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Express Care is open Monday–Sunday, 9:00am–9:00pm: Palo Alto San Jose Hoover Pavilion River View Apartment Homes 211 Quarry Road, Suite 102 52 Skytop Street, Suite 10 stanfordhealthcare.org/expresscare Palo Alto, CA 94304 San Jose, CA 95134 tel: 650.736.5211 tel: 669.294.8888 Page 2 • December 29, 2017 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com TAX SEMINAR IMPACT OF TAX REFORM ON LOCAL REAL ESTATE Oshman Family JCC 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto Saturday, January 6th, 2018 5:00 2M - 7:00 PM Please join DeLeon Realty at our Real Estate Tax Seminar to learn about how Trump’s tax plan could impact the local market as well as other important real estate tax issues. Gain insight from Michael Repka, the managing broker and general counsel of DeLeon Realty. Michael holds a degree in finance, a law degree, and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Taxation from NYU School of Law. Also, hear the latest market updates from founder Ken DeLeon, the most successful real estate broker in Silicon Valley and former economics professor. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, please visit deleonrealty.com ® [email protected] 650.543.8500 CalBRE Seminar is for prospective clients only. #01903224 No outside real estate professionals permitted. www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 29, 2017 • Page 3 1 in 10 people in Silicon Valley receives food provided by Second Harvest. DONATE TODAY SHFB.ORG | 866-234-3663 SPONSORED BY Page 4 • December 29, 2017 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis A bicyclist rides down Loma Verde Avenue Veronica Weber past the newly constructed concrete islands at the intersection of Ross Road, where the city narrowed the street as part of an effort to calm traffic. The year in words As we took a look back at 2017: Palo Alto’s pivotal year 2017, several words jumped out in our coverage that sum Big accomplishments, looming challenges mark the year at City Hall up the year in Palo Alto. We’ve scattered them — along with by Gennady Sheyner their particular “Palo Alto” oss Road residents know the projects in the city’s 2012 bike swearing in of two new council million square feet of academic definitions — throughout this all too well that change, master plan, is just one example members — former planning space and 3,000 housing units by week’s publication. R however well-intentioned, of this pivot from the abstract to commissioners Adrian Fine and 2035. can be a jarring experience. the tangible. The Palo Alto Trans- Greg Tanaka — and one incum- Palo Alto’s traffic problems, In the fall, as the city kicked off portation Management Authority, bent, Liz Kniss, the newly estab- critics say, will not be solved by BEAUTY CONTEST | byü- its long-planned redesign of Ross which the council formed in 2015 lished pro-development majority new developments and city-de- Wď?NκQ WHVW_ n. 1. Palo and other busy streets in the Mid- to help discourage driving solo, stripped all policies out of the signed “road diets.” Many remain Alto's short-lived idea town area, residents woke up in a began to see promising results Comprehensive Plan that would unconvinced by the council’s new WRWUHDWSURSRVHGRIÀFH strange new world of roundabouts, and increased investment from have spelled out how the city reliance on “transportation de- developments like "Star traffic islands and speed humps. the city. New parking-permit pro- would implement the vision. The mand management” strategies — Search" contestants. Some welcomed the changes, grams sprung up in the Evergreen decision was ultimately reversed which incentivize commuters to which are part of an $8.6 million Park and Southgate neighbor- after a community backlash, but switch from cars to other modes COMPREHENSIVE PLAN \ bike-and-pedestrian project that hoods to offer long-sought relief it was only one of a series of tense — to really curb traffic. For them, NlPSUL·KHQ W VLYSODQ?_ the City Council approved in the to residents from perpetually 5-4 votes over issues ranging from projects that offer less parking summer. Many others found them parked-up blocks. The city’s years a downtown cap for commercial that is normally required — such n. 3DOR$OWR·VRIÀFLDO confusing, hazardous and, above long push to save Buena Vista construction to “community indi- as the “car-light” 60-apartment land-use bible. 2. A book all, shocking. Mobile Home Park from redevel- cators” that would track impacts development proposed for the that everyone cites but no Like many of her neighbors, opment concluded on a victorious of new projects. But in the end, busy corner of El Camino Real one reads. Alison Cormack said she was note in May, when the El Camino a year that began with vitriolic and Page Mill Road — will not unaware that the “traffic calm- Real mobile-home park was offi- accusations flying between the actually result in fewer drivers; CAR LIGHT NlUOĦW_ ing” project involved narrowing cially purchased by the Housing council’s two factions concluded they will just lead more people to adj. 1. Housing built with the road and putting bicyclists in Authority of Santa Clara County. with hard-fought consensus and a park their cars in other areas. expectation that residents the same lanes as cars, shoulder And after a prolonged period of Champagne toast in the Council Similarly, some decried the won't own cars. Ever. 2. to shoulder with oncoming traffic. stagnation on housing production, Chambers in November, when the city’s September decision to loos- Strategy to bypass the need “I have since learned it’s a great the council approved a develop- council finally approved the plan. en its cap on office development to include parking and a idea, but when a bulb-out shows up ment with 50 apartments at the For some Palo Altans, the chang- — which now no longer includes rebuttle to allegations that unannounced in front of your house, former site of Mike’s Bikes, also es are too big and coming too soon a “beauty contest” and which it doesn’t seem that way,” she said. on El Camino. and too fast. In January, the council now allows developers to carry development will increase The dramatic changes on Ross Yet even in this year of action, discussed a citizen survey indicat- over “unused” square footage to WUDIÀF Road and the divergent reactions the council’s most significant ing growing angst about traffic future years — and opposed the PENSION _ ?SHQ6+κQ?_Q to them epitomized in many ways achievement in 2017 came on the congestion, housing costs and the city’s moves to encourage more ,QVDQHÀQDQFLDOOLDELOLW\ 2017 in Palo Alto, a year in which planning front. In November, the city’s overall “quality of life.” These accessory-dwelling (or “granny”) that keeps Palo Alto leaders the council made giant strides on council finally adopted an updat- themes would emerge throughout units and to promote market-rate some of its most pressing priori- ed Comprehensive Plan, a land- the year during public hearings on residential development (below- up at night —estimated this ties and began to pivot from plans use vision document that was everything from “grade separation” market-rate housing, by contrast, year to be upwards of $1 to action — drawing mixed reac- more than a decade in the making on the rail tracks (an expensive proj- remains relatively popular). billion owed to current and tions for its efforts. and that sets the stage for future ect that aims to, among other things, But it was the housing advocates former city retirees that the The new network of bike- zoning revisions and development address increased traffic at grade who had the most to celebrate in city has no way to pay right friendly routes in Midtown, decisions. But getting there wasn’t crossings) to Stanford University’s now. which comprises about half of a smooth ride. Just weeks after the application to build more than 2 (continued on page 11) www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • December 29, 2017 • Page 5 Upfront 450 Cambridge Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 YEAR IN REVIEW: VIOLATIONS (650) 326-8210 PUBLISHER William S. Johnson (223-6505) Code enforcement crackdowns, other showdowns EDITORIAL Editor Jocelyn Dong (223-6514) by Gennady Sheyner Associate Editor Linda Taaffe (223-6511) Sports Editor Rick Eymer (223-6516) ome rules are made to be broken — Fair Political Practices Commission — rules in Palo Alto, where developers clashed with Arts & Entertainment Editor Karla Kane (223-6517) at least according to those who break are necessary to promote political transpar- watchdogs over fine print and where three Home & Real Estate Editor them. For those who enforce them — ency, prevent traffic calamities, protect neigh- council members struggled to comply with Elizabeth Lorenz (223-6534) S Assistant Sports Editor Glenn Reeves (223-6521) whether they be Palo Alto’s code-enforcement borhoods and protect retail. campaign laws. Here are five violations that Spectrum Editor Renee Batti (223-6528) officers or investigators from the California In 2017, code enforcers found plenty to do made the headlines in 2017.