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We're going to get started in call to order the meeting of June 23, 2026. Jennifer, will you take roll?

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Council Member Abarish, Council Member Brown, Council Member Gold, Council Member Wall, Mayor

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Domkowski. Mayor Pro Tem Gold, will you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

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I have states of America, the Republic for which it stands on nation, under God, in the

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visible, with liberty and justice for all.

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All right.

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With that, we will open public comment. So, persons wishing to address the

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council on any non-agentized items that are within the jurisdiction of the town are

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invited to do so. Please note, however, that the council cannot undertake extended discussions

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or act on non-agentized items. Such items can be referred to staff for appropriate action

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or placed on a future agenda.

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You're limiting this to five persons, three minutes each,

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given the longest agenda I've seen since I've been here.

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So I think with that, we'll open public comment.

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Anybody here that would like to speak, please.

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Are there a razor hand or approach the microphone?

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Leave me.

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I wanted to be polite and see if anyone else

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wanted to come ahead of me.

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Thank you.

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Mr. Mayor, members of the Public City Council,

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I am Marjorie Ruiz.

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I've had the opportunity to leave with most of you for the last year, but I wanted to come in person and introduce myself.

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I am your senior government relations representative for PG.

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So this means that I take care of the peninsula, but I do not do it alone.

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I do it out of the St. Carlo Service Center, where vegetation, gas, electric, maintenance crews, construction crews.

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Everyone responsible for the customer experience takes on the lovely peninsula, the city, the county of San Mateo.

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I would love to talk to you about the reported app ahead of fire season.

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So please hear me from the top.

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This is not a replacement for 911, but it is an added layer in our safety toolkit.

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The reported app is available for Android for Apple.

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It's also available as a web desktop version.

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If you Google it, it should be the first or the second result.

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And what it does is that it connects members of the public to the PG&E public safety team.

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So I'll walk you through an example.

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if you're walking down the road and you perhaps see vegetation trees too close to a service line,

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perhaps you see a pole that's leaning not quite right and you're concerned.

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You can go directly to PG&E, you can download the app, you can take a picture,

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submit it directly to the PG&E public safety team. And what PG&E will do is they'll let you know if

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other members of the public have reported a similar issue, they'll let you know what the results are,

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what the conclusion is, they will hold your hand through the entire experience and let you know

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what's happening and what the results are and everyone will be alerted in its data that we can

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gather. I imagine on the back end it helps us inform our meeting and schedule what we do with

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vegetation. This is a lovely town heavily vegetated. I imagine you see your vegetation crews here all

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the time. So I want to make sure to say again this is not a replacement for 911. If you see a service line,

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if you see a downed wire, please walk away and call 911. If you smell gas, please call 911 and walk away.

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This is simply another tool kit, another layer of our toolkit that we encourage members

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of the public to use.

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Most of you have my business cards, do you know how to reach me if anyone has any questions?

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Please let me know.

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I'd love to follow up and send a little blurb about the reported app, things that you might

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want to include in communications.

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So the safer you feel, the safer I feel, please reach out.

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I'm here.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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We really appreciate you coming in and we'll follow up with what we can do to get the word

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out on that app.

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and it's great for all of us to put a face to a name.

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So thanks for being there.

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We know who to call when we have a grid reliability issue

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or an outage.

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We certainly have had a few of those

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and we appreciate coming in today.

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So thank you.

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We'll go to the Zoom room.

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It's on.

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Welcome.

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Hi, Mayor. Thank you.

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There we go.

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Yeah, I just wanted to, good luck on your agenda tonight.

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Looks quite long.

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So I hope you guys get through it quickly. I wanted to add my voice to the other folks who come up here previously in the last few weeks and asked to have the kind of report about the whistleblower.

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You know, report made public or at least made as an agenda item. I obviously I was named in that report. Maybe one of ten or so people.

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So I'll be honest. I was surprised when nobody from the investigation team reached out to me to ask me anything. You know, there weren't that many people named.

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So it felt like the people names should have at least had some sort of

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Interaction, and then I came to also find out that my name was also some emails that were released recently as part of one of the freedom of information acts

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So again, I don't know what happened, but I believe that the town deserves

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Open in transparency openness and transparency on this topic. I think you guys do a lot of really good work

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A lot of your work is based on you know trust that we put in you as elected officials

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tools, and I think if we don't do this, you're actually doing yourselves a disservice

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because when it comes to tough topics that I think you guys have actually handled quite

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well, such as housing element, which has been nothing but challenges and difficulty

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over the last many years, where you guys frankly, I think in the end you've done the right thing

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because of the constraints that were put on you, but yet you still get a lot of dispersions

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cast your way because people don't like the outcome.

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I mean, I've paid attention to most of it, but I think the outcome you guys came out with

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was the best of a bunch of bad options.

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So again, there wasn't anything better we could do, but when we don't have that openness and things like this seem to just be kind of swept under the rug, it takes away the trust we have in you guys.

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And then it does you a disservice down the road when you do have to make hard decisions and people can then throw all sorts of stones.

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So again, just adding my voice to the people who asked to agenda is the more open investigation or whatever you're not called on the whistle blow report.

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And again, as somebody who was named in it and yet was never reached out to by the investigator which I know it's hired by the insurance company not by you guys it just that that report was a joke. So I strongly encourage you to do it. I'd love to be part of it as whatever I can be obviously as part of the public.

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And I think in the end of the better better for with side and better for the council. So thank you.

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Thank you and we are working with outside council to determine what corrective action is warranted and what to do with the one sustained finding and we intend to address that before summer recess occurs.

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So look for that in over the next month.

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Thank you for calling it on the subject.

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Anyone else in the room or in the zoom room that would like to make a comment.

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Okay. With that then we will close public comment and we will move on to a presentation

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from the trails committee. Welcome and so

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it's going to end up.

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All

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right. Good evening everybody. Sir Mayor Council members thank you for letting me

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speak and I'm the current chair of the trails committee.

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Thank you for seeing me first.

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I know this is a full agenda and I promise I won't take too much of your time.

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We are such, you know, we have such a lovely, lovely place here that, you know, we as a

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trails committee want to make contributions to and continue to value, you know, our place

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with nature and horses and trails for everyone and we are very happy to have all our people

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currently on our trails committee although there are a couple of vacancies. I did put a summary

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of our mission statement in the front, of course the entire thing is on the website and I just kind

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of highlighted a couple of words, you know, for you to, you know, just remind ourselves

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that what the trails committee is doing and how we can be part of this town and help

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out, protect, preserve, enhance the pedestrian and equestrian trails.

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the connectivity is always high on our mind, you know, and that is what is

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here. Can we safeguard it? And how can we expand? And we know we have the

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support of our town to make that happen. Safe use, of course, is always on our

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mind. We also invite the public, although we must say we don't have a lot of

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people that come to our meetings, but it does happen that people have specific items and that we can hear them and then agenda is it for further direction.

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We, when asked, we advise staff, you know, sometimes about subdivisions or land that's

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going to be reused or used to, you know, we see the plans, we talk about it and see

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how it affects trails and hopefully can make and will make a contribution there.

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working with the circulation committee, I do want to just say one word about that and I know it's a little bit disappointing because we were tasked circulation and our trails committee were tasked with finding a solution for how to address e-bike use in the town and obviously that hasn't really crystallized in a specific guideline that we can both work with.

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I think we both come from, you know, safety is important, yes, use is important, multi-use

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on certain sections. We just don't see bikes and horses that are, they just can't coexist

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on some parts of the road. And hopefully, you know, going forward will find a way to work

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as out of that. We also work with our livestock and equine heritage committee. We do generate

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a yearly reminder to the property owners to remind them to renew their permit, their

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stable permit, and we're also in the process of kind of going through the years and see who

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has dropped off and can we possibly re-engage those people to either find out have they really

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no horses anymore or have they just overlooked the process and can we re-engage them so that's

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going on right now. Then also we do have a trail legacy trail appreciation program that is used

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as needed and then of course we also advise sometimes for a memorial trail

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dedication if if someone is really wanted to have that. I did print our names, I don't want

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to be on top of the list but I'm the chair so I am. So all these people I really think we make

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They make a good contribution, and I'm proud to say that both, yes, a question, participation

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is important, but also we have many people that are non-equestrian and look out also

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for pedestrians, bikers, et cetera.

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So on the next page, it talks a little bit just, you know, the first two paragraphs you can

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ignore. We do have 15 members and just as a reminder how many of us there are. But then recent

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projects that we are super proud of are the two crossings that are at Romero and Atkins Mountain

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and Woodside Road. They are being used and I think it makes for a safer town, safer communication

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or transportation for people.

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There is also an improved signage on Albion Road.

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I'm not sure if everybody is familiar with that,

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but there's kind of a blind curve in the road

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where especially when big groups of bikers come through there

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and it is a crossing for horses,

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we feel we have made it a lot safer by putting signs there

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that alert people for crossing that can have both pedestrians and horses.

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ongoing things in the in the town retaining remaining to trails is the main the issues that

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are addressed to either to Lewis directly or online in general and we're we're very happy that

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they are addressed and we keep an eye on that in the in the committee slippery driveways is just

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you know when someone puts a nice coat on their asphalt not realizing that it's part of the trails

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sometimes that can be an issue and we work with that metals on trails as we all appreciate that the

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crew looks out for that takes a magnet and makes sure that they are cleaned our current and future

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projects and you see a couple with asterisks there that refers to the next page that is actually a

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printout of our CIP and these projects some are ongoing current and some are in the future and we

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do realize that funds shift and as necessities arise that may change but just a little reminder

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that those are the ones that, as a trails committee, we think are very valuable and hope to crystallize

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sometime, sometime in the future. So the first.

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Three projects, which, which side road trail and bike improvements come in in different phases and we're very happy that Lewis gets up to speed on, on all of those. And I know he's working very hard on them, the Jefferson trail improvement as well. Central purtola road also shows up in that list. And we definitely hope to make it a difference there make it make an improvement there. We do realize it's not town of town of woodside property.

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and so there's other other issues that will play there.

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Bridge inspection is just completed with an extensive report on all the bridges

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where we now know specifically what needs maintenance, what needs improvement,

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and so thank you for that.

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John Olson will be on our radar because it's a wonderful place and I don't think many,

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many people may even know about it, but it's a place where people can, you know, be going

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into nature and we want to help them to know where to go and how to do it. The south side

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of Woodside Road is another project from King's Mountain Road to the elementary school. We're hoping

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to make a big difference there which then also will hopefully address some of the current

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issues there with parking or save going to school for kids ongoing every year's preparation

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for our trails so that the day of the horse can go on safely and we will share the trail

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with with Lewis and so that has been going on. That leaves me to thank you all, you know,

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special thank you to Lewis and the town crew for, you know, being so diligent with our trails

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and following up on our many, many questions and many, many asks. And then, of course, the staff

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and town council members for your ongoing support. Thank you. You have any questions?

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I'm concerned like you're hearing. I mean, I was aware that circulation and trails were talking about bikes, and you basically came to an impasse, and that's not acceptable.

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And we have to find a way past that and you have any documentation about how many incidents

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or potential incidents have occurred if you don't, I suggest you ask your people to start

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doing that.

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Yeah.

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So we have some way to determine is there a real problem here with a perception that there could

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be a problem?

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I think you're a latter comment is what's happening, people are afraid that

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something might happen. And to be honest there is two or three examples and I'm

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you know I don't know the exact details where people say oh yes a bike came

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blah blah blah. I see bikes on the trails, I am convinced that things can be

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worked out when you are both respectful and have the knowledge on how to deal with horses.

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Sadly, that's not true for everyone. Kids will come flying around the corner on their

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electric bikes, not knowing that a horse will spook at that. But then, from an ambassador

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the horse person, that's a unique example to slow them down, talk to them and educate

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them. So that is the reality, right? But then as a flat-out saying yes, bikes are allowed

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on trails, that's just in fighting problems. We think the trails committee thinks. So it's

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little bit there are certain spaces in town right now where there are specific no bike allowed on

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this trail even though it's on alongside the road and there's good reasons for that I want to

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say maybe five or six that I can just think about and it's because there's no line of side it's too narrow

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if a bike and a horse were to go at their normal speed there would be a problem so I don't see how

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a trails committee can say, oh yeah, bikes are not okay there, but e-bikes are? No, I really don't think so.

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Okay, thanks. I just asked you to one, try it one more time to maybe get together the circulation and come to some kind of conclusion.

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If you can't, we may have to find another way to get the two of you to agree.

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What can I ask what the urgency is from the town council, is there a rule you're

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looking to make about it, or is it indeed not a problem, and we just leave things as

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they are?

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No, I thought it was a problem.

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That's why you were talking to circulation about problem.

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Are you saying there is not a problem?

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Like

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I said, there's two or three people that have specific issues where they say I've been on the trail, a bike came to me and I came off because the worst booked.

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Now,

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I mean, I can't say more.

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All right.

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Okay.

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All right.

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Berna, thank you.

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Council member Wal.

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Yeah.

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Just wanted to thank you so much for your presentation.

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And yeah, really interested to hear your comments on the work at the Trails Committee and the

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Circulation Committee is doing on eBikes.

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And if you just for a little bit of context, we did a study session on eBikes.

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I think it was about a year ago at the town council level, and it was really to, you know,

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to explore the question of, is there a problem, I think myself and others were observing

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that we were noticing a lot more e-bikes in town.

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I think that's not unique to what side.

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I mean, e-bike usage has, you know, really exploded over the last few years.

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And as a parent, you know, I observed a lot of young kids riding e-bikes in unsafe

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ways. I know the school has taken some action to account for the fact that there's more

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e-bikes being written to school. So really the issue, I think like you said, it's a safety

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issue. And so, you know, I know you came tonight to do your presentation and we really thank

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you for that. I guess just an offer of support and help. If there's anything that me individually

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or that the council can do to kind of help facilitate the conversation between the trails committee and the circulation committee, please do let us know because I think, you know, this is, this isn't a super important issue.

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We want to make sure that Woodside makes, you know, whether it's municipal code changes or infrastructure changes, whatever it is, we need to, you know, be proactive about safety here and not reactive.

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So I just wanted to offer our support and if there's anything like I said, me as an individual or anything to counsel can do to help please, please do let us know.

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Thank you. Thank you for that.

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Well, thank you very much and we appreciate it. It's a great group you got here and you all have a big impact on a very important cornerstone of who we are as a community.

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So thank you for all the work that you do and thanks for being here tonight.

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Thank you all.

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Thank you. Thanks, Ann.

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Okay. Moving on to the consent agenda. All items on the consent

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are considered to be routine and will be approved by one roll call motion unless request is made

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for an item to be withdrawn and transferred into regular agenda. Is there any item on

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of the nine that any member of the council would like to pull? Three. Three.

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Five. Five.

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Is there any item that any member of the public would like to see pull?

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Yes, two. Okay. Two, three, and five. Okay. Can we get a motion for one, four, six,

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seven, eight, nine?

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I moved to approve. One, four, six, seven, eight, nine.

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Oh, second. Council Member Abriech. Yes. Council Member Brown. Yes.

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Council Member Gold. Council Member Wal. Yes. Mayor Delkowski. Yes. Thank you. And we

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We always go in order, so we're going to start with two, Ms. Hanson.

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Would you like to make any comment on consent item number two, register of demands?

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That's wrong.

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It was number three.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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That's okay.

257
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We'll handle this in a moment.

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Got it.

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00:24:39,020 --> 00:24:44,200
Number three was pulled by, well, you, Council Member Abreche, so I'll hand it off to you first.

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Thank you.

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00:24:45,460 --> 00:24:45,620
Yeah.

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So I know we just recently renegotiated this contract, and I saw that the increase is 8.1

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percent which is quite high this year and I was wondering why and so I started looking through it

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and I saw that there is a traffic enforcement overtime lined for $100,000 if you look I think

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it's on the very last page and I just I don't know if that's I mean it's still maybe a drop in the

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bucket but I thought that was that was the piece we had pulled right exactly and so Jason caught it

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last time, and you know, I've described it, found two million, you know, $200,000, and

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it looks like they've just added it right back in. So yeah, so I wanted to do that, and

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I think this kind of, you know, brings back Jen's point from last session that we really

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need some, you know, I think that the subcommittee, though, I would push to not approve this

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one and see if we can go back to them, push it back, and see if Jen and I can maybe meet

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with them, and if we can figure out, you know, a lot of these expenses look quite high.

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Like do we really need to, or is Woodside really costing 92,000 for vehicle maintenance

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and repairs for the handful of vehicles that they have in Woodside, and just making sure

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everything's going to back here and not just being thrown together?

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Excellent.

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Good.

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Fantastic.

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Did you want to give Ms. Hanson?

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Yeah.

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Thank you for catching that.

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I notice that too.

283
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The other thing is we have two.

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We pay two full time equivalents.

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And yet the budget says that they're shared.

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So that doesn't make sense to me because we're paying for two people.

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And also the overhead services.

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There wasn't any detail about what that was.

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I think it was like a 300 K line item so I just hope there's further discussion on those

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and the automatic overtime. Thank you. Thank you. And remind me, the reason it's two is

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once for daytime and once for nighttime. So I think that's how that works, but we gotta look at it.

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We got some stuff. Sure. Okay. Thank you. It's a great suggestion to hold it.

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to everybody.

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Great.

295
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Excellent.

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Eagle eyes.

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Great.

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Number five.

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I think that was from Brown.

300
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I'm just curious.

301
00:27:20,190 --> 00:27:27,350
What is the legal work that's being done by this group is this on our foreclosures.

302
00:27:28,850 --> 00:27:35,050
And the reason that's an additional $50,000 is that this is the enforcement part of what

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00:27:35,050 --> 00:27:38,210
that they've been doing, or what's the reason that all of a sudden it's gone up?

304
00:27:38,710 --> 00:27:45,110
Yes, this is earlier this year you retained this outside firm to do some receiverships

305
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on two derelict properties in town, those abatement receivership processes of the gun,

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and the initial contract was led within the town manager's authority, and we've now hit

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that authority.

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If these receiverships proceed, all these costs will be recouped, all these legal fees

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will be recouped as part of that process. And we are seeing positive action on both of those

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properties to address the derelict conditions. Will we get any money back? You will, you will

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through the receivers ship. Yes, but that will be at the end of the receivers ship. Okay, thank you.

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I have a question on that. I understand that one of the properties is now in the process of being

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sold. That's our understanding yes and will so will there still be a receivership through

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which we could read the town can recoup its costs if it sold and the abatement occurs.

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We have already given cost estimates to the parties involved in that sale. So yes.

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Great. Thank you.

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Okay. Any other questions on five? Okay. I'm good. Can we get a motion

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for two and five and we're gonna punt on three

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and send it back to the workshop.

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I move to approve two and five from the consent calendar.

321
00:29:07,370 --> 00:29:07,850
Sorry, I don't.

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Council Member Abarish?

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Yes.

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Council Member Brown?

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Yes. Council Member Gold?

326
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Council Member Wall?

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Yes.

328
00:29:14,990 --> 00:29:15,710
Mayor Domkowski?

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Yes, thank you.

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Okay, moving on to a new business.

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We do have a laundry list tonight.

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Fortunately, a lot of it might be a little more checklist oriented.

333
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We'll find out.

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If we get to 10 o'clock, we'll see if we need to continue or not, but we'll see what happens here.

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So we'll kick off with item A, which is a resolution calling for and giving notice of a general election to be held on November 3rd.

336
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And I'm looking Melissa.

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Thank you.

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00:29:49,790 --> 00:29:51,110
Thank you.

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00:29:51,110 --> 00:29:59,510
So, before the council this evening is a resolution calling and giving notice of the general municipal election, which will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd.

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00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,460
The election of two members to the town council, and there is also a service agreement with the

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00:30:05,460 --> 00:30:13,080
San Mateo County Elections Office for review and approval, and the resolution outlines

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the dates for the nomination period, distribution and filing of nomination papers. It will open

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on Monday, July 13, and the last day to file nomination papers will be Friday, August 7. It

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It is for district two and district three in both are for a term of four years.

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And then with the service agreement with the county, some minor revisions are still

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being worked on and Jean can give some more information on that.

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00:30:41,740 --> 00:30:46,820
Yes, the county city attorney's group is in discussion with the county council's office.

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The agreement as prepared has an indemnification provision that runs only one way.

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and we have objected to that and are hoping that we will be able to come to terms on a mutual

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indemnification. So with your approval this evening, I would ask that you allow for those

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00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:08,440
conversations to continue and for the agreement to be signed if we are able to get to yes on that.

352
00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:13,860
And I know it's awkward to bring this to you while we're still in those discussions, but given the timing

353
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,020
your meetings and when this contract needs to be approved in order for you to hold an election,

354
00:31:19,020 --> 00:31:21,020
we needed to bring it to you this evening.

355
00:31:23,870 --> 00:31:24,830
Okay, thank you.

356
00:31:25,050 --> 00:31:27,890
Any questions on item A from any member of the council?

357
00:31:32,180 --> 00:31:32,500
All right.

358
00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:34,640
Any questions from the public on item A?

359
00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:38,220
Seeing none?

360
00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,380
Any deliberation on item A?

361
00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,620
Here in none, we will entertain a motion on item A

362
00:31:48,620 --> 00:31:54,620
with the extra piece to deal with the indemnity clause

363
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that's still underway.

364
00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:08,620
motion along those lines. I move that we approve of item A including the

365
00:32:08,620 --> 00:32:17,340
extimotions agreement with the addendum that we have mutual identification.

366
00:32:17,860 --> 00:32:24,540
Correct. I'll second it. Councilmember Abarish? Yes. Councilmember Brown?

367
00:32:24,540 --> 00:32:30,780
Yes, Councilmember Gold. Councilmember Wall. Yes, Mayor Delkowski. Yes. Thank you.

368
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,840
Moving right along, new business item B, which is a review of the new changes to the Brown

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Act that will allow volunteer committees to meet remotely and any technology policy issues that

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have to come into play. That is, I'm, hello, Jean. Good evening. You have two resolutions before

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this evening addressing the two issues that the mayor just identified. The Brown Act was changed

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substantially several months ago and let me address first the technology disruption policy.

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Under the new changes to the Brown Act, public entities are required now to and I'm just going to

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00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:17,720
use the word zoom, that's okay, to zoom all meetings. Before that was not required but now that it is

375
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required, the Brown Act indicates that you need to adopt a technology disruption policy

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so that you can figure out what to do if you lose your Zoom connection because in the

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00:33:27,980 --> 00:33:34,000
past, when that occurred, meetings had to stop and the legislature understands that sometimes

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meetings just can't stop, that you have important business that needs to go on and so by July

379
00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:44,140
1st, all public entities are required to adopt a policy that says what are you going to do

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00:33:44,140 --> 00:33:50,000
if you lose your zoom connection. So we've attached one of those policies and what the state

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00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:54,240
law now provides is that you get up to an hour to try and figure out what's going wrong.

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If you can figure it out in less than an hour, you can go back into your open session.

383
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If you can't figure it out, then you can, by roll call, motion and adoption, agree to continue

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the meeting with a finding that it is more important that you conduct the business

385
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than to continue the meeting.

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The policy that attached addresses all of that

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and brings you into compliance with the Brown Act

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because we're asking you to adopt it before July 1.

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The second action item here is to allow

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your citizen advisory committees to meet completely remotely.

391
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And that is a new change in the Brown Act as well.

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It only applies to citizen advisory committees.

393
00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:38,220
I've been asked by every public body

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that I staff can't we do it to and the answer to that's no.

395
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It has to be a citizen advisory committee.

396
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If you adopt this resolution that would allow your citizen advisory committees to decide

397
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and they get to say in this as well, that they want to go completely remote.

398
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Now that doesn't mean that someone can't show up for a meeting if they want to

399
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and the reason for that is under the Brown Act, you still have to staff those meetings

400
00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:12,220
so you would still have to open the room, publish an agenda, do everything that your committees

401
00:35:12,220 --> 00:35:16,820
would normally be doing, but the members could be remote, should they choose to be remote,

402
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,460
and they do not have to post their locations in order to do that.

403
00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:26,740
So this is the two action items. There are a number of informational items in here which I can run

404
00:35:26,740 --> 00:35:30,520
through if you'd like, but I know you have a lot on your agenda this evening and they're all discussed

405
00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:36,060
in the report. So I'll stop at this point and ask if you want more information from the

406
00:35:36,060 --> 00:35:44,260
reporter if there's any questions I can answer. Okay. Questions on item B. Yeah. I'm concerned

407
00:35:44,260 --> 00:35:52,640
about the citizen advisory committees being allowed to go full zoom. My observations of both zoom

408
00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:59,900
meetings is the participants who are on Zoom and hear well if they're paying

409
00:35:59,900 --> 00:36:05,580
attention but they don't really get as engaged in the conversation as in person

410
00:36:05,580 --> 00:36:11,440
and I'm wondering can we at least say you have to be at least a majority of the

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00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:19,080
meetings in person and so many X number of meetings in on Zoom but you can't do

412
00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:23,480
all meetings, everybody in Zoom. I mean that would be just a disaster.

413
00:36:24,140 --> 00:36:27,980
Yes, you could choose to do that because you could also say we don't want our citizen

414
00:36:27,980 --> 00:36:33,100
advisory committee just to go completely remote. The law allows you to choose to do this

415
00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:36,840
if you want as a council. And I will say that the law also requires

416
00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:42,120
that each six months you revisit this issue, if let's say you decide you want to allow

417
00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:46,980
them to meet remotely now. Within six months you'd have to address this again

418
00:36:46,980 --> 00:36:51,400
the decide, is it working? Do we want it to continue to do this? Or you could put some

419
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,660
limits on it as well. Complete your call.

420
00:36:57,770 --> 00:36:59,890
One quick fall up on that, but hybrid meetings

421
00:36:59,890 --> 00:37:07,230
are still okay. Half the people could be... Yes. That's allowed now, right? You have to have a

422
00:37:07,230 --> 00:37:11,510
quorum. Yeah. Go quorum. But this way, you wouldn't even need to have a quorum. Let's say you have

423
00:37:11,510 --> 00:37:17,470
a committee of five and four people decide they want to be remote and one decides they want to

424
00:37:17,470 --> 00:37:21,370
that would be okay because you're still required to have the room open, you're still required to

425
00:37:21,370 --> 00:37:26,190
have a staff member there so that members of the public can come to that location and be in

426
00:37:26,190 --> 00:37:31,390
person at the meeting even though most of your members of your citizen advisory committee may be

427
00:37:31,390 --> 00:37:39,270
remote. I've got a question about the changes regarding disruptive behavior and members of the public

428
00:37:39,270 --> 00:37:43,430
whether they're your in person or on Zoom. Could you comment on that? Yes, previously there'd been

429
00:37:43,430 --> 00:37:48,250
some real question if you have somebody who's zoom bombs you and who's saying inappropriate

430
00:37:48,250 --> 00:37:53,410
things or behaving inappropriately in a meeting to the point where you cannot conduct your

431
00:37:53,410 --> 00:38:00,390
business. The question has always been, can you silence that person? And this is indicating

432
00:38:00,390 --> 00:38:06,230
that if you have somebody who is zooming in and is making inappropriate comments disrupting your

433
00:38:06,230 --> 00:38:11,730
meeting, you can mute them. And that was always sort of an open question in the past.

434
00:38:12,670 --> 00:38:13,470
Good. Thank you.

435
00:38:17,820 --> 00:38:22,760
Okay. Seen no other questions? Any comments from public on this item?

436
00:38:28,180 --> 00:38:28,880
And Seen none?

437
00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:30,940
Oh, hi. Miss Hanson. Hello.

438
00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:37,720
I'm on two of the citizen advisory committees. It would be really nice. I agree with Councilmember Brown

439
00:38:37,720 --> 00:38:44,760
that you shouldn't do it all the time, but it would increase participation with the community

440
00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:50,720
for people if they could just still participate in the meeting, but zoom in maybe a couple

441
00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:51,320
of times a year.

442
00:38:51,700 --> 00:38:52,000
Thank you.

443
00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:54,820
Thank you.

444
00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:57,580
Any other questions, comments?

445
00:38:59,990 --> 00:39:02,770
Seeing none, we will close public comment.

446
00:39:02,770 --> 00:39:11,150
Any further deliberation or motion with amendments or something that would you'd like to propose?

447
00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:23,160
I agree with Council Member Brown and Kim Hinton.

448
00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:32,300
I think it makes sense to allow it sometimes but I would hate to see people showing up to be heard

449
00:39:32,300 --> 00:39:39,320
and they just start looking at a screen full of everybody, you know, on everyone's on Zoom.

450
00:39:39,860 --> 00:39:41,220
I think that would be unfortunate.

451
00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:48,020
And so, yeah, and I don't know, I'm not sure what that would look like right now.

452
00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:53,300
I think, because I guess right now, is it to do that?

453
00:39:53,980 --> 00:39:58,200
You need an exception, whereas this would allow it without an exception.

454
00:39:58,340 --> 00:39:58,740
That's correct.

455
00:39:58,740 --> 00:40:25,880
So I would I would propose maybe having at least still having a quorum in person and kind of removing the exception requirements is allowing, you know, negotiation or discussion among the members to figure out who has to be their person who doesn't.

456
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:30,080
It's not what we have now, though, except you need an exception, right?

457
00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:36,340
Well, right now, you need to either be teleconferencing in or to have a just cause or an emergency.

458
00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:41,600
I think what I hear on some of our obiris saying is if there were a quorum in the room, and

459
00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:45,920
that would have to be somehow arranged, I would assume by your committee, maybe by assigning

460
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:50,860
people to come to certain meetings, then those who weren't assigned to that meeting could

461
00:40:50,860 --> 00:40:52,180
then be remote for that meeting.

462
00:40:52,700 --> 00:40:53,740
My understanding you correctly.

463
00:40:54,740 --> 00:41:00,660
Yeah, that's an idea, not married to it, but so the quorum is in person.

464
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:04,000
I think that's what you're suggesting, correct?

465
00:41:04,220 --> 00:41:04,360
Yes.

466
00:41:04,860 --> 00:41:05,800
And nothing else.

467
00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:11,060
No other, you don't need child exceptions or all that goes away.

468
00:41:11,300 --> 00:41:12,760
I believe that's what he's suggesting, yes.

469
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:13,940
The quorum in person, you're fun.

470
00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:15,460
That's my thought.

471
00:41:15,780 --> 00:41:16,020
Yeah, that's good.

472
00:41:17,540 --> 00:41:18,280
Council member Wal.

473
00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:21,020
Yeah, thanks.

474
00:41:21,660 --> 00:41:27,820
So yeah, I agree kind of with everything that's being said, we're trying to kind of bridge

475
00:41:27,820 --> 00:41:32,760
two things, right, which is it's great to have people in person.

476
00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:39,020
I agree like that really adds the conversation and if members of the public show up, which

477
00:41:39,380 --> 00:41:42,480
I don't think happens very often, but I think happens, you know, does happen.

478
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,440
You know what somebody said, I think, you know, we don't just want them showing up and not

479
00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:54,140
having committee members there. So fully in agreement you know it will start and then also

480
00:41:54,140 --> 00:42:00,260
to build up what Kim was saying like you know having you know zoom as an option is really wonderful

481
00:42:00,260 --> 00:42:10,180
for increasing participation. It you know makes it possible for you know young parents or people

482
00:42:10,180 --> 00:42:14,860
that are working like who otherwise might not be able to participate gives them that option. So

483
00:42:14,860 --> 00:42:20,100
of like how do we best kind of bridge those two valid interests.

484
00:42:21,580 --> 00:42:25,540
So yeah, I think just kind of thinking about the core of my idea though, I mean, for core,

485
00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:35,540
in order to establish core, I think that requires the town staff who manages the committee meetings

486
00:42:35,540 --> 00:42:37,380
to kind of check in with people.

487
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:43,440
They're sort of like an administrative overhead to establishing, you know, whether there will

488
00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:51,520
be an in-person quorum in advance. So I wonder if that sort of defeats to some extent the idea that

489
00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:58,880
like allowing Zoom participation really helps with in participation and you know helps encourage

490
00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:03,800
participation by somebody that like oh shoot like I you know I'm that work laid I'm not going to be

491
00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:11,180
able to make it in person but I can join by Zoom. As an alternative I wonder building off of what

492
00:43:11,180 --> 00:43:15,880
council member Brown said, could we, would it be less sort of administratively complex

493
00:43:15,880 --> 00:43:25,220
to say, um, participants in a volunteer committee, um, commit to showing up in person, let's

494
00:43:25,220 --> 00:43:32,060
say half of the time, um, so that then that can sort of be administered on the back end

495
00:43:32,060 --> 00:43:39,400
and it doesn't require that like, you know, before meeting, um, administration by the staff.

496
00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:52,060
So just wanted to throw that out there for a discussion because I want to I want to make sure we strike the right balance between, you know, flexibility, participation, but also people showing up in person as well.

497
00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:01,080
Okay. I

498
00:44:03,190 --> 00:44:10,030
mean, using tech to make government more efficient and maybe more inclusive seems

499
00:44:10,030 --> 00:44:16,310
like a very good thing to be doing. So I'm sort of in general, just I'm in support of

500
00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:19,470
the proposal as posted.

501
00:44:21,710 --> 00:44:28,190
I certainly hear what people are saying. So perhaps if I had

502
00:44:28,190 --> 00:44:33,910
to tilt one way, I thought all ideas were good, but what Council Member Wall was saying

503
00:44:33,910 --> 00:44:38,610
is true that we have to find a way to do this. That's administratively reasonable. And

504
00:44:38,610 --> 00:44:44,510
if that means that a majority of meetings have to be held in person, whether we do that

505
00:44:44,510 --> 00:44:49,930
by individual or by committee, I mean, what I thought you were actually saying was a majority

506
00:44:49,930 --> 00:44:56,070
of the meetings would have to be in person, but a minority could be fully remote. So that

507
00:44:56,070 --> 00:44:58,350
what you're saying or are you saying, by individuals?

508
00:44:59,050 --> 00:44:59,370
Individuals.

509
00:44:59,390 --> 00:44:59,790
I see them.

510
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:10,700
Moderate or more of his attendance in person. It's more of a commitment. Yeah. I agree with that. I mean, yeah, that sounds like a good compromise.

511
00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:31,880
Okay, so that's really a, a, a volunteer handbook issue. Is it not? I mean, what is, what is that? We're accepting this policy, but then also giving direction that the volunteer handbook should say you make a commitment to be at a majority of me. But I know that's in the handbook. I don't, I haven't looked at the handbook. I think it's not just a handbook, but we, we will amend.

512
00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:38,720
And the resolution to reflect whatever direction you get is in that that will make sure the committees are aware of it.

513
00:45:40,460 --> 00:45:47,840
I would add to that, not necessarily in the motion, but I have not seen a lot of enforcement of attendance.

514
00:45:49,300 --> 00:45:58,300
And I believe we have a policy as you have to tend so many, and if you have an attendance on, I don't think we've been doing that very aggressively.

515
00:45:58,300 --> 00:46:03,880
I think if we did that more aggressively, we'd make being on the committee more valuable

516
00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:08,500
those are there and potentially more attractive for other people.

517
00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:18,920
We do the attendance every January committee subcommittee goes through all the attendance

518
00:46:18,920 --> 00:46:25,100
and we actually ask the chairs if there's any problems, we kind of leave it to them.

519
00:46:25,220 --> 00:46:28,200
There's a big delegation issue here that we

520
00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:31,700
We want those chairs to be strong and we want those chairs to run their committees and

521
00:46:31,700 --> 00:46:32,360
it's up to them.

522
00:46:33,440 --> 00:46:40,820
I did want to come in on what Hassan had said before and the proposal that it simply

523
00:46:40,820 --> 00:46:46,640
be that a quorum is present in person and it makes it simple.

524
00:46:47,480 --> 00:46:53,060
If we leave it there, we just delegate it to the chairs to make sure that they conduct

525
00:46:53,060 --> 00:46:54,200
their committees appropriately.

526
00:46:54,500 --> 00:46:56,800
I don't want to shift the burden to staff.

527
00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:01,360
I think it should be the committee chair needs to make sure that there's a quorum present.

528
00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:04,400
It's their job. If they're not present, then they all showed up and they can all go home.

529
00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:09,100
I mean, it's just the chairs got to figure out that that's their job and they need to make sure

530
00:47:09,100 --> 00:47:13,880
that people are there and that there's an appropriate balance between who's in person and who's not.

531
00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:19,520
That's up to them to juggle them. So it makes it easier for us and for staff and it sort of shifts

532
00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:26,920
the burden to the chair. So by keeping it strictly the quorum has to be in person. That's

533
00:47:26,920 --> 00:47:30,940
all we have to be concerned. So if the staff can just say the quorum is present, we can go.

534
00:47:31,160 --> 00:47:35,560
It doesn't matter. I don't care who the people are. I mean, I care who they are. I don't

535
00:47:35,560 --> 00:47:40,600
care which ones are present and not as long as there's a quorum in this room. Makes it simple.

536
00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:46,600
Well, the only difference that you would really be doing then is allowing those people

537
00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:53,260
want to be remote to be remote without posting their location or giving an

538
00:47:53,260 --> 00:48:00,060
just cause or emergency excuse and it's up to the chair to make sure that

539
00:48:00,060 --> 00:48:04,820
they've got the quorum person. Correct. Well it's a you deal with a lot of

540
00:48:04,820 --> 00:48:09,340
committees. Does this make sense to you or what's the best. We can pass that to the

541
00:48:09,340 --> 00:48:14,460
chair right now staff obtains the quorum. We can pass that to the committee that

542
00:48:14,460 --> 00:48:19,620
they're required to make sure that there is a quorum present in the room and then everybody

543
00:48:19,620 --> 00:48:21,300
else could be on Zoom if they wanted to.

544
00:48:22,580 --> 00:48:28,680
And then you'd still do a majority of the meetings in person or eliminate that piece.

545
00:48:28,940 --> 00:48:29,260
We've got China.

546
00:48:29,260 --> 00:48:30,260
We've got several discussions.

547
00:48:30,540 --> 00:48:30,660
Okay.

548
00:48:31,660 --> 00:48:33,780
Chair could, we could, we could pass that on to the chair.

549
00:48:33,920 --> 00:48:34,480
That's not a problem.

550
00:48:36,060 --> 00:48:37,080
It's fine by me.

551
00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:37,960
Does that work?

552
00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:42,600
Okay.

553
00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:46,400
I think you're going to have to make that motion though.

554
00:48:50,050 --> 00:48:58,430
So I move we accept both resolutions with the change to the first resolution regarding

555
00:48:58,430 --> 00:49:06,830
the authorizing all citizen advisory committees to be conducted by teleconference provided

556
00:49:07,190 --> 00:49:15,290
that there is a quorum present in person for every meeting and that be managed by the

557
00:49:15,290 --> 00:49:15,510
chair.

558
00:49:15,510 --> 00:49:17,750
Thank you.

559
00:49:18,650 --> 00:49:37,910
Can I just jump in real quick, not to derail this, but as we're, you know, making changes to proposing to make changes to to quorum and things that impact our bond to your committees, I wonder, would it be worth

560
00:49:37,910 --> 00:49:45,390
table this for a meeting or two and getting feedback from the committees or the committee

561
00:49:45,390 --> 00:49:50,290
chairs saying, hey, the town council reviewed this. This is what we were going to vote on.

562
00:49:50,470 --> 00:49:58,110
We want to just solicit feedback because, you know, as a former volunteer committee member,

563
00:49:58,170 --> 00:50:04,150
I would have appreciated the chance to weigh in and say, yep, this totally works. No problem

564
00:50:04,150 --> 00:50:11,990
or, hey, did you think of this, I don't see a huge need to, or maybe Gene tell me if I'm wrong,

565
00:50:12,090 --> 00:50:17,330
but I'm not seeing like a huge urgency to pass this tonight. Like, do we have the time to maybe

566
00:50:17,330 --> 00:50:23,130
seek volunteer committee input? There is no time frame for this to be adopted. This is a completely

567
00:50:23,130 --> 00:50:26,890
voluntary policy for the council to determine.

568
00:50:29,280 --> 00:50:32,960
So, I would, as I would suggest, as taking our time,

569
00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:46,040
You know, particularly when we've sort of learned this lesson in the past and when we didn't seek volunteer committee input, I think it would be pretty easy to draft a letter to the volunteer committees.

570
00:50:46,340 --> 00:50:56,460
Tell them what we were planning on proposing and do one round of input and put it on the agenda for the last meeting in July.

571
00:50:59,090 --> 00:51:08,670
That makes sense to me, and I feel like either one of them works for me, I feel like they both make sense of it between the two options, but I don't know.

572
00:51:12,110 --> 00:51:27,790
Just the technology disruption policy, and it may, if you decide you want to follow that suggestion, I don't think we'll get it back to you in by the end of July, because I'm not sure if all your committees will meet before then we can try.

573
00:51:29,070 --> 00:51:30,330
Well, this is as she will try.

574
00:51:30,510 --> 00:51:34,590
I know recreation is not meeting for July and August, so the next meeting is September.

575
00:51:35,250 --> 00:51:38,490
So we could try to do some in July, September and we'll bring it forward as soon as we

576
00:51:38,490 --> 00:51:39,370
hear back from the committees.

577
00:51:40,810 --> 00:51:41,230
Okay.

578
00:51:41,690 --> 00:51:44,750
I think that is a wonderfully inclusive suggestion.

579
00:51:45,130 --> 00:51:48,430
So, and we can still move on the technology item.

580
00:51:49,050 --> 00:51:55,230
So, I'll make a motion that we approve the technology disruption resolution as written.

581
00:51:55,990 --> 00:52:01,530
second. Councilmember Barabarish? Yes. Councilmember Brown? Yes. Councilmember Gold?

582
00:52:02,230 --> 00:52:05,110
Councilmember Wall? Yes. Mayor Tom Kowski.

583
00:52:08,140 --> 00:52:13,560
A new business item C resolution on the 2526

584
00:52:14,000 --> 00:52:21,540
town budget pursuant to the third quarterly review and Ms. George, I'm handing this off to you.

585
00:52:22,860 --> 00:52:26,100
and you are muted this requirement, there we go.

586
00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:32,560
Yeah, so this is essentially the implementing resolution

587
00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:36,200
that will explain to you, oh gosh, I'm moving out of your,

588
00:52:36,520 --> 00:52:37,700
I don't know what's happening here.

589
00:52:38,240 --> 00:52:46,140
Anyway, that will implement the changes that we recommended

590
00:52:46,140 --> 00:52:50,820
in the third curly budget review that you saw on your last agenda

591
00:52:50,820 --> 00:52:53,940
and we're discussed with each of you individually.

592
00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:58,480
Some of the numbers went up, I feel it went down

593
00:52:59,140 --> 00:53:02,680
and this will just take care of that final business

594
00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:05,760
for the 25-26 fiscal year

595
00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:10,340
so that there is sufficient appropriate and legal

596
00:53:11,460 --> 00:53:14,220
expenditure authority to get through the rest of the year.

597
00:53:15,140 --> 00:53:17,220
And I'd be happy to answer any questions.

598
00:53:18,680 --> 00:53:21,940
Okay. Thank you. Any questions for Susan?

599
00:53:26,580 --> 00:53:28,540
Thank you. Briefed us nicely. Oh, hello.

600
00:53:29,160 --> 00:53:30,800
Councilman Wal. Just a quick question.

601
00:53:31,900 --> 00:53:37,060
Hi, Susan. Thanks again for being here tonight. Just a quick question. You said some numbers

602
00:53:37,060 --> 00:53:41,360
went up, some went down and just wanted to confirm. Those weren't, the numbers didn't material.

603
00:53:41,540 --> 00:53:47,220
Was that just sort of like on the margin? No, they didn't. You know, we we have been watching

604
00:53:47,220 --> 00:53:53,220
them carefully and we did another like full deep dive into all the numbers and a few of them

605
00:53:53,220 --> 00:54:01,960
went up and so we're offering a recommendation that you increase the appropriations by $600,000

606
00:54:02,420 --> 00:54:08,880
just to make sure that we end the fiscal year with legal authority that we need. But I didn't see

607
00:54:08,880 --> 00:54:17,040
anything that was really outrageously different from what we'd seen before. You know there were

608
00:54:17,040 --> 00:54:27,840
Some claims for issues that we knew we were dealing with in the February through May time frame.

609
00:54:29,120 --> 00:54:36,060
But most everything else kind of was the same pattern that we projected.

610
00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:45,460
Okay. Any questions from the public on item C?

611
00:54:52,240 --> 00:55:02,920
So looking at the budget, there are some items that are kind of buried and there is a from a transparency perspective, especially the legal expenditures.

612
00:55:03,660 --> 00:55:07,000
And I'm definitely not an accountant.

613
00:55:07,540 --> 00:55:14,160
I some days I can barely read and most days I can barely count, but the.

614
00:55:14,160 --> 00:55:19,560
It seems like the professional services and the legal services are all kind of rolled in.

615
00:55:19,700 --> 00:55:26,300
I think on page 22, there was 150K expenditure that wasn't budgeted for, but we're planning

616
00:55:26,300 --> 00:55:33,260
on spending that anyways, that town attorney and consultants and legal fees are all rolled

617
00:55:33,260 --> 00:55:40,240
together as being charged the planning department and there are big sums but there isn't any

618
00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:45,120
granularity to someone from the public who's who just kind of feels like there's a lot of lawsuits

619
00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:51,620
coming around right now and we it's hard for the public to understand yeah what are we spending

620
00:55:51,620 --> 00:55:58,700
what are we budgeted for and what is our exposure in in future years and what can we do as responsible

621
00:55:58,700 --> 00:56:06,120
great question yeah really great question yeah and so that that's the that's the big part I also have

622
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:14,500
I also want to make a pitch for keeping defensible space, but maybe that's if that's not on the table, I can save that for another day.

623
00:56:14,740 --> 00:56:17,600
A defensible space cuts are not on the table.

624
00:56:18,260 --> 00:56:19,340
I'll save it for another day.

625
00:56:19,600 --> 00:56:24,980
So there's there's my comments about professional services, legal fees, granularity, transparency.

626
00:56:25,680 --> 00:56:27,280
What's the deal? Thank you.

627
00:56:27,280 --> 00:56:29,640
Thank you. Susan, do you want to respond to?

628
00:56:29,640 --> 00:56:37,860
Yeah, sure. Absolutely. So what happened in the last, I guess, few years, physical years,

629
00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:45,780
was that legal fees were all blended in with other kinds of professional contract services.

630
00:56:46,620 --> 00:56:52,780
And so it made it really hard, actually, so it's just the opposite about what you're saying. I'm sorry, I missed your name.

631
00:56:52,780 --> 00:57:04,480
otherwise I would address you directly. But the legal fees are being called out

632
00:57:04,480 --> 00:57:09,480
transparently here. And these legal fees don't have anything to do with litigation.

633
00:57:10,220 --> 00:57:17,860
They really are the day-to-day costs of the Errins and Dickinson-Colonel and

634
00:57:17,860 --> 00:57:24,300
own Gene's firm to provide the day-to-day services that the Council, the Planning Commission,

635
00:57:25,120 --> 00:57:33,960
the Code of Horseman services need, and we pulled them out this year to show that that's

636
00:57:33,960 --> 00:57:35,860
what we are paying for these services.

637
00:57:36,480 --> 00:57:43,120
Instead of bundling them in with a bunch of other professional services that, quite frankly,

638
00:57:44,940 --> 00:57:51,380
were more hidden, it had me not pulled out these legal costs. So I think this is actually

639
00:57:51,780 --> 00:57:58,700
a move towards more transparency about what the day-to-day legal costs of the TNR and

640
00:57:59,900 --> 00:58:06,940
that will make things that are out of the ordinary, stick out more if they, even when

641
00:58:06,940 --> 00:58:13,100
they do show up in the future. So I hope that makes any sense. But that was the, you

642
00:58:13,100 --> 00:58:13,900
That was the idea.

643
00:58:16,950 --> 00:58:17,130
Yeah.

644
00:58:17,850 --> 00:58:21,370
We have one follow-up on that, Susan, and from Kim.

645
00:58:21,710 --> 00:58:22,630
Yeah, Kim, Hanson.

646
00:58:22,790 --> 00:58:23,090
Thank you.

647
00:58:23,770 --> 00:58:28,730
So where do litigation fees get called out?

648
00:58:28,970 --> 00:58:31,650
If they're not in this budget, where do they get paid from, please?

649
00:58:32,250 --> 00:58:38,950
Well, this last year, the town actually didn't have any per se litigation fees.

650
00:58:39,970 --> 00:58:45,190
What they had were the normal day-to-day legal costs of running the town.

651
00:58:45,710 --> 00:58:58,190
The town also had the normal stuff assigned to the housing element in terms of hiring legal experts

652
00:58:58,190 --> 00:59:07,910
to help dredge through some of the issues that are inherent to the implementation or adaptation

653
00:59:07,910 --> 00:59:10,830
implementation of the housing element.

654
00:59:15,450 --> 00:59:19,870
Besides that, the only other thing where we have

655
00:59:19,870 --> 00:59:28,670
legal fees, and I'll just say this directly, had to do with the issues that the town had

656
00:59:28,670 --> 00:59:44,560
with now not longer town manager because the town had to hire investigators to investigate

657
00:59:44,560 --> 00:59:50,340
his claims and those claims have been forwarded to the town's insurer.

658
00:59:50,620 --> 00:59:58,820
We're still waiting to hear how much of that we will actually have to pay but we really

659
00:59:58,820 --> 00:59:59,760
in

660
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,920
This year that's about to end, I have not seen any litigation fees. They've been legal costs from across a number of platforms, but not litigation, not litigation that you know where we've had good court. It's been just gene and her staff's normal costs of defending us on a day-to-day basis, doing the investigation.

661
01:00:29,920 --> 01:00:43,020
about Mr. Ledbetter's claims, which we had to do, and, you know, so I don't think there's anything hidden in any of this.

662
01:00:46,140 --> 01:00:50,900
Okay. You got to thumbs up on that response. Well done.

663
01:00:51,560 --> 01:00:51,700
Good.

664
01:00:52,860 --> 01:00:55,400
Okay. Any other comments on items seen?

665
01:00:55,400 --> 01:00:56,420
on the public.

666
01:00:59,000 --> 01:01:05,440
Seeing none, we will open for any deliberations from council. Yes, councilman

667
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:11,800
Brown. I love the way you've tackled a budget, Susan. I'm looking specifically at the

668
01:01:11,800 --> 01:01:19,500
project as shortfall. And my simple question is, do you have any plans or any suggestions

669
01:01:19,500 --> 01:01:27,340
for how do we tackle trying to reduce that shortfall? Going after item by item and $10,000

670
01:01:27,340 --> 01:01:31,200
here $20,000 there if we did this, this, and this, and this, anything like that?

671
01:01:31,980 --> 01:01:39,220
Yeah, I think there are areas where expenses can be cut down on a day-to-day basis, you

672
01:01:39,220 --> 01:01:46,940
know, listen, I think that's true of every municipal budget, you know? I mean, I was

673
01:01:46,940 --> 01:01:57,320
manager in Woodside for 19 years and we cut back almost every year because, you know, you

674
01:01:57,320 --> 01:02:06,640
But I think Council Member Brown, there were things that were highlighted in the budget that will increase revenues.

675
01:02:06,880 --> 01:02:12,340
For example, meaning they'll decrease expenses by increasing revenues.

676
01:02:12,820 --> 01:02:24,980
One thing that comes to mind just really easily is pushing on the charge of credit card fees onto the users of credit cards.

677
01:02:24,980 --> 01:02:36,200
So that's like a $30,000 issue that immediately balances the current year, meaning 26, 27 budget.

678
01:02:36,720 --> 01:02:41,900
But there are a myriad of other little things like that that can happen.

679
01:02:42,280 --> 01:02:47,920
And I think that the staff is going to be bringing back some of those things to you,

680
01:02:47,920 --> 01:02:58,480
council member ran and thinking of other things that can be done over the next two to three

681
01:02:58,480 --> 01:03:10,080
years to make sure that you stay in the block. You know that you've got a balance budget and that you

682
01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:18,200
You can continue to be the really fiscally sound town that you have been for many

683
01:03:18,200 --> 01:03:18,920
number of years.

684
01:03:20,820 --> 01:03:21,080
Great.

685
01:03:21,340 --> 01:03:22,040
Thank you.

686
01:03:22,380 --> 01:03:26,380
So, I guess that's out of all that what I'd suggest, Miss, I'd love to see the town

687
01:03:27,140 --> 01:03:31,700
and you, for example, to get together staff and say, okay, here's where we are.

688
01:03:32,600 --> 01:03:37,340
What do you think you can do in the next 12 months to cut some of these expenses?

689
01:03:39,180 --> 01:03:39,800
Thank you.

690
01:03:41,260 --> 01:03:42,220
That's about a wall.

691
01:03:43,160 --> 01:03:43,280
Yeah.

692
01:03:44,160 --> 01:03:47,620
Thank you, Susan, very clear presentation.

693
01:03:48,080 --> 01:03:50,900
So maybe following up on Council Member Brown's comments.

694
01:03:52,700 --> 01:03:56,180
So when we looked at the budget a couple of meetings ago,

695
01:03:56,500 --> 01:04:00,660
Susan, you had made, I think it was about five recommendations

696
01:04:02,340 --> 01:04:06,780
around governance and ways we could balance the budget.

697
01:04:06,780 --> 01:04:12,160
But don't press me on reciting the five recommendations here right now.

698
01:04:12,320 --> 01:04:21,740
But I recall in that meeting, we gave direction that we wanted to follow up on those recommendations

699
01:04:21,740 --> 01:04:24,980
before we adjourned for the summer break.

700
01:04:25,820 --> 01:04:30,340
So I wanted to follow up on that and ask, you know, will that be happening?

701
01:04:30,460 --> 01:04:31,340
I guess the first product question.

702
01:04:31,340 --> 01:04:42,960
but also will that recommendation also include specifics on what staff proposes to do to whether

703
01:04:42,960 --> 01:04:46,880
it's fully balanced the budget or make progress towards balancing the budget.

704
01:04:47,320 --> 01:04:54,520
Can we expect that to happen at the last meeting before we adjourn for the summer?

705
01:04:55,680 --> 01:05:01,540
Okay. Well, so first of all, Council member, while I have to remind you that I am

706
01:05:01,540 --> 01:05:06,460
no longer the town manager. Yeah, so I should have said that my question is either directed

707
01:05:06,460 --> 01:05:07,320
to you or Melissa.

708
01:05:07,920 --> 01:05:08,340
Yeah,

709
01:05:10,560 --> 01:05:19,320
but I know that the current acting town manager and hopefully your new interim who will

710
01:05:19,320 --> 01:05:30,960
will start in July, will take all of the direction that you have given Melissa, and Melissa

711
01:05:30,960 --> 01:05:40,620
will share with her, you know, to come up with the specifics that you're looking for.

712
01:05:41,320 --> 01:05:48,280
I mean, I believe that they will, and, you know, and I'm still here to help if they need

713
01:05:48,280 --> 01:05:56,640
me, I don't think they will, you know, but I'm still here if they do. And you know, it's

714
01:05:56,640 --> 01:06:02,600
just discipline. You know, Councilmember Wall, when I started back in 1993, we were like

715
01:06:02,600 --> 01:06:10,080
broke here in Woodside. And we had no financial management halls. We had nothing. We were facing,

716
01:06:10,080 --> 01:06:17,940
you know, a budget deficit and it just took discipline and we are not like we were back

717
01:06:17,940 --> 01:06:23,740
then in 1993. We're way better off. So it really just takes some course corrections

718
01:06:23,740 --> 01:06:32,420
right now, you know, and those are all doable. I'm very optimistic. So yeah, that's great

719
01:06:32,420 --> 01:06:37,160
to hear. I guess maybe turning the question over to Melissa, do you have an update on kind

720
01:06:37,160 --> 01:06:43,820
kind of when we will hear about the course correction measures that the staff is going

721
01:06:43,820 --> 01:06:44,220
to be taking.

722
01:06:45,000 --> 01:06:45,120
Yes.

723
01:06:45,500 --> 01:06:46,140
Thank you.

724
01:06:46,300 --> 01:06:46,860
Council Member Wal.

725
01:06:47,360 --> 01:06:51,900
The old Mahonda road temporary traffic light kite hill and the credit card fee item will

726
01:06:51,900 --> 01:06:54,820
all be coming forward to the council at the July 23rd meeting.

727
01:06:58,770 --> 01:06:58,950
Awesome.

728
01:06:59,610 --> 01:07:04,930
And then do you recall like I seem to remember there were the five recommendations that Susan

729
01:07:04,930 --> 01:07:05,330
made.

730
01:07:06,110 --> 01:07:07,790
Do you have those top of mind?

731
01:07:07,790 --> 01:07:12,340
I think it was exploring the

732
01:07:12,340 --> 01:07:27,000
defensible space program that's going to take a little longer to craft some recommendations for changes to the program if council wishes we're going to bring forward alternative reimbursement items to list on the program. So that probably won't come forward until September.

733
01:07:28,320 --> 01:07:39,120
And the other item was the future internal budget processes which we will be meeting with staff.

734
01:07:39,120 --> 01:07:46,100
If the council approves it tonight, we'll be meeting with them in July to go over the adopted budget and

735
01:07:46,100 --> 01:07:48,380
ways that we can start exploring

736
01:07:49,120 --> 01:07:50,600
items that can be reduced

737
01:07:52,120 --> 01:07:57,000
Different things working with consultants how we can take some tasks internally

738
01:07:58,060 --> 01:08:04,980
including the department heads and in monthly meetings and touching base and making sure that they're aware of their

739
01:08:06,420 --> 01:08:08,140
accounts and and

740
01:08:08,140 --> 01:08:18,200
if they're at 25%, 50%, 75% and we're really going to track these and provide that information to the department heads, so they can pass that on to their staff as well.

741
01:08:19,840 --> 01:08:20,440
Fantastic.

742
01:08:21,120 --> 01:08:25,380
And what about the contract management software?

743
01:08:26,240 --> 01:08:34,420
Yes, I have tasked the town clerk gently and one of our senior management analysts to explore some programs,

744
01:08:34,420 --> 01:08:40,780
get some demos from these programs and I can check with Jenna, I'm not sure if

745
01:08:40,780 --> 01:08:44,060
that has started yet, but I did task them with that after the last meeting.

746
01:08:44,980 --> 01:08:48,760
And then once they have proposals in place, those will come forward to the

747
01:08:48,760 --> 01:08:49,480
council for review.

748
01:08:52,890 --> 01:08:54,730
Thank you for updating that.

749
01:08:58,580 --> 01:09:00,580
Any other comments or

750
01:09:00,580 --> 01:09:06,440
deliberation? I do have a question of Susan George and that is there are in

751
01:09:06,440 --> 01:09:19,980
In addition to the revenue enhancements that you were talked about, the Melissa just spoke about, credit card fee charges that's, you know, these all led up to some tens of thousands of dollars, so it's not insignificant.

752
01:09:20,600 --> 01:09:26,940
But we're also, is there any accommodation for the vehicle license fee that, you know, might be coming in from.

753
01:09:26,940 --> 01:09:47,540
Yeah, that we just that we just heard about right since the budget was put together I have not yet seen a number that will be attributable to woodside, but clearly that that would be revenue that's not in the budget that you I hope are about to adopt tonight.

754
01:09:48,540 --> 01:09:54,080
And that that will definitely give you a little bit more running room.

755
01:09:54,080 --> 01:09:58,040
So that's a pretty big number. Melissa, do you remember offhand with it? It's approximately

756
01:09:58,040 --> 01:10:03,140
$400,000. That's a big number. Yeah, which is great. It's a really lovely number. You

757
01:10:03,140 --> 01:10:11,220
know, we need to be careful to not see it. It's a number that is owed to us as I understand

758
01:10:11,220 --> 01:10:18,060
it from previous years. So don't see it as ongoing number, seeing it as one-time money.

759
01:10:19,300 --> 01:10:25,400
agreed. And on one time things. And the other one is potential recovery. We talked about

760
01:10:25,400 --> 01:10:29,920
this earlier tonight. Recovery from code enforcement actions that we've taken, which again

761
01:10:29,920 --> 01:10:34,000
is not an insignificant number. It's currently at 50,000. I think we just approved the expansion

762
01:10:34,000 --> 01:10:41,620
to 85,000 if I remember correctly. But I mean, there may be some recoveries of that, maybe

763
01:10:41,620 --> 01:10:45,740
not this fiscal year, but possibly next fiscal year. But some of them may be this fiscal

764
01:10:45,740 --> 01:10:50,540
year if there's a sale, one of those trouble property. So those are not reflected either.

765
01:10:51,260 --> 01:10:56,180
No, they're not. They're not. And that's again, that's one-time money that's probably paying off

766
01:10:56,180 --> 01:11:02,720
costs that you're paying this year. That's correct. Just remember to be conservative.

767
01:11:03,700 --> 01:11:06,800
I am, and I'm just pointing out some upside that may get us.

768
01:11:06,880 --> 01:11:09,880
No, absolutely, Council Member Gold. Yeah, yeah.

769
01:11:09,880 --> 01:11:11,000
Okay,

770
01:11:14,370 --> 01:11:18,450
I think with that, we are ready to entertain a motion on item C.

771
01:11:21,910 --> 01:11:32,710
I move to approve the modified 2025-2026 town budget under Agenda Item C.

772
01:11:33,510 --> 01:11:34,150
I'll second it.

773
01:11:35,230 --> 01:11:36,150
Council Member Operation.

774
01:11:36,530 --> 01:11:36,650
Yes.

775
01:11:36,870 --> 01:11:37,550
Council Member Brown.

776
01:11:37,750 --> 01:11:37,890
Yes.

777
01:11:38,230 --> 01:11:38,850
Council Member Gold.

778
01:11:39,470 --> 01:11:39,630
Yes.

779
01:11:39,630 --> 01:11:47,530
Council Member Wolff. Yes, Mayor Domkowski. Yes, thank you. And thank you, Mr. George.

780
01:11:47,810 --> 01:11:52,650
We appreciate all the help during this transitional period. Absolutely. I'm still here for one more item.

781
01:11:53,610 --> 01:12:01,510
I know. We'll bring it back. Thank you. Okay, moving on to item D, approval of an interim town manager employment

782
01:12:01,510 --> 01:12:07,810
agreement. And I'm handing that off to Melissa. Thank you, Mayor Domkowski. I wanted to say

783
01:12:07,810 --> 01:12:11,550
few words before this item that it has been an absolute pleasure to serve as Acting

784
01:12:11,550 --> 01:12:15,310
Town Manager since February. It has been difficult completing work for two

785
01:12:15,310 --> 01:12:18,770
positions and so I have made the decision to return to my role as Assistant

786
01:12:18,770 --> 01:12:23,430
Town Manager. So the quality of work that I believe this town needs can continue

787
01:12:23,430 --> 01:12:27,650
while the recruitment period occurs. I appreciate the support from the community,

788
01:12:27,970 --> 01:12:32,270
staff and council. I'm excited to work with Pam if the agreement is approved

789
01:12:32,270 --> 01:12:36,330
tonight and continue to learn and grow as a leader. I want to thank the council

790
01:12:36,330 --> 01:12:41,390
for hearing me and respecting my decision to return as assistant town manager. So as shown

791
01:12:41,390 --> 01:12:46,430
in the staff report, Pam would begin on July 1st. She would serve for one year or until a

792
01:12:46,430 --> 01:12:53,170
permanent town manager is retained. Her salary will be $335,000 and she will receive the same

793
01:12:53,170 --> 01:12:58,730
benefits as all other at-will employees. So before the council's interim town manager employment

794
01:12:58,730 --> 01:13:04,710
agreement for your review and approval, thank you. Thank you very much and on behalf of the entire

795
01:13:04,710 --> 01:13:09,030
to our town council, let me just also say that we're deeply appreciative of your willingness

796
01:13:09,030 --> 01:13:15,170
to step in during this transitional period. The leadership has been outstanding. Your

797
01:13:15,170 --> 01:13:19,610
collegiality has been wonderful, and I don't know what we would have done without you

798
01:13:19,610 --> 01:13:23,590
the last four months. So thank you very much, but we're also very grateful that you're going

799
01:13:23,590 --> 01:13:29,550
to be able to continue to contribute in your role, and we see where things are in the future.

800
01:13:29,550 --> 01:13:37,190
so thank you. We really appreciate it. Any questions on this item for staff from the council?

801
01:13:41,800 --> 01:13:47,700
Okay. Then we will move right into public comment. Are there any members of the public that would like to comment on item D?

802
01:13:54,990 --> 01:14:01,810
Seeing none, we will close public comment. Any further deliberation by council?

803
01:14:05,850 --> 01:14:07,690
Oh, go ahead. Council member one.

804
01:14:08,310 --> 01:14:13,870
Yeah, no, I just couldn't let the moment pass, Melissa, thank you so much for your leadership

805
01:14:13,870 --> 01:14:16,550
and all of your contributions over the last four months.

806
01:14:18,830 --> 01:14:20,550
It's been such a pleasure to work with you.

807
01:14:20,550 --> 01:14:24,010
I'm so excited to continue to work together.

808
01:14:25,430 --> 01:14:29,990
And I was just, I have been so impressed by how you stepped up and really supported the

809
01:14:29,990 --> 01:14:34,110
town during a difficult time, so, massive, massive thanks to you.

810
01:14:34,890 --> 01:14:35,770
Thank you, Councilmember Raul.

811
01:14:38,060 --> 01:14:43,260
Yeah, quick comment just to echo what you heard before, but a little slightly different

812
01:14:43,260 --> 01:14:50,000
spin. There were comments made, I mentioned this before, that the town was in chaos after

813
01:14:50,000 --> 01:14:57,340
you know, the February 17th approximately, not that I remember the date that well. And it

814
01:14:58,720 --> 01:14:59,980
And, you know, I think...

815
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:24,220
That we talked with all the department heads, we talked with Melissa and really stepped up, but I wanted to thank the department heads in particular for stepping up. That was a moment of real test of people's strength and tenure and, you know, were they going to, it was a real show of integrity I think that people stood behind us. And I think that they did that largely because of you Melissa.

816
01:15:26,340 --> 01:15:29,880
It's the person at the helm who really kind of holds

817
01:15:29,880 --> 01:15:33,540
things together, and I think you sent that message loud and clear to everybody.

818
01:15:33,960 --> 01:15:40,220
So the point I'm making is not only was everything just held steady.

819
01:15:40,900 --> 01:15:45,380
You marched ahead because I remember your first meeting, it was one of the longest meetings

820
01:15:45,380 --> 01:15:49,480
we've ever had, and we had that whole budget thing that we went through, and it was pretty

821
01:15:49,480 --> 01:15:53,960
much of a nightmare, and it was a great show of your capabilities.

822
01:15:54,240 --> 01:15:58,320
And so in addition to what everybody else said, I just wanted to echo my thanks to you as

823
01:15:58,320 --> 01:15:58,580
well.

824
01:15:58,580 --> 01:16:02,540
And I understand your decision and we obviously respect that and that's great.

825
01:16:02,980 --> 01:16:09,800
I did want to make a comment about Pamela Antill who we interviewed and I just thought

826
01:16:09,800 --> 01:16:13,960
that she was an outstanding candidate, tremendous professionalism.

827
01:16:14,840 --> 01:16:16,320
I think she has a great background.

828
01:16:16,360 --> 01:16:23,300
I think that we've talked about some of the issues that are out there but she is a star.

829
01:16:23,940 --> 01:16:28,080
And I think she's actually exactly what we need at this particular moment in time.

830
01:16:28,600 --> 01:16:36,320
We need the help. I think that she has, you know, when we were talking to her about her experience, especially with things like the housing element, it could not have been more on point.

831
01:16:36,660 --> 01:16:42,380
I mean, it was, I mean, the the experience she has is exactly I think what we need at this particular moment in time.

832
01:16:42,980 --> 01:16:47,640
And so I heartily endorse this contract that we move forward with it.

833
01:16:47,740 --> 01:16:55,360
But again, I just wanted to thank not only Melissa, but I wanted to thank Jean for her efforts in identifying Pam.

834
01:16:55,540 --> 01:16:57,920
I know that wasn't necessarily an easy task.

835
01:16:58,120 --> 01:17:03,760
But I think we ended up in a very good place and I'm happy to move forward with this resolution when we get there.

836
01:17:06,130 --> 01:17:06,570
Very good.

837
01:17:06,790 --> 01:17:13,990
And maybe I'll just echo those comments that we're extremely fortunate to have Miss Antil bring her three decades of local government experience.

838
01:17:13,990 --> 01:17:34,130
to the town during this transitional period and what we're looking for is for her engagement to provide us with some time and some flexibility so that we can thoughtfully think about our needs and our priorities and also determine qualities and experiences that we would like to seek out in a permanent town manager role.

839
01:17:34,130 --> 01:17:40,850
So before beginning a formal recruitment process, so I will just echo the remarks of the Mayor

840
01:17:40,850 --> 01:17:48,450
Pro Tem and I look forward to welcoming Miss Antel to Woodside should this resolution pass.

841
01:17:50,350 --> 01:17:55,690
Yeah, but no, I'd like to make a motion to approve a resolution of the town council of the town

842
01:17:55,690 --> 01:18:00,390
of Woodside approving the employment agreement with Pamela Antel for the position as interim town

843
01:18:00,390 --> 01:18:06,430
Manager. Council Member Abarish. Yes. Council Member Brown. Yes. Council Member Gold.

844
01:18:07,170 --> 01:18:17,930
Council Member Wall. Yes. Mayor Duncowski. Yes. Thank you. And welcome Pam. Okay. We have a

845
01:18:17,930 --> 01:18:22,350
series of public hearings here. So we'll move right on to item E, which is a public hearing to

846
01:18:22,350 --> 01:18:28,230
Receiver Report, the town of which I've vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts. And that is

847
01:18:28,230 --> 01:18:35,310
going to you, Cory. Thank you mayor. So I have the opportunity to discuss our vacancy, recruitment,

848
01:18:35,550 --> 01:18:42,270
and retention efforts related to California Government Code section 3502.3. So it mandates

849
01:18:42,270 --> 01:18:45,890
that public agencies present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts.

850
01:18:46,350 --> 01:18:50,590
I would say right now our recruitment efforts are fantastic because I have one person listed

851
01:18:50,590 --> 01:18:55,810
as a vacancy and we just filled that. So fantastic effort, Cory. Council. There we go.

852
01:18:55,810 --> 01:19:00,890
So moving on to recruitment efforts, typically we do job postings and we don't currently

853
01:19:00,890 --> 01:19:02,110
have any jobs posted.

854
01:19:02,770 --> 01:19:07,770
Typical time to hire can be 30 to 60 days pending the position, pending if we used a recruiter,

855
01:19:07,910 --> 01:19:10,410
or we do an internal recruitment that does change the length of time.

856
01:19:11,130 --> 01:19:13,470
Outreach strategies would obviously be the town website.

857
01:19:13,650 --> 01:19:18,050
We do word of mouth as well when staff attend meetings related to their specific subject matter,

858
01:19:18,530 --> 01:19:20,170
finance, public works, planning, etc.

859
01:19:20,870 --> 01:19:25,310
We utilize numerous job boards, I won't read all of them, but some of them are municipal

860
01:19:25,310 --> 01:19:30,630
management association of Northern California, which is also known as MMANC. We utilize

861
01:19:31,230 --> 01:19:37,330
also specific department areas of specialization, so for planning you might utilize the American

862
01:19:37,330 --> 01:19:41,930
Planning Association, Public Works, American Public Works Association, so on and so forth.

863
01:19:42,410 --> 01:19:47,710
Different retention strategies we have are employee feedback, so supervisors meeting with their staff

864
01:19:47,710 --> 01:19:52,850
as well as exit interviews with staff as they transition on to the next step. Competitive benefit

865
01:19:52,850 --> 01:19:59,870
We have fantastic benefits, our health, our dental, our vision, we do tuition reimbursement.

866
01:19:59,870 --> 01:20:02,390
We also have optional additional benefits.

867
01:20:02,390 --> 01:20:06,730
Should staff choose to elect to participate and that isn't something of your municipality offers.

868
01:20:07,270 --> 01:20:08,270
But here in Woodside, we do.

869
01:20:09,450 --> 01:20:14,810
And we don't currently have any challenges or proposed solutions while we are a small municipality.

870
01:20:14,930 --> 01:20:19,850
Our turnover is a lower rate than other cities given our size and our staff do really enjoy working here.

871
01:20:19,850 --> 01:20:22,410
I'm open to any questions that there are any from the town council.

872
01:20:23,510 --> 01:20:24,210
Thank you, Corey.

873
01:20:24,450 --> 01:20:25,590
Any questions for staff?

874
01:20:29,180 --> 01:20:33,300
Seeing none, any comments from the public on item E?

875
01:20:37,900 --> 01:20:38,560
Seeing none?

876
01:20:39,120 --> 01:20:41,160
Any further deliberation from council?

877
01:20:44,720 --> 01:20:45,220
You nailed it.

878
01:20:45,620 --> 01:20:46,960
Do we have a motion for item E?

879
01:20:51,160 --> 01:20:52,120
It's informational.

880
01:20:52,900 --> 01:20:53,140
Yes.

881
01:20:57,870 --> 01:20:58,830
Well, thanks for the information.

882
01:21:01,950 --> 01:21:17,110
Okay. Moving on to item F, resolution that we're going right back to you. Susan, adopting the town budget for 2627 and salary schedules and preparation limits. So I will head it back off you.

883
01:21:18,030 --> 01:21:28,810
Yeah. Thank you. This is actually Melissa's item, but I will just tell you that what's before you are resolutions that adopt by you.

884
01:21:28,810 --> 01:21:39,350
for 2627. The budget, as was discussed two weeks ago, the appropriation limit

885
01:21:39,350 --> 01:21:44,850
which you can ask Cory about because that's her baby and adopting the

886
01:21:44,850 --> 01:21:50,490
salary schedule for 2627 which is essentially the staffing that was laid out in

887
01:21:50,490 --> 01:21:54,750
the budget that was proposed to you two weeks ago. We'd be happy to answer any

888
01:21:54,750 --> 01:22:01,330
questions we can. You are still absolutely free to make any changes you want to

889
01:22:01,330 --> 01:22:09,610
it. You didn't direct any changes you gave Melissa and her staff things they

890
01:22:09,610 --> 01:22:13,510
needed to follow up on and she reported to earlier that they are doing that. So

891
01:22:13,510 --> 01:22:18,630
we're happy to answer any questions we can. Okay and Melissa I didn't mean to come

892
01:22:18,630 --> 01:22:22,290
Come through that. Anything you want to add? She summarized that perfectly.

893
01:22:22,810 --> 01:22:23,650
Okay. There you go.

894
01:22:26,310 --> 01:22:28,050
Teamwork makes the dream work around here.

895
01:22:28,990 --> 01:22:33,090
Okay. Any questions on item F for staff?

896
01:22:35,360 --> 01:22:37,420
No, we've been through this a bit. So, okay.

897
01:22:37,740 --> 01:22:39,900
Then we will open it up to the public.

898
01:22:44,440 --> 01:22:45,940
Well, second ratings are what they are.

899
01:22:46,880 --> 01:22:51,480
Seen no public comment. Any further deliberation from council?

900
01:22:56,360 --> 01:23:03,900
Yeah, other than the guidance on a number of issues that we talked about earlier in item C, it all makes sense to me.

901
01:23:04,200 --> 01:23:09,880
So, this one, we are asking for adoption, right? We're asking for a motion.

902
01:23:10,280 --> 01:23:10,500
Okay.

903
01:23:11,560 --> 01:23:14,260
There are three separate resolutions.

904
01:23:15,580 --> 01:23:16,060
Okay.

905
01:23:16,660 --> 01:23:19,100
Well, we can take them as one motion, right? Yes.

906
01:23:21,600 --> 01:23:27,980
I'll move that we adopt a resolution of the town council of the town of Woodside adopting

907
01:23:27,980 --> 01:23:32,020
a budget for fiscal year 2026-2027.

908
01:23:34,360 --> 01:23:38,740
Additionally, that we adopt a resolution, approve the resolution of the town council of

909
01:23:38,740 --> 01:23:44,720
the town of Woodside, determining the appropriation limit for the fiscal year 2026-2027.

910
01:23:46,100 --> 01:23:54,900
and the resolution updating and adopting the 2026 town salary schedule.

911
01:23:57,320 --> 01:24:01,500
All right. Council Member Abarish? Yes. Council Member Brown? Yes.

912
01:24:01,860 --> 01:24:07,540
Council Member Gold? Council Member Wall? Yes. Mayor Domkowski? Yes. Thank you.

913
01:24:08,680 --> 01:24:12,720
And moving right along to item. Thank you again, Susan.

914
01:24:15,620 --> 01:24:17,200
Thank you so much, guys.

915
01:24:17,700 --> 01:24:18,940
Yeah, enjoy the rest of your evening.

916
01:24:19,280 --> 01:24:20,000
Oh, thank you.

917
01:24:20,100 --> 01:24:20,400
You too.

918
01:24:22,040 --> 01:24:28,600
Moving on to item G, introduction and first reading of an ordinance to amend split codes,

919
01:24:29,500 --> 01:24:35,760
151 and 153 on ADUs and Melissa Sage.

920
01:24:36,140 --> 01:24:36,960
Melissa Sage.

921
01:24:37,220 --> 01:24:38,160
Let's see what this is going to.

922
01:24:38,760 --> 01:24:39,160
Hi, Sage.

923
01:24:39,160 --> 01:24:41,480
Well, thank you Mayor, good evening Council members.

924
01:24:42,560 --> 01:24:49,840
So as everyone is well aware, the town has been updating its code in recent years related

925
01:24:49,840 --> 01:24:53,860
to the construction of accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as ADUs.

926
01:24:54,640 --> 01:24:59,760
Some of the requirements are mandated by the state, while others have been implemented

927
01:24:59,760 --> 01:25:05,020
by the town to provide increased flexibility for the construction of ADUs.

928
01:25:05,020 --> 01:25:12,140
So, as we've amended the code on a few different occasions, this is a continuation of that process.

929
01:25:13,460 --> 01:25:21,400
The current proposal is to make modifications to our standards for construction of ADUs,

930
01:25:21,800 --> 01:25:32,920
some of which are to maintain compliance with updated state laws while others are just local ideas to increase flexibility for construction.

931
01:25:34,620 --> 01:25:44,480
This staff report, it went to the Planning Commission on two occasions, the Planning Commission

932
01:25:44,480 --> 01:25:52,800
provided overall support for the project. Town staff has received several comments at the

933
01:25:52,800 --> 01:26:02,900
different meetings, including this meeting, and they were all overwhelmingly supportive of the

934
01:26:02,900 --> 01:26:08,820
general concerns overall, just in terms of being careful of increasing flexibility and

935
01:26:08,820 --> 01:26:10,060
how that may impact neighbors.

936
01:26:11,920 --> 01:26:17,460
What I have on the screen here is from the staff report that outlines these kind of nine

937
01:26:17,460 --> 01:26:22,480
different categories, these nine items that we've included with this proposed ordinance.

938
01:26:23,260 --> 01:26:29,080
I'm happy to walk through them all in extreme detail if you like, or if you'd rather just

939
01:26:29,640 --> 01:26:34,660
You know, if you have specific areas that you want to talk about or have questions, we can focus on those areas.

940
01:26:35,620 --> 01:26:38,360
Well, if others don't have any comments, we can move on.

941
01:26:39,980 --> 01:26:45,280
It's great. Any specific questions on item G from council?

942
01:26:47,020 --> 01:26:52,560
Got two that I would just like some amplification on. One, the second driveway exception and the amnesty proverb.

943
01:26:52,560 --> 01:26:58,160
So would you let me just go through those changes?

944
01:26:58,540 --> 01:26:58,640
Sure.

945
01:26:59,400 --> 01:27:00,160
You can summer on.

946
01:27:00,260 --> 01:27:00,360
Sure.

947
01:27:00,820 --> 01:27:00,940
Yeah.

948
01:27:01,100 --> 01:27:04,380
So I mean, for the second driveway exception, this is something that's been brought up in

949
01:27:04,380 --> 01:27:04,800
the past.

950
01:27:05,580 --> 01:27:14,020
It is currently is, may some may be aware, the town, code emphasizes one driveway for properties

951
01:27:14,020 --> 01:27:18,960
while a second driveway needs approval by the planning commission through a public hearing

952
01:27:18,960 --> 01:27:21,060
specific findings need to be made.

953
01:27:21,060 --> 01:27:33,900
And so it's been brought up on different occasions about trying to provide some relief for this public hearing requirement for ADUs on that may need a second driveway.

954
01:27:34,780 --> 01:27:48,420
So town staff has provided a recommendation that would allow for at the staff level to provide a second driveway exception for ADUs as long as certain criteria is met primarily related to safety.

955
01:27:49,680 --> 01:28:01,280
where some examples exist, some of the most obvious examples exist, we have some properties that may be bisected by a creek, but they may have streets on both sides of their property.

956
01:28:02,100 --> 01:28:05,720
Great example is some properties here on Whiskey Hill between Whiskey Hill and Manzanita Way.

957
01:28:07,160 --> 01:28:13,700
So instead of someone having to build a bridge across the creek and go through all of what that entails through local and state laws,

958
01:28:14,540 --> 01:28:20,040
They could now pursue this second driveway to the off of the other road and something the town can approve.

959
01:28:20,580 --> 01:28:29,860
Other times, other examples are when there's extreme topography differences when a property is accessed or is adjacent to or more roads.

960
01:28:30,460 --> 01:28:40,460
And so this would provide an opportunity for an ADU to be at the either higher or lower elevation without the need to run a driveway through that steep topography

961
01:28:41,020 --> 01:28:44,800
to ensure that there's proper fire access as well as just vehicle access.

962
01:28:45,280 --> 01:28:54,100
So this proposal is to basically provide a way in which someone proposed an ADU can have

963
01:28:54,100 --> 01:28:57,040
a second driveway without the need to go to planning commission.

964
01:29:00,220 --> 01:29:03,200
And with regard to the MC, I'm actually, thank you for bringing that up.

965
01:29:03,320 --> 01:29:04,980
There is something that I do want to mention with that one.

966
01:29:05,600 --> 01:29:08,800
It's not directly in the ordinance itself.

967
01:29:08,800 --> 01:29:17,980
But, you know, over the years, all of our code changes or ADUs have really simplified

968
01:29:17,980 --> 01:29:22,180
the process to convert structures or spaces into ADUs.

969
01:29:22,660 --> 01:29:26,360
And this would include ADUs that were already created without permits.

970
01:29:27,080 --> 01:29:33,440
So from a zoning perspective, the town has done a lot really to make that as easy as possible.

971
01:29:33,440 --> 01:29:39,080
The biggest issue often comes into play as health and safety improvements for property.

972
01:29:39,280 --> 01:29:43,020
So whether it be septic suitability or electrical or plumbing.

973
01:29:44,480 --> 01:29:51,220
And so someone still needs to comply with a certain level of health and safety standards.

974
01:29:51,940 --> 01:29:58,600
There is a state law that was passed AB 2533, then it's been amended to just change some

975
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:22,740
Motion numbers. But an AB 2533, it provides local jurisdictions or directs local jurisdictions to allow for a kind of a lower level of building permit review as it relates to ADUs that were constructed without permits prior to 2020. So it's primarily a billion department.

976
01:30:24,780 --> 01:30:29,240
Something that is processed and provided by the building department.

977
01:30:29,240 --> 01:30:37,380
And the state law now provides, like I said, some lower level items needed that's still

978
01:30:37,380 --> 01:30:39,980
ensure health and safety requirements are met.

979
01:30:40,680 --> 01:30:42,860
So the town, this law is in effect.

980
01:30:43,820 --> 01:30:50,660
The town has one application that is pursuing this right now and we do know of others people

981
01:30:50,660 --> 01:30:54,660
that are interested in pursuing legalization of some of these unpermitted units.

982
01:30:57,500 --> 01:31:12,600
The town has created a checklist for folks that is on our website, so they give them some idea of what they need to do as well as they will talk to the building department and identify what items they may need to correct.

983
01:31:13,400 --> 01:31:19,960
One of the things that have come up in the state law is that cities have to allow for a third party inspection.

984
01:31:19,960 --> 01:31:25,280
would say like when people buy houses they hire an inspector on their behalf to kind of look at issues.

985
01:31:25,640 --> 01:31:31,620
So a resident could hire an inspector they don't have to but they could hire an inspector

986
01:31:32,260 --> 01:31:37,300
to go through their unit to see what they may need to modify to be brought up to code.

987
01:31:39,280 --> 01:31:45,880
The what came up from public comment as well as from the planning commission is a request to

988
01:31:45,880 --> 01:31:51,100
to allow the town building inspector to be used to go out to properties.

989
01:31:51,540 --> 01:31:57,180
So this is something that the town could provide as a service, the resident could pay for

990
01:31:57,180 --> 01:31:59,960
this service to offset any financial impacts.

991
01:32:02,860 --> 01:32:07,480
And this, you know, this building town inspector could go out and do the inspection.

992
01:32:07,580 --> 01:32:12,580
There would be the caveat that, you know, they don't see behind walls and there could be other

993
01:32:12,580 --> 01:32:18,620
items that just aren't easily identifiable. But this would be something that I think provides

994
01:32:18,620 --> 01:32:23,500
a little bit more confidence from the residents knowing that there's a town inspector who started

995
01:32:23,500 --> 01:32:29,040
to look at this stuff. It would not be a way to invite immediate code enforcement. It's just something

996
01:32:29,040 --> 01:32:34,380
a service that the town would provide. That's not something that we need to put in the ordinance itself.

997
01:32:35,020 --> 01:32:42,020
But if the council concurres with the idea of using town resources to be offset with

998
01:32:42,020 --> 01:32:47,220
costs from the residents that we could pursue that process with the building department.

999
01:32:49,260 --> 01:32:52,780
So those are those two items, and I'm happy to answer any questions yet.

1000
01:32:53,520 --> 01:32:59,880
On the amnesty, thank you, and by the way, I'm impressed with the very forward thinking

1001
01:32:59,880 --> 01:33:01,520
on both of those items.

1002
01:33:02,140 --> 01:33:05,720
On the amnesty program, will any of those, because we don't count them now, will they count

1003
01:33:05,720 --> 01:33:06,720
in the housing element?

1004
01:33:06,840 --> 01:33:07,360
It's a good question.

1005
01:33:07,440 --> 01:33:07,920
Yes, they will.

1006
01:33:07,920 --> 01:33:16,640
So these are, you know, what it gets counted towards the arena numbers and the housing element are newly issued permits for units.

1007
01:33:17,300 --> 01:33:23,440
So since they were never issued permits in the past, if they were to obtain a permit now, that would be a unit to be counted.

1008
01:33:23,560 --> 01:33:25,140
So we should do something to encourage them.

1009
01:33:25,220 --> 01:33:28,680
Yes, definitely a part of this is outreach as well.

1010
01:33:28,680 --> 01:33:37,300
So we are putting together, we're kind of waiting for this ordinance to go through, but we've already drafted some stuff to get out to the public regarding 80 using general.

1011
01:33:37,780 --> 01:33:41,520
And then this would be also something that would be emphasized. Thank you. Very good.

1012
01:33:43,060 --> 01:33:44,340
I had a question.

1013
01:33:44,340 --> 01:33:52,400
and all these regulation changes impact all properties in the town, correct?

1014
01:33:52,900 --> 01:33:53,460
That's correct.

1015
01:33:53,700 --> 01:33:58,340
So there's no differentiation between a quarter acre lot versus a 10 acre lot.

1016
01:33:58,380 --> 01:34:03,720
No, the one item that I'll call out is that listed here, it's item number seven.

1017
01:34:05,040 --> 01:34:08,160
And this relates to just the R1 district.

1018
01:34:08,160 --> 01:34:16,900
So, whereas all of our districts outside of the R1 district allow for up to 4 ADUs, including a JADU.

1019
01:34:17,420 --> 01:34:25,340
So, that's already been established by town ordinance, but currently the code for the R1 district only allows for 1 ADU and 1 JADU.

1020
01:34:25,840 --> 01:34:31,640
But by state law, you have to allow these three different types of ADUs.

1021
01:34:31,640 --> 01:34:37,400
One is a J-A-D-U, one is just a conversion of space, so whether it's a garage or part of your house.

1022
01:34:38,140 --> 01:34:41,920
And then the other one is to allow for at least one detached A-D-U.

1023
01:34:42,280 --> 01:34:46,980
That's at least 800 square feet, it's close to four feet to side, and we're probably line up to 16 feet tall.

1024
01:34:48,000 --> 01:34:55,580
And so what we've done, so this is the one item which is just specifically for the R1 district.

1025
01:34:55,780 --> 01:34:59,200
Although all other districts already are afforded these exceptions.

1026
01:34:59,200 --> 01:35:02,720
They can use these types of ADUs already without changes to our code.

1027
01:35:03,460 --> 01:35:08,500
And the R1 districts, they still can have to, are required to have two driveways, is that right?

1028
01:35:08,640 --> 01:35:12,620
Oh, no, not necessarily. So the, none of them are required to have two driveways.

1029
01:35:12,640 --> 01:35:18,980
It's just a matter of what we're doing with the driveway exception is if that's something an option that someone wants to pursue.

1030
01:35:19,460 --> 01:35:27,860
If they can easily just, especially in the R1 district that's smaller lots, they could most of the time be able to just access the ADU from their existing driveways.

1031
01:35:27,860 --> 01:35:31,720
Thank you, Council Member Wall.

1032
01:35:33,460 --> 01:35:40,200
Yeah, I had a question. I wanted to dig into a little bit on the the ADU Amnesty Program,

1033
01:35:40,260 --> 01:35:46,580
which I think is great and really pleased that this is on the in the packet and in a staff recommendation.

1034
01:35:48,180 --> 01:35:55,880
Looking at or reflecting on some of the emails that we got as desk items, it seems sage kind

1035
01:35:55,880 --> 01:36:04,020
in consistent with your comments that residents are really in support of letting owners do the

1036
01:36:04,020 --> 01:36:09,660
embassy program but also pay for an assessment that kind of spells out and writing what legalization

1037
01:36:09,660 --> 01:36:10,520
will require.

1038
01:36:12,700 --> 01:36:17,480
In the desk items, though, nobody specifically called out the building inspector.

1039
01:36:17,640 --> 01:36:25,140
When you set it here tonight, maybe you wonder, well, if we did rely on the building inspector,

1040
01:36:25,140 --> 01:36:30,580
I think you said like it wouldn't be to invite enforcement, but do you think residents

1041
01:36:30,580 --> 01:36:35,340
are going to feel would feel comfortable having it be the building inspector that would

1042
01:36:35,340 --> 01:36:36,780
provide that assessment?

1043
01:36:37,520 --> 01:36:45,940
I just worry that we're trying to really encourage ADU amnesty and might residents draw

1044
01:36:45,940 --> 01:36:50,680
or whether true or not come to the conclusion that if the building inspector comes out,

1045
01:36:50,780 --> 01:36:53,820
it might result in some sort of enforcement.

1046
01:36:53,820 --> 01:36:59,500
So I guess my question is are there alternatives to the building inspector or is that really

1047
01:36:59,500 --> 01:37:03,080
the only the only person that could do such an assessment?

1048
01:37:04,120 --> 01:37:06,800
So there yeah so this would just be an extra option.

1049
01:37:06,960 --> 01:37:09,300
So it's not something that would be required by folks.

1050
01:37:09,740 --> 01:37:12,940
It would just be something if they would like to pursue that option.

1051
01:37:13,100 --> 01:37:18,580
So the other option is one they just don't have anyone inspect the property prior and they

1052
01:37:18,580 --> 01:37:24,940
They just move forward with their plans and inspections like a normal permit process.

1053
01:37:25,760 --> 01:37:30,400
And then the other option that's always on the table which is what I mentioned earlier

1054
01:37:30,400 --> 01:37:35,040
is that people can just hire their own third party building inspector.

1055
01:37:35,540 --> 01:37:39,520
They could get the report, they don't ever have to show it to the town.

1056
01:37:39,520 --> 01:37:42,480
They may decide to move forward, they may decide not to.

1057
01:37:43,180 --> 01:37:45,800
And that's something that they could just keep for their own knowledge.

1058
01:37:46,440 --> 01:37:48,200
So those would be the three options.

1059
01:37:48,200 --> 01:37:54,160
They don't have to get an inspection prior to submitting, too, is to get their own inspector

1060
01:37:54,160 --> 01:37:54,800
out there.

1061
01:37:55,720 --> 01:37:59,600
And then this third option, this is something that actually was kind of encouraged by

1062
01:37:59,600 --> 01:38:00,360
members of the public.

1063
01:38:01,280 --> 01:38:05,320
I understand where there could be concern that, hey, maybe the town goes out there and finds

1064
01:38:05,320 --> 01:38:07,780
a really significant health and safety issue.

1065
01:38:08,320 --> 01:38:12,580
And at some point, some of those things may need to be addressed immediately if they're

1066
01:38:12,580 --> 01:38:13,740
really dangerous.

1067
01:38:16,260 --> 01:38:21,960
Whereas, you know, a lot of the comments we received in the public is they felt maybe

1068
01:38:21,960 --> 01:38:28,440
more comfortable or that they would know what the town is specifically looking for as

1069
01:38:28,440 --> 01:38:34,060
opposed to someone that they just hired maybe who works doesn't do too much work in

1070
01:38:34,060 --> 01:38:35,280
woodside or something like that.

1071
01:38:35,380 --> 01:38:36,420
So these would be different options.

1072
01:38:39,720 --> 01:38:45,980
Yeah, no, yeah, I think, yes, understood, but in terms of like if it was the town offering

1073
01:38:45,980 --> 01:38:53,920
the assessment as a service to residents, are there any alternatives to it being like

1074
01:38:53,920 --> 01:38:59,820
the woodside building inspector? Like, for example, could we hire a third-party firm that

1075
01:38:59,820 --> 01:39:03,720
becomes familiar with woodside requirements that kind of goes out and does that?

1076
01:39:04,300 --> 01:39:09,280
Sure. I mean, in a sense, that's kind of what we do now. Our billion inspector is through

1077
01:39:09,280 --> 01:39:15,960
firm CSG. You know, I'm not sure if it would be much different. If it was that firm

1078
01:39:15,960 --> 01:39:21,660
who does our existing inspections and then also be another firm just for this specific

1079
01:39:21,660 --> 01:39:27,440
use. That could be looked at. Okay. I guess thanks for reminding me that it's actually

1080
01:39:27,440 --> 01:39:31,160
a third-party firm that does the... Okay. Great. Thank you.

1081
01:39:31,160 --> 01:39:32,040
Any

1082
01:39:34,920 --> 01:39:36,580
other questions from council?

1083
01:39:38,540 --> 01:39:43,780
Hey, moving on to public comment on item G. Any members of the public that would like

1084
01:39:43,780 --> 01:39:44,880
to weigh in?

1085
01:39:45,020 --> 01:39:49,900
We've received lots of email traffic on this, but I got one in the Zoom.

1086
01:39:50,040 --> 01:39:50,800
We'll take them first.

1087
01:39:51,540 --> 01:39:52,180
Carrie,

1088
01:39:55,020 --> 01:39:55,660
welcome.

1089
01:39:56,240 --> 01:39:59,400
This is Carrie from Inspired ATUs.

1090
01:39:59,740 --> 01:40:06,160
I am an architect focused on ATUs working a lot in Woodside and a resident in Woodside

1091
01:40:06,160 --> 01:40:13,440
at 50 prospect with my own ADU in place. I'd love to, I just want to support Sage and his team

1092
01:40:13,440 --> 01:40:20,240
on all they're doing for improving the energy around ADUs. We're seeing that a lot in the

1093
01:40:20,240 --> 01:40:26,180
Bay Area, but not necessarily in our area, and it's really great to see it. I also, we just want to

1094
01:40:26,180 --> 01:40:31,620
shed a little light on the legalization. We have a lot of clients right now who have illegal units,

1095
01:40:31,620 --> 01:40:34,840
And while you can have some third party come in,

1096
01:40:35,480 --> 01:40:37,460
there is really no one doing that right now.

1097
01:40:37,460 --> 01:40:39,500
And even if you get a third party report,

1098
01:40:40,020 --> 01:40:42,220
what happens is once you submit for permit,

1099
01:40:42,400 --> 01:40:44,620
you get a building inspector who asks for different things.

1100
01:40:45,240 --> 01:40:48,380
So what the state has done with 2533,

1101
01:40:48,660 --> 01:40:49,600
which I know has changed,

1102
01:40:49,920 --> 01:40:51,520
but that's the number I've memorized,

1103
01:40:52,440 --> 01:40:54,420
is that they put it together a checklist.

1104
01:40:54,420 --> 01:40:58,100
And it's really looking at simplifying an ADU

1105
01:40:58,100 --> 01:41:00,920
that was built in the 60s isn't going to meet today's building code.

1106
01:41:00,920 --> 01:41:05,720
and the state is put in place something to meet that part way, but there's some really

1107
01:41:05,720 --> 01:41:12,000
subjective language still there mostly around foundations. And you know, foundation that was

1108
01:41:12,000 --> 01:41:17,180
built in the 50 or 60s isn't going to have the proper waterproofing. We have tried to legalize

1109
01:41:17,180 --> 01:41:23,760
a few 80s historically in the last three or four years. And the comments that we received back were

1110
01:41:23,760 --> 01:41:28,960
really complicated and didn't our clients actually drop the project and didn't move forward. So

1111
01:41:28,960 --> 01:41:35,380
So there needs to be a level of communication that builds off the state laws that's reasonable.

1112
01:41:35,860 --> 01:41:41,760
Like if a foundation is in a place in the 60s, doesn't show any signs of cracking, doesn't

1113
01:41:41,760 --> 01:41:46,700
show water intrusion, there's no problem with mold, then most likely that foundation

1114
01:41:47,130 --> 01:41:48,160
is okay, right?

1115
01:41:48,280 --> 01:41:51,200
It's been there, people are living illegally in these units.

1116
01:41:51,900 --> 01:41:57,100
I think if we could give homeowners a pathway to find a reasonable means to legalize these

1117
01:41:57,100 --> 01:41:57,400
units.

1118
01:41:57,400 --> 01:42:05,080
We could improve things that maybe aren't there like a window for rescue from the fire department and upgrading, you know,

1119
01:42:05,360 --> 01:42:14,560
a electrical connection that's not safe, but there is a big gap in understanding about the subjectivity especially around foundations.

1120
01:42:15,300 --> 01:42:26,120
But I think if we, and I think clients would be very happy to pay the town for the expense, but finding a way to use an inspector to interpret this checklist that the state is provided.

1121
01:42:26,120 --> 01:42:28,060
and find a way to legalize units.

1122
01:42:28,720 --> 01:42:29,660
Those units are here.

1123
01:42:30,020 --> 01:42:30,620
They're in woodside.

1124
01:42:31,180 --> 01:42:32,960
Often people are living in them illegally.

1125
01:42:34,100 --> 01:42:36,180
This would be a tax revenue for the town.

1126
01:42:36,520 --> 01:42:39,060
It would be a way for us to get to our arena numbers.

1127
01:42:39,480 --> 01:42:41,660
And it would be a way to improve general life safety.

1128
01:42:42,060 --> 01:42:43,640
And I think it's a really important.

1129
01:42:45,100 --> 01:42:47,840
There's, I practice in a lot of municipalities

1130
01:42:47,840 --> 01:42:49,020
throughout Northern California.

1131
01:42:49,260 --> 01:42:51,820
And there's a big gap in what the state's intention was.

1132
01:42:52,040 --> 01:42:53,820
And then people actually feel uncomfortable.

1133
01:42:55,340 --> 01:42:59,960
legalize these units and I think what I could put together a pretty reasonable program

1134
01:42:59,960 --> 01:43:04,760
that would generate revenue and work with homeowners to figure out a way and I have several

1135
01:43:04,760 --> 01:43:08,700
candidates who would be again, he paid for the program if he wanted to try.

1136
01:43:09,880 --> 01:43:10,840
Thank you very much.

1137
01:43:11,540 --> 01:43:12,860
Thank you, Sage.

1138
01:43:13,060 --> 01:43:17,180
Do you want to weigh in on where we are on this and the subjectivity piece of it and inspection

1139
01:43:17,180 --> 01:43:17,920
piece of it?

1140
01:43:18,400 --> 01:43:22,460
Is that a policy that is something I think would be more of a policy and we don't need to

1141
01:43:22,460 --> 01:43:22,960
put it in code.

1142
01:43:22,960 --> 01:43:26,680
And I think the benefit of that is to be a little bit more nimble and

1143
01:43:27,900 --> 01:43:33,340
as we learn of these units and figure out what is the easiest and best way.

1144
01:43:33,600 --> 01:43:38,600
So my goal, the plan department would be to pass us on to the building department,

1145
01:43:38,920 --> 01:43:44,500
speak with them more, understand, try to better understand and communicate to folks of expectations.

1146
01:43:46,120 --> 01:43:49,300
So yeah, no, we definitely hear the comments.

1147
01:43:49,300 --> 01:44:02,480
And I think and and carries her and I've worked together on a lot of these different issues just from state law point of view and so we're always welcoming input from people like her and her firm.

1148
01:44:03,120 --> 01:44:08,940
So anything that provided we would communicate with the building department they can communicate with the building department directly as well.

1149
01:44:09,620 --> 01:44:10,140
Okay.

1150
01:44:10,340 --> 01:44:13,140
It sounds like an invitation to collaborate.

1151
01:44:13,140 --> 01:44:13,240
Great.

1152
01:44:13,560 --> 01:44:13,720
Kerry.

1153
01:44:14,140 --> 01:44:14,740
Okay.

1154
01:44:15,060 --> 01:44:16,260
Back to the room.

1155
01:44:17,820 --> 01:44:18,480
Ms. Hanson.

1156
01:44:20,440 --> 01:44:20,980
Hi.

1157
01:44:21,240 --> 01:44:21,520
Thanks.

1158
01:44:21,820 --> 01:44:22,680
Kim Hanson.

1159
01:44:22,760 --> 01:44:23,440
I love on Remundo.

1160
01:44:24,580 --> 01:44:35,740
So in 2020, and I've been told state ADU law has changed, but I'm just, I did make these

1161
01:44:35,740 --> 01:44:40,540
points at the second planning commission meeting, and so I'm hoping to share those with you.

1162
01:44:40,540 --> 01:44:48,540
Because in 2020, the new state ADU law set housing as the highest goal and while it requires

1163
01:44:48,540 --> 01:44:55,740
more relaxed development standards, it does not sanction unsafe siding, which is siding

1164
01:44:55,740 --> 01:44:59,980
within a fault zone on a landslide area in a flood zone.

1165
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,980
Or in a manner that does not comply with emergency response requirements. Also in 2020, town council asked for the planning department as a courtesy to let neighbors know that there was going to be ADU construction in the area in that their neighbors were going to do that. It's my understanding that that recommendation was not put into practice. My concern about this

1166
01:45:29,980 --> 01:45:36,520
issue, I think the intent is really good. Provide more housing, do it in a way that helps

1167
01:45:36,520 --> 01:45:42,660
our arena numbers, do it in a way that gives the property owner property rights and the

1168
01:45:42,660 --> 01:45:49,660
ability to enjoy their property, but neighbors have rights too. And the whole town and community

1169
01:45:49,660 --> 01:45:57,080
also has some common goal that all of our construction efforts are going to be safe.

1170
01:45:59,100 --> 01:45:59,700
And

1171
01:45:59,700 --> 01:46:06,760
for the neighbors. So my question really is around why do we need this increased flexibility?

1172
01:46:07,720 --> 01:46:15,420
The suggestions that I had or comments that I had made for the planning commission were

1173
01:46:16,760 --> 01:46:23,780
asking that an example would be it does an additional driveway option. Shouldn't there be

1174
01:46:23,780 --> 01:46:28,200
some parameters around it? Shouldn't there be some guidelines saying maybe it can't exceed

1175
01:46:28,200 --> 01:46:34,260
20% grade, maybe it shouldn't be in a landslide zone, maybe there should be a length parameter.

1176
01:46:34,660 --> 01:46:36,380
All of these things are health and safety.

1177
01:46:37,080 --> 01:46:43,440
And I feel like the Planning Commission didn't consider the health and safety aspects of

1178
01:46:44,040 --> 01:46:45,200
creating more flexibility.

1179
01:46:46,080 --> 01:46:55,100
We have floor area, floor area exceptions and basements, even though the maximum size of

1180
01:46:55,100 --> 01:47:00,840
an ADU is in a 3 acre property is 1500 square feet.

1181
01:47:01,420 --> 01:47:09,320
We have an ADU being constructed in our neighborhood that's over 2300 square feet built on active

1182
01:47:09,320 --> 01:47:10,140
landslide.

1183
01:47:10,860 --> 01:47:20,240
It's at, I can't remember the grade, it's on a hill and the slope is, the slope of the

1184
01:47:20,240 --> 01:47:27,260
property is also being additionally destabilized because they're putting leach fields for the

1185
01:47:27,260 --> 01:47:35,520
increased septic system on the slope below the house. So my request is that we shouldn't sacrifice

1186
01:47:35,520 --> 01:47:39,660
health and safety for housing units. Thank you.

1187
01:47:42,880 --> 01:47:45,180
Maybe just two quick follow-ups there.

1188
01:47:45,180 --> 01:47:54,100
I thought we, do we not notify people anymore within a certain hundred, a couple hundred feet of the so stay law doesn't

1189
01:47:54,720 --> 01:48:06,180
Why are they noticing but the town did put that in the code it was specific for 80 use that were receiving some type of administrative exception, including those that would be located within the basic setbacks.

1190
01:48:07,440 --> 01:48:11,740
It is for immediate neighbors, so just the ones next door and across the street.

1191
01:48:14,300 --> 01:48:19,840
And that is something that's been in place, if it was missed once, it's a possibility,

1192
01:48:20,240 --> 01:48:24,140
but I just even worked with a plan the other day that's issuing an impairment for an ADU

1193
01:48:24,140 --> 01:48:25,260
and that noticing did go out.

1194
01:48:25,900 --> 01:48:26,740
It did go out.

1195
01:48:26,740 --> 01:48:27,160
It did go out.

1196
01:48:27,420 --> 01:48:27,480
Yeah.

1197
01:48:27,780 --> 01:48:27,920
Okay.

1198
01:48:28,700 --> 01:48:32,000
It sounds like, yeah, maybe that would be consistently-

1199
01:48:32,000 --> 01:48:37,880
And I was just like to add, you know, with this noticing, we know that there's no appeal

1200
01:48:37,880 --> 01:48:39,260
rights for these kinds of things.

1201
01:48:39,260 --> 01:48:45,740
And so we do clarify in the notice that it's just for notification purposes, but there's no actions to be taken.

1202
01:48:46,080 --> 01:48:52,640
Okay. And then the second part was how are some of the considerations that Ms. Hanson has brought up.

1203
01:48:52,720 --> 01:48:55,700
How are those how are those play out in a civil process?

1204
01:48:55,860 --> 01:48:57,580
Just the same with any building permit.

1205
01:48:58,380 --> 01:49:00,660
So there's geotechnical requirements.

1206
01:49:01,900 --> 01:49:06,980
I won't pretend to be a geologist. They do go to our our town geologist.

1207
01:49:06,980 --> 01:49:14,520
So the applicant provides their consulting team with the soils report and foundation recommendations.

1208
01:49:15,180 --> 01:49:17,780
Those go to the town geologist for review.

1209
01:49:18,940 --> 01:49:32,080
Then my understanding is that you'll have a structural engineer or architect of some type that is designing a foundation based on the recommendations from the geologist, which are then checked by the building department.

1210
01:49:32,080 --> 01:49:34,700
and septic is looked at county.

1211
01:49:35,460 --> 01:49:38,060
So all of these items, they, you know,

1212
01:49:39,000 --> 01:49:40,920
I mean, we don't allow buildings

1213
01:49:40,920 --> 01:49:42,780
and new buildings on earthquake faults

1214
01:49:42,780 --> 01:49:44,440
so that just doesn't occur,

1215
01:49:45,620 --> 01:49:48,140
but any type of soil conditions

1216
01:49:48,140 --> 01:49:49,840
that may have landslides

1217
01:49:50,240 --> 01:49:52,920
and the particular instance that Ms. Hansen has brought up,

1218
01:49:54,480 --> 01:49:57,340
the town judges has re looked at the information.

1219
01:49:57,680 --> 01:50:00,380
There was bedrock that wasn't too deep.

1220
01:50:00,380 --> 01:50:09,580
And so my understanding of that particular location they were able to remove that top soil and get to the bedrock and place the acceptable foundation.

1221
01:50:11,340 --> 01:50:20,680
So, you know, as a planner all I can say is that all of these health and safety issues are looked at early through the building permit process.

1222
01:50:20,680 --> 01:50:24,640
They do have to comply with all these items, including drainage requirements and everything else.

1223
01:50:24,640 --> 01:50:30,980
Okay. Okay. Thank you. Are there any other comments on item G?

1224
01:50:35,820 --> 01:50:36,880
Seemed done? Oh,

1225
01:50:37,260 --> 01:50:40,640
now saved by the bell. We'll go to Zoom Room, Kim.

1226
01:50:44,050 --> 01:50:46,170
Good evening, everybody. Kim Juliachi,

1227
01:50:46,490 --> 01:50:52,850
Fire Marshal with Scythe Fire. I just wanted to speak really quickly to this. The fire district is

1228
01:50:52,850 --> 01:50:58,590
always in support of all the goals that the town has to meet when it comes to requirements for housing

1229
01:50:58,590 --> 01:51:01,350
and especially with ADUs.

1230
01:51:01,870 --> 01:51:03,210
We have an understanding of that,

1231
01:51:03,290 --> 01:51:05,470
but I just wanna make sure that I mention

1232
01:51:05,470 --> 01:51:08,270
and keep it to the forefront on everyone's minds

1233
01:51:08,270 --> 01:51:11,870
that the district also has a different responsibility

1234
01:51:11,870 --> 01:51:14,230
and that's for the life and safety of the residents

1235
01:51:14,230 --> 01:51:16,030
and the firefighters around.

1236
01:51:16,750 --> 01:51:18,670
One big concern that always comes up

1237
01:51:18,670 --> 01:51:20,910
and it's always a problem when it came down

1238
01:51:20,910 --> 01:51:23,530
to the housing element is the requirements

1239
01:51:23,530 --> 01:51:26,010
that laws putting into towns and cities

1240
01:51:26,010 --> 01:51:32,310
with the increase and making it easier for increasing construction for housing.

1241
01:51:32,850 --> 01:51:37,370
It creates a big problem because the town of Woodside, like the town of Portola Valley,

1242
01:51:37,370 --> 01:51:44,970
is already limited in not just ace-fit roads and evacuation. And we're also looking at density

1243
01:51:44,970 --> 01:51:50,030
of structures. So when we look from a different perspective of the increase of structures,

1244
01:51:50,030 --> 01:51:58,510
We start to look at how close are these being built and what's what's going to cause structure structure ignition points during a wildfire?

1245
01:51:58,950 --> 01:52:03,450
This is with more housing more units. We're talking about more cars, more people

1246
01:52:03,450 --> 01:52:11,910
evacuating on the same roads as other people. So it's just something to consider while you go through this process. Of course

1247
01:52:12,650 --> 01:52:15,570
We'll always support the best that we can

1248
01:52:15,570 --> 01:52:29,050
But we will also, when it comes through the district for review, it will be something that we look at considering with making sure that it is in compliance with all of the fire codes and local ordinances.

1249
01:52:29,830 --> 01:52:30,410
Thank you.

1250
01:52:32,460 --> 01:52:40,300
Thank you, Kim. And we certainly appreciate that perspective and all you bring to this part of what we do.

1251
01:52:41,780 --> 01:52:43,800
any other comments from the public?

1252
01:52:47,820 --> 01:52:54,300
Okay, seem then we'll close public comment. Any further deliberations or thoughts from council on these items?

1253
01:52:59,640 --> 01:53:00,400
Council member Eberish?

1254
01:53:00,940 --> 01:53:01,580
Thank you.

1255
01:53:02,820 --> 01:53:09,920
Yeah, I living in the western hills, I, you know, I always think about what that we have.

1256
01:53:10,960 --> 01:53:16,180
Yeah, the more density that the same issue or fire marshal just mentioned, the more density

1257
01:53:16,180 --> 01:53:19,720
we have, the more difficult it's going to be to evacuate if there's a fire.

1258
01:53:20,720 --> 01:53:27,980
And then on the flip side of that, if we don't meet our housing numbers, we're going to

1259
01:53:27,980 --> 01:53:32,060
have new, we're just going to have more building remedies.

1260
01:53:32,560 --> 01:53:35,860
And then we're going to have the same problem with less control.

1261
01:53:35,860 --> 01:53:43,060
And so for here, I do see a benefit, the one benefit, one of the benefits I saw, I think

1262
01:53:43,060 --> 01:53:47,700
would come out of this, is that hopefully better evacuation options for the people living

1263
01:53:47,700 --> 01:53:48,460
in the houses.

1264
01:53:48,840 --> 01:53:54,340
And for example, if they have roads on both sides, if there's a fire blocking one of their

1265
01:53:54,340 --> 01:53:56,620
driveways, if they have a second driveway, great.

1266
01:53:56,620 --> 01:54:15,920
and maybe more access for our trucks and not, you know, saying I'm all for maximizing housing, especially in the hills and everywhere else, but if it's going to happen, you know, better to have some control over it.

1267
01:54:15,920 --> 01:54:21,370
And I succeed. Other comments from council?

1268
01:54:24,770 --> 01:54:27,650
Maybe I'll just weigh in and just oh, council member wall.

1269
01:54:29,090 --> 01:54:44,750
Thanks. Yeah, no, I I support this. I think it's a really really well thought out well crafted package. I think, you know, very supportive of the floor area, exception moving from 800 to 1200 square feet.

1270
01:54:46,070 --> 01:54:53,750
the path to legalize the older and permitted units, the second driveway, you know, I think

1271
01:54:54,270 --> 01:55:00,250
this has been under review for a long time and I think it strikes the right balance.

1272
01:55:00,250 --> 01:55:05,330
I mean, I definitely appreciate and thank you, Kim, for both Kim's actually for your comments.

1273
01:55:05,930 --> 01:55:10,030
In particular, you know, around fire safety, I mean, it's something that we always have to keep

1274
01:55:10,670 --> 01:55:21,870
top of mine. But I think this proposal is practical. It brings needed flexibility. It helps with our housing element.

1275
01:55:23,010 --> 01:55:26,910
And so I think, you know, all things being considered, I think it's a really good proposal.

1276
01:55:29,260 --> 01:55:37,640
Very good. Yes. Yeah, I just, I agree. I like it because it takes me back to when I first started on the council.

1277
01:55:37,640 --> 01:55:45,860
In fact, an ASRB, the goal for me was let's simplify how to build in this town, make it

1278
01:55:45,860 --> 01:55:46,440
less expensive.

1279
01:55:47,220 --> 01:55:52,320
I think this does a great job of getting through a lot of the red tape that we've been scrapper

1280
01:55:52,320 --> 01:55:58,080
than giving us an opportunity to really start getting creative and how we get the buildings

1281
01:55:58,080 --> 01:55:59,520
done that we need to get done in this town.

1282
01:56:00,180 --> 01:56:00,480
Good job.

1283
01:56:03,200 --> 01:56:03,580
You go.

1284
01:56:04,280 --> 01:56:04,720
Great.

1285
01:56:05,580 --> 01:56:06,020
Yeah.

1286
01:56:06,160 --> 01:56:06,300
Okay.

1287
01:56:06,820 --> 01:56:07,000
All right.

1288
01:56:07,600 --> 01:56:14,860
One, thank you to the Planning Commission and the sage and his team for getting this done.

1289
01:56:15,060 --> 01:56:18,660
This is a, I think, a big step forward. I certainly support it.

1290
01:56:19,920 --> 01:56:23,840
In Woodside, the only way we can make our arena number is through ADUs.

1291
01:56:24,300 --> 01:56:27,560
I mean, that's actually how we want to do it because they're organic.

1292
01:56:27,780 --> 01:56:29,880
They're dispersed around the town.

1293
01:56:30,300 --> 01:56:34,380
They have less impact on certain neighborhoods than building apartment buildings,

1294
01:56:34,380 --> 01:56:38,660
which we'd like to avoid. I think if we could, I actually said that out loud, didn't I?

1295
01:56:39,380 --> 01:56:44,400
But I think that the ADUs are really the way to go. And so anything we can do to make them

1296
01:56:44,400 --> 01:56:49,800
easier and streamline it, I think is certainly consistent with what we're being asked of by Sacramento.

1297
01:56:50,820 --> 01:56:57,540
I sent out, there was an article in the Palo Alto Daily Post yesterday, I think.

1298
01:56:58,860 --> 01:57:03,680
And the headline was, get ready for more homes. And actually, I think there was an article

1299
01:57:03,680 --> 01:57:09,000
in another local paper today about that the state is actually I think on a federal level

1300
01:57:09,000 --> 01:57:10,420
they're doing it too.

1301
01:57:10,520 --> 01:57:14,960
So everybody wants to build, build, build, build, build and you know woodside is not exempt

1302
01:57:14,960 --> 01:57:19,580
from that although it's not particularly you know easy place to build.

1303
01:57:19,760 --> 01:57:23,600
We don't have you know it's a very rural community and we don't have the infrastructure set

1304
01:57:23,600 --> 01:57:23,780
up.

1305
01:57:24,100 --> 01:57:24,440
So A.D.

1306
01:57:24,500 --> 01:57:25,940
use are really kind of our own the outlet.

1307
01:57:26,520 --> 01:57:31,000
I've quoted these numbers before but I'm going to quote them again just to give people

1308
01:57:31,000 --> 01:57:36,580
an idea of what's coming here. We're now, what housing cycle are we on six, I think?

1309
01:57:36,980 --> 01:57:41,940
Ah, yes. This is currently six. These are eight year cycles, I think, if I remember correctly.

1310
01:57:42,760 --> 01:57:47,840
So these are eight year cycles. We're in the sixth cycle. So this has been going on for

1311
01:57:47,840 --> 01:57:56,780
50 years or so. I wanted to go back two cycles ago. So this started in 2007 to 2015. The statewide

1312
01:57:56,780 --> 01:57:59,840
wide number was 188,000 units.

1313
01:58:00,660 --> 01:58:01,740
I was just statewide number.

1314
01:58:02,440 --> 01:58:04,740
They now sort of expect that to do that every month.

1315
01:58:05,220 --> 01:58:09,300
But that's the statewide number back in cycle four.

1316
01:58:09,900 --> 01:58:11,660
Cycle five, which was just the last one

1317
01:58:11,660 --> 01:58:12,780
that ended in 2023.

1318
01:58:13,200 --> 01:58:14,580
So this isn't like ancient history.

1319
01:58:15,220 --> 01:58:19,120
The statewide number was 441,000 housing units

1320
01:58:19,120 --> 01:58:21,860
to be built over a six year period that just ended.

1321
01:58:22,880 --> 01:58:25,580
Just to give you some idea of what happened

1322
01:58:25,580 --> 01:58:32,380
this housing cycle, the cycle that we're about three years into, the number was 2.4 million.

1323
01:58:34,140 --> 01:58:39,320
Just think about that for a second. People talk about the number tripling for some communities.

1324
01:58:39,840 --> 01:58:46,120
Statewide, the number went up sixfold from one cycle to the next. And that's in light of

1325
01:58:46,120 --> 01:58:51,780
higher interest rates, recession, tougher labor rates, cost of building, cost of wood,

1326
01:58:51,780 --> 01:58:57,400
cost of everything else just off the map and by the way an exodus of people from our state.

1327
01:58:57,840 --> 01:59:04,040
So if you were people less going on there and I'll spare you with the other economic factors

1328
01:59:04,040 --> 01:59:09,120
that are going into this. So the 2.4 million, this is the numbers I've used before, breaks down,

1329
01:59:09,260 --> 01:59:16,220
the map is easy over the eight-year cycle. It's 300,000 units per year. Keep in mind just two cycles

1330
01:59:16,220 --> 01:59:24,080
ago was 188,000 for the entire state or the entire cycle that was going on, eight year cycle.

1331
01:59:24,460 --> 01:59:30,240
So that's just an insane number that we're not going to make. In fact, we'll be lucky to do 750,000 during

1332
01:59:30,240 --> 01:59:40,340
this cycle compared to the budget, the allocation that we've been given of 2.4 million. Okay? We'll do 750,000

1333
01:59:40,340 --> 01:59:44,640
stay wide if we're lucky. And just to put a finer point on that, the number in this article,

1334
01:59:44,940 --> 01:59:51,540
I don't know, Woodside's numbers, but they did point out in Palo Alto the housing quota tripled

1335
01:59:51,540 --> 01:59:58,420
for the current, so for the 2023-2031 cycle that we're now almost halfway into, for Palo Alto with

1336
01:59:58,420 --> 01:59:59,460
6,000 units.

1337
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:29,260
So far, almost halfway through the cycle, they've issued permits for 811 units, which is they should be 50% of the way there, roughly 40% of the way there, they're 13% of the way there. So this just gives you an idea of how far out of touch, I think Sacramento is with our towns. Nevertheless, the way we do it in Woodside is with ADU. So anything we can do to make it simple, I think is certainly welcome. And I think that to address some of the concerns that we heard earlier,

1338
02:00:29,260 --> 02:00:30,700
I don't think those go away.

1339
02:00:31,360 --> 02:00:36,420
I think that you still can't put a driveway on a 35% grade.

1340
02:00:36,600 --> 02:00:37,740
I mean, all those things still apply.

1341
02:00:37,860 --> 02:00:38,580
It's got to be safe.

1342
02:00:38,780 --> 02:00:40,680
But I think that if there isn't available driveway,

1343
02:00:40,880 --> 02:00:43,060
it makes sense for certain properties.

1344
02:00:43,540 --> 02:00:44,500
We should certainly do that.

1345
02:00:44,580 --> 02:00:45,500
Right now, I think, you know,

1346
02:00:45,560 --> 02:00:47,340
and I think a lot of these things should be ministerial

1347
02:00:47,340 --> 02:00:48,840
that is they should be over the counter.

1348
02:00:49,000 --> 02:00:50,400
They shouldn't have to have a hearing on that.

1349
02:00:50,700 --> 02:00:53,140
That's part of, I think, the, of what we're looking for.

1350
02:00:53,200 --> 02:00:54,400
And I think we've gone a long way here.

1351
02:00:54,920 --> 02:00:57,120
I asked the question about amnesty in particular

1352
02:00:57,120 --> 02:01:04,320
because that comes up a lot. People have built. If there's an ADU or what we've termed now a JADU,

1353
02:01:04,520 --> 02:01:12,580
they probably weren't called that in 1950. But if we we're going to find, as I think, one of the

1354
02:01:14,200 --> 02:01:21,700
participants by Zoom had mentioned, anything that's older than 50, even 60, 70-year-old on these ADUs,

1355
02:01:21,700 --> 02:01:27,260
they're not going to be compliant. They are going to have mold and water leak and crack foundations.

1356
02:01:28,360 --> 02:01:31,360
And I don't think, and I think that those need to be addressed, but I think

1357
02:01:31,360 --> 02:01:36,200
amnesty is a really, it sounds great in concept. It's a really complicated thing because

1358
02:01:36,200 --> 02:01:40,420
we are going to discover things and they're going to say, gee, don't you want this to be legal?

1359
02:01:40,620 --> 02:01:44,460
But I think that there's going to be some way where we kind of meet them and we provide

1360
02:01:44,460 --> 02:01:49,580
some accommodations. The only thing I wanted to ask here is that we do some community outreach

1361
02:01:49,580 --> 02:01:54,600
on the amnesty because making our numbers is important, we want to eliminate 10

1362
02:01:54,600 --> 02:01:59,240
story high rises on Jefferson and I think we need to do that. And this is one

1363
02:01:59,240 --> 02:02:02,900
way that we can do it. So anything we can do to make it easy is great. We need to

1364
02:02:02,900 --> 02:02:06,800
make sure I maybe even have workshops or something to let people know what's

1365
02:02:06,800 --> 02:02:10,360
going to be required here in the new rules, putting out a flyer, something like

1366
02:02:10,360 --> 02:02:14,700
that, putting it in the wood cider, that we have new regulations on ADUs I think

1367
02:02:14,700 --> 02:02:18,900
would be important because people like ADUs, they're using them and the more we

1368
02:02:18,900 --> 02:02:23,780
can get that number up. The more compliant we're going to be and we can keep Rob Bonta out of

1369
02:02:23,780 --> 02:02:24,240
her backyard.

1370
02:02:27,400 --> 02:02:33,640
Nice finish, huh? Thank you. I'll just also mention obviously I was going to see

1371
02:02:33,640 --> 02:02:39,000
everybody loves it but I guess it better just say it's overwhelming support and I just wanted to

1372
02:02:39,000 --> 02:02:45,140
commend that sage in the planning department and the commission for listening to what people want

1373
02:02:45,140 --> 02:02:48,800
and encouraging it and so thank you very much and I thought your report was wonderful

1374
02:02:49,860 --> 02:02:57,060
And of course, anything we can do to reasonably loosen up code is a good thing and it certainly

1375
02:02:57,060 --> 02:03:03,000
conveys the residents that would start as open for business when it comes to our housing

1376
02:03:03,000 --> 02:03:03,280
goals.

1377
02:03:03,580 --> 02:03:09,120
So we will maybe leave it with that and entertain a motion for item G.

1378
02:03:10,620 --> 02:03:11,600
I'll make a motion.

1379
02:03:11,840 --> 02:03:13,260
Do we need to modify the dates on this?

1380
02:03:13,260 --> 02:03:27,660
So, this is an introduction of the ordinance, so it would be introducing the ordinance and then bringing it back the date on there, July 14th, but it's actually the 20th, oh, sorry, the July 28th.

1381
02:03:28,320 --> 02:03:43,240
So, do I need to make that change now or should we make it on the second reading now?

1382
02:03:43,240 --> 02:03:49,820
Council of the town of Woodside Amending Chapters 151 and 153 of the municipal code updating

1383
02:03:49,820 --> 02:03:55,460
regulations for accessory dwelling units and paved area and surface coverage exceptions

1384
02:03:55,460 --> 02:03:59,940
for increased fire safety. Second, council member of the reach.

1385
02:04:00,300 --> 02:04:02,460
Yes. Council member Brown. Yes. Council member Gold.

1386
02:04:02,740 --> 02:04:10,480
Yes. Council member Wall. Yes. Mayor Duncowski. Yes. Thank you. Volunteer committee updates.

1387
02:04:10,480 --> 02:04:20,760
Melissa. Thank you. I wanted to mention that the softball adult softball co-ed league started yesterday with games will be on Sundays through Friday at 6 p.m

1388
02:04:20,760 --> 02:04:30,520
I was at elementary school opening ceremonies are this Sunday, yeah, Sunday June 28th. If anybody wanted to go and see some of your

1389
02:04:30,520 --> 02:04:36,020
many members out there on the softball field. It's all day. I think starting in 1130. Oh.

1390
02:04:37,960 --> 02:04:43,620
Oh, yes, Council Member Wall definitely plays softball and we have a new member playing.

1391
02:04:43,980 --> 02:04:45,560
Lewis has joined a team as well.

1392
02:04:45,560 --> 02:04:46,180
Yes, sir.

1393
02:04:46,420 --> 02:04:48,380
Lewis, see you on the field.

1394
02:04:49,020 --> 02:04:50,060
We got a ranger.

1395
02:04:51,100 --> 02:04:53,140
A lot of athletic prowess here.

1396
02:04:53,760 --> 02:04:54,320
Wonderful.

1397
02:04:54,920 --> 02:04:55,100
Okay.

1398
02:04:55,700 --> 02:04:57,320
Mayor and council communications.

1399
02:04:57,700 --> 02:04:59,900
Any members of, yes, Council Member Brown.

1400
02:04:59,980 --> 02:05:05,360
Yeah, I've got three committees that I'm working with that have projects underway that I think

1401
02:05:05,360 --> 02:05:06,860
going to have a big impact on the town.

1402
02:05:08,060 --> 02:05:10,580
I've started working with the Environment Committee, Susan

1403
02:05:10,580 --> 02:05:11,220
Sweeney.

1404
02:05:12,660 --> 02:05:14,620
We're looking at, I asked her to look

1405
02:05:14,620 --> 02:05:19,860
into what open space exists in the town

1406
02:05:20,680 --> 02:05:23,480
so that we can identify who to talk to about what

1407
02:05:23,480 --> 02:05:25,960
their fire safe practices are.

1408
02:05:26,340 --> 02:05:28,240
Bring them in front of the council to tell us.

1409
02:05:29,120 --> 02:05:34,560
And it turns out there are 37,000 square feet of open space

1410
02:05:34,560 --> 02:05:46,800
within Woodside and adjacent neighborhood square feet that are out of basically out of our control, so I'm going to be working with her to identify who to talk to at each of these organizations, bring them in here.

1411
02:05:47,560 --> 02:05:59,300
And I'm coordinating with Kim if she's still online to make sure that they're doing everything that the fire code requires to protect the town of Woodside from any fire,

1412
02:05:59,300 --> 02:06:08,480
potential fire in those neighborhoods. I'm also working with Lewis and John

1413
02:06:08,480 --> 02:06:13,880
Milliman from the emergency committee to put together a plan of identification

1414
02:06:13,880 --> 02:06:20,300
of what are the power and communication needs on the emergency basis in this

1415
02:06:20,300 --> 02:06:25,560
town. Now, well, are we equipped right now to meet them? And if not, well,

1416
02:06:25,560 --> 02:06:32,020
equipped what we need to do to get well equipped. And finally, I'm talking about further conversation

1417
02:06:32,020 --> 02:06:41,120
of the library about how to utilize that $5 million fund that has been accumulated and they

1418
02:06:41,120 --> 02:06:47,260
have approved a $100,000 budget expenditure for a consultant to come in and start advising them

1419
02:06:47,260 --> 02:06:54,860
and will be working with the library and that consultant on how to integrate a library further into

1420
02:06:55,560 --> 02:07:05,520
down activities and could include walkways to and from the town to the library and

1421
02:07:05,520 --> 02:07:11,420
be more mean spaces within the library, restructuring perhaps in the parking.

1422
02:07:11,420 --> 02:07:14,980
I don't know any of those things yet, but all that's going to be looked at.

1423
02:07:15,460 --> 02:07:21,260
And hopefully next year we'll have some kind of real concrete plan to come forward with.

1424
02:07:21,260 --> 02:07:21,940
That's

1425
02:07:25,270 --> 02:07:28,550
wonderful. Thank you. Any other council communications?

1426
02:07:29,270 --> 02:07:30,370
That one. Thank you.

1427
02:07:30,410 --> 02:07:36,130
Be quick. I know ALPR's license plate readers are controversial but

1428
02:07:36,130 --> 02:07:41,010
it's actually pretty rare that there's a burglary in woodside that gets caught

1429
02:07:41,010 --> 02:07:45,650
in woodside as well or gets caught quickly by our own cameras.

1430
02:07:46,210 --> 02:07:51,010
We're often a burglary, a residential burglary or crime that's committed in another jurisdiction.

1431
02:07:51,010 --> 02:08:12,090
We catch here or something that happens here, it gets caught elsewhere, we've talked about this before, but there was a residential burglary in greenways drive, which is over by the high school, which was reported on June 15th on June 16th using security footage and ALPR technology and the home security footage from the residents,

1432
02:08:13,910 --> 02:08:19,590
the Sheriff's Department identified the vehicle and made two arrests one day using the ALPR.

1433
02:08:19,910 --> 02:08:20,690
So it does work.

1434
02:08:21,190 --> 02:08:23,230
You know, we don't get all the notices and things like that.

1435
02:08:23,450 --> 02:08:29,290
And certainly, you know, get notices if, you know, a crime that occurs in Hillsboro and it's caught in San Jose.

1436
02:08:29,790 --> 02:08:31,550
You know, we don't particularly pay attention to it.

1437
02:08:31,730 --> 02:08:36,030
But here's one that actually did occur in our city and was caught literally the next day.

1438
02:08:36,370 --> 02:08:39,870
So I just wanted to thank the Sheriff's Department for their work.

1439
02:08:39,870 --> 02:08:44,870
and just to put in a, I know the overseas that's around it, I have the same concerns,

1440
02:08:45,150 --> 02:08:49,810
but it is a good crime preventative system and technology.

1441
02:08:51,970 --> 02:08:52,090
Great.

1442
02:08:52,350 --> 02:08:52,610
Thank you.

1443
02:08:53,110 --> 02:08:55,030
Any other comments from Council?

1444
02:08:56,810 --> 02:08:57,210
All right.

1445
02:08:57,510 --> 02:09:01,530
And I'll just, and by saying as was highlighted by the Mayor of Pro Tem and the prior item,

1446
02:09:01,870 --> 02:09:04,790
we will be reconvening on July 28th.

1447
02:09:05,430 --> 02:09:05,890
Thank you.

1448
02:09:06,170 --> 02:09:06,670
And good night.

1449
02:09:06,670 --> 02:09:07,990
at 910, we'll call it.