City Council & School Board Candidate Forums

With less than fifty days until Election Day, and with many voters planning to vote early by mail, the races for Palo Alto City Council and PAUSD School Board are already in full-swing. There are 10 candidates running for 4 seats for City Council and 6 candidates running for 3 seats on the School Board.

For those still figuring out who they’re voting for, there are a number of forums and debates with the candidates in the coming weeks. All of the following events are online; in most cases, you can use the links to register in advance.

In addition, the Palo Alto League of Women’s Voters is holding candidate forums for congressional, state senate and assembly, and county school board races, and more. Visit their site to register; after registering, you’ll be able to submit questions for the candidates.

Stanford Limiting Public Access Starting Sep 1

Stanford announced Friday that it will be limiting public access to most of the campus starting Tuesday, September 1, as it prepares for the return of students, faculty, and staff for fall quarter. Areas like the Dish and Stanford Golf Course will remain accessible to the public, but most of the central campus will not. Here’s Stanford’s letter to the community:

Dear neighbors,

On August 7, the California Department of Public Health issued guidance for institutions of higher education as colleges and universities across the state work to resume operations curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines include limiting nonessential visitors from entering higher education campuses and using campus resources.   

To comply with this guidance, beginning September 1, Stanford University is implementing zones that restrict the public from entering the newly established Academic Campus Zone in the center of campus and other areas with student housing and academic, athletic and cultural facilities, while continuing to allow public access in Community Zones that include the Dish area, the Arboretum and the golf course and driving range. More details about the program are in Stanford Report and the FAQ. 

We anticipate these changes will be temporary and look forward to welcoming visitors back as public health conditions improve. 

Please send questions to communityrelations@stanford.edu. Thank you.

The map below shows the new zones and their restrictions; click through for a larger version. New signage will be installed on campus to help the campus community and visitors navigate these new restrictions.

Around the Terrace: August 20, 2020

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Here are some recent announcements and news stories of interest to College Terrace and the surrounding area.

New College Terrace Parking Permit System
The City has launched a new parking permit management system, testing it initially in College Terrace. This new system is online now and will eventually allow for 24/7 account access, purchasing or renewing permits online, receiving automatic program updates and reminders, and purchasing and printing daily permits.

Delivery and Shopping from Munger Market
Munger Market, the Stanford convenience store managed by former JJ&F manager John Garcia, is doing delivery and curbside pickup of ready-to-eat meals, fresh produce, and groceries to neighborhoods near campus. Download their app to place an order.

Stanford Goes Online for Autumn Quarter
After initially planning to bring back half of its undergraduates to campus, Stanford has decided to move nearly all undergraduate instruction online for the fall.

Around the Terrace: June 25, 2020

Here are some recent announcements and news stories of interest to College Terrace and the surrounding area.

Cameron Park Renovation Project Meeting on July 2 at 6:30pm
The second online community meeting for the Cameron Park renovation project will be next Thursday, July 2, at 6:30pm. Email Jeanette.serna@cityofpaloalto.org to RSVP. The Parks and Recreation Commission will also discuss the project at their upcoming meeting on Tuesday, June 30, at 7pm. To participate in this meeting  please visit the commission’s home page the day of the meeting for the link.

Like California Ave, University Ave Will Close to Traffic
After the success of closing California Avenue to traffic to make room for outdoor dining and retail, the City Council voted to do the same on University Avenue between High Street and Cowper Street starting on July 3. (University Avenue will also be closed this weekend.)

Stanford Dish to Reopen in Early July
Stanford is actively preparing to reopen the Dish area, with the goal of allowing visitors again in early July. Changes include the installation of a new pedestrian access gate at Stanford Avenue and temporary signage throughout the Dish area, as well as the smoothing of areas next to the pathway to allow more room for passing.

College Terrace Library & Budget Update

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Thanks to the many neighbors who have written to the City Council these past few weeks in support of the College Terrace Library. The good news is that the latest budget proposal, released on Thursday, restores funding for a number of programs, including the College Terrace Library.

Under this new proposal, the College Terrace Library would be open three days a week, as would the Downtown and Children’s libraries. Rinconada and Mitchell Park would each be open six days a week.

Of course, nothing is certain until the budget is officially adopted. We encourage residents to continue writing to the City Council, focusing on the four council members who voted against Greg Tanaka’s motion to save the College Terrace Library during the initial budget discussions: Alison Cormack, Eric Filseth, Adrian Fine, and Liz Kniss.

The City Council will discuss the updated budget proposal starting at 1pm on Tuesday, May 26th. As before, residents can watch (and comment) via Zoom. Here are the details:

https://zoom.us/join
Meeting ID: 958 3084 9418
Phone: 1-669-900-6833

If you’re on the Zoom app or website, click the “Raise Hand” button to signal that you want to talk and you’ll eventually be given two minutes to speak. If you’re dialing in by phone, press *9.

The College Terrace Library is most than just a library – it’s a gathering place and hub for residents of College Terrace, Evergreen Park, Southgate, Mayfield, Ventura, Barron Park, Stanford, and beyond. And as we begin to slowly emerge from the isolation of shelter-in-place, we’ll need community centers like the College Terrace Library more than ever.