Vol. XXXVI, Number 4 Q October 31, 2014 PaloAltoOnline.com Palo Alto City establishes new traffic- fighting nonprofit Page 5 Menlowe Ballet to premiere dance A LEGENDbased on Mongolian folktale comes to life » 28 Pulse 20 Transitionsransitions 22 Spectrum 24 Eating OOut 37 Shop Talk 39 Movies 41 QNewsNews Residents split over parking-permit program Page 5 QHome Granny units: turning backyards into rentals Page 46 QSports Freshman following in father’s footsteps Page 65 Let’s Talk University Health Care Advantage Advancing Health with Trusted Care. Many factors go into choosing a Medicare Advantage For more information, please contact: Plan that’s right for you—from your health and lifestyle to personal financial considerations. University Health Care 1-855-996-UHCA (8422) Advantage (UHCA) off ers Santa Clara County residents an integrated and seamless health care experience from www.UHCAmedicare.org world-class Stanford Medicine and its aff iliated provider network. 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Opes Advisor is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). ©2014 Opes Advisors, Inc. All Rights Reserved Page 4 • October 31, 2014 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com Daylight Saving Time is ending Set your clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. this Sunday. UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Businesses to drive city’s new traffic-fighting nonprofit Palo Alto recruits steering committee for its first In August, the council approved marily target downtown employ- association’s formation. Transportation Management Association a $500,000 contract with consul- ers and businesses, who would So far, about a dozen interviews tants who are now leading the ef- also take on the leading role in its have taken place, with the list in- by Gennady Sheyner fort. On Wednesday, Joan Chap- management. The goal is to have cluding Friends of Caltrain’s co- s Palo Alto prepares to es of forming its first Transporta- lick of the firm MIG and Wendy the association up and running in founder Adina Levin and devel- launch new shuttles, im- tion Management Association, a Silvani, whose firm Silvani Trans- the second-year of the formation oper Chop Keenan. A pose downtown parking nonprofit that would market and portation Consulting spearheaded process, said Chaplick, who added Both Kevin Mathay and Brian restrictions and offer other in- manage the city’s transportation- transportation-management asso- that the first year in the process Shaw, who oversee the ambitious centives for commuters to ditch demand management effort. The ciations in Emeryville and San has just kicked off. and hugely successful transpor- their cars, officials are also plant- goal, per City Council direction, Francisco’s Mission Bay district, Right now, the consulting team tation programs at Google and ing the seeds for a new nonprofit is to reduce by 30 percent the gave the city’s Planning and is talking to downtown stake- Stanford University, have agreed organization that will ultimately number of solo commuters to Transportation Commission their holders and identifying potential to serve on the steering commit- oversee these efforts. downtown within three years of first update. members of the steering commit- The city is now in the early stag- the organization’s launch. Palo Alto’s program would pri- tee that will take the lead in the (continued on page 16) TRANSPORTATION Downtown residents split over parking-permit program Survey suggests lack of consensus on new rules for street parking by Gennady Sheyner s Palo Alto prepares to borhoods’ residents have com- launch its long-awaited plained about the streets near A Residential Parking Per- their homes getting completely mit Program, people who live in taken over by employees’ ve- the congested downtown neigh- hicles every day. While workers borhoods are almost evenly split could pay to park in downtown’s about the ambitious effort, which garage, many instead leave their would require drivers to buy per- cars in the neighborhoods where mits to park on residential streets. the parking is free and without The results of a survey of down- time limits. Michelle Le town residents that the city con- A prior proposal to require per- ducted in recent months show mits in one section of Professor- that the permit program remains ville fizzled in 2012 after a sec- Dressed in suits, a trio walks along a pedestrian detour as construction workers pour cement for a controversial topic. tion of the neighborhood came a new sidewalk along California Avenue. Of the 1,417 survey responders out in opposition and the council (about 32 percent of those who re- agreed the program should be ceived it), 708 said they favor the broader and more comprehen- BUSINESS program and 709 said they are sive. The new program, a prod- opposed. Much of the opposition uct of about a year of work by comes from the southern tip of the planning staff and a committee downtown area, a section south of of stakeholders from downtown California Avenue construction Lincoln Avenue and east of Bry- businesses and neighborhoods, ant Street. is more ambitious in scope. Even hits merchants hard Because these residents live with the revised boundaries, it farthest from the commercial would still encompass most of Some businesses lose up to 25 percent in sales, but they look forward core and are thus less affected by downtown, from Alma Street in to the renovated district commuters’ parking, they were the west to Guinda Street in the unsurprisingly less keen on pay- east and from Palo Alto Avenue in by Sue Dremann ing for permits to park in front the north to Lincoln Avenue in the erchants who are being reduced from four to two, enue to come. of their own homes. Should this south (initially, the program was struggling through the sidewalks will be expanded. Martinez said he is looking section of downtown be omitted to extend all the way to Embar- M dust and noise of the Robert Martinez, owner of forward to some of the improve- from the permit program, as staff cadero Road). California Avenue Streetscape Palo Alto Eye Works, said the ments. The street will have bet- is now proposing, support for the The program would operate Project have lost as much as 25 lost revenue was expected. ter drainage and more lighting, parking program enjoys an edge in two phases. In the first phase, percent of sales, they said ear- “We knew it was going to get and the new sidewalk pavement over the opposition, with 643 re- which would last six months, the lier this week. ugly before it got pretty,” he said. has good traction, even when sponders saying they are in favor city would provide permits to any But despite the hardship, many As the project rolls along, wet, he said. (53 percent) and 571 responders downtown employee and resident say they are hopeful the $6.9 business owners report that the Construction in front of his saying they are against it (47 per- who wants one.