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Council Meeting - September 19, 2024
Below is a summary of the agenda and (when available) minutes of the City Council Meeting on the above date. While the summary is believed to be accurate, that is not guaranteed. The current City Council meeting agenda and detailed agenda packet can be found on the Town's website.
Agenda Highlights
7. CONSENT CALENDAR (A consent calendar is a means of handling a number of routine matters with one motion and vote, and no discussion. These items can be removed from the group and considered separately at the request of a Council Member or a member of the public.)
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This month there are several items of note on the consent calendar:
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A & B. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes from prior meetings
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C. Resolution of the City Council Authorizing Approving the 2024 Town Hall Holiday
Closure (authorizing the closure of Town Hall from Monday, December 23, 2024 thru Thursday, January 2, 2025)
D. Review of Disbursements: June 30, 2024 (total $1,650,540.68)
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E. Approval of Treasurer’s Report for the Month End June 30, 2024 (Grand Total $32,718,433)
F. Quarterly Investment Reports for June 30, 2024 (Investments excluding working capital at bank, $26,437,974)
G. Review of Disbursements: July 31, 2024 (total $1,672,784.58)
H. Approval of Treasurer’s Report for the Month End July 31, 2024
(Grand Total $32,284,419) Amount in Wells Fargo checking account is excessive and lost opportunity for substantial interest earnings.
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​I. Resolution Appointing a LAH Representatives to PLAN JPA
Town and other municipalities have formed a joint power association to obtain insurance coverage and risk management services related to liability, property, automobile physical damage and other ancillary lines of insurance coverage. Staff recommends appointing the Finance Director as the Town’s representative and the Assistant to the City Manager as the alternate representative.​​
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J. Resolution Authorizing Deposit and Withdrawal from the Local Agency Investment Fund in the State Treasury (LAIF is a short-term investment facility run by the State of California. Average duration around one year. Resolution authorizes the City Manager, Finance Director, Finance Manager, Senior Accountant, and Accountant, and those they delegate to deposit and withdraw funds).
The list of names appears unnecessarily long and with surprisingly junior personnel for an account that could contain $5 million or more at times during a year. Extensive list increases the potential for fraud. The list should be limited to City Manager, Finance Director and one other senior person. Transfer frequency is low.
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K. Resolution Adopting the Second Amendment to the Agreement between the Town of Los
Altos Hills and Kevin W. Harper CPA and Associates to Increase the Not-to-Exceed
amount from $120,000 to $180,000 (One of the accounting firms hired to provide staffing and expertise due to multiple and long duration personnel turnover in the accounting department).
Increase appears excessive. Town hired a new Finance Director in July and should move expeditiously to fill the senior accountant position. Would expect usage of outside accountants to decline markedly now that Finance Director has arrived and be eliminated with senior accountant arrival.
L. Resolution Adopting Revised Employee Handbook Including the Personnel Rules and
Regulations and Employee Classification and Compensation Plan.
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Proposed vacation allowances changes appear excessive, out of line with competition, and should be evaluated as part of a comprehensive salary survey. Proposed changes: Four weeks of vacation at five years, five weeks at eight years and six weeks at 11 years. More than a 50% increase from current levels. Vacation cashout change is excessive and nonproductive. Vacation is not intended as additional compensation but to improve well-being and productivity.
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Salary progression. The positions of Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Manager do not exist and are not salary progressions but separate positions, which should be up to the Council to determine whether those positions are needed.
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​Here is a comparison of vacation schedules from comparable and neighboring municipalities:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1keq2hCymrzN-bTz5dfqUZBWMAi8O4ec5luUTKgpP6Kc/edit?pli=1&gid=1497693159#gid=1497693159
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M. Resolution adopting the 2023 Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan (A MJHMP is required to be eligible for pre and post-disaster mitigation funds or to receive federal disaster relief through the Stafford Act)
The public was provided an opportunity for input into the multi-jurisdictional plan in April 2023. It is unclear if the public had any opportunity to input into the LAH annex. The report lists nine action items carried over from the 2017 HMP and 68 new action items with high to low priorities. Most state they are expected to be completed in the “short term”. It is interesting to note that there is no fiscal impact to adopting the resolution and this work is not included in the Town Workplan.
N, O & P. Resolution Accepting Open Space Easement Agreement at 27790 Stirrup Way; 14467 De Bell Road; 14227 Amherst Court (Standard practice on parcel development with steep slopes as agreed by property owners)
8. ONGOING BUSINESS
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A. Resolution Appropriating Additional $270,000 Of Cip/General Fund to the Heritage House Upgrade Project;
Approving the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement With The KPA Group Increasing the Not To Exceed Amount from $100,000 To $182,000; Approving the Plans And Specifications; Authorizing staff to Advertise the Project For Formal Bid; and Authorizing the City Manager to Award And Execute a Construction Contract With The Lowest Responsible Bidder for an amount Not To Exceed $1,000,000 Including Contingency Funds
The 1,100 sq. ft. Heritage House was built in 1906 and is primarily utilized by the HAM Radio operators and the History Committee for storage. The Upgrade project was first approved in FY’23 for $400,000 to improve the space for multi-purpose use for community events, meeting space, and committee operations. Work will include preservation of the vestibule entry, larger Conference/Work Room, workspaces for the HAM Radio operations, History Storage Room, updated kitchen, and various accessibility improvements. The project is now estimated to cost $1,270,000, not including staff time expenses. A $400,000 Federal Urban County Community Block Development Grant (CDBG) has been secured through the County of Santa Clara to assist in the funding. The staff requested an additional $200,000 be allocated to the project in June as part of the FY’25 budget process and is now requesting an additional $270,000 be added. Request includes increasing architectural services budget by 80% to $182,000. The public can form their own opinion as to the cost-benefit of this project.
B. Multi-Family Zoning, Objective Design Standards, and CEQA Informational Update to the City Council for discussion on the development of a Multi-family Residential Zoning Designation, associated Objective Design Standards, and the accompanying California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review documents and process.
This item is intended to advise the Council on the requirements, parameters, and process for developing these standards, share preliminary analyses and the project schedule for the Multifamily Zone and Objective Design Standards project. As established in the Los Altos Hills’ 6th Cycle Housing Element adopted on January 30, 2023, the Town must rezone 34 acres to allow multifamily development with a minimum density of 20 dwelling units per acre and allow a minimum of 30 dwelling units per acre. The 34 acres are identified on the following three sites that will be rezoned to the new MF Zone or MF Overlay Zone (see attachment 1) Twin Oaks Court (14.5 acres, 7 parcels); 2) St. Nicholas Catholic School (6-acre portion, 2 parcels); and 3) Foothill College (9.4-acre portion, 3 parcels). This is an important meeting to attend for those interested in the Multi-family development and standards planned for these sites.
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9. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Introduction of an Ordinance (First Reading) of the Town of Los Altos Hills amending Title 10 (Zoning and Site Development) of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code to amend regulations relating to application processing and standing committee review procedures in accordance with program B-15 of the Los Altos Hills 2023-2031 Housing Element.
The Los Altos Hills 2023-2031 Housing Element adopted on January 30, 2023, sets goals, policies, and programs intended to increase housing supply to meet state obligations. In particular, Program B-15 of the approved Housing Element limits the time certain Town Standing Committees may take to review and comment on housing development projects.
The required changes were discussed with the Environmental Design and Protection Committee, History Committee, Pathways Committee, and Open Space Committee. and approved by the Planning Commission. The purpose of this item is to have the Council take the first step in enacting an ordinance to effect these changes. In summary, the changes would provide that committee review and comments must be completed within one meeting and 30 days of a complete application. Program B-15 sets a timeline of completion by September 30, 2024.