I. PAN MISSION

PAN serves as an independent umbrella group for Palo Alto neighborhoods whose purpose is to enhance communications and mutual support, thus enabling neighborhoods and residents to act in unison with a common voice, or individually, on local concerns.

II. PAN OBJECTIVES

1. Provide and exchange relevant information on issues of common interest, and work toward neighborhood-friendly environmentally-responsible land use policies.
2. Increase the credibility and political leverage of neighborhood groups through shared knowledge, expertise, vision ideas and common goals.
3. Raise visibility of the neighborhood perspective with the city council, all city boards and commissions and city staff, so they are more aware of and responsive to the enhancement of quality life in the neighborhood as expressed in the comprehensive plan.

III. ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

• Palo Alto Neighborhoods (PAN) is an unincorporated voluntary association of the neighborhood associations from commonly identified geographic areas of Palo Alto. A list of neighborhoods, their names and approximate boundaries, their current leaders and contact information for those leaders are listed on the PAN website, at paneighborhoods.org, which list will be updated in January 2010 and each January thereafter or more often, as appropriate.
• PAN was formed in 1998 to improve communication among Palo Alto neighborhoods regarding issues that impact residents and the overall quality of life throughout the city. PAN does not “represent” neighborhoods but ensures that the voices of neighbors and neighborhoods are heard.
• The Co-Chairs of PAN will be chosen in January 2010 and each January thereafter by a vote, one per neighborhood, of those attending that meeting.
• PAN Co-Chairs will call meetings as they deem necessary, giving email notice to each association at least seven days prior to the meeting date and including the agenda for the meeting.
• PAN meetings are not open to the general public. PAN Co-Chairs should take all reasonable steps both (a) to invite additional attendees who can be helpful to PAN and (b) to exclude, politely but firmly, those not representing a neighborhood.
• PAN Co-Chairs will keep full control of discussion at meetings to stay on agenda, encourage broad participation and finish items and the meeting in the allotted time.
• Neighborhoods themselves are encouraged to pursue before the public issues important to them. PAN will use its efforts to communicate to all other associations the facts and analysis of the lead neighborhood and to encourage other associations to join in support of the lead neighborhood. When expressly requested to do so, PAN Co-Chairs will, themselves, speak on such issues, identifying by name the neighborhood associations authorizing the PAN Co-Chairs to speak.
• PAN Co-Chairs or their designees, as reflected by the group discussion, may express opinions and/or positions on behalf of the PAN organization, as distinguished from neighborhood associations represented within PAN, after discussion at a PAN meeting and authorization to do so by a vote, one per neighborhood, of those attending the meeting. At all times PAN Co-Chairs may speak and write as individuals so long as they do not identify themselves as PAN Co-Chairs or as speaking for PAN.