Note: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting was held on August 13, 2024, but the provided date for this summary is August 14, 2024. This discrepancy is noted.
The meeting began with farewells from three departing members—Chair Theresa Dell (23 years, 15 as Chair), Voting Member Michael Totilo, and Alternate Stephen Perry—and then proceeded to action items. Three of the four voting members were attending their first meeting. The board deferred the election of a new chair and approval of prior meeting minutes until the next meeting (August 27, 2024) due to absences and membership changes.
Both applications were read into the record and then tabled to the August 27, 2024 meeting to allow time for review by new members and for absent members to participate.
Let me open this meeting of the board uh the planning board of August 13th uh 2024. And uh before the meeting starts, I would like to turn the mic over to our outgoing chair of quite a while, Terry Dell to make a few words. Thank you, Jay. Tonight, it's a happy night and a sad night for me. I have been a member of this board for the past 23 years. Like many of our new people, Rave, Prasad, and Chess. I came on this board very unaware of what the planning board did. I was a commissioner of aging at the time for the city of Stanford. And Donna Leglisi, who was on the planning board and who was a member of the uh Republican Party, uh, who I knew very well, came up to me and said, I think we'll get you away from old people. I think it's time for you to try something new. And she asked me to take her place on the planning board. And so 23 years ago, I walked off the elevator on the seventh floor at seven o'clock in the evening because that was the time we started our meetings. And we were all sitting around the conference room table that you've all seen if you've gone into the uh seventh floor land use bureau. And that's where we conducted our meetings. And the chair at that time was Dwayne Hill, who was very knowledgeable, and the lead Republican was John Garnjos. And our principal planner who knew more of planning than anyone sitting around the table was Robin Stein. And he became a wonderful mentor for me. And it has truly been a journey. I have served under four mayors, as I said, starting with Mayor Malloy and continuing with Mayor Pavia, Mayor Martin, and currently Mayor Simmons. And when Mayor Pavia took office, and the board had its election, they surprised me and asked me to be their chair. And for the last 15 years, I have been the chair of the planning board. I'm getting misty, but it was quite an honor because I was really surprised that they put all their confidence in me to be their chair. And I want to thank everybody who was part of that. And along as I said with Robin Stein, mentored me and helped me understand exactly what the planning board did. And then when uh Robin stepped down and the others came in as principal planners. Lindsay and David Woods and all the others that came before him. They have been true mentors. And I can't say enough for Leslie. Please, all the members of the board. She is a valued assistant to the planning board. Whenever you have a question or you don't understand something, she will find you the answer along with Lindsay and get back to you without questions. They will never think your question is too insignificant. They will find the answers and they will get back to you. They are really important assets. Vanita on the zoning side is the same thing. When we have our zoning referral, quite often I've called her and I said, you know, Vanita, I'm not quite sure on something like this. Can can you explain it a little better for me? And she always, with a smile in her voice, you could hear it, said, Oh, sure, no problem, and would get back to me. So it's very important for all of you, especially uh Rave Prasad and Chet to avail yourself of the staff. They will never let you down. As I said, they will never think your question is insignificant, and they will always be there to help and guide you, along with the members of the board. They, you know, they they will help you whatever questions during a meeting. Always feel free when an applicant is presenting and it comes to the questions and answers, ask them. Say, you know, I really don't understand what you presented in this aspect. Can you please explain it better? And do that. It's very important. And to the other presenters who come before the board, they're very special. And one in particular, I want to give a big thank you to, and I think you all know who he is. And that's Tony Romano.