[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6307349,"mediaKeyId","2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3","parentId",2433705,"title","Woodside council introduces ordinance to end November meeting ban; approves consent items","audioSeconds",792,"startMs",2230000,"endMs",3022000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3&start=2230&end=3022","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3/thumbnail_2230000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307349/California/Woodside-council-introduces-ordinance-to-end-November-meeting-ban-approves-consent-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307349-05a56af3cf3e04a5b54287274bde71cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908092&Signature=n5jOrcpCCrPsmmXu7okTjHW9e1Yj9QpA0nbZxerZgtfRTeAtOHMmwbYIWCPNqYmOGGOUfl-4wl3hySyCm8ShzR0mfSuHY7aE88Drr1fASH1vKts4cI9idGfrpT3Xf7Dsks4rp-12BxGvW9WnkSME-nhCZdurFN~020UcJqGseZB155OvFJ0BkJeEQLdb5ZaM64PyIN1QDeizN0RTdkpOrnVoJUZ0CbrZG2qafNZkq0YxFP9ouxgIeN57cgX2ls642B6ue~Ak9To23FkovXFppZbFlAYQQLnrVe3QFgXSI3hNh35xbbi5YRK-Zb8hh4weL0xrO-LH4KiH~GZcLQ6OiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Woodside","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Woodside Town Council on Jan. 25 introduced an ordinance to remove a municipal-code provision that has, since 1997, prohibited the council from meeting between a general municipal election and the canvassing and certification of results.

Town Manager Kevin Bayer reviewed the code's history and told the council the provision effectively banned meetings in November of election years. \"This past fall, we had a situation where we had a new member elected, but the majority of the council stayed the same,\" Bayer said, explaining the provision's origins as a 1997 attempt to prevent so-called \"lame duck\" councils from taking actions after elections.

Bayer said the town is the only jurisdiction in San Mateo County with that rule and that removing it would allow future councils the flexibility to hold November meetings after elections. The ordinance was introduced for adoption at a subsequent meeting.

Council members expressed broad support. Council member Abarish said he saw no reason to restrict the council's ability to meet, and other members noted practical scheduling issues around Thanksgiving but said they preferred to retain the flexibility. One council member suggested revisiting the mayor's pardon power as a separate item.

The council also handled consent-agenda business. After pulling two items for questions, the council approved the remaining consent items in a single roll-call motion and later approved the two pulled items following staff responses.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve consent agenda items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9: Approved (roll call: Council member Abarish
Yes; Council member Brown Yes; Council member Gold Yes; Mayor Domkowski Yes).
- Motion to approve consent items 4 and 5 (pulled for questions): Approved (roll call: Council member Abarish Yes; Council member Brown Yes; Council member Gold Yes; Mayor Domkowski Yes). Item 4 was a proposed contract for stormwater runoff inspections; council members questioned hourly cost-per-inspector and staff explained the state requires comprehensive reporting and staff rely on the contractor's prior pilot work. Item 5 concerned the town center area plan consultant selection and questions about potential shuttle funding sources.
- Motion to introduce ordinance amending the municipal code to remove the prohibition on meetings between a general municipal election and certification: Introduced (roll call: Council member Abarish Yes; Council member Brown Yes; Council member Gold Yes; Mayor Domkowski Yes). The ordinance was introduced and scheduled for adoption at a future meeting.

No ordinance adoption vote occurred on Jan. 25; the council voted to introduce the measure so it can return for adoption at a subsequent meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council Meeting – January 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Town Council introduced an ordinance to remove a municipal-code prohibition on holding meetings between a municipal election and canvass/certification, and approved several consent-agenda items including two pulled items after discussion.","taxTitle","Woodside Town, San Mateo County, California","taxId",71820,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307353,"San Mateo County Libraries report rising visitors and program use; Woodside sees heavy local demand",732,396000,1128000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3&start=396&end=1128","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3/thumbnail_396000.jpg","/articles/6307353/California/San-Mateo-County-Libraries-report-rising-visitors-and-program-use-Woodside-sees-heavy-local-demand","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307353-c94c9af89d9f273a87145add720e64cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908092&Signature=SOFMfKE3im~xvOTyLaz7NBcBZ9rQxdRw5V58nHVpZF~TEQOfJIg1FD9nZfFxbl6pOlI8VScCQiJBC~xAqbQyJndLDO7lIKmM3nR76J7iAHwvcEGj7yd3uaX2GfJ5Dv8giQ9-y-MxD8HRXmWc8M2Vnw-SdosyxVEFr~7QJOnde89sWGEF4CvzNaDCr~BE4WZYnRDxNUmIg-N6IJorjk0WnH~Gs5RgAVIRkR8fX9BqLUl~C7ndjY1VE6SwuxbV103R-F6wzs-Mt1dCwJDousP1Rmz9ujTBaodKf822lXzdsOmn95S6fBPhvojjqoKrOthtnANZmio~XCcGFbOseXo2nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carmen Latona Adams, branch manager for the Woodside and Portola Valley libraries, presented the San Mateo County Libraries annual report to the Woodside Town Council on Jan. 25, reporting year-over-year increases in visits, circulation and program activity across the system and at the Woodside branch.

Latona Adams said the system recorded about 1,700,000 visitors countywide (up 16%), 2,400,000 items circulated (up 4%), and more than 10,300 events (up 36%). Website visits rose by 51% and Wi-Fi sessions increased by 14%. Systemwide laptop and hotspot lending increased by roughly 40% after the libraries bought more devices to meet demand.

Locally, Latona Adams said the Woodside branch recorded more than 56,000 visitors and more than 70,000 items checked out in the last fiscal year; the branch also logged approximately 55,000 digital downloads of ebooks, movies and audiobooks. She highlighted expanding senior and multilingual programming and community outreach efforts that she said helped double program attendance at Woodside.

\"Our talented staff and wonderful volunteers create a welcoming atmosphere that inspires community and includes all,\" Latona Adams said during the presentation.

Council members praised the branch and asked several operational questions. A council member asked whether newspapers such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are accessible through the library; Latona Adams said the New York Times online can be accessed with a library card and named titles available in-person at Woodside and Portola Valley. A council member also asked about the library's reserve funds; Latona Adams said Library Director Anne Marie has discussed possible uses including additional outposts like the Pacifica Sanchez 24/7 lending outpost and backup power generators for extended operations during outages, but Latona Adams said she had no concrete plan to spend down reserves to report at the meeting.

Latona Adams described several community-facing services: an outreach-driven strategic planning process that surveyed thousands of residents, partnerships delivering emergency support during storms with local agencies and PG&E, and a maker-mobile for off-site programs. She said 32 library staff speak languages other than English and that 500 volunteers contributed more than 25,000 hours countywide.

The council received the presentation; no vote was required.","Carmen Latona Adams presented San Mateo County Libraries' annual report, citing increases in visits, circulation, website traffic and program attendance and highlighting local Woodside usage and pilot services, including a 24/7 outpost in Pacifica.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307358,"Resident urges council to require new fire-access road for Raymundo site",233,97000,330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3&start=97&end=330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2433705-76564f4bf6c0612afb42d2df4b7216c3/thumbnail_97000.jpg","/articles/6307358/California/Resident-urges-council-to-require-new-fire-access-road-for-Raymundo-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307358-9a67e0351940bc2d05a3438f5071c51c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908092&Signature=OeIHHDdYFJguJiHkju0W3MbmN3oJ7a0vNCNIwhbismW1Hh89dADG4CLr0FhomWuhFRsbYufv4yMJyFRpfTheILQt1QCtwdVhuDL6ueem-kxwj8Op9w1WWGqI8qnyd7I0LpmVcgzL5infxIWrJ~W56i3AwW~klaOTX2tBmqjn5G6HKH1uYWI55n32S9oZTuL6zGVUN9qk2UwTauYD2k1NtysUHGJPYatCu4JXgE0-gVwzsQ-pjlRVA496DtH0XqmiF8DpAnlP7r9~7c99Hm6k6b9itOrP5j0Q~SSXxKcRsPSl4gG-KovdZXDVhoOf3A-8mqKSoEsiSSKfG6D3Fy8Jqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sue Paletti, a Woodside resident, told the Town Council on Jan. 25 that a planned development on the Raymundo site would violate local fire-safety limits unless a separate fire apparatus access road is built. Paletti asked Mayor Domkowski, the council and Town Manager Kevin Bayer whether the fire marshal or fire chief had told them the town could develop the Raymundo property without a new access road and demanded a yes-or-no answer.

Paletti said the fire code provision she cited—referred to in the meeting as \"fire code 107\"—limits the number of dwellings served by a single fire-apparatus access road to 30 and that the road serving Ramundo Runnymede is already at that limit. \"A new separate fire apparatus access road separate from Ramundo Runnymede is required if you are to proceed with development on the Raymundo site. This is non negotiable,\" Paletti said.

The question produced back-and-forth between Paletti and elected officials. Mayor Domkowski said the council has given \"our word in writing that we will obey the laws and we will follow the fire code.\" Town Manager Kevin Bayer said the town does not intend to waive the code and that staff and council members have not had a direct conversation resolving the differing interpretations of the code. Bayer told the council he planned to meet with the fire marshal in the next 24 hours and that he would bring the matter up with her. He said there is \"no plan to look at\" an alternative at this time.

Paletti said she wanted to attend any meeting with the fire marshal; the town manager declined that request during the public comment period. Paletti also warned that doubling density on the existing single-access road would create a \"horrific choke point in an emergency,\" citing lessons from recent wildfires.

No formal action was taken during the meeting on the Raymundo site. Council members said they would meet with the fire marshal to clarify whether the existing code interpretation allows development without adding an access road. The council did not provide an on-the-record written determination during the Jan. 25 session, and staff said there was not yet a plan for the site to present to the fire marshal.

The discussion occurred during the public-comment period and drew multiple council acknowledgments that interpretations of the code differ. The council and town manager repeatedly emphasized they intended to follow applicable law and fire-code standards but did not provide the binary answer Paletti requested.","At the Jan. 25 Woodside Town Council meeting, resident Sue Paletti pressed the council and town manager about whether developers could proceed on the Raymundo site without a second fire apparatus access road, citing fire code limits on dwellings served by a single access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Woodside council introduces ordinance to end November meeting ban; approves consent items

San Mateo County Libraries report rising visitors and program use; Woodside sees heavy local demand

Resident urges council to require new fire-access road for Raymundo site