Upfront (continued from page 3)
represent only part of the growth potential. Substantial enrollment increases could come from the north once the real-estate market picks up and older homeowners begin selling to young families, she said. Anecdotal evidence from new registrations for 2011-12 so far suggests “a lot of new home purchases, and also a lot of older people giving homes to their children,� the school district’s Central Attendance Director, Margie Mitchell, said. At least for the immediate future, Skelly said — and board members seemed to agree — the greatest growth pressure is in the southern part of town. Of the $98 million allocated for elementary construction in the $378 million facilities bond passed by voters in 2008, $65 million remains available to build new space or upgrade existing
AT&T
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“This is a game-changer,� Moore said. But the antennas themselves emit radiation at least 100 times below Federal Communications Commission safety limits, according to William Hammett, a consulting engineer for AT&T. In most places, emissions are more than 1,000 times below the limits that were last updated in 2006 in response to medical research. One supporter of the plan, who identified himself as a “frustrated AT&T customer,� said the proposed antennas would reduce customers’ exposure to power radiated from individual cell phones, which run at higher power when coverage is less accessible. While health risks were a popular concern at Tuesday’s meeting, in keeping with federal legislation, the City of Palo Alto cannot deny a company’s application based on concerns about the effects of radio-frequency exposure on human health. Among other concerns voiced by the audience were the possible implementation of city plans to put utilities underground (currently on hold) and the rationale behind moving forward with the controversial 8-foot antenna tower planned to be installed above St. Albert the Great Church in Palo Alto. The installations might theoretically obviate the need for the tower, but AT&T continues to seek separate and simultaneous permit application for each proposal, AT&T officials responded. “Wireless coverage isn’t magic: It’s infrastructure,� AT&T Strategic Affairs Adviser Lane Kasselman told reporters following the meeting. Permit applications for nine of around 80 sites were filed Feb. 7 with the city. Residents have 15 days, after being notified via mail of the city staff’s decision, to request a hearing before the Planning and Transportation Commission before a final decision is made by the City Council. N Editorial Intern Sarah Trauben can be e-mailed at strauben@ paweekly.com.
class size and slash their budgets in response to state cuts. “Palo Alto is becoming a more attractive place for young families to bring their children,� Skelly said. “The premium for good education is up, and surrounding high-quality districts have seen it as well. We need to assume high enrollment projections when we look at facilities.� Skelly said he will return to the board in May or June with more specific recommendations on where to add space, including the possible reclaiming of the Garland School site at 870 N. California Ave., now under a lease that requires three years’ notice. N Staff Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly.com.
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to discuss the city’s long-term financial forecast, the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Commission and the city’s review process for development projects in the Professorville neighborhood. The financial-forecast discussion will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, March 14, in the Council Conference Room. The study session with the infrastructure commission will follow at 7 p.m. The rest of the meeting will begin at 8 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
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PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to consider a proposal for a five-story building, including four stories of office space, ground-floor retail and five residential units on the fifth floor, at 355 Alma St. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ... The board plans to discuss the Human Services Resources Allocation Process (HSRAP) and the Community Development Block Grant program. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss Caltrain’s proposal to close the San Antonio station in Mountain View and hear a report on Larry Klein’s recent t rip to Washington, D.C. The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Thursday, March 17, in Lucie Stern Community Room (1305 Middlefield Road). ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to discuss a proposed addition to Main Library at 1213 Newell Road, a proposal by the city’s Utilities Department to replace a pump station and build a water-storage tank at El Camino Park and a proposal by Stanford University to build a 35,000 square foot addition to existing Hewlett Packard headquarters at 3000 Hanover St. at Stanford Research Park. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 17, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). RAIL CORRIDOR STUDY TASK FORCE ... The task force will continue to discuss the city’s vision for the Caltrain corridor. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17, in Lucie Stern Community Room (1305 Middlefield Road). PUBLIC ART COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss the dedication of the “Bliss in the Moment� sculpture, the upcoming installation by Mildred Howard, the Youth Art Awards and the status of art to be relocated during the construction of the Palo Alto Art Center. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
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FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to hear a report on the mid-year budget and consider the city’s development agreement with the Stanford University Medical Center over Stanford’s proposed hospital expansion. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD ... The board plans to discuss 356 Lincoln Ave., a proposal to add a second dwelling unit and detached garage at a single-family residence in the city’s Professorville neighborhood. The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 16, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
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classrooms, officials said. “We don’t want to add portables to our campuses and we don’t want to make mistakes here,� Skelly said. “These are millions of dollars. Almost any capacity we build now will be used, but it’s also true that we don’t want to overbuild and then have lots of empty space.� With current enrollment, some campuses already are using 100 percent of their capacity while others are lower, with a district-wide average of 94.6 percent utilization, officials said. Skelly said he hopes to keep about 5 percent excess capacity for growth once the new classrooms are built. Many said growth pressures in Palo Alto are likely to continue and even increase as other school districts boost
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CITY-SCHOOL LIAISON COMMITTEE ... The committee will discuss teen mental health, school facilities planning and the City of Palo Alto budget. The meeting will begin at 8:15 a.m. Friday, March 18, in Conference Room A of school district headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.). *>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠ >Ă€VÂ…ĂŠÂŁÂŁ]ÊÓ䣣ÊU Page 9