City Council

City Council is the decision maker for this project on a preferred rail grade separation for Palo Alto’s rail crossings. Council receives input from the community, from City staff, and from key stakeholders, and makes decisions based on this input. 

Once the preferred rail grade separation alternatives are selected by City Council and confirmed by Caltrain, City staff will follow steps needed to implement them, which includes environmental study, engineering design, and construction of the project.

Here are all City Council agendas & minutes. Below are the City Council meetings containing rail grade separation agenda items. 

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS:

• April 29, 2024 Council Meeting
  • (Study Session) Staff Report ID #2402-2593: Review of Rail Grade Separation Alternatives
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video – Link to Come
• June 12, 2023 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #2305-1426:  Approve the Grade Separation Evaluation Criteria For Evaluating Alternatives Under Consideration for Grade Separation Projects.  CEQA status – Categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15262
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• May 22, 2023 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #2304-1237:  Approve the Services Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) for the Connecting Palo Alto Grade Separation Projects and Authorize the City Manager to Execute the Agreement CEQA status-not a project
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• August 8, 2022 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #14468: Approval of the Rail Committee Charter and Workplan for 2022-23
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• May 23, 2022 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #14341: Approval of Amendment #4 to Contract C18171057 with AECOM and Extend the Term to April 2024 and Increase the Not-to-Exceed Compensation by $722,170 for Additional Studies of Railroad Grade Separation Alternatives for a Total Not-to-Exceed of $3,596,828
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• November 29, 2021 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #13787: Review of Churchill (continued from Nov 1)
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• November 1, 2021 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #13543: Review of Churchill (continued to Nov 29)
  • Action Minutes 
  • Meeting Video
• August 23, 2021 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #13435: Review of Meadow/Charleston
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• April 26, 2021 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #12185: XCAP Final Report
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation from staff
  • Presentation from XCAP
• March 23, 2021 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #11797: XCAP Final Report
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation from staff
  • Presentation from XCAP
• September 21, 2020 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #11491: XCAP Update #6
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• June 8, 2020 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #11377: XCAP Update #5
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• March 16, 2020 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #11185: XCAP Update #4
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• January 21, 2020 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10989: XCAP Update #3 and Updated Community Engagement Information
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
• December 9, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10902: Rail Update: RBRC, Community Engagement, and XCAP Update #2
  • Draft Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation
• October 28, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10808: XCAP Update #1
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation
• September 9, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10633: Revised Recommendations for Rail Blue Ribbon Commission
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 18-27)
• May 13, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10335: Caltrain Business Plan Review and Discussion
  • Staff Report ID #10345: Revision of Alternatives for Further Study and Direction to Staff Regarding Evaluation Criteria Weights
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 26-37)
• April 22, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #10268: Approval of Structure and Membership of Expanded Community Working Group, Work Plan, and Revisions to Alternatives for Further Study; and Direction to Staff to Return to Council with Associated AECOM Contract Amendment
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 41-58)
• January 22, 2019 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #9993: Consideration of the Following Actions: A) Separate From Study all Alternatives for the Palo Alto Avenue Crossing (Closure and Hybrid) and Include Palo Alto Avenue in a Separate Comprehensive Planning Effort; B) Separate From Study the Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing of the Caltrain Corridor in the Vicinity of Loma Verde Avenue and Assess Feasibility in a Future Study; C) Address the Rail Committee’s Recommendation Regarding a Tunnel by Modifying the Alternative to be South of Oregon Expressway Only and Further Explore the Scope and Budget for an Alternative With Freight Trains on the Surface and Passenger Trains Underground for the Meadow and Charleston Crossings; and D) Adopt a Modified List of Grade Separation Alternatives (Continued From December 17, 2018)
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 25-83)
• December 17, 2018 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #9891: Consideration of the Following Actions: A) Separate From Study all Alternatives for the Palo Alto Avenue Crossing (Closure and Hybrid) and Include Palo Alto Avenue in a Separate Comprehensive Planning Effort; B) Separate From Study the Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing of the Caltrain Corridor in the Vicinity of Loma Verde Avenue and Assess Feasibility in a Future Study; C) Address the Rail Committee’s Recommendation Regarding a Tunnel by Modifying the Alternative to be South of Oregon Expressway Only and Further Explore the Scope and Budget for an Alternative With Freight Trains on the Surface and Passenger Trains Underground for the Meadow and Charleston Crossings; and D) Adopt a Modified List of Grade Separation Alternatives
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 52-104)
• June 19, 2018 Council Meeting
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation
• May 29, 2018 Council Meeting
  • Staff Report ID #9284: Connecting Palo Alto Rail Program Status Update and Initial Screening of Ideas for Further Study (Continued From May 14, 2018)
  • Action Minutes
  • Meeting Video
  • Presentation (pg. 17-64)

Emails to Council:

• Emails to Council December 2018 – March 18, 2019 
• Emails to Council and Transportation Sept. 2018 – December 2018 (emails start on PDF page 32)