City Council Weekly Digest

TO: MENLO PARK CITY COUNCIL

FROM: Alex D. McIntyre, City Manager

Friday

March 21, 2014

ITEMS INCLUDED:

Phase III of the El Camino Real Tree Project

Housing Element Update

Menlo Park’s Lawn Be Gone Program Mentioned in the

New York Times

Resource Impacts on Building Inspections

The City and Chamber Partner with the Governor to

Help Businesses Apply for $180M in Tax Credits

ATTACHMENTS:

NY Times Article: “Brown Is

the New Green” mentioning

Menlo Park

ABAG General Assembly

Agenda for April 17, 2014

San Mateo County Mosquito

and Vector Control District

Report - February 2014

League of CA Cities’ Peninsula

Division Winter 2014

Newsletter

Menlo Park Construction News

Update 03/21/2014

Council Digest – March 21, 2014

Page 2

Phase III of the El Camino Real Tree Project

The City’s contractor has started work on Phase III of the El Camino Real Tree Project. The underground utilities along

El Camino Real have been marked and construction is expected to begin in early April. The new tree well locations on

the sidewalk are marked with orange paint. Approximately 70 new London Plane (Platanus x acerfolia ‘Columbia’)

trees will be installed along El Camino Real, between Middle Avenue and Oak Grove Avenue. There will be

intermittent lane closures, parking restrictions and traffic control set-up along El Camino Real during the construction.

Housing Element Update

On March 10, 2014, the Planning Commission reviewed and considered the Final Draft Housing Element (2015-2023),

the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments related to the implementation of several Housing Element programs, and

the environmental documents associated with those items. The Zoning Ordinance amendments under review pertain to

the Emergency Shelter for the Homeless Overlay, Transitional and Supportive Housing and Residential Care Facilities,

Reasonable Accommodation, Secondary Dwelling Units, and Accessory Buildings and Structures.

The Commission discussed each item and made recommendations for the City Council’s consideration. The

Commission was supportive of the work and direction of the proposed amendments, although modifications to the

secondary dwelling unit and accessory buildings and structures ordinances were suggested. Of particular note, the

proposed secondary dwelling unit modifications included:

A further reduction in the minimum lot size for a secondary dwelling unit to 5,000 square feet (from the

originally proposed 5,750 square feet and current regulation of 6,000 square feet).

A new registration process on an annual basis, for up to four years, for homeowners who are temporarily

unable to meet the tenancy requirements.

An increase in the number of plumbing fixtures from three to four before the space is defined and regulated as

“living space” in accessory buildings.

As part of the City’s outreach efforts, all single-family zoned property owners and occupants and those within a 300-foot

radius of the areas were sent a notice last week identifying the proposed modifications. Information on all of the

proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments is available on the Housing Element webpage at

www.menlopark.org/athome.

The City Council meeting to discuss the Housing Element and Zoning Ordinance amendments is scheduled for April 1,

with the second reading of the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments anticipated to occur on April 29. The Zoning

Ordinances would become effective after 30 days. The Housing Element could be adopted on April 1 through a motion

and majority support, and would subsequently need to be reviewed by the State Housing and Community

Development Department for certification. The City Council is the final decision-making body.

Council Digest – March 21, 2014

Page 3

Menlo Park’s Lawn Be Gone Program Mentioned in 3/12/14 New York Times Article

The New York Times article, “Brown is the New Green”, published on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, mentioned Menlo

Park’s Lawn Be Gone program as an example of how homeowners can take advantage of rebates to assist in converting

lawns into water-efficient landscapes. Menlo Park is one of nine water agencies offering the Lawn Be Gone program,

and the New York Times may have highlighted Menlo Park’s program due to the City’s aggressive marketing and

outreach campaign including: social media posts to Facebook and Twitter, press releases highlighting program benefits,

local ads in the Almanac and City Activity Guide, and articles in the Menlo Focus Newsletter. Additionally, the

program has been promoted via announcements at local landscape education classes, flyers posted throughout the

community and door hangers and billing inserts for Menlo Park Municipal Water District customers.

Additionally, in response to the New York Times article, the City was recently approached by a producer of the PBS

“how-to” program “Ask This Old House” about partnering on a special episode devoted to drought in the Western

states. The episode would document the process of lawn removal from start to finish using a residential site in Menlo

Park. The City looks forward to this opportunity as it continues to see increased participation in the Lawn Be Gone

program. The New York Times article is attached.

Resource Impacts on Building Inspections

As noted to the City Council previously, the City lost a contract building inspector in February 2014. To date, we have

been unable to find a replacement although staff continues to work with multiple firms to search for a qualified

candidate. As a result of the continuing shortage in inspection help, service levels are declining. The following table

provides an indication of the changes in service levels over the past few months. As shown, additional resources are

critical for maintaining reasonable service levels. The need for additional inspection services is being driven by the

simultaneous construction of the Facebook West Campus project and large residential projects. This demand is

expected to increase as additional large projects enter the construction phase.

Number of Days

Between Inspection

Request and Completion

Prior to

Contract Inspector

(November 2013)

With

Contract Inspector

(February 2014)

Without

Contract Inspector

(March 2014)

1 20% 78% 19%

2-3 75% 22% 36%

More than 3 5% 0% 45%

Council Digest – March 21, 2014

Page 4

The City and Chamber Partner with the Governor to Help Businesses Apply for $180M in Tax Credits

The City of Menlo Park and The Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce are partnering with other cities, business

organizations and the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to host a workshop on the

Governor's “California Competes” Tax Credit program. The income tax credit is available to businesses that want to

come to California or stay and grow in California. Tax credit agreements are negotiated by GO-Biz and approved by a

newly created “California Competes Tax Credit Committee,” consisting of the State Treasurer, the Director of the

Department of Finance, the Director of GO-Biz, one appointee from the Senate, and one appointee of the Assembly. In

an effort to reward California businesses of all sizes, GO-Biz is offering up to $180 million in tax credits over the next two

years. The local workshop will be held on Friday, March 28th from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the San Mateo Public Library.

Business representatives wishing to attend can register for the free workshop by clicking here. Or visiting the Governor’s

Office of Business and Economic Development website at www.business.ca.gov

PARTIAL LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS

March 21st, Friday 30th Annual San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame Event – San

Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway Street, Redwood City,

5:30-8:00 p.m.

March 21st-22nd, Fri/Sat 5th Annual College and Career Tech Fair – Onetta Harris

Community Center, Fri. 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. & Sat. 9:00 a.m.-1:00

p.m.

March 27th, Thursday League of CA Cities Peninsula Division Meeting – Seaport

Conference Center, Redwood City, 6:00-8:30 p.m.

March 28th, Friday StarVista 22nd Annual Starting Line Breakfast – Crowne Plaza

Hotel 1221 Chess Drive, Foster City, CA 94404, 7:00-9:00 a.m.

March 29th-30th, Sat/Sun HackHS (Hack High School): the largest high school student

hackathon – Facebook HQ, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

April 1st, Tuesday Deadline for Form 700 Conflict of Interest filers

April 11th, 12th, 13th Menlo Park Sidewalk Fine Arts Festival – Santa Cruz Avenue,

Fri/Sat/Sun Fri./Sat 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. & Sun.10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

April 17th, Thursday Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Spring General

Assembly and Annual Business Meeting – City Center Oakland

Marriott, 8:30a.m.- 3:30p.m.

April 19th, Saturday Egg Hunt – Burgess Park & Kelly Park, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

April 26th, Saturday Rebuilding Together Peninsula’s 25th National Rebuilding Day

Bus Tour and Picnic – Oracle, 2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

May 3rd, Saturday Kite Day – Bedwell-Bayfront Park, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Council Digest – March 21, 2014

Page 5

UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

April

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

May

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

June

Tuesday, June 3, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, June 17, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

July

Tuesday, July 15, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

August

Tuesday, August 19, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, August 26, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

September

Tuesday, September 9, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

October

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

November

Tuesday, November 18, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

December

Tuesday, December 2, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

Tuesday, December 16, 2014 7:00 p.m. Council Mtg. (Closed Session, 6:00 p.m.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/garden/brown-is-the-new-green.html?_r=1

Page 1 of 4 Mar 20, 2014 02:48:58PM MDT

When the Grass Isn’t Greener Credit Winni Wintermeyer for The NewYork Times

Brown Is the New Green nytimes.com

Yolanda Muñoz was leading a double life,water-wise.

As an accountant for the Monterey Peninsula WaterManagement District, in Monterey, Calif., Ms.Muñoz heard grim predictions of water shortagesand rationing as the state’s continuing droughtintensified. But each night, she returned to herhome in an older neighborhood on the peninsula,which had a lawn so large and lush she and herhusband, Ed, put in a bench.

“We had a beautiful parklike setting,” Ms. Muñozsaid. “It had a lot of curb appeal. I hated to give up the lawn.”

Still, it seemed like the only responsible thing to do. How could she continue to justify this profligate use ofwater in the face of such widespread shortages?

Contemplating life without a lawn, she moved through the stages of grief, from anger (“I want this lawn!”)to bargaining (“We thought about doing a design where half the lawn would be saved and half ripped out,like a kidney shape”) to depression (“I felt it was kind of hypocritical of me”) and finally to acceptance (“Wecontacted Hill and Dale,” a local landscaping company).

Four months ago, Ms. Muñoz replaced her guilty pasture with a mix of drought-tolerant plants andnon-thirsty boulders and gravel. In place of the daily sprinkler rinse, she now has a water-conserving dripirrigation system. She is slowly adjusting to the native look, she said, scattering wildflower seeds that willsprout this spring.

With rainfall at below-normal levels for several years, and streams dry and reservoirs critically low,particularly in northern areas — even after the storms at the end of last month — many Californians arefacing the reality that in the arid West the well-manicured lawn is no longer realistic, or even possible.Some cities have tightly restricted water use; others have raised usage rates to levels that make grass aluxury item.

As for what constitutes a suitable alternative to the lawn, opinions abound. The Seaside Garden Center,on the Monterey Peninsula, recently held a workshop on artificial turf. Chuck Ingels, a horticulture adviserat the University of California Cooperative Extension, in Sacramento, has experimented with meadow-likebuffalo grass and dune sedge. And one Oakland couple is starting a neighborhood competition nextmonth to promote replacing the lawn with vegetable gardens and native plants.

Lorena Gonzalez, an assemblywoman whose district includes southern San Diego, believes “brown isbeautiful,” as she put it, and has proposed a bill to allow residents of homeowners’ associations to put indrought landscaping or artificial turf or stop watering their grass without incurring fines.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/garden/brown-is-the-new-green.html?_r=1

Page 2 of 4 Mar 20, 2014 02:48:58PM MDT

Meanwhile, in Beverly Hills and other affluent Southern California communities, bright-green,golf-course-plush, triple-fescue lawns remain as ubiquitous as the teams of gardeners required to tendthem.

In true California fashion, the garden hose (or, more precisely, what comes out of it) has lately taken on amystical bent. This weekend, Paola Berthoin, an artist, will be a leader of a retreat to explore the sacrednature of water. Participants will visit the Hastings Natural History Reserve in Carmel Valley, with itsbrittle, moisture-starved underbrush, and, among other activities, explore in a journal humankind’sconnection to water.

“We thought this was the best way to push the message out there that we water,” Ms. Berthoin said.are

At her home in Carmel Valley, Ms. Berthoin’s water concerns are more practical. Though she has installeddrought-tolerant and native-plant landscaping and seven tanks to collect rainwater, she worries about thetwo ponds on her seven-acre property.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the ponds,” she said. “They’re not getting what they need.”

The recent storms across the state aren’t likely to squelch the soul-searching over proper droughtlandscaping, said Mitsugu Mori, the owner of the Seaside Garden Center. “Even if it rained every singleday until April,” Mr. Mori said, “we don’t have enough water.”

Grass has slowly been disappearing from California yards for several years, especially in cities that offerrebates to encourage homeowners to uproot (Ms. Muñoz paid for part of her lawn conversion this way).Menlo Park, for instance, has a Lawn Be Gone program that gives homeowners up to $3,000 if theyconvert their grass lawns to water-efficient landscapes. But the drought has sped up changes to thelandscape, as homeowners opt for more eco-friendly, cost-saving options.

Kathleen Brenzel, the garden editor of Sunset magazine, who lives in Menlo Park, said several of herneighbors have recently pulled up their lawns, planting meadows or succulents instead. “I’ve seen blendsof shrubs that bloom in spring and ornamental grasses,” Ms. Brenzel said. “They catch the sunlight in theirwispy blades.”

Ms. Brenzel, who has a native plant garden at her house, featured a section on drought landscaping in the“Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping,” out last month, which she edited.

“Streamscaping,” one of the techniques the book spotlights, is a favorite of Christine Watten, a designer atHill and Dale Landscapes, the firm that converted Ms. Muñoz’s yard. “We do a lot of dry stream beds withrock,” Ms. Watten said. “It’s like an Arroyo Seco look. It gives dimensionality to the garden, focal points.”

Ms. Watten also likes native ground covers like coast buckwheats and low-growing manzanitas, whichhave an expansive green look.

What’s happening as a result of the water shortage, Ms. Brenzel said, “is that front lawns are getting moreinteresting, and saving water at the same time.”

How interesting front yards become, however, depends largely on what is seen as acceptable

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/garden/brown-is-the-new-green.html?_r=1

Page 3 of 4 Mar 20, 2014 02:48:58PM MDT

landscaping. And even in the midst of a drought of biblical proportions, longstanding ideas hold sway.

When Cory Wechsler and her partner, Alicia Gilbreath, decided to start a water-saving competition in theirOakland neighborhood, announcing in an email last month that “a brown lawn is the new cool,” they weresurprised by the reaction. The couple had led by example: in the front yard of their duplex they planted avegetable garden and fruit trees, and added another vegetable patch and a chicken coop in the back.What grass remained had gone unwatered for more than a year.

“You just have this brown piece of land,” Ms. Wechsler said. “With a little rain, it’s almost as green asanyone else’s lawn.”

But their neighbors showed little enthusiasm for letting their own lawns go brown, she said. “Instead ofgetting excited, people felt like we were attacking their green lawns,” she said. “I do think people placevalue in the idea that something is healthy when it’s green, and when it’s brown, it’s not so.”

The couple have since reframed the competition, downplaying the brown-lawn aspect and focusinginstead on other ways of decreasing water use, from installing a gray-water system to plantingdrought-tolerant flowers and herbs like rosemary.

“There’s no judgment,” Ms. Wechsler said. “Let’s just talk about the decisions each of us are willing tomake.”

Soon, though, homeowners with a traditional green lawn may not have a choice. An average of 50 to 60percent of a household’s water consumption goes to outdoor use, which includes the landscape, said Mr.Ingels, the horticulture adviser. He envisions a future in which lawns go dormant in winter, and possiblyeven in summer, if watering is not allowed.

“The water bills are going up,” Mr. Ingels said. “I think we’re going to start seeing more and more peopleopt for a brown lawn. I think it could become more traditional.”

In Southern California, where water reserves are in (marginally) greater supply than in the northern part ofthe state, many homeowners have not yet reached a lawn reckoning, said Peter Eberhard, a designer withthe Los Angeles firm GDS Designs.

“We’re not at that point in the ’70s when people are draining their pools and in panic mode,” Mr. Eberhardsaid. “The trend here is about reducing the size of the lawn.”

He has torn up plenty of grass in the last few years, but that was motivated less by his clients’ desire toconserve water, he said, than their requests for “outdoor rooms” focused around barbecue pits, kitchensand entertaining areas.

“People want to use their outside areas as an exterior house,” he said. “That’s a huge feature in almostevery house we do now.”

Tine Nilsen wanted a similar kind of hardscape at her house in the Mar Vista section of Los Angeles, andover a year ago hired Mr. Eberhard’s firm. But she was concerned that removing the grass would create abarren-looking landscape.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/garden/brown-is-the-new-green.html?_r=1

Page 4 of 4 Mar 20, 2014 02:48:58PM MDT

“I wanted a modern feel and low maintenance,” Ms. Nilsen said. “What I didn’t want was for it to feel verydesert-y.”

Mr. Eberhard used granite and mulch with new hedging and minimal low-water plants in the backyard, andin the front yard planted beds of succulents that are hand-watered periodically and native low-watershrubs, along with a few trees. “The little bushes are very lush and green,” Ms. Nilsen said. “But not soheavy that they cover everything.” And her new landscaping, which is fed by a drip irrigation system,consumes a quarter of the water her lawn did, she said.

Despite the drought, few people in Ms. Nilsen’s neighborhood have followed suit. Not yet, anyway.

Californians have a complicated, ambivalent relationship with water and, like much of the rest of America,a deep-seated allegiance to their grass lawns. If Ms. Nilsen needs any proof of that, all she has to do isstep outside in the morning and look up and down her street, where the sprinklers are all working furiouslyat keeping her neighbors’ grass green.

Going Brown

With summer on its way, and tighter water restrictions likely, more Californians may soon decide thatgrass isn’t green enough, and opt instead for a different kind of landscape. Here are a few basics forinstalling a drought-tolerant garden.

WHEN TO UPROOT Even drought-tolerant plants require water to get established. If there is mandatoryrationing, it may be best to let the lawn go brown and wait until fall, said Kathleen Brenzel, garden editor ofSunset magazine. Putting down newspaper around the edges and topping it with mulch will kill the lawnafter three to four months. “That’s a summer project, something you can do to prep for fall,” Ms. Brenzelsaid.

COST To replace grass with drought-tolerant plants and inexpensive hardscaping usually runs $10 to $12a square foot, said Tim Hill, an owner of Hill and Dale Landscapes in Monterey, Calif. More-elaborateplantings or masonry work will raise the price. Mr. Hill suggested avoiding the “instant look” and plantingless. It may take a few years for the yard to fill out, but it will bring costs down. Synthetic grass is anotheroption. Marianna Mori, of the Seaside Garden Center on the Monterey Peninsula, said her companycharges $14 a square foot, which includes installation.

MAINTENANCE The amount of watering required should be significantly reduced — to one to three daysa week, maximum, for drought-tolerant or native plants, down from three to four days a week for a typicallawn, said Peter Eberhard of GDS Designs in Los Angeles. And “it can even be less depending on theplant selection,” he said.

Correction: March 20, 2014

An article last Thursday about homeowners in California who are switching away from traditional lawnsbecause of a continuing drought described incorrectly Hill and Dale, which installed drought-resistantplants for a homeowner. It is a landscaping company, not a landscape architecture firm.

Sharing Opportunity in the Bay Area: Access to Jobs and Housing

ABAG Spring General Assembly, Thursday, April 17, 2014, 8:30AM to 2:30PM Oakland Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway (12th Street/City Center BART Station) The Bay Area is poised for significant growth in the coming years -- creating opportunity and prosperity for many of its residents. How can we ensure that benefits reach working families and young people throughout the entire Bay Area? What creative strategies are unfolding that could help advance economic prosperity in struggling cities and towns and among excluded populations? This conference will address these questions and provide elected officials and Bay Area business leaders with strategies to meet these challenges by examining best practices related to job and housing opportunities.

Agenda

8:30- 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00- 9:05 am Opening and Welcome, Julie Pierce, ABAG President and Clayton Councilmember Host City Welcome, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan (invited)

9:05- 9:30 am Plenary, AnnaLee Saxenian, Professor and Dean, UC Berkeley School of Information

9:30-11:45 am Overview of challenges and opportunities related to jobs creation in the Bay Area

9:30- 10:30 am Panel 1, Bay Area Economic Trends Moderator: San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim (invited) Jed Kolko, Chief Economist, Trulia Steve Levy, Director and Senior Economist, Center for Continuing Study of the

California Economy Dena Belzer, President, Strategic Economics 10:45- 11:45 am Panel 2, Industry Perspectives on Job Creation Moderator: Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley Kate Sofis, Executive Director, SF Made Ada Chan, Board Member, Eastside Arts Alliance Julien Gervreau, Sustainability Manager, Jackson Family Wines 11:45am-noon ABAG Annual Business Meeting

Noon- 1:30pm Lunch and Growing Smarter Together Awards

1:30- 2:30 pm Breakout Sessions spotlight strategies emerging in the Bay Area that are tackling the challenges and tapping the opportunities – for towns, cities, and counties.

Breakout Session 1, Connecting people to opportunity - accessing local jobs Moderator: Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt Luther Jackson, NOVA Workforce Development Rigoberto Calocarivas, Multicultural Institute Kellie Noe, Sonoma County Department of Health Services Breakout Session 2, Connecting people to opportunity - accessing affordable

housing in your community Moderator, Santa Rosa Councilmember Julie Combs Claudia Cappio, Director, State Department of Housing and Community Development Meea Kang, President, Domus Development Carlos Romero, Urban Ecology

February 2014

District Report

S a n M a t e o C o u n t y M o s q u i t o a n d V e c t o r C o n t r o l Page 1

District News

Table of Contents

District News 1

Mosquito Sources and Pesticide Use 2

CO₂ Surveillance Traps 2

Balance Sheet 3

Profit and Loss 4

MVCAC 2014 - San Diego 5

USDA Annual Survey - Declining Bee Population Trend 6

The 80th annual international meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) was held in Seattle, Washington on February 2 - 6. In attendance were District Board of Trustees, Leon Nickolas (San Mateo), Steve Hedlund (Portola Valley), District Manager, Robert Gay, and Assistant Manager, Brian Weber.

The 82nd annual state conference of the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) was held in San Diego on February 18 - 21. Many District staff from management, op-erations and the lab participated in talks and poster presentations.

Lab Director, Dr. Nayer Zahiri and Lab Assistant, Warren Macdonald attended a hands-on work-shop on real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques. RT-PCR is a biochemical technology in molecular biology used in the District lab to readily identify any extracted DNA samples that exhibit the presence of viruses and bacterium of a public health significance to hu-mans such as West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease.

So far this season, lab staff have collected a total of 1,997 ticks (Ixodes pacificus) at 10 parks in the county. To be published in Emerging Infectious Diseases (March), a Stanford study (Salkeld et al, 2014) found Borrelia miyamotoi was just as abundant in the county as Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium for Lyme disease. According to the study’s researchers, the eco-epidemiology of B. miyamotoi requires further scrutiny. The District’s RT-PCR testing of all the ticks collected for the disease surveillance program is pending with the results to be released this season.

District Manager, Robert Gay, kicking off the Wednesday morning symposium at MVCAC 2014 in San Diego with an overview of Aedes aegypti surveillance and control activities throughout the 2013 season.

Page 2 Page 2

Mosquito Sources Treated and Pesticide Use by Source Type in 2013

CO₂ Traps - Number of Adult Mosquitoes Collected Within a 24-Hour Period

Five-Year Average

2014

Fresh Water Mosquito

Cool Weather Mosquito

Northern House Mosquito

Western Encephalitis Mosquito

Page 3

District Balance Sheet - Consolidated Funds As of January 31, 2014

January 31, 2014

ASSETS

Current Assets Checking/Savings 1010 · Cash 6,402,366 1010A01 · Cash-VCJPA Property Contingency 36,903 1010A02 · Cash-VCJPA Member Contingency 317,978

1020 · Cash - Petty Cash 200 Total Checking/Savings 6,757,447

Accounts Receivable 1012 · 1012 · Accounts Receivable-001 10,658 Total Accounts Receivable 10,658

Total Current Assets 6,768,105

TOTAL ASSETS 6,768,105

LIABILITIES & EQUITY Liabilities Current Liabilities Accounts Payable 4300-1 · 4300-1 · Accounts Payable 12,536

Total Accounts Payable 12,536

Credit Cards US Bank Credit Card -

Total Credit Cards -

Total Current Liabilities 12,536

Total Liabilities 12,536

Equity

32000 · Retained Earnings 6,107,309

Net Income 648,260

Total Equity 6,755,569

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 6,768,105

Page 4 Page 4

District Profit & Loss - Consolidated Funds As of January 31, 2014

Page 5

Mosquito & Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) Conference 2014 - San Diego

The District was well represented at MVCAC this year with the majority of field operations and lab staff presenting talks and posters on a plethora of relevant topics. Great job everyone!

Assistant Manager, Brian Weber, describing the success of CERT for Aedes aegypti

public outreach activities

Lab Director, Dr. Nayer Zahiri presenting two talks: identification of Aedes aegypti in Menlo Park and

susceptibility monitoring of mosquitoes to microbial and insect growth regulators

Summer lab intern, Destiny Phillips, highlighting the results of her 2013 Blackfly study

Vector Control Technician, David Allen, presenting snake biology information

and safety strategies for field staff

Lab Assistant, Warren Macdonald, providing an detailed synopsis about the physiological changes that occur

after Aedes aegypti take a blood meal

Operations Supervisor, Casey Steven-son, sharing the benefits of using a

bicycle for seasonal inspections in marshlands

Vector Ecologist, Tina Sebay, discussing the surveillance traps used for Aedes aegypti

Left to right: Vector Control Technicians, Kim Keyser, Ben Rusmisel and Hector Cardenas presenting detailed information on Yellowjacket Nest Treatment and Removal Methods, Triangulating Urban Mosquito Sources with CO₂ Trapping, and The Evolution of San Mateo County Cordgrass Over the Past 10 years, respectively.

The San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District is an independent, Special District funded by a property tax voted in by individual cities. Our mission is to safeguard the health and comfort of our citizens through a planned program to reduce mosquitoes and other vectors in an environmentally responsible manner. Extension Robert B. Gay, Manager 12

Brian Weber, Assistant Manager_____ 16

Nayer Zahiri, Laboratory Director 32

Tina Sebay, Vector Ecologist 38

Theresa Shelton, Vector Ecologist 44

Warren Macdonald, Laboratory Assistant 31

Rosendo Rodriguez, Finance Director 11

Page 6

“A VECTOR is any animal that can transmit disease to animals or people.”

We’re on the

web! www.smcmad.org

Page 6

"An Independent Special District Working for You Since 1916"

1351 Rollins Road Burlingame, CA 94010

SAN MATEO COUNTY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL

Phone: 650-344-8592 Fax: 650-344-3843

info@smcmad.org www.smcmad.org

USDA Partnership Annual Survey of U.S. Beekeepers: Declining Bee Population Trend

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) provide critical pollination services that many plants including major agricultural crops are dependent on. The U.S. honey bee population is continu-ing to decline according to the Bee Informed Partnership (http://beeinformed.org), in collabo-ration with the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Preliminary survey results to be published in a full report indicated “. . . 31.1% of managed honey bee colonies in the United States were lost during the 2012/2013 winter. This represents an in-crease in loss of 9.2 points or 42% over the previous 2011/2012 winter’s total losses that were estimat-ed at 21.9% . . . This level of loss is on par with the 6 year average total loss of 30.5%2.”

Until there is scientific consensus on the cause(s) for the decline of the honey bee population and the remedy, there are many things that the community can do to support and encourage lo-cal honey bee populations. The San Mateo County Beekeepers’ Guild provides classes and infor-mation resources such as which garden plants are most attractive to honey bees. In addition, the organization encourages the protection of local hives by providing hive relocation services for a nominal fee. To learn more information, the organization’s website is www.sanmateobeeguild.org

Honey bee departing from a flower heavily laden with pollen on its legs. Photo credit: entnemdept.ufl.edu

With the new year under way and council re-organizations complete, the Peninsula Division hon-ored the newly and re-elected council members at the Annual Reception held at the Mountain View City Hall. Fifteen of the cities in the Division had council elections in 2013. The Division welcomed 13 newly elected council members and celebrated the re-election of 26 fellow councilmembers.

Jose Cisneros, San Francis-co Treasurer and President of the Board of Directors of the League of California Cities, gave the keynote address encouraging the members to engage in League activities and be advocates for their com-

munities at the state and federal levels. He also that the strength of the League’s voice comes from the participation from its members.

Saratoga Council Member and Peninsula Division President Chuck Page spoke to the benefits of being a League member and the need for continual engagement with our State and Federal Legisla-tors.

Members enjoyed the chance to meet the newly elected officials and congratulate their re-elected colleagues to the Division. The Division looks forward to engaging our newly elected and re-elected officials in League activities.

Senator Jerry Hill & Assemblymember Kevin Mullin give the

Peninsula Division a tour of the Capitol during the League’s New

Mayors and Councilmembers Academy

Peninsula Division’s Newly and Re-elected Council Members at the Annual Reception

Peninsula Division Congratulates the Newly and

Re-elected Councilmembers at the Annual Reception Inside this issue:

Bocce Ball

Tournament –

April 17th!

2

Peninsula

Division Dinner—

March 27th

2

League Testifies

at Massage

Therapy Sunset

Hearing

3

Governor Signs

RDA Dissolution

Bill—AB 471

4

League’s New

Online Take

Action Tool

4

Various RDA Disso-

lution Clean-up Bills

Introduced

5

League Co-Sponsors

SB 1262 (Correa) -

Medical Marijuana

6

League’s

Legislative Action

Day—April 23rd

7

CalPERS Adopts

Critical Rate of Re-

turn and Demo-

graphic Assumptions

8

The Peninsula Post Peninsula Division Newsletter

Winter 2014

Jose Cisneros Addresses

the Newly and Re-elected

Councilmembers

2014 Calendar of

Events

9

Come play bocce with us!

Don’t Miss Out on All the Fun

Form Your City’s Team Today

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

The League of California Cities Peninsula Division’s 9th Annual Bocce Tournament Presented by Merlone Geier Partners and Prometheus Real Estate Group

Campo di Bocce 565 University Ave. Los Gatos, CA 95032

Registration: 5:30 PM Dinner: 6:00 PM Games: 6:30 PM

Please contact Jessica Stanfill Mullin for more information at jstanfill@cacities.org or (650) 238-4111.

League of California Cities Peninsula Division Dinner Meeting—March 27th

Please Join Us at the Next Peninsula Division Dinner Meeting Featuring a Panel Discussion of State- Local Policy Issues and Priorities with

the State Legislators Representing the Peninsula Division Panelists: State Senator Jerry Hill, State Assemblymember Rich Gordon,

State Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, and State Assemblymember Mark Stone

Thursday, March 27, 2014 Seaport Conference Center

459 Seaport Ct. Redwood City, CA 94063

As the California State Legislature begins another legislative year and the State prepares for the 2014 elec-tions, please join us for an important discussion on state-local policy issues and priorities with the State Leg-islators that represent the Peninsula Division. This timely discussion will focus on the state budget, infra-structure and transportation, economic development, realignment, water, land use and housing, voter thresholds for local parcel and special taxes, and local control and revenue. Join us for this informative pro-gram to discuss with our Legislators key legislative priorities for the state and local governments. Bring your Council colleagues, city managers, and city staff for this timely discussion.

Page 2

From CA Cities Advocate: Legislators, Mayors, Council Members and Law Enforcement Urge Legislature to Sunset Massage Therapy Regulation Legislation and Stop Proliferation of Illegitimate Massage Establishments

Mayors, council members, police chiefs and other law enforcement flooded the Capitol on Monday to call on the Legislature to replace SB 731 of 2008 with regulations that restore local control over massage therapy businesses to California cities and police departments. The Sunset Review Committee, which jointly comprises the Assembly Business Professions and Consumer Protection committee and the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development committees, took up SB 731 in its sunset review hearing Monday afternoon. SB 731 (Oropeza) created a voluntary certification process through a nonprofit organization for massage professionals. Instead of profes-sionalizing massage therapists, the legislation has created a mechanism that allows establishments that offer illicit services to prosper be-cause cities are effectively prevented from regulating massage establishments. These places may also serve as fronts for human trafficking. News Conference The day began with a news conference in the Capitol, where Assembly Member Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Member Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) joined representatives from cities, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations to talk with the press about the issue. Assembly Member Gomez spoke about the problems with the current certification process. Assembly Member Holden told reporters that members of the joint committee are concerned about the issues cities have raised with SB 731. The event was well covered with reporters and cameras attending from KCRA-TV, Capital Public Radio, Capitol Television News Service, Ventura County Star, Orange County Register and Sacramento Bee. The Pasadena Star-News also ran a story following the hearing. Committee Hearing The Business and Professions Sunset Review Committee, which jointly comprises the Assembly Business Professions and Consumer Protection and the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development committees, heard testimony on SB 731 in the afternoon in the hearing that lasted until 5:00 p.m. League Legislative Representative Kirstin Kolpitcke’s testimony emphasized the issues that have arisen since the enactment of SB 731. For example, the city of Stanton had just one establishment in 2009. Today there are 28, with 26 of these advertising on illicit websites. She explained how human trafficking and prostitution have proliferated under SB 731. In her remarks, Kolpitcke outlined the League’s priorities including:

Having a state agency oversee the certification/licensing of massage professionals instead of a nonprofit.

Requiring owners of massage establishments to be responsible for what occurs in their businesses. Currently, CAMTC is only responsible for certified employees and owners. If an owner is not certified, CAMTC can take no action against the owner. Compounding the prob-lem is that local governments have their hands tied and cannot regulate these businesses.

Modifying the language that authorizes local governments to regulate massage businesses to the extent a jurisdiction “uniformly” regu-lates all other business professionals. Because cities and counties do not uniformly regulate business professionals, the existing law effectively prevents the regulation of the massage industry.

Existing law prevents local governments from charging massage establishments more than the lowest business license fee of any pro-fessional service. The statute should be clarified that local governments can charge fees to recoup the costs of enforcing the statute. Since CAMTC does not investigate massage establishments, the only way inspections will occur is if local governments do it.

Sens. Marty Block (D-San Diego) and Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Redondo Beach), and Assembly Members Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) and Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) all raised questions or expressed concerns about the implementation of SB 731. Assembly Member Bonilla, committee co-chair, thanked the local officials for their testimony and stressed how she and her colleagues take the concerns of cities seriously. “The sunset review process provides the opportunity to formally review the California Massage Therapy Council and we will be addressing the serious concerns raised by local government and law enforcement regarding the proliferation of illegal massage businesses.“ Sen. Lieu, committee co-chair, spoke about the need to reform SB 731. “After listening to the testimony and reviewing the materials at the joint hearing, I believe the current law is not working as intended. It has resulted in increased prostitution and human trafficking in neigh-borhoods and cities across California. That is not acceptable. I will work closely with my committee and the Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee to fix this law so that we can fully protect both licensees and the public.” Next Steps The League would like to thank the mayors, council members, law enforcement and nonprofit representatives who traveled to Sacramento on Monday to participate in the morning news conference and legislative hearing that did not adjourn until late in the afternoon. The League will be reaching out to the members on the committees so that our concerns can be addressed in the sunset legislation. In the coming days the League will prepare a sample letter for cities to use to express their concerns with SB 731 to the committee. Additional information is available at www.cacities.org/massage.

Page 3

Governor Signs Legislation Addressing Redevelopment Dissolution Issues

On Feb. 18, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation authored by Assembly Speaker-Elect Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) clarifying current law governing the dissolution of local redevelopment agencies (RDA). The bill, AB 471 (Atkins), represents a second attempt by the Speaker-Elect to address RDA dissolution issues after the Governor vetoed her previous bill, AB 662, last year. AB 471, which passed unanimously in its final form, makes several helpful changes affecting the dissolution process and clarifies that infrastructure finance districts (IFD) can be established on territory within a former RDA project area. The League appreciates the continued work and efforts of the Speaker-Elect to develop solutions that address issues affecting redevelopment dissolution. In brief, AB 471 makes the following changes to the state law governing the redevelopment dissolution process: New Housing Entity Cost Allowance

Defines, for the period between July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2018, a “housing entity administrative cost allowance” as an amount of up to 1 percent of the property tax, but not less than $150,000, allocated to the Redevelopment Agency Retirement Fund on behalf of the successor agency for each applicable fiscal year.

Provides that if a local housing authority assumed the housing functions of a former RDA then the housing entity administrative cost allowance shall be listed on the successor agency’s Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS).

Provides that if there are insufficient moneys in the Redevelopment Agency Retirement Fund to make the payment authorized by this subdivision (sub. (p) of Sec. 34171) then the unfunded amount may be listed on each subsequent ROPS until paid in full.

Long Range Property Management Plan – “Redevelopment Plan”

Broadens the term “redevelopment plan” to include projects listed in a community plan or five-year implementation plan to clarify parcels that may be transferred from a successor agency to a city or county pursuant to a Long Range Property Management Plan.

Loan Repayments – Accounting Clarification

Makes a technical change to the law to ensure that payments made to taxing entities from the due diligence review (DDR) process are not double-counted in the calculation of the amount of the annual repayments for loans that were previously issued by a city or county to an RDA.

Infrastructure Finance Districts (IFD) -- Former Redevelopment Areas

Removes the existing restriction in IFD law which prohibits an IFD from being located on territory included within a RDA project area. This change provides additional flexibility to the future use of IFDs.

League Launches Online Legislative Take Action Tool

The League of California Cities is pleased to offer a new tool to its members that will help streamline the process of communicating your city’s support or opposition to League “hot’ bills” (legislation that holds significant impact on cities). League action alerts from the League’s regional public affairs managers will include a link to the League’s Take Action Center where a sample letter will be available for customization. Action alerts will still include a Word version of the letters but the goal is for city officials to find this new online tool an efficient alternative that helps get city letters out fast and to the right legislative offices. The Frequently Asked Questions has a great deal of information about the new tool but below is a brief summary of the highlights: Letters are pre-addressed to where they need to go if the primary target is the author. Users can then select their

Assembly member or senator to receive it as well. There are other options to cc colleagues or community contacts who may be interested that you are sending a letter on a certain issue. A copy of the letter is always sent to the person who sends the letter.

Areas of the letter that require customizing are in ALL CAPS. The system will not submit a letter if the ALL CAPS are not customized with your city name and issues or at least deleted.

City logos are pre-loaded in the system to be placed at the top of the letter. If your city’s logo is not in the system it can be easily uploaded or League staff can do it.

An optional feature exists to upload an electronic signature so that each letter is signed by a contact from your city. Strict security measures are in place in the system including a spam guard and each letter is reviewed by the

League prior to sending. Page 4

Various Redevelopment Dissolution Clean-Up Bills Introduced Several legislative “clean-up” measures have been introduced this session to address problems with the complicated and frustrating redevelopment dissolution process. The state efforts’ overseeing the dismantling of more than 385 redevelopment agencies (RDA) has been severely flawed. While there have been prior efforts to improve the process, most have stalled or been rejected by an Administration focused on more rigid interpretations benefiting the state’s financial bottom line. This dynamic has left little recourse for local agencies but to seek resolution in the courts. It is unclear if things may be changing. With the state budget now stabilized, the Administration has signaled a willingness to explore the creation of new economic development tools. The Infrastructure Finance District (IFD) proposal floated in Gov. Jerry Brown’s FY 2014–15 budget proposal has many limitations, but may represent the beginning of a discussion. It remains to be seen if there is a similar willingness to improve the redevelopment dissolution process. The following is a listing of several RDA dissolution clean-up proposals introduced by some prominent members of the Legislature in the 2014 legislative session: SB 1129 (Steinberg): Successor Agencies and Oversight Board Approval Authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) SB 1129 makes the following changes to existing law relating to successor agencies:

2011 Bonds: Allows a successor agency to use proceeds of bonds issued during 2011 under the following conditions: (a) bond proceeds are used for the purposes for which they were sold; (b) the successor agency’s oversight board approves the bond proceeds’ usage; and (c) the oversight board makes a finding, in consultation with the appropriate metropolitan planning organization (MPO) that the use of the bonds is consistent with the sustainable communities strategy adopted by the MPO.

Long Range Property Management Plans (LRPMP): Currently, successor agencies must submit a LRPMP for approval by the oversight

board and the Department of Finance (DOF) within six months after DOF issues a Finding of Completion. This bill: (a) removes the existing statutory deadline of Jan. 1, 2015 for t DOF to approve these plans, thereby avoiding the default of having the original provisions of RDA dissolution legislation ABx1 26 (Blumenfield, 2011) govern the disposal of real property; (b) provides that a compensation agreement with the taxing entities is not required when property is transferred to the city/county for a project identified in the redevelopment plan; specifies that DOF review of the plan is limited to whether the plan makes a good faith effort to include the contents required by existing law; and (d) requires DOF to approve LRPMPs as expeditiously as possible.

New Benefits for Agencies with Finding of Completion: Adds the following new benefits for successor agencies receiving a finding of

completion: (a) requires DOF to receive oversight board approval prior to DOF’s removal of an enforceable obligation from a Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules (ROPS); and (b) authorizes a successor agency to enter into or amend existing contracts and agreements, and administer projects in connection with an approved enforceable obligation, if the contract, agreement, or project will not commit new property tax funds, and will not otherwise reduce property tax payments to taxing entities.

AB 1963 (Atkins): Redevelopment and Long-Range Property Managements Plans This bill removes the existing statutory deadline of Jan. 1, 2015 for DOF to approve LRPMPs, thereby avoiding the default of having the original provisions of ABx1 26 govern the disposal of real property. The elements of AB 1963 could potentially expand in the future to include other clean-up provisions. The author, incoming Assembly Speaker-Elect Toni Atkins (D-San Diego has been one of the most engaged legislators in the Capitol concerned about impacts of the RDA dissolution process on local governments. She currently serves on the internal Assembly Redevelopment Working Group and recently authored and was successful in obtaining the Governor’s signature on helpful RDA dissolution clean-up bill AB 471. AB 1582 (Mullin): Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules (ROPS) Annual Fiscal Period This measure extends the existing ROPS process to require it to occur once per year instead of once every six months. Assembly Member Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) has been active in his efforts to address RDA dissolution issues in the past. Last year he carried League-sponsored AB 564, which would have prevented the DOF from reversing previous approvals affecting benefits available to local agencies receiving a finding of completion. Gov. Jerry Brown ultimately vetoed the bill despite the fact that it received overwhelming bipartisan support from the Legislature where it passed without a single “No” vote. AB 2671 (Bloom): Vehicle for 2011 RDA Bond Proceeds In its current form, AB 2671, authored by Assembly Member Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) is a legislative vehicle for his continued efforts to allow local agencies access bond proceeds issued by redevelopment agencies in 2011. Assembly Member Bloom last year carried League-supported AB 981 on this topic, but the measure stalled in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Page 5

League Board of Directors Votes to Co-Sponsor Medical Marijuana

Dispensary Regulation Legislation

The League board of directors on Thursday, Feb. 21, voted to co-sponsor legislation to improve the regulation of medical cannabis in a manner that protects local control, addresses important public safety concerns, and enhances health and safety standards. The legislation, SB 1262, is sponsored by the California Police Chiefs Association and authored by Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), a veteran legislator who has a long history of working with law enforcement organizations as well as local government. SB 1262 will for the first time provide a clear road map for the responsible implementation of Proposition 215 in California, since voters approved it in 1996. This bill, which has been carefully vetted with city attorneys, police chiefs, and the League’s Public Safety Policy Committee, provides what California has lacked since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996: a reasonable public safety and health-based approach to implementing this proposition in a state with great size and diversity. Marijuana Regulation Webpage The League has created a Medical Marijuana Regulation webpage that hosts various resources related to the issue including bill language, a fact sheet, the League and California Police Chiefs’ joint letter to League members and more. Background Recent events in the medical marijuana arena have compelled both the California Police Chiefs Association and the League of California Cities to re-evaluate our longstanding respective positions of unconditional opposition to legislation on this issue. The two organizations joined forces in 2013 to defeat no fewer than four bills in the California Legislature that sought to regulate medical marijuana. Both organizations opposed each of the bills over concerns they would have pre-empted local control, ignored significant public safety concerns, and failed to address important health and safety issues. While each measure was defeated, those victories were hard-won and achieved with increasingly slender margins. One of the four bills, AB 604, failed by only two votes on the Senate Floor. It was not feasible to ignore the fact that the political landscape on this issue was shifting. In August 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a memorandum stating that it would refrain from enforcing the federal Controlled Substances Act as it applied to medical marijuana, so long as dispensary operators were in compliance with state and local laws, and were not selling to or facilitating transfers to minors. A few months later the Public Policy Institute of California released a poll indicating that 60 percent of likely California voters supported legalization. These developments indicate a changing attitude toward marijuana on the part of the federal government and California’s voting public. Independently, the League and the California Police Chiefs Association came to realize that although strongly opposed to marijuana use, it is increasingly likely that some statewide regulatory structure for medical marijuana could be enacted in the near future. Leaders in both organizations also realized that without proactive intervention it could take a form that was severely damaging to our interests.

Page 6

Legislative Action Day Registration Now Open One-Day Event Will Be Held Wednesday, April 23

The League’s annual Legislative Action Day is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23 in Sacramento. Previously two days, this event has been consolidated into a single day to make participation more affordable to all cities. This is a free conference for League members and League Partners. The day will start at 10:00 a.m. with a general briefing on current budget issues and a legislative and policy update on a wide range of topics including: Status of new economic development tools; Land use issue including housing and illicit massage; Public safety issues including realignment, medical marijuana and internet cafes; Status of water bond discussions; Cap-and-trade allocations; and Transportation finance developments. Following the briefing, which ends at 11:30 a.m., city officials will have time to meet with the legislators in the Capitol. The League’s Latino Caucus is co-sponsoring a legislative panel on job creation, economic development, water proposals, among other issues, from 3:00– 4:30 p.m. For city officials who are able to extend their day, the League will be hosting a legislative reception from 5:30–6:30 p.m. Registration Online registration closes April 2. After that date, attendees can register onsite but space is not guaranteed. For registration questions, please contact Megan Dunn.

Legislative Action Day Preview: Briefing on Priority Bills Free Webinar for Members on April 10 Join the League’s Legislative team for a legislative briefing to review the top priority bills that will impact local governments. League lobbyists will be sharing information on legislation affecting redevelopment agency dissolution follow-up, land use, employee relations, public safety and local control. This free, members- only webinar will be held Thursday, April 10 from 1:30–3:00 p.m.

The April 10 webinar is designed to provide city officials with the information on priority bills needed to successfully advocate on behalf of their cities. Register online by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9. Webinar log-in information will be sent the afternoon of April 9. Typically the League only allows one connection per city for webinars. However, due to the capacity for this webinar, the League will be allowing two connections per city to provide easier access for our members. For registration questions, please contact Megan Dunn. This webinar is free to League member and League Partners. Non-member cities will be charged $100 per login.

Page 7

CalPERS Adopts Critical Rate of Return and Demographic Assumptions

Yesterday after extensive hearings, workshops and stakeholder engagement, the PERS Board of Administration voted to retain its current long-term assumed rate of return at 7.5 percent and adopted separate actuarial assumptions for the mortality of state and local employers. While the rate of return decision is not expected to influence employer or employee rates, CalPERS estimates that the new mortality assumptions will cost local agencies an average of up to 9 percent of payroll for safety classifications and up to 5 percent of payroll for miscellaneous employees by year five of the phase in. Some city officials believe these estimates may be low because of the continued decline in the local government workforce in many cities, reducing the number of active employees contributing to CalPERS. CalPERS staff had recommended for both the state and local employers that the cost of the new mortality assumptions be phased in over five years starting in FY 2016–17 and amortized over 20 years. In response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s strong urging, the board voted to speed up implementation of the increased cost of the new mortality assumptions on the state only to begin in FY 2014–15 and to complete the phase in over three years instead of five. Recognizing that many local agencies have different fiscal capacities than the state, however, the board voted to adopt the staff recommendation of a five-year phase in beginning in FY 2016–17 and amortized over 20 years with a ramp down afterwards. During the hearing, League Executive Director Chris McKenzie, Pico Rivera City Manager Ron Bates, Sacramento Finance Director Leyne Milstein and other local government and labor representatives spoke in favor of the staff recommendation as a default, but also urged the board to approve both a pre-funding option (i.e., a shorter phase in) and a seven-year phase in option for local agencies whose governing bodies adopt a resolution making the request. McKenzie had earlier submitted a letter outlining this recommendation and the results of a League member survey on this issue. CalPERS Chief Actuary Alan Milligan informed the board that his staff was already working on implementing the League’s request for a more aggressive pre-funding option in the form of a three-year phase in option for those local agencies that could afford to pre-pay and that he would work with any local agency to customize a different pre-payment plan. After a motion by board Vice President Priya Mathur to support the seven-year phase in option was seconded, the board had extensive discussion about the proposal and whether it provided substantial relief to those local agencies that may need it. Ultimately the board adopted a substitute motion to approve the staff recommendation with a five-year phase in. From the League’s perspective this was vastly preferable to a three-year phase in that the board approved for the state, which one director indicated during debate that he had initially considered proposing as mandatory for local agencies as well. CalPERS Director Bill Slaton questioned Alan Milligan about the availability of a “hardship exemption” for those local agencies that may feel they cannot manage the cost of the five-year phase in. Milligan said the existing hardship exemption policy was essentially unworkable. After the board meeting, League and CalPERS staff discussed working in the near future on the development of a workable waiver or exemption policy that would for those local agencies that can demonstrate a documented need. A number of directors also expressed interest in considering such a policy in the near future. The League expresses appreciation to all the cities that responded to its recent survey on this subject. More information will be provided by CalPERS and the League on this issue in the near future. For further information, the comprehensive PERS staff report on Agenda Item 3a is available on the CalPERS website. The contribution rate impacts of recommended assumptions using current board amortization policy are also available online. The full meeting agenda is also available on the CalPERS website.

Page 8

Save the Date—Upcoming League Events

2014

March 27, 2014—Peninsula Division Quarterly Dinner Meeting, Seaport Confer-

ence Center, Redwood City

April 10, 2014—Legislative Action Day Webinar

April 17, 2014—Peninsula Division Annual Bocce Ball Tournament, Campo di

Bocce, Los Gatos

April 23, 2014—Legislative Action Days, Sacramento

June 26, 2014—Peninsula Division Quarterly Dinner Meeting, Michaels at

Shoreline, Mountain View

September 5-7, 2014—Annual Conference, Los Angeles

October 23, 2014—Peninsula Division Quarterly Dinner

Meeting, Seaport Conference Center, Redwood City

Page 9

Menlo Park Construction News Update March 21, 2014

The construction news update provides summarized weekly news on ongoing construction activities. It is intended to provide advance information for decision makers, including City Management, Police Department, Fire District, Post Office, SamTrans, etc. so they can anticipate potential impacts and respond accordingly. Please direct any construction inquiries to the assigned inspectors for immediate attention or contact the project engineer. To receive email notices of updates of this newsletter (or other available City publications) use this subscription link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CAMENLO/subscriber/new?topic_id=CAMENLO_93

New this report:

Construction activities with significant impact on traffic this coming week:

Item No.

Project Description Status Significant Impacts

1

Willow Road/VA Hospital Entrance/Durham Street Signal Modification Project Work entails the complete reconstruction of the Willow Road//VA Hospital Entrance/Durham Street intersection. It includes: shifting the VA Entrance to align with Durham Street, new traffic signals, new ADA compliant curb ramps, and new stamped asphalt crosswalks.

Contractor would like to begin construction on the northeast corner of the intersection of Willow Road and VA Hospital entrance as soon possible. They are currently working to provide additional information to the City prior to beginning work. The work entails new curb, gutter, and sidewalk to realign the VA Hospital entrance with Durham Street, as well as installation of new storm drain pipes and drain inlets.

Once work begins, it will require closure of the sidewalk along the north side of Willow Road at the VA Hospital entrance. Some sidewalk closures possible next week. No significant vehicular traffic impacts expected next week. Once work begins in the right-of-way, expect potential extreme delays due to traffic control lane closures. Veterans Affairs Project

Manager: Min Pham (650) 444-5805 City Project Engineer: Rene Punsalan (650) 330-6758 City Engineering Inspector: Eric Hinkley (650) 330-6749 Contractor: Halbert Construction Company Kenny Steidl (619) 971-0199

2

Oak Grove Avenue and Merrill Street In-pavement Lighted Crosswalk Work entails the installation of high intensity flashing LED lights in the pavement surface, new ADA compliant access ramps, colored textured pavement, and related signs and striping to increase pedestrian safety at the existing crosswalk on Oak Grove Avenue at Merrill Street.

Contractor has completed all work. Project has been completed.

No impacts.

City Project Engineer: Rene Punsalan (650) 330-6758 City Engineering Inspector: Eric Hinkley (650) 330-6749 Contractor: Bear Electrical Services, Inc. (408) 449-5178

3

Sharon Heights Pump Station Project: The work entails replacement of an existing pump station which is a critical component of the water distribution system. The pump station takes water from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and increases its pressure to serve the Sharon Heights neighborhood, SLAC, Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club and to two reservoirs.

Construction began on October 31, 2013 and is expected to be completed in April, 2015. Activities for the upcoming week: For the upcoming week of March 24, 2014, Anderson Pacific will start the demolition of the existing transformer slab, they will start laying out and surveying for the new foundations. Anderson will also install the new temporary controls for the pumps, and continue with the fabrication of the underground piping.

Majority of work to occur in the City’s pump station lot at Sharon Park Drive and Lassen Drive. Except for the occasional equipment and supply deliveries, no significant traffic impact is anticipated throughout construction.

City Project Engineer: Rene Punsalan (650) 330-6758 Construction Management: Swinerton Management & Consulting Project Manager: Jorge Bermudez (408) 204-6205 Contractor: Anderson Pacific, Inc. Matt Mirenda (408) 482-5951

4

Hamilton Avenue Sanitary Sewer Upgrade for the Facebook Development Project: The work entails upsizing an existing sanitary sewer from 12-inch to 16-inch diameter along Hamilton Ave. immediately west of Willow Road. This sewer upgrade will accommodate the Facebook private development project.

Construction of this project was temporarily suspended. Utility conflicts owned by Comcast and PG&E need to be cleared prior to resumption of work. Coordination with utility companies’ on-going.

Most of the work is being constructed at night to minimize traffic impacts; however, the pavement work will occur during the day. Expect minimal traffic interruption during construction. Parking restrictions may be enforced as necessary.

City Project Engineer: Rene Punsalan (650) 330-6758 Construction Management: Facebook Project Manager: Fergus O’Shea (415) 680-7998 Contractor: Preston Pipelines

5

El Camino Real Trees Project – Phase III: This project consists of planting approximately 70 London Plane trees in the sidewalk and median islands along El Camino Real from Oak Grove Avenue to Middle Avenue. Additional work items include installation of an irrigation system and some miscellaneous concrete work.

Contract was awarded to Del Conte’s Landscaping on January 28, 2014. City has conducted a pre-construction meeting with the Contractor and is currently gathering required documentation prior to start of construction.

Potential delays due to traffic control along El Camino Real during construction hours.

City Project Engineer: Rene Punsalan (650) 330-6758 City Engineering Inspector: Eric Hinkley (650) 330-6749 Contractor: Del Conte’s Landscaping (510) 353-6030