Politics & Government

What to Expect From Tuesday Night's City Council Meeting

A downtown survey, appointing a negotiator on library services, and creating two positions on the new Public Arts Commission are among the topics in the last council meeting of 2011.

At "a key point" in its rehauling of downtown, Los Altos' new mayor is asking the City Council to consider a $25,000 survey to ask residents how they use downtown and what they would like to see.

Mayor Valorie Carpenter, who led a downtown study in the past, said there have been numerous actions—from zoning changes to approval of five new projects—yet one thing was missing. 

"...To date there has not been a survey conducted by a professional marketing research firm of a representative sample of City of Los Altos residents to ascertain how the community uses downtown currently, how satisfied residents are with the downtown as it exists today, and what additional changes they would or would not favor."

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The survey would provide additional insight and serve as a benchmark of opinion at this point in time.

The firm, Godbe Research, submitted a proposal to the council on Nov. 4, with two options for a survey, plus options for supplemental internet or student surveys. The proposal is contained above and to the right of this article.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The City Council will also be asked to appoint City Council member Ron Packard to a negotiating team to engage in discussions with the Joint Powers Authority (JPA), which governs the Santa Clara County Library District. The city, when Packard was mayor, with the library services relative to the proportion of property taxes from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills that go to the district. Concerns over having little control over the two libraries in Los Altos has also been an issue. The reexamination of the cities' relationship with the library district was sparked by the imposition of a .

The Council will also make appointment to the newly created Public Arts Commission, which was formerly the Public Sculpture Committee. The staff recommends affirming the appointments and terms of the five members on the Commission: 

- Suzanne Moshier, Unexpired Term to 2013 

- Karen Zucker, Unexpired Term to 2013 

- Missy Robinson, 1st Term to 2015 -

- Faye Chapman, 1st Term to 2015 

- Laurel Iverson, 1st Term to 2013 

Additionally, staff recommends creating two vacant positions, one term expiring in 2013 and one expiring in 2015. 

Council members will also receive an update on the development of The Terraces, slated to take place upon the site of Pilgrim's Haven senior residences. That update is attached to this article, as well. 


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