PALO ALTO — City staff told the Palo Alto City Council on Jan. 12 that the city completed two‑thirds of the 70 objectives tied to its four 2025 priorities and proposed a retreat process to narrow and prioritize work for 2026.

Lupita Alamos, assistant to the city manager, said the 2025 priorities — climate action and natural environment protection; economic development and retail vibrancy; housing strategies for social and economic balance; and public safety, wellness and belonging — supported 70 objectives, of which 66% were marked completed at year end, 23% were behind schedule, 7% remained on track after scope changes and 4% were on hold.

The study-session presentation included departmental updates. Brad Eggleston, director of public works, highlighted climate and infrastructure accomplishments, including a grid‑modernization pilot and storm‑drain improvements; Alex Andrade, new economic development manager, reported Cal Ave retail vacancy fell to about 6.4% and outlined a preliminary design for a 274‑space parking garage; staff described housing pipeline activity, ADU permit volumes and the Homekey transitional housing project; and Chantelle Cotton Gaines, deputy city manager, summarized public‑safety building work, Fire Station 4 and wellness and belonging dashboard improvements.

Why it matters: Council members said the raw count of objectives obscures priorities and staff guidance. Several members urged converting the long list into a smaller set of mid‑level goals that are specific, measurable and timebound — giving staff clearer direction without micromanaging implementation.

Council members debated whether some themes, such as climate and housing, are enduring values rather than short‑term priorities and discussed a tiering approach (tier 1/tier 2) to distinguish urgent items. "Not every good idea has to be a priority," Council member Bechtel said during the discussion; others pressed for stronger metrics and timelines.

City staff proposed using the Jan. 24 retreat to settle nomenclature and to identify the smaller set of high‑priority, timebound mid‑level goals that staff would translate into SMART objectives and timelines. The council also directed staff to provide additional materials in advance of the retreat so the body can reach clearer consensus quickly.

What’s next: The council will meet for a retreat on Jan. 24 to prioritize mid‑level goals and confirm a shorter objectives list for 2026. Staff also launched a public dashboard showing progress on council priorities.