Planning & Transportation Commission - February 12, 2025

Commission recommends permanent California Avenue and Ramona Street closures

The Planning & Transportation Commission recommended that the City Council permanently designate portions of California Avenue and Ramona Street as car-free. The affected stretches are California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street and Ramona Street between University and Hamilton avenues. The motion carried with five affirmative votes and no recorded noes or abstentions.

The streets have been closed to general vehicle traffic since June 2020. Under the proposal, California Avenue would become a Community Street open to pedestrians and bicycles, with access for emergency, utility and maintenance vehicles and an exception process for commercial vehicles. The approximately 200-foot Ramona Street segment would become a Pedestrian Only Street where mounted bicycles would be prohibited.

Commissioners supported the permanent designations while seeking additional work before the item reaches the council. The motion directs staff to consult Caltrain about the California Avenue closure, consider an additional appropriately located ADA parking space and revise the resolutions when warranted by commissioner feedback. Commissioners also raised questions about station and shuttle access, accessible routes, mobility devices and private commercial use of the public right-of-way.

Staff said an environmental addendum found no new or substantially more severe significant effects than those evaluated in the Comprehensive Plan environmental review and proposed no new mitigation measures. Council consideration was anticipated in mid-March or early April 2025. If approved, staff would develop outdoor-activation standards and phased improvements, with the first phase envisioned for 2025. Staff estimated near-term California Avenue improvements at approximately $825,000.

Public-comment time rule will return for formal action

Commissioners took no formal action on a proposed change to public-comment rules because the item had been listed as a study session rather than an action item. Staff will return with the amendment after confirming the proper procedure with the City Attorney.

The current rules begin individual public comments at five minutes and allow reductions to four or three minutes. Staff proposed letting the chair reduce the limit to two minutes when many people wish to speak. Cari Templeton and Bart Hechtman supported allowing a one-minute limit in rare high-volume circumstances, while Doria Summa favored a two-minute minimum because one minute may be insufficient for substantive comments. Allen Akin suggested considering objective triggers, such as more than 30 speakers or a 30-minute overall comment period. Those thresholds were discussed but not adopted.

Stream-protection concerns await a staff response

Feedback from a stream-corridor protection community meeting included Edgewood residents’ security concerns and questions about how a 40-foot streamside setback could affect existing homes, while other participants sought stronger repair and buffer requirements for channelized streams. Commissioners Allen Akin and Doria Summa reported participating in the meeting and related site visits. Staff is expected to address the detailed comments before the ordinance returns to the commission; no action was taken.

El Camino striping continues as Crescent Park review approaches

Staff reported that Caltrans’ El Camino Real repaving and bicycle-lane project was in the striping phase, with scheduling dependent on weather. Traffic-signal detection-loop work is scheduled for June. Transportation staff also anticipated bringing the Crescent Park Traffic Calming Project to the commission in early April.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet