Belmont City Council Meeting – July 23, 2024: Stanford Campus Update, Zoning Amendments, and Drone Policy Discussion

The Belmont City Council met on July 23, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included a closed session (report deferred to September 10), public comments, council announcements, consent calendar approval, and three major general business items: an update on the Stanford Belmont Campus conceptual development plan and development agreement, proposed zoning text amendments for the Corridor Mixed Use (CMU) district, and an informational update on an unmanned aerial system (drone) program. The council provided direction on all three items but took no final actions, as 11A and 11B were informational/direction items, and 11C was informational.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent calendar (items A-D: meeting minutes, June 2024 monthly financial reports, purchasing ordinance, and Amendment No. 5 to the 4Leaf service agreement for $100,000, bringing the total not-to-exceed amount to $449,865) by a 5-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Juliano Carlini (on non-agenda items) expressed frustration with the council's lack of action on transit and bike infrastructure, noting that neighboring cities such as Palo Alto and San Carlos are making progress while Belmont has not. He urged the council to lead on protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety on El Camino Real.
• Beth Martin, President of Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), expressed support for the Stanford project and appreciation for the collaboration, noting that the sisters of Notre Dame are delighted that the land will remain an academic site.
• Giuliano Carlini (on 11A) cautioned about Stanford's contentious relationship with Palo Alto and urged careful negotiation. He raised concerns about the proposed doubling of permitted parking spots over the actual number today, and the need for strong transportation demand management (TDM) and mode shift that benefits the entire Belmont community.
• Griel Walsh (on 11A) asked about the future of the chapel on the NDNU campus, requesting its protection and preservation.
• Margaret Jadala (on 11A) expressed concern about a potential second entrance to Corette Field and increased traffic, noting that current parking at the field works well.
• Neil Patel (on 11B) spoke in support of the zoning amendments, representing his family's hotel on El Camino Real since 1975. He shared their vision to expand the hotel and noted the collaboration with city staff.
• Giuliano Carlini (on 11B) supported the zoning changes, emphasizing the need for density near transit and suggesting the city set parking maximums rather than minimums.
• Giuliano Carlini (on 11C) spoke about the drone program, urging caution on privacy and civil liberties, and recommended using American-made drones.

Discussion Items

• Stanford Belmont Campus Conceptual Development Plan and Development Agreement (11A): Staff and Stanford presented updates on the 30-year plan to redevelop the 46-acre NDNU campus for academic and academic-support uses. The city manager highlighted significant community benefits, including $19-22 million in contributions. Stanford's presentation emphasized design principles (greenway, ridgewalk, creekside node) and proposed 700,000 square feet of development with 50-200 housing units, preserving three historic buildings. The council discussed transportation improvements ($2 million for Ralston corridor), affordable housing (20% of non-student housing), and community benefits. Councilmembers expressed strong support but requested more detail on transportation funding, higher contributions for the Barrett Community Center, and educational partnerships with BRSSD. The council provided direction to staff to continue negotiations.
• Zoning Text Amendments – CMU District, Parking, and By-Right Processing (11B): Staff presented proposed amendments to increase base height from 45 to 50 feet to encourage ground-floor commercial uses, 60 feet for community benefits (with council approval), and 65 feet for hotels (with separate hotel development standards). Also proposed consolidating parking requirements into one section, modernizing parking measures, and moving by-right housing project approvals from planning commission to staff. Councilmembers generally supported the proposals, with suggestions for additional flexibility, step-back requirements, and clearer public outreach for by-right projects. The council directed staff to draft the formal ordinance and bring it to the planning commission and council for public hearing.
• Informational Update on Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) Program (11C): A police captain presented use cases for a drone, including accident reconstruction, critical incident monitoring, fire management, missing persons searches, and public works inspections. Cost estimates were approximately $15,000 startup with $2,000-3,000 yearly maintenance. Councilmembers expressed support but requested more robust information on privacy safeguards, data retention policies, and transparency reporting. The council asked staff to return with a revised policy and deployment reporting.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved 5-0.
• Stanford Campus (11A): Council provided direction to staff to continue negotiations with Stanford, emphasizing greater transportation funding and specific community benefits (e.g., Barrett Community Center, educational access). No vote taken.
• Zoning Amendments (11B): Council directed staff to draft formal amendments incorporating feedback (e.g., step-back requirements, hotel development standards, relaxed parking minima). Return to planning commission and council for public hearing.
• Drone Program (11C): Council indicated support pending further details on privacy, data retention, and transparency. Staff to return with a revised policy and estimated deployment reporting.
• Closed Session: Report deferred to the September 10, 2024 council meeting.