grading that might be a bit

1552
05:35:15,100 --> 05:35:18,433
lower but here there are they're proposing okay not many. >> right. Okay. Thank you.

1553
05:35:21,233 --> 05:35:24,633
so it's about 15 unit 15 to 21 give or take. Okay. And then is the applicant here with the applicant come down and I have a question for for

1554
05:35:31,266 --> 05:35:31,266
the applicant I'm sorry. I should have warned you while I was talking to kristen.

1555
05:35:41,200 --> 05:35:43,466
got you closer to the to the mike. How are you doing? I mean councilmember no, I know I have I know that you met with a few of the neighbors to

1556
05:35:51,100 --> 05:35:54,900
gather feedback before you know, before coming here, correct? >> correct. And so what were some of the comments that the neighbors

1557
05:36:01,733 --> 05:36:01,733
suggested from those meetings? Good evening, mayor councilmember ryan.

1558
05:36:09,733 --> 05:36:13,000
the applicant would be on capital. So we did meet with the neighbors didn't really what you just mentioned the privacy issues certainly we presented

1559
05:36:16,933 --> 05:36:16,933
our projects as some that provides trees around the sites, the perimeter but also

1560
05:36:24,833 --> 05:36:28,666
around the laws to help address provide screening and shading for that area. So that's what we chose to do to mitigate the concerns. >> gotcha.

1561
05:36:32,366 --> 05:36:32,366
and so so of the okay. All right. And so how many how many

1562
05:36:37,133 --> 05:36:37,133
meetings did we have with with the community? >> there was a phone call and

1563
05:36:43,333 --> 05:36:43,333
then there's a virtual meeting. So two conversations. Okay.

1564
05:36:47,400 --> 05:36:51,100
all right. Thank you. Thank you, ryan. That's all for now and so you know, like like I mentioned I heard from from neighbors I

1565
05:36:57,633 --> 05:36:57,633
actually went door to door to every every home surrounding the the the project and you

1566
05:37:02,133 --> 05:37:02,133
know, my goal was to, you know, bring the applicant and a few of the neighbors to come up

1567
05:37:09,400 --> 05:37:13,300
with with something to bring additional mitigations. And you know, I am someone disappointed a while I understand the applicant's responsibility to maximize the

1568
05:37:16,933 --> 05:37:20,900
opportunity to produce a product that sells which is what we talked about with with the additional balconies overlooking that appears you know floor balconies appear to

1569
05:37:25,266 --> 05:37:25,266
be excessive and so you know while we aim to facilitate development in san jose, you

1570
05:37:32,533 --> 05:37:32,533
know I think that that balance of you know the residents is quality of life is tough is

1571
05:37:40,366 --> 05:37:40,366
tough and I know some folks were really disappointed but alas you know I that's why I'm

1572
05:37:44,633 --> 05:37:44,633
grateful for my colleagues who who worked together on on the memorandum that we put forth

1573
05:37:50,866 --> 05:37:50,866
that looked to establish additional conditions with regards to the issue we

1574
05:37:55,366 --> 05:37:55,366
mentioned requiring to modify that landscape plan to to include better shading and

1575
05:38:02,600 --> 05:38:02,600
screening and more importantly the condition to minimize the loss of neighborhood privacy by

1576
05:38:09,333 --> 05:38:09,333
strategically placing shading and screen foliage for the surrounding neighborhoods.

1577
05:38:14,100 --> 05:38:14,100
and I think with these additional conditions I think we sought to address those

1578
05:38:20,466 --> 05:38:24,466
privacy concerns. And so with that I like to move the memo authored by by my colleagues and I don't thinks councilmember has voted as you could or did you should

1579
05:38:33,466 --> 05:38:36,200
okay. >> all right. Got it. Thanks, councilor. I appreciate your work on this .

1580
05:38:39,033 --> 05:38:39,033
any other questions or comments from colleagues? I'm not seeing any.

1581
05:38:43,133 --> 05:38:43,133
>> okay, toni, let's vote. >> motion passes nine zero with davis absent.

1582
05:39:00,466 --> 05:39:00,466
>> okay. Thank you, toni. All right.

1583
05:39:07,200 --> 05:39:07,200
thank you. Just staff so we are on to item 10.4 which is the conditional

1584
05:39:16,933 --> 05:39:16,933
use permit to allow construction of a new commercial retail building

1585
05:39:24,266 --> 05:39:24,266
at 50 to 87 prospect road. We have a couple of recusals so I want to start with those

1586
05:39:32,533 --> 05:39:32,533
councilmember foley and then I'll go to councilor batra. Thank you mayor or I need to

1587
05:39:37,166 --> 05:39:40,533
recuse myself due to a financial conflict. >> okay. Thank you. Councilmember and councilor batra I have a conflict

1588
05:39:44,766 --> 05:39:44,766
of interest as I own some of the shares of this costco company.

1589
05:39:52,233 --> 05:39:56,233
>> okay, great. So council members foley and batra will leave the chamber. We will still have a quorum. >> we'll be able to make a decision this evening which is

1590
05:40:01,933 --> 05:40:01,933
good news, toni just before and I will I will get into a few since we have a large group

1591
05:40:08,433 --> 05:40:08,433
here I'll I'll lay a couple of ground rules but just before I do that and I'll kind of lay

1592
05:40:12,533 --> 05:40:16,133
out the sequencing here how many comment cards do we have at this point? >> 4646 okay. >> it's a lot. So what we will do process wise

1593
05:40:22,533 --> 05:40:22,533
is we'll hear the staff presentation. >> the applicant is then given

1594
05:40:31,800 --> 05:40:31,800
five minutes to present. >> we then go to public comment given the very high volume

1595
05:40:40,666 --> 05:40:44,000
of cards we will not be able do the full two minutes. I know many of you reached out requesting to have time to make your case. I'm going to start by limiting

1596
05:40:48,366 --> 05:40:51,833
to a minute and a half and see how we do. I understand you all are here on an evening put a lot of time and effort into be here so I do want to try to give everybody

1597
05:40:57,000 --> 05:41:00,300
an opportunity to be heard. I also need to keep quorum and make sure we hear from everyone in the chamber if we're running start to lose people. >> I make further reduce it but

1598
05:41:06,700 --> 05:41:06,700
I must start at 90s after that will come back to the council for deliberation and emotion.

1599
05:41:13,833 --> 05:41:13,833
>> so we'll start with the staff presentation. Thank you mayor.

1600
05:41:18,166 --> 05:41:18,166
as noted this is a conditional use permit for the westgate west center for the proposed

1601
05:41:24,800 --> 05:41:24,800
costco project. >> so here you'll see the project location on the corner

1602
05:41:29,100 --> 05:41:29,100
of lawrence expressway and prospect road. The site has a general plan

1603
05:41:35,833 --> 05:41:35,833
designation of neighborhood community commercial and an existing zoning of commercial

1604
05:41:40,700 --> 05:41:40,700
general. >> the project includes the demolition of existing three

1605
05:41:47,566 --> 05:41:47,566
single storey commercial buildings that total a little under 180,000ft2 the removal

1606
05:41:53,833 --> 05:41:53,833
of 115 trees 73 which of ordinance 42 a non ordinance size and proposes 198

1607
05:42:00,700 --> 05:42:00,700
replacement trees and will include the construction of 165,000 square foot costco

1608
05:42:05,766 --> 05:42:05,766
building this is a conditional use permit that includes the new construction but also

1609
05:42:12,133 --> 05:42:12,133
includes the determination of public convenience and necessity which needs to be

1610
05:42:16,933 --> 05:42:16,933
heard by city council in conjunction with the type 21 abc license for all sale

1611
05:42:21,366 --> 05:42:21,366
of alcohol. The project also includes saturday construction hours

1612
05:42:28,266 --> 05:42:28,266
from 8 a.m. To 5 p.m. And five 24 hour concrete pours. >> the project was reviewed for

1613
05:42:35,133 --> 05:42:39,000
conformance with the 2040 general plan as well as the municipal code. The citywide design standards and guidelines as well as council policy six dash 30

1614
05:42:43,600 --> 05:42:43,600
public outreach and with the california environmental quality act for environmental

1615
05:42:51,366 --> 05:42:51,366
review. >> a notice of preparation went out back in january of 2022 we

1616
05:42:55,466 --> 05:42:55,466
held an environmental scoping meeting that month. The draft environmental impact

1617
05:43:02,800 --> 05:43:02,800
report was circulated back in december of last year and then the final environmental impact

1618
05:43:07,366 --> 05:43:07,366
report containing the the first amendment the draft eia and the mrp was completed on september

1619
05:43:16,866 --> 05:43:16,866
13th of this year and impacts from the project can be mitigated to a less than

1620
05:43:25,133 --> 05:43:25,133
significant level with implementation of mitigation measures.

1621
05:43:29,166 --> 05:43:29,166
these include air quality during construction nesting birds hazard and hazardous

1622
05:43:35,666 --> 05:43:39,233
materials from past uses on the site and construction related noise. The environmental impact report did not identify any significant or unavoidable

1623
05:43:43,800 --> 05:43:43,800
impacts we did study project alternatives that included a no project alternative as well as

1624
05:43:51,033 --> 05:43:51,033
three other alternatives beyond the no project alternative. The alternate placement on site

1625
05:43:55,833 --> 05:43:55,833
would be the environmentally superior option because it did reduce noise and vibration

1626
05:44:02,100 --> 05:44:02,100
impact for residents located on the east side of the project. However, this alternative would

1627
05:44:06,400 --> 05:44:06,400
not foley realize the project objectives and would result in similar impacts for the other

1628
05:44:13,000 --> 05:44:13,000
resource areas to the proposed project in response to the circulation staff received 387

1629
05:44:20,400 --> 05:44:20,400
written comment letters during public circulation and and these raised concerns relative

1630
05:44:25,633 --> 05:44:25,633
to site access pedestrian safety traffic and parking perceived incompatibility with

1631
05:44:32,500 --> 05:44:32,500
the urban village goals alcohol sales, air quality and hazardous materials.

1632
05:44:36,800 --> 05:44:39,933
all comments were addressed in the first amendment and none of these comments identified substantive inadequacies in the draft environmental impact report recirculation of the

1633
05:44:46,500 --> 05:44:46,500
air is therefore not required. >> and so last lastly staff is recommending adoption of a

1634
05:44:54,133 --> 05:44:54,133
resolution certifying the westgate west costco air as well as adopting a resolution

1635
05:45:02,000 --> 05:45:05,666
approving subject to conditions a conditional use permit to allow the demolition of said buildings and the construction of the new costco building staff has won additional

1636
05:45:12,366 --> 05:45:12,366
condition the following further discussions will be adding and so I'm going to hand over to

1637
05:45:18,466 --> 05:45:18,466
john to talk to the junta division manager made some public comments with c prior to

1638
05:45:22,933 --> 05:45:22,933
this hearing. >> propane sell sells staff has an additional condition to add

1639
05:45:28,866 --> 05:45:28,866
to the resolution a prohibition on the sale and refilling of propane.

1640
05:45:33,000 --> 05:45:33,000
this aligns with what was analyzed in the air which was expressly stated that propane

1641
05:45:37,200 --> 05:45:40,666
would not be sold at the site. This lounge should be added to condition below condition number seven f in the youth authorization section of the conditional use permit

1642
05:45:44,800 --> 05:45:48,033
resolution the conditional read as follow seven propane sales and refilling the sales of propane in propane refilling is prohibited and with that steps available for

1643
05:45:55,266 --> 05:45:55,266
additional questions. >> okay. Thank you for the staff report

1644
05:46:01,933 --> 05:46:01,933
and recommendation. >> we're going to now turn to the applicant and the

1645
05:46:06,066 --> 05:46:06,066
applicant. >> once you get started we'll have five minutes.

1646
05:46:10,200 --> 05:46:10,200
>> we're having your back. >> we're having an audio issue for the broadcast but it's back

1647
05:46:15,300 --> 05:46:15,300
so don't worry about it. Okay. >> thank you, toni.

1648
05:46:45,666 --> 05:46:45,666
>> go ahead, sir. >> there you go. Good evening.

1649
05:46:50,500 --> 05:46:50,500
me and me and vice mayor comey and the san jose city council. >> I want to first thank you

1650
05:46:56,200 --> 05:46:56,200
for allowing us to present the proposed costco at the west gate west mall tonight.

1651
05:47:00,333 --> 05:47:04,300
my name is michael kumar. I'm the avp real estate development for costco wholesale san jose has been home for us for over 30 years with five successful warehouses

1652
05:47:11,033 --> 05:47:13,033
in the city. >> we have a strong roots in the community and our membership has grown along with the successful growth of the city of san jose for years our

1653
05:47:19,100 --> 05:47:19,100
members have been asking for a new warehouse in west san jose. We are excited to have found a

1654
05:47:26,566 --> 05:47:30,266
home here at the westgate west mall. >> as you have heard, many of the neighbors have significant concerns about the location we've listened and

1655
05:47:34,333 --> 05:47:38,300
made changes to make the project better working with the landlord we're creating a new revitalized mall that will improve pedestrian and bike safety along lawrence

1656
05:47:42,200 --> 05:47:42,200
expressway. We are contributing 2.5 million toward pedestrian safety at the

1657
05:47:48,900 --> 05:47:48,900
intersection of lawrence and prospect. >> this location is convenient

1658
05:47:56,133 --> 05:47:56,133
to where our members live as as you can see from the graphic above and which will we believe

1659
05:48:00,700 --> 05:48:00,700
will help reduce travel across town to the other existing warehouses.

1660
05:48:08,100 --> 05:48:08,100
>> this project will not have a fuel station but it will be creating over 250 to 300 new

1661
05:48:15,066 --> 05:48:18,233
jobs paying an average of $29 an hour. >> the city's own office of economic development estimates that approximately over $2 million of annual

1662
05:48:24,400 --> 05:48:24,400
sales tax will be generated from a big box just like costco .

1663
05:48:30,333 --> 05:48:30,333
>> we have spent significant time with the community and stakeholders over the past

1664
05:48:35,166 --> 05:48:35,166
three years, including participating in nearly 40 meetings with neighbors the

1665
05:48:41,733 --> 05:48:45,566
high school district, adjacent medical office owners shopping center tenants and costco members. >> we have currently received over 3000 community letters

1666
05:48:52,666 --> 05:48:52,666
of support of which over 450 support letters from district one has expressed their support

1667
05:48:59,300 --> 05:48:59,300
and will provide that to the city clerk. We have listened and learned

1668
05:49:06,933 --> 05:49:06,933
the project before you this evening is responsive to the community concerns and achieves

1669
05:49:14,166 --> 05:49:14,166
costco's objectives. >> as noted on slide above as proposed on the on the site

1670
05:49:22,433 --> 05:49:22,433
plan some highlighted modifications along graves on the west side at the cul de sac

1671
05:49:29,400 --> 05:49:29,400
that driveway that existing driveway is going to close. >> no costco delivery trucks

1672
05:49:33,933 --> 05:49:33,933
will be on will come through graves we are closing the eastern graves driveway

1673
05:49:41,266 --> 05:49:41,266
at night to all truck traffic actually close at all at night related to traffic and the

1674
05:49:48,666 --> 05:49:48,666
project design eliminates all existing loading docks that currently exists about ten

1675
05:49:53,166 --> 05:49:53,166
of them the faces of residences the costco loading dock itself not in yellow is facing south.

1676
05:50:00,500 --> 05:50:00,500
it's a little bit different than our prototype. >> it will have a wall and a

1677
05:50:05,266 --> 05:50:05,266
wall on the side and a roof on top to help muffle the sounds. >> we're also adding a six foot

1678
05:50:12,133 --> 05:50:12,133
tall screen wall along graves and shifting the building to align pedestrian safety.

1679
05:50:19,500 --> 05:50:19,500
>> we've agreed to contribute 2.5 million to address the existing pedestrian and bike

1680
05:50:23,700 --> 05:50:23,700
safety. >> we're improving pedestrian path at graves two from graves

1681
05:50:27,766 --> 05:50:27,766
to prospect on along lawrence improving the lawrence driveway intersection and I want to also

1682
05:50:35,733 --> 05:50:39,633
thank you vice mayor for coordinating the effort to identify the set of improvements to crease pedestrian safety and help minimize the distance for

1683
05:50:43,566 --> 05:50:43,566
crossings. To summarize the project benefits we're revitalizing an

1684
05:50:47,666 --> 05:50:47,666
existing shopping center. We're reducing truck traffic on graves over the prior condition

1685
05:50:54,266 --> 05:50:54,266
which was over 18 trucks to less than six eliminating the existing ten loading dock doors

1686
05:51:00,300 --> 05:51:00,300
that faces the residents right now improve pedestrian and bike safety along lawrence increased

1687
05:51:06,766 --> 05:51:06,766
tax revenue by cities estimates by 2 million promote economic growth by 203 to 300

1688
05:51:13,766 --> 05:51:13,766
well-paying jobs. >> so tonight I respectfully ask that you support the memo

1689
05:51:18,066 --> 05:51:18,066
from the mayor vice mayor, councilors cordova's and cohen .

1690
05:51:24,500 --> 05:51:24,500
>> along with me tonight is our landlord representative henry avila from first washington and

1691
05:51:29,366 --> 05:51:29,366
consultants if you have any questions. >> thank you very much.

1692
05:51:33,766 --> 05:51:33,766
thank you. >> appreciate that. We're going to now shift to

1693
05:51:40,333 --> 05:51:40,333
public comment. One thing I failed to mention is just that in the interest

1694
05:51:46,000 --> 05:51:46,000
of allowing our clerk to do her job and everyone to exercise their free speech rights, we do

1695
05:51:50,833 --> 05:51:50,833
ask people to not cheer or boo or otherwise disrupt the meeting.

1696
05:51:56,966 --> 05:51:56,966
>> people will frequently use jazz hands if they want to show support.

1697
05:52:01,400 --> 05:52:01,400
you can shake your head no whatever you're silently choose to do but we want to just keep

1698
05:52:05,933 --> 05:52:05,933
things moving along because we do have a lot of speakers we want to hear from everyone.

1699
05:52:10,233 --> 05:52:13,600
>> toni, let's jump in. >> so I'm going to call your name. You can also if you didn't hear me, the names will show up on the transcript as well.

1700
05:52:19,766 --> 05:52:19,766
I'm going to call the first 3 or 4 speakers. No particular order first

1701
05:52:26,000 --> 05:52:26,000
person on microphone just you know, start talking. Everybody else can sit in the

1702
05:52:30,233 --> 05:52:33,133
front row where it says reserved while you wait your turn. So let's start with joe glynn, leah tennis, canada, robyn marrow and eileen.

1703
05:52:44,166 --> 05:52:44,166
>> and I'll call a fifth person. I also have gary come on down.

1704
05:52:52,066 --> 05:52:52,066
thank you. Good. >> mr. Mayor and council

1705
05:52:56,133 --> 05:52:56,133
members. My name is joe glenn. I'm a 25 year resident

1706
05:53:00,766 --> 05:53:00,766
of district one, a longtime resident in the city of san jose.

1707
05:53:06,700 --> 05:53:06,700
vice mayor kamei as the new council member and january 23rd you gave me the opportunity to

1708
05:53:14,166 --> 05:53:18,033
sit in front of you and talk about issues in our neighborhoods. And this project was active and we spoke about it and you listened.

1709
05:53:25,100 --> 05:53:25,100
and I'm here to give you and mayor mehan the councilmember colon and

1710
05:53:30,100 --> 05:53:30,100
candlestick my support for this project because these recommendations were some

1711
05:53:37,066 --> 05:53:37,066
of the areas we spoke about public safety particularly pedestrian safety with our

1712
05:53:44,933 --> 05:53:44,933
children at that intersection. >> this will provide public infrastructure.

1713
05:53:52,633 --> 05:53:52,633
sure. This desperately needed as we transform this area to an urban

1714
05:53:56,733 --> 05:53:56,733
village concept but save the saratoga is right behind it. This gives the impetus to get

1715
05:54:04,500 --> 05:54:04,500
those improvements done and funded. And for that I thank you.

1716
05:54:10,600 --> 05:54:10,600
>> thank you. Next speaker your no vote on the west cape west costco

1717
05:54:19,266 --> 05:54:19,266
project is a vote to protect san jose protect student and resident safety, protect our

1718
05:54:26,533 --> 05:54:26,533
roadways, existing businesses and protect our residents from noise, light and air pollution.

1719
05:54:31,866 --> 05:54:35,600
this is not the time for a yes vote. >> traffic and safety studies around the proposed site are still lacking. >> a yes vote now for the

1720
05:54:39,366 --> 05:54:43,200
project would be based on insufficient analysis especially for the cut through streets that border country lane elementary school. >> that study was not done

1721
05:54:50,366 --> 05:54:50,366
because it was not required. How has the bare minimum become the standard?

1722
05:54:55,000 --> 05:54:55,000
how can you rubber stamp this project when you do not you do not have a complete

1723
05:54:59,733 --> 05:54:59,733
understanding of the traffic safety and health risks risks. >> your voice vote would impose

1724
05:55:05,966 --> 05:55:09,600
on the community. >> please do not trifle with people's lives and safety. >> if you must vote yes, do your homework. Get the full picture complete

1725
05:55:17,200 --> 05:55:17,200
all of the relevant analysis whether or not they are required or then commit

1726
05:55:22,100 --> 05:55:22,100
substantive mitigations that meaningfully address the problems and guarantee those in

1727
05:55:26,766 --> 05:55:26,766
writing. >> that's how you tell your constituents that you hear them

1728
05:55:33,633 --> 05:55:33,633
and you have their back. >> finally push costco to be the good neighbor they profess

1729
05:55:38,266 --> 05:55:38,266
to be and challenge them to put some real skin in the game. >> I urge you to use this

1730
05:55:45,200 --> 05:55:48,666
moment to protect our city's goals. >> thank you. Thank you. Next speaker I'd also like to called on mark barbarous and

1731
05:55:52,633 --> 05:55:52,633
amy. >> go ahead. The kimberly horn noise

1732
05:55:59,633 --> 05:56:03,400
analysis does not mention shopping carts anywhere in their document. Costco parking lots swarm with vehicle and shopping cart traffic in their parking lots.

1733
05:56:10,166 --> 05:56:10,166
>> the study whitewashes the parking noise issue by saying parking noise events would be

1734
05:56:18,233 --> 05:56:18,233
instantaneous and short term and duration. >> at costco I've never had an

1735
05:56:22,833 --> 05:56:26,266
instantaneous or short term trip pushing a shopping cart back to my car. >> the questions we all need to ask are was shopping cart noise included in the noise analysis

1736
05:56:33,433 --> 05:56:34,700
? It is not called out in any way. If it was, how was it modeled? Were there sound levels of carts crossing the ada

1737
05:56:41,700 --> 05:56:41,700
truncated dome pads model? Those pads increase the noise exponentially.

1738
05:56:48,800 --> 05:56:48,800
will solar panels reflect sound down into the neighborhood? >> has this been studied?

1739
05:56:53,500 --> 05:56:57,233
what type of carts will be used? >> metal or plastic? Any noise analysis is incomplete and deficient without accounting for shopping

1740
05:57:01,300 --> 05:57:04,766
cart noise and needs to be redone. Please require a thorough accurate noise analysis and require appropriate sound mitigation for this end tested

1741
05:57:12,133 --> 05:57:15,533
first of its kind with roof parking. Community disrupting design. Thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker.

1742
05:57:25,566 --> 05:57:25,566
>> good evening mayor and city council leah tennis center present and ceo of the san jose

1743
05:57:33,066 --> 05:57:33,066
chamber of commerce. Our role as the chamber is to serve as an advocate for the

1744
05:57:37,833 --> 05:57:41,300
needs of the local business community and the economic growth of our city. I'm here to express the chamber's strong support for the proposed costco warehouse.

1745
05:57:48,500 --> 05:57:52,500
>> this project aligns not only with the mission of enhancing economic opportunities but revitalizing key commercial locations. >> a couple of specific notes

1746
05:57:59,500 --> 05:57:59,500
that we pulled out. >> one the project is consistent with the city's

1747
05:58:04,000 --> 05:58:04,000
general plan and zoning code. This is the direction that the city took.

1748
05:58:08,566 --> 05:58:12,566
when a project aligns we should maintain that alignment. >> it strengthens san jose's retail tax base as was mentioned an estimated $2 million in annual sales tax is

1749
05:58:18,900 --> 05:58:18,900
beneficial to our city, creating 250 to 300 well-paying jobs with career opportunities.

1750
05:58:26,600 --> 05:58:26,600
>> again as a positive for our workforce. >> and lastly costco has shown

1751
05:58:33,233 --> 05:58:33,233
to be a partner over three years of conversation design changes and contributing $2.5

1752
05:58:39,700 --> 05:58:43,333
million to additional traffic needs. They are showing to show up. >> if existing shopping centers like westgate west cannot add new retail to remain

1753
05:58:48,033 --> 05:58:48,033
competitive, it does pose a significant economic challenge for us in san jose.

1754
05:58:54,800 --> 05:58:54,800
costco represents a positive transformation of that shop. >> thank you that your time.

1755
05:59:02,533 --> 05:59:02,533
next speaker. I'm also going to call maybin and josh jiong.

1756
05:59:08,800 --> 05:59:08,800
>> my name is robin morrow. I represent c.w. Strong restaurants.

1757
05:59:16,266 --> 05:59:16,266
we operate dave's hot chicken in the san jose market in east bay.

1758
05:59:20,633 --> 05:59:20,633
I have a dave's hot chicken in the same westgate shopping mall where the proposed costco will

1759
05:59:25,100 --> 05:59:25,100
be going and we are in strong support of costco joining us. >> we believe that having any

1760
05:59:32,566 --> 05:59:32,566
empty spaces in a business district is not good for the city.

1761
05:59:37,233 --> 05:59:37,233
>> it's not good for the community and its residents may create all sorts of hazards and

1762
05:59:44,066 --> 05:59:44,066
potential crime. And just having a thriving business community where it's a

1763
05:59:48,500 --> 05:59:48,500
safe place for families to come and to shop and to spend time and to dine and will only I

1764
05:59:55,800 --> 05:59:55,800
think add more value to the area. I understand that there are

1765
05:59:59,933 --> 06:00:03,766
resident concerns and I think this is the right forum to address those. And it sounds like costco's done a good job trying to mitigate all of those concerns.

1766
06:00:07,966 --> 06:00:11,200
so I think it will be a very positive addition to that space. >> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker.

1767
06:00:18,400 --> 06:00:18,400
>> good evening, mayor, vice mayor and council members. My name is mark barber's.

1768
06:00:26,900 --> 06:00:30,300
I just grabbed a copy of the mercury news tomorrow's edition. Great article in it. I read in a reversal from the planning commission decision

1769
06:00:36,800 --> 06:00:36,800
the city council blocked costco development directly across from a high school.

1770
06:00:41,533 --> 06:00:41,533
this location would have been the first costco in the nation with parking on the roof a sign

1771
06:00:49,633 --> 06:00:49,633
of too small a site something reserved for south korea. It had an entrance through a

1772
06:00:54,533 --> 06:00:54,533
quiet neighborhood and all night loading operation feet away from residents.

1773
06:01:01,133 --> 06:01:01,133
the council stated that schools although fulfilled did not reflect the needs of the

1774
06:01:06,566 --> 06:01:06,566
community. In addition, the 32 million revenue number was found to be

1775
06:01:13,100 --> 06:01:13,100
grossly inflated as the baseline was taken after existing tenants were expelled

1776
06:01:18,100 --> 06:01:18,100
from the site and it did not consider predictable cuts and closures at local businesses

1777
06:01:25,300 --> 06:01:25,300
such as sprouts trader joe's and even more. Having protected the

1778
06:01:33,433 --> 06:01:33,433
neighborhood council members can now sleep well at night along with residents on graves.

1779
06:01:38,100 --> 06:01:38,100
>> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker I'll also called

1780
06:01:44,333 --> 06:01:44,333
on paul wilcox and dangling. Oh yeah. Okay.

1781
06:02:06,333 --> 06:02:10,033
um. Hi everyone. So I'm an east san jose negative. I'm a current country lane elementary parent.

1782
06:02:11,366 --> 06:02:11,366
I'm also an educator and we have one important rule never hurt children.

1783
06:02:18,800 --> 06:02:22,800
you never put them in harm's way. So why would anyone want to put a card magnet warehouse right next to two schools? >> so I made this map because

1784
06:02:30,466 --> 06:02:34,300
there's no study done on the country lane neighborhood. And as you can see, country lane already lacks some safety measures. >> and a costco makes 5 to 10

1785
06:02:38,133 --> 06:02:38,133
year olds even more vulnerable to vehicular violence. Closing graves avenue at night

1786
06:02:45,533 --> 06:02:45,533
doesn't help those kids. >> so the kids aren't here tonight and they have no voice

1787
06:02:52,266 --> 06:02:56,233
. >> I protect and care for other people's children as part of my job. >> I don't know how to explain to you that their lives and

1788
06:03:00,666 --> 06:03:00,666
safety are always more important than money. >> it would be so disappointing

1789
06:03:08,433 --> 06:03:08,433
to see council members lose your home, your humanity, your ethics and your legacy over a

1790
06:03:15,366 --> 06:03:15,366
business. >> so voting no is not easy but it's obviously the right thing

1791
06:03:20,200 --> 06:03:20,200
to do. Thank you. Next speaker.

1792
06:03:30,833 --> 06:03:30,833
good evening. >> my name is jackie chan. I urge you vote no on the

1793
06:03:34,866 --> 06:03:34,866
project because if you don't please ask costco to close the eastern interest on grace

1794
06:03:43,566 --> 06:03:47,333
avenue. >> why? >> because this project didn't create 1 million extra traffic to this area. >> the traffic is going to flow

1795
06:03:53,600 --> 06:03:53,600
. They can congested the already busy south whole ga prospect

1796
06:03:58,966 --> 06:03:58,966
and the lawrence street. >> so if the caucus members cannot find the way it

1797
06:04:07,233 --> 06:04:10,000
got there they can find the east coast use the entrance and the flooding into all the nearby streets. >> and think about that and just go there.

1798
06:04:15,033 --> 06:04:18,900
so you see think about the case there. There are risks. There are simply being endangered. >> so please put a human on

1799
06:04:24,400 --> 06:04:24,400
behalf of the commercial protect our case. >> vote no on this project.

1800
06:04:28,800 --> 06:04:28,800
thank you. >> thank you. Your next speaker.

1801
06:04:38,366 --> 06:04:38,366
>> hello, my name is mabon and I'm a junior at prospect high school.

1802
06:04:42,800 --> 06:04:42,800
I'm skipping soccer practice to be here today. And I'm speaking on behalf

1803
06:04:47,100 --> 06:04:50,466
of lots of my friends who couldn't make it due to sports matches at academic club meetings. Some of you may think that thousands of extra cars from

1804
06:04:54,200 --> 06:04:54,200
costco won't increase safety problems around my school. But in my experience they will.

1805
06:04:58,600 --> 06:04:58,600
most days I ride to and from school in a car. But because the traffic is so

1806
06:05:05,500 --> 06:05:09,366
bad on prospect road many of my friends and I drive to the other neighborhoods to get dropped off and picked up at the back of the school riding to and from prospect

1807
06:05:13,266 --> 06:05:13,266
high school for school sports practice or band events. There's often lots of traffic

1808
06:05:17,933 --> 06:05:17,933
that we crawl through light after light at these times. It's pretty common to see

1809
06:05:22,466 --> 06:05:22,466
drivers block bicycle lanes, make illegal u-turns run red lights and make other poor

1810
06:05:28,633 --> 06:05:32,533
decisions. The school track and field are located right next to the traffic flow. And as a member of multiple sports teams, I know firsthand

1811
06:05:36,300 --> 06:05:39,966
that athletes have to deal with the air pollution and noise during practices. >> if costco is across from our school most students will not be able to eat and buy things

1812
06:05:44,933 --> 06:05:48,700
there. But we'll all have to deal with the increased pollution traffic and safety problems. Thank you. >> thank you.

1813
06:05:52,366 --> 06:05:52,366
next speaker I'd also like to call emily ding and christel and kyle.

1814
06:06:00,533 --> 06:06:03,866
>> so that's emily christel and kyle. Go ahead. >> good evening. My name is paul wilcox. I'm a 13 year resident of one

1815
06:06:07,566 --> 06:06:07,566
of the neighborhoods abutting the costco proposal. >> I'd like to urge you to

1816
06:06:11,833 --> 06:06:15,566
reject this. I'd like to make a common sense argument. Compared to the nearby sunnyvale costco which is a pretty typical costco.

1817
06:06:22,266 --> 06:06:22,266
>> this project is about 20,000ft2 larger on a lot. That's about 35% smaller.

1818
06:06:32,733 --> 06:06:32,733
we've all been to a costco on a weekend and we all know how wild it gets.

1819
06:06:37,300 --> 06:06:37,300
this project doesn't make any changes to prospect boulevard or to laurens expressway.

1820
06:06:44,533 --> 06:06:44,533
you've been on lawrence that turn into this lot can take 8 or 10 cars.

1821
06:06:52,066 --> 06:06:52,066
>> you're seeing only eight people going to the costco. >> I've heard our neighborhood

1822
06:06:56,166 --> 06:06:56,166
associations be accused of being nimbys. >> and I've spoken to a lot

1823
06:07:02,700 --> 06:07:02,700
of the folks that are here and I can assure you we're not. >> we want this mall to thrive.

1824
06:07:07,266 --> 06:07:07,266
it's thrived in the past and it can thrive in the future. It just needs the right

1825
06:07:12,466 --> 06:07:16,333
businesses that are the right size. We need markets. We need restaurants. We need coffee shops. >> we need clothing stores.

1826
06:07:20,100 --> 06:07:20,100
we don't need a giant box mall shoved into a tiny neighborhood mall.

1827
06:07:27,033 --> 06:07:27,033
thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker I agree with all

1828
06:07:37,433 --> 06:07:37,433
of them. Say no to this project. >> it is too close to the high

1829
06:07:42,566 --> 06:07:42,566
school and I meant an adventure school here. So in the costco the plan the

1830
06:07:49,466 --> 06:07:49,466
new driveway you see that would be opening up by river the sidewalk between the trader

1831
06:07:57,733 --> 06:07:57,733
joe's and the previous modified for the customer to enter and exit the costco side from the

1832
06:08:04,833 --> 06:08:04,833
fifth avenue. This way or create cuts through traffic around the country an

1833
06:08:12,533 --> 06:08:12,533
elementary school and nearby street to the north. This means much more traffic

1834
06:08:17,100 --> 06:08:17,100
and the danger to the kids walking and biking to the very cruise by country and in

1835
06:08:24,766 --> 06:08:24,766
school. >> so I strongly to ask you to consider this request before

1836
06:08:32,400 --> 06:08:32,400
you make this final decision. >> thank you. Next speaker hello.

1837
06:08:47,200 --> 06:08:51,200
I'm kyle. I'm a junior at prospect high school. When I'm taking this school there are often like pa where there's a lot of cars and often

1838
06:08:58,066 --> 06:08:58,066
there are like cars that are passing in the sidewalk when the light turn or the crossing

1839
06:09:02,366 --> 06:09:02,366
sign turns green. So also when school is getting out there's often a lot of cars

1840
06:09:09,633 --> 06:09:09,633
like around the area and a lot of people trying to leave at the same time.

1841
06:09:13,900 --> 06:09:13,900
costco is only going to make the traffic worse and I don't want like other people to get

1842
06:09:21,066 --> 06:09:21,066
hurt because of the large amount of traffic in the area. So yeah, thank you.

1843
06:09:28,833 --> 06:09:28,833
>> there's a second photo as well. >> hi, I'm a 13 year resident

1844
06:09:39,066 --> 06:09:39,066
of the community. A no vote is a vote for safety because no traffic safety was

1845
06:09:46,000 --> 06:09:46,000
study was required. >> none was conducted. >> it's common sense that more

1846
06:09:50,333 --> 06:09:50,333
traffic equals more accidents. >> now you have seen that they are proposing to do some

1847
06:09:57,900 --> 06:10:01,733
changes. >> I didn't know I could do a slide view which would be just around the costco. However there are no safety updates that have been proposed

1848
06:10:06,000 --> 06:10:06,000
for all of the communities where that traffic is going to flow through all of our

1849
06:10:10,266 --> 06:10:10,266
neighborhoods. >> if san jose is serious about a vision zero and reducing

1850
06:10:19,700 --> 06:10:23,533
accidents then you should vote no. >> and if you are going to vote yes then please require ask for more mitigation to protect the safety of the residents or

1851
06:10:28,700 --> 06:10:28,700
you're just setting us all up for accidents. >> thank you.

1852
06:10:34,600 --> 06:10:34,600
>> thank you. Next speaker before you go, I'd like to call down hannah

1853
06:10:39,433 --> 06:10:42,933
kanazawa. Kurt maas, tammy and gary smith. >> go ahead. >> good evening, council members.

1854
06:10:46,833 --> 06:10:46,833
my name is emily and I've lived in the country lane neighborhood all 25 years of my

1855
06:10:52,900 --> 06:10:52,900
life just steps away from the proposed costco site. >> this project contradicts

1856
06:10:59,366 --> 06:11:03,266
san jose's vision for its neighborhoods. >> instead of a transit oriented, pedestrian friendly urban village, we face a big box warehouse generating

1857
06:11:07,966 --> 06:11:07,966
massive traffic congestion and with multiple costcos within six miles in suitable

1858
06:11:14,666 --> 06:11:14,666
commercial areas. >> do we really need another in our residential neighborhood?

1859
06:11:19,033 --> 06:11:19,033
>> if you can't oppose this project outright at the very least please close all public

1860
06:11:25,766 --> 06:11:25,766
access driveways from graves avenue during all hours to protect our beloved residential

1861
06:11:33,233 --> 06:11:33,233
streets and schools. We need solutions that align with san jose's and vision 2040

1862
06:11:38,200 --> 06:11:38,200
plan and urban village goals. Please make your decision as if you two live in this

1863
06:11:43,200 --> 06:11:43,200
neighborhood. Please prioritize our community safety and livability over this

1864
06:11:49,700 --> 06:11:53,166
ill fated development. >> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker. >> hi, my name is curt ma and I'm a neighborhood resident.

1865
06:12:00,566 --> 06:12:00,566
>> although I do not support the costco project, I was happy to hear some dialog at the

1866
06:12:04,800 --> 06:12:04,800
planning commission meeting on september 25th that spoke to addressing cut through traffic

1867
06:12:12,000 --> 06:12:14,033
which is a big concern of ours through the neighborhood that might result from the costco build. Lynette diaz from costco said quote to be overly cautious we

1868
06:12:20,433 --> 06:12:24,366
are wrecked or we are committed to taking cut through traffic counts through the neighborhood now and after the store opens in a year from there. >> and if there are issues

1869
06:12:29,133 --> 06:12:32,633
we've committed to addressing those. >> so that came from lynette from costco and then manjeet then wait from the department of public works chimed in and

1870
06:12:38,933 --> 06:12:38,933
reference council policy five dash six and she said that based on the post studies if

1871
06:12:45,600 --> 06:12:49,533
the traffic volumes and speeds exceed our policy then we can use the $50,000 contribution that was mentioned and use it towards traffic calming measures in the neighborhood.

1872
06:12:54,366 --> 06:12:54,366
>> I feel this is a positive step in developing better relations from costco and the

1873
06:13:00,966 --> 06:13:00,966
city with the neighborhood. So to the council if you are going to approve the costco

1874
06:13:05,133 --> 06:13:05,133
plan I do request that the traffic study and possible mitigations be a condition for

1875
06:13:12,366 --> 06:13:16,300
approval and there be a documented plan of record to ensure that these follow up actions are committed by costco. >> public works in the city.

1876
06:13:20,300 --> 06:13:20,300
thank you. Thank you. Next speaker.

1877
06:13:30,566 --> 06:13:30,566
>> hi, good evening mayor and city council members. I'm tammy cook.

1878
06:13:38,100 --> 06:13:41,533
my daughter went to country lane elementary. She's currently at marland middle school. Soon to go to prospect high school.

1879
06:13:45,100 --> 06:13:45,100
I am on the moreland middle home and school club board. My concern is student safety.

1880
06:13:49,600 --> 06:13:49,600
country lane elementary sits between teresita and britain. >> I live on teresita.

1881
06:13:56,833 --> 06:13:56,833
>> cut through traffic on these two streets will put kids in grave danger of being hit when

1882
06:14:01,366 --> 06:14:01,366
walking home and these small children cannot be seen over the hood of the big suvs.

1883
06:14:08,666 --> 06:14:08,666
they're going to cut through our neighborhood getting to costco and I do see through

1884
06:14:13,566 --> 06:14:13,566
traffic now hundreds of prospect high school students cross the dangerous

1885
06:14:20,033 --> 06:14:23,900
prospect lawrence intersection daily. Additionally, portland middle and country lane students also crossed us to get to their homes in the english estates

1886
06:14:27,600 --> 06:14:31,466
neighborhood. >> the left turn pocket surrounding costco will all exceed storage capacity. >> nothing is being done about it.

1887
06:14:35,266 --> 06:14:35,266
angry drivers will run red lights and it's only a matter of time before a student is hit

1888
06:14:39,900 --> 06:14:39,900
severely injured or worse. Costco does not belong at this location.

1889
06:14:46,300 --> 06:14:46,300
>> an urban village development will serve the area better and bring in revenue for the city

1890
06:14:51,000 --> 06:14:54,966
and most importantly keep our students safe. Please vote no. Thank you and thank you for the minute and a half. >> thank you.

1891
06:15:02,300 --> 06:15:02,300
next speaker I'd also like to call on ben, lydia and austin. >> go ahead.

1892
06:15:09,033 --> 06:15:09,033
good evening. My name is hannah kanazawa and I have lived in skinner's hay

1893
06:15:15,100 --> 06:15:15,100
and been a long time resident for the last 25 years and I was married in san jose.

1894
06:15:20,900 --> 06:15:20,900
I had children in san jose and raised them through the san jose public schools

1895
06:15:28,300 --> 06:15:28,300
my neighborhood. >> and I want to describe that because that might shed a

1896
06:15:32,466 --> 06:15:32,466
little bit information and like are those of saratoga cupertino campbell and santa clara.

1897
06:15:39,400 --> 06:15:39,400
my school age children often had friends in every one of those cities because we are

1898
06:15:44,300 --> 06:15:44,300
on the edge of san jose. >> and as you can understand this proposal is right on the

1899
06:15:54,866 --> 06:15:54,866
corner of that finger border. And as a longtime edge of san jose resident I have felt that

1900
06:16:03,033 --> 06:16:03,033
oftentimes unless there's money involved we get sort of neglected and we get

1901
06:16:10,566 --> 06:16:10,566
ignored. >> and I don't want to see this costco giant's proposal

1902
06:16:18,066 --> 06:16:18,066
overlook all the impact it has in our community. >> tonight you guys unanimously

1903
06:16:23,200 --> 06:16:23,200
voted towards the blue project and that to me gives me a sign of hope that you really believe

1904
06:16:33,900 --> 06:16:37,900
in equity. Costco is a membership based company. There's no equity in that. >> thank you. Next speaker.

1905
06:16:45,133 --> 06:16:45,133
good evening everybody. Aaron councilmembers a who I oppose the I oppose the

1906
06:16:56,133 --> 06:16:56,133
proposed costco warehouse. If you'd just lift your mic a little.

1907
06:17:01,133 --> 06:17:01,133
there you go. I oppose the proposed costco in west case west gate west 96 new

1908
06:17:07,666 --> 06:17:07,666
pull top led light fixtures 76 ground level led light fixtures is not progress for the city

1909
06:17:15,566 --> 06:17:19,033
of san jose or neighboring cities. Light pollution will be generated from artificial led light sources. Light pollution travels up to

1910
06:17:24,733 --> 06:17:24,733
120 miles from a major light source before voting on this project consider the impact

1911
06:17:29,466 --> 06:17:29,466
of light pollution will add to the current challenge at lick observatory on mount hamilton a

1912
06:17:36,100 --> 06:17:36,100
recent sfgate news article the date of july 16th, 2024 states two years ago lic was ranked

1913
06:17:40,933 --> 06:17:40,933
among the top three most light polluted astronomical sites. It's now the worst.

1914
06:17:47,766 --> 06:17:47,766
data from the observatory shows light pollution proliferating at a rate of 7 to 10% a year.

1915
06:17:52,066 --> 06:17:56,066
within a decade lick observatory is astronomers won't be able to see the stars in the sky and the scientists quoted says we need people to understand the consequences and

1916
06:18:03,966 --> 06:18:03,966
to be aware that this is a massive issue and part of that is by educating them on the

1917
06:18:08,266 --> 06:18:08,266
work we do at this observatory . San jose has a history

1918
06:18:12,300 --> 06:18:12,300
of wanting to protect the night sky so let's do that. Let's vote no.

1919
06:18:17,766 --> 06:18:17,766
costco's 24 title 24 lighting is not in compliance. Thank you.

1920
06:18:22,633 --> 06:18:22,633
next speaker. >> good evening. Council members.

1921
06:18:33,633 --> 06:18:37,633
>> my name is ben and I'm a senior at prospect high school and I have walked driven as well as run cross-country in the area for many years. Many of my peers have been

1922
06:18:42,500 --> 06:18:46,266
concerned about the changes that will negatively affect us as students of costco where to go in however, we feel that no one has really ever listened to our safety concerns about

1923
06:18:51,000 --> 06:18:51,000
costco as store students can't even shop out without a membership.

1924
06:18:56,766 --> 06:18:56,766
>> it doesn't matter how well you follow rules and laws with increased cars more accidents

1925
06:19:00,866 --> 06:19:02,666
will happen. As a pedestrian myself I've narrowly been hit even with following safety precautions. I find it ironic that many of you are likely not for large

1926
06:19:08,800 --> 06:19:12,433
corporations or businesses unless of course it benefits you. I will never forget when I vote and going forward that the city of san jose's leadership is not

1927
06:19:16,833 --> 06:19:16,833
for the little guy but rather big businesses. Your unwillingness to offer

1928
06:19:23,100 --> 06:19:23,100
meaningful mitigation strategies that the local community has been asking for

1929
06:19:27,400 --> 06:19:27,400
says I need to know our safety and well-being should be more important than making money

1930
06:19:31,566 --> 06:19:35,100
at the end of the day. >> thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. I'd also like to call on sara ludwig and becky.

1931
06:19:41,700 --> 06:19:41,700
good evening council members. My name is lydia and I'm a junior at prospect so I love to

1932
06:19:46,400 --> 06:19:49,733
bike. It's one of the best parts of my day. Seeing my other friends on their bikes and just like getting exercise and stuff but

1933
06:19:52,800 --> 06:19:52,800
especially when we're leaving school it can get really scary because there's a lot of cars.

1934
06:19:57,200 --> 06:20:00,933
there's parents who just want to get back to work their students who maybe shouldn't be driving yet and there are a lot of legal maneuvers people do u-turns they're not supposed to

1935
06:20:04,500 --> 06:20:04,500
people literally park in the bike lane waiting to pick up their kids and try to weave

1936
06:20:08,866 --> 06:20:12,833
through traffic and it's really scary because I'm I've almost gotten hit and I've a lot of friends who have almost gotten hit. Pretty much anyone who bikes to

1937
06:20:16,100 --> 06:20:16,100
school has almost gotten hit. >> and if you're going to add 11,000 more car trips, that's

1938
06:20:20,366 --> 06:20:23,766
not the number is not going to go down. More people are going to get injured. More people are going to get hurt and that's just that's not

1939
06:20:27,066 --> 06:20:30,566
good for anyone. And I just want to feel safe biking to school and I want all my other students to be safe too. So I hope that if this costco

1940
06:20:34,200 --> 06:20:34,200
does end up coming here that you guys find a way to keep us safe whether that be a crossing

1941
06:20:38,766 --> 06:20:42,333
guard or other measures just to make sure that no one's getting hurt. >> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker I.

1942
06:20:51,933 --> 06:20:55,366
>> good evening, council members. My name is austin and I'm a current student at prospect high school. A driver, a biker and as of one

1943
06:21:02,200 --> 06:21:02,200
week ago and eligible voter I urge you to consider the safety of prospect students every day

1944
06:21:09,800 --> 06:21:09,800
I walk I watch student drivers history flight out of prospect while other students absent

1945
06:21:14,666 --> 06:21:14,666
mindedly weave through the cars of distracted drivers and adding an additional 7000 cars

1946
06:21:21,933 --> 06:21:21,933
a day is nothing but a recipe for tragedy in an already hazardous area.

1947
06:21:28,966 --> 06:21:28,966
bottom line council members who do you are elected officials represent the people the

1948
06:21:36,233 --> 06:21:36,233
community, the students or the money commissioners. >> I urge you to vote no on

1949
06:21:41,566 --> 06:21:41,566
this costco warehouse proposal. Thank you. Thank you.

1950
06:21:49,266 --> 06:21:49,266
>> going to speaker I want him and fred hello. Thank you for your time.

1951
06:21:55,466 --> 06:21:55,466
my name is ben. I'm the father of a young country lane elementary school

1952
06:21:59,700 --> 06:21:59,700
student and I twice a day I take my life in mahan. The cross grades are avenue

1953
06:22:07,366 --> 06:22:07,366
with them to get to school. I'm here to ask you to not approve this project as it

1954
06:22:11,733 --> 06:22:11,733
stands or if it is inevitable to not approve without implementing more serious

1955
06:22:17,933 --> 06:22:17,933
safety measures. I'm under no illusion that this is ultimately about anything

1956
06:22:22,466 --> 06:22:22,466
other than money. You guys have to weigh the costs potential tax revenues

1957
06:22:26,700 --> 06:22:26,700
and lawsuits against the costs of wrongful death and injury lawsuits resulting from the

1958
06:22:30,833 --> 06:22:30,833
dangerous conditions on graves avenue that this project will bring if this project proceeds

1959
06:22:37,566 --> 06:22:37,566
as proposed, I fear there are going to be speed bumps on the ominously named graves avenue

1960
06:22:44,800 --> 06:22:44,800
one way or another. And so I'm urging you to ensure that these are intentional

1961
06:22:49,433 --> 06:22:53,066
speed bumps that have been planned by this council along with other traffic control measures and not speed bumps from children who are just trying to get to school.

1962
06:22:57,433 --> 06:22:57,433
>> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker.

1963
06:23:03,866 --> 06:23:03,866
>> good evening. My name is sarah. I'm a parent of four children,

1964
06:23:10,133 --> 06:23:10,133
all four of which have attended country lane elementary and all who have or will attend

1965
06:23:14,833 --> 06:23:14,833
prospect high school in my daughter's epq government class last year the question

1966
06:23:19,066 --> 06:23:22,800
was posed. What is the primary goal of elected officials? >> the answer to get reelected and further political aspirations.

1967
06:23:27,133 --> 06:23:27,133
>> I bring this up because as a local community we do not feel heard by our officials and the

1968
06:23:34,366 --> 06:23:34,366
limited concessions touted by the city and costco do not move the needle.

1969
06:23:38,566 --> 06:23:38,566
>> all graves avenue exits from the site need to be closed during costco business hours.

1970
06:23:45,600 --> 06:23:45,600
>> this street will never be able to safely handle the cars that will be dumped from

1971
06:23:50,066 --> 06:23:53,833
costco. Living six homes away from graves and having walked for over 12 years with my four kids to country lane elementary I can tell you you are putting

1972
06:23:58,733 --> 06:24:02,566
lives at risk. >> if you are unwilling to close both entrances you need to consider a mitigation strategies that discourage use. Add speed bumps to the backside

1973
06:24:09,266 --> 06:24:13,200
of costco. Add stop signs along graves raised crosswalks, real time speed signs and remove that gigantic costco sign on the eastern end of the building

1974
06:24:20,566 --> 06:24:24,500
encouraging customers to use graves. >> prove to us you will put the safety of the people you represent before money and listen to what we have been

1975
06:24:28,766 --> 06:24:28,766
asking for you represent us not costco. >> thank you.

1976
06:24:35,366 --> 06:24:35,366
thank you. Next speaker. >> good evening mr. Mayor and

1977
06:24:43,100 --> 06:24:43,100
city council members. >> my name is becky and I have two kids at prospect high

1978
06:24:47,300 --> 06:24:50,633
school. I urge you to vote no on this proposal. After hearing our concerns, the city did conduct an additional traffic assessment to

1979
06:24:57,266 --> 06:24:57,266
cover school dismissal. Unfortunately that was conducted at the wrong time.

1980
06:25:01,733 --> 06:25:01,733
why is this important? >> at the planning commission meeting one of the

1981
06:25:08,233 --> 06:25:08,233
commissioners said that people always talk about people dying but that doesn't happen.

1982
06:25:15,466 --> 06:25:15,466
>> last week one of my daughter's oldest friends a former san jose resident and a

1983
06:25:20,033 --> 06:25:20,033
senior in high school was killed in a car accident while she was driving to school.

1984
06:25:29,633 --> 06:25:29,633
you cannot live in contrast to an already congested area and say that you won't see an

1985
06:25:38,000 --> 06:25:38,000
increase in accidents and be. It would be negligent to pass this proposal without it

1986
06:25:47,933 --> 06:25:47,933
without a proper study and assessing ment of traffic. >> please please consider our

1987
06:25:55,866 --> 06:25:55,866
children's safety and vote no on costco. >> thank you.

1988
06:26:03,666 --> 06:26:03,666
next speaker I'd also like to call jennifer and amy. >> hello mayor council people.

1989
06:26:14,533 --> 06:26:14,533
>> my name is kim and I live at ground zero. >> that means I live right

1990
06:26:18,700 --> 06:26:18,700
at graves avenue and camejo drive right next to a costco. >> costco.

1991
06:26:28,300 --> 06:26:28,300
I believe is not the right place for this location. And I guess I would ask all

1992
06:26:33,000 --> 06:26:33,000
of you if any of you have children and you would put them at the risk that you are

1993
06:26:40,066 --> 06:26:40,066
putting the children at west valley. >> we are concerned about our

1994
06:26:46,866 --> 06:26:50,766
neighborhood because we feel you are not. We are concerned about the safety of our kids residents. >> about the 4 million cars that will be coming into our

1995
06:26:56,466 --> 06:26:56,466
neighborhood every we hear about the pollution, the construction debris and the

1996
06:27:02,600 --> 06:27:02,600
noise about the serious health dangers to compromised residents.

1997
06:27:06,666 --> 06:27:06,666
and your level of concern that will be obvious if you choose to approve this project.

1998
06:27:11,366 --> 06:27:11,366
>> we challenge you to think about your decision. Here's a guide on the screen to

1999
06:27:19,300 --> 06:27:19,300
help you look at that. >> if you decide to vote yes on this and there's no other

2000
06:27:24,133 --> 06:27:24,133
location and no other point in time you can see what the issues are that you will have

2001
06:27:30,900 --> 06:27:30,900
to deal with. >> close graves avenue, improve pedestrian crossings, provide

2002
06:27:35,366 --> 06:27:35,366
better vehicle pick up and drop off for students. >> these thank you next speaker

2003
06:27:52,933 --> 06:27:52,933
. >> good evening. My name is fred and I've been

2004
06:28:00,800 --> 06:28:00,800
living in this neighborhood for 63 years. I voted for you, mr. Mayor.

2005
06:28:05,000 --> 06:28:05,000
here and I voted for you, rosemary. I expect you to represent our

2006
06:28:11,933 --> 06:28:11,933
interests, not costco. You have given you all the reason why this is not the

2007
06:28:19,800 --> 06:28:19,800
right location for costco. >> you are ignoring it. That is wishy washy answer.

2008
06:28:28,333 --> 06:28:28,333
costco is given to remedy the problem that exists in that area.

2009
06:28:34,233 --> 06:28:34,233
I'll give you the example right now. >> the smart and no setting is

2010
06:28:41,566 --> 06:28:41,566
about 70 yards away from our house. You are bringing it right next

2011
06:28:49,400 --> 06:28:49,400
to graves avenue and going to see a story out as a parking lot.

2012
06:28:57,200 --> 06:28:57,200
>> why aren't you listening to what people are saying? You're going to create a

2013
06:29:01,900 --> 06:29:01,900
problem that you'll never be able to correct it. The traffic over there already

2014
06:29:08,933 --> 06:29:08,933
is too much. >> I live there. The entrance on graves for

2015
06:29:16,866 --> 06:29:16,866
costco is outside my bedroom. Please consider the reality. >> thank you.

2016
06:29:27,300 --> 06:29:27,300
next speaker. >> good evening. My name is jennifer.

2017
06:29:37,900 --> 06:29:37,900
I'm a long time resident of this neighborhood. With respect to council members

2018
06:29:41,966 --> 06:29:41,966
cammy cohen, ken dallas and may may or may hand I know you're recommending approval of this

2019
06:29:47,233 --> 06:29:47,233
project based on certain conditions and I you know, from what I here tonight costco is

2020
06:29:53,533 --> 06:29:53,533
saying they're willing to accommodate some of these conditions but who is actually

2021
06:29:58,133 --> 06:29:58,133
going to ensure that these conditions are met? >> my understanding is that a

2022
06:30:02,300 --> 06:30:02,300
lot of these conditions are voluntary and unenforceable. >> if they just change their

2023
06:30:09,266 --> 06:30:09,266
mind later and decide not to move forward with them. >> so how is that protecting

2024
06:30:13,666 --> 06:30:17,233
the west valley neighborhood if you can't enforce the conditions that you're basing your approval on? >> unless these conditions can be guaranteed and our safety

2025
06:30:26,333 --> 06:30:26,333
and neighborhood well are our safety and neighborhood well-being will be in jeopardy

2026
06:30:30,666 --> 06:30:30,666
. My father right behind me was hit by a car turning into the

2027
06:30:35,066 --> 06:30:35,066
shopping center and he suffered severe injuries and thankfully he's okay.

2028
06:30:39,133 --> 06:30:39,133
but next time he may not be okay and I fear that adding 11,000 more car trips will put

2029
06:30:46,133 --> 06:30:46,133
him in jeopardy. >> the students that live local schools in jeopardy and the

2030
06:30:50,466 --> 06:30:50,466
neighborhood in jeopardy. >> please vote now. Thank you very much.

2031
06:30:57,100 --> 06:30:58,966
thank you. >> next speaker, I'd also like to call susan kaufman. Frank, connie and ron. >> go ahead. Okay.

2032
06:31:05,533 --> 06:31:05,533
my name is frank and I taught the first time I've talked to the city council.

2033
06:31:10,666 --> 06:31:10,666
it's been many years ago but I frankly have a question frankly speaking of you, councilmember

2034
06:31:21,100 --> 06:31:21,100
and mayor mann and especially rosemary carmine from our district, I like to see a show

2035
06:31:25,400 --> 06:31:25,400
of hands that if this class is going within a block of your home, if you would vote for it

2036
06:31:31,800 --> 06:31:35,700
. >> I don't see too many hands going up there, huh? >> some people think it's a little bit funny but it's not funny for the reason to listen

2037
06:31:43,300 --> 06:31:43,300
to these folks today and my my daughter just said, you know, I got run over by a car on

2038
06:31:48,333 --> 06:31:48,333
my bike and I wouldn't be able to walk for about three months. >> but if you would go inside

2039
06:31:56,733 --> 06:31:56,733
yourself before you do your official vote and you wouldn't put your hand up, I notice when

2040
06:32:05,000 --> 06:32:05,000
I asked if this costco was going next to your home then think about that when you do

2041
06:32:12,400 --> 06:32:12,400
vote tonight. Okay, thank you. Next speaker hello.

2042
06:32:37,033 --> 06:32:37,033
there are many reasons that a costco warehouse does not make sense at this location and

2043
06:32:41,200 --> 06:32:45,033
would be detrimental to the community. But I'd like to focus on prospect road transportation studies show that costco would adversely affect traffic

2044
06:32:49,000 --> 06:32:49,000
circulation in several areas but especially along congested prospect road which currently

2045
06:32:55,833 --> 06:32:55,833
has three intersections rated lausd or d plus left turn lanes here are predicted to

2046
06:33:01,266 --> 06:33:01,266
experience volume increases ranging between 19 to 99% and their left turn pockets already

2047
06:33:08,333 --> 06:33:08,333
have queues beyond capacity. >> the biggest concern, however is this costco can't get

2048
06:33:15,700 --> 06:33:15,700
customers in and out of its main entrance in an acceptable and safe fashion.

2049
06:33:22,733 --> 06:33:22,733
>> transportation data show the prospect road entrance would have the greatest vehicle loads

2050
06:33:29,866 --> 06:33:33,800
by far. >> while costco shoppers can enter the site, the driveway here is insufficient to get them out of the site in peak traffic.

2051
06:33:37,666 --> 06:33:37,666
>> the queue to exit at the main driveway is predicted to back up by several hundred feet

2052
06:33:42,100 --> 06:33:42,100
due to a 99% increase in traffic turning left. But traffic turning right is

2053
06:33:49,166 --> 06:33:49,166
predicted to increase by zero. >> why is this? Because the driveway and the

2054
06:33:56,400 --> 06:33:56,400
intersection can't handle the load to fix the problem. The two hour transportation

2055
06:34:00,900 --> 06:34:00,900
analysis diverts all 135 costco cars through. >> thank you.

2056
06:34:08,533 --> 06:34:08,533
next speaker whoops. >> hello my name is susan

2057
06:34:45,333 --> 06:34:45,333
kaufman. >> I'm a green drive homeowner for 64 years.

2058
06:34:52,966 --> 06:34:52,966
I played at the costco proposed site when it was still a plum orchard.

2059
06:35:00,166 --> 06:35:00,166
>> my career has been as a county and a city land use planner.

2060
06:35:04,466 --> 06:35:04,466
>> I'd like to start with a visualization. Imagine 165 square foot costco

2061
06:35:11,233 --> 06:35:11,233
generating 11,000 car trips per day. >> and 24 seven noise and

2062
06:35:19,033 --> 06:35:19,033
air pollution and two years of horrible construction impacts proposed only 100ft

2063
06:35:28,533 --> 06:35:28,533
from your peaceful and quiet chair street homes. >> what would you do?

2064
06:35:36,466 --> 06:35:36,466
>> you wouldn't care about tax dollars. You would fight it tooth and

2065
06:35:41,066 --> 06:35:41,066
nail. You would be in this line asking for the project to be

2066
06:35:48,100 --> 06:35:51,900
denied. Please put yourself in our shoes. >> I like costco but this low creation across the street from our cherished homes and a

2067
06:35:59,100 --> 06:36:03,066
school is inappropriate and totally incongruous with land use principles. >> it's the wrong location for such a project with huge impacts.

2068
06:36:10,566 --> 06:36:10,566
>> if if the only thing that you needed to consider was the zoning.

2069
06:36:18,133 --> 06:36:18,133
>> thank you. Next speaker I'd also like to call I'd also like to call

2070
06:36:23,000 --> 06:36:23,000
julie reynolds mark hollinger and yuki about the proposed costco project is minimal

2071
06:36:47,366 --> 06:36:47,366
except for the size of its lot and its parking. >> every costco member knows

2072
06:36:52,333 --> 06:36:52,333
that the best find at a costco is a parking space. Unfortunate innately this

2073
06:36:59,700 --> 06:36:59,700
costco just doesn't have enough of them. >> compare this to the

2074
06:37:03,933 --> 06:37:03,933
sunnyvale, costco and the napa costco that just opened. Both our smaller warehouses and

2075
06:37:11,266 --> 06:37:11,266
much larger lots and have a 150 to 300 more spaces than this one.

2076
06:37:18,966 --> 06:37:18,966
costco claims it is adding parking yet it will reduce surface parking by 100 spaces

2077
06:37:25,366 --> 06:37:25,366
with the majority of costco's parking on the rooftop. >> the customers will take the

2078
06:37:30,466 --> 06:37:30,466
path of least resistance and gobble up the surface spaces first.

2079
06:37:36,433 --> 06:37:36,433
>> nearby businesses have to share first come first serve parking with costco members

2080
06:37:41,033 --> 06:37:41,033
with no protected parking. These businesses will lose customers who can't park

2081
06:37:47,933 --> 06:37:47,933
nearby. Vote no on this project and protect businesses and

2082
06:37:52,233 --> 06:37:52,233
residents from this forever mistake. >> thank you.

2083
06:37:59,133 --> 06:37:59,133
>> >> thank you. Next speaker. Okay.

2084
06:38:09,600 --> 06:38:12,733
just like that. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> good evening. >> where is the common sense?

2085
06:38:23,833 --> 06:38:23,833
>> this is the wrong site and too small for a costco looking at this site map.

2086
06:38:28,166 --> 06:38:28,166
the yellow is the operations area, the x's of the homes and neighborhood along graves

2087
06:38:33,333 --> 06:38:33,333
avenue. >> have any of you seen the operations area of a costco?

2088
06:38:39,200 --> 06:38:43,133
>> well, take a look at some of these pictures and have a look. Costco claims to be a good neighbor yet they put want to put a nine by 32 foot lit

2089
06:38:47,900 --> 06:38:47,900
costco sign right on a graves avenue driveway encouraging neighborhood cut through

2090
06:38:54,666 --> 06:38:58,600
traffic right by the country lane elementary school that driveway should be closed. The sign and costco don't belong there. This proposed operation area is

2091
06:39:02,766 --> 06:39:02,766
half the size at most costco's. They don't have enough room. It's where all the dirty work

2092
06:39:09,966 --> 06:39:09,966
as you can see is done. It's usually not seen because it's ugly, it's dirty, it's

2093
06:39:14,533 --> 06:39:18,400
noisy and now they want you to drive through it and us to live across from it. >> close graves drive. We use a wall like other locations to contain the sites

2094
06:39:24,600 --> 06:39:28,533
,smells and sounds of this dumping grounds. It's in full view of the public and neighborhood every day. And don't believe it if costco tries to tell you the

2095
06:39:32,533 --> 06:39:36,500
operations side of the warehouse won't look like these pictures because they have no room inside to do all that dirty work. This project doesn't make

2096
06:39:39,533 --> 06:39:43,466
sense. >> please say no to costco. >> thank you. Next speaker. >> greetings. My name is julie reynolds

2097
06:39:57,933 --> 06:39:57,933
crabby and I am the current present of the prospect high school parent teacher student

2098
06:40:02,100 --> 06:40:02,100
association. >> I'm here to urge you to vote no on this warehouse proposal.

2099
06:40:06,300 --> 06:40:06,300
>> it is unsafe for our students and our community as a whole.

2100
06:40:10,700 --> 06:40:10,700
this location is absolutely inappropriate for a warehouse. Just look at my map.

2101
06:40:18,200 --> 06:40:21,100
please, you guys. I don't know if you see that. Look where that is and look at all the things around it. It's less than 50ft from the front yards of homes.

2102
06:40:25,666 --> 06:40:25,666
>> it's close to several parks across from senior centers is 770 feet from prospect high

2103
06:40:32,300 --> 06:40:32,300
school who has 15 hundred students and it's 1049ft from an elementary school.

2104
06:40:40,133 --> 06:40:40,133
>> it proposes to bring 4 million extra car trips to this area every year an area already

2105
06:40:47,933 --> 06:40:51,900
plagued by congestion and frequent injury accidents. >> it's larger than a normal costco. >> the site is one third smaller and it doesn't have

2106
06:40:55,933 --> 06:40:55,933
even as much parking as sunnyvale. It also doesn't fit the land

2107
06:41:01,866 --> 06:41:01,866
use designation of neighborhood commercial. >> sadly the consultants

2108
06:41:06,666 --> 06:41:06,666
haven't adequately addressed any substantive issues that we've been raising for the last

2109
06:41:13,733 --> 06:41:13,733
three years until they were forced to by your memo. What does that tell you?

2110
06:41:18,266 --> 06:41:18,266
we will. You will hear from the suits tonight that they've already

2111
06:41:22,333 --> 06:41:22,333
done so much but trust that is just. >> thank you.

2112
06:41:28,633 --> 06:41:28,633
next speaker I'd also like to call down dale lavezzi livesey I think it's dale lindsey and

2113
06:41:33,500 --> 06:41:33,500
doris lindsey and dinah sloan. >> go ahead. Council members.

2114
06:41:40,066 --> 06:41:40,066
mayor mehan this costco is one of extremes the largest costco on the smallest area lot the

2115
06:41:46,800 --> 06:41:46,800
least amount of parking for the highest anticipated traffic roads least equipped to handle

2116
06:41:51,166 --> 06:41:51,166
that traffic especially near schools. Noise levels pushed right to

2117
06:41:55,333 --> 06:41:55,333
the allowable limit. A decision that goes completely against san jose's forward

2118
06:41:59,500 --> 06:41:59,500
looking plans for the future and an overwhelming response of 4600 petition signers

2119
06:42:05,400 --> 06:42:05,400
against the project. >> who pays the price for this? It's the families, the students

2120
06:42:09,700 --> 06:42:13,666
and the residents of west valley. These are the people who be stuck in traffic dodging cars on their way to school and coping with constant noise and

2121
06:42:17,000 --> 06:42:17,000
congestion all while being told this is good for the community. But let me ask you is this good

2122
06:42:21,133 --> 06:42:21,133
for the community? Is that the story that you want to tell?

2123
06:42:25,400 --> 06:42:28,966
the corporate expansion and development deals that take priority over neighborhood safety, over the voices of residents who have been respectfully and passionately

2124
06:42:32,733 --> 06:42:32,733
asking for a different outcome for years. Look, we recognize that all

2125
06:42:36,900 --> 06:42:36,900
projects are about compromise but there are some compromises that you just don't make.

2126
06:42:42,933 --> 06:42:42,933
voting yes on this project sends a clear message that san jose's future belongs more

2127
06:42:47,333 --> 06:42:51,266
to developers than to its own people. The tax dollars outweigh the safety of our students and the well-being of residents. >> you have a choice here.

2128
06:42:55,633 --> 06:42:55,633
we're counting on you to stand up for your community. We urge you to say no to this

2129
06:42:59,733 --> 06:43:02,533
project. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. >> good evening mayor and council member.

2130
06:43:10,600 --> 06:43:10,600
my name is yuki. Hi. I'm a mom of two young children

2131
06:43:14,666 --> 06:43:14,666
who are attending culturally elementary. I live in the townhomes on

2132
06:43:18,700 --> 06:43:18,700
grace avenue and serves on its hoa board. >> I strongly opposed to cape

2133
06:43:26,466 --> 06:43:26,466
apps to exit and grace avenue open for three reasons. >> first the idea of exit that

2134
06:43:33,500 --> 06:43:37,400
allows vehicle access but restrict patron access is impractical. Union reality where vehicles can pass pedestrian can pass to second.

2135
06:43:44,500 --> 06:43:44,500
>> the added congestion is an unfair burden on local residents.

2136
06:43:49,533 --> 06:43:49,533
as the photo shows there's already a long line of vehicles that joined us dismissal time

2137
06:43:55,933 --> 06:43:55,933
to get out of grace avenue. My time my drive to my daughter's afterschool class

2138
06:44:00,900 --> 06:44:00,900
will double in time. >> third I know over 15 case leaving in a townhomes cross

2139
06:44:08,566 --> 06:44:08,566
grace avenue every day to count running elementary school. More traffic well post now

2140
06:44:13,133 --> 06:44:13,133
lives are at risk. >> I pledge to city to prioritize the safety of our

2141
06:44:19,600 --> 06:44:19,600
children and close all costco exits to grace avenue. >> thank you for your attention

2142
06:44:26,766 --> 06:44:30,366
. >> thank you. Next speaker. >> hello. My name is dana sloan. I'm a 29 year resident of the

2143
06:44:38,033 --> 06:44:38,033
country lane elementary school area and I'm here to urge you to vote no.

2144
06:44:42,500 --> 06:44:42,500
>> as you've heard repeatedly, this intersection in this area is not ready to handle the

2145
06:44:49,966 --> 06:44:49,966
volume of traffic that will come with a costco. I chose that neighborhood

2146
06:44:54,133 --> 06:44:58,100
because it was pedestrian and bike friendly. There are lots of people walking their kids to and from school walking their families to the parks that are nearby.

2147
06:45:02,066 --> 06:45:02,066
it's why I cherish the neighborhood I live in. Please protect my neighborhood.

2148
06:45:06,133 --> 06:45:06,133
we all want that shopping center to thrive and do well. But costco is not the right

2149
06:45:13,866 --> 06:45:17,666
tenant. It is not the right business to put there for many, many years to come. We need appropriate businesses for the site and and businesses

2150
06:45:24,833 --> 06:45:24,833
where people will walk and bike . Nobody rides home from costco

2151
06:45:29,766 --> 06:45:33,600
on their bike with what they bought at costco. >> nobody walks home from costco with their purchases. >> I urge you to vote no if you can't vote no at very least

2152
06:45:40,600 --> 06:45:40,600
protect those of us in the neighborhood beyond graves by putting appropriate measures in

2153
06:45:47,866 --> 06:45:50,933
place and not having access into costco. From graves. >> thank you. Thank you. Next speaker.

2154
06:45:59,233 --> 06:45:59,233
sorry. Good evening. I grew up in this neighborhood.

2155
06:46:06,600 --> 06:46:06,600
I'd like to refer to the council meeting memo dated october 17th from today's

2156
06:46:10,866 --> 06:46:10,866
agenda the conditional use permit recommendations for addressing the traffic

2157
06:46:17,400 --> 06:46:20,966
concerns. Item one h. This was signed by some of the members of the council here and the mayor. First of all, I appreciate your

2158
06:46:24,966 --> 06:46:28,933
willingness to work with these compromises for neighbors concerns. Thank you for that. However, I take issue with the fact that there are no clear

2159
06:46:33,066 --> 06:46:33,066
penalties stated and if the applicant doesn't adhere to the recommendations noted for

2160
06:46:39,000 --> 06:46:39,000
resolving traffic issues within the noted two year time frame. Who's going to enforce this and

2161
06:46:44,966 --> 06:46:48,733
how will it be enforced? What are the thresholds to determine if the improvements are needed? When and how will the study be conducted?

2162
06:46:52,100 --> 06:46:52,100
do you know will you be around to deal with this? I have served as a financial

2163
06:46:56,866 --> 06:46:59,700
compliance director for some of the world's largest companies. It's been my experience that people don't tend to take action to fix problems unless

2164
06:47:03,433 --> 06:47:07,433
there are penalties for not doing so. >> please reevaluate pushing this through before fixing fixing these enforcement gaps. >> on a broader note, all other

2165
06:47:14,633 --> 06:47:14,633
local costcos were built in commercial zones before residents moved to those areas.

2166
06:47:19,100 --> 06:47:22,900
this is the first costco to go into a neighborhood community zoned land use district in the bay area. Have you considered. Consider the precedent this

2167
06:47:27,000 --> 06:47:29,433
will set for disrupting other districts in your city in the future. >> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker I'd also like to

2168
06:47:34,533 --> 06:47:34,533
call ruthanne and michelle. >> good evening mayor and city council members.

2169
06:47:40,833 --> 06:47:44,500
>> hold on, hold on. Doris. >> michelle, rupa. Toni lebaron and looks like mark. >> no, go ahead.

2170
06:47:51,733 --> 06:47:51,733
>> good evening, mayor and city council members. I'm doris livesey, a 50 year

2171
06:47:56,333 --> 06:47:56,333
resident of west san jose. I want to start by saying I am a costco member.

2172
06:48:00,500 --> 06:48:04,500
I love costco but god forbid not in a residential neighborhood. We need something else there. >> some of you said here a couple of years ago and voted

2173
06:48:09,233 --> 06:48:09,233
to impose el paso into our residential neighborhood and now with no actual traffic

2174
06:48:15,800 --> 06:48:15,800
statistics because it hasn't been built yet. >> only data studies.

2175
06:48:19,866 --> 06:48:19,866
costco wants to impose itself into another neighborhood. All other area costco's were

2176
06:48:24,933 --> 06:48:24,933
built first in regional commercial districts not neighborhood commercial and

2177
06:48:29,000 --> 06:48:29,000
then people chose to move in next to them. >> isn't that how it should be?

2178
06:48:35,000 --> 06:48:38,600
a store first in the four homes. Costco is a private membership store. >> it's not for everyone but everyone will be impacted by

2179
06:48:42,933 --> 06:48:42,933
traffic. 11,000 cars. As you vote please remember the

2180
06:48:49,800 --> 06:48:49,800
little girl who in the late 19 70s was killed while crossing prospect to go to high school.

2181
06:48:56,833 --> 06:48:56,833
the light at dial drive was installed as a result. I shudder when I think of that

2182
06:49:04,733 --> 06:49:08,000
when I'm stopped at lyle at the light at while a child was killed. >> that's why this light is here. >> with the significant volume

2183
06:49:11,600 --> 06:49:11,600
of traffic that costco will bring, will more of our children be killed?

2184
06:49:15,700 --> 06:49:15,700
please vote no. Find the tax money elsewhere. >> thank you.

2185
06:49:21,900 --> 06:49:21,900
>> thank you. Next speaker. >> good evening, mayor.

2186
06:49:29,966 --> 06:49:33,533
city council members. My name is michelle. Vinod. I own bikram yoga san jose and I support the costco project. I've been in that mall that

2187
06:49:41,300 --> 06:49:41,300
precious mall for 22 years. Our first studio nine years there was in the old galactica

2188
06:49:46,766 --> 06:49:46,766
arcade. Maybe some of you remember. Then we moved eight years into

2189
06:49:51,300 --> 06:49:51,300
the fencing academy and currently now we're told two ballet and genius kids used to

2190
06:49:57,566 --> 06:49:57,566
be this gem of a location we deliberately picked and sadly when orchard supply closed is

2191
06:50:02,366 --> 06:50:02,366
when the vitality of that center started to go down. >> yes there was starbucks and

2192
06:50:09,800 --> 06:50:09,800
superduper but the vacancies have been really large to the point now where these buildings

2193
06:50:16,800 --> 06:50:16,800
are boarded up and the area is shady sketchy dare I even say unsafe?

2194
06:50:24,300 --> 06:50:27,733
just give you a little bit about our business over the last 22 years we've had over a million to visitors so I'm a big studio then our growth potential now has gone down a

2195
06:50:35,200 --> 06:50:36,700
lot. We used to get like 200 new people every month. Now we're getting like 50 new people. The second and final point is

2196
06:50:41,766 --> 06:50:41,766
as long as I've been there it's been a hodgepodge of different businesses.

2197
06:50:46,333 --> 06:50:46,333
>> there's never been a sense of order with traffic given all the traffic issues which I

2198
06:50:50,533 --> 06:50:53,966
agree. But for the first time with somebody seismic like cosco, the center's going to have some sense of cohesiveness and better traffic.

2199
06:51:00,533 --> 06:51:00,533
>> thank you. Next speaker I'd also like to call I called mark noth but I

2200
06:51:05,633 --> 06:51:05,633
think it might be merle. Go ahead. Good evening, council members.

2201
06:51:11,700 --> 06:51:15,666
my name is toni la baron and I'm in favor of the cosco project. I work for michelle and I've been a member of that studio for 20 years and now I work

2202
06:51:22,566 --> 06:51:26,566
there. >> I've watched that corner slowly die with most of the business leaving. It's really sad. And michelle gave you some

2203
06:51:33,500 --> 06:51:33,500
numbers. Our members have declined. I'd like to see cosco be

2204
06:51:37,866 --> 06:51:37,866
approved and be back to that vibrant mall that it used to be.

2205
06:51:42,500 --> 06:51:42,500
please vote yes for the cosco project. >> thank you.

2206
06:51:49,066 --> 06:51:53,066
>> thank you. Next speaker I might also like to call mark dobson and shirley peck. >> go ahead. Good evening.

2207
06:51:58,700 --> 06:51:58,700
my first sentence would be please vote no on cosco. >> as a resident of the country

2208
06:52:03,700 --> 06:52:03,700
lane neighborhood and I have those three schools I think the traffic generated by not I

2209
06:52:10,800 --> 06:52:10,800
think I know the traffic generated by cosco is going to make it very, very unsafe.

2210
06:52:18,000 --> 06:52:21,666
>> country lane has little kids most of us cannot see them. And as a prospective mom I worry for all the kids who do their sports especially

2211
06:52:26,566 --> 06:52:26,566
cross-country who run. My kid does that and now I have to be thinking about is he

2212
06:52:33,433 --> 06:52:33,433
going to be coming home or not? Yes, that mall can do with more businesses but it should be

2213
06:52:41,033 --> 06:52:44,500
multiple different small businesses. Definitely not costco. And talking about businesses this is interesting because I did not grow up here and this

2214
06:52:55,666 --> 06:52:55,666
is my first introduction to will the elected officials really listen?

2215
06:53:03,200 --> 06:53:03,200
>> so I'm urging you again please do listen and keep the safety of the neighborhood.

2216
06:53:08,000 --> 06:53:08,000
the most important thing. >> what? No one cosco thank you.

2217
06:53:15,000 --> 06:53:18,800
>> thank you. Next speaker I'm going to call the last three cards two of ramesh, steve and kevin. >> good evening. I'm quite sure that by the end

2218
06:53:34,133 --> 06:53:34,133
of this meeting you will rubber stamp the recommendation by the planning commission because as

2219
06:53:40,566 --> 06:53:40,566
a member of your planning commission stated the project will generate revenue for the

2220
06:53:48,533 --> 06:53:49,533
city. We have to approve. Yep. That's what he said we have to approve. This is definitely the wrong

2221
06:53:53,733 --> 06:53:53,733
location for a food warehouse period. >> projected 200,000 plus

2222
06:54:00,866 --> 06:54:04,733
increase in traffic. >> oh my god. What are you thinking? Children attending schools nearby country lane in prospect.

2223
06:54:09,200 --> 06:54:09,200
they walked this area increase in traffic will be challenging. >> even now our neighborhood is

2224
06:54:16,700 --> 06:54:16,700
being shortcut to get away from traffic. >> five costcos in san jose.

2225
06:54:20,800 --> 06:54:20,800
I believe the action to be a first invasion of a living area active quiet neighborhood with

2226
06:54:28,100 --> 06:54:28,100
schools parks and families walking the streets. >> you know as well as I know

2227
06:54:38,366 --> 06:54:38,366
there's there is a much better location for a warehouse. >> warehouse that's what it is

2228
06:54:44,000 --> 06:54:44,000
in a community especially when there are two other costcos within a short drive of our

2229
06:54:53,200 --> 06:54:53,200
area. >> we don't need a. >> I ask you if you cannot vote

2230
06:55:00,533 --> 06:55:00,533
no on this project this seat. >> thank you. The next speaker discussed in

2231
06:55:08,533 --> 06:55:08,533
your time is up that it's thank you. >> good evening mayors and

2232
06:55:22,866 --> 06:55:26,466
council members. My name is shirley pack. I work at westgate west mall and I strongly support the costco project. >> I think westgate mall is a

2233
06:55:34,800 --> 06:55:34,800
mall and let it be a mall and that we do size costco just feet where it is and it can

2234
06:55:41,900 --> 06:55:41,900
provide jobs for people. >> it provides shopping convenience to the neighborhood

2235
06:55:49,533 --> 06:55:49,533
and revenue for the city. >> so I strongly support the costco project.

2236
06:55:53,733 --> 06:55:53,733
>> thank you. >> thank you. Your next speaker.

2237
06:56:04,166 --> 06:56:04,166
>> hello council members. >> so here you have heard a lot of speakers today talk about

2238
06:56:13,000 --> 06:56:16,266
safety. The students have talked about safety. The parents have stopped. The parents have talked about safety and everyone's talked

2239
06:56:22,466 --> 06:56:26,433
about safety. How do we evaluate safety? The one thing that we have to do is that we have to go back and look at data. Where is the data?

2240
06:56:29,266 --> 06:56:29,266
here is the data. When you look at the data within half a mile of prospect

2241
06:56:33,766 --> 06:56:37,533
school radius you find that about 10% of the collisions involve pedestrians and vehicles. Right. And what is the duration under

2242
06:56:41,066 --> 06:56:41,066
which these collisions occur? >> they occur between 12 p.m. To 3 p.m. And 3 p.m. To 5 p.m..

2243
06:56:47,766 --> 06:56:51,233
so these are the critical times for the collisions. However, what did the city of san jose do? They did not evaluate this at all completely.

2244
06:56:55,300 --> 06:56:55,300
I put this in the data comment and I asked for a response. Guess what?

2245
06:57:00,066 --> 06:57:03,633
there was no response at all. They completely chose to ignore it. This is an abject failure. How do we define safety and how are you going to ensure safety?

2246
06:57:08,866 --> 06:57:08,866
switch police. >> so the next set of things here in addition to this let's

2247
06:57:17,266 --> 06:57:20,366
look at this project. You have a land use violation over here. You are putting it in a neighborhood community commercial parking.

2248
06:57:23,666 --> 06:57:27,466
that's not adequate noise. You are at the threshold of 55db homes. >> you are within 100ft school. >> you are within 2000ft. Traffic land conditions they

2249
06:57:34,766 --> 06:57:34,766
are all adverse. >> now scroll. Okay.

2250
06:57:41,800 --> 06:57:41,800
your time is up. Thank you miss kevin cooney. >> I'm a 20 year resident

2251
06:57:52,666 --> 06:57:52,666
of tennessee and I'm here to urge you to vote no. I have two kids.

2252
06:57:56,933 --> 06:58:00,400
go to prospect. They biked to school almost every day and they bike home late in the evening multiple nights a week as do a lot of their friends.

2253
06:58:04,366 --> 06:58:08,333
there's been some talk about the buildings being boarded up and empty and yes, that's concerned but that's not due to a lack of interest. Multiple businesses have come

2254
06:58:14,700 --> 06:58:14,700
to the owner asking to move in including the the ace hardware and they were pushed away.

2255
06:58:19,533 --> 06:58:19,533
tenants that were there have left because rents were way raised well beyond their means

2256
06:58:25,966 --> 06:58:27,400
. That's our safety. According to the san jose police department in 2022 there were 32 pedestrian traffic fatalities in tennessee.

2257
06:58:34,333 --> 06:58:37,266
that number has been increasing. The police department lists several key factors in causing traffic traffic fatalities. >> I'd like to highlight a few

2258
06:58:42,433 --> 06:58:45,566
for you. Number one, pedestrians crossing nonresidential multi-lane roadways like prospect in lawrence. Number two inattention to

2259
06:58:50,133 --> 06:58:53,866
distraction including cell phone use. >> think about the last time you were in a costco parking lot. Most drivers are not paying

2260
06:58:57,600 --> 06:58:57,600
attention because they're trying to find a parking spot. Many high schoolers not the

2261
06:59:01,633 --> 06:59:05,400
ones here I hope are using their cell phones as they leave the school. The traffic assessment that was done later was done at 3:05 p.m. Which is 15 minutes after

2262
06:59:11,700 --> 06:59:11,700
school dismissal. That does not actually represent what the traffic

2263
06:59:16,400 --> 06:59:18,500
situation will be. You should we do that traffic assessment. >> thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker.

2264
06:59:29,300 --> 06:59:29,300
my name is steve. >> I'm a strong supporter for costco here.

2265
06:59:37,133 --> 06:59:37,133
I live in the neighborhood and I have always right next to the proposed site.

2266
06:59:41,700 --> 06:59:41,700
I am a retired civil structure mechanical engineer was the mba and I worked for 45 years as an

2267
06:59:50,000 --> 06:59:50,000
engineer for public and private entities. >> I have reviewed a lot

2268
06:59:57,566 --> 06:59:57,566
of amendments, all study reports and I feel the restriction put on this project

2269
07:00:04,833 --> 07:00:04,833
so we overbought. >> for example I like to see we open up the entrance to grave

2270
07:00:12,966 --> 07:00:12,966
avenue that well allowed the elevation of traffic to be restricted to many other place

2271
07:00:23,166 --> 07:00:23,166
. >> so I urge the council to approve this project as soon as

2272
07:00:27,800 --> 07:00:27,800
possible. Thank you. >> back to council.

2273
07:00:34,466 --> 07:00:34,466
all right. >> just before I turn to the vice mayor, let me just make a

2274
07:00:39,866 --> 07:00:39,866
couple of points and then I have a chime in at least another time or two as

2275
07:00:46,166 --> 07:00:46,166
we go around other council members. >> first of all, I want to

2276
07:00:50,266 --> 07:00:50,266
thank everybody who came out. I know it's it's a it's a tuesday evening.

2277
07:00:54,300 --> 07:00:57,433
it's late. You all have a lot of the things you'd probably prefer to be doing. So I appreciate people taking the time to engage in it, not

2278
07:01:01,966 --> 07:01:05,433
just engaging you tonight. >> I know you've been engaging very closely with the vice mayor's office mine and others and been very active and involved for a long time and I

2279
07:01:10,300 --> 07:01:10,300
think that participation has made this project better. >> I went out last night and

2280
07:01:16,400 --> 07:01:16,400
walked around the site, walked around the neighborhood by myself just to get a feel for

2281
07:01:23,600 --> 07:01:23,600
it saw signs in some of your front yards and I know there are many genuine concerns that

2282
07:01:30,900 --> 07:01:30,900
the neighborhood has. >> and I just I want to make a general philosophical point and

2283
07:01:38,166 --> 07:01:38,166
then a much more technical point that's a response to something that was raised and

2284
07:01:42,733 --> 07:01:46,166
then I'll turn to the vice mayor. >> you know, on this question of land use approval, this is the philosophic point. I will just say I don't I

2285
07:01:54,233 --> 07:01:57,866
appreciate all the comments. I think there are a lot of good points raised a lot of good questions and criticisms very valid. >> I do not find it at all

2286
07:02:01,766 --> 07:02:01,766
convincing or compelling to be accused of making decisions because of the money or because

2287
07:02:09,266 --> 07:02:09,266
of some support for big business. That is not what is motivated

2288
07:02:13,566 --> 07:02:13,566
any of us to run for office. >> I want to be clear about that.

2289
07:02:17,900 --> 07:02:17,900
when we take up land use issues they actually tend to be the hardest decisions we have to

2290
07:02:22,100 --> 07:02:22,100
make as a council because we all run by knocking on your doors to represent the

2291
07:02:28,466 --> 07:02:31,733
community. >> you do what's best for the community. The challenge with land use decisions is that they tend to always have broad or dispersed

2292
07:02:39,900 --> 07:02:39,900
hard to measure benefits in terms of jobs tax base that yes we use to hire police officers,

2293
07:02:48,000 --> 07:02:48,000
maintain parks, expand libraries hours, pave roads etc..

2294
07:02:52,300 --> 07:02:52,300
the benefits tend to be housing . We need housing supply.

2295
07:02:57,000 --> 07:03:00,666
the benefits tend to be diffuse. The impacts tend to be very acute I.e. Disproportionately borne by the very people who live right next to that site.

2296
07:03:05,466 --> 07:03:05,466
that's why I went out to walk around your neighborhood last night and we have to recognize

2297
07:03:12,000 --> 07:03:12,000
that that is the reality of investment in our city. And it's not to make an excuse.

2298
07:03:16,900 --> 07:03:20,200
some projects are good, some are bad. I'm not I'm just being a philosophic point here. I want you to know these are some of the hardest decisions

2299
07:03:23,300 --> 07:03:24,533
we make. We weigh them. We think about them. We spend months on the big ones diving into the data. We have professional staff who

2300
07:03:31,233 --> 07:03:31,233
we rely on because of the very nature of how much can we mitigate impacts and do what's

2301
07:03:35,366 --> 07:03:35,366
right for the immediate neighbors of new jobs, new housing, new infrastructure,

2302
07:03:39,533 --> 07:03:39,533
new homeless shelters, new schools and so on and on and on .

2303
07:03:46,333 --> 07:03:46,333
how much can we help the community and minimize negative impacts maximize benefits while

2304
07:03:50,733 --> 07:03:50,733
still allowing investment in our city that continues to create jobs and housing and

2305
07:03:55,533 --> 07:03:59,366
things that overall in the long run the city really needs. So that's the context. This is not about the money. It's not about business versus the people though I know it

2306
07:04:03,433 --> 07:04:03,433
feels that way and if some of you still walk away believing that you're entitled

2307
07:04:07,533 --> 07:04:07,533
to your opinion but I want to be very clear for me and I think for all my colleagues

2308
07:04:13,466 --> 07:04:17,433
that's not what the discussions about. It's about the fact that we have people who own land in the city who have property rights. We have a need over time for

2309
07:04:22,333 --> 07:04:22,333
things like jobs and housing. Yes, tax base is useful because we use it to pay for services.

2310
07:04:26,400 --> 07:04:26,400
we also acknowledge and the reason we spend so much time and study these things we

2311
07:04:32,600 --> 07:04:36,533
acknowledge that every time we add jobs and housing there are impacts particularly for the people who live right next to them. That's what makes this so hard.

2312
07:04:40,566 --> 07:04:40,566
so that's why the memo we wrote has so many conditions that gets to my my narrower legal

2313
07:04:48,000 --> 07:04:49,766
point that I just want to make because it was raised a couple of times. What accountability is there? Well, this is a conditional use permit.

2314
07:04:55,466 --> 07:04:59,400
>> after being built there will also have to be a certificate of occupancy. So these are legal entitlements we are giving to someone if they pass that como certain

2315
07:05:07,200 --> 07:05:07,200
obligations and some right to enforce. And so this is I just want to

2316
07:05:12,033 --> 07:05:12,033
be clear that it is a conditional use permit. >> and anyway so there is a

2317
07:05:18,500 --> 07:05:18,500
there is a process here that this is not just a okay. Good luck.

2318
07:05:22,933 --> 07:05:24,400
we wrote some nice things on paper. We hope you pay attention to us. I don't want you to think there is no leverage here.

2319
07:05:27,100 --> 07:05:30,200
I want your neighborhood to be safe. I take your concerns very seriously. Living next to two major expressways and a very large

2320
07:05:36,866 --> 07:05:36,866
commercial district is concerning. >> there are a lot of impacts

2321
07:05:41,066 --> 07:05:44,300
from that and we do need to weigh those. And frankly I don't think the city, the county or your transit or vta have done a good enough job of thinking about

2322
07:05:52,800 --> 07:05:56,200
throughput and traffic safety and all the rest. So I acknowledge that up front that is broader though than this very specific decision. So I just wanted to frame up

2323
07:06:00,966 --> 07:06:00,966
this a little bit based on some of the comments I heard, many of which by the way most

2324
07:06:05,266 --> 07:06:09,066
of which I thought were very substantive, very thoughtful. And again, I appreciate you all being so engaged and so well informed. You asked a lot of good

2325
07:06:12,666 --> 07:06:16,633
questions. >> okay. I almost certainly have more to say but I'm going to turn to my colleague and his district. This is that's our vice mayor

2326
07:06:23,533 --> 07:06:23,533
rosemarie kamei, who I know has been working very closely with many of you for a long time now

2327
07:06:27,800 --> 07:06:27,800
as well as the applicant to try to make this as good of a project as it can possibly be.

2328
07:06:32,500 --> 07:06:32,500
vice mayor you have the floor in terms of colleagues. Anyone on the dais can

2329
07:06:46,266 --> 07:06:46,266
certainly call up the applicant to answer questions or others community leaders.

2330
07:06:50,666 --> 07:06:50,666
so you're always allowed anyone here is allowed to ask someone to come to the podium to answer

2331
07:06:55,266 --> 07:06:55,266
questions not to extend public comment. >> just to be clear.

2332
07:07:00,800 --> 07:07:00,800
>> thank you so much mayor mehan. >> I really want to thank all

2333
07:07:06,333 --> 07:07:06,333
of the speakers. I know you've taken time out of your valuable day to to be

2334
07:07:10,533 --> 07:07:10,533
here with us to share your thoughts. I also want to thank two

2335
07:07:15,933 --> 07:07:15,933
community members who weren't able to make it because I've spoken to so many over the last

2336
07:07:20,066 --> 07:07:20,066
year, year and a half as well as prior to my taking office. I want to thank west valley say

2337
07:07:27,666 --> 07:07:31,133
west valley. I know you've done a lot of work. I've worked with you very closely. I particularly want to

2338
07:07:35,200 --> 07:07:35,200
recognize mark polgar and connie teachey. You guys have been really, you

2339
07:07:39,733 --> 07:07:39,733
know, opening my eyes. This is not a perfect process but I certainly want to say how

2340
07:07:47,700 --> 07:07:47,700
much I appreciate your perspective and bringing the neighborhood perspective

2341
07:07:52,300 --> 07:07:52,300
forward. I want to thank the multiple jurisdictions.

2342
07:07:56,366 --> 07:07:56,366
>> this is a very complicated, challenging place because it's not just about this project.

2343
07:08:03,400 --> 07:08:03,400
it's about, you know, dealing with the county roads, dealing with the school districts,

2344
07:08:07,933 --> 07:08:07,933
dealing with city saratoga. It's so it's it's not a simple area to begin with.

2345
07:08:15,000 --> 07:08:15,000
so I want to thank all the city staff that have been involved in the project the project

2346
07:08:20,000 --> 07:08:23,900
presenters and all that was brought up that brought us here today. I would like to thank the mayor and my colleagues who signed on to the memo which has been

2347
07:08:28,366 --> 07:08:28,366
updated today. I did in fact add additional streets for review and I'll

2348
07:08:35,066 --> 07:08:38,866
talk about that a little bit later. Your contributions really have made this a much better project. Earlier in the in the session

2349
07:08:42,866 --> 07:08:42,866
someone mentioned about how these conditions are enforceable and in fact I think

2350
07:08:50,666 --> 07:08:50,666
that the mayor just responded to how that would be. >> and over the last three

2351
07:08:56,400 --> 07:08:56,400
years we've had many, many community meetings large and small to aggregate the opinions

2352
07:09:01,033 --> 07:09:01,033
and concerns to identify opportunities. >> I understand the challenges.

2353
07:09:05,466 --> 07:09:05,466
I don't live that far away. >> I mean I go through lawrence expressway every day and I see

2354
07:09:12,333 --> 07:09:12,333
the challenges. >> I think that with or without the costco this is still a very

2355
07:09:17,233 --> 07:09:17,233
big challenge over time. And I think that our doing a urban village plan for that

2356
07:09:24,633 --> 07:09:24,633
area is going to bring much more certainty in terms of what is to come in the future.

2357
07:09:33,000 --> 07:09:36,666
and I know some of you have already expressed interest in participating in that which encompasses a larger area surrounding the vicinity. Today, as has been mentioned,

2358
07:09:44,533 --> 07:09:44,533
we are here to decide on the conditional use permit and a determination of public

2359
07:09:49,400 --> 07:09:49,400
convenience or necessity. And this is really a unique situation.

2360
07:09:54,033 --> 07:09:54,033
ordinarily a commercial project of this type would be allowed under our general plan if they

2361
07:10:01,333 --> 07:10:01,333
didn't want an alcohol license it would just happen without the the public process and it

2362
07:10:08,800 --> 07:10:08,800
would be reviewed through an administrative process and never come to the city council

2363
07:10:13,300 --> 07:10:17,133
or the planning commission. However here a conditional use permit is required because costco proposes to sell alcohol for offsite consumption which is very different.

2364
07:10:24,133 --> 07:10:24,133
>> we also had the benefit through this process to have a full environmental impact

2365
07:10:31,766 --> 07:10:31,766
report which provides greater transparency on impacts. My office and I have helped

2366
07:10:36,333 --> 07:10:36,333
continue as talks with community members and representatives of costco to

2367
07:10:42,566 --> 07:10:42,566
improve the project and mitigate its its impacts. Beyond standard conditions

2368
07:10:47,900 --> 07:10:51,600
of approval costco costco has voluntarily agreed to a large array of additional improvements recognizing the need to be a good neighbor and that's really included in the

2369
07:10:58,733 --> 07:10:58,733
memo. If you've had the opportunity to look at the memo that we've

2370
07:11:02,866 --> 07:11:02,866
brought forward, it has over four pages of conditions that we have worked with together

2371
07:11:10,433 --> 07:11:10,433
and I have incorporated many of your suggestions to the to the memo with respect to graves

2372
07:11:18,733 --> 07:11:18,733
avenue access traffic and parking. One of the things I will say is

2373
07:11:24,966 --> 07:11:24,966
that and it was brought up by doris's mr. Lindsey son he brought up the idea of you

2374
07:11:32,400 --> 07:11:32,400
know, it's one point h I added today the additional streets for traffic calming policies

2375
07:11:43,400 --> 07:11:47,033
and streets to be considered for the study. It's cordelia avenue happy valley avenue brunton avenue. Larson avenue fields avenue. Teresita avenue.

2376
07:11:52,233 --> 07:11:52,233
graves avenue country lane and inglewood drive. And at the planning commission

2377
07:11:58,066 --> 07:11:58,066
the cap was put at $50,000. >> and one of the things that I've asked costco is that when

2378
07:12:04,400 --> 07:12:04,400
the study is done and there are impacts that they would pay for whatever calming measures

2379
07:12:09,466 --> 07:12:09,466
needed to be made for the area. >> so I know that that's a really, really big, big

2380
07:12:16,066 --> 07:12:16,066
concern. And and as far as I can understand, costco has agreed

2381
07:12:20,566 --> 07:12:20,566
to that. So everything that's in these in this memo will be attached

2382
07:12:27,866 --> 07:12:27,866
as a condition and there are other prohibitions that I have added especially on

2383
07:12:35,033 --> 07:12:35,033
construction related traffic. This is something that had not come up previously but I know

2384
07:12:39,300 --> 07:12:39,300
that it's 21 months of construction that was proposed including saturday

2385
07:12:45,400 --> 07:12:45,400
work which was on on the on the agenda item. >> it said saturday 7 a.m. To 7

2386
07:12:53,066 --> 07:12:53,066
p.m.. I have narrowed it down such that in the beginning it would

2387
07:12:57,500 --> 07:12:57,500
be only for the six month period and then any kind of other saturday work would

2388
07:13:04,166 --> 07:13:08,133
have to be done within the the the building after structure is up. >> so there are a number of conditions with respect to noise impacts as well with

2389
07:13:15,566 --> 07:13:15,566
respect to asset as esthetics, privacy, light and glare. >> and I know that there was an

2390
07:13:23,566 --> 07:13:27,266
issue as to whether or not title 24 energy standards would be applicable when they change and we have added the the standards to be in place at the time that that building permit

2391
07:13:34,833 --> 07:13:34,833
is issued. So it would be more up to date as to what would be required

2392
07:13:38,900 --> 07:13:38,900
with respect to pedestrian safety. >> I know what a challenge it

2393
07:13:43,600 --> 07:13:43,600
is in that entire area. >> and you know, I, I continue to say this and safety for the

2394
07:13:53,633 --> 07:13:53,633
kids is a big deal for me and I spoke to costco and I think that's why they agreed the the

2395
07:14:05,033 --> 07:14:05,033
if you if you look at my memo or our memo you will notice that there's there's a diagram

2396
07:14:13,266 --> 07:14:13,266
that demonstrates the improvements. >> I have worked very, very

2397
07:14:17,766 --> 07:14:21,100
closely with our department of transportation to ensure that these improvements really, really will help on the safety issue and the 2.5 million just didn't come out of the sky.

2398
07:14:28,400 --> 07:14:28,400
I got them from our traffic engineers and they assure me that this is sufficient to

2399
07:14:32,800 --> 07:14:32,800
be able to address. >> it doesn't address all four corners but it does address the

2400
07:14:39,066 --> 07:14:39,066
two corners necessary to provide improvements. >> and I and I am committed to

2401
07:14:46,833 --> 07:14:46,833
find a way to be able to improve. The other pork chop one is in

2402
07:14:51,166 --> 07:14:51,166
the city of of saratoga and the other one is just across the street near the the other side

2403
07:14:58,800 --> 07:14:58,800
of lawrence expressway. >> so I will be committed to look for other types of funding

2404
07:15:06,233 --> 07:15:09,866
safe routes to schools or other types of funding to be able to do that. I also am committed to ensuring that the students at country lane are safe.

2405
07:15:14,200 --> 07:15:14,200
I don't think it's acceptable to to just be satisfied with a crosswalk.

2406
07:15:21,566 --> 07:15:21,566
and by the way, the crosswalk was changed from feels to be and ensure that it's going to

2407
07:15:25,700 --> 07:15:25,700
be something that will work. >> I'm not going to go through every single detail here but I

2408
07:15:36,066 --> 07:15:36,066
certainly want you to know that everything in the memo is enforceable and I guess I

2409
07:15:40,733 --> 07:15:40,733
should ask staff to make sure that that's correct. >> yeah.

2410
07:15:47,466 --> 07:15:51,300
these are the conditions of the project and at the very end there's a revolt clause that they violate the conditions of the permit. >> we have the ability to take

2411
07:15:55,633 --> 07:15:59,133
them to a hearing to revoke their permit. That's how the enforceability of conditions work. >> yeah. And I know that there was a and

2412
07:16:02,933 --> 07:16:02,933
I guess this is a question for the applicant because it was brought up in terms of the sign

2413
07:16:07,133 --> 07:16:07,133
that faces graves such that because it's a larger size sign that it may encourage people to

2414
07:16:14,933 --> 07:16:14,933
go that way. >> I don't know. But if there is a way to either

2415
07:16:21,866 --> 07:16:21,866
reduce it or move it or I believe you're referring to the sign on the east side.

2416
07:16:35,600 --> 07:16:37,666
jason graves. Yes we will. We can look at looking at reducing it. >> so we'll work it will work with staff or even consider

2417
07:16:41,666 --> 07:16:41,666
consider even you know, moving it over to a different place or whatever.

2418
07:16:46,066 --> 07:16:46,066
>> we'll we'll we'll cooperate and work with staff on that to reduce and relocate it.

2419
07:16:52,900 --> 07:16:56,166
>> okay. Thank you. Thank you. And and staff has already mentioned the no propane to be sold.

2420
07:17:01,133 --> 07:17:04,933
that was something that also came up. I know that there are a lot of conditions in in our memo. And with that I would move our memo with this little added

2421
07:17:12,266 --> 07:17:12,266
item on the sign and make it as a condition of of the item. >> okay.

2422
07:17:23,633 --> 07:17:26,633
thank you, vice mayor. So we have a motion a second with sara cohen. I'm going to turn to councilor cohen next. >> thank you, mayor.

2423
07:17:29,833 --> 07:17:29,833
first I want to thank the members of the community and not just for being here tonight

2424
07:17:33,866 --> 07:17:33,866
but helping in meetings that I've had with you in the last few weeks.

2425
07:17:38,033 --> 07:17:41,666
orient me on this neighborhood and your concerns. I would have come out into the neighborhood but as you can see I'm not very mobile right now so I'm was helpful to be able

2426
07:17:45,966 --> 07:17:49,366
to use the street view and be able to navigate my way around the neighborhood. But I appreciate that you know our area berryessa has a costco and it opened on hostetter road

2427
07:17:56,433 --> 07:18:00,100
and in an area that you know is a mix obviously of types of uses but with some residential nearby the northeast san jose costco has has made the community better.

2428
07:18:07,366 --> 07:18:07,366
it's obvious that there's more cars on that road in some sense the traffic has actually slowed

2429
07:18:11,666 --> 07:18:11,666
down significantly because of that traffic which you know, actually, you know, can be

2430
07:18:16,100 --> 07:18:19,666
frustrating to people who like to speed through these intersections but can make intersections, you know, safer for use as well. You know, having been through

2431
07:18:26,533 --> 07:18:26,533
these big development projects in my district and I know many of us have been through these,

2432
07:18:30,900 --> 07:18:30,900
I know how difficult it is to to balance the competing interests, the interests

2433
07:18:35,133 --> 07:18:35,133
of neighbors nearby, the interest of the people who are building the project, the

2434
07:18:39,333 --> 07:18:39,333
interest of the city interests of of businesses nearby. It's a tough thing and I want

2435
07:18:45,900 --> 07:18:45,900
to thank councilmember combet for navigating this and working with residents to make this

2436
07:18:50,100 --> 07:18:53,800
project better and put a lot of conditions on it. I want to thank costco and the team there as well for working well with the council member to to accept you know and make

2437
07:19:01,300 --> 07:19:01,300
offers on on these concessions. I know it's been mentioned already by both the mayor and

2438
07:19:08,300 --> 07:19:08,300
council member and the vice mayor about, you know, these these being conditions

2439
07:19:12,866 --> 07:19:16,633
of approval and not recommendations. We're not recommending that the developer do these things. These are conditions of approval that are binding

2440
07:19:20,066 --> 07:19:20,066
when the council votes on them. So it is important for people to understand that, you know,

2441
07:19:26,533 --> 07:19:26,533
this is one of the most thorough concessions lists list that I've seen in any project

2442
07:19:31,300 --> 07:19:33,966
that we've done. >> and I you know, I've been through some big projects myself having 24 pages of concessions with 20 independent concessions along

2443
07:19:37,800 --> 07:19:41,733
with a lot of some items. There's a lot that went into this and a lot of thought and I know that it was based on a lot of conversations with all the people in this room and many

2444
07:19:48,233 --> 07:19:51,766
others. So I want to thank everyone for their engagement. I want to address one other thing. >> you know the question of of

2445
07:19:53,733 --> 07:19:53,733
parking on the roof. You know, we've I've made these comments a lot about our our

2446
07:20:00,033 --> 07:20:00,033
wasteful land use decisions in the past of this council of the city of the planning of this

2447
07:20:05,466 --> 07:20:05,466
city. You drive through my district in san jose you see buildings

2448
07:20:09,533 --> 07:20:09,533
with giant paved parking lots that in my opinion are not the best use of land and I do

2449
07:20:16,066 --> 07:20:16,066
actually appreciate becoming thinking outside the box and becoming a better stewards

2450
07:20:20,366 --> 07:20:20,366
of our land. And so having parking on the roof is actually can be a

2451
07:20:24,433 --> 07:20:24,433
positive improvement as opposed to large parking lots with cars ,you know, taking up a lot

2452
07:20:31,866 --> 07:20:33,033
of space. So I really think that that's helpful. In fact one of the cry complaints has with developers has been the fact that a lot

2453
07:20:40,066 --> 07:20:43,800
of the buildings across the city of san jose have what I consider to be wasteful roof space. We've talked about other uses of those roofs green roofs,

2454
07:20:47,133 --> 07:20:47,133
solar and you know parking being on the roof is another. >> I was just in seattle a few

2455
07:20:51,566 --> 07:20:55,500
weeks ago and went to a a target there which does it this way in a residential neighborhood with parking up on the upper floors and the store built into the building and

2456
07:21:02,200 --> 07:21:02,200
actually, you know, while it was unusual and different at first it was something that

2457
07:21:06,666 --> 07:21:10,233
worked well in that community and so I think it can work well . And so I just want to thank thank costco for for good use of space here.

2458
07:21:15,133 --> 07:21:19,000
and then the last thing I think is really important about this these conditions of approval is the continuing interest of the vice mayor and costco to do and the planning staff and d.o.t.

2459
07:21:29,133 --> 07:21:32,733
to do traffic studies going forward. >> we don't always know exactly where the impacts will be but knowing that there will be a monitoring of those impacts and

2460
07:21:36,666 --> 07:21:36,666
work to try to mitigate those impacts in the future is really important for the community.

2461
07:21:41,000 --> 07:21:44,833
I can't speak for other council members and what they do in their district but I certainly know as a council member that when we hear about traffic impacts from these projects we

2462
07:21:51,166 --> 07:21:54,633
work really hard to find solutions. Whether it end up ends up being extra stop signs that are needed or speed bumps or rerouting of traffic.

2463
07:21:59,000 --> 07:21:59,000
we will find those things out and I know for a fact that I believe that vice mayor is

2464
07:22:04,066 --> 07:22:04,066
interested in being and continuing to follow up on that and not just leaving it at the

2465
07:22:08,266 --> 07:22:11,600
after tonight. So I think that's an important concession as well. So I'm I'm happy to see that we've come to this point and we're able to make some

2466
07:22:19,466 --> 07:22:19,466
improvements to this project from where it started kind of some kind of interestingly

2467
07:22:26,500 --> 07:22:30,200
as the vice mayor pointed out, if it weren't for the fact that this were a project that had that needed a conditional use permit for alcohol, we wouldn't have had the opportunity to

2468
07:22:34,700 --> 07:22:38,000
have this conversation with the community and make the project better. It would have been had to have been accepted and installed just as it was originally

2469
07:22:42,033 --> 07:22:45,600
designed. So I guess we got to opportunity out of what was an unusual circumstance. So I want to thank vice mayor and the members of the

2470
07:22:47,400 --> 07:22:47,400
community for getting us here. >> thanks, councilmember. Appreciate your comments.

2471
07:22:53,766 --> 07:22:53,766
and to go to councilor a condolence no thank you mayor. >> yeah I'm really no I'm I'm

2472
07:23:00,500 --> 07:23:00,500
grateful and happy to see so much community involvement throughout this process.

2473
07:23:04,633 --> 07:23:04,633
>> I know multiple public hearings and meetings and you know, I'm especially thankful

2474
07:23:08,866 --> 07:23:08,866
to everybody who took their time to come you know, be here almost 9:00 on a on a school

2475
07:23:15,600 --> 07:23:19,000
night especially our high school students and you know, as we consider developments in our city, it's our responsibility to seek input from our community members.

2476
07:23:23,466 --> 07:23:23,466
and I know vice mayor kamei has taken much of the community's concerns and drafted a very

2477
07:23:29,900 --> 07:23:29,900
thoughtful memo which I was happy to join. You know, mayor, I actually too

2478
07:23:34,000 --> 07:23:38,000
went out there last week during school hours. I sat in the parking lot and you know, I saw firsthand some of the concerns particularly regarding particularly

2479
07:23:45,133 --> 07:23:45,133
regarding traffic and safety. And so I do believe that the conditions of approval included

2480
07:23:49,200 --> 07:23:49,200
in this memorandum which is substantial will help mitigate those concerns.

2481
07:23:57,100 --> 07:23:57,100
I also appreciate that the city will assess traffic flow and the impact after the costco is

2482
07:24:01,766 --> 07:24:01,766
built which will help our department of transportation better assess that the impacts

2483
07:24:08,666 --> 07:24:08,666
as a city I know we're always trying to bring economic vibrancy to our neighborhoods

2484
07:24:13,066 --> 07:24:13,066
and enhance our ability to be able to serve and provide services to our constituents.

2485
07:24:18,033 --> 07:24:18,033
>> in fact I too have a costco in my district and in fact I think it's a business costco if

2486
07:24:24,166 --> 07:24:24,166
I'm not mistaken and I've heard from my residents on the value of this amenity in our district

2487
07:24:29,033 --> 07:24:29,033
and you know we can and we should address the community's needs and concerns to the best

2488
07:24:35,600 --> 07:24:35,600
extent possible. And I do believe that our memorandum does that and the

2489
07:24:39,800 --> 07:24:39,800
specifications tailored to address these issues while still capturing the benefits

2490
07:24:44,200 --> 07:24:44,200
of this development. So thank you vice mayor, for including me in your in your

2491
07:24:48,266 --> 07:24:48,266
brown act and I appreciate your leadership on it. Thanks councilmember just on

2492
07:24:55,100 --> 07:24:55,100
the issue of cut through traffic, if I could just ask staff assuming this is passed

2493
07:25:02,366 --> 07:25:02,366
with the memo adopted as is the motion on the floor actually first let me ask for a friendly

2494
07:25:07,333 --> 07:25:07,333
amendment because I think with the addition of three more local roads we need to update

2495
07:25:14,433 --> 07:25:14,433
it to say and let me just be clear as on item one h if adverse effects to any of the

2496
07:25:21,633 --> 07:25:21,633
says six residential streets but now I believe it's nine in the list is that accurate?

2497
07:25:26,400 --> 07:25:26,400
>> vice mayor okay so if I could ask for a friendly amendment to just make that

2498
07:25:31,933 --> 07:25:31,933
nine so or specify in all nine of the streets you listed which were cordelia happy valley

2499
07:25:36,333 --> 07:25:36,333
brunton larson fields teresita graves country lane and inglewood.

2500
07:25:43,233 --> 07:25:43,233
>> great so staff if you could just tell us just so it's clear what the community as one

2501
07:25:50,733 --> 07:25:50,733
of the conditions of four pages of conditions is that were imposed which I think councilor

2502
07:25:56,566 --> 07:25:59,000
cohen's point is the most conditions I've ever seen placed on a project since I've been on the council. >> what will happen here assuming this passes?

2503
07:26:06,066 --> 07:26:06,066
so we will conduct a study within 12 months. >> what should the community's

2504
07:26:10,100 --> 07:26:14,100
expectation be? Who's paying for it? I know it's it's written out here that we've read but I'm not sure the community has. >> so if you all could just

2505
07:26:18,333 --> 07:26:18,333
tell us so could you clarify it conditions in general or to civically the just one h sorry

2506
07:26:23,333 --> 07:26:26,266
that I'm interested specifically when I was walking around last night I think to the point many folks here are making on the one hand this is not a small strip mall is a

2507
07:26:32,166 --> 07:26:32,166
large I mean this site alone is ten acres but it's part of a much larger urban village with

2508
07:26:37,266 --> 07:26:37,266
a lot of commercial space. That being said, there's a tiny wall behind the site and then a

2509
07:26:43,533 --> 07:26:46,900
net a residential neighborhood. >> so the question I think one of the big concerns I heard repeated and I saw as I walked around was one of the driveways out is into that neighborhood

2510
07:26:54,600 --> 07:26:58,100
and certainly I don't think is going to be the case because you've got two other major roads and other ways to get in and out. But were it to be the case that

2511
07:27:01,400 --> 07:27:04,933
11,000 cars were going through that neighborhood, that would be a real problem right. So I'd like to know what the study means, what how it'll play out, who pays for it, what

2512
07:27:08,400 --> 07:27:08,400
happens next? >> good evening and this is me and you've been with the

2513
07:27:13,266 --> 07:27:17,233
department of public works and so yeah, so within a year after occupancy and once costco is operational we will reach out to costco and have them submit at their expense a study

2514
07:27:25,033 --> 07:27:25,033
regarding post studies regarding speeding and traffic volumes within those specified

2515
07:27:32,633 --> 07:27:32,633
streets that we've laid out in the condition and then we'll we'll evaluate the study

2516
07:27:40,400 --> 07:27:44,200
against our traffic calming policy that was recently updated by the department of transportation and within that policy there are thresholds for both volume and

2517
07:27:47,900 --> 07:27:47,900
speeding. And so if there are adverse effects as a result of that

2518
07:27:52,200 --> 07:27:52,200
study then we'll engage further in fdot or traffic calming team up there as well as vice mayor

2519
07:28:00,266 --> 07:28:03,666
kamei office and the community to determine what the appropriate traffic calming measures would be. It would be necessary within that within that neighborhood

2520
07:28:07,766 --> 07:28:07,766
and what might be examples of those too if you could? >> I think they've been

2521
07:28:12,466 --> 07:28:15,533
referenced but just could be more about additional crosswalks, stop work and studies if needed speed radar signs, that sort of thing. We I would like to say speed

2522
07:28:23,466 --> 07:28:26,833
months but usually fire doesn't like those because it does slow down the response time so we would look at more pedestrian types of improvements within that neighborhood and to come

2523
07:28:31,533 --> 07:28:34,200
further from the streets. >> okay. Thanks. I appreciate that. >> and then it says that those improvements would be designed

2524
07:28:40,900 --> 07:28:40,900
and constructed within two years of issuance of the of the study.

2525
07:28:48,000 --> 07:28:51,733
>> that is correct. Okay. Okay, great. Well to me there's an important provision in here. There are many others and I

2526
07:28:55,733 --> 07:28:55,733
know vice mayor, you've worked very hard to listen to the community to categorize all the

2527
07:29:00,000 --> 07:29:03,633
concerns too. I know you spent countless hours researching them and figure out what mitigations are viable here including millions of dollars in funding from

2528
07:29:11,933 --> 07:29:11,933
costco. >> but we will need to keep monitoring this closely and do

2529
07:29:17,566 --> 07:29:17,566
the studies both in the neighborhood and the cut through traffic that folks are

2530
07:29:24,000 --> 07:29:24,000
worried about as well as the the turn lane off the expressway there and to what

2531
07:29:28,633 --> 07:29:28,633
extent it backs up traffic. I mean look, I think in general as I as I mentioned, this is an

2532
07:29:35,833 --> 07:29:39,500
area where you have a lot of different jurisdictions, you have a lot of growth, you have a lot of continued growth pressure. >> I think you're going to see

2533
07:29:42,666 --> 07:29:42,666
this urban village built out over time and we're going to have to work hard together

2534
07:29:47,100 --> 07:29:47,100
particularly with vta to identify improvements that make the roadways safer for

2535
07:29:54,366 --> 07:29:54,366
alternative modes like bicycling and walking but also transit because the traffic is

2536
07:30:02,600 --> 07:30:02,600
is really I live not far from an express county expressway myself and it's similar it's

2537
07:30:09,400 --> 07:30:09,400
extremely backed up and when it's not it's extremely fast and both are concerning sit in

2538
07:30:14,566 --> 07:30:18,066
a lot of traffic or people are going too fast so we have a lot of work to do around traffic safety. It's a major focus of ours. >> we're not going to have one

2539
07:30:21,466 --> 07:30:21,466
applicant foley fund the improvements that are needed there and fix it.

2540
07:30:25,566 --> 07:30:29,500
>> it's a much bigger challenge but you still have my commitment that I'll be working closely with the vice mayor city of saratoga county and vta to work on the

2541
07:30:36,400 --> 07:30:36,400
mitigations that we need to make that area safer. But I know it's a challenge and

2542
07:30:42,033 --> 07:30:45,166
it's not going to be fixed overnight. It's it's been decades in the making unfortunately. But I do think you'll see some meaningful improvements there

2543
07:30:49,033 --> 07:30:49,033
with the investments costco is committed to make. So vice mayor will, thank you

2544
07:30:53,566 --> 07:30:57,466
for bringing forward a very thoughtful memo with a lot of mitigations that I do think make meaningful improvements. As always these projects are difficult acute local impacts

2545
07:31:02,466 --> 07:31:02,466
broader benefits including more amenities and services including more jobs in other

2546
07:31:08,700 --> 07:31:08,700
cases housing. And it's always tough to weigh what's in the best interest

2547
07:31:13,100 --> 07:31:16,266
of the city in the long run. But how do we minimize the local impacts of that? So again, thank you all for being so engaged and thoughtful.

2548
07:31:21,033 --> 07:31:21,033
this is not the end of the conversation. I know we'll continue to engage

2549
07:31:25,500 --> 07:31:25,500
out in the neighborhood and do our best to support you all. >> we will motion on the floor.

2550
07:31:29,733 --> 07:31:33,266
I don't see any other hands. I'm going to give colleagues a last chance to weigh in if they have anything else they would like to ask or say okay then we're going to move to a vote.

2551
07:31:41,300 --> 07:31:41,300
toni, would you please vote? Sorry I can't take questions right now.

2552
07:31:49,300 --> 07:31:49,300
we're in the middle of voting. I still have two votes left. There we go.

2553
07:32:00,533 --> 07:32:00,533
>> >> motion passes 8 to 0 with foley and boxer recused. Okay, so that was item 10.4

2554
07:32:11,833 --> 07:32:11,833
which was our last agenda item. We do still have open forum which is an opportunity for

2555
07:32:16,500 --> 07:32:16,500
members of the public to comment on any city business that was not on today's agenda

2556
07:32:22,933 --> 07:32:22,933
and then we will adjourn. >> thank you all again for being here.

2557
07:32:27,400 --> 07:32:27,400
>> mark dobson james kirk campbell and I'm not sure if steve binetti is still here so

2558
07:32:32,333 --> 07:32:32,333
that's mark james kirk and steve oh la vista, yes, la vista.

2559
07:32:43,100 --> 07:32:43,100
>> come on down. I did not know you were going to make it back.

2560
07:32:57,466 --> 07:32:57,466
yeah, we'll just line up with you at that point. Yeah, well, you know it's been

2561
07:33:08,100 --> 07:33:11,266
okay. >> we're waiting on our first public speaker for toni who's up first? Who? Whoever gets to the microphone

2562
07:33:15,266 --> 07:33:15,266
first. So again, that's james kirk, steve levasseur looks like

2563
07:33:22,100 --> 07:33:22,100
she's talking to the abbey team where? Yeah.

2564
07:33:34,066 --> 07:33:34,066
okay. >> a minute and a half. So I just want to say I

2565
07:33:42,233 --> 07:33:42,233
attended a in district ten a brunch the other morning and I was very disappointed because

2566
07:33:53,466 --> 07:33:53,466
like I said before I am I'm currently homeless and I wanted to find solutions and I

2567
07:34:01,966 --> 07:34:01,966
created a survey and I began to do these surveys and I tried taking the survey to the brunch

2568
07:34:08,366 --> 07:34:08,366
and basically they said that I couldn't do the survey. I couldn't like to make any

2569
07:34:14,666 --> 07:34:14,666
announcement about the survey which was fine, you know, although I wasn't thinking in

2570
07:34:20,233 --> 07:34:23,866
public space. She told me basically to go outside and do it and I just was a little disappointed because I think it's something that could really be helpful

2571
07:34:27,700 --> 07:34:27,700
and beneficial from a community perspective. And then there's also a public

2572
07:34:32,533 --> 07:34:32,533
safety aspect of the data and I know that some of the data collection efforts they're not

2573
07:34:39,333 --> 07:34:39,333
actually being ethically done. I've had people in transit give me their ipad and then they've

2574
07:34:47,533 --> 07:34:50,866
changed my answers on ipad because there are two difficult for me to actually like understand the question and he couldn't explain the fact that three minutes he was on the bus

2575
07:34:56,966 --> 07:34:56,966
doing the survey and basically I just don't think that's right and I'm going to be coming back

2576
07:35:04,766 --> 07:35:04,766
with some more data, a lot more data and I'm hoping that it's going to be, you know, helpful

2577
07:35:09,200 --> 07:35:09,200
and I'm just hoping that I get community engagement between everyone I've I've tried to

2578
07:35:16,566 --> 07:35:19,266
meet with what I have met with . >> thank you. Next year go ahead. >> okay. So on ten 14 an encampment near

2579
07:35:37,300 --> 07:35:37,300
I'm sorry it got swept okay. >> I can't read this. It's different from what I'll

2580
07:35:43,333 --> 07:35:43,333
just say this 120 million you guys have allocated a 27 million plus 4.8 million.

2581
07:35:50,366 --> 07:35:50,366
>> no vouchers, not a translator, not a no money, no resources, not a blanket.

2582
07:35:57,966 --> 07:36:01,800
>> I will be at every meeting until these people get served. The homeless people to two letters nothing in spanish. >> I was told that valley water took tools from the homeless

2583
07:36:09,833 --> 07:36:09,833
they were supposed to be they were supposed to go. >> I don't know what I mean by

2584
07:36:15,000 --> 07:36:17,966
that mayor it seems like you don't have a plan. >> why are these homeless mother there's a homeless mother of a 13 month old who hasn't gotten any housing or

2585
07:36:25,400 --> 07:36:25,400
whatever. There was no deposits, no rehab, no food, no showers, no

2586
07:36:32,833 --> 07:36:36,633
jobs, no mental health, nothing. >> there was there's nothing like you guys got all of this money in there. >> what's the protocol for

2587
07:36:40,366 --> 07:36:40,366
encampments who are being swept like I know the clean water act is supposed to the clean water

2588
07:36:47,533 --> 07:36:47,533
act you got certain money for but you don't have there was no protocol.

2589
07:36:51,766 --> 07:36:55,600
>> there were no social workers. There were no there was nothing and I told I tried to warn them two months ahead this was on san carlos and burned right

2590
07:36:59,600 --> 07:36:59,600
behind. Thank you. Next speaker good evening.

2591
07:37:17,600 --> 07:37:20,866
I'm going to ask you to accommodate me and not cut me off after 1.5 minutes because what I have to say is pretty serious and I can't do it in 90s I'm here to talk

2592
07:37:25,100 --> 07:37:25,100
about a big problem I've been having with the city for 14 years.

2593
07:37:29,333 --> 07:37:29,333
ada violations, discrimination and hate crimes against me and others that are disabled and

2594
07:37:39,133 --> 07:37:39,133
I've been asking for the last year for directly too many of the people in the city to

2595
07:37:44,333 --> 07:37:44,333
try to address this issue within asked do you have to run the clock?

2596
07:37:50,900 --> 07:37:50,900
>> yes I do. Can I ask for accommodations on this not run the clock please.

2597
07:37:58,966 --> 07:38:02,533
it's very disturbing. I can't even concentrate on what I'm saying. Can you take it off the screen, toni? >> let's let's take let's take

2598
07:38:07,233 --> 07:38:07,233
the time. I know you're all tired. I know it's been a very

2599
07:38:11,366 --> 07:38:14,733
difficult and we also have to be fair to everybody. >> but if we could just take it off the screen, take it back to a minute please. >> so I'm trying to get this

2600
07:38:18,233 --> 07:38:22,000
resolved. I've been asking the one thing it would be very helpful is to send a simple email to all the city employees, especially those that interact with the

2601
07:38:28,100 --> 07:38:28,100
public and ask them to read title three of the ada so that they are aware of it and then

2602
07:38:32,566 --> 07:38:32,566
we can stop a lot of this discrimination and hate crimes .

2603
07:38:38,833 --> 07:38:38,833
>> I've asked mr. Mayor you've told me twice to schedule a meeting with you.

2604
07:38:43,800 --> 07:38:43,800
>> I've tried that and it hasn't worked and and I'm running out of time.

2605
07:38:50,166 --> 07:38:50,166
>> I'm at a point now where I've asked the department of justice to look into this

2606
07:38:54,200 --> 07:38:54,200
and they told me to come here one more time and address the city, ask for help and if they

2607
07:38:58,500 --> 07:38:58,500
can't help you to file a complaint and include all the names of the people I'm asking

2608
07:39:03,033 --> 07:39:03,033
I've been to all nine of the districts and there are issues in all nine districts that

2609
07:39:09,466 --> 07:39:09,466
affect disabled people hazards and there is progress on this. >> the sidewalks have been

2610
07:39:14,433 --> 07:39:14,433
repaired that pose a significant hazard but unfortunately I'm trying to

2611
07:39:21,200 --> 07:39:21,200
find and I'm sorry I'm sorry I can't give you five minutes right now.

2612
07:39:28,133 --> 07:39:28,133
I can too. I'm sorry I can talk to you offline but I got to let I

2613
07:39:35,000 --> 07:39:38,566
got to adjourn to let my colleagues go. >> okay. >> all right. Any other public comment? Go ahead.

2614
07:39:42,066 --> 07:39:42,066
>> hi. My name is gary. I'm a ellenbrook high school

2615
07:39:47,200 --> 07:39:47,200
student journalist from the school's new picture epic is a fine if I just like to ask like

2616
07:39:53,600 --> 07:39:53,600
a few follow up questions since it's over not this wouldn't be the appropriate but if you want

2617
07:39:58,366 --> 07:39:58,366
to step aside maybe somebody could just come over here. Okay, so sorry but this isn't

2618
07:40:03,000 --> 07:40:03,000
like an interview time. Yeah that's okay that any other public any other open forum

2619
07:40:09,533 --> 07:40:09,533
public comment no. >> all right. Thank you all.

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we're adjourned. Have a great evening and