[00:00:01]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER,[1. CALL TO ORDER]
AND A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.IF YOU'RE WATCHING VIA ZOOM, UH, VIEWING THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE MEETING INTERPRETER, UH, INSTRUCTIONS WILL APPEAR IN THE CHAT BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.
FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO SIT IN THE CHAMBER OR LARGE CHAMBER ROOM, HEADSETS ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE LIVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION, PLEASE SEE THE CITY CLERK TO CHECK OUT A HEADSET.
THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, IN PERSON IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SLIPS, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE AT THE BACK OF THE CHAMBER.
AND GET THOSE OVER TO OUR CLERK'S DESK VIA ZOOM BY PRE-REGISTERING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, NO LATER THAN TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING, OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND ARE PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF THEY'RE RECEIVED WITHIN THE DEADLINE.
WITH THAT, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT, VICE MAYOR BUSH.
SHOULD WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION AND, UH, MEMBER BUSH WITH JULIAN, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED, UNITED STATES, OF AMERICA, AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR, FOR ALL.
PASTOR BRANDON MADRID FROM, UH, WARLOCK WORSHIP CENTER, NATIONAL CITY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST COME TO YOU THIS EVENING, LORD, AND WE ASK YOU, LORD, TO JUST HAVE YOUR WAY THIS EVENING.
AND FATHER GOD, TOUCH THE, THE COUNCIL, LORD, AND TOUCH HIM IN A MIGHTY WAY.
TOUCH THEIR MINDS, THEIR HEARTS, THEIR SOULS, FATHER GOD, AND THAT WE CAN BE ALL TOGETHER IN ONE CORE LORD, AND THINKING THE SAME AND, AND ACCOMPLISHING AND ACHIEVING THINGS HERE IN OUR CITY, LORD.
AND WE JUST GIVE YOU PRAISE AND GLORY IN JESUS NAME.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
COMMENTS AND, UH, WE WILL, UH, UH, BE GIVING EVERYONE TWO MINUTES TONIGHT.WE HAVE QUITE A, QUITE A FEW COMMENTS ON OUR DIFFERENT ITEMS. UM, AND WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, TED, GOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY SCHROCK, TED GOTCHU HERE.
I'VE SUBMITTED SCRIBES FOR THREE ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
IT'S 10.6, 10 POINT 11, AND 11.1.
I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU PULL THOSE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE, I'VE ASKED THERE.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH YOUR LAST MEETING AND LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE COMMENTS MADE BY SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MS. ANI SAID THAT SHE DOESN'T MAKE PROMISES.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT PROMISES WERE PART OF THE CURRENCY OF POLITICIANS, BUT MR. BUSH SPOKE IN FAVOR OF MAKING A SMALL RESTAURANT INTO A LATE NIGHT MUSIC VENUE, ACTUALLY INCREASING THE HOURS OF THE APPLICANT.
THE BOTH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE, OF THE PLANNING STAFF AND THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES DID NOT ASK FOR THOSE HOURS.
THE RESTAURANT HOLDS 40 PEOPLE.
IT'S IN A DISTRICT THAT'S OVER CONCENTRATED WITH 17 OUTLETS OF ALCOHOL.
THERE'S ON, THERE'S NO PARKING FOR THAT ESTABLISHMENT.
NUMBER THREE, I WANNA REMIND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY CLERK THAT I HAVE A LONG UNFULFILLED PUBLIC REC RECORDS REQUEST NUMBER 25 DASH 2 62.
MR. SCHULTZ, PLEASE GUIDE MR. BUSH AND MR. RODRIGUEZ TO PROVIDE ALL EMAILS AND NOTES ABOUT ALL MEETINGS WITH THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THOSE EMAILS AND NOTES.
THEY CANNOT DELETE THEM, AND THE PUBLIC RECORD NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE LAWYERS.
EDWARD NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY SCHROCK TO BE FOLLOWED BY WENDY EGAN.
[00:05:05]
UH, MY TOPIC IS GONNA BE THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.AND THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING THIS TOPIC UP IS BECAUSE I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT I THINK AND OF WHAT THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
YET WHEN I HEAR COME TO THESE MEETINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND EVEN TALKING TO BRUCE, HE CORRECTED ME, RIGHTFULLY CORRECTED ME WHEN I COME OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE $4.8 MILLION IN ON A SUN FINE BALANCE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRESENTATIONS THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU THERE, UM, THE IDEA WAS THAT NO, NO, NO, NO.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE THING IS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE $12 MILLION OF UNENDED FUND BALANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THE 8.1 AND PLUS WE HAVE THE EXCESSIVE PROJECTED UNENDED FUND BALANCE OF 4.8, WHICH COMES UP TO 12, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE $6.8 MILLION OF UNFUNDED RESERVE.
AND THE RESULT IS WE COME BACK DOWN TO $6 MILLION OF UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
UN I'M TALKING, AND I SEE, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PENSION OBLIGATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FACILITY MAINTENANCE RESERVE.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'RE REALLY HIGH THINKING WE HAVE MONEY, AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY.
WE ONLY HAVE $6.6 MILLION BEFORE OUR SALARY NEGOTIATIONS.
SO YOU KNOCK ANOTHER $3 MILLION OFF.
WE ONLY HAVE $3 MILLION NOW, I THINK I CAN HOPEFULLY GET, YOU KNOW, THREE OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
THE FOURTH ONE COMES OUT WITH $125 MILLION AND DOESN'T EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO THE SPEAKERS WHO'S TALKING, LISTENING THIS WHOLE TIME.
WHEN I FLAG SAID THAT, SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I HOPE THE CITY MANAGER UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO MY WHOLE PURPOSE OF MY TWO MINUTES HERE WAS TO HOPEFULLY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, UN UNSIGNED FUND BALANCE, YOU HAVE A COMMON REFERENCE THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE HUN $125 MILLION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECTED UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS IT IS NOW, BECAUSE I, I HEAR YOU GUYS TALKING AND I GET CONFUSED, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GET CONFUSED OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE REALLY HAVE.
AND THE UNION PEOPLE ACTUALLY GET CONFUSED TOO.
I THINK JEFFREY SCHROCK TO BE FOLLOWED BY WENDY EAGAN, EVEN MAYOR COUNCIL STAFF AND ASHLEY RESIDENTS.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD SUMMER.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY I ENJOYED OUR CITY HUNDRED 38TH BIRTHDAY PARTY COUNCIL MEMBER ANI.
AND, UH, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THEIR, UH, VICE MAYOR BUSH AND MAYOR.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN WE CUT OUR CITY GRASS, BUT IF, I THINK IF WE DO IT ONCE A WEEK, WE SHOULD CONSIDER CUTTING BACK MAYBE ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS DOING IT BIWEEKLY.
THAT WOULD ACTUALLY SAVE US MONEY IN FUEL EXPENSES AS FAR AS WHAT WE, WHAT WE SPEND ON GASSING UP OUR CITY EQUIPMENT TO DO OUR LANDSCAPING AND STUFF THAT LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE FOR, FOR THE CITY IS, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
WE HAVE, WE'RE USING AN F THREE 50 FULL SIZE PICKUP TRUCK THAT GETS ABOUT 10 CITY MILES TO A GALLON, COSTS ABOUT $160 EACH TIME YOU FILL UP THE TANK.
SO IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO HAVE PARK ENFORCEMENT WITH THAT SIZE VEHICLE.
IT JUST, WE, WE HAVE OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE SMALLER THAN THAT, THAT GET BETTER FUEL MILEAGE LIKE OUR, OUR CITY TRUCKS THAT WE USE FOR OUR PARK, PARK AND REC.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S WAYS TO CUT DOWN ON ON THAT EXPENSE AND RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, GAS PRICES ARE STEADILY GOING UP 4 79 FOR REGULAR UNLI FIVE 19 FOR THE PREMIUM LEAD FOR WHAT WE USE FOR THE GAS, FOR OUR, OUR, UH, POLICE CARS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR, OUR DAY-TODAY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, I'M PRETTY SURE OUR GAS COSTS ARE WHAT'S KILLING US.
AND THAT'S WHY OUR GOVERNOR IS USELESS BECAUSE HE FINDS EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO TINKER WITH THE GAS PRICES TO MAKE 'EM GO UP.
AND THAT'S WHY HE'S BASICALLY PUBLIC ANY NUMBER ONE, HE'S, HE'S ROBBING US OF OUR SAVINGS FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
EVERY OTHER CITY SAVING MONEY, OR I'M SORRY, EVERY OTHER STATE, EXCUSE ME, SAVING MONEY IN CALIFORNIA THAT KEEPS WATCHING OUR, OUR GAS PRICES GO UP AND OUR STATE OF ASSEMBLY, OUR STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
THEY PRETTY MUCH HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
THEN, YOU KNOW, HIS LEGAL BILLS, HE'S ALREADY IN THE BILLIONS AS FAR AS HOW MUCH HE'S SPENDING TRYING TO FIGHT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON.
THANK FOR YOUR COMMENT, LEGAL IMMIGRATION.
SO LET'S RECALL GAVIN NEWSOM ONCE AGAIN AND LET'S GET IT DONE THIS TIME.
[00:10:01]
I'M BACK AGAIN,I AM THE FOUNDER OF INCLUSIVE KIDS NETWORK.
UM, AND I'M JUST HERE TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE'RE READY TO LAUNCH OUR F OUR FIRST PROGRAM FOR OUR SENSORY ART CLASS.
IT WAS, UM, SPONSORED BY COLDWELL BANKING FOUNDATION AND WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR OUR SPACE.
UM, I PUT IN A REQUEST TO USE THE LIBRARY FOR SIX WEEKS.
THEY SAID THEY GET BACK TO ME, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK.
SO WE JUST WANT A SPACE, A SHARED SPACE.
THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY ROOM WILL WORK FOR NOW.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOMETHING BIGGER, UM, BUT WE'RE READY TO LAUNCH OUR PROGRAM LAUNCH LAUNCH.
I'M NERVOUS
UH, THAT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE UNDER PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
MAYOR, WE DO HAVE SOME IN ZOOM IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE THOSE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS.
AS LOVE AND LUCK WOULD HAPPEN.
I AM THE GRANDMOTHER OF 13 YOUNG ADULTS, AND THIS LAST WEEK HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM.
AND BECAUSE OF IT, I HAVE, I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES OF OUR YOUNG ADULTS, ESPECIALLY MALES 18 TO 30 AS THEY TRY TO FIND A PLACE FOR THEMSELVES IN THIS COMPLICATED WORLD.
IN ADDITION TO MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES, OUR YOUNG ADULTS COPE WITH EITHER NO SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT OR INADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT AND WITH SUBSTANCE USE IN THEIR ADDICTIONS, OFTEN CO-OCCURRING.
I WAS REMINDED OF A-U-C-S-D EPIDEMIOLOGIST, A STATEMENT WHERE HE SAID, BURGEONING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IS JUST ONLY GETTING STARTED REGARDING SUBSTANCE USE ADDICTION.
AND THAT LAWMAKERS NEED TO REIGN IN THE FOR-PROFIT ADDICTION INDUSTRIES LIKE TOBACCO.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT LATER TODAY.
CBD PRODUCTS AND MARIJUANA AS A PARENT AND GRANDPARENT HAVE SPENT COUNT COUNTLESS HOURS ON PARENT AND COMMUNITY BOARDS.
I AM WELL AWARE OF THE UNFORTUNATE HEALTH OUTCOMES, ESPECIALLY MENTAL HEALTH, THAT MARIJUANA USE CAUSES FOR OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
AND I REALLY WONDER IF OUR CITY COMPREHENDS WHAT, WHAT THESE CONSEQUENCES ARE OF HAVING MARIJUANA STOREFRONTS HERE IN OUR CITY.
THE VISIBILITY PROMOTION, ADVERTISING OF THESE MARIJUANA STOREFRONTS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND BILLBOARDS REALLY THREATENS AND SABOTAGES AND DIVERTS LIVES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY WELL DECIDE THAT IT'S AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF RELAXATION, DIVERSION OR DIGRESSION TO GET HIGH.
GOOD MENTAL HEALTH IS PRECIOUS AND OUR CITY SHOULD HAVE ONLY INVOLVED THEMSELVES IN THOSE BUSINESSES THAT IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AND NOT THE CONTRIBUTES TO POOR MENTAL HEALTH.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MEGAN STEWART AND I'M HERE TODAY AS SOMEONE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION.
A CALIFORNIA BILL TO PUT A PAUSE ON A RECENTLY ENACTED TAX HIKE ON MARIJUANA PRODUCTS IS NOW HEADING TO THE GOVERNOR AFTER A FINAL UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
PAUSING THE TAX HIKE MAKES MARIJUANA CHEAPER, MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE NORMALIZED.
WHEN TAXES ARE LOWERED OR PAUSED, THE RETAIL PRICE OF MARIJUANA DROPS THAT PRICE DROP DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS PRICE SENSITIVE GROUPS, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH.
STUDIES SHOW THAT ADOLESCENTS ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIMENT WITH OR REGULARLY USED SUBSTANCES WHEN COSTS ARE LOWER.
RESEARCH GOING BACK DECADES HAS FOUND SIGNIFICANT PRICE ELASTICITY FOR YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, MEANING THAT INCREASES IN PRICE REDUCE USE WHILE REDUCTIONS IN PRICE INCREASE USE.
ALONG WITH THAT CHEAPER LEGAL PRODUCTS SIGNAL SOCIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY.
WHEN SOMETHING IS LESS EXPENSIVE, IT LOOKS LESS DANGEROUS, MORE MAINSTREAM, AND MORE NORMALIZED.
SIMILAR TO HOW TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL HAVE COME TO BE SEEN ONCE TAXES AND RESTRICTIONS LOOSEN OR INSUFFICIENT HIGHER COSTS AND RESTRICTION ARE PROVEN TOOLS FOR PREVENTION.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT MODELS FROM TOBACCO CONTROL AND ALCOHOL POLICY.
TAXES ON ALCOHOL, REDUCE HEAVY DRINKING AND DRUNK DRIVING CIGARETTE TAXES, REDUCE MO SMOKING INITIATION AMONG TEENS.
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THE PAUSE AND VOCALIZE AGAINST IT.
[00:15:01]
ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE TO THE GOVERNOR EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO ANY ROLLBACK OF THE TAX HIKE URGE THAT REVENUES FROM THESE TAXES CAN BE REINVENTED IN YOUTH PREVENTION PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND ENFORCEMENT OF AGE RESTRICTIONS.PLEASE STRIVE TO KEEP RESTRICTIONS STRONG TO PREVENT MARKETING AND SALES ENTICE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME TONIGHT.
I WAS HOPING TO SHARE SOME IDEAS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, SPECIFICALLY TOBACCO AND E-CIGARETTE WASTE.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MY KIDS WERE JUST ASKING ABOUT WHAT POLLUTION IS AND WE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT AIR POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION, AND GROUND POLLUTION.
THEY HAD LEARNED SOME THINGS IN THEIR STEM CLASS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HAD AN EXCITEMENT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EARTH.
SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN STUDIED RIGHT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY IS JUST HOW MUCH TOBACCO WASTE IS LITTERED.
CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE THE NUMBER ONE LITTERED ITEM WORLDWIDE AND HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, THEY WASH INTO OUR BEACHES, CLOG, STORM DRAINS, AND POLLUTE THE BAY.
UM, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE COTTON IS ACTUALLY PLASTIC.
THESE FILTERS NEVER TRULY BREAK DOWN.
INSTEAD, THEY LEACH ARSENIC, LEAD, AND NICOTINE.
JUST ONE CIGARETTE BUTT CAN CONTAMINATE 50 LITERS OF WATER THREATENING FISH, BIRDS, AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. WE WORK SO HARD TO PROTECT E-CIGARETTES AND VAPE PODS ADD NEW DANGERS.
THEY COMBINE SINGLE USE PLASTICS, TOXIC METALS, AND LITHIUM BATTERIES.
WHEN TOSSED INTO TRASH CANS OR ON SIDEWALKS, THEY CAN LEAK HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS OR EVEN SPARK FIRES.
AND UNLIKE BOTTLES OR CANS, THERE'S NO EASY SYSTEM TO RECYCLE THEM.
SO MOST END UP IN LANDFILLS OR SCATTERED IN PUBLIC PLACES LIKE I'VE SEEN MANY TIMES WALKING AROUND PARKS, SOCCER FIELDS IN THE AREAS AROUND WALKING PATHS.
AND, AND MY KIDS FIND THEM AND PICK THEM UP.
SOME SOLUTIONS INCLUDE STRONGER WASTE COLLECTION EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS TO SHIFT BEHAVIOR AND HOLDING MANUFACTURERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR SAFER DESIGN AND DISPOSAL PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS ON ZOOM FOR THE, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[6.1 Employee of the Quarter - Maria Marmolejo, Library Circulation Supervisor]
GO INTO, UH, PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS, AND WE DO HAVE, UM, I DO BELIEVE OUR LIBRARIAN DON'T YOU UNDER FOR RECOGNITION, CHLOE? THE COURT'S NOT.THAT ONE THAT WE'RE HOLD, GONNA HOLD OFF ON THAT ONE.
'CAUSE SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE 'CAUSE OF ILLNESS.
WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT ONE BACK.
[7.1 City-Wide Service Projects with the Sierra Service Project - Accept Proclamation and Provide Presentation]
PRESENTATIONS.THIS IS CITYWIDE SERVICE PROJECTS WITH THE SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS ANGELA DE PALMA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WITH THE NATIONAL CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY.
HERE, HERE WITH ME THIS EVENING IS MEGAN TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT.
THIS EVENING WE'LL BE PRESENTING ON GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW ON SOME PROJECTS THAT SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT VOLUNTEERS DID HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I'LL LET MEGAN START OUR PRESENTATION OFF.
HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING US THIS EVENING.
I'M MEGAN TAYLOR, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AS ANGELINA MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING FOR THE ORGANIZATION FOR 16 YEARS, AND THIS YEAR WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO STEWARD AN ORGANIZATION OLDER THAN ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, UM, AND, UH, OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD FAITH AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES THROUGH SERVICE TO OTHERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, OH, THANK YOU.
UH, IN ACTION, UM, WHERE ALL YOUTH ARE WELCOME AND AFFIRMED.
AT SSP, WE CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEIR FAITH AND SERVICE.
AND THIS SUMMER WE WERE EXCITED TO BE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
SO OUR, WE WERE HOSTED JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY AT THE NATIONAL CITY, FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
AND WE HAD VOLUNTEERS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WEST COAST, UM, AND STAY RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY AND WORK ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY.
[00:20:01]
GROUPS, UH, CHURCHES, FAMILIES, ALL SORTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE CAME OUT TO SPEND A WEEK OF THEIR SUMMER VOLUNTEERING.HERE YOU CAN SEE MANY TYPICAL PROJECTS.
OUR FOCUS HAS GENERALLY BEEN HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, WORKING WITH FAMILIES, UH, RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS SUMMER WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS, AND THAT WAS ALL THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ANGELITA AND THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY.
SO, A QUICK OVERVIEW, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO DETAIL OF ALL OF THESE, BUT COLLECTIVELY, UH, YOU KNOW, 5,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME YOUTH AND ADULT WERE CONTRIBUTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
A COUPLE PARTNERS I WANNA CALL OUT HERE ARE THE TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY COMMUNITY GARDEN, THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTY WITH 1500 HOURS AND HOPE CRISIS RESPONSE NETWORK.
UH, THEY WORKED ON FLOOD RECOVERY, UH, PROJECTS FOR FAMILIES WHO WERE IMPACTED BY THE RECENT FLOODS.
IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE SIX 760 VOLUNTEER HOURS CONTRIBUTED, CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PROJECT PARTNERS.
UH, ANGELITA WILL GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT THOSE, BUT WE ARE REALLY, UM, HONORED AND HAD A GREAT TIME WORKING IN THE CITY.
SO OVER SIX WEEKS, 283 VOLUNTEERS, AGES 11 THROUGH 88, SPENT A WEEK SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR, SPENDING THEIR DAYS OUTSIDE VOLUNTEERING.
AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY COMPLETED.
SO WE PUT THIS CONTRACT TOGETHER PRETTY FAST, ACTUALLY WITH N 32 DAYS.
SO IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO TOGETHER IF WE HAD A BIT MORE TIME.
SO I WILL NOW GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DID DO TOGETHER.
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS SOME EMERGENCY SHELTER PREPARATION WORK THAT WE DID.
UH, TOGETHER WITH STAFF VOLUNTEERS SPENT A DAY WITH STAFF ORGANIZING, UH, AND COUNTING, UH, OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER, UH, UH, SUPPLIES.
SO PICTURED HERE IS, UH, BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AT LAS PALMAS PARK AND CAMACHO RECREATION CENTER.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE WAS GRAFFITI REMOVAL AND, UH, AL ALSO AT THE PARK.
UH, THE PARK BENCHES WERE PAINTED AT THE 4TH OF JULY CARNIVAL, WE HAD, UH, 22 VOLUNTEERS ASSIST IN PREPARATION FOR THE NATIONAL CITY HOST LIONS CLUB CARNIVAL THAT WAS HELD AT KIMBALL PARK.
WE ALSO HAD BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AT ALTOON PARK AND CAMPBELL PARK WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UH, GRAFFITI REMOVAL DIVISION.
THERE AT, UH, THE ART CENTER BASEMENT, WE HAD WHAT WE CALLED A PROJECT REFRESH.
SO VOLUNTEERS RELOCATED AND ORGANIZED EXISTING SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT INTO A SINGLE ROOM AND THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE FACILITY, MAKING IT AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, RECREATION SUPPLIES, AND CITY HOLIDAY DECORATIONS.
SO NOW YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE ART CENTER BASEMENT LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE HAVE ALL OF THE RECREATION SUPPLIES ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS SPENT FOUR DAYS AND TRANSPORTED TRUCKLOADS OF SUPPLIES FROM FOUR DIFFERENT RECREATION CENTERS INTO THIS CENTRALIZED LOCATION.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT'S NOT EVEN ALL OF IT.
I COULD NOT GET IT ALL IN ONE PICTURE.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY SUPPLIES AT EACH OF THE CENTERS.
SO, UM, THE VOLUNTEERS ALSO BUILT ALL OF THAT INDUSTRIAL SHELVING.
AND THIS FULFILLS THE, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STORES STORAGE SPACE.
IT ALLOWS THE EMERGENCY SHELTER AT THE MLK CENTER ADDITIONAL SPACE.
SO MOVING THE RECREATION SUPPLIES FROM MLK TO THE ART CENTER FREED UP SOME SPACE, AND THEN IT ALLOWS STAFF TO SPEND MORE TIME ON PROGRAMMING RATHER THAN GRABBING SUPPLIES FROM ALL OF THE RECREATION CENTER.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A RECREATION PLAN ON FILE, UH, TO USE THIS IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, FOR VOLUNTEERS SPENT TIME PAINTING THE
[00:25:01]
EXTERIOR OF FIRE STATION 34.AND I WILL TELL YOU, OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE VERY HAPPY, UH, NOW THAT THEIR FIRE STATION IS PAINTED.
IT TOOK 12 DAYS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS TO, UH, PREPARE AND PAINT THE FIRE STATION.
AND OUR VOLUNTEERS WERE ALSO VERY HAPPY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THEY EACH GOT TO GO DOWN THE POLE.
OH,
SO IN PREPARATION FOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, UH, VOLUNTEERS HELPED THE LIBRARY, UH, STAFF AT VARIOUS, AT VARIOUS TASKS.
SO THAT INCLUDED MOVING FURNITURE, UH, CABINETS, BOOKS, AND DECORATING FOR THE CELEBRATION AHEAD.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK THE SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, AND REALLY TOGETHER WE CAN DO ANYTHING.
SO THANK YOU MEGAN, AND THANK YOU ANGELITA AND EVERYONE HERE IN THIS ROOM, ESPECIALLY THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR, AND ALL OF THE WONDERFUL STAFF PEOPLE WE WORKED WITH, UM, TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING US IN PARTNERSHIP.
UH, WE DO HAVE, YEAH, GIVE HER THE CAMERA 'CAUSE YOU WANT A PICTURE.
UH, SO WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION TALKING ABOUT ALL YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND THINGS THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE DONE.
AND I WILL SAY WHEN WE WERE GETTING READY TO DO THE JULY 4TH THE CLEANUP, THE WEEK, THE SATURDAY BEFORE, ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE COME RUNNING UP, SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO HELP.
AND I'M LIKE, WHO ARE YOU? AND THEN THAT'S WHEN GOT TO FIND OUT WHO ALL YOU WERE.
AND SO YOU, YOU, YOU SAW LIKE PICTURES OF THEM IN THEIR CLEANING INSIDE OF THOSE BATHROOMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HADN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN A LONG TIME.
BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE DECLARING TODAY SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT DAY IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, HONOR.
WHEN YOU WERE CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS, I HEARD YOU LIKE EVERY MOMENT, MR. MAYOR.
WHEN THE SHERA CLUB CAME AND CLEANED UP, UM, ELON PARK ON THIS DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT THREE SIDE, I WENT, UM, AND, UM, JOINED THEM AND BROUGHT THEM LUNCH.
SO I MET ALL THE, THE KIDS FROM, UH, FROM PHOENIX, I MEAN FROM ARIZONA.
[7.2 Technical Assistance Panel Report for the Green Corridors Project]
GO ON TO, UH, 7.2.THIS IS THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANT PANEL REPORT ON THE GREEN CORRIDORS PROJECT.
THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC.
MARTIN REEDER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND FIRST I'D JUST LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, MAD SWAY AND JESSICA BARLOW WITH SAN DIEGO STATE WHO ARE GONNA KICK OFF THIS PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL, GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN, EVERYONE, UM, WE ARE JUST PRESENTING, WE'RE INTRODUCING THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL.
'CAUSE AS YOU ALL MAY RECALL, WE HAVE A, UM, BROWNFIELD'S ASSESSMENT GRANT IN NATIONAL CITY THAT WE ARE DOING IN COLLABORATION WITH, UM, THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, JUST TO, I'M TRYING TO ADVANCE HERE.
UM, SO JUST TO, TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, WE HAVE, UM, OH, WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH US.
THESE ARE ALL THE TASKS THAT WE ARE DOING.
WE DON'T WANNA WASTE, UH, NOT WASTE TIME, BUT WE DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH TIME UP 'CAUSE WE WANNA DEDICATE THE TIME TO THE, THE PANEL THAT WILL BE PRESENTED.
BUT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT OF WHERE WE ARE, WE DID GET A ONE YEAR EXTENSION ON OUR BROWNFIELDS GRANT FROM THE EPA.
SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING ON THIS WORK THROUGH OCTOBER, 2026.
AND, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS AT BROWNFIELD SITES OR, UM, PERCEIVED BROWNFIELD SITES IN THE COMMUNITY AND DOING, UM, SOME REUSE PLANNING ACTIVITIES.
AND THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL THAT YOU'LL BE HEARING, UH, FROM ABOUT IS, UM, PART OF THAT WORK THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH OUR, UH, BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT GRANT.
AND SO, UM, WE, UH, HAD A SUBCONTRACT THAT WE PROVIDED TO, UM, URBAN LAND INSTITUTE WHO CONVENED THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT NEXT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
[00:30:01]
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE'S SAN DIEGO TIJUANA CHAPTER.UH, WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FOLKS WORKING IN AND AROUND REAL ESTATE AND LAND USE.
AND WHILE THAT'S ALL FINE AND GOOD, UH, REALLY THE THING WE GET THE MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS PUTTING OUR MEMBERS' EXPERTISE TO USE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FOR OUR DISTRICT OF ULI, UH, OUR COMMUNITY IS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TIME, UH, SPENT WITH CITIES IN THE REGION THINKING ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND HOPEFULLY WHAT WE CAN SHARE TONIGHT WITH OUR RECENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL, UH, WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF MAYBE SOME OPTIMISTIC VISION OF WHAT COULD BE, UH, BECAUSE WE THINK THERE'S SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HAD IN NATIONAL CITY.
UH, SO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ALL PART OF OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL TEAM, UH, WILL SHARE WITH YOU IS, ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND KIND OF A BIGGER PICTURE VISION FOR A SITE IN YOUR CITY.
UH, AND ALL LAYOUT, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKED LIKE.
UH, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE PARTNERING WITH THE SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY TEAM ON THESE, UH, SITES IN YOUR CITY.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THIS SECOND REPORT, UH, SPENT THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.
TO REITERATE THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE SHARED BEFORE, UH, AT ULI, WHEN WE TAKE ON ONE OF THESE TECH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECTS, WE CONVENE A TEAM OF ABOUT A DOZEN EXPERTS, UH, FROM ACROSS DISCIPLINARY SECTION OF OUR LAND USE COMMUNITY.
SO FOLKS WHO ARE DESIGNERS, DEVELOPERS, ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALISTS, REALLY THE WHOLE GAMUT RELATED TO REAL ESTATE AND LAND USE.
AND WE ASSEMBLE THEM ON SITE IN THE COMMUNITY IN QUESTION TO ADDRESS A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE FACING THAT CITY.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT'S A VERY SITE SPECIFIC QUESTION.
UH, WE THEN USE THAT TEAM'S TIME AND TALENT TO INTERVIEW A BROAD RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SOME OF YOU ON COUNCIL TODAY.
UH, AND DELIBERATE OVER WHAT WE HEAR.
SO WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY TELLING US ABOUT THE PROBLEM WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADDRESS AND THE SITE IN QUESTION? AND SO WE'LL SHARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT TONIGHT.
UH, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE AND SHOUT OUT THE FULL TEAM THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE REPORT THAT WE'VE SHARED.
UH, ALL OF THE FOLKS LISTED HERE ARE REALLY EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD, AND THEY GAVE US TWO FULL DAYS OF THEIR TIME VOLUNTEERING IN NATIONAL CITY, UH, THINKING ABOUT THIS SITE, AND THEN LOTS OF HOURS OF REVIEW AND DESIGN AND DRAWING AND ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF THAT WENT INTO THE FINAL PRODUCT.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME TONIGHT AND IN DEVELOPING THIS PRODUCT WITH THAT, I THINK THAT'S MY OFFICIAL TRANSITION PERIOD HERE,
UH, BUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF A GREEN CORRIDOR IN THE CITY AND IDENTIFYING A VISION FOR SOME CREATIVE REUSE OF LAND TO DEVELOP MORE PARK AND COMMUNITY SPACE.
AND I KNOW FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, A, YOU KNOW, AN AREA OF QUESTION AND, AND OPTIMISM AND HOPE FROM A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A LOT IN OUR PROCESS.
UH, SO WE'LL SHARE SOME OF WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY LOOKED LIKE.
MY COLLEAGUE SAYS, KEEP GOING,
UH, SO YES, YOU'VE HEARD A BIT ABOUT THE BROWNFIELDS PROJECT AND IN THIS CASE, UH, WE'RE TAKING ONE SPECIFIC SITE.
WHEN WE SPOKE TO YOU LAST YEAR WITH OUR FIRST REPORT FROM THIS PROCESS, WE HAD ANALYZED FOUR SITES KIND OF IN THE CORE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, AND IN THIS CASE REALLY ARE LOOKING AT TWO SITES REALLY ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER AND THINKING ABOUT HOW THOSE MAY BE, COULD BE PUT TO BETTER USE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO IN OUR STUDY, WE'VE REFERRED TO THESE AS JOE'S POCKET FARM AND MA, UH, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN THE FINDINGS OF OUR REPORT.
AND AGAIN, TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE OUR PROCESS HERE RELATING TO THE TAP PROJECT WE WERE GIVEN FROM OUR PARTNERS AT SAN DIEGO STATE AND FROM THE CITY, UH, THREE KIND OF PRIORITIES TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE PRIORITIZING SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING THESE SUSTAINABLE, YOU KNOW, PLACES THAT OFFER CONNECTION TO NATURE AND HOW WE'RE REALLY EFFICIENTLY USING OUR LAND.
AND THAT REALLY IS KIND OF A CENTRAL FOCUS OF OUR WORK AT THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE.
THAT ONE MORE, WE'LL GET INTO THE CONTEXT OF OUR REPORT.
SO I'LL INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL TAI WITH, GET IT, GET IT FROM HIM QUICK.
THANKS FOR THE INTRODUCTION, CHRIS.
SO, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I AM AN ECONOMIC CONSULTANT WITH KAISER MARSTON ASSOCIATES, BUT I'M RELEVANT TODAY BECAUSE I AM ALSO THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ULI SAN DIEGO TIJUANA TAP COMMITTEE.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU CONTEXT, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, REGARDING THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE SITE THAT WE ANALYZED.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE SITE, UH, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY, UH, PROXIMITY TO FREEWAYS AND, UH, INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES THAT HAVE CREATED MULTIPLE PATHS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
[00:35:02]
CONTAMINATION AND MANY POTENTIAL BROWN FIELDS.UM, MOREOVER, THE FREEWAY CONSTRUCTION, UM, HAS DIVIDED PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PRACTICE OF REDLINING HAS ALSO NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THE LIVABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE AREA FOR GENERATIONS.
SO THIS TAP, UM, WAS REALLY AIMED AT IDENTIFYING PLACEMAKING MOBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES, UH, TO HELP ADVANCE THE OVERALL VISION OF THE GREEN CORRIDOR PROJECT.
UM, THIS STUDY WAS PART OF A GREATER EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE HISTORICAL HARM CAUSED BY THE FREEWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS THAT HAVE LONG SEPARATED THE CITY AND LIMITED MOBILITY ACCESS AS WELL AS EEC ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE SITE, UH, THE SITE HERE SITS BELOW THE INTERSTATE 8 0 5, UM, AND THE TWO RAMPS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN STATE ROUTE 2 52.
THE RAMPS EXTEND WEST FROM I 8 0 5.
UM, THE LARGER SITE YOU SEE THERE IN RED, UM, IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF PALM AVENUE, UH, AT AND DIVISION STREET.
AND THEN THAT SMALLER SITE THERE ON THE EAST, UM, IS JOE'S POCKET FARM, AND THAT'S LOCATED MORE, UH, EAST ON NORTH Q AVENUE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, WE WANT TO THANK THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT GAVE US, UH, GREAT INPUT, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AND RODRIGUEZ.
UM, WE ALSO INTERVIEWED CITY AND COUNTY STAFF, SANDAG INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS LEADERS FROM THE, UH, COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAMS. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JONATHAN.
UM, GOOD EVENING, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
UH, MY NAME IS JONATHAN SANCHEZ.
I'M A SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER WITH CR ASSOCIATES.
UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, SOME OF THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, I'LL, I'LL SPEAK, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL FOCUSING ALSO KIND OF ON MOBILITY SPECIFICALLY.
UH, WE DIVIDED, UM, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON SHORT, SHORT TERM, MIDTERM, AND LONG TERM FOR SHORT TERM, ZERO TO FIVE YEARS.
UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE POCKET FARM, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY SOIL REMEDIATION AND GRADING, UH, IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE, UH, RAISED BETS, FLOWER GARDEN, BUT ALSO, UM, FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE, UH, EXISTING PEDESTRIAN PATHS.
UH, WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR FIELD INVESTIGATION, WE SAW QUITE A BIT OF, OF TRASH, UM, OUT THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE SHORT TERM, IT WOULD BE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, TRASH, UH, CLEANUP, UH, TRYING TO ENHANCE SOME OF THE CURRENT PEDESTRIAN, UH, PATHS THAT CURRENTLY CONNECT, UH, BOTH SIDES.
THE POCKET FARM WITH THE MAUM SIDE.
UM, ALSO IN TERMS OF, UM, BICYCLE MOBILITY WOULD BE TO, UH, MAINTAIN SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT ARE, UH, CURRENTLY EXISTING, UM, OUT THERE.
UH, ALSO DOING SOME COORDINATION, UH, WITH MTS METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEMS, UH, TO ENHANCE, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, TRANSIT STOPS THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, OF THE, UH, OVERALL, UH, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UH, FOR MOVING, ALL MOVING ALONG FOR, UH, MIDTERM, ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
AND HERE IS WHERE WE SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN UPGRADE, UH, OF, OF THE MAUM SIDE.
UH, WHERE WE WOULD, UH, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE DOING A ROAD DIET, UH, IMMEDIATELY FRONTING, UH, THE SITE, UH, GOING FROM FOUR LANES TO THREE LANES.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, CONCERNS WITH SPEEDING, UH, AROUND THE AREA.
ALSO, UH, DOING SOME CONTROLLED, UH, INTERSECTIONS, UH, TO PROVIDE SAFER, UH, CROSSING FACILITIES, UH, WHERE, BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO ENHANCE, UH, REALLY THE MATERIUM SIDE INTO MORE OF A COMMUNITY AREA WITH, UH, SPACES FOR, YOU KNOW, LIVE MUSIC VENDORS, YOU KNOW, TO BE OUT THERE AND REALLY, UH, CREATE A, UM, REALLY PLACE MAKING, YOU KNOW, CREATING AN AREA, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER AND, YOU KNOW, ENJOY, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA.
UM, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO INCLUDE DIAGONAL PARKING, UH, FRONTING THE SITE, UM, AND ALSO JUST ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS AT THE INTERSECTION OF PALM AND DIVISION STREET.
UM, MOVING FORWARD TO THE LONG-TERM VISION, UH, WHICH, UH, FOCUSES, YOU KNOW, 10 PLUS YEARS, UH, AND HERE IS WHERE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING INTO, UH, RECONFIGURATION, UH, OF THE POTENTIAL.
YOU KNOW, BEAR WITH ME, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, A GRAND VISION OF
[00:40:01]
ESSENTIALLY DECOMMISSIONING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CALTRANS RAMPS, WHICH ARE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SR 2 52, UH, SITUATION THAT OCCURRED.THE, IT'S REALLY A CONNECTION THAT IT'S FROM A VEHICULAR STANDPOINT, IT'S, UH, UNDERUTILIZED.
UM, SO IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THIS AREA COULD BE REPURPOSED, UH, TO CREATE MORE OF THIS, UH, COMMUNITY AREA WHERE THE RAMPS, UH, COULD BE REPURPOSED INTO MORE OF A GREENING SPACE, SOME OF THE CORRIDOR CREATING ALMOST LIKE A VIEWING DECK TYPE OF SITUATION.
AND WITH THIS, IT WOULD BE EVEN INCREASING MORE AND ENHANCING THE PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY, UH, OF, YOU CAN SEE SOME, YOU KNOW, ON THE AREAS TO THE EAST OF THE 8 0 5, JUST CREATING MEANDERING PATHS, UH, AND JUST ENHANCING THE OVERALL, UM, EXPERIENCE OF PEDESTRIAN BICYCLES AND JUST IN GENERAL, MULTI MOD, UH, MODALITY IN THE AREA, UH, TO SIMPLY, UH, MAKE IT A SAFER AND MORE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT I'LL TRANSITION TO.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A HERITAGE CON CONSERVATIONIST AND URBAN PLANNER WITH MIG.
UM, OUR REPORT ALSO INCLUDES A HANDFUL OF CASE STUDIES, UM, LOOKING AT THE SHORT TERM, MIDTERM AND LONG TERM.
SO FIRSTLY, FOR SHORT TERM, THIS IS ZERO TO FIVE YEARS.
WE ARE PROPOSING A HANDFUL OF RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE MY COLLEAGUE JONATHAN DISCUSSED.
UM, MOST OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REALLY, UM, TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
SO LOOKING AT CLEANUP, ACTIVATING THE SPACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
A LOT OF THE SHORT TERM CASE STUDIES THAT WE LOOKED AT, UM, ARE ONES THAT REFLECT CURRENT OR RECENT USES OF THE SITE.
SO LOOKING AT COMPOSTING WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS FARMING COURSES, URBAN FARMING COURSES THAT RESIDENTS CAN TAKE BACK TO THEIR HOMES.
UM, TEMPORARY RETAIL SPACES, POP UP EVENTS.
THERE'S HOLIDAY MARKETS THAT WERE PROPOSED, UH, VARIOUS SORT OF LOW, UH, INVESTMENT, LOW IMPACT, BUT BIG COMMUNITY IMPACT.
UM, EITHER POP-UP ART, TEMPORARY ART, UM, MURALS BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT HOW TO BRING MORE PEOPLE TO THE SPACE, FAMILIARIZING THE SPACE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS SOME PASSIVE RECREATION FACILITIES.
SO MORE, AGAIN, LOW INVESTMENT.
UM, WHILE THE SITE, UH, GOES UNDER SOME REMEDIATION AND CLEANUP FOR MIDTERM CASE STUDIES, WE LOOKED AT MORE ACTIVE RECREATION, SO A BIT HIGHER INVESTMENT, HIGHER IMPACT.
UM, SOME ONE, UH, SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING INCLUDE PICKLEBALL, COURTS, AS WELL AS SKATE PARKS.
AS THE SITE, UM, HAS THESE OVERPASSES, IT IS ONE THAT CAN HOLD A LITTLE BIT MORE NOISE.
AND AS WE KNOW, SOME OF THESE, THESE CERTAIN TYPES OF ACTIVE RECREATION, UM, TEND TO HAVE MORE NOISE.
SO WE WERE THINKING THEY COULD BE POSSIBLE, UH, SUITABLE USES FOR UNDER THESE SITES.
OF COURSE, THESE ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS TO INSPIRE AND NEED A LOT MORE COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, SO ACTIVE RECREATION AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY AN URBAN ORCHARD, SO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, OF A MANAGED SITE, UM, BEYOND A COMMUNITY GARDEN LONG TERM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A BIGGER PICTURE HERE.
WE PULLED CASE STUDIES LOOKING AT BLOOMINGDALE TRAIL IN CHICAGO, AS WELL AS RAIL PARK IN PHILADELPHIA.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, OF COURSE, A NEED FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THERE'S POTENTIAL TO DO HOUSING STUDIES TO LOOK AT HOW THIS SITE COULD BE REUSED FOR MORE MIXED USES AND, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
I PASS, UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND NOT, BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT TAPS AND THE WORK WE DO, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US.
YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE FULL REPORT SCANNING THE QR CODE.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN SEEING ANY OF THE, OF THE OTHER REPORTS OR LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE WORK WE DO, OR EVEN PARTNERING WITH US WHERE WE LOVE TO DO THIS, OUR EXPERTS OR MEMBERS, UM, THEY VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, SO THEY LOVE TO DO THIS.
THEY DO IT FOR FREE FOR YOU, BUT, UM, AND, UH, THEY JUST PROVIDE THE BEST, UH, ADVICE THEY CAN.
GO AHEAD AND WE DO HAVE A CUP.
I, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, UH, WONDERFUL IDEAS.
UH, CERTAINLY I HEARD THE WORD INSPIRATION AND YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO NATIONAL CITY AND, AND PROVIDING YOUR EXPERTISE HERE.
I REALLY ENJOYED THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I REMEMBER THIS LAST YEAR WHEN, UH, CALTRANS, UH, MR.
[00:45:01]
IN THIS CONFERENCE ROOM TO GET ALL THE, UM, THE, UH, INPUT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.AND THEN WE HAD THAT CEREMONY THERE.
MAYOR AND I WERE THERE, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, TOXO MICHIGAN WAS HERE, UM, DURING THAT TIME.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS COMING TOGETHER AND MORE ORGANIZED.
SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI, UH, WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PUSHING FOR THIS.
AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON THE PROJECT AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO YOU ARE, UM, UH, A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME TOGETHER, FLAGGED, UH, A PARTICULAR SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS STUDY TO OCCUR AND FOR US TO FINALLY MOVE IN THE DIRECTION TO MAKE THIS PIECE OF LAND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE, WHICH WE TAKE PRIDE IN.
AND SO I, I REALLY, UH, WANT TO THANK, UH, MS. RENOSO, UH, REALLY WANT TO THANK COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CALTRANS, MR. MB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP MB BY THE WAY.
UM, UH,
WE WERE ABLE TO UNITE FORCES WITH THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY TO APPLY FOR A SUBSTANTIAL GRANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT FIVE AND 10 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY COUNT ON MY SUPPORT.
ALL RIGHT, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, SPEAKERS, UH, UH, JANICE LUNA RENOSO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDY TORRES.
AND BLAKE, MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING SO HARD.
MY NAME IS JANICE REINOSO, UH, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MUNDO GARDENS.
BORN AND RAISED IN NATIONAL CITY, AND I ALSO GREW UP IN SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO.
SO THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT IS AIMED TO RECONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES OF NATIONAL CITY IN SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO.
IT'S BEEN A LIFELONG VISION FOR A LOT OF US.
IT'S BEEN, UH, ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
IN WRITING THOSE LETTERS OF SUPPORT, I'LL PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE, AND HOPEFULLY IT'S KIND OF A, A TEASER TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO MEET BECAUSE WE DID GET THE FEDERAL GRANT AND FINALLY ROLLING THAT WE APPLIED FOR, IT'S A $2 MILLION PLANNING GRANT THAT WILL INCLUDE OUR PARTNERS.
WHEN I SAY THAT NUMBER, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE AUSTIN POWER IS LIKE $2 MILLION, WHERE IT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS BEFORE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY MORE THAN SEED MONEY.
AND MORE THAN THAT, THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE ACT OF CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN WILL HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD IN THE NEXT YEAR.
WE DO HAVE A TIMELINE FOR THIS TO BE, UH, THE, A VISIONING PROCESS THAT WILL BE FINISHED BY 2027, AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE A LOT ALREADY TO QUANTIFY.
THE UPDATE FOR THE STATE GRANT, UNFORTUNATELY, IS THAT RIGHT NOW THAT HAS BEEN EITHER DEFUNDED OR STOPPED, BUT WE DON'T LOSE HOPE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.
AND SO WE'LL NEED YOUR ADVOCACY ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CALTRAN.
NICK AND HIS TEAM WITH RENI HAVE BEEN REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING KEEP THAT HOPE ALIVE.
AND SO WE'LL NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE IN OTHER POTS OF MONEY IN THE STATE TO GET THIS, YOU KNOW, VIABLE INVESTMENT TO ALSO REDRESS A LOT OF THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE, BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY.
BUT I REALLY FORESEE US ENVISIONING AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
OF COURSE, WE HAD TO MENTION OUR BELOVED JOE'S POCKET FARM AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, BUT ALSO CONNECTING THIS TO THE GREEN BELT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY LED THE WAY ON.
WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU ENVISIONED FOR THIS, UM, PROJECT AND FURTHERMORE, IN THE FUTURE? THANK YOU, RANDY.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS RANDY TORRES VAN BLECH, AND I'M HONORED TO BE WORKING ALONGSIDE MUNDO GARDENS ON THIS EXCITING GREEN CORRIDOR PROJECT THANK YOU AT ULI FOR THIS TAP, WHICH HELPS VISUALIZE WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH THE SITE.
IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED WHY THE 43RD STREET 8 0 5 RAMPS FEEL OUT OF PLACE, IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE PART OF THE 2 52 FREEWAY, WHICH WOULD CONNECT 8 0 5 AND THE FIVE.
AND SADLY, ALL OF THE HOMES IN SOUTH CREST AND ALL OF THE HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVED IN THOSE HOMES WERE DISPLACED WHEN THE HOMES WERE, UH, DESTROYED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WHO WERE DISPLACED FROM THE SOUTH CREST HOMES WERE BLACK.
AND, UH, IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT FREEWAYS, UH, LARGELY AT THIS TIME WERE PLANNED THROUGH RED LINE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE SEEN IT THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO CITY
[00:50:01]
HEIGHTS BAR, LOGAN, SOUTHEAST, SAN DIEGO, UM, NATIONAL CITY HOLD A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF FREEWAYS, AND WE'RE STILL LIVING WITH THOSE IMPACTS TO THIS DAY.UM, IN THE 1970S, THE CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION BASED IN SAN DIEGO CALLED THE BLACK FEDERATION ORGANIZED TO STOP THE REST OF THE FREEWAY FROM BEING CONSTRUCTED.
AND OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO GET TO KNOW BLACK FEDERATION LEADERS, VERNON KUMU AND KMU HARLEY, WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR STORIES, AND NOW THEY'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE WINDO GARDENS AND PARTNERS ON A MULTI-GENERATIONAL EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE HARMS OF THE PAST AND CREATE A COMMUNITY SHAPED PLAN TO REPLACE THE FREEWAY RAMPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY SUPPORTED USES.
AND THIS IS SUPPORTED IN THE, IN THE 2015 SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY PLAN, WHICH CALLS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE RAMPS.
IT'S ALSO, THE RAMPS ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED IN A 2011 CALTRANS EAR.
SO THIS IS HAPPENING, IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.
THE ULI TAP'S GONNA HELP MOVE THINGS FORWARD, AND WITH THE FUNDING THAT MUNDO GARDENS WAS ABLE TO SECURE, AS MS. OSA SHARED, A NEW VISIONARY PROCESS IS GONNA KICK OFF.
SO WE INVITE YOU, UH, TO BE A PART OF THAT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO RESTORE THE $25 MILLION THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO NOW, LIKE RESTORING JOE'S POCKET FARM AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT AND SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TODAY.
YES, I, UH, FIRST OFF, UH, THANK THE ULI FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANELS.
THEY'VE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE IN 2015 IN THE CITY HEIGHTS, UM, AS A PLANNER.
AND SO IT'S A GREAT, IT WAS GREAT EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, WITH VOLUNTEERS.
UM, THIS, THIS PROJECT, IT, IT'S A BIG ENDEAVOR.
IT'S NOT JUST, UH, NATIONAL CITIES.
YOU HEARD, IT'S ALSO SOUTHEAST, SO IT'S THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO TOO.
AND YOU HEARD THE HISTORY, UM, THE INTENTIONAL DESTRUCTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS BY FREEWAYS, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING ALL THE AFTER, UH, EFFECTS ON OUR HEALTH ON, UH, POLLUTION AND JUST HOW DISCONNECTED OUR COMMUNITIES WERE, THE, THE SHAMEFUL DISPLACEMENT OF PREDOMINANTLY BLACK RESIDENTS.
SO THANK YOU, RANDY, FOR, UH, TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO TELL THAT STORY AS PART OF THAT PROJECT BECAUSE AS TRAGIC AS IT WAS THAT THAT DISPLACEMENT, UH, I THINK THIS IS A REBIRTH AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THAT STORY.
AND THE BRIGHT PART OF THAT WAS, IT WAS THE BLACK FEDERATION WAS, UH, MR. VERNON KUMU, THAT THAT ORGANIZED THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY ACTUALLY DID SUCCESSFULLY STOP THE FREEWAY FROM BEGINNING BUILT, AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE A LOT OF THOSE HOMES AND THOSE FAMILIES.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TELL THAT STORY.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU, JANICE, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR MANY YEARS, UH, NEXT TO YOUR HOME FOR JOE'S, UH, PO POCKET FARM.
SO THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH AND EXPANDING IT.
UM, AND THEN THE, A FINAL KIND OF, UH, UH, SHOUT OUT TO IS, UH, TO DR.
STAN RODRIGUEZ, UM, IN THE KUMEYAAY COMMUNITY.
SO BRINGING IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ROOTS, BECAUSE THESE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE, AS THEY SAY, SINCE, UH, TIME IMMEMORIAL.
AND WE DON'T FOCUS ON THAT PART ENOUGH.
LIKE, YES, WE'RE, WE'RE MEXICAN, WE'RE FILIPINO, WE'RE BLACK, WE'RE IRISH, WE'RE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, AND LIKE THE KUMEYAAY PART OF THE STORY ISN'T TOLD OR RECOGNIZED ENOUGH.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, UH, DOING THAT AND INCORPORATING THAT, ESPECIALLY INTO THE NATIVE, NATIVE PLANTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER IN PARTNERING WITH CALTRAN.
SO, SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE, AND I HOPE THAT WE, UH, AS A, AS A COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S SENDING LETTERS OR WHATEVER, WE NEED TO DO THE STATE TO GET THE FUNDING, UH, LET'S DO, BUT I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK ON THIS.
[8. REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
ON TO REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.I'LL START OVER HERE ON MY LEFT.
UM,
UM, I, SANDAG IS BACK IN SESSION.
I ATTENDED THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING LAST FRIDAY.
UH, WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL OF THE RECENT, UM, AUDIT REPORTS THAT THE OPA HAS, UH, RELEASED AND PUBLISHED.
UM, THIS COMING FRIDAY, I WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I WILL REPORT BACK ON THAT COMING UP SOON.
UH, WE HAD A MTS BOARD MEETING.
SO THERE WAS A, THE BIG ITEM THERE FOR METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM WAS, UH, WE ARE DISCUSSING POTENTIAL INCREASE OF THE FARES.
UH, OUR, UH, TRANSIT SYSTEM FARES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED SINCE, UH, 2009, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES AND WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THE STRUGGLE ECONOMICALLY, WE WANNA BE SENSITIVE TO THAT AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STUDYING IT AND LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES.
UM, SO, BUT I WANNA BE UPFRONT WITH PEOPLE
[00:55:01]
THAT, UH, UH, FOR ME AS A REPRESENTATIVE, IT'S MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, LOOK AT TARGETED FAIR INCREASES INSTEAD OF CUTTING SERVICES.'CAUSE CUTTING SERVICES CAN REALLY BE DEVASTATING THE PEOPLE GETTING TO WORK AND WHATNOT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO RAISE REVENUE THAT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
AND, UH, FOR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING LAST WEEK, UH, THAT, UH, OUR NEW SUPERVISOR, PALOMA AGUIRE, UM, CALLED FOR THIS TO PUSH ON MORE ACTION, UH, TO ADDRESS THE TIJUANA RIVER, THE SEWAGE CRISIS.
SO WE DID GET APPROVED, UH, A COUPLE THOUSAND MORE AIR FILTERS THAT'LL BE FUNDED FOR THAT AREA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT LONG-TERM PLANS TO FUND MORE.
UH, WE'VE, UH, THE COUNTY APPROVED AN ECONOMIC STUDY, UH, TO MEASURE WHAT THE IMPACTS HAVE BEEN OF THE, THE CONTAMINATION, UH, AGAINST, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE REGION.
UH, AND WE ALSO, UH, RELAX SOME OF THE RULES SO IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE FOLKS IN THE, UM, IN THAT AREA TO GET TO GET FILTERS.
SO THAT'S MY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT UPDATE.
ALRIGHT, UM, REAL QUICKLY, THIS FRIDAY ALSO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A JOINT MEETING OF THE, UH, SANDAG OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND, AND, UH, REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEE.
SO THAT WILL BE A, PROBABLY A GOOD THREE, FOUR HOUR, UH, MEETING ON THAT ONE.
UH, SO WE HAVE THAT ONE COMING UP.
I WOULD ALSO URGE, UH, MTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UH, THERE WAS A-C-A-C-A-O REPORT DONE BY SANDAG A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
AND WHAT IT SHOWED WAS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ROUTES THAT ARE NEEDING MORE GREATER FREQUENCY BECAUSE OF LARGE RIDERSHIP.
WE HAVE OTHER ROUTES THAT HAVE BASICALLY NO RIDERSHIP.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE FINDING IS THAT AT THAT TIME, AND I'M SURE THAT NUMBER IS WAY UP NOW, BUT AT THAT TIME WE HAD SOME ROUTES THAT IT WAS COSTING $62 SUBS FOR EACH PASSENGER TRIP.
AND WHILE OTHER ONES IT WAS LIKE $3 BECAUSE IT'S BEING USED A LOT.
AND SO PART OF THE DEAL WAS LET'S CUT SOME OF THESE ROUTES THAT ARE GOING, THAT ARE BASICALLY GETTING NO USE BECAUSE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE NEED NEED IT AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT COME AND SCREAM AT THE MEETINGS.
AND, UH, LET'S PUT IT MORE, MAKE A DECISION.
ARE WE GONNA BE DOING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHICH MEANS THE TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERYONE ON A LARGE BUS OR DO WE DO MASS TRANSPORTATION? BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A CHOICE.
THAT'S ALSO COULD BE MAYOR YOU WRITE THAT IS, UH, THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT, BUT THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED, WHICH ROUTES TO, TO CUT.
AND I WILL SAY DISPROPORTIONATELY, UH, NATIONAL CITY, WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST RIDERSHIP.
SO WE AS A BOARD HAVE BEEN PUSHING THAT OUR AREAS, ESPECIALLY BLUE LINE AND ALL THAT, MORE THAN ATTRACTING CHOICE RIDERS.
I GOT TROUBLE BACK IN THE OLD DAYS BECAUSE WE HAD ONE BUS ROUTE THAT WAS GOING OUT TO BORREGO AND THE ARGUMENT WAS BECAUSE THIS SON, HIS MOTHER NEEDED A, HAD A, A DOCTOR'S VISIT ON TUESDAYS, SO WE NEEDED TO HAVE A BUS ROUTE GOING OUT THERE FOR HER.
AND I SAID, NO, WE NEED TO HAVE OF A SON THAT TAKES CARE OF HIS MOM.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY AND I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR SAYING THAT, BUT WHATEVER.
[9.1 Appointments: City Boards, Commissions, and Committees – City Council Interview and Appointment for the Civil Service Commission and Planning Commission.]
INTERVIEWS AND APPOINTMENTS.OUR FIRST ONE IS, UH, APPOINTMENTS TO THE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND LEMME GET FLIPPED OVER REAL QUICK ON THAT ONE.
SO WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, WE FIRST OF ALL HAVE, UH, UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, WE HAVE UH, UH, ROBERT WERNER.
IS ROBERT IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.
HUH? IS HE OVER? ZOOM? PROBABLY WAS B BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM.
WELL HOPEFULLY HE'LL GET BACK.
HE WAS GONNA BE DOING IT VIA ZOOM, BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM ON HERE.
UH, HOPEFULLY I DON'T MESS UP THIS NAME.
BOER BRANDON FOR PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, MAYOR, MAY I INTERRUPT YOU? UH, SO WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN.
THAT WAS, UH, PRE YANK PATEL AND BRENDA BOWIE.
SO YOU ONLY HAVE TWO, UH, TWO CANDIDATES FOR THIS.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE, UM, THE DIRECTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS? SURE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
SO FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE CITY CLERK WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOARD COMMISSION AND COMMITTEES FOR THE CURRENT VACANCIES, WHICH IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE MAYOR WILL INTRODUCE THE ITEM AND UH, EACH APPLICANT WILL GIVE TWO MINUTES TO MAKE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
[01:00:01]
WILL ASK EACH QUE ASK QUESTIONS OF EACH APPLICANT.ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS.
TOTAL TIME PER APPLICANT IS FIVE MINUTES.
WITH THE TIME ALLOWED FOR CLARIFICATION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO EXCEED 10 MINUTES TOTAL PER APPLICANT ALL APPOINTMENTS AND INTERVIEWS FOR THE CITY BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE SCHEDULED AS NEEDED TO FILL UNEXPECTED VACANCIES WITH EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE MADE, UH, TO FILL THOSE TERMS. SO WITH THAT, OKAY, CARRY ON
CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND RESIDENT.
AND I AM APPLYING FOR YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION POSITION IS OPEN.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY FOR OVER 31 YEARS.
NO, I WAS NOT BORN HERE
UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND INVOLVED IN THE LOS PALM LITTLE LEAGUE.
I'M ON THE CHAMBER, NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER COMMERCE AS A BOARD DIRECTOR.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CITY POLICE AND FIRE FOUNDATION.
UM, THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER RESTAURANT COMMITTEE AND I'M NOW A MEMBER OF THE ACE INITIATIVE.
I'M ALSO THE FOUNDER OF ADRIAN'S WAY.
I DO THINGS WITH INTEGRITY AND I MAKE SURE I FOLLOW THE ROLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF EVERYTHING I DO.
UM, I THINK WHAT I CAN BRING TO THIS CITY IS MORE BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN AND BROUGHT IN CORRECTLY WHERE IT'S IN THE ZONING, WHERE IT'S PROPERLY ZONED AND LICENSED.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU MS. GOGI FOR COMING BEFORE US.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE INTERVIEWED BEFORE, UM, SO I'M HAPPY THAT YOU ARE GIVING THIS ANOTHER GO.
UH, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ALL OF THE, UM, DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT YOU ARE DEVOTED TO IN OUR CITY.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE ANOTHER ACTIVITY FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR SCHEDULE.
AND, YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY'S MEETING, I AM AWARE WENT PAST 10:00 PM UM, I THINK IT STARTED AT SIX, NOT ALL THE MEETINGS, NOT TO SCARE EVERYBODY, NOT ALL OF THE MEETINGS GO THAT LONG, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY WILL BE EXTENSIVE MEETINGS OR SOME OF THE ITEMS MAY BE, YOU KNOW, MAY REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF WORK.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA INQUIRE ABOUT THE TIME COMMITMENT.
UH, IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU? NO, THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM WITH ME.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS HERE LAST NIGHT, I DID LEAVE A LITTLE BEFORE THE 10
UM, BUT YES, TIME IS NOT A PROBLEM.
I HAVE MY SCHEDULE'S ALWAYS OPEN.
AND I AM NOT AT ALL SURPRISED THAT YOU WERE HERE YESTERDAY FOR THAT ITEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, CYNTHIA FULLER KENON.
YOU MAY KNOW ME AS YOUR TRAFFIC, UH, COMMISSIONER.
I'VE BEEN, UH, MOST RECENTLY SERVICING, SERVING AS THE CHAIR, UH, OF THAT, UH, GROUP.
AS MUCH AS I'VE ENJOYED THAT, I THINK I HAVE A LOT TO OFFER.
AS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSIONER WITH THE POSITION THAT HAS OPENED UP, UH, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE BEEN THE BENEFICIARY OF A LOT OF GOOD PLANNING DEPARTMENT SUPPORT THAT'S ALLOWED ME TO CONVERT MY SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON EAST FOURTH TO A TRIPLEX.
SO I HAVE THREE UNITS NOW, TWO THAT ARE RENTALS.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO PAY BACK, UH, SOME OF THE, THE GOOD THAT I'VE GOTTEN, UH, THEM IN A PLANNING COMMISSION ROLE.
YOU ALSO KNOW ME AS A, UH, ACTIVE, UH, HEALTH ADVOCATE FOR SOUTH BAY NATIONAL CITY HAS MADE GREAT PROGRESS, UH, IN THE PAST 10 YEARS OR SO, ESPECIALLY ADVANCING, UH, HEALTHIER, UH, GOALS FOR A HEALTHIER, UH, NATIONAL CITY.
UH, I THINK I HAVE A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, IN THAT RESPECT AS WELL.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER ME AS A VIABLE CANDIDATE.
ANOTHER, UH, VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU COME TO ALL OF MY TOWN HALLS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PARTICIPATION.
[01:05:01]
AND I ASK THE SAME QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WILL THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, BEING ONE OF THE BUSIEST, UH, COMMITTEES OR COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOR OUR CITY, WOULD THAT BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU? UH, NO.I'M, UH, RETIRED SO I DON'T HAVE FULL-TIME OCCUPATION AND, AND I LOVE GIVING AS MUCH AS I CAN.
VOLUNTEER WISE, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T APPLY IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE I COULD FULFILL THE, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, ONE QUICK QUESTION I'M GONNA ASK YOU.
JUST IN CASE, IF YOU WERE NOT SELECTED FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I NOTICED YOUR, YOUR POSITION ON TRAFFIC AND SAFETY IS COMING TO AN END, UH, FOR THIS TERM, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THAT? IF, IF, IF I WASN'T SELECTED OF I, I WOULD.
UM, BUT I DID ALSO WANNA OPEN THE OPPORTUNITY UP.
IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD WAY TO SERVE THE CITY.
AND I, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO MIGHT LIKE TO, TO, TO CONTRIBUTE IN THAT WAY.
IT'S A GOOD, IT'S A GOOD ROLL.
I'VE OBSERVED ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS IN TRAFFIC AND, UH, I SEE HOW YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU PRESIDE YOUR MEETING AND THANK YOU FOR THAT TIME THAT, UH, VOLUNTEERING IN OUR CITY.
OH, I'M SO GLAD TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, DO WE HAVE, UH, WAIT, I WAS GONNA ASK, DO WE HAVE ROBERT WARNER BACK ON THE LINE? NO, WE DO NOT.
SO WE HAVE, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
AND THAT ONE IS, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO SEATS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, ONE FOR, UH, THAT WILL GO THROUGH, UH, 29.
WE'RE PASSING OUT, WE'RE PASSING OUT THE ONES HERE.
NO, YOU CAN GET
WELL, LET'S, LET'S DO THE CIVIL SERVICE ONE FIRST.
UH, THERE ARE TWO SEATS AVAILABLE.
ONE IS FOR, UH, THAT WILL GO THROUGH 29, THE OTHER ONE THAT GOES THROUGH 30.
I WOULD SUGGEST IN THIS CASE THAT WE GO THROUGH THE ONE FOR 29 AT THIS STAGE, SINCE WE'LL HAVE TO BRING ON SOMEONE LATER ON SO THAT THEIR TERM WILL BE SHORTER.
UM, AND, UH, UM, BUT I SAY WE ONLY HAVE ONE APPLICANT FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE POSITION.
IS THE APPLICANT, UH, ON, DID, UH, WERE YOU ABLE TO GET THE APPLICANT ON? NO, I JUST ASKED HER AGAIN.
SO, BUT WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE FOR THAT ONE? SINCE WE'RE NOT, WE ONLY HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL MR. CHAIRMAN.
HUH? MOVE TO ACCEPT MR. ROBERT WERNER FOR DE SEAT IN, UH, 2029.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND, YEP.
SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, UM, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
SINCE THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT NOW, THEN WE HAVE THE, UH, UM, THE SEAT.
THIS IS FOR A TERM ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THIS GOES THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2028.
AND, UH, WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAVE TO PRINT YOUR NAME AND SIGN IT.
SO WE'RE DOING A SECRET BALLOT, BUT THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE MADE NOT SO SECRET.
AND, UH, SO THEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA FOLD THEM ONE TIME.
JUST FOLD 'EM OVER ONCE AND WE'RE GONNA PASS 'EM OVER TO OUR RIGHT.
MAYOR MORRISON HAS SELECTED SHERRY GOGI.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAS SELECTED CYNTHIA FULLER, QUINONE COUNCIL MEMBER BIANI, SHERRY GOGI, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA, SHERRY GOGI, AND VICE MAYOR BUSH, SHERRY GOGI.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTE IS FOR SHERRY GOGI.
[01:10:01]
OKAY.REAL, REAL QUICK, I DO WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW PLANNING COMMISSIONER, SHERRY GOGI.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UH, MISS CYNTHIA FOR APPLYING.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE EXCELLENT RESUME AND YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AT TRA TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I THINK YOU'D BE AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE IN THE FUTURE OF PLANNING COMMISSION.
WELL, WE'RE NOT DONE YET BECAUSE NOW WE GET
[9.2 Appointments: City Boards, Commissions, and Committees – Mayoral Appointments to the Board of Library Trustees; Parks, Recreation & Senior Citizens Advisory Committee; Public Art Committee; and, Traffic Safety Committee.]
IN TO THE OTHER SET OF, OF, UH, POSITIONS AND THAT'S UNDER NINE TWO.AND SO WE GOT, THESE ARE, UH, MERRILL APPOINTMENTS, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE, UH, UH, BY THE COUNCIL.
SO FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE BOARD OF, OF, UH, LIBRARY TRUSTEES.
UM, WE HAVE TWO SEATS AVAILABLE AND AN ALTERNATE, BUT WE ONLY HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE APPLIED.
SO, UH, JOSE LOPEZ, UH, FOR A, UH, SEAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD GO THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 28.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE HAVE A SEAT, UH, CINDY LOPEZ NOT RELATED.
AND, UH, BUT CINDY LOPEZ, UH, THAT SEAT THAT WOULD GO THROUGH AND THAT SHE'S ALREADY AN INCUMBENT WOULD GO THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 27.
THOSE ARE MY, UH, THOSE ARE MY NOMINATIONS.
YOU GUYS PUSH IN YOUR, THERE IT IS.
YOU NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
UH, FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AND, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE HAVE ONLY HAVE ONE SEAT.
UH, AND THIS ONE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME, A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY WELL QUALIFIED.
THIS WAS KIND OF A ROUGH ONE, UH, BUT I'M GONNA, UH, UH, PUT FORWARD, UH, JOSEPHINE, UH, NETHERS.
ON, UM, FOR PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE, WE HAVE, UH, TWO SEATS THAT ARE THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 28, AND ONE ALTERNATE SEAT THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 27 FOR THE TWO SEATS FOR, UH, SEPTEMBER OF 28.
UH, RYAN JOHNSON AND JACQUELINE, I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TRY TO PUT HER FIRST HYPHENATED PARTY NAME.
I'M GONNA TRY AND PRONOUNCE THAT ONE.
DID MS. CONES JUST WALK OUT? SHE DID.
SO, UH, RYAN JOHNSON, JACQUELINE GARCIA FOR THE TWO SEATS.
AND THEN FOR THE ALTERNATE POSITION, I'M GONNA, HOPEFULLY I GOT THE NAME RIGHT.
SEIA DELAROSA, I MAKE A MOTION.
AND THE LAST ONE IS TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AND WE'VE GOT THREE POSITIONS OPEN AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE APPLIED.
SO, UH, THERE'S, UH, UH, TWO SEATS THAT GO THROUGH, UH, UH, SEPTEMBER OF 28.
AND FOR THAT, UH, KE, UH, KELLY, UH, PIPER, OR PIPER, I'M NOT TOO SURE WHICH WAY SHE PRONOUNCES THAT.
AND CYNTHIA, UH, FULLER KON, UH, FOR THAT, UH, FOR THOSE TWO SEATS FOR THE OTHER SEAT, WHICH GOES THROUGH THE 27, THAT WOULD BE, UH, ROI, UH, IRU, I THINK IS HOW YOU PRONOUNCE HIS LAST NAME, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
PUSH IN OUR FIRST, OUR MOTION SECOND.
AREN'T YOU GLAD I CALLED YOU BACK?
[10. CONSENT CALENDAR]
THEN WE GO ON AND WE GET INTO CONSENT CALENDAR HERE.THIS IS ITEM 10, ONE THROUGH 10 16.
[01:15:01]
ITEM 3, 6, 11, 14, 15, AND 16.MOVE TO APPROVE THE REMAINING AGENDA OR THE REMAINING CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE'LL GET THOSE IN THERE.
[10.3 Approval for Mayor Ron Morrison and Councilmember Ditas Yamane to Attend the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce 2025 Binational Delegation to Mexico City on October 12-15, 2025.]
ONES THAT WERE PULLED.WE HAVE TEN THREE THIS APPROVAL FOR, UH, MAYOR RON MORRISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER DEIDA SHAIMA TO ATTEND THE SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2025 BY NATIONAL DELEGATION TO MEXICO CITY ON OCTOBER 12TH THROUGH THE 15TH.
AND MR. EDO, WHERE DO YOU, WHERE AT THERE HE IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE PULLED, UH, I HAVE ASKED FOR PRAS ON PREVIOUS EXPENDITURE CLAIMS, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A CITIZEN HAS BEEN REALLY WEAK IN TERMS OF A DESCRIPTION OF WHY THIS HAPPENS.
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS MAYBE WE CAN BREAK THAT PROCESS, BE MORE DESCRIPTIVE, WHAT'S THE OUTCOME, WHAT'S THE OUTPUT, UH, UH, THE OUTPUT? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GETTING OUT OF THIS? RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, UM, SOMETIMES WE COME BACK AND I HEAR PEOPLE, OH, I HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, I I MINGLED WITH SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE CITIZEN STANDPOINT AND THIS TIME THAT, UM, MONEY'S SO TIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE'RE FOREGOING HERE REPRESENTS PEOPLE'S JOBS AND SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE CUT.
YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
SO ALL I'M ASKING HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'D BE SOME SORT OF COMMITMENT THAT YOU GET SERIOUS ABOUT DESCRIBING WHAT WE GET OUT OF THESE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE UH, IT'S BEEN SORT OF WEAK.
AND I WANT THIS TO BE BROKEN BECAUSE I'LL BE ASKING MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY, I KNOW THAT LAST YEAR, UH, I WENT ON THIS, BUT I WENT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF, UH, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
THEY'RE NOT GOING THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S NOT, UH, UH, A LARGE ELEMENT OF WATER, UH, ISSUES ON THE AGENDA.
UM, AND I MEMBER MOLINA WENT LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THE, UH, DIFFERENCE IS ON THIS ONE.
THIS ONE GOES WITH THE REGIONAL CHAMBER.
AND BE HONEST, WE GET TO MEET AT, WITH EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT DOWN THERE, MUCH BETTER THAN WE GET TREATED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, AND THE, UH, UH, AND SO, AND THAT ONE I WAS THERE, UH, FOR THE WATER AGENCY, GOT TO MEET WITH THE, UH, WATER RESOURCES, UH, MINISTER FOR BAJA CALIFORNIA.
AND WE STARTED STRIKING UP A DEAL WHERE HOPEFULLY IT'S GONNA LEAD EVENTUALLY TO SOME WATER RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA THAT WE HAVE SOME ABUNDANCE ON, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SELL TO BAJA BECAUSE THEY'RE BUYING RIGHT NOW FROM COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SELL IT TO THEM PROBABLY AROUND AT HALF THE PRICE, AND YET MAKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF PROFIT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR WATER RATES LOW.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU WORK OUT.
AND, UH, SO IN THE SAME WAY I KNOW THAT ALL OF THE, UH, THE MAYORS I KNOW IN SOUTH BAY AND MAJORITY OF THE MAYORS AND EVERYTHING COUNTYWIDE ARE GONNA BE GOING ON THIS TRIP AS WE TRY TO MEET WITH OUR, UH, CONS OR, YOU KNOW, COUNTERPARTS, UH, IN MEXICO CITY.
SO THIS ONE IS, THERE'S SOME OF THESE THINGS, TO BE HONEST, SOME OF THESE TRIPS END UP BEING SIGHTSEEING TRIPS.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT'S REALLY NOT, UH, THE OTHER GOOD THING ABOUT THIS ONE, UH, A LOT OF TIMES TRIPS LIKE THIS REGISTRATION IS QUITE HIGH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE REGISTRATION FROM THIS ONE, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT DIFFERENT LEVELS, BUT IT'S ANYWHERE FROM A LITTLE OVER $2,000 TO $3,000 JUST FOR THE REGISTRATION.
ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T GET TO PAY THAT.
SO ONLY THING WE HAVE TO WHERE WE HAVE TO PAY IS JUST OUR, UH, BASICALLY OUR FLIGHT AND OUR HOTEL, AND THAT'S IT.
AND SO WE GET GET AWAY ON THE CHEAP ON THAT.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CHAMBER DOES BECAUSE THEY WANT THE ELECTEDS THERE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ECONOMIZE THAT.
SO, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, MS. ANI IS LOOKING AT GOING THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME HERE.
UM, THIS IS THOMAS OF THE ESSENCE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE CO COMPLETE, UM, AGENDA ITEMS FOR, UH, THIS TRIP, BUT, UM, THE LAST TRIP THAT WE, UH, HAVE HAD, UH,
[01:20:01]
LAST YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE BUILT A LOT OF RELATIONSHIPS.UM, WE HAVE, UM, AND, AND THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS TIME WE ARE PUTTING IT HERE.
WE MAY, I MAY NOT GO DEPENDING ON, ON THE AGENDA THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO US VERY SOON.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE AGENDA.
SO JUST IN CASE WE, UM, WE GO, THEN IT'S ALREADY THERE.
AND THERE'S A LIST OF THESE DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS THAT ARE AUTOMATIC, THAT THE COUNCIL CAN GO ON AND DON'T HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION.
AND LAST YEAR WE SAID THAT NEXT TIME AS WE DO THE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIST, WE ADD OR SUBTRACT ONES THAT THESE WOULD GO ON THERE, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO THAT POINT YET.
THAT'S THE REASON WE HAD TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO GET APPROVAL AHEAD OF TIME AND, UH, AND YET DO IT FAR ENOUGH AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY STILL GET FLIGHTS AND SUCH.
I JUST, SO I SUPPORT THIS AND I'LL, UH, UM, MAKE, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO SUPPORT.
AND I, I JUST, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE QUESTIONS AND THE THOUGHTS MR. NIETO.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S VALID.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS JUST BASED ON WHAT THE MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI JUST STATED, TO GIVE YOUR, YOUR FEEDBACK IF THERE'S AREAS THAT YOU THINK FROM REVENUE GENERATION OR WHATNOT THAT THEY COULD BE, UH, LOOKING AT.
AND I, UH, IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LEVEL A YES OF, UM, PAGEANTRY NETWORKING WITH THESE, UM, AND BEING COOL, LIKE AS ELECTEDS GOING TO MEXICO.
BUT THERE THAT IS, AS THEY SAID, I THINK REALLY LEGIT BECAUSE, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE, IT IS REALLY FOCUSED A LOT ON THE RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING, THERE, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING A LOT OF US REGIONAL LEADERS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY IN ONE PLACE GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER MORE.
THAT, THAT, THOSE CONNECTIONS, I HAVE SEEN THEM BE VERY MEANINGFUL.
THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE AN ACCOUNTABILITY PART OF IT, LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, REPORTING BACK.
SO, UM, I, SO I DO SUPPORT THIS AND I THINK THE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAYOR ANI, 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE GONE BEFORE AND BROUGHT STUFF BACK, SO, UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SUPPORT.
WE HAVE, UM, IF I CAN JUST ADD A QUICK COMMENT IS, UM, I AM GRATEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE A REP, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATION FROM THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, UH, IN, AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
AND JUST AS VICE MAYOR BUSH POINTED OUT, UH, THAT IS RATHER MEANINGFUL.
SO I AM VERY HAPPY, UH, THAT, UM, MAYOR, UH, MORRISON AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI WILL BE REPRESENTING CITY OF NATIONAL CITY IN MEXICO.
WE HAVE MOTION, UH, MEMBER MOLINA, COULD YOU PUSH IN YOUR SECOND? THERE WE GO.
AND SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
NEXT WE GO TO TEN SIX, UH, AWARD CONTRACT AT GRIFFIN COMPANY.
WHAT, HUH? SORRY, BEFORE YOU GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM,
[10.13 Support for the State’s proposed Utility Affordability & Accountability Legislative Package]
WE HAD A ITEM 10.13 THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED.WE HAVE A SPEAKER ON ZOOM 10.0.
DO PROCEDURALLY, DO WE NEED TO AMEND ANYTHING OR RE-VOTE? MS. CHAP, I'M GONNA ASK HENRY OR COUNSEL, THIS IS FOR TEN THREE TEN 0.3 10 13.
CAN WE JUST, CAN WE JUST THEN BRING IT, YEAH.
SO I, SO I THINK THAT ITEM WAS INCLUDED IN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SO TECHNICALLY WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION, WHICH WOULD BE TO, UH, REMOVE 10 POINT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? 1 3 13 1 3 FROM THAT PRIOR YEAH.
AND THEN IF WE GET A VOTE TO DO THAT, THEN YOU'LL DO A VOTE TO OUTTA C.
OUTTA CURIOSITY FOR EFFICIENCY PURPOSES, IF THE COMMENTS WILL SAY, IF THE COMMENT IS SUPPORT, COULD WE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO TAKE THE COMMENT IN CASE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTIVE OF OUR ACTION? I MEAN, COULD, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO TAKE THE COMMENT AND THEN STILL, AND THEN DO THE RECONSIDERATION IF NECESSARY? NO.
OR PROCEDURAL STANDPOINT? OH, NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT.
YEAH, I CAN BRING IT ONTO THE AGENDA.
THE REASON, THE REASON WHY IS, IS IT'S FOR CLARITY OF THE RECORD.
LET'S GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED WHEN AT THAT POINT THEN WE CAN DO THAT FOR RECONSIDERATION AT THAT POINT.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER THING BEING PULLED FOR ON, UH, CONSENT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
[10.6 Awarding a Contract to Griffith Company for the Bayshore Bikeway Segment 5 and Connections Project, CIP No. 19-24.]
TEN SIX IS AWARDING A CONTRACT TO GRIFFIN COMPANY FOR THE BAYSHORE BIKE, UH, BIKEWAY SEGMENT FIVE AND CONNECTIONS PROJECT.AND THIS IS A, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NUMBER 19, UH, DASH 24.
[01:25:01]
WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UH, MR. NIETO, THIS LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE TO APPLY QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GRANT, HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT, AND WE HAVE EXPENDITURES, AND WE HAVE WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET REIMBURSED.
BUT I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND I LOOKED AT THE SUPPORT A LITTLE BIT.
I CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH THIS REALLY COSTS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT REFERENCES, THERE'S REVENUE, THERE'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR, BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT'S THE NET COST? YOU KNOW? AND I JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, I JUST, MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING HERE.
WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE DEAL IS, 'CAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF VARIABLES.
THAT'S THE REASON IT'S A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT.
AND SO IT'S NOT A SET AMOUNT AS YOU NORMALLY HAVE IN A LOT OF CONTRACTS, BUT THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES IN THIS THING.
IT'S A NOT TO EXCEED THAT THEY, THEY HAVE TO GET IN UNDERNEATH THAT.
WELL, IT'S, I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WHEN LIKE OTHER PROJECTS THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FORTHCOMING PROJECT, CAN WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN SAY, HOW MUCH IS THIS REALLY GONNA COST US? SO YOU CAN HAVE AN INFORMED DECISION.
MAY I ADD COMMENT TO THAT, PLEASE? YES.
UH, NATIONAL CITY PROJECTS.COM HAS ALL THE, THE, UM, CIP PROJECTS.
SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD RESOURCE FOR US TO GO TO.
UM, BUT AS THESE ARE, ARE ALL GRANTS THAT WE HAVE TO FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE ARE, UH, COMPLYING WITH OUR CONTRACTS WITH THIS GRANT.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THOSE GRANTS, MR. MAYOR.
MAYBE OUR, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL SAY SOMETHING.
I WAS GONNA SAY, WE HAVE ONE OTHER SPEAKER, BUT IS IT TED GODSHAW? IS HE IN THE, I THINK HE LEFT.
I KNOW WE DID HAVE, HE DID PROVIDE WRITTEN COMMENT.
SAY WE HAVE A WRITTEN COMMENT BY HIM.
SO ANYWAY, I WILL, UH, LOOK UP FOR THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, FELLOW CITY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, THIS, THIS ITEM IS, IS SIMPLY A CONTRACT AWARD FOR THIS PROJECT THAT IS A LONG TIME COMING.
UM, THIS, THE FIRST PIECE OF GRANT MONIES, UH, WAS AWARDED MORE THAN SIX YEARS AGO TO THE CITY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS A COMPLETE PROJECT.
IT'S GONE THROUGH A FEW PHASES OF, UM, COMBINING AND MASHING AND MAKING IT WORK AND ADJUSTING THE ALIGNMENT AS NEEDED.
UM, I, IF I MAY, I'LL JUST DESCRIBE BRIEFLY.
SO THE COMPLETE CONTRACT AWARD OF $13,076,599.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE APPEND, THE EXHIBITS IN THE STAFF REPORT, IT ACTUALLY IS A VERY, VERY LONG, UH, BID SCHEDULE, RIGHT? LOTS, LOTS OF LINE ITEMS. SO IT'S ACTUALLY VERY DETAILED THERE FOR ANYBODY WHO'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, IT'S BROKEN DOWN IN DIFFERENT SEGMENTS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY FUNDING SOURCES ON THIS.
SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THE EXPENDITURES AND CHARGE THEM ACCORDINGLY TO EACH OF THE CON THE GRANT CONTRACTS, THE GRANT AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, WE NEEDED TO BID IT OUT THIS WAY.
SO YOU ACTUALLY GET A LOT OF DETAIL HERE.
UM, AND, AND YOU COULD SEE THERE'S THE, YOU KNOW, STARTING AT THE SOUTH END, THERE'S THE MARSH SEGMENT.
THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION THAT'S JUST, UM, MOSTLY THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BIKE FACILITIES.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO COMBINE IN THE 19TH STREET PROJECT INTO THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S A CONNECTOR PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN IT, IT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY NORTH TO CIVIC CENTER.
THERE'S VERY LARGE ELEMENTS OF, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND RAIL AND RETAINING WALLS AND, AND DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO IT.
BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT THIS DOES IS IT HELPS US ACHIEVE, UH, COMPLETION OF THIS PRO CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS A MILE AND A HALF OF SEPARATED BIKE FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND IT REPRESENTS ONE OF THE LAST SEGMENTS THAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT TO CLOSE THE LOOP FOR THE, UH, BAYSHORE BIKEWAY, UH, PROJECT, WHICH IS A 24 MILE REGIONAL BICYCLE FACILITY THAT GOES ALL AROUND THE SAN DIEGO BAY.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE FUNDING SOURCES.
IT'S LISTED OUT HERE, BUT IT'S MULTIPLE GRANTS FROM THE STATE.
[01:30:01]
FROM CALTRANS, UH, THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.UM, WE ALSO COMBINED IN, AS I SAID, THE 19TH STREET PROJECT GRANT, WHICH WAS A CALIFORNIA NA, NATIONAL NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, AGENCY GRANT.
WE HAVE SOME PORT OF SAN DIEGO FUNDS, UM, AND THEN OTHER, OTHER PIECES THAT CAME INTO PLAY AS WE WERE ALSO PAYING FOR THE DESIGN COSTS.
ANOTHER SOFT COSTS ALONG THE WAY.
SO THIS IS NOW FULLY FUNDED AND WE'RE READY TO BREAK GROUND IN ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AFTER AWARD.
SHOULD YOU, SHOULD YOU WISH TO AWARD, LET ME JUST GIVE THE FIVE SECOND HISTORY ON SEGMENT FIVE.
IT WAS ALREADY FUNDED, IT WAS ALREADY FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UH, IT WAS, HAD BEEN DESIGNED FOR OVER 30 YEARS TO GO UP TIDELANDS AVENUE, WHICH IS THE WHITEST STREET WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
AND IT'S ONLY ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION TO BOOT.
AND IT HAS ALMOST LOW, HAS VERY LOW TRAFFIC.
AND IT WAS DESIGNED TO GO UP TIDES AVENUE AND THEN GO UP 32ND STREET.
UH, NE WHAT NEPA, WHICH IS THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, CA, WHICH IS THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, AND WAS FULLY FUNDED, THE CONTRACT WAS ALREADY OUT.
IT WAS TWO WEEKS FROM STARTING THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE PORT THREW A ROADBLOCK INTO IT.
THEY DID NOT WANT IT GOING NEAR PORT PROPERTY.
SO FOR THAT REASON, IT'S BEEN ALL THESE YEARS LATER THAT WE FINALLY HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THE DEAL AND INSTEAD OF HAVING IT WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, AND IT HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR OVER 30 YEARS ON ALL EVERYBODY'S PLANS, WE'VE HAD TO, TO PUT IT DOWN INTO THE MARSH, WHICH REALLY HAS TAKEN A LOT OF WORK TO BE ABLE, UH, TO DO THAT.
AND 'CAUSE OTHERWISE THE ONLY OTHER PLACE FOR IT, THE PORT WANTED TO PUT IT ON.
THERE'S ONE, ONE SIDE OF THE STREET THERE, WHICH IS A SUBSTANDARD STREET THAT HAS A SIDEWALK ONLY ON ONE SIDE.
AND THEY WANTED TO PUT THE BICYCLE PATH ON THE SIDEWALK, WHICH WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR PEDESTRIANS TO GET DOWN TO THAT AREA.
IT'S WENT THROUGH A LOT TO TRY TO GET THAT.
AND THAT'S THE LAST SEGMENT OF THE, THE BAYSHORE BIKE PATH GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BAY TO BE DONE.
AND NATIONAL CITY HAS ALWAYS CAME IN LAST.
MR. MAYOR, JUST A SHORT COMMENT.
WHEN I WAS HAVING MY BRIEFING, I SAID TO CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY BIKEWAY, AND THEN THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S GOOD BECAUSE NOW THOSE CHALLENGING AREAS THAT IS A PROBLEM TO OUR CITY WILL BE CLEANED UP.
SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD, IT'S GONNA BE HELPFUL IN THAT WAY.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE THAT'S 10.6.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? THROUGH MR. MAY? I'LL, I'LL SECOND.
AND OH, I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND THEN YES.
AND THEN, AND A COMMENT, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, MR. NIETO, MR. GOD SHOCK, UH, HIS WRITTEN COMMENTS, HE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE COST TOO.
AND, UH, THERE, THERE IS A BIG COST.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK ON SOME MORE HISTORY, I THINK DATING BACK TO THE SEVENTIES, NATIONAL CITY WAS THE FIRST TO SPONSOR AND PUT FOR THE SEED MONEY FOR A REGIONAL BAY SHORE BIKEWAY.
I EVEN TALKED TO SUPERVISOR COX AND HE CONFIRMED THAT.
SO THE IRONY IN ALL THIS IS THAT WE WERE THE ONES TO UPFRONT MONEY FOR THIS, AND WE STILL GOT THE VERY LAST SEGMENT.
SO IT, IT IS TRUE WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT THE, UM, THE PROJECT BEING MOVED OFF OF TITLE ENDS THAT DID INCREASE THE, A COST OF THE PROJECT.
AND TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT A FAN OF IT GOING INTO THE MARINA AND I'VE, OR INTO THE MARSH, AND I'VE RAISED ISSUES WITH THAT.
THERE'S A BENEFIT IN THAT IT ALLOWS, UH, THE PUBLIC KIND OF CLOSER ACCESS TO THE MARSH, WHICH IS KIND OF, UH, COOL.
BUT ON THE DOWNSIDE, IT'S, IT'S A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
I ACTUALLY WOULD'VE BEEN FINE REDESIGNING THE SIDEWALK AND BECAUSE IT'S RARELY USED BY PEDESTRIANS.
SO LIKE, I WOULD'VE BEEN FINE WORKING SOMETHING, I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN CHEAPER.
HAVING SAID THAT, I, I AM GONNA SUP I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN YEARS OF WRANGLING AND BACK AND FORTH AND I WORRY THAT DENYING THE DELAYING, THIS WILL JUST DELAY US EVEN FURTHER.
AND THIS IS LIKE THE LAST SEGMENT OF THE COMPLETION OF THE BAY SHORE BIKEWAY.
SO I JUST CUT OUR LOSSES AND JUST LEARN FROM THIS.
OKAY? UH, ALRIGHT, SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND, UH, PLEASE VOTE.
[10.11 First Amendment to the Agreement with Terra Realty Advisors to Include Phase II Scope of Services for Digital Billboard Consulting and Increasing the Not-to-Exceed Amount by $27,000.]
GO TO 10 11.THIS IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH TIERRA REALTOR ADVISORIES, UH, TO INCLUDE PHASE TWO SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR DIGITAL BILLBOARD CONSULTING AND INCREASING THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT BY $27,000.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT
[01:35:01]
THIS.UH, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ON ROUTE 54.
UH, SOME OF THE SIGNS WILL BE ON ROUTE 54.
I WONDER WHERE THE SIGNS WILL BE AND I WONDER HOW MUCH REVENUE THE CITY WILL RECEIVE FROM 'EM.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, SOME YEARS AGO PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAYS AND ONE OF THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE'S DID TRIED TO DO AWAY WITH THE BILLBOARDS.
UM, ALRIGHT, THE, UH, WE ALSO HAD, UH, TED GODSHAW, HE BROUGHT IN SOME, UH, HE PUT IN A WRITTEN, UH, WRITTEN STATEMENT, UM, AND IT BASICALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, ONCE AGAIN, UM, BLOCKING VIEWS, UH, WITH THE SIGNS.
AND, UH, HE WAS ALSO QUESTIONING WHAT KIND OF, UH, WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS COULD BE BE ADVERTISED ON IT.
UH, SO THE, UH, UH, THE, THEY HAD THE, UH, UH, PHASE ONE JUST CAME UP WITH TWO POSSIBLE SITES NOW AND IN THE, UH, THE CONTRACT.
AND WE APPROVED THAT BACK AND I THINK IT WAS JANUARY THAT IT WAS, UH, WHAT, $9,500 THAT WAS.
AND IT STATES THAT WAS FOR PHASE ONE ONLY.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING INTO PHASE TWO, AND NOW WE START GOING INTO THE ENTITLEMENTS, THE PERMITTING PROCESS, ALL OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKING A LOOK AT THE SIGN, OUR SIGNING ORDINANCE, UH, ALL OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT, THEN TO, TO TAKE IT TO THE, TO THE NEXT PHASE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE INCREASE IS WITH PHASE TWO.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS THAT PART OF THE QUESTION.
WE WILL NOT KNOW ON REVENUE OR ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL, UNTIL THEY GET THROUGH ALL THAT PROCESS.
I AM SAYING THAT, RIGHT? I MIGHT NOT NOT.
UH, WITH THAT, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ITEM 10 11.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? MOVE TO APPROVE.
DID YOU PUSH YOUR PUSH BUTTON BY MY BUSH? OKAY, THANK YOU.
OKAY, NOW WE GOT A SECOND THERE.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
[Items 10.14 - 10.16]
WE HAVE 14, 15, AND 16.MR. REICH, I'M GONNA HAVE YOU COME UP IN A GROUP.
JUST LET US KNOW WHICH ONE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHICH ONE? YOU'RE, WHICH ONE TALKS? WE'LL FOLLOW ALONG WITH YOU.
I'VE, I'LL JUST SPEAK AS LONG AS YOU LET ME.
RYAN ASSOCIATES, 24TH STREET TRANSIT CENTER, 70,000 IF ANY.
PAY AND MORRIS MORRISON LEGAL SERVICES.
13,800 DE GAZO DEAN GAZO AND ES.
THIS IS WARRANT REGISTER NUMBER 2 10 15.
THE PRISM, I THINK IT'S AN INSURANCE COMPANY.
GENERAL LIABILITY PREMIUM, 1,924,000 PRIS PROPERTY PROGRAM PREMIUM 365,000.
THE AND THE, I'M JUST, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY F WORK MO 32,000.
THE CLERK, THE CLERK IN THE CLERK'S DEPARTMENT.
THE TRANS LANGUAGE TRANSLATION SERVES $4,900, UH, FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
DICK MILLER, THE IAN PARK IMPROVEMENTS, 202 THOUSANDS RO ENGINEERING VALLEY ROAD, STORM DRAIN REPLACEMENT, 149,000.
THE SAN DIEGO AND, UH, A MANAGED MECHANICAL PREVENT HEART, UH, HEATING, HUAC, POWER, FACIL POWER FACILITY, 34,000
[01:40:03]
WHITE CAD TRAFFIC SIGN.THIS IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, UH, FOR IT.
THE READY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
CHIEF CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS, 1100 FOR NO 1100.
THE POLICE, THE AXON, BETTYS AND CARTRIDGES.
AND FOR IN, FOR THE POLICE, INFIN CREATIVE, A WELLNESS ROOM MASSAGE CHAIR, $3,900.
AND THEN THIS IS WARRANT REGISTER.
TYLER TECHNOLOGIES CUSTOM INTERFACE WITH SAN DIEGO LAW WARRANT LAW AND WARRANTS 28,000 RISK PRISM MASTER CRIME PRIME PREMIUM POLLUTION PROGRAM.
PREMIUM SI CYBER LIABILITY 26,000 NEAR LANDSCAPE BAR, $10,488.
THANK YOU TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT DO WITH THESE.
UH, WE CAN TAKE THOSE AS A GROUP.
THOSE ARE OUR WARRANT REGISTRIES.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? APPROVE MR. CHAIR.
YOU HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
EVERYONE DON'T FALL ASLEEP HERE.
UH, SO NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION APPROVE YOU UNANIMOUSLY.
WE GOTTA BRING, BRING FORWARD, UH, FOR, UH, MAYOR, IF WE NEED A MOTION TO BRING FORWARD YES.
THAT, UH, PERSON THAT WANTED THAT ITEM PULLED FOR 10.13 HAS NOW LEFT ZOOM, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
[11.1 Public Hearing – Re-Introduction of an Amendment of NCMC 9.38 Establishing a Tobacco Retail License Program]
WE GET TO, UH, ITEM 11 ONE.THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIS, IT SAYS REINTRODUCTION, BUT ACTUALLY THIS WOULD BE ADOPTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO NATIONAL CITY MUNICIPAL CODE 9.38, ESTABLISHING A TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE PROGRAM.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, PUBLIC MARTIN READER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS IS A, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT CAME ON AUGUST.
SO BACK IN AUGUST 19TH, THE COUNCIL APPROVED, OR EXCUSE ME, INTRODUCED THE ORDINANCE CAPPING THE NUMBER OF RETAIL LICENSES FOR TOBACCO AT 54.
AND ALSO ADDED COMPLIANCE LANGUAGE, UH, RELATED TO THE COMP, UH, THE COMPLIANCE CHECK OR THE G COY CHECK PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS SECTION 9 3 8 1 4 OH TO DO WITH OTHER COMPLIANCE OR ADDITIONAL COMPLIANCE CHECKS AS REQUIRED.
WHEN WE CAME BACK AT THE LAST MEETING SEPTEMBER 2ND, THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COMPLIANCE CHECKS AND THE COUNCIL AGREED TO CHANGE THAT TO THE CITY SHALL CONDUCT ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK PER TWO YEAR PERIOD, ET CETERA, WITH ALSO THE ADDITIONAL COMPLIANCE CHECKS AS REQUIRED.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE, WE WERE ASKED TO COME BACK TO REINTRODUCE.
SO I HAVE A, A NEW FIRST, UH, READING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS EVENING.
I WILL SAY I HAVE HAD SOME, UH, CONTACT FROM LOCAL PURVEYORS WHO HAVE SOME CONCERNS OVER THE LICENSE TRANSFER, UH, PROHIBITION AND THE CODE.
SO I, I BELIEVE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO SPEAK, BUT THAT DOES CONCLUDE STAFF'S REPORT.
MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY.
SO, UM, AT OUR LAST COUNCIL HEARING, THERE WERE WAS A CHANGE AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, WE HAD TO REINTRODUCE IT, WHICH WE DID THAT EVENING.
RIGHT? SO THE MOTION THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK LAST TIME WAS TO INTRODUCE IT.
SO TODAY'S IS ACTION IS ACTUALLY TO ADOPT.
AND ANY SUBSTANTIAL, IF WE DO, UH, ANY CHANCE CHANGES ARE MADE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE WOULD'VE TO REINTRODUCE TONIGHT.
JUST SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON ALL THIS ONE STUFF.
WITH THAT, THIS IS A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING
[01:45:01]
AT THIS STAGE.WE DO HAVE A NU UH, UH, QUITE A FEW SPEAKERS AND, UH, SO I'M GONNA CALL OFF AND SORRY IF I MESS UP NAMES, I'M GONNA DO MY VERY BEST.
AND, UH, FIRST WE HAVE, UH, UH, JACK BOEY.
AND DO YOU WANNA RESET THE CLOCK? UH, THE YES.
YEAH, IT'LL RESET WHEN I CLICK START.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS JACK BAZI FROM COS MARKET.
I, I'M HERE TO SAY WHAT YOU PLANNING.
IF YOU TELL ME I INVEST ALL MY LIFE IN A STORE AND YOU TELL ME YOU CAN'T SELL IT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AMERICAN WAY OF DOING IT.
IT'S NOT RIGHT? IF YOU CANNOT TRANSFER CIGARETTE LICENSE TO THE NEW OWNER, THEN YOU CAN SELL THE STORE.
THEN YOU HAVE MILLIONS ALL INVESTED ALL YOUR YEARS FOR NOTHING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VERY BAD IDEA.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING ABOUT THE, OUR CULTURE THAT'S WORKING HARD IS THE MAIN THING, YOU KNOW, BUILDING, UH, BUSINESS ALL THESE YEARS AND WITHOUT NO VIOLATION, A LOT OF LOVE FOR THIS CITY.
I ALWAYS CONSIDER NATIONAL CITY MY SECOND HOME.
UM, I WAITED ALL THIS LIFE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR RETIREMENT, FOR GOOD INVESTMENT, AND I THINK WILL BE VERY, VERY BAD LAW AND NOT FAIR.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS BE UNDERSTANDING THE WAY WHAT I'M SAYING AND DON'T DO ALL PAST THIS LAW WILL HURT.
WE'LL KEEP OUR DREAM ALL GUN FOR NOTHING ALL THIS YEARS, YOU KNOW, SO BE OUR, HAVE JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DON'T HURT THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE CITY FOR SO MANY YEARS, OVER 48 YEARS,
YOU NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, SAL, NOW SUE.
I'VE BEEN HERE IN NATIONAL CITY FOR 30 YEARS IN THE SAME LIQUOR STORE.
AND THIS IS MY RETIREMENT AND THIS IS WHAT WE WORK HARD FOR, FOR THE FUTURE, TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILY, TO SELL OUR BUSINESS AND MOVE ON AND HAVE A, HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE AS WE RETIRE.
SO IF WE CAN'T SELL OUR BUSINESS WITH A TRANSFER OF A, OF A TOBACCO LICENSE, NOBODY'S GONNA BE INTERESTED IN BUYING IT.
SO IT'S JUST GONNA HURT ALL THE LIQUOR STORE OWNERS, ALL THE TOBACCO LICENSE OWNERS IN NATIONAL CITY, AND IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD THING FOR US.
WE HAVE ED NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LANCE.
I, MS I'M NOT TOO SURE, UH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I THINK YOU GUYS MISSED MY POINT ABOUT THE COST ISSUE, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER.
UM, BUT IT'S INTERESTING THAT I THINK THIS ISSUE WAS, UH, SORT OF RELATED TO WHAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE, UH, BIODIESEL FUEL AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS THAT, UH, THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, COMPLIANCE CHECKS AND, UH, FOR ID FOR IDLE UH, VEHICLES.
AND THE QUESTION CAME BACK, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHO'S GONNA DO THE COMPLIANCE? YOU KNOW, AND THE CITY'S, CITY'S STAFF IS, IS, IS, IS, IS, IS OVERWORKED ON COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
AND PEOPLE JUST START LAUGHING IN THE CROWD ABOUT WHO'S GONNA DO THE COMPLIANCE.
SO, UM, THIS SORT OF HITS THE SAME AREA.
WHO'S GONNA DO THE COMPLIANCE AND HOW'S THIS FIT INTO THE WORKLOAD? SO I, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
IT'S A ONE FOR THE KIDS, SO WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT MONEY, AND I THINK THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE CONCERN THAT IS THEIR CONCERN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY TOO, AND THEIR HEALTH NEEDS TO BE DEFENDED ALSO.
UH, LANCE, THERE HE IS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALAM BD.
I'M GONNA MESS UP THESE NAMES.
[01:50:01]
OKAY, YOU'LL BE NEXT.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LANCE HERIS AND I RESPECTIVELY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE.
WHILE I SUPPORT PROTECTING YOUTH, THIS ORDINANCE UNFAIRLY HARMS RESPONSIBLE SMALL BUSINESSES BY BANNING LICENSE TRANSFERS.
OWNERS LOSE THE ABILITY TO SELL THE VALUE THEY'VE BUILT OFTEN THEIR RETIREMENT PLAN, THEY CAP ON LICENSES AND A THOUSAND FOOT RESTRICTIONS.
FURTHER LIMIT OPPORTUNITY FAVORING LARGE CHAINS WHILE SHUTTING OUT LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS.
THIS ALSO MEANS LESS SALES TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY, AND MORE VACANT STOREFRONTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
CUSTOMERS WILL SIMPLY SHOP IN OTHER CITIES TAKING JOBS AND TAX DOLLARS WITH THEM.
THERE ARE BETTER SOLUTIONS TO THIS, WHICH ARE STRONGER COMPLIANCE CHECKS, PENALTIES FOR VIOLATORS AND RETAIL TRAINING.
THESE DIRECTLY ADDRESS YOUTH ACCESS WITHOUT DEVALUING SMALL BUSINESSES.
I URGE YOU TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT BALANCES YOUTH HEALTH WITH THE SURVIVAL OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
NEXT WE HAVE A TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, IRMA HERNANDEZ.
I'M THE OWNER OF NATIONAL CITY MARKET.
I HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 2001 AS A EMPLOYEE AND MANAGER.
AND THREE YEARS AGO I JUST, UH, PURCHASED A BUSINESS AND I INVEST ALL MY LIFE IN INVESTMENT THERE AT THE STORE.
AND IF ONE DAY I WANTED TO, TO SELL THE BUSINESS, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TO SELL IT FOR THE RIGHT PRICE I BOUGHT IT FOR.
SO THAT'S HURT OUR, OUR RETIREMENT LIFE.
AT THE MEANTIME, ALL WE HAVE CHILDREN, JUST, I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN.
MY, UH, OLDEST DAUGHTER, ANGELINA, I ALWAYS TELL THEM, DON'T SMOKE, DON'T LIKE, BE PREPARED.
SO WE DO, WE ARE NOT ADVERTISING FOR TOBACCO OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THAT HURT OUR RETIREMENT.
UH, IRMA HERNANDEZ, WE FOLLOWED BY, I THINK IT'S WAME TEPO HERNANDEZ, NATIONAL CITY.
WE HAVE TRANSLATION PLEASE, CARLOS.
IRMA HERNANDEZ, RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY AND CHAIR OF NATIONAL CITY FOR A BETTER HEALTH COALITION.
AND I'M HERE TO PLEASE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO BETTER PROTECT OUR YOUTH.
I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE SPEAK WHO SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED WITH TOBACCO SALES AND THEIR BUSINESSES.
AND WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST BUSINESS.
WHAT WE ARE AGAINST IS IRRESPONSIBLE SELLERS.
IF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE, THEN YOU'D HAVE NOTHING
[01:55:01]
TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS RETAIL LICENSE.IF YOU COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.
ALL WE WANT IS TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH AGAINST THE PREDATORY VAPE INDUSTRY, WHICH HAS BECOME A PANDEMIC AT OUR SCHOOLS WITH OUR YOUTH.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST BUSINESSES.
UM, NOTHING AGAINST BUSINESSES.
WE SIMPLY WANTED TO STATE THAT IF THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE SELLERS, THEY'RE NOT SELLING ANYTHING ILLEGALLY AND THEY'RE NOT SELLING PRODUCTS TO MINORS THEN THAT HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT WITH THIS TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE.
I'M THE OWNER OF HIGH LIQUOR FOR 15 YEARS.
I OPPOSE THIS LAW REGARDING THE TOBACCO LICENSE.
REALLY, I'M WORKING FOR THIS CONVENIENCE OVER 15 YEARS.
I'M DOING MY BEST TO DO, LIKE THE BEST SERVICE FOR THE NEIGHBOR.
AND I LOVE THE NATIONAL CITY TO WORK WITH ALL MY NEIGHBORS BECAUSE I KNOW THEM FOR A LONG TIME.
WE WORK FOR A LONG TIME IN THE CITY AND TRY THE BEST ME AND MY FAMILY.
AND WE WORK HARD TO BUILD OUR BUSINESS TO KEEPING GOING ON BECAUSE WE, I HAVE THREE KIDS AND I TRY TO DO MY BEST FOR MY KIDS.
AND, UH, AND I, THIS BUSINESS IS LIKE, IS ALL OUR BENEFIT.
AND I WORK FOR, LIKE, DO MY BEST FOR, FOR AND
I FELT IF LIKE THIS IS BUSINESS FOR OUR RETIREMENT, FOR FUTURE IN, IN CASE IF WE WANNA SELL IT, I DON'T THINK I WILL GET ANYBODY GONNA BUY IT IF THERE IS NO TOBACCO LICENSE, TRANSPORTATION TO THE NEW OWNER.
AND THIS IS GONNA REALLY AFFECT OUR LIVELIHOOD.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS FAIR AFTER ALL THIS.
WE DID FOR ALL YEARS, ME AND MY FAMILY TO KEEP THIS BUSINESS GOING ON.
I, I I WILL HOPE YOU REJECT THIS LAW AND NOT APPROVE IT.
UH, DO YOU HAVE I ALREADY HAVE A SLIP ALSO.
SO YOU'RE OPPOSED, BUT YOU DON'T WISH TO SPEAK.
IS THAT WHAT THE DEAL IS? OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL REGISTER YOU THAT WAY.
UM, NOW WE HAVE, UH, MULLED WITH, UH, KEG AND BOTTLE.
UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, MY NAME IS MALAD.
I'M THE OWNER OF KEGAN BOTTLE, A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS SINCE 1982.
PROUDLY SERVED NATIONAL CITY FOR OVER FOUR DECADES.
I STAND HERE HERE TODAY AS A 25-YEAR-OLD BUSINESS OWNER WHO PARENTS BELIEVED IN, UM, TOOK A SECOND MORTGAGE.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A BUSINESS LOAN AND INVEST IN MY FUTURE.
THE STORE IS MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESS.
MY INVESTMENT WASN'T ONLY IN KAGAN BOTTLE, BUT IT WAS AN INVESTMENT IN NATIONAL CITY ITSELF.
TAKING AWAY OUR LICENSE TO SELL TOBACCO.
IT DOESN'T JUST HURT A STORE, IT THREATENS OUR FUTURE AND OUR FAMILIES.
TO BE FRANK, HONEST WITH YOU, I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE'S MAIN CONCERN IS MINORS PURCHASING TOBACCO.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, KIDS TODAY ARE NOT SMOKING CIGARETTES OR CIGARS.
WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT THEY'RE AFTER IS SOME PINK LEMONADE OR BLUE RASPBERRY FLAVORED VAPE.
YOU KNOW, AND WE ALREADY PASSED THE LAWS BANING, THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
THE ISSUE HERE, THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT YOU ARE TARGETING THE WRONG BUSINESSES.
LIQUOR STORES LIKE MINE ARE NOT SELLING FLAVORED TOBACCO.
WE ARE FOLLOWING THE LAW AND YET WE'RE THE ONES BEING PENALIZED.
IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR THAT I WON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELL MY BUSINESS WITH A TRANSFERABLE TOBACCO LICENSE.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE PART OF THE LAW, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND LISTENING TO ME TODAY.
NEXT WE HAVE MIKE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFF MANER.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCILS MEMBER.
[02:00:01]
MY NAME IS MIKE HERMES.I'M THE OWNER OF RANCH HOUSE LIQUOR AND PALM AND FORTH IN THE CORNER.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED TO BACK LAW.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN BEHIND IT, I BELIEVE THIS MEASURE WILL CREATE MORE PROBLEM THAN SOLUTIONS.
IT'LL HURT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
MANY NEIGHBORHOODS, STORES RELY ON TOBACCO CELLS TO STAY OPEN.
AND LOSING THIS REVENUE FORCED SOME OF THEM TO SHUT DOWN.
THAT DOESN'T AFFECT, THAT DOESN'T AFFECT OWNERS, THAT AFFECTS EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES WHO DEPEND ON THESE JOBS.
SO I RESPECTFULLY ARGUE TO VOTE NO ON THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING TO MY CONCERN.
JEFF MANSUR, FOLLOWED BY AAN SAMO SOO.
UM, I'VE BEEN SUPPLYING STORES CONVENIENCE STORES IN NATIONAL CITY IN THE PAST 25 YEARS.
I HAVE A BUSINESS THAT SELLS THEM CANDY, TOBACCO SELLS THEM BEVERAGES AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.
AND I KNOW MANY OF THESE STONERS HERE.
SO I'M HERE MAINLY BECAUSE JACK BOI AND ALL OF 'EM, BUT MAINLY MR. JACK.
I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 25 YEARS AND AS YOU KNOW, HE IS, HAD A STORE FOR OVER 40 YEARS IN NATIONAL CITY.
I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THAT THIS WHY I OPPOSE THIS LAW.
WHY OPPOSE THIS ORDINANCE? HERE'S A GUY WHO'S BEEN NATIONAL CITY FOR 45 YEARS, SELLING AND PLANNING TO RETIRE, SO EXCITED ABOUT RETIRING IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
AND THIS ORDINANCE IS GONNA SAY HE CAN'T SELL HIS BUSINESS.
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
HE CAN'T SELL IN THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE LIQUOR STORES, THE NATURE OF A LIQUOR STORE OR CONVENIENCE STORE IS MAINLY WHAT? TOBACCO, LIQUOR AND SNACKS.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF THIS BUSINESS.
AND WHEN YOU TAKE ONE OF THEM OUT, YOU CRIPPLE THE BUSINESS, IT WON'T SURVIVE.
THINK OF VONS OR RALPH'S, RIGHT? IF YOU GO INTO A RALPH'S AND YOU SAY, OKAY, YOU CAN'T SELL PRODUCE, BUT YOU CAN SELL MEAT.
WHO'S GONNA GO TO RALPH'S? THEY'LL GO TO VONS OR VICE VERSA.
SO IT'S TO DO THIS LAW ONLY IN THE CITY OF, OF NATIONAL CITY AND, AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE CAN SELL.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS REALLY BREAKING DOWN THESE BUSINESSES.
THERE'S NO VALUE LEFT IN THAT BUSINESS.
NOBODY'S GONNA BUY MR. JACK'S BUSINESS.
I MEAN, HE'S PLANNING TO RETIRE.
AND WHAT THIS LAW IS GONNA DO IS GONNA TELL HIM HE CAN'T RETIRE.
SO PRETTY MUCH YOU'RE TELLING MR. JACK, YOU CAN'T RETIRE.
SO I REALLY, REALLY OPPOSE YOU.
THERE'S OTHER WAYS OF DOING IT.
ALL THESE GUYS WILL TELL YOU THAT IF THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY.
ANY VIOLATIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
ON SOMO, FOLLOWED BY TONY CONGA.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
I'M THE GOVERNMENT RELATION DIRECTOR FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION.
I WAS ALSO THE CO-FOUNDER IN 1995 AND SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT, CEO.
AND THE MISSION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION AS NONPROFIT WAS TO BRING THESE FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM OUT WITH COMPLIANCE WITH EDUCATION.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE VERY PROUD TO SAY OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS WE HAVE CREATED TOBACCO, UH, UH, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. WE CREATED ALCOHOL AND OUR MEMBERS.
I'M VERY PROUD, EVEN FROM THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, THEY ALWAYS KNOW THAT IF SOMEBODY VIOLATED 99.9% OF THE TIME IS NOT AN NMA MEMBERS.
AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE YOU SEE HERE ARE I AM ALSO MY FAMILY ALSO ON KA CONVENIENCE STORES IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
ONE I SHARE AND THAT BECAUSE I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF THIS WHOLENESS, AND THAT'S WHY THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSING THAT.
BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS WOULD ONLY OPPOSE 50% OF IT.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE SUGGESTION FOR THE MODIFICATION.
UM, THE THREE ONE THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY SUPPORT ARE THE LOCATION LIMITATION.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA BY THE WAY.
WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH THAT.
AND WE ALSO BELIEVE IN THE COMPLIANCE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES.
RETAILERS ARE PROUD WHEN YOU DO THE CHECK BALANCE AND THEN THEY GET THE THANK YOU LETTER THAT
[02:05:01]
SAYS THANK YOU FOR NOT SELLING.SO WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY, UH, ENDORSING THAT.
THE TWO WE WANT YOU TO MODIFY IS THIS THE CAP? YOU ARE SUGGESTING A CAP OF 54.
YOU ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE 56 TOBACCO LICENSE IN THE CITY.
SO HOW ARE YOU GONNA DEAL WITH THE OTHER TWO? WHO ARE YOU GONNA CHOOSE TO TELL THEM YOU DON'T HAVE A TOBACCO LICENSE? SO OUR SUGGESTION IS JUST TO KEEP IT TO 60.
AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SISTER CITY UP NORTH THAT ACTUALLY DID THAT.
AND THEN AFTER THEY CAP IT AND THERE'S NO MORE, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO GET TO YOUR SECOND POINT.
UM, WELL THE OTHER ONE IS REALLY THE PENALTIES.
OKAY? BY THE WAY, MR. MAYOR, USUALLY WHEN SOMEBODY YIELD THAT TIME, I GET THAT TIME.
I GOT, WE WE DON'T HAVE IT IN OUR NO PROBLEM.
OUR POLICY WARNING FIRST VIOL SECOND VIOLATION, 90 DAYS, THIRD ONE IS A YEAR.
THAT'S A DEVASTATING, YOU'RE BASICALLY DOING THAT.
SO HERE, WHAT WE SUGGESTED, YOU MODEL WHAT THE A, B, C SAYS, THE MONEY, YOU COULD KEEP THE MONEY, BUT THE SECOND ONE SHOULD BE 90 DAYS.
THE THIRD ONE SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 60 DAYS.
AND THE FOURTH ONE, UH, REVOCATION, BUT ONLY ONE YEAR.
AND YOU HAVE TO SET IT, YOU HAVE TO PUT A LIMIT FOR FOR VIOLATION OVER WHAT, 20 YEARS.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU GET YOUR POINT ACROSS.
MAY, MAY I, MAY I ASK A QUICK QUESTION FOR MR. SOMO BECAUSE, UH, MR. SOMO.
SO, SO MR. SO I JUST, JUST BECAUSE THERE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS SIDE, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
BUT, UH, UH, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE SINCE I BELIEVE MARCH.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD HEARD, SINCE YOU'RE THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UH, FOR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION.
SO DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THESE DISCUSSIONS? I MEAN, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS AND IN THE PAPER.
I, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, I PERSONALLY REACH OUT TO, UH, A COUPLE OF YOUR MEMBERS.
UH, ONE, UM, THE LIQUOR BOTTLE, WHICH IS IN, UM, MY DISTRICT.
THE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE SEE, MOST OF THIS INFORMATION, THEY REALLY, WE EITHER GET IT FROM, UM, SOME SUPPLIERS, SOMETIMES OUR, OUR MEMBERS AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
SO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS GOT TO OUR ATTENTION ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND, AND THAT'S WHEN WE, UH, RALLIED THE TROOP TO TRY TO GIVE YOU OUR, OUR POINT OF VIEW.
UH, YOU GOT, YOU GOT ANOTHER QUESTION HERE FOR YOU.
UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAD PROVIDED, UM, I LIKE THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING RESOLUTIONS TO, TO THIS, UH, POLICY.
WOULD YOU BE VERY KIND TO SEND THAT TO ME? ME, THANK YOU, AB ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE HAVE, IS IT K-O-U-M-I-A? LAST NAME? K.
I THINK IT'S AN IA OR JUST AN A.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR MORRISON.
UM, I HAVE BEEN IN NATIONAL CITY HERE SINCE 1982.
MY DAD BOUGHT THE, UH, LIQUOR STORE THAT, THAT HE CURRENTLY JUST BOUGHT FROM US ON THE CORNER OF HIGHLAND AND 24TH.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 43 YEARS.
AND FORTUNATELY FOR OUR FAMILY, WE WERE ABLE TO SELL IT JUST A YEAR AGO.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY MY DAD PASSED AWAY RECENTLY AND MY MOM WASN'T ABLE TO, TO RUN THE PLACE.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WORKED FOR THEIR WHOLE LIFE IN, IN, UH, IN BUILDING THIS BUSINESS.
AND, AND FORTUNATELY THEY WERE ABLE TO SELL TO THIS YOUNG MAN, BUT IF THIS ORDINANCE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELL THE BUSINESS.
AND NOT, AND, AND THESE BUSINESSES ARE RUN BY, AND I OWN OTHER STORES AS WELL BY ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT RUN THESE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, SOMEONE WAS WORRIED ABOUT COMPLIANCE.
THERE'S NO, NO ONE HAS MORE INTEREST IN COMPLIANCE THAN A, THAN A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS OWNER.
BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN THEY BREAK THE LAW, THEY'RE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE VERSUS OTHER BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE JUST EMPLOYEES, DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO THEM.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FACT.
I LOVE WHAT ARCON SAID FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE MEMBERS AS WELL, UM, ABOUT ENDORSING HIM AND, AND, AND DOING THE CHECKS AND BALANCE.
BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T HIT ON, EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT SELLING IT AND AND WHATNOT, BUT A COUPLE THINGS IN YOUR ORDINANCE THAT, THAT REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT IS, IS BEING IN LINE WITH LIKE, THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOREVER.
AND, AND, AND DON'T RECREATE THE WHEEL.
ONE THING THAT THEY DO WHEN WE COMMIT, WHEN WE SELL TO A MINOR AFTER THREE YEARS, THAT STRIKE IS, IS TAKEN OFF IN YOUR ORDINANCE.
MY DAD'S CASE, YOU'RE TELLING ME IN 43 YEARS PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES, EMPLOYEES MAKE MISTAKES, BUT THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS, IS THE 90, UM, DAYS, 30 DAYS, IT'S ONE THING TO BE PUNITIVE.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO KILL A BUSINESS.
THERE'S NO WAY A BUSINESS IS GONNA SURVIVE WITHOUT
[02:10:01]
HAVING 90 DAYS OF UH, OF BEING ABLE TO SELL IT.ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? ALRIGHT, YOU'RE UP AND TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, IS IT RAMI? BE NEXT.
I'M HERE TODAY AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND C COMMUTING MEMBER TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD PREVENT TRANSFERRING TOBACCO LICENSES OR SELLING OUR BUSINESSES.
FIRST, THIS IS A DIRECT PENALTY ON HARDWORKING BUSINESS OWNERS.
MANY OF US INVESTED YEARS OF EFFORT, TIME, AND MONEY TO BUILD SOMETHING VALUABLE.
IF WE CAN'T TRANSFER OUR LICENSE OR SELL OUR BUSINESS, THEN OUR INVESTMENT HAS NO SECURITY.
YOU'RE TAKING AWAY THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OWNERSHIP.
SECOND, THIS PROPOSAL FEELS LIKE YOU'RE PASSING RESPONSIBILITY ONTO US INSTEAD OF DOING THE WORK YOURSELVES.
OUR JOB IS TO RUN A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS.
IF UNDERAGE KIDS STILL HAVE ACCESS TO VAPES OR TOBACCO, THIS IS NOT BECAUSE WE ARE FAILING.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF ENFORCEMENT GAPS AND REGULATORY FAILURES DON'T PUNISH EVERY SHOP BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
THIRD, THIS IS AN ATTACK ON THE AMERICAN DREAM, OUR FAMILIES, OUR PARENTS, AND OUR AS ANCESTORS.
SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO COME HERE.
MANY OF US COME FROM FAMILIES THAT WERE PERSECUTED AND WENT THROUGH HELL JUST TO MAKE IT HERE.
WE WORK HARD, WE FOLLOW THE RULES, WE PAY THE FEES.
NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT THE DREAM WE BUILT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY WITH A STROKE OF A PEN.
THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOR.
AND LET ME REMIND YOU, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SELL THEIR BUSINESSES NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, BUT BECAUSE OF FAMILY EMERGENCIES.
WHEN A LOVED ONE GETS SICK, WHEN SOMEONE IS FIGHTING CANCER, OR WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER PASSES AWAY, THE FUNDS FROM SELLING A BUSINESS ARE WHAT? PAY FOR TREATMENT, MEDICAL BILLS, AND FUNERAL COSTS.
BY BLOCKING TRANSFERS, YOU ARE NOT ONLY HURTING BUSINESS OWNERS, YOU ARE HURTING FAMILIES IN THEIR MOST VULNERABLE MOMENTS.
WHAT'S WORSE? THIS PROPOSAL FEELS LIKE A PUNISHMENT.
WHAT'S WORSE THE PROPOSAL FEELS LIKE PUNISHING THE INNOCENT FOR THE GUILTY.
IN AMERICA, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
IF SOMEONE BREAKS THE LAW, THEN APPLY THE LAW TO THEM, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.
BUT, BUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE IS PENALIZING GOOD PEOPLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF BAD PEOPLE.
THAT MAKES NO SENSE AND IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF FAIRNESS.
WE AGREE THAT THE YOUTH ACCESS TO TOBACCO IS A REAL PROBLEM.
WE, WE ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM.
IF ANYTHING, WE'RE HELPING FIXING IT BY PAYING HIGH TAXES AND LICENSING FEES THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE CITY, THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD USE THAT MONEY TO GO AFTER THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE WRONG THINGS.
THIS APPROACH ACTUALLY SOLVES THE PROBLEM AND ITS SOURCE INSTEAD OF PUNISHING RESPONSIBLE OWNERS WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING.
ME AND MY BROTHER OWN WILSON'S LIQUOR OF EIGHTH AND HIGHLAND SINCE 2013, PRETTY MUCH WE BUILT THE STORE FROM SCRATCH.
I'M BUILDING MY OWN FAMILY AND WE WORK EVERY DAY TO BUILD THAT STORE.
THIS IS OUR DREAM FOR US, FOR OUR FUTURE KIDS.
AND WE HAVE OUR MOM WITH US AS WELL.
SO WE WORK SO HARD JUST TO BUILD THE DREAM.
AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ME AND MY BROTHER, WE CAN'T RUN THE STORE ANYMORE.
NO ONE IS GONNA BUY IT FROM US.
AND HERE, HERE GOES OUR DREAM.
SO PLEASE DON'T PASS THAT LOT.
CONSIDER YOURSELF JUST LIKE YOU OWN A LIQUOR STORE IF YOU WERE TO SELL IT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE, UH, TAKING A STANCE, BUT, UH, DID NOT WANNA SPEAK.
UH, ONE IN FAVOR AND TWO OPPOSED.
UM, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAYOR, WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
CAN YOU PUT UP, I DON'T SEE UNLESS IT GOT STUCK UP HERE OR SOMETHING? UH, YES.
DO NOT CHECK THE DEAL AND DIDN'T WANT, DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK.
NO, NO, I'M SORRY I PASSED IT OUT.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WERE NO WORRIES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW ME.
I'M NADIA HERMES FROM RANCH HILL SLICKER.
WE'VE OWNED THE LIQUOR STORE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
UM, WE STARTED IT AS, UM, BUSINESS, AND THAT IS OUR RETIREMENT FOR LIFE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND WORKS THERE A MINIMUM OF 12 TO 16 HOURS A DAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING SOMEDAY WE WOULD PASS IT ON, SELL IT, AND SO THAT WE CAN RETIRE AND ENJOY THE, THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE CITY GAVE US AND THIS COUNTRY GAVE US.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT I THINK THERE IS ONE POINT THAT YOU ARE MISSING.
YOU ARE NOT ONLY KILLING THE SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT LOOK WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO YOUR CITY, TO OUR CITY, OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
YOU, WE, YOU'RE NOW, YOU'RE GONNA ALLOW THE SALE OF TOBACCO ON THE BLACK MARKET
[02:15:01]
YOUTH.EVERYONE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE YOUTH.
YEAH, WE, ID THE YOUTH, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OF AGE, WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A LEGAL ID.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A FAKE ID, BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO THE LEGAL, YOU KNOW, TO THE BLACK MARKET.
WHAT ARE YOU OPENING UP THE YOUTH NOW THERE IS NO CONTROL OVER WHO'S GONNA BUY THESE TOBACCOS.
AND THEN ALSO YOU TAKE AWAY A BUSINESS.
IF WE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SELL OUR BUSINESS.
WE WON'T HAVE THE DREAM OR THE DETERMINE WE NEED, BUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THAT LOT IS GONNA STAY VACANT.
YOU ARE GONNA HAVE LOOTER LOOTERS.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE TAXES.
THE COMMUNITY'S GONNA LOSE A FAMILY.
THE COMMUNITY'S GONNA LOSE THE SERVICES THAT'S BEING OFFERED.
I LIKE THE PREVIOUS, UH, SPEAKER.
WHY ARE YOU PUNISHING US? WE ARE THE GOOD PEOPLE.
GO AFTER THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS ILLEGALLY.
YOU KNOW, WE OBEY WHATEVER YOU TELL US TO DO, WE DO IT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, DON'T TAKE AWAY OUR LIVELIHOOD AND AT THE SAME TIME, DON'T TAKE THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE GIVING TO THE CITY.
DON'T TAKE THE, A LOT OF US HERE, WE PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE.
YEAH, WE CAN NOW START WITH THE, UH, UH, SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
I'VE WORKED IN TOBACCO PREVENTION 20 YEARS AND SUPPORT THE TRL AS A HEALTH ISSUE TO STRENGTHEN COMPLIANCE.
I URGE YOU TO MAKE CLEAR THAT NOT ONLY CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT RETAILERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR STAYING IN INFORMED ABOUT AUTHORIZED VERSUS ILLEGAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
VAPES IN PARTICULAR, AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE AS ROUTERS RECENTLY REPORTED, LARGE NUMBERS OF UNAUTHORIZED VAPES BRANDS LIKE LOS MARION GEEK BAR PRODUCED IN CHINA ARE ENTERING THE US MARKET.
THE FDA BANNED THESE PRODUCTS.
MANY, UH, MANY OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE FRUIT AND CANDY FLAVORS ARE DESIGNED TO ATTRACT CHILDREN, BUT SOME ARE VERY SUBTLE ABOUT THEIR FLAVORING.
RECENTLY IN THE FDA SPOKESMAN CITING CONCERN OVERUSE, VAPING STATED, 85% OF VAPES ARE ILLEGAL CHINESE IMPORTS.
THE FDA REPORTED SEIZING 34 MILLION OF THESE VAPES IN MAY AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE LAST WEDNESDAY.
YET ROUTERS REPORTED THAT UNAUTHORIZED VAPES STILL SLIPPED THROUGH CUSTOMS WITH THE HELP OF BROKERS AND DISTRIBUTORS WHO DELIBERATELY AVOID THEIR DETECTION.
THE CITY HAS THE POWER THROUGH THIS TRL TO ENSURE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND RETAILERS STAY ABREAST OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE PERMITTED AND TO RECOGNIZE NEW ONES CONSTANTLY ENTERING THE MARKET THAT ARE NOT.
SOME, AS I SAID, ARE VERY SUBTLE, BUT THE FDA MAINTAINS A LIST OF AUTHORIZED VAPE PRODUCTS.
THIS ACCOUNTABILITY WILL STRENGTHEN THE TRL.
IT WILL ALSO HELP OWNERS AND WILL HELP PROTECT YOUTH AND THE COMMUNITY FROM DANGEROUS ILLEGAL PRODUCTS.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY CONCERN.
MEGAN STEWART, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I SPOKE HERE LAST MONTH REGARDING THE TRL, AND I'M BACK TONIGHT BECAUSE THE ISSUE REMAINS URGENT.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT AMENDING NATIONAL CITY MUNICIPAL CODE 9.38 TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING PROGRAM.
UM, AS SOMEONE WITH A BACKGROUND IN SOCIAL WORK, I'VE SEEN TOO OFTEN HOW YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TARGETED NOT JUST BY OVERT MARKETING, BUT ALSO BY UNDER THE TABLE SALES.
AT PERMITTED SHOPS THAT MAY PUSH BOUNDARIES OR IGNORE AGE LAWS, OUR MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH SUFFER WITH HEALTH ISSUES, MISSING SCHOOL FALLING BEHIND ACADEMICALLY.
WE CAN REDUCE ALL OF THAT WITH STRONGER OVERSIGHT AND MORE RETAIL COMPLIANCE CHECKS.
ALTHOUGH CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG HIGH SCHOOLERS IS DOWN TO AROUND 1.2% VAPING NICOTINE POUCHES AND FLAVORED PRODUCTS REMAIN A SERIOUS CONCERN.
THESE TRENDS SHOW THAT ENFORCEMENT AND REGULATION WORK WILL WORK, BUT ONLY IF WE KEEP PUSHING WEAK RULES OR LAX ENFOR ENFORCEMENT CREATE LOOPHOLES THAT LEAD TO HARMFUL OUTCOMES.
TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING IS NOT ABOUT PUNISHING SMALL BUSINESSES.
ENSURING RETAILERS ADHERE TO LAWS, PROTECTING KIDS, REDUCING EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL PRODUCTS AND LIGHTENING THE BURDEN ON OUR SCHOOLS,
[02:20:01]
FAMILIES AND HEALTH SERVICES AND EFFECTIVE LICENSING PROGRAM GIVES NATIONAL CITY TOOLS TO MONITOR AND FORCE PENALIZE NON-COMPLIANCE AND RESTRICT PROXIMITY AND DENSITY, ESPECIALLY NEAR SCHOOLS OR YOUTH CENTERS.BY ADOPTING A STRONG ORDINANCE TONIGHT AND ENSURING THAT COMPLIANCE CHECKS WILL TAKE PLACE WHEN THEY SAID THEY WILL, NATIONAL CITY CAN SHOW LEADERSHIP IN YOUTH HEALTH AND EDUCATION EQUITY, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO SAFEGUARD OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, PREVENT NEEDLESS SUFFERING AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY WELLBEING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING THIS ITEM TONIGHT.
UH, MAYOR MORRISON AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M LIAM MARTIN, POLICY ANALYST WITH THE CALIFORNIA FUELS AND CONVENIENCE ALLIANCE.
THE PROPOSED TOBACCO RETAIL ORDINANCE CLAIMS TO PROTECT YOUTH, BUT ITS NONTRANSFERABLE LICENSE PROVISION WILL DEVASTATE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES WITHOUT MEANINGFULLY ADDRESSING THE ILLICIT MARKET, WHICH IS WHERE YOUTH ARE GAINING ACCESS TO THESE PRODUCTS.
TOBACCO SALES REPRESENT AT LEAST 30% OF REVENUE FOR GAS STATIONS AND CONVENIENCE STORES.
THIS ORDINANCE STRIPS THEIR BUSINESS VALUE THE MOMENT AN OWNER TRIES TO SELL.
EXISTING RETAILERS GET GRAND POWERED PROVISION, UH, PROTECTIONS WHILE NEW RETAILERS FACE IMPOSSIBLE BARRIERS.
ON TOP OF THAT, DISTANCE RESTRICTIONS BAN NEW STORES FROM ENTIRE AREAS OF NATIONAL CITY.
YOUTH ACCESS IS ALREADY BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH EXISTING STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.
INSTEAD OF NEW BARRIERS TO BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, LET'S FOCUS ON ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION.
I URGE YOU TO ALLOW LICENSE TRANSFERS UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.
PLEASE WORK WITH CFCA AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO CREATE A SOLUTION THAT PROTECTS BOTH YOUTH AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
MY NAME IS BECKY RAPP, AND, UM, I'M HERE AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS STRONG WORDS, VOCALIZING HIS SUPPORT FOR AN UPDATED TRL PROTECTING YOUTH.
FROM THE GRIPS OF TOBACCO ADDICTION IS KEY TO A DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY.
THIS ORDINANCE IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN PROTECTING YOUTH FROM THE HARMS OF TOBACCO, INCLUDING E-CIGARETTES.
NATIONAL CITY ALREADY HAS STRONG PROTECTIONS IN PLACE AROUND SCHOOLS AND PARKS, AND THIS TRL PROGRAM BUILDS ON THAT BY ENSURING RETAILERS ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT THE CITY HAS THE TOOLS TO ENFORCE STATE AND LOCAL LAWS.
ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ELEMENTS IS COMPLIANCE CHECKS.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WHEN RETAILERS KNOW THAT THEY MAY BE CHECKED BY YOUTH DECOYS, THEY'RE FAR LESS LIKELY TO SELL ILLEGALLY.
THE ORIGINAL DRAFT ALLOWED FOR UP TO TWO COMPLIANCE CHECKS PER YEAR.
THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH BEST PRACTICES ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
REDUCING THAT TO JUST ONE CHECK EVERY TWO YEARS UNDERMINES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM AND LEAVES OUR KIDS ON PROTECTED.
THE $700 ANNUAL LICENSING FEE IS INTENDED TO HELP COVER INSPECTIONS AND WITH UP TO 54 RETAILERS IN THE CITY, THAT CREATES A BASE OF FUNDING PROGRAM PROPONENTS HAVE ALSO PLEDGED TO ASSIST IN SEEKING GRANTS TO SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT, WHICH ENSURES THE CITY WON'T SHOULDER THE COST ALONE.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ORDINANCE WITH COMPLIANCE CHECK LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR UP TO TWO PER YEAR ENSURING THAT PROGRAM IS NOT JUST, UM, SYMBOLIC, BUT IT IS EFFECTIVE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE REGION SENIOR LEAD OF COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.
I'VE SPECIALIZED IN TIER ALL ENFORCEMENT OVER THE LAST SIX AND A HALF YEARS, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING UP THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY JOINING APPROXIMATELY 230 JURISDICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA WHO HAVE PASSED TIER TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCES.
A TRL IS A BUSINESS LICENSE TO SELL A PRODUCT THAT WHEN USED AS DIRECTED, KILLS NEARLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE PER YEAR.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO STRENGTHEN THE TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE IN A FEW WAYS THAT ALIGN WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW CENTER MODEL POLICY, WHICH IS THE STATE MODEL POLICY ON THIS ISSUE AND YOUR OWN COUNTY'S TRL.
THE FIRST CHANGE I WOULD RECOMMEND IS CODIFYING THAT THE CITY SHALL CONDUCT AT LEAST ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK PER YEAR FOR EACH RETAILER.
THIS IS A NICE COMPROMISE FROM WHERE YOU STARTED AND THAT YOU SHALL CONDUCT TWO TO ALLOWING YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY THAT YOU AT LEAST COMPLETE ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK PER YEAR WITH THE NUMBER OF RETAILERS YOU HAVE.
THIS IS A VERY ACHIEVABLE TASK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ENSURE THAT YOUR FEE IS SET AT THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
ENSURING YOUR FEE IS SET AT THE FULL COST OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF
[02:25:01]
YOUR PROGRAM WILL ALLOW YOU TO INCREASE STAFFING IF NEEDED, OR GRANT OUT THE COMPLIANCE CHECKS IF STAFFING IS TRULY A LIMITATION.I ALWAYS LIKE TO GIVE THE EXAMPLE THAT MY FATHER MAKES CERAMICS AND TO DO A WEEKEND SHOW IT'S ABOUT $450 PER TWO DAYS.
AND WHILE HIS WORK IS VERY GOOD, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE WEEKEND VERSUS A WHOLE YEAR OF SELLING A DEADLY PRODUCT.
I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO ISSUE A PENALTY ON THE FIRST VIOLATION AND CONSIDER EXTENDING YOUR LOOKBACK PERIOD FOR THE TOTAL COUNT OF VIOLATIONS LEADING TO REVOCATION TO 60 MONTHS OR FIVE YEARS.
MY RATIONALE IS WITH THE FIRST VIOLATION, INCURRING A WARNING AND A 60 OR 36 MONTH LOOKBACK PERIOD BEFORE VIOLATIONS RESET TO ZERO INSPECTING EVERY OTHER YEAR, POSES A CONFLICT WITH THE EFFORT TO REDUCE ACCESS TO PRODUCTS AND TO ENSURE THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, NATIONAL CITY IS OVERSATURATED WITH TOBACCO RETAILERS FIVE TIMES AS MANY AS COFFEE SHOPS.
AND MORE THAN HALF OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE A TOBACCO RETAILER WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET.
THAT MEANS OUR KIDS CAN'T AVOID DAILY EXPOSURE TO FLAVORED NICOTINE PRODUCTS DELIBERATELY DESIGNED TO ATTRACT YOUTH.
FLAVORS LIKE FRUIT CANDY AND MINT MASK THE HARSHNESS OF TOBACCO AND HOOK KIDS.
EARLY NATIONALLY, NEARLY 90% OF YOUTH E-CIGARETTE USERS REPORT USING FLAVORED PRODUCTS.
AND HERE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, OVER 11% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORT RECENT VAPING.
THE PIPELINE FROM EXPOSURE TO ADDICTION IS CLEAR.
A STRONG RETAIL LICENSE PROGRAM GIVES NATIONAL CITY THE POWER TO HOLD RETAILERS ACCOUNTABLE, REDUCE ILLEGAL SALES, AND CREATE REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD ACTORS.
I DON'T WANNA PUNISH THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT WE NEED TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND PROTECT OUR KIDS.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE ANOTHER SHOUT OUT AS A MOTHER OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN, THAT THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
BY ADOPTING THIS PROGRAM, NATIONAL CITY CAN JOIN OTHER CALIFORNIA CITIES IN PUTTING HEALTH BEFORE INDUSTRY PROFITS AND SHOW LEADERSHIP AND SAFEGUARDING OUR YOUTH FROM NICOTINE ADDICTION.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PASS THIS PROGRAM.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR MORRISON AND CITY COUNCIL.
JUST THAT WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE OF SUPPORT AS A PERSON WHO'S WORKED IN PUBLIC HEALTH FOR DECADES.
I THINK THAT IT'S A SIMPLE SUPPORT STATEMENT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, AND THAT IS THAT SMOKING AND VAPING IS THE NUMBER ONE PREVENTABLE CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISEASE IN THIS COUNTRY, IN THIS STATE, AND IN THIS CITY.
AND THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE TWO THINGS TO INTERRUPT THE INCEPTION OF TOBACCO USE, WHICH USUALLY BEGINS BEFORE THE AGE OF 19, AND THAT IS TO CREATE SMOKE-FREE PUBLIC PLACES AND HOUSING.
THE SECOND IS TO MAKE SMOKING AND VAPING PRODUCTS LESS APPEALING AND LESS AVAILABLE THROUGH A TRL.
YOU ARE TAKING STEP NUMBER TWO TONIGHT, AND I AM PROUD OF YOU.
YOU PROTECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOOD HEALTH OF YOUR CITIZENS ARE PRICELESS.
THANK YOU, LENA DELGADO FLORES.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LENA DELGADO FLORES AND I AM THE POLICY MANAGER AT THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IN CALIFORNIA.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE OF THE A LA TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE TOBACCO RETAIL PROGRAM.
UM, TRL IS PROVEN, IS A PROVEN AND EFFECTIVE TOOL TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH, BY HOLDING RETAILERS ACCOUNTABLE AND ENSURING THAT TOBACCO PRODUCTS ARE SOLD RESPONSIBLY.
NATIONAL CITY DESERVES THE SAME SAFEGUARDS THAT MANY OTHER CALIFORNIA CITIES HAVE ALREADY ADOPTED.
NATIONAL CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE OTHER 11 CITIES IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY WITH A TRL IN PLACE.
A LOCAL TRL WILL HELP REDUCE ILLEGAL CELLS TO MINORS, LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS THAT TARGET YOUNG PEOPLE, AND CREATES A FAIR SYSTEM FOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMMITTED TO COMPLIANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENSURING A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE STRONG TURN RAIL ORDINANCE WITH COMPLIANCE CHECKS TO KEEP NATIONAL CITIES FAMILIES AND YOUTH SAFE.
THANK YOU, MANUEL ANDRE? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
[02:30:01]
THANK YOU.UH, EVENING MAYOR MORRIS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE MANAGER OF THE NATIONAL CITY COALITION FOR BETTER HEALTH.
FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, I'VE WORKED WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NATIONAL CITY, CHULA VISTA, PARENTS FEATURES AND STUDENTS TO ADDRESS THE YOUTH CIGARETTE YOUTH EPIDEMIC AND SUPPORTED TOBACCO USE PREVENTION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE W HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
TOGETHER WE RAISE AWARENESS AND DANGERS OF FLAVORED TOBACCO, YET THE PROBLEM OF ADDICTION AND USAGE OF SCHOOLS PERSIST.
42% OF KIDS REPORTED BUYING TOBACCO AT LOCAL STORES IN THESE, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
TWO YEARS AGO, I JOINED, UH, LONG-TERM RESIDENTS IN PROMOT TO, TO FORM THE EVOLUTION OF FOCUS ON, ON THIS CRISIS.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE GATHERED COMMUNITY INPUT THROUGH SURVEYS, PETITIONS, PUBLIC FORUM, SECURE SUPPORT FROM CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, 15 HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL SCHOOLS, AND PARTNERED WITH THE YOUNG ADULTS TO PURCHASE SURVEYS IN NATIONAL CITY, CHULA VISTA AND SAN DIEGO.
WITH A 25% AVERAGE OF ILLEGAL CELLS, MORE THAN 150 PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN SUPPORT OF THE TER UH, PROGRAM.
FURTHERMORE, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE PUBLIC LAW CENTER TO DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT TRULY PROTECTS YOUTH IN NATIONAL CITY.
WE HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY AND DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, VARIOUS HAVE DELAY ACTION AND MISSING INFORMATION HAS CLOUDED THE DISCUSSION.
THE ARM LENGTHS TRANSACTION DOES NOT ALLOW TRANSFER WITHIN THE LAW PARAMETERS AND STOP THOSE BREAKING THE LAW FROM TRANSFERRING ITS BUSINESSES TO A FAMILY MEMBER TO CLEAN THEIR BAG RECORDS.
MR. REER CAN READ THIS COMPONENT OF THE ORDINANCE SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF IT FOR MORE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LAWSUITS IN PLACE FROM THE SAN DIEGO CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ONE FROM LIQUOR STORE FROM NATIONAL CITY THAT FOR MONTHS SOLD ILLEGALLY PRODUCTS TO DECOYS.
FORTUNATELY, 75% OF LAW ABIDING RETAILERS DO NOT SELL ILLEGAL PRODUCTS ILLEGALLY TO YOUTH.
A STRONG TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS IN CITIES HAVE PREVENT YOUTH ACCESS AND ENSURE FAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES, UM, WILL HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ASSIST YOU AND PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION FOR A DEDICATED POLICY DECISION.
NATIONAL CITY YOUTH TO SERVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS THAT THOSE IN OTHER CITIES, UH, OR KIDS AND ARE LAW ABID BUSINESSES ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO PASS A STRONG TRL ORDINANCES.
I JUST RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE CHULA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH THE NATIONAL CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT OR CITY STAFF TO SHARE THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND ALSO SHARE WHY THEY'RE AMENDING THEIR MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT ONE DCO A YEAR RATHER THAN ONE EVERY OTHER YEAR.
ME, MYSELF, I, UH, UH, ONE IN DECEMBER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS EMILY MILLER AND I'M THE COMMUNITY IMPACT DIRECTOR HERE IN SAN DIEGO FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO STRENGTHEN THE DE TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE BY CODIFYING THAT THE CITY SHALL CONDUCT AT LEAST ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK PER YEAR FOR EACH RETAILER.
AT THE LAST MEETING, THE ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED TO REQUIRE ONLY ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK EVERY TWO YEARS, THIS CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENS ENFORCEMENT AND UNDERMINES THE ORDINANCES ABILITY TO PROTECT YOUTH FROM TOBACCO ADDICTION WITH THE FIRST VIOLATION, INCURRING A WARNING IN A 36 MONTH LOOKBACK PERIOD BEFORE VIOLATIONS RESET TO ZERO.
INSPECTING EVERY OTHER YOUTH YEAR POSES A CON CONFLICT IN THE EFFORT TO REDUCE YOUTH USE AND IDENTIFIED BAD ACTORS.
ROUTINE FREQUENT COMPLIANCE CHECKS ARE A CORNERSTONE OF AN EFFECTIVE TOBACCO CONTROL.
THEY HELP IDENTIFY RETAILERS WHO VIOLATE THE LAW, DETER LEGAL SALES, AND REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT VIOLATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DETECTED WHEN CHECKS ARE UNANNOUNCED AND CONDUCTED REGULARLY.
REDUCING THE FREQUENCY THAT EVERY TWO YEARS SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE THAT PROTECTING YOUTH IS NEGOTIABLE.
WE ARE PLEASED TO SEE THE COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT.
WITH ROBUST EDUCATION OUTREACH, RETAILERS CAN BE WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IS AND ISN'T ALLOWED, BUT ENFORCEMENT MUST BE MEANINGFUL.
THAT'S WHY WE URGE YOU TO INCLUDE PENALTIES STARTING WITH THE FIRST VIOLATION.
OUR YOUTH ARE INCREASINGLY USING PRODUCTS LIKE E-CIGARETTES, E-CIGARETTES, WHICH CAN LEAD TO LIFELONG ADDICTION.
NEARLY ALL ADULT TOBACCO USERS STARTED BEFORE AGE 18.
A STRONG LOCAL LICENSING POLICY WITH REGULAR ENFORCEMENT IS HOW WE PREVENT TOBACCO FROM REACHING OUR KIDS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR ZOOM COMMENTS.
UM, AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR US TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION, MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, UH, AND MAYOR, FOR THE RECORD, I JUST WANTED TO STATE OUR WRITTEN COMMENT FROM TED OCK, LIZ MURPHY AND B MARTIN WHO ALSO SPOKE.
AND THOSE ARE PART OF THE RECORD.
SO WE HAVE, UH, YOU GUYS PUT IN FOR YOUR MOTIONS AND THERE WE GO.
[02:35:01]
OKAY.NO, CAN'T YET WAIT FOR THE CAN.
WAIT FOR THE LIGHTS TO COME UP.
IT'S STILL HOLDING BECAUSE THERE IT COMES UP NOW.
SO THE NOTE, THIS IS JUST TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS STAGE.
THERE'S THAT ONE MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW WE CAN GET INTO DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, MR. REEDER, DID YOU HAVE A CONTACT? I DID.
WANTED TO CLARIFY IF THAT'S OKAY, MR. MAYOR, UM, I HEARD TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE CHECKS.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT SECTION 9 3 8 1 4 0 DOES REQUIRE ONE EACH TOBACCO RETAILER TO GET ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK EVERY YEAR.
THAT IS A STAFF INITIATED COMPLIANCE CHECK.
WE DO HAVE, UH, STAFFING IN THE BUDGET TO DO THAT, OR WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT PERSON IN TO, UH, HAVE THAT AS PART OF THEIR, THEIR WORKLOAD.
AND THEN THE, THE, THE PART THAT CHANGED WAS THE DECOY CHECK, WHICH WAS ONE EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
AT LEAST ONE, ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS UNIT, ACTUALLY, I, I PICK, PARDON? IT WAS CHANGED TO ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK PER TWO YEAR PERIOD.
IF WE HAVE THE FUNDING, WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.
JOSE, YOU WANNA TALK? GO AHEAD.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR A BETTER PART OF, UM, ALMOST A YEAR NOW.
UH, THANK YOU TO SAY SAN DIEGO.
STAFF ORGANIZERS, UH, STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TORES, UH, CITY STAFF, HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS THAT SIGNED A PETITION THAT WANTED AN IMPLEMENTATION OF A TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE, NATIONAL CITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BUSINESS OWNERS FOR COMING TODAY.
I WISH WE WOULD'VE, UH, I WOULD'VE PERSONALLY HEARD FROM YOU, UH, MONTHS AGO, BUT, BUT I STILL HEAR YOU AND I EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR PLIGHT AS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HARDWORKING, THAT ARE ALSO BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, I, I TRULY EMPATHIZE WITH THAT.
I DO HAVE A, A QUESTION, UH, FOR STAFF AND FOR MAYBE CITY ATTORNEY, IF A BUSINESS IS SOLD UNDER THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, IF A BUSINESS IS SOLD AND THEY'RE UNABLE TO TRANSFER THE LICENSE, WOULD THAT PROHIBIT A NEW OWNER FROM APPLYING FOR A LICENSE, UH, THROUGH THE CHAIR? THE WAY THIS ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN NOW, SECTION 9.3 8.100 SAYS LICENSES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE EITHER FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION OR FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.
I THINK, UH, I WOULD EXPAND ON THAT.
UM, THEN THERE'S THE ISSUE OF WOULD THE NEW APPLICATION MEET THE THOUSAND FOOT BARRIER? YEP.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, WE DID SEE A MAP THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US, WHICH IS PRETTY, PRETTY RESTRICTED.
IT'S A GIVEN THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A LICENSE.
SO IF THEY DO NOT, IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT IS NOT WITHIN 1000 FEET OF A SCHOOL, THEN THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE THE NEW OWNERS TO APPLY FOR A LICENSE AS LONG AS WE DIDN'T ALREADY EXCEED THE CAP.
AND, AND THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER.
I DO BELIEVE THE NUMBER THAT WAS SELECTED TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, THE NUMBER OF LICENSES SELECTED WAS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SELLING TOBACCO IN CITY, WHICH ARE 54.
AND SO THEORETICALLY, EVERYBODY THAT IS CURRENTLY APPLYING COULD APPLY FOR LICENSE.
EVERYBODY THAT'S CURRENTLY SELLING THE PRODUCT COULD APPLY FOR LICENSE.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY THE WAY, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS, IS SET UP, IT WAS INTENDED THAT ANYONE THAT'S CURRENTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, SELLING TOBACCO LAWFULLY, UH, AS IN WITH THE STATE LICENSE AND SO FORTH, AS IN ALL OF THE LIQUOR STORES REFERRED FROM AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, UH, DEEMED APPROVED, IF YOU WILL, SUBJECT TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE, UH, ORDINANCE.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A CAP.
SO IF SOME GO AWAY AND ANOTHER ONE WANTS TO COME IN, THEY WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THAT WOULD, WE'D HAVE TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED, IF THEY WERE LOCATED WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A SENSITIVE USE OF ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER OUTLET, ET CETERA.
AND WHAT, AS WE KNOW IN THE CITY, UH, WE HAVE A CONCENTRATION OF STORES ALONG MAIN THOROUGHFARES THAT ARE ALL VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
SO THE, MOST OF THE LICENSES THAT WE HAVE, IF ONE WENT AWAY, PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE, UH, TO, TO BE RENEWED.
SO THE, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE TRANSFER COMES
[02:40:01]
IN.WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
HOPEFULLY THAT EASES SOME OF THE TENSION IN THAT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PROHIBIT A NEW OWNER FROM APPLYING FOR A NEW LICENSE IF INDEED IT IS NOT WITHIN THE THOUSAND FOOT OF A SENSITIVE LOCATION.
AND SO, WELL, I THINK, UH, SORRY, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT MOST OF THEM ARE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET ALREADY.
SO, SO WHEN, SO WHEN THEY, THEY GET SOLD OR TRANSFERRED, THEY'RE GOING AWAY.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A SCHOOL? I MEAN, JUST TALKING, HEARING THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE TONIGHT AND THE LADY THAT SPOKE TONIGHT, UM, MOST OF THOSE ARE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF, OF SOMETHING ELSE, OF EACH OTHER, LET ALONE SCHOOLS AND SO FORTH.
BUT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT, HOW MANY WE, WE COULD LOOK AT THE, AT THE MAP, BUT THE MAJ, I WOULD, I WOULD HAZARD A GUESS IS THAT THE MAJORITY ARE CLOSE TO ANOTHER, ANOTHER LIQUOR STORE OR ANOTHER TOBACCO LIQUOR, A SEVEN 11, THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE SEVERAL SCHOOLS, THE EIGHT SCHOOLS PLUS THE JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.
NO, I APPRECIATE THE, UM, UH, CLARIFICATION AND I APPRECIATE AGAIN, ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS FOR COMING HERE.
AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.
UM, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UH, PASSED PROPOSITION 31 APPROVED BY VOTERS IN NOVEMBER, 2022, WHICH, UH, TOOK EFFECT IN DECEMBER, 2022.
AND IT ESSENTIALLY PROHIBITED THE RETAIL SALE OF MOST FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS, INCLUDING FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES AND MENTHOL CIGARETTES.
AND WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MAJOR PROBLEM IN OUR SCHOOLS MAJOR PROBLEM FOR OUR KIDS.
SO AN ORDINANCE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED NOW FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, RETAILERS ARE NOT SELLING FLAVORED TOBACCO AND THEY'RE NOT SELLING TO KIDS.
AND FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UH, GOOD OPERATORS, WHICH I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HERE IS, THAT SHOULDN'T BE A CHANGE.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT BUSINESSES, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH IS ALSO PRIORITIZED AND THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH, THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR KIDS.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT STATE LAW IS FOLLOWED, WHICH IS WHY I WORKED ALONGSIDE SOME COLLEAGUES TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.
AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE ORDINANCE IN NATIONAL CITY.
UH, FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I'LL SECOND THAT, MR. MAYOR.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M IN READING THIS, THIS, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE BUSINESS.
UM, SO WITH REGARDS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT, UH, DIRECTOR, UM, REERS SAID THAT BECAUSE OF OUR 7.2 SQUARE MILE REUS IN THE CITY, IT'S EVERYBODY'S WITHIN THAT THOUSAND FEET.
CORRECT? THERE ARE MULTIPLE, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 60 RETAILERS.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 54 TO 56, DEPENDING ON WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT YEAH, APPROXIMATELY 60.
AND MANY OF THOSE ARE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A SENSITIVE USE OR ANOTHER LIQUOR STORE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'VE WORKED WITH A, B, C AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU ARE, IF YOU PURCHASE A PROP, UH, A BUSINESS AND YOU'RE A NEW OWNER, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE, THE, UH, PROCESSING PERMITTING PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE, THE PERMIT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFER TO ME IF I BOUGHT THAT BUSINESS.
UH, YOU'RE CERTAINLY CORRECT WITH REGARD TO THE A BC LICENSE, BUT THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT THE CITY GRANTS FOR ALCOHOL USES DO RUN WITH THE PROPERTY.
SO IF A NEW OWNER, IF IT'S TRANSFERRED TO A NEW OWNER, THEY ARE ABLE, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A NAVY C LICENSE, THEY'RE ABLE TO OPERATE UNDER THE EXISTING CUP.
SO, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BOAT RELATED, BUT WE HAVE A, A CAP ON THAT.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, A, A LIMIT A TERM THREE YEARS, FIVE YEARS.
WHAT, WHAT DID IT SAY HERE? UM, I'M SORRY, I WAS, I WAS READING FAST.
YOU NEED TIMEFRAMES WORD AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, DID, DID WE HAVE A DEADLINE OF, OR, OR A LAPSE OF NUMBER OF YEARS THAT THIS BUSINESS I SEE THE C-P-C-O-P IS NOT FOREVER.
RIGHT? COP IS GRANTED FOR HOW MANY, IS IT A CP RENEWED ANNUALLY? NO, A CEP RUNS WITH THE PROPERTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE BUSINESS.
HOWEVER, UH, DEPENDING ON, WE HAVE SOME OLDER C PS, WHICH DIDN'T INVOLVE THE LANGUAGE WE HAVE NOW, BUT THE WAY THE LANGUAGE IS NOW, IF THAT USE LAPSES FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, THEN THAT CUP IS VOID.
BUT MOST OF THE TIME YOU'LL SEE IS SOMEONE WILL COME IN WITHIN THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD AND APPLY FOR AN A B, C LICENSE.
AND THAT'S USUALLY THE REASON WHY THEY BUY THE THE SITE IS 'CAUSE IT HAS THE ALLOWANCE TO HAVE ALCOHOL WITH AN A B, C LICENSE.
[02:45:01]
MONTHS, DOES IT GO AWAY WITH WITHIN THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD? CORRECT.BUT WE DON'T HAVE SUNSET CLAUSES ON CS.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, QUESTION FOR OUR CITY AND MAYBE THE ADVOCATES, BUT, UM, YEAH, I'LL START WITH, UM, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ SINCE HE IS, UH, SINCE HE A CHAMPION.
AND SO, UH, JOSE, YOU SAID THAT YOU WISH THE OWNERS WOULD'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU.
AND I ACTUALLY, I AGREE WITH THAT TO AN EXTENT, BUT HONESTLY, I REALLY THINK THAT SINCE YOU CHAMPIONED THIS, THAT IT WAS MORE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AS WELL.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, DID YOU, WERE YOU ABLE TO REACH OUT TO ANY OF THESE BUSINESSES OR ANY OF THE BUSINESSES ABOUT THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM? GRANTED, SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY, THIS ISN'T MY PROPOSAL.
SAY SAN DIEGO WORKED FOR MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS TO REACH OUT TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING BUSINESSES.
AND THIS PROPOSAL'S EVEN SUPPORTED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I AM GLAD TO HAVE SUPPORTED, BUT IT IS WIDELY SUPPORTED BY A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LED BY A LOCAL NONPROFIT.
BUT DID YOU, UH, REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE BUSINESSES? I DID NOT.
I HAVE NOT BEEN REACHING OUT TO INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THIS.
AND THE ACTIVISTS I HEARD DID, UM, SO, BUT MY QUESTION WAS IF, IF YOU HAD HAD A CHANCE TO REACH OUT, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION.
BUT MY QUESTION THEN TO STAFF, DID ANYONE IN STAFF REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE BUSINESSES? NO, WE DID NOT.
JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS INCLUDED NOTIFICATION.
WELL, THAT WAS JUST THE QUESTION ON THAT.
AND THEN, UM, SO I THINK THE, SO THE, THE ISSUE HERE, THE BIGGER ISSUE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, UH, JOSE, IT'S ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE.
THE BIGGER PICTURE IS ABOUT, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOUTH AREN'T ACCESSING VAPES AND PROTECTING OUR HEALTH AND OUR YOUTH.
AND I HOPE ALL OF THE BUSINESSES, I HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS, BUT I REALLY WANT YOU GUYS TO EMPHASIZE AND, AND THINK ABOUT THAT TOO.
UM, AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, AND I POINTED IT OUT EARLIER THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION SINCE MARCH.
AND SO COMING HERE, THIS IS THE LAST DAY, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE, AND WE'VE ALREADY DELAYED THIS.
SO, UH, WE'VE ALL WORKED, UH, REALLY HARD ON THIS, UH, AND HAVE VETTED THIS.
SO, SO TO GET IT TO LAST, IT, IT JUST, IT JUST REALLY, UH, UH, UH, DELAYS AND THROWS A WRENCH INTO THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, MY ADVICE MOVING FORWARD, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING HERE AND, UM, ALL THE BUSINESSES AND, AND SPEAKING TO US.
I JUST WISH IT WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT EARLIER.
AND I, UM, THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD, UM, LIKE A LOT OF YOU GUYS SAID THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES, BUT I THINK THIS SHOWS KIND OF THAT DISCONNECT WHERE I, I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY TO FOLLOW OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS MORE.
UM, BECAUSE LIKE ALL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE DO APPEAR DOES IMPACT YOU ALL.
AND I GOTTA SAY, FOR ME, I DID REACH OUT TO ONE OF THE BUSINESSES BACK IN MARCH, AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING UNTIL, UH, UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND IT WAS RONNIE, AND HE BROUGHT IT UP TO ME.
I SAID, RONNIE, DUDE, LIKE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS MONTHS AGO.
SO WE AT THE CITY CAN ONLY GO SO FAR.
LIKE, WE'VE PUBLICIZED, UH, THIS, I FEEL LIKE, AND, UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A-P-I-O-A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
SO MAYBE THAT'S ON OUR END WHERE IT COULD BE BETTER TOO.
SO I'LL TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, I, I JUST THINK OVERALL WE, THIS, THE COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE BETTER.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT ANOTHER QUESTION IS STAFF, UH, OUR, OUR CITY, UM, UH, WHERE, WHERE ARE THE VAPE? DO WE KNOW WHERE THE VAPES ARE? WAS THERE DATA WHERE THE VAPES ARE COMING FROM? AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE, UH, VAPES FROM YOUTH THAT WE THINK, OR ANY DATA WE SHOW ARE COMING FROM, UH, THE BUSINESSES? DO WE KNOW THAT, OR I HAVE AN IDEA OF THAT, UH, THAT'S NOT BEEN DONE BY, BY STAFF, UH, ON A HOLISTIC, FROM A HOLISTIC POINT OF VIEW.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE MAY HAVE HAD CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS BASED ON COMPLAINTS WHERE WE, OR IF WE ARE IN A STORE WILL LOOK.
AND THAT HAS HAPPENED FROM TIME TO TIME.
BUT NO, THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY SAY SAN DIEGO AND, UH, NATIONAL CITY COMMUNITIES FOR BETTER HEALTH.
AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT DID THE MAJORITY OF THE DATA ANALYSIS WHERE THEY, UH, THEY DID CHECKS AND CAME UP WITH THE 75 TO 80% COMPLIANCE NUMBER THAT I REMEMBER HEARING.
SO, BUT, BUT NOTHING ABOUT LIKE A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE WE THINK THESE ARE COMING, WHERE, WHERE WE THINK THE YOUTH, UM, PARTICULARLY THE YOUTH AT LIKE SWEETWATER GRANGER, WELL REALLY ANY AGE, BUT THE, WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THESE, THESE VAPES FROM.
I MEAN, ALL WE HAVE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE RUMORS THAT WE'RE HEARING THAT THEY'RE GETTING ONLINE AND ELSEWHERE.
BUT I, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY SPECIFIC OUTLET THAT'S BEEN TARGETED AS,
[02:50:01]
AS BEING A SOURCE OF VAPES.I, SO, OKAY, WELL, I'LL, I'LL HAVE COMMENTS ON THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S MY, THAT, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
SO I, I WILL SAY AT THIS POINT, I DO, I WILL SUPPORT, UH, THE, THE MOTION, I, I, I, I THINK I'M LEANING TOWARDS, I'M OPEN HEARING THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I'M, UH, I, I'M LEANING TOWARDS, UH, SUPPORTING THIS.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE'VE PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO THIS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, STAFF TIME, WE'VE HAD ADVOCATES.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, SAY, SAY, TOOK THE LEAD ON THIS.
AND I ASKED THEM, THEY DID TELL ME THAT, UH, THAT THE, THE INDUSTRY AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN REACHED OUT TO.
BUT VERY CLEARLY THERE'S A DISCONNECT HERE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT OUTREACH, UM, DIDN'T REACH, IT WASN'T DONE WITH YOU GUYS.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT ALSO SHOWS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO TRUST, BUT VERIFY.
I WANNA LISTEN TO OUR ACTIVISTS.
I TRUST OUR ACTIVISTS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO DO OUR OWN OUTREACH TOO.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S DONE MOVING, MOVING FORWARD.
SO I, I, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW, FOR ME, I'M OPEN TO ANY CHANGES IN THIS.
I'M, UH, CONCERNED, UH, IN, NOW THIS IS NEW HEARING FROM YOU ALL ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF LICENSES.
SO I DO HAVE, UM, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I'M OPEN TO CHANGING IT, BUT I, I WANT TO FIRST IMPLEMENT THIS AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND I WANT YOU ALL TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND WE, AT COUNCIL, CAN WE, UH, ADOPT LAWS AND WE CAN AMEND AND WE CAN CHANGE THEM.
AND SO I'M OPEN TO ANY, ANY, UM, TO SOME OF THESE, UH, CHANGES.
UH, THE, SO THERE WAS THAT, THERE'S THE, THE, THE, THE DISTANCE PART OF IT, UM, UH, THE COMPLIANCE, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS, UH, SOME SUPPORT FROM, UH, MANY OF YOU THAT THE COMPLIANCE WASN'T THE ISSUE, BUT IT'S THE, THE TRANSFER SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS.
SO I'M OPEN TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT.
I, I, I DO ASK TO, UH, COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH, UH, SOME OF YOU, BECAUSE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT TOBACCO PART IS SUCH A BIG PART OF YOUR BUSINESS IN THE SALES.
SO I WANT SOME DATA TO VERIFY THAT.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'M HEARING THAT.
SO I BELIEVE YOU ON THE SURFACE, BUT I GOTTA SEE THE NUMBERS.
AND SO I GOTTA, UH, I WANNA WORK WITH YOU, UH, ON THAT.
BUT, UM, UH, YEAH, I JUST ASK THAT WE, UH, COMMUNICATE MORE, UH, MOVING FORWARD ON THIS.
AND, UH, LAST THING I'LL SAY, JOSE, I I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
YOU DID CHAMPION THIS, SO LET'S, I UNDERSTAND THAT SAY WAS THE ACTIVIST PART OF IT, BUT HERE ON COUNCIL, YOU DID, UH, CHAMPION THIS.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, UH, I, I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THIS, BUT I, WHAT, WHAT WASN'T DONE AS WELL WAS OBVIOUSLY THE OUTREACH TO THE, TO THE BUSINESSES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANNA MOVE FORWARD, UH, BETTER ON IMPROVING THAT COMMUNICATION AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THEM ON DETERMINING, ESPECIALLY WHERE'S THE SOURCE OF THESE VAPES COMING FROM.
BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ASSUMING WE AS GOVERNMENT, WE'RE TAKING ACTION AGAINST THESE BUSINESSES WITHOUT HAVING A FULL UNDERSTANDING OR PICTURE ON THE ILLICIT MARKET.
SO WE COULD PASS ALL THE RULES WE WANT, BUT IF THE ILLICIT MARKET IS THRIVING, THEN WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO I, I'M OPEN TO, TO WORKING MORE, UH, WITH YOU ON THAT.
BUT, UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE THE MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE RAISING YOUR HANDS, WANTING TO MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, SO UNFORTUNATELY IT, IT'S NOT, UH, THE WAY THE, THE STRUCTURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING GOES WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER COMMENT.
UM, BUT, BUT I DO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AGREE WITH, WITH SEVERAL OF THE COMMENTERS UP HERE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD YOU BEEN AWARE, YOU, YOU WOULD'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING WHERE WE WERE HOLDING THESE DISCUSSIONS TO VOICE YOUR OPINIONS.
I'M VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU, YOU DID, YOU KNOW, UH, HEAR ABOUT IT EVENTUALLY, AND YOU, YOU ARE PRESENT TONIGHT, UH, AND YOUR PRESENCE IS HEARD AND, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH US.
AND, AND I DON'T, UH, AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU BEING HERE AT THE LAST MINUTE, NOW IT'S TOO LATE.
NO, I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS TOO LATE.
YOU CERTAINLY, UH, I HAVE HEARD, UH, THE, THE INPUTS THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED AND IT, AND IT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I AM TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, I ALSO, I AM VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE SPEAKERS THAT CAME BEFORE US ARE, UM, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND YOU WORK, THERE WAS A SPEAKER THAT SAID YOU WORK 12 TO 16 HOUR DAYS.
OBVIOUSLY YOUR FOCUS IS THE BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE TO RUN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T GET A BREAK.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING INVOLVED IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS IS, IS PROBABLY A STRETCH.
UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT.
YOU TOOK TIME AWAY FROM YOUR BUSINESS TO BE HERE TO ADDRESS US.
[02:55:01]
UM, SO I DO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE ADDRESSING US AND VOICING YOUR CONCERNS.UM, I WANT TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS OF OUR STAFF PERSON, MR. READER.
THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE CAP.
I THINK I HEARD MAYBE IT SHOULD BE 60.
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? WELL, WE'VE HEARD TWO NUMBERS.
UH, SAY SAN DIEGO MENTIONED 54, I'D HEARD 52 ANOTHER TIME, AND NOW WE'RE HEARING 56.
SO IF IT'S AROUND THAT, IT MAKES SENSE TO ROUND UP JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T END UP WITH AN ISSUE WHERE WE HAVE TO FLIP A COIN TO PICK ONE, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.
AND YOU KNOW, BEAR IN MIND THE, THE, UH, RESTRICTIONS ON DISTANCE ARE PRETTY STRICT.
SO IF THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, AN EXTRA THREE OR FOUR, YOU KNOW, I DOUBT WE'D BE ABLE TO GET THOSE IN, IN TOO MANY PLACES, TO BE HONEST.
SO I, I DON'T CONSIDER IT TO BE A A, A LARGE FACTOR.
I WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE A, UH, A LICENSING ISSUE OR AN ARGUMENT.
HE SAID, SHE SAID WHO WAS HERE FIRST.
AS AT AN IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL, I WILL SAY THAT, AND THE, SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, THE EXISTING RETAILERS WOULD ALL, UH, BE IN A SENSE GRANDFATHERED IN.
THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THEY ARE EXISTING RETAILERS AND OTHERWISE A LOT OF THEM WOULDN'T ACTUALLY END UP QUALIFYING FOR A RETAIL LICENSE BECAUSE OF THE STRICT RESTRICTIONS OF IN THE ORDINANCE, SUCH AS DISTANCE.
AND WE, WE HAVE THE SAME THING WITH, UH, NON-CONFORMING ALCOHOL LICENSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO YES, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, AND SO BY CHANGING THE CAP, WE WOULDN'T BE, UH, LEAVING ANY OF THE EXISTING RETAILERS OUT.
ASSUMING THERE'S NOT A, A, YOU KNOW, A SERIES OF STORES THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE UNLIKELY.
SO YEAH, I THINK 60 WOULD, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE THERE BEING AN ISSUE WITH THAT FROM AN IMPLEMENTATION POINT OF VIEW.
UM, UH, I WOULD WANT TO, UH, ASK OUR, UM, DECISION MAKERS UP HERE TO CONSIDER THAT IF NOT 60, MAYBE 58.
UH, CERTAINLY A HIGH ENOUGH NUMBER THAT NOBODY IS BEING LEFT OUT AND, UH, THEN CREATING THAT PROBLEM THAT YOU JUST DISCUSSED IS THEN HOW DO WE HANDLE THEM? RIGHT.
UM, SO, SO THAT IS A CHANGE I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
I I JUST HAD A, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
IF YOU HAVE A LICENSE TO SELL RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GONNA START WITH IS USE THE STATE LICENSE? OR AM I OFF THE, WELL, THE STATE LICENSE IS REQUIRED ALREADY.
AND IT'S ALSO PART OF THIS ORDINANCE.
SO WE WERE GONNA USE THAT NUMBER.
IF, IF YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF 56 OR WHATEVER, IF YOU HAVE A STATE LICENSE, WE'RE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO YOU TO GET A PERMIT.
SO WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, IS WHAT WE, WE WERE GONNA GO AND WORK FROM.
SO IT'S, SO IF, IF AN EXISTING RETAILER IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY HAS A STATE LICENSE, THEY WILL QUALIFY FOR THE, THIS PERMIT PER THE TRL IN CITY OF NATIONAL CITY? CORRECT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN VERIFY EXISTING LEGAL TOBACCO BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IS, IS BY GOING BY THAT.
SO THEN HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CAP? THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, THE, WELL, I THINK JUST THINKING IT THROUGH, WE DON'T REALLY NEED THE CAP TO, TO START WITH, BUT THE ISSUE WITH THE CAP IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD, GROWTH, GROWTH.
IT'S ALLOWING OTHERS TO COME ON BOARD.
I MEAN, THE CAP IS, I MEAN, IF YOU THINK OF IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PROPONENTS OF THIS ORDINANCE, THE ISSUE IS, IS REDUCING THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PLACES WHERE CHILDREN OR MORE PEOPLE UNDER 18 CAN GET, UH, TOBACCO.
SO IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO, TO HAVE A LIMITATION.
WE ARE UNIQUE IN OUR LAYOUT AND OUR GEOGRAPHY WHERE OUR, OUR MAIN ARTERIALS AND COLLECTOR STREETS, WHERE ALL THE, ALL THE STORES ARE, WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET MUCH MORE THAN THAT BASED ON THOSE, THOSE, UH, DISTANCE LIMITATIONS, WHICH I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY PROBLEMS WITH.
SO THEORETICALLY YOU COULD HAVE LANGUAGE SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, ANY CURRENT, ANY LICENSED STATE LICENSED TOBACCO RETAILER IN THE CITY AS OF THE DATE OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, MAY CONTINUE SUBJECT TO THE, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN YOU'RE BASICALLY RELIANT ON, YOU KNOW, THE VERY LIMITED AREAS WHERE YOU MAY STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A TOBACCO RETAILER, IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE CITY, IT'S PROBABLY NOT PROBABLY THE PERIPHERY,
[03:00:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, DOWN NEAR PLAZA BONITA FOR EXAMPLE, OR MAYBE UP WITH EUCLID.BUT USUALLY IT HAPPENS TO BE AROUND THE PERIPHERY.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I I THINK YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, YEAH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYMORE, YOU KNOW? I KNOW, I KNOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME, UH, LAST MINUTE TWEAKING YEAH.
AND TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME THINGS.
SO WHY WON'T BELABOR THAT? I, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME TROUBLESOME LATER ON.
SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO CLEAN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
UM, BECAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER BIGGER ONE THAT I'M GONNA PROPOSE IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, A BIGGER CHANGE, I MEAN, TO, TO THE EXISTING LANGUAGE.
THE OTHER PART, LIZ, CAN I, YEAH, I WAS GONNA FINISH WHAT I WAS SAYING.
UM, YOU CAN APPROVE, IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO DO SO, YOU CAN APPROVE TONIGHT, GIVE US DIRECTION TO COME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE ADOPT IT TONIGHT.
WE, WE GOT A A LOT GOING ON WHERE WE NEED TO GET THIS THING GOING IF WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT IT BY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND WE CAN COME BACK WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS.
IF YOU JUST WANT TO PUNT THEM TO US, WE CAN GO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH ON IT, GET MORE INFORMATION, UH, YOU HEARD SOME NEW INPUT THAT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD BEFORE AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK.
BUT, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOMETHING MOVING FORWARD, THE PROGRAM'S MOVING FORWARD, UM, I'M, I MEAN IT'S AGGRESSIVE FOR US TO GET THIS OFF THE ROAD AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, BUT THAT WAS ASSUMING WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD, I GUESS.
AND I'M JUST, SO, OKAY, I GET IT.
ONE, ONE IS, UH, I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION ONE MORE TIME AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY SAID IT, MARTIN, BUT, UM, THERE IS AN ANNUAL INSPECTION THAT WOULD BE PERFORMED PER THE TRL OF EACH ESTABLISHMENT.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT ONE COMPLIANCE CHECK WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD YEAH, WE'RE CALLING THOSE DECOY CHECKS.
BUT THERE IS AN ANNUAL CHECK, CORRECT? THERE IS AN ANNUAL CHECK BY STAFF EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND SO THEN MY BIG POINT HERE IS, UM, GIVEN THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE SMALL BUSINESSES TONIGHT, IS THEIR ROOM TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE SO THAT THE, UH, PERMIT THE TRL PERMIT OR LICENSE, WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, IS TRANSFERABLE.
IT WOULD SIMPLY BE A MATTER OF OMITTING THE, UH, THE PERSON TO PERSON TRANSFER LANGUAGE IN SECTION 9 3 8 1 1 0 A.
SO CURRENTLY IT SAYS LICENSE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE.
A TOBACCO RETAILER'S LICENSE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER OR FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
A NEW TOBACCO RETAILER'S LICENSE IS REQUIRED WHENEVER A TOBACCO RETAILER HAS A NEW TOBACCO RETAILING LOCATION OR A LOCATION HAS A CHANGE IN PROPRIETOR.
SO TO YOUR POINT, IF YOU WANTED TO REMOVE THAT, IT WOULD JUST SAY PERSON TO OR FROM THAT WOULD BE REMOVED.
AND THEN ORAL LOCATION AS A CHANGE IN PROPRIETOR, THAT WOULD ALSO BE REMOVED.
LEAVING THE, OBVIOUSLY WE TRANSFERRING TO ANOTHER LOCATION IS A DIFFERENT, UM, IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S ARGUING WITH THAT ONE.
SO NOT TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION, BUT THE EXISTING BUSINESS, IF IT IS SOLD TO ANOTHER PROPRIETOR.
IT WOULD MAINTAIN THAT LICENSE THAT GRANDFATHER DIDN'T LICENSE IF WE CHANGED THE LANGUAGE TO SAY SO.
WHICH IS WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN DOING.
AND THAT WOULD MATCH WHAT WE HAVE FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LIQUOR LICENSE, CORRECT? MM-HMM
ON THAT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLARIFYING IF WE ALLOW FOR THE TRANSFER OF A LICENSE, IT'S SPECIFIC TO THAT SITE BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? FOR THE, FOR INWARD NEW MM-HMM
SO THE, THE REASON I AM COMPELLED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE, AND I UNDERSTAND WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TRL IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND MAKING THIS TYPE OF CHANGE INTO THE LANGUAGE WOULD REQUIRE US TO COME BACK YET ANOTHER READING, RIGHT? ANOTHER INTRODUCTION FOR, UH, SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.
UM, BUT THE REASON I WANT, I, I'M INTERESTED MAKING THIS CHANGE IS BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE OPINION FROM THE PUBLIC THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, UH, A BIT PUNITIVE TO REMOVE THE ABILITY FOR A PROPRIETOR TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR, THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS IF THEY DO WANNA RETIRE OR FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY, THEY NEED TO GIVE UP THEIR BUSINESS.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO SO, OR THEY WOULD DO IT AT A LOSS, UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS FAIR IN ANY WAY IN ANY REGARD.
[03:05:01]
A BUSINESS TO RUN THE WAY A BUSINESS NEEDS TO RUN, RIGHT? THE INTENT OF A BUSINESS AND KNOWING THAT, UM, A NEW PROPRIETOR WOULD LIKELY NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT LICENSE, WERE THEY TO REAPPLY FOR IT BECAUSE OF THE, THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE ORDINANCE.IT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IN MY HEAD HOW THAT IS FAIR.
UM, WE'RE GRANDFATHERING IN THE EXISTING BUSINESSES, BUT THEN IF THOSE BUSINESSES GO, YOU KNOW, IF IF THAT PROPRIETOR SELLS TO SOMEBODY ELSE, THE NEW BUSINESS OWNER WOULD LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT, UM, ABILITY TO SELL THESE PRODUCTS.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT IS, UH, LIKE A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OR A LOT OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS SAID TONIGHT IS, IT WILL BE THE END OF THAT BUSINESS.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S ANYTHING THAT ANY OF US UP HERE SHOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE THE SENTENCE THAT WE DELEGATE OUT TO FOLKS.
UM, I THINK EVERYBODY AT ALL LEVELS, AND I KNOW EVEN THE CHAMBER WAS BROUGHT UP, THE CHAMBER ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, SAID FOR THIS, THE IDEA OF PROTECTING YOUTH AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS ALL DONE ABOUT PROTECTING YOUTH TROUBLE IS DEVILS IN THE DETAILS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS IN, IN THIS ORDINANCE AS IT WAS PROPOSED THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO ABOUT THE YOUTH.
IT WAS DEALING WITH ZONING, IT WAS DEALING ABOUT BUSINESSES, IT WAS DEALING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUTH AND TOBACCO.
THAT'S, THAT WAS, AND NOW THAT WAS THE AREA THAT I'VE HAD A CONCERN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ON THIS.
UH, WE WANT TO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE DOING RIGHT BY THE LAW, WHICH SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE SELLING TOBACCO TO UNDER 21, THESE FLAVOR DEALS.
YOU CAN'T BE SELLING THEM ALL OF THAT DIFFERENT STUFF.
SOME OF THE VAPING STUFF YOU CANNOT BE DOING AND YOU CAN'T BE DOING TO, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY.
AND, AND SOME OF IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF IT TO THE UNDER 21 AND SOME OF IT YOU CAN'T, UH, YOU CAN'T BE DOING TO, UH, TO ANYBODY.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT'S, THAT'S DONE.
AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REGULATION, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME OVERSIGHT.
THE PROBLEM WAS THERE WAS, UH, STUFF PUT IN HERE THAT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
IF THE CITY GIVES YOU PERMISSION TO PUT AN ADDITION ON YOUR HOUSE AND SAYS, OKAY, YOU'VE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND YOU GET TO BUILD THIS, YOU GET TO PUT THAT ADDITION ON YOUR HOUSE, BUT WHEN YOU SELL IT, YOU CAN'T SELL IT WITH THAT ADDITION.
I'M SORRY THAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ENTIRELY WRONG.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MADE YOUR INVESTMENT.
THAT IS PART, THAT IS PART OF YOUR EQUITY.
EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, AS LONG AS IT'S ALL LEGAL AND THAT, I'M SORRY, WHETHER IF YOU AGREE WITH TOBACCO PRODUCTS OR NOT, GO FIGHT WITH CONGRESS BECAUSE THEY ARE LEGAL AND, UH, AS LONG AS THEY ARE DONE LEGALLY AND THEY'RE DONE RESPONSIBLY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO I UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA GET THIS THING DONE TONIGHT.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, OUR JOB IS NOT TO GET THIS DONE TONIGHT.
OUR JOB IS TO GET IT DONE RIGHT.
AND THAT'S, I THINK IS IS IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT HERE, UH, WITH THIS THING.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW WE, WE HEARD TONIGHT WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES.
VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPEAKING TO HAVE IT JUST AS IS, ARE OUTSIDE ADVOCATES.
'CAUSE I'M LOOKING HERE AT LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHO ARE PART OF NATIONAL CITY, HAVE BEEN FOR DECADES AND DECADES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I ADD MORE WEIGHT TO THAT THAN I DO OUTSIDE GROUPS.
UM, THE OTHER THING BEING, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT A PROCESS AS WE LOOK AT THESE ISSUES.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE GETTING OUTSIDE GROUPS COMING IN AND BRINGING UP WHAT ORDINANCE CHANGES WANT TO DO, REGULATIONS IN NATIONAL CITY, AND WE HEAR ONLY A ONE, ONE-SIDED PRESENTATION.
AND WHETHER IF IT IS THROUGH A PIO OR WHATEVER ELSE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER WE GOT AN ISSUE COMING FOR THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE AND NOT JUST A ONE SIDE.
AND WHO CAN ORGANIZE THE MOST PEOPLE TO SHOW UP FOR, TO PRESENT ONE SIDE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I AM GONNA MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE MOVE AHEAD WITH THE, THE WORKINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THIS, BUT THAT WE REMOVE THE INABILITY TO DO TRANSFER.
UH, WE REMOVE THAT, UH, THAT PORTION OUT OF THERE, AS YOU DESCRIBED A MOMENT AGO, BECAUSE INDEED, WE, WE DID HAVE A MAP IN OUR, UH, IN OUR AGENDA LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SHOWED THE THOUSAND FOOT CIRCLES.
AND BELIEVE ME, I WISH WE HAD IT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THEN WE COULD VERY EASILY DEMONSTRATE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
[03:10:01]
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET A LICENSE.THAT'S THE REALITY, UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF 'EM ARE ALONG OUR CORRIDORS.
AND GUESS WHERE WE ALSO HAVE, OUR SCHOOLS ARE NORMALLY WITHIN A BLOCK OF THE CORRIDORS.
SO THAT PUTS, THAT PUTS, UH, JUST ABOUT EVERY ONE OF YOUR BUSINESSES.
AND I WOULD SAY PROBABLY CLOSE TO ABOUT 75% OF THE BUSINESSES WOULD BE INELIGIBLE TO GET A LI UH, TO BE ABLE TO GET A LICENSE IF YOU SOLD THAT, THAT BUSINESS.
AND AS I SAY, THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE IDEA OF YOU CAN BUILD THAT ROOM EDITION, BUT YOU CAN'T SELL THE HOUSE WITH THAT ROOM EDITION.
SO THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE GO AHEAD WITH THE PROGRAM.
WE ALL SAY WE NEED, WE NEED GUIDANCE, WE NEED OVERSIGHT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE REWARD THOSE THAT ARE THE GOOD PLAYERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THE ONES THAT HAVE BUILT, BUILT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO REGULATE AND TO PUNISH THOSE THAT ARE ABUSING THE, THE SYSTEM.
AND, UH, BUT I WOULD MAKE THAT IN THE, THE FORM OF A MOTION CLARIFICATION ON THE MOTION, MAYOR.
YOU ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT A PROPRIETOR FROM TRANSFERRING THE LICENSE.
SO THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO TRANSFER THE LICENSE UPON, SO IT WOULD MAKE IT SIMILAR TO ALCOHOL THE SAME WAY I SAID BEFORE, THAT IF WE WERE TO PASS THIS THE WAY IT IS, WE'RE MORE RESTRICTIVE ON TO, ON TOBACCO THAN WE ARE ON ALCOHOL.
AND AND THAT'S PERSON TO PERSON, NOT PROPERTY TO PROPERTY, CORRECT.
IS THAT, HUH? AND THAT'S, UH, YOUR, THAT'S PERSON TO PERSON.
THAT DOESN'T AFFECT THE ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
SO WE'RE JUST TAKING OUT THE PERSON, PERSON REQUIREMENT.
AND SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT DID, DID YOU ALSO WANNA TAKE CARE OF THE CAP AT THIS POINT, SEEING AS WE'RE MAKING THE CHANGE, SINCE WE'RE MAKING THE CHANGE, I WOULD SAY LET'S JUST HIT IT AT 60 INSTEAD OF, SINCE IT WAS A NUMBER THAT WAS GIVEN BEFORE AND IT WAS AN ACTUAL NUMBER.
SO MAYBE GIVE, AS YOU SAY, THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF ROOM.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY SPOTS LEFT IN TOWN THAT DON'T HIT THE A THOUSAND FOOT MARK THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET NEW PLACES ANYWAY.
UM, SO, UH, SO THAT WOULD BE THE TWO CHANGES I WOULD MAKE TO MAKE THE CAP AT 60, JUST SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO THAT PROBLEM AND THEN ALLOW, UH, ALLOW FOR TRANSFER.
DID I HEAR A SECOND? AND WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT, UH, POINT OF MR. MAYOR.
UM, SO THERE WERE THREE THINGS THAT I WAS LISTENING, UH, CAREFULLY TO COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA THAT, UH, THE CAP, THE INSPECTION AND THE TRANSFER.
SO, UM, THE CAP, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M IN 58 BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE 54 RIGHT NOW.
THE, UH, THE INSPECTION, UM, WE, WE INSPECT OUR CUP BEFORE WE GIVE THEM THE LICENSE, AND THEN PLUS THAT, UM, DECO INSPECTION EVERY 24 MONTHS.
AND THEN THE TRANSFER, I HAVE TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE TRANSFER.
UM, THEY, THEY CANNOT TRANSFER IT IN ANOTHER LOCATION, RIGHT? IT HAS TO BE IN THAT LOCATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE CLARIFICATION, UM, OF THIS, UH, OF THIS, UM, UH, YES.
JUST REAL QUICK, I'M NOT CHANGING, OR, UH, PARDON ME, MAYOR, GO AHEAD.
UH, I WAS NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES TO THE DECOY INSPECTION.
ANY LANGUAGE THERE? THAT WAS JUST A CLARIFICATION QUESTION I HAD.
WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW, AND MR. JACK PASSI, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW HOW RESPONSIBLE YOU ARE IN THAT AREA OF OUR CITY.
AND SO, I, I THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, AND GIVING US, UM, THIS KIND OF INFORMATION THAT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAYBE WE MISSED, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY HERE WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LISTEN TO EVERYTHING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY, AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WILL HELP US MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
MEMBER BUSH, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
AND, UM, SO IF THE MOTION, UH, PASSES, I WOULD ASK TOO, THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE, UM, THAT WE, AND I DON'T THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE MOTION ORDINANCE, IT'S JUST AN IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE, WE STUDY THE DATA MM-HMM.
SO THERE SHOULD IDEALLY BE, IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF YOUTH VAPING.
AND IF THERE'S NOT, THEN TO ME, THAT'S AN INDICATOR THAT IT'S MORE THE ILLICIT MARKET.
BUT I DID HEAR BACK FROM, UH, OR IN CHULA VISTA.
OR THEY'RE BUYING THEIR STUFF IN CHULA VISTA, UH, OR, YES.
UM, SO, UH, I, I DID SAY ONE OF THE, SAY, UH, CYNTHIA, UM, JUST FULL DISCLOSURE HAD THAT DATA.
'CAUSE I ASKED WHAT PERCENTAGE, UH, IF WE KNEW WHAT PERCENTAGE WAS, UM, UH, WAS THE, UH, STORES, UH, UH, LOCAL STORES
[03:15:01]
VERSUS ANYWHERE ELSE.AND SO, ACCORDING TO THE SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL, UH, DATA, UM, OF THE STUDENTS WHO VAPE, UH, 42% PURCHASE THEIR VAPES AT LOCAL STORES.
SO THAT'S JUST DATA FROM THE SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, AND I'M WILLING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IT, UH, AFTER, AND I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD, IF, IF YOU GUYS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT DATA, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE, UH, IN, IN, INVOLVED IN, IN THAT, UM, OH, SORRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, BUT JUST US WISE, I DON'T THINK WE CAN.