Residents, mark your calendars. Palo Alto Day is right around the corner.
If you haven't heard of Palo Alto Day, don't feel bad. Up until late Monday night, it didn't exist.
But after a late-night debate that City Manager James Keene described as "peak Palo Alto," the City Council decreed that April 9 will forthwith be known as Palo Alto Day.
The idea was spurred by a memo from council members Tom DuBois, Karen Holman and Lydia Kou, who argued that the city should have an annual day that recognizes its incorporation in 1894. The brief memo notes that Palo Alto is "largely considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley," is one of few California cities that has its own utilities, and is a leader on environmental initiatives, education and "world-influencing persons and companies."
"It is time, if not beyond time, that we establish something called Palo Alto Day," Holman said Monday, in explaining the proposal.
The council had no qualms with giving the city its own day, though there was some debate over what day should be chosen. The three council members recommended April 21, which they cited as the date in which the state allowed Palo Alto to become "a California city of the sixth class," according to the proposed resolution.
Judy Kleinberg, president of the Chamber of Commerce and supporter of Palo Alto Day, suggested April 23, the date of incorporation that was listed on the City Charter's cover page.
Steve Staiger, Palo Alto's city historian, made a case for April 9, which is when the vote actually happened. The day, he said, is "an important date in Palo Alto's history as it marks the day this little community began its legal existence as an incorporated town."
He likened it to the United States celebrating the Fourth of July.
"That's when we declared our independence," Staiger said of April 9.
The council agreed and voted 8-0, with DuBois absent, to approve the proposal with April 9 as the set date. The only criticism of the proposal came from Councilman Greg Scharff, who facetiously objected to the notion that Palo Alto is a "sixth-class city."
"When are we ever sixth class? We're a first-class city!" Scharff said.
With the date fast approaching, the 2018 version of Palo Alto Day is likely to be a muted (if not silent) affair. But the new day of recognition should have its real premiere party next year, when city officials celebrate Palo Alto's 125th birthday.
Kleinberg said she hopes Palo Alto Day will remain a tradition beyond that. On some years, it may be a big deal, she said. On others, it might be smaller in scale. She said she would like to see it as an annual event that is "folded into every single sector in the community."
"It's the city's birthday," Kleinberg said. "The city needs to be involved."
Comments
Old Palo Alto
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:42 pm
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:42 pm
As long as the city doesn’t spend any money on it, they can have PA day all they want.
Downtown North
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:50 pm
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:50 pm
According to my dictionary, it is not a holiday unless people get the day off work. Are city employees getting an extra day off? How much is that going to cost taxpayers?
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:53 pm
on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:53 pm
I had to check the date since the Weekly is usually good at giving April Fools prank articles!
All I can say is that if this doesn't give others the right to call us Shallow Alto, nothing will.
Downtown North
on Apr 3, 2018 at 4:10 pm
on Apr 3, 2018 at 4:10 pm
According to the city memo, this is a recognition with no impact to city staff, not a "holiday". Is the holiday statement in the newspaper article some fake news clickbait that they made up?
Registered user
Palo Alto Weekly staff writer
on Apr 3, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Registered user
on Apr 3, 2018 at 4:16 pm
@Resident. Fair point. It's a day of recognition, not a holiday. I clarified the story.
Thanks,
Gennady
Barron Park
on Apr 3, 2018 at 5:07 pm
on Apr 3, 2018 at 5:07 pm
Thank you Councilwoman Holman for your leadership on this issue, and Members DuBois and Kou too. About time that we finally will have a civic day of celebration - or “Recognition” - whatever. I look forward to a rousing party next year!
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2018 at 8:43 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 8:43 am
Huzzah!
I'm pleased to see that Palo Alto shares its birthday with other notables such as Hugh Hefner and Jenna Jameson.
Palo Alto is in great company!
Mountain View
on Apr 4, 2018 at 9:28 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 9:28 am
"But after a late-night debate..."
Shouldn't the city council be concentrating on more important issues other than some kind of city civic day? Seems like they have a lot of time on their hands.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2018 at 10:45 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 10:45 am
The article left out Councilmember Wolbach's request, in contradiction to statements made earlier in the evening by City Historian Steve Staiger, that Palo Alto Day commemorate the founding of Palo Alto, rather its incorporation.
Walter Hays School
on Apr 4, 2018 at 10:57 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 10:57 am
I agree with several other readers that no money should be spent on Palo Alto Day. If the budget is in shortfall extra activities like the May Fete
parade, Palo Alto Day, Chili Cook Off should not be done. If the City can get sponsorships to cover the costs of the events that would be fine.
St. Claire Gardens
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:07 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:07 am
Well that was a waste of time, energy and likely our money. Why doesn't the council spend the time on something important like deciding on a new color for street signs and man-hole covers?
Charleston Meadows
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:10 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:10 am
What about that bike bridge over 101, karen?
Downtown North
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:36 am
on Apr 4, 2018 at 11:36 am
Is anyone going to celebrate? I have to ask WHY??
Community Center
on Apr 4, 2018 at 1:30 pm
on Apr 4, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Why? To celebrate obscene wealth that drives out the middle and working class?
Mountain View
on Apr 4, 2018 at 2:20 pm
on Apr 4, 2018 at 2:20 pm
What the heck do they need a PA day for?
I was born and raised in PA, and USED to LOVE the place... It isn't even close to being the type of little city it used to be - even just within the last 10 years.
-It's over crowded and city council is still trying to expand upwards
-Schools are too crowded
-Traffic has gotten unbearable
Again I say, I'm glad we moved out. Mtn View is much more "regular people" friendly! What PA used to be, I laugh when I hear people say "Shallow Alto"!
Barron Park
on Apr 4, 2018 at 3:50 pm
on Apr 4, 2018 at 3:50 pm
I think we should change the name of Palo Alto Day to "Indigenous Peoples Day" In honor of the Indians that inhabited our area before the Spaniards enslaved them.
Palo Verde
on Apr 4, 2018 at 5:39 pm
on Apr 4, 2018 at 5:39 pm
Yes, we can use a day to recognize that the leaders of Palo Alto are superior to everyone else.
another community
on Apr 5, 2018 at 4:01 pm
on Apr 5, 2018 at 4:01 pm
I hope you have a big party. I was born in the old Palo Alto Hospital and would love to come back for the celebration.
University South
on Apr 5, 2018 at 11:52 pm
on Apr 5, 2018 at 11:52 pm
I told one of my adult sons about this new day of celebration. His comment was "Isn't every day Palo Alto day?" He now lives in L.A. He has fond memories of life here but does think it over rated. I have to laugh at all the comments from people saying, "Palo Alto isn't what it used to be, glad I moved, etc"
When I arrived in 1974 I heard the same thing: "Palo Alto's best days are over, you missed the best. We used to have good housing at a decent price." My favorite was "You missed all the protests." Nope....I marched on Washington. Didn't miss a thing! I grew up with my parents lamenting the end of so much they had grown to know. I vowed not to do the same...so even though I could complain, I'd rather say, TG there's espresso everywhere now. I love it! When I got here there was one place to get espresso: the movie theatre on University by the underpass that showed only adult films...I think Palintir is there now. From erotica to NSA..oh my! I'll celebrate Palo Alto, quirks and quarks alike.
Community Center
on Apr 10, 2018 at 9:08 am
on Apr 10, 2018 at 9:08 am
Dear Mayor Kniss, Vice Mayor Filseth, and City Council Members,
Thank you very much for listening to the community last night, for recognizing that policy changes are necessary to preserve the most important values of our community, and for taking decisive action to begin to address the housing crisis in Palo Alto.
1. You listened to the community.
As many speakers made clear during the public hearing, people throughout Palo Alto have suffered for many years because too few homes have been built in Palo Alto that people of all income levels can afford.
2. You understood that actual change is necessary.
It has been nearly a decade since the Palo Alto City Council has approved a new affordable housing project. You acknowledged that diversity of many kinds — including income diversity — is an important value in our community, but you didn’t stop there. You did not rest after merely articulating that value. Instead, you went on to acknowledge that something needed to be done to protect and to advance that value. You recognized that current zoning laws have been overly restrictive and needed to be changed through concrete legislative initiatives.
3. You took action.
Last night, by a 7-2 vote, you demonstrated that you truly care about the needs of all members of our community. A strong majority of the City Council took the first steps to forge powerful new tools that will allow Palo Alto Housing and other groups to build the broad range of more reasonably priced homes that individuals and families throughout Palo Alto need.
On the 124th anniversary of Palo Alto’s incorporation, you celebrated some of the best parts of Palo Alto’s heritage. As one speaker observed last night, in decades past Palo Alto has been recognized as a leader in affordable housing. In the future, we can do even better. You demonstrated great leadership and courage by doing more than simply saying that you support affordable housing: you took decisive action to begin to actually address the housing crisis in Palo Alto.
Thank you very much for doing the right thing last night.
Respectfully submitted,
John Kelley