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City Manager hires veteran planner Hillary Gitelman from Napa County for city’s ‘central’ position
P
alo Alto has chosen a new planning director, tapping the top official at Napa County for one of the city’s most complex and prominent positions. Hillary E. Gitelman, who currently serves as director of planning, building and environmental services for Napa County, was selected by City Manager James Keene to be the city’s next planning director, the city announced Tuesday, Sept. 10. If the City Council next Monday approves her hiring, she will begin her new position on Oct. 28. She will earn a salary of $197,500. Gitelman has spent the past eight years at Napa County, where her responsibilities included current and long-range planning, building permits and code enforcement. She also brings ample experience in parking and traffic management. Between 2001 and 2004, she directed the planning department of the Presidio Trust, a federal agency charged with preserving the Presidio in San Francisco for public use and keeping it financially selfsufficient. According to the city, she was Hillary responsible for Gitelman developing the Presidio Trust Management Plan, the PresidiGo shuttle system and parking-management program. Gitelman had also worked as the environmental-review officer for the San Francisco Planning Department, where her job was to make sure the city complies with the California Environmental Quality Act. In her decade with the City and County of San Francisco, she conducted environmental reviews for major projects such as the AT&T Park (then known as Pac Bell Park), the Mission Bay Redevelopment project and the Third Street Light Rail project. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history of art from Yale University and a master’s degree in historic preservation from Columbia University. She is also affiliated with various historic-preservation organizations, including the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association; the American Planning Association; and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, according to the city’s announcement. Gitelman will be taking over a high-profile position that has been vacant since Curtis Williams retired in June. Currently, the city
is struggling to address downtown’s parking shortage, reviewing several controversial office developments, updating its Comprehensive Plan and considering revisions to its design guidelines for new buildings. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity and look forward to working with the staff and citizens of Palo Alto on a wide variety of planning and transportation issues,” Gitelman stated in the announcement. Keene said Gitelman’s selection followed a national search, input from community and business stakeholders and two interview panels. In a statement, he called Gitelman “our top candidate” and said the city is “fortunate to have
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someone with her breadth of experience join the city in this critical leadership position as we address the very complex planning and development issues facing us today and in the future.” The role of planning director, he said, is “central to the future of our city.” “This is an especially important point in time for Palo Alto,” Keene said. “The director position requires a person with the drive to make necessary changes in our plans and policies and to meet the demands of our community, and do so with diplomacy, and a commitment to inclusiveness and open government. Hillary brings all of these qualities to her new role and will be a tremendous asset to Palo Alto.” N — Gennady Sheyner
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Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week SCHOOL/CITY LIAISON COMMITTEE ... The committee will discuss the school district’s bullying-prevention plan and Project Safety Net. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, in the Staff Development Conference Room at the Palo Alto Unified School District headquarters (25 Churchill Ave.). CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to meet in a closed session to discuss the status of its labor negotiations with the Service Employees International Union, Local 521. The council also plans to hold its annual meeting with Assemblyman Rich Gordon; discuss the preliminary economic analysis report for 395 Page Mill Road, a proposal by Jay Paul to build 311,000 square feet of office space and a public-safety building; consider a colleagues memo about creating a Palo Alto transportation-demand management plan; and consider the city’s response to a Grand Jury report about disability retirement rates among public-safety employees. The closed session will begin at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16. The rest of the meeting will follow in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). COUNCIL TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONNECTED COMMITTEE ... The committee will continue its discussion on creating a citywide high-speed Internet program. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to consider a re-appropriation request to be carried forward into fiscal year 2014 and discuss the recently completed “Cost of Services” Study. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board is scheduled to discuss 405 Curtner Ave., a request for a new three-story building with six condominiums; 395 Page Mill Road, a proposal by Jay Paul for two four-story buildings and a new public-safety building; and 1400 Page Mill Road, a request by Hanover Page Mill Associates for a review of a new two-story commercial building. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). PUBLIC ART COMMISSION ... The commission plans to hear updates on maintenance of the city’s collection, the percent-for-art program, the construction of Mitchell Park Library and Community Center and possible art for the City Hall lobby. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
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