May 12, 2004

Back to the table of Contents Page

Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

Council tackles 'Palo Alto process'

by Jocelyn Dong

A process that's been called "too hard, too long and too uncertain" got a major overhaul by the Palo Alto City Council Monday night. Within months, businesses and individuals wanting to develop property in Palo Alto will no longer face a complicated city-led process, costly delays, and frustrating uncertainty about if -- let alone in what form -- their projects might be approved.

The council voted unanimously for a set of changes to Palo Alto's municipal code that will address problems with the city's Planning & Community Environment Department that have led to these development nightmares. At the same time, council members expressed relief at being able to do something to improve the infamous -- and painstaking -- "Palo Alto process."

The overhaul was sparked by an audit of the development-review process last fall that called it "duplicative, redundant, uncoordinated and wasteful."

Under the revised code, those wishing to develop or renovate property will face fewer hearings and shorter review periods, possibly going through the process within as little as 65 days. Over the past four years, minor projects needing approval have taken an average of 80 days, while major projects have taken about 250, the audit noted.

The report also cited a 1998 study that showed Palo Alto took 30 percent to 74 percent longer to approve projects than comparable cities.

The council's action means one significant change: More development decisions will be made by the Planning and Transportation Commission instead of the council. The commission usually only recommends decisions to the council, which holds its own deliberation.

In the past, the more complex projects have bounced from city staff to review boards to the planning commission to the council and back around, undergoing revision after revision. The project at 800 High St., for example, had 15 hearings, according to Mayor Bern Beecham.

"That was a failure," he said at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast last month.

Because people have known they could appeal any Planning and Transportation Commission decision to the council, observed Planning Commissioner Michael Griffin, they've not taken commission decisions as seriously.

"We give people an opportunity to fine-tune their arguments," he said wryly.

Now, however, commission decisions will be considered final and sent to the council simply for consent, unless three council members call for a discussion and vote on the project.

The idea of streamlining the planning process is nothing new. In 2000, a measure was placed on the ballot proposing that the council delegate some decisions to the planning commission. Palo Alto voters shot it down 54.5 percent to 44.5 percent, in part because it would have given power to appointed, not elected, officials.

The council's move Monday attempts to strike a balance between retaining ultimate responsibility for decisions and moving projects forward in a timely fashion.

In a related change, people opposing a project will typically have just one chance to make their case. Some residents spoke to the council about this change, noting that people will have to pay closer attention to the process. The residents asked for plenty of notification and time to read over the proposed plans. They also asked for a two-council-member threshold for appealing commission decisions, as is standard for removing items from council's consent calendar.

However, the council voted 6-3 to require a three-council-member standard, following a rather impassioned plea from City Manager Frank Benest that the threshold be set at four council members. Council members Hillary Freeman, Jack Morton and Vic Ojakian opposed the motion.

Beecham was pleased with the new "clear and simple" development-review process.

"This has been a long time in coming," he said. "This is the right thing to do."

The decision must still undergo a second reading at a future council meeting and then pass a month-long waiting period before implementation. However, the council's unanimous vote seems to all but ensure its adoption.

Also on Monday night, the council voted 5-4 to approve the citywide implementation of a new recycling program that allows residents to throw all of their recyclables into one wheeled bin at their homes. Called "single-stream recycling," it will replace the city's current system of blue, green, dark green and yellow crates.

Glenn Roberts, director of public works, estimated the program would result in 10 percent more recycling and 13 percent less garbage sent to the landfill. The ongoing $740,000 operational costs would be offset by decreases in garbage costs and increased revenue from additional recycling, he said. A $2.2 million initial expenditure is expected, to pay for the carts, new pick-up trucks, and outreach, Roberts said.

Council members Freeman, Yoriko Kishimoto, Dena Mossar and Ojakian opposed the single-stream program, with Mossar commenting that not all Palo Alto households have room to store the new, larger bins.

Senior staff writer Jocelyn Dong can be reached at jdong@paweekly.com.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.