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Title 2 — ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

Chapter 2.25 — PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

Palo Alto Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-09-29 · Palo Alto

2.25.010 Membership.

There is created a parks and recreation commission composed of seven members who shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the city council, but who shall not be council members, officers or employees of the city of Palo Alto. Each member of the commission shall have a demonstrated interest in parks, open space and recreation matters. All members of the commission shall at all times be residents of Palo Alto.

(Ord. 4587 § 2 (part), 1999)

2.25.030 Term of office.

Terms of office on the Parks and Recreation Commission shall be three years. Commission appointments shall be staggered so that in each three- year cycle three members are appointed to serve during the first year, four members are appointed to serve during the second year, and no members are appointed to serve during the third year. Effective January 1, 2022, terms of office due to expire on December 15 of each year shall be extended to expire on March 31 of the following year, and thereafter terms of office shall commence on April 1. Effective January 1, 2025, terms of office due to expire on March 31 of each year shall be extended to expire on October 31 of the same year, and thereafter terms of office shall commence on November 1. If a successor is unavailable, a member may remain in office until his or her successor is appointed, subject to the limits in Section 2.16.080.

(Ord. 5643 § 5, 2025: Ord. 5529 § 9, 2021: Ord. 5311 § 5, 2015: Ord. 5208 § 18, 2013: Ord. 4587 § 2 (part), 1999)

2.25.040 Officers.

The commission shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from its membership who shall serve in such capacity for one year each, or until a successor is elected, unless his or her term as a member of the Commission sooner expires.

(Ord. 5660 § 3, 2025: Ord. 4587 § 2 (part), 1999)

2.25.050 Purpose and duties.

(a) The purpose of the parks and recreation commission shall be to advise the city council on matters relating to the activities of the open space, parks and golf division and the recreation division of the community services department, excluding daily administrative operations.

(b) The commission shall have the following duties:

(1) Advise the city council on planning and policy matters pertaining to:

(A) The goals of and the services provided by the open space, parks and golf division and the recreation division of the community services department.

(B) The future delivery of services by the open space, parks and golf division and the recreation division of the community services department.

(C) The city manager’s recommendations pertaining to the disposition of major gifts of money, personal property and real property to the city to be used for open space, parks, golf and recreation activities.

(D) The construction and renovation of capital facilities of the open space, parks and golf division and the recreation division of the community services department.

(E) Joint action projects with other public or private parks, open space and recreation entities.

(2) Review state legislative proposals that may affect the operation of the open space, parks and golf division and recreation division of the community services department.

(3) Review the city manager’s proposed budget for capital improvements and operations relating to the open space, parks and golf division and recreation division of the community services department, and thereafter forward any comments to one or more of the applicable committees of the city council.

(4) Provide advice upon such other matters as the city council may from time to time assign.

(5) Receive community input concerning parks, open space and recreation activities.

(6) Review and comment on fund-raising efforts on behalf of the open space, parks and golf division and recreation division of the community services department.

(7) Serve as a community forum for urban forestry matters and provide feedback, recommendations, and interpretations to City Council on the Urban Forest Master Plan and other associated policies.

(c) The parks and recreation commission shall not have the power or authority to cause the expenditure of city funds or to bind the city to any written or implied contract.

(Ord. 5557 § 10, 2022: Ord. 5431 § 3, 2018: Ord. 4587 § 2 (part), 1999)

2.25.060 Meetings.

(a) The parks and recreation commission shall establish a regular time, date and place of meeting and shall hold at least one regular meeting per calendar quarter.

(b) Four of the seven members shall constitute a quorum.

(c) The commission may establish rules and procedures governing the conduct of its meetings in accordance withRobert's Rules of Order.

(d) The commission shall be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act, California Government Code Section 54950,et seq., as may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. 4587 § 2 (part), 1999)

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▸Contents — Palo Alto Municipal Code
Palo Alto Municipal Code
  1. Article VIII — A. Board of Education
  2. Title 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
  3. ▸Title 2 — ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
    Overview
    1. 2.04 Council Organization and Procedure
    2. 2.06 Official City Seal and Logo
    3. 2.07 Post-Government Employment Regulations
    4. 2.08 Officers and Departments
    5. 2.09 Conflict of Interest Code for Designated Positions
    6. 2.10 Cable Television and Open Video Systems - Award of Franch…
    7. 2.11 VIDEO SERVICE PROVIDERS - APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS
    8. 2.12 Emergency Organization and Functions
    9. 2.16 Boards and Commissions Generally
    10. 2.18 Public Art Commission
    11. 2.21 Architectural Review Board
    12. 2.22 Human Relations Commission
    13. 2.23 Utilities Advisory Commission
    14. 2.24 Library Advisory Commission
    15. 2.25 Parks and Recreation Commission
    16. 2.26 Visual Art in Public Places
    17. 2.27 Historic Resources Board
    18. 2.28 Fiscal Procedures
    19. 2.30 Contracts and Purchasing Procedures
    20. 2.31 Property Control
    21. 2.32 Sales and Use Tax
    22. 2.33 Transient Occupancy Tax
    23. 2.34 Real Property Transfer Tax
    24. 2.35 Utility Users Tax
    25. 2.36 Personnel Procedures
    26. 2.37 Business Tax
    27. 2.40 Municipal Elections
    28. 2.44 Official Newspaper
    29. 2.48 Solar Tax Credit
    30. 2.49 Electronic Signatures
    31. Chapter 2.04 — COUNCIL ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE
    32. Chapter 2.06 — OFFICIAL CITY SEAL AND LOGO
    33. Chapter 2.07 — POST-GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS
    34. Chapter 2.08 — OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENTS
    35. Chapter 2.09 — CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE FOR DESIGNATED POSITI…
    36. Chapter 2.10 — CABLE TELEVISION AND OPEN VIDEO SYSTEMS - AWARD…
    37. Chapter 2.11 — VIDEO SERVICE PROVIDERS - APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS
    38. Chapter 2.12 — EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS
    39. Chapter 2.16 — BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GENERALLY
    40. Chapter 2.18 — PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
    41. Chapter 2.20 — PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
    42. Chapter 2.21 — ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD
    43. Chapter 2.22 — HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION
    44. Chapter 2.23 — UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION
    45. Chapter 2.24 — LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMISSION
    46. Chapter 2.25 — PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
    47. Chapter 2.26 — VISUAL ART IN PUBLIC PLACES
    48. Chapter 2.27 — HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD
    49. Chapter 2.28 — FISCAL PROCEDURES
    50. Chapter 2.30 — CONTRACTS AND PURCHASING PROCEDURES
    51. Part 6A — SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY PROTECTIONS
    52. Part 1 — GENERAL
    53. Part 2 — CONTRACT TYPES
    54. Part 3 — CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
    55. Part 4 — COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION REQUIREMENTS
    56. Part 5 — COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCEDURES
    57. Part 6 — CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
    58. Part 7 — ETHICS IN CONTRACTING
    59. Part 6A — SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY PROTECTIONS
    60. Part 8 — RECORDS AND REPORTS
    61. Part 9 — REWARDS
    62. Part 10 — STANDARDIZATION
    63. Chapter 2.31 — PROPERTY CONTROL
    64. Chapter 2.32 — SALES AND USE TAX
    65. Chapter 2.33 — TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX
    66. Chapter 2.34 — REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX
    67. Chapter 2.35 — UTILITY USERS TAX
    68. Chapter 2.36 — PERSONNEL PROCEDURES
    69. Chapter 2.37 — BUSINESS TAX
    70. Chapter 2.40 — MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
    71. Chapter 2.44 — OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER
    72. Chapter 2.48 — SOLAR TAX CREDIT
    73. Chapter 2.49 — ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES
  4. Title 4 — BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS
  5. Title 5 — HEALTH AND SANITATION
  6. Title 6 — ANIMALS
  7. Title 8 — TREES AND VEGETATION
  8. Title 9 — PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY
  9. Title 10 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
  10. Title 11 — ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCEDURE
  11. Title 12 — PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
  12. Title 13 — IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE
  13. Title 15 — FIRE PREVENTION
  14. Title 16 — BUILDING REGULATIONS
  15. Title 17 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE
  16. Title 18 — ZONING
  17. Title 19 — MASTER PLAN
  18. Article 7 — AUTHORITY FOR AND SCOPE OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLANS.
  19. Article 8 — PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLAN.
  20. Chapter 19.06 — SPECIFIC PLANS
  21. Chapter 19.10 — COORDINATED AREA PLANS
  22. Title 20 — PRECISE PLANS
  23. Title 21 — SUBDIVISIONS AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAND
  24. Title 22 — PARKS

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