Council Meeting Date: January 15, 2025 (
full Agenda link)
Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featuredDetails of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative and meeting videos are uploaded once they are fully compiled.
The City Council met for the Regular Meeting on Wednesday, January 15 at 6 pm. Following Roll Call the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Presentations and Public Comments (~6:06 pm). There were four presentations on the Agenda. The first was recognition of the Town's newest employee Michael Gallagher who serves as the Town's Receptionist/Postal Clerk. The second was introduction of the Town's Police Department Therapy Dog "Emmy". Third, the Council received a presentation from HIP Housing. Lastly, the Council received the Annual Report from the Atherton Library. Following the presentations, the Council moved to Public Comments (~6:31 pm).
Following Public Comments at (~6:35 pm), the Council moved on to Departmental Reports and the Consent Agenda..
Departmental Reports (~6:34 pm) are prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda.
Departmental Reports includes updates on the various happenings around Town including reports from Administration, City Clerk, Finance, Community Services (Building and Planning), Public Works, Parks and Police.
Following Departmental Reports, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda (~6:35 pm) consisting of Items 1 through 7. Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were bills and claims, minutes, resolution approving Measure A and Measure W Funding Agreements, Award of Contract for Sidewalk Repairs, Approval of a Refund Request for 71 Selby Lane, 2025 Council Committee Assignments, and the 2nd Reading and Adoption of the Electric Readiness Ordinance. Following an opportunity for comments and questions, the Council approved the items on the Consent Agenda.
Next was Public Hearings.
Public Hearings are typically held for Ordinances, Budget Adoption, Fee Adoption, and Land Use approvals.
There were no Public Hearings on the Agenda.
Next up was the Regular Agenda.
The Regular Agenda consisted of two items.
Item No. 8 was approval of a Professional Services Agreement with Alta Planning + Design for a refresh of the Town's Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan along with deferral of the Selby Lane Bicycle Lanes Project. (~6:38 pm) Following a Staff Report, Presentation and opportunity for Public Comment, the Council discussed issues related to Safe Routes to School, bicycle and pedestrian counts, traffic modeling software, community outreach, more frequent review of Master Plans, demographic changes, and forward looking perspective. Following discussion, the Council approved the Professional Services Agreement and deferral of Selby Lanes Project; asked that staff investigate the possibility of traffic monitoring software; ensure that Alta increases community outreach where appropriate, and that local data is collected and used in any analysis.
Item No. 9 was feedback and direction regarding the Park Playground Renovation Project. (~7:11 pm) Following a Staff Report, Presentation and opportunity for Public Comment, the Council discussed issues related to playground groundcover, playground equipment, seating areas, shade, project timing, fall zones, size, and funding. Following discussion, the Council provide specific direction to staff regarding rubberized groundcover, the inclusion of interactive musical play equipment, addition of shade coverings, addition of a wood swing bench(es), inclusion of sandbox, additional picnic tables, addition of chess/play tables (non-concrete), inclusion of a willow hut or similar structure, possibility of inclusion of some play structures from the existing play area, fencing, revisions to swing sets and the possibility of a Merry Go All if it can be accommodated based on space and funding.
The last items on the Agenda were Council Reports and final Comments.
Having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 8:26 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!
The next meeting of the City Council is a Special Meeting on Wednesday, January 22 at 3 pm. This meeting will be a Special Meeting to discuss two specific drainage projects and provide updates and direction. The first addresses drainage solutions along El Camino Real and the second is a drainage improvement project along the Upper Atherton Channel.
For more information and calendar of events, visit the Town's website.
Thanks for reading!
George Rodericks
City Manager
Town of Atherton
grodericks@ci.atherton.ca.us