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Planning commission recommends 2027'031 CIP to council with edits, votes 6'0
Summary
The Planning and Transportation Commission voted 6'0to recommend the proposed 2027'031 Capital Improvement Program to the Finance Committee and City Council with staff-directed edits to program mapping and vehicle maintenance rationale.
The Planning and Transportation Commission recommended the draft 2027'031 Capital Improvement Program to the Finance Committee and City Council on May 27, 2026, after staff clarified several project-to-policy mappings and commissioners requested wording changes to vehicle-replacement rationale.
Lesie Velasquez, a planner in long-range planning, summarized the package as 217 active CIPs with 28 new projects (27 requiring plan-consistency review), noting the additions span the natural environment, transportation, community services and one project affecting the Palo Alto airport. The staff recommendation was that the listed projects in attachment A are consistent with the city—s comprehensive plan.
Commissioners pressed staff for technical fixes. Commissioner Aken pointed out inconsistencies in the program column for item WS20001 and WS27001 where projects tied to drinking and wastewater infrastructure were listed under a stormwater program; staff agreed to remove or correct the program entries. Commissioner Peterson asked which projects would require prevailing wage; Public Works staff confirmed that, under municipal code, public-works contracts over $25,000 require prevailing wage.
Vice Chair G moved to approve the staff recommendation "with the adjustments made by Commissioner Aken on the removal of relevant comprehensive item ... and for the staff to look into adjustments made by Chair Chang on the vehicle maintenance rationale," and a commissioner seconded. The commission voted 6'0(Commissioners Aken, James, Peterson, Templeton, Vice Chair G and Chair Chang) in favor to forward the CIP package with the discussed edits.
Alan Curator, director of utilities, told commissioners the large electric-fund project list is financed in part by bonds staged over multiple years: "Our first tranche of bonds will be about 80 to 90 million with a total of about 300 million," he said, adding projects are being phased so spending and bonding align with deliverables.
The commission—s recommendation will be transmitted to the Finance Committee and City Council for final action. Staff said it will correct the program mappings and review the vehicle-maintenance rationale before forwarding materials.
