Agenda Highlights

Highlights

In addition to various routine and mundane matters, this meeting will cover awarding a construction contract for $466K for the Matadero Creek restoration project at Page Mill Rd plus consultant services at $133K; a 2-year landscape maintenance contract for Town properties totaling $196K; authorizing bids for Westwind Barn lower arena fence and sprinkler replacement project costing $250K; and $205K for a 2-year contract extension with Grassroots Ecology for open space stewardship; and adopting possible amendments to the State Fire Marshall’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Base Map increasing hazard ratings on 50 properties along 10 streets.

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The Ad Hoc Committee on the Housing Element will provide and update on the Development Agreement initiative, and discuss considering possible additional housing sites.

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The Planning Commission is requesting increased staff and budget for the Planning department

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Council initiated items include: possible opposition to SB 306; possible creation of a committee to review fire service options for the town; and a controversy regarding the upcoming issue of Our Town.

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NOTE: Depending on public interest and participation, the items below may be re-ordered.

   [ Items of special note are highlighted in red ]

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ITEM 2. PRESENTATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

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ITEM 4. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS (ITEMS PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES)

A. Treasurer's Report (Staff: T. Leung)
B. Disbursement Report (Staff: T. Leung)

C. Quarterly Investment Report (Staff: T. Leung)

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ITEM 5. CONSENT CALENDAR​

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A. Approval of the Special City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2025 (Staff: A. Miller)

B. Resolution Accepting an Open Space Easement at 12889 Viscaino Place; Lands of Fremont Hills Country Club; File #ER25-000 (Staff: J. Bradford)

C. Resolution Requesting the Santa Clara County Tax Collector to Collect Delinquent Sewer Charges and the FY2025-26 Sewer Service Charges for Both the Palo Alto and Los Altos Sewer Basins (Staff: D. Liang)

Regular annual process of notifying users and the County of the fees to be charged for sanitary sewer services in FY’26. Base fees are increasing 6% from $1,846/EDU to $1,957/EDU. Fees for an ADU is one-half of the EDU fee. Eighteen new users were added this year with a total of 32.5 additional EDU’s.
Total Sewer Fund revenue with prorations for mid-term connections and additions is expected to increase 8.9% to $4,106,000.

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D. Letter from the Town Council Opposing SB79 (Staff: C. Einfalt)

E. Resolution Awarding a Construction Contract to B and D Excavation & Construction for the Matadero Creek Restoration and Bank Stabilization Project Not to Exceed $465,840, Including Construction Contingency, and Approving Second Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with ENGEO for Additional Services Not to Exceed $133,010 (Staff: D. Liang)

In its 13 th year, the project to repair Matadero Creek may finally be coming to completion. A year after first advertising the plans, for which the construction bids came in higher than expected, the plans were redesigned and the contract for constructing the revised plans is to be awarded. Engeo, the engineering firm throughout the project, is receiving a second amendment to its contract for construction management and required post construction monitoring of mitigation measures. Construction is scheduled to start in July and will be completed in November.

F. Resolution Authorizing Award of the Landscape Maintenance Services Agreement for Fiscal Years 2025-2027 to Frank and Grossman Landscape Contractors, Inc. Not to Exceed $195,648 (Staff: W. Kim)

Proposals are not provided so bidder responses to the RFP cannot be evaluated.
Observations:
1. Why didn’t Bayscape Landscape Management bid? They have provided the service for the last three years.
2. Brightview Landscape Services Inc. “had the lowest fee proposal. However, their proposal did not specify how the proposed services would be catered for the Los Altos Hills community.” Did the RFP require that? According to AI, BLS is the largest landscape service company in the US.
3. Frank and Grossman Landscape was a lower bidder two years ago when the contract was awarded to Bayscape. The Town would have saved $50,000 over the last two years had it selected them at that time.
See: https://losaltoshillsca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3066/files/attachment/9961
4. The Town should consider obtaining a bid for maintaining Purissima Park. This could be more cost effective and enable public work staff to do other work, like building and maintaining pathways.

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G. Resolution Approving the Plans and Specifications for the Lower Arena Improvements at Westwind Community Barn Project and Authorizing Staff to Advertise the Project for Formal Bid (Staff: D. Liang)

​Approval of plans and specifications and permission to advertise project to replace the fence at the lower arena, fix sprinkler system, and update drainage in grass picnic area near barn. The estimated project cost is $250,000. Funds are available in the Westwind Barn Capital Fund.

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H. Resolution Approving the First Amendment to the Open Space Stewardship and Education Agreement with Grassroots Ecology for a Two-Year Term Extension Not to Exceed $205,659 (Staff: W. Kim)

Looking at the cost paid for the work completed, this is likely not the most cost-efficient way to perform restoration work. According to the annual report, volunteers contributed 1,122 hours over 30 workdays with an estimated value of $35,679.60, or $31.80/hr. Based on the $100,000 per year paid to Grassroots, the cost of restoration approaches $90/hr. This does appear to be a well-regarded community education and recreation program.

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I. Resolution Approving the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Project List for Annual Pavement Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvement to be Funded by State Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Staff: W. Kim)

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ITEM 6. ONGOING BUSINESS

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ITEM 7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

A. Consideration of an Ordinance (First Read) Adopting Amendments to the California Fire Marshall's Fire Hazard Severity Zone Base Map in Los Altos Hills (Staff: J. Bradford)

The state requires adoption of a Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map. Local jurisdictions may adopt the CAL FIRE/ State Marshal designated fire map or change those designations on certain parcels to a higher risk level based on findings of substantial evidence of necessity as per Government Code Section 51182. The Staff has identified two options from which the Council may select either to adopt:

1) Fire Marshals recommended map unchanged, or
2) A modified map with approximately 50 parcels along ten streets being raised to higher severity risk levels due to factors such as:

• Street Configurations: width and alignment
• Proximity to dense vegetation
• Topography features capable of supporting fast moving fires,
• Evacuation Route: capacity and access

The streets identified are Buena Vista Drive, Moody Road Court, Sherlock Road Court, Blue Oaks Place, Tepa Way, Elise Court, Winton Way, Hillpark Lane, Arroyo Oaks, and Mora Drive. The parcel list can be found here:
https://losaltoshillsca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3884/files/attachment/12426
Higher risk classifications have greater property maintenance and disclosure requirements.

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ITEM 8. NEW BUSINESS

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A. Consideration and Direction Regarding the Town of Los Altos Hills' 70th Anniversary Celebratory Activities (Staff: E. Mahic)

B. Review and Reappointment of Active Ad Hoc Committees (Staff: A. Miller)

Staff recommends that the City Council review the status of all currently active Ad Hoc committees and take action to:

1. Reappoint, revise, or sunset each committee as appropriate; and
2. Confirm or update Councilmember appointments, particularly for those committees that have been in place for more than one year.

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C. Consideration of Adding a City Council Meeting on Monday, July 21, 2025, and Canceling the Scheduled Regular City Council Meeting on Thursday, August 21, 2025 (Staff: A. Miller)

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ITEM 9. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ON OUTSIDE AGENCIES

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A. Work Summary and request for increased staffing and budget for the Planning Department (Planning Commission Chair Rajiv Patel)​

Planning Commission recommends: Consider increasing the staffing and budget of the Planning Department to an adequate level

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B. Ad Hoc Committee recommendation regarding process for consideration of potential housing sites (Vice Mayor Bhateja and Council Member Mok)

C. Ad Hoc Committee report on Development Agreement Option (Vice Mayor Bhateja and Council Member Mok)

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10. STAFF REPORTS

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11. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS

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A. Discussion and Consideration of Opposition to Assembly Bill 306 (Council Member Tyson)

B. Consider and create a City Council Ad Hoc Committee to Review Fire Service Options for the Town (Council Member Swan)

C. Status of the current issue of Our Town (Vice Mayor Bhateja)

Can an article describing residents' experience with the HIZ Assessment program run in the Our Town magazine, or should it be restricted to an official publication?

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