[00:00:01]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
UH, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.AND BEFORE WE GET GOING, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK THE INTERPRETER IF THEY TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN THE CITY'S INTERPRETATIONAL UH, SERVICES.
AS A REMINDER, IF WE COULD PLEASE SILENCE ALL OF OUR CELL PHONES AND ANY OTHER DEVICES IN THE, UH, THE CHAMBERS THAT'D BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
WITH THAT CALL, THE MEETING TO ORDER AND A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING VIA ZOOM OR VIEWING, UH, THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE MEETING, INTERPRETER, UH, INSTRUCTIONS WILL APPEAR AT, IN THE CHAT ROOM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO SIT IN THE CHAMBERS, HEADSETS ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE LIVE SPANISH TRANSLATION, PLEASE SEE THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK TO CHECK OUT A HEADSET.
THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE 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.
FIRST OF ALL, IS IN PERSON BY SUBMITTING A SALMON COLORED SPEAKER SLIP.
AND THOSE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE VERY BACK, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR 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 CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
WITH THAT, WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT.
CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
AND, UH, UH, MEMBER BUSH, WOULD YOU LEAD US, PLEASE? RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AND LOCATION.
I'M, UH, PASTOR BENNY MADRID FROM WORD OF LIFE WORSHIP CENTER OF NATIONAL CITY TO OPEN UP IN PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU RIGHT NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU LORD FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR UNIVERSE, LORD AND FATHER GOD, WE ASK YOU, LORD, TO JUST LET US FOCUS FATHER OF WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S, UH, THE CHAOS GONNA DO.
UH, WE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, FATHER, OR ARE WE GONNA LET THAT AFFECT US LORD? BUT FATHER GOD, WE'RE GONNA STAND WITH WHAT'S RIGHT LORD.
AND FATHER GOD, LIFT UP THE, THE COUNCIL HERE, LORD, THAT THEY WOULD MAKE GOOD CHOICES, FATHER, FOR OUR CITY, LORD, AND, AND THE PEOPLE FATHER THAT WILL COME IN UNITY.
FATHER, TO, TO FIGHT THE GREAT FIGHT OF FAITH.
FATHER, THAT KNOWING THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS, AND WE GIVE YOU ALL GLORY AND ALL PRAISE IN JESUS' NAME.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT (Part 1 of 2)]
WE GO ON INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.WE DO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
GONNA GIVE YOU, UH, TWO MINUTES.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA BE CALLING UP THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME.
UH, PLEASE COME INTO THE MIDDLE AREA WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED.
THAT WAY YOU CAN, YOU CAN COME RIGHT UP AND IT'LL SAVE A LOT OF TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO WITH BRIAN CLAPPER THEN, UH, DUKEY VALDERRAMA, THEN JEREMY DAY.
COUNCIL, UH, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE ARE UPCOMING.
OUR, OUR OUR 79TH ANNUAL CARNIVAL IS APPROACHING SOON.
UM, AND IT'S BECOMING VERY HARD AND VERY DIFFICULT FOR US WITH THIS FIVE DAY EVENT.
THE COST THIS YEAR WILL BE $74,341.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE MAKE AT THIS CARNIVAL GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
[00:05:01]
AND WE KNOW, UH, AND KNOWING THAT ALL OF OUR PROFITS WILL, THAT WILL BE MADE, WILL BE, WILL GO BACK.AND THE WAY WE MAKE OUR PROFITS, OF COURSE, IS WE MAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE RIDES AND WE RENT BOOTHS.
UM, BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD ALSO, LIKE AT THIS POINT, TO THANK THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION FOR MAKING A DONATION.
AT THIS POINT, THE LIONS WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY TO PLEASE HELP US TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY FOR THIS EVENT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE DOING THIS EVENT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS OUR 79TH AND NEXT YEAR IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE 4TH OF JULY CARNIVAL, UH, FIREWORKS AGAIN.
SO I'M ASKING PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANYBODY, OR ANY WAY YOU CAN HELP, BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T KNOW THE WAY OUR PROFIT IS DONE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA SHOW WHAT'S THE WEATHER GONNA BE LIKE IF PEOPLE CAN AFFORD IT.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY STRUGGLING AND CONCERNED ABOUT DOING THIS CARNIVAL.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANY SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS, WE'RE OPEN TO 'EM.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE DKI, UH, VALDERRAMA, UH, FOLLOWED BY JEREMY DAY, FOLLOWED BY TED GOTCHU.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING OTNC FOUNDATION, UH, AS YOU WERE LAST YEAR.
WE, UH, DID A CANCER WALK AT PEPPER PARK.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A CANCER WALK AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T USE PEPPER PARK BECAUSE OF THE RENOVATION.
SO WE'VE MOVED IT UP TO, UH, J STREET MARINA, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE BEAUTIFUL GAYLORD PROJECT.
UH, WE, I'VE HANDED OUT FLYERS.
I'M HOPEFULLY STAFF IS DISSEMINATED.
IF NOT, THE EVENT IS, UH, UH, SATURDAY, MAY 31ST AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
WE'RE HAVING A A 5K STROKE, UH, AWARENESS RUN.
SO LAST YEAR, THE OT AND C FOUNDATION DID A, A STROKE RUN AT, UH, IN OT TIME MESA.
AND THEN WE DID THE CATCH WALK HERE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SCALE OF THE EVENT, WE DECIDED TO CONSOLIDATE 'EM IN INTO ONE EVENT.
SO AT EIGHT O'CLOCK WE'LL HAVE THE 5K STROKE RUN.
AT 10 O'CLOCK WE HAVE THE CANCER WALK.
AND, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, COMING FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE RAISED 63,000.
WE WERE ABLE TO DONATE, UH, A CHECK TO 30 CANCER PATIENTS.
OUR GOAL IS TO HOPEFULLY EXCEED THAT THIS YEAR.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVITED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO THE EVENT.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ON KSU, K-U-S-I-A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY THIS WEEK.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE IT AND EVERY TIME THEY PUT IT ON KSI, IT SAYS NATIONAL CITY CANCER WALK.
SO WE'RE REPRESENTING THE CITY.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN ALL WELCOME AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
JEREMY DAY, FOLLOWED BY TED GODSHAW, FOLLOWED BY MARIA, UH, SEVERSON MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF RESIDENTS, UM, JEREMY DAY PRESIDENT, NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS.
I'M HERE FOR A, A HAPPY THING.
UH, MIKE MEJIA, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHO, UH, WHO LIVES UP IN THE DELMAR AREA.
HE SAW AN EVENT UP THERE A FEW YEARS AGO, AND HE SAID, WHY NOT IN NATIONAL CITY? AND SO HE APPROACHED THE JOHN A OTIS SCHOOL AND ASKED THEM ABOUT AN EGG DROP COMPETITION.
AND THE, JUST THE WAY THE UNIVERSE ALIGNS, THE TEACHER SAID TO HIM, THIS IS AMAZING.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE GONNA DROP THE EGGS FROM.
SO THIS STARTED THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS THREE YEARS AGO.
THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD ANNUAL EGG DROP.
IT'S ON MAY 27TH FROM NINE TO 11 AT STATION 34.
THERE WILL BE TWO FIFTH GRADE CLASSES FROM JOHN A OTIS, WHICH IS ABOUT 50 STUDENTS.
UM, UTILIZING FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL CITY POLICE AND FIRE FOUNDATION.
UH, FUNDS WERE USED TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES FOR THE TEACHERS, KIDS, AND TROPHIES FOR THE PARTICIPANTS.
THIS IS A FUN EVENT FOR US, UH, WHICH IS NOW BECOMING A TRADITION, ALLOWING US TO BUILD COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.
AND FOR THE KIDS TO GET INTERESTED IN STEM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH.
THE EGGS WILL BE PUT INTO CONTRAPTIONS.
I THINK MOST OF THEM HAVE LIKE A PARACHUTE, AND THEY'LL BE DROPPED OFF OF OUR FIVE STORY TOWER.
SO THEY'RE IN TEAMS. THEIR, THEIR NAMES WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING AND THE NAME THAT'S BROUGHT OUT OF THE HAT GETS A FIREHOUSE DINNER AT, UH, THE FIREHOUSE, WHICH WOULD BE CATERED BY SHAKE SHACK.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE LIKE TO SHOW
[00:10:01]
THEM, UH, WHAT IT WOULD BE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR CONTRAPTION.SO WE, WE LAUNCHED LIKE WATERMELONS OFF THE TOWER AND THE FIRST YEAR WE LEARNED YOU GOTTA MOVE THE KIDS A LOT FURTHER BACK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, YOUR ATTENDANCE DISTRICT ONE.
AND, UH, WE'LL SEE YOU THEN, RIGHT? GET, UH, JOE SHAW, UH, MARIA SILVERSON, AND THEN DOYLE MORRISON.
I COME TO ASK YOU, WILL YOU PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO STOP THE BEATING ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.
I'VE TOLD YOU MANY TIMES ABOUT THE RECKLESS DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THROUGH THE NARROW CORRIDOR WITH NO TURN PROTECTIONS.
I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE HIGH SPEED ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE SENT PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL.
I'VE EXPLAINED THAT THE CONSULTANTS REPORT YOU PAID FOR LAID OUT THE NEED FOR MORE TRAFFIC.
COPS BUDGET TIME AT MORNING, IN RUSH HOUR IN THE AFTERNOON AS WELL ADD IN THE TRUCK TRAFFIC WITH THE ILLEGAL UNLOADING AND, AND IN, IN THE TURN MEDIAN AND ILLEGAL PASSING AS WELL.
SO I'VE BEEN SITTING IN ON THIS SDSU SAGE PROJECTS, RESEARCH OF NCS ISSUES, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SURVEYED SAY, NATIONAL CITY, NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE BACK TO CLEVELAND AVENUE.
SOMEONE WILL GET KILLED ON THIS BUSY STREET.
PLEASE DON'T LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
AND IN THE WEED BAR AT 24TH STREET, YOU CLAIM MR. BUSH AND MR. RODRIGUEZ, THAT IT WOULD ALLOW FOR IN BUILDING OUT OF THE PUBLIC SPACE USE OF MARIJUANA.
WELL, PUBLIC USE OF MARIJUANA IS HAPPENING ONE TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE SESSIONS.
SAID THAT YOU WOULD CLOSE DOWN THE BLACK MARKET.
PEOPLE ARE DEALING DRUGS IN PARADISE CREEK EDUCATIONAL PARK AMPHITHEATER.
YOU NEED TO FOCUS THE POLICE TO PATROL THE AREA CLOSEST TO THE DISPENSARIES.
A COUPLE OF YOU ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS ISSUE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE MARIA VERSON, FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY LOUISA MCCARTHY.
THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT, IT PROVIDES FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO CITIZENS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IN THE CASE WITH THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REGARDING, UH, THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT.
THERE HAS BEEN TESTIMONY BY CITY IN DEPOSITION SWORN TESTIMONY THAT, UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE CITY MANAGER HAD TURNED IN A PHONE, A CITY ISSUED PHONE BEFORE CHECKING FOR RECORDS THAT WERE REQUESTED IN A PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST.
SUDDENLY THERE'S NOTHING TO CHECK.
THERE WAS TESTIMONY THAT THERE WERE EXTENSIVE TEXT MESSAGES BETWEEN, UM, MARTIN READER, BEN MARTINEZ, JOSIE.
AND AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, PUT, ASK YOUR CITY ATTORNEY, ASK YOUR MAYOR.
ASK JOSIE FLORES CLARK, HIS ASSISTANT, TO TURN OVER RECORDS THAT OTHERS HAVE, UH, TESTIFIED EXIST.
WE'VE ASKED FOR THE PHONES TO BE PRODUCED BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE THEM EXAMINED, NOT BY US, BY A FORENSIC, UH, UH, SPECIALIST THAT HAS BEEN MET WITH OBJECTIONS.
AND YOU HAVE TO HEAR THIS 'CAUSE YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT.
THE OBJECTION SAID IT IS VAGUE AND AMBIGUOUS AS TO THE WORD ISSUED.
BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR CITY ISSUED PHONES OR PHONES USED BY CITY EMPLOYEES OR TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC BUSINESS.
AND THE OBJECTION SAID EACH OF THOSE TERMS. WHAT DOES ISSUED MEAN? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PAID MEANS OR USED BY OR CONDUCT PUBLIC BUSINESS.
THESE ARE THE SHENANIGANS THAT ARE COSTING THE CITY MONEY AND FLY IN THE FACE OF A PUB.
THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO GET RECORDS.
ARE YOU GOING TO ALLOW THIS? THE LAW SAYS THAT WHEN AN EMPLOYEE USES OR COMMUNICATES ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC BUSINESS OR USED BY THEIR STAFF, IT'S DISCOVERABLE.
I NOTICED THE INVOCATION SAID, MAKE GOOD CHOICES.
MAKE THEM, UH, DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY LOUISA MCCARTHY.
HOW ARE YOU TONIGHT? UH, GOOD EVENING.
I'M HERE AGAIN TONIGHT TO BRING TO YOU INFORMATION SO THAT YOU MIGHT ACT ON IT, OR AT LEAST DIRECT STAFF TO ACT ON IT.
CODE ENFORCEMENT IN NATIONAL CITY IS LENIENT TO SOME AND STRINGENT TO OTHERS.
[00:15:01]
INSTANCE, THE PERMIT FOR THE MOBILE STATION RETAIL SPACE AT 29 45 HIGHLAND SUITE 1 0 2 AND 1 0 3 IS PERMITTED AS RETAIL SHELL.YET THEY ARE USING THE SPACE FOR STORAGE OF BEVERAGES, CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL, BUNDLES OF FIREWOOD AND PROPANE TANKS AND STACKS OF CARDBOARD.
ALL OF THIS ACROSS THE STREET FROM SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL.
I GUESS THE QUESTIONS ARE, IS THIS CONDITION OF FIRE HAZARD? HAS THE NATIONAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT DONE AN INSPECTION OF THIS PROPERTY? WILL THE NATIONAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT DO AN INSPECTION OF THIS PROPERTY? AND WILL THE NATIONAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT TRIGGER A CODE ENFORCEMENT INQUIRY IF A VIOLATION EXISTS? I MADE A MAY 6TH PUBLIC COMMENT.
BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION, I MENTIONED THAT QUOTE, UNQUOTE, YOUR ACTIONS OR INACTIONS WILL SPEAK FOR YOU.
THIS CONDITION STILL EXISTS TODAY.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO COURSE OF ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DATE.
LOUISA MCCARTHY, FOLLOWED BY MARISSA CUEVAS, FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE GDA.
HOW HARD IS IT TO SEARCH FOR KEYWORDS AND TIMEFRAMES? WE HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ASKED YOU TO PRODUCE YOUR EMAILS, TEXTS, AND CALENDAR ENTRIES.
THE REQUEST TO PRODUCE RECORDS UNDER THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT WAS BASED ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.
IN YOUR CASE, IT'S THE DISHONOR SYSTEM.
YOU HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE ALL REQUESTED RECORDS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR DURING YOUR DEPOSITIONS THAT THEY ARE MISSING.
SINCE YOU REFUSE TO PRODUCE RECORDS, WE NOW NEED TO NEED A FORENSIC EXPERT TO REVIEW YOUR PHONES, EMAILS, AND CALENDAR ENTRIES.
IF YOU'RE CONCERNED OF WHAT MIGHT BE DISCOVERED, THEN I SUGGEST THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS TO RETURN THE LAND USE TO RESIDENTIAL.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THAT LOT IS SURROUNDED BY HOMES.
NOT A COMMERCIAL LOCATION, NOT ANYTHING WHERE LIKE IT.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE NEXT TO THE TAJ MAHAL? WELL, ACTUALLY IT IS NICE, BUT THE TAJ MAHAL WITH A FAST FOOD, LIQUOR, DRIVE-THROUGHS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, GAS POLLUTION HAVE TO THINK BIGGER ON ANOTHER NIGHT.
NOTE TWO RESIDENCES, TWO RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY, MS. PATTY FINNEGAN FROM NIE FRANK'S AND MR. BRIAN CLAPPER, WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, WILL BE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE HEART OF SERVICE AWARD DURING OUR MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION AT LA VISTA.
MS. DITAS, UH, MADAM PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU BE THE HONOR OF, UH, INTRODUCING MS. PATTI FINNEGAN? SHE REQUESTED YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE MARISSA CUEVAS, AND THEN CLAIRE GRUNER, THEN EDWARD NIETO.
ON DECEMBER 2ND, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DENIED THE SWEETWATER IN ORANGE STREET PROJECT BECAUSE IT WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY NUISANCE.
THE MAYOR AND THE FORMER CITY ATTOR, UH, FORMER CITY MANAGER, PLACED THIS ITEM ON A SPECIAL MEETING, NOT A REGULAR MEETING, AS THE MAYOR SAID THEY WOULD DO, AND WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN THE PROPER NEXT STEPS TO DO AS WELL.
AND THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO GET A SEAL OF APPROVAL TO GET THAT RUBBER STAMP ON THE PROJECT.
IN FACT, THIS WAS FOR, THIS WAS DECEPTIVE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IF IT WAS PLACED ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS IT WAS, IT APPEARED, IT WOULD'VE APPEARED TO THE PUBLIC AS BEING A NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY OPPOSITION OR CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC, DESPITE THE PUBLIC HAVING OVERWHELMINGLY NOT SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 2ND.
SO BEFORE THIS MEETING OCCURRED, HAD DECLARED IT A NUISANCE.
THEY DENIED IT BECAUSE IT WAS A HEALTH ISSUE AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DIDN'T WANT IT.
THERE WAS NOT A MOTION TO REMOVE THE ITEM AS THE PROPER PROCEDURES WOULD'VE BEEN.
AND DESPITE THE MAYOR CLAIMING THE PROJECT WAS DEAD, THE APPLICANT HAD ACTUALLY PLACED IT ON HOLD IN THEIR DECEMBER 10TH EMAIL.
HOW CAN THE PROJECT BE DEAD AND ALSO BE ON HOLD AT THE SAME TIME? THE APPLICANTS MISREPRESENTED THEIR ORIGINAL CUP WITH THE STARBUCKS PROJECT BECAUSE THEY DELAYED FOR SEVEN YEARS AND REMOVED FOUR HOMES THAT WERE ON THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED BY DELAYING, WHICH WAS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL CITY CONSTITUENTS.
THE APPLICANTS GOT THE LAND REZONED AND A MIXED USE CUP BECAUSE THE MORE USES
[00:20:01]
MEANS THE MORE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY CAN GET, EVEN IF, AGAIN, IT IS A NUISANCE TO THE PUBLIC AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION DEEMED IT WAS AND THE PUBLIC NOT WANTING THE PROJECT AGAIN THIS SEVEN YEAR.NEXT WE HAVE CLAIRE NER, FOLLOWED BY EDO, FOLLOWED BY, UH, CYNTHIA ES.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AT OLIVER GARDENS AND LEARNING CENTER.
UM, AND I'M ALSO HERE REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL CITY HEALTH URAS COALITION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT USDG FUELS AND TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO REJECT THIS PROJECT.
THIS TEXAS BASED COMPANY'S PROJECT WOULD CONCENTRATE DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS FROM TRUCK TRIPS IN WEST WEST SIDE NATIONAL CITY WHERE THERE IS ALREADY A SIGNIFICANT POLLUTION BURDEN AND RESIDENTS REALLY BREATHE MORE POLLUTED AIR THAN 91% OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE STATE.
DIESEL EMISSIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 85% OF CANCER RISK ASSOCIATED WITH AIR POLLUTION IN NATIONAL CITY, AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES, UM, INCLUDING PREMATURE DEATH, UH, HOSPITALIZATION, AND RESPIRATORY ISSUES.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS LESS THAN 600 FEET FROM RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND WITHIN 0.3 MILES FROM KIMBALL ELEMENTARY AND ST.
NATIONAL CITY'S 2024 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CALLS FOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2030 AND 2050.
KEY STRATEGIES INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING AND SUPPORTING TRANSITIONS TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH SIGNIFICANT GOALS, BOTH IN 2030 AND BY 2050.
75% OF HEAVY, HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS SHOULD BE ELECTRIC.
THE CITY'S LAND USE ELEMENT OUTLINES GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, AROUND A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS.
DEVELOPING NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, UH, IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THE GOALS THAT THIS CITY HAS COMMITTED TO.
AND, UM, BIOFUELS, WHILE TOUTED BY USDG FUELS AS AN ENERGY TRANSITION SOLUTION, HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
WHY SHOULD OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF POLLUTION IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY? AND WHY IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY? THIS IS THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE.
OUR KIDS BREATHE OUR FAMILY VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT VERY MUCH.
UH, EDWARD NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA ES BE FOLLOWED BY PURITA.
THIS IS, UM, WHEN CEMETERY CONCERNS ABOUT THE GAS STATION ISSUES COME UP.
FIRST CAME UP, I WAS OPEN TO THE IDEA THAT THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A VALID CONCERN, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ANYMORE.
NOW WE SEE THE CEMETERY ATTORNEYS FILING PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS TARGETING ME, A RESIDENT WHO'S BEEN QUESTIONING RODRIGUEZ FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT THE FALSE CLAIM THAT THE THE CITY MANAGER'S SEPARATION WAS CONNECTED TO THEIR ISSUE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, MARCUS BUSH CALLED THE CLAIM THAT, THAT THAT CLAIM A LIE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BEN WAY BEFORE THIS, UH, THIS ISSUE CAME UP.
SO NOW WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTED PRIVATE INTEREST ATTACKING RESIDENTS ON BEHALF OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, ALL WHILE DISTRACTING THE PUBLIC FROM THE REALS CRISIS.
A $8 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT THAT YEARS OF UNCHECKED SPENDING UNDER THE FORMER CITY MANAGER BEN MARTINEZ'S WATCH.
SO HIS RESIGNATION WAS LONG OVERDUE.
ANYONE SAYING OTHERWISE IS JUST WRONG.
UM, RESIDENTS SHOULD BE SHOULD, UH, SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED LIKE MYSELF AND THREAD IN IN THAT MANNER.
AND THE GOAL, IF THE GOAL IS JUSTICE, WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE DEFICIT.
UH, SHORTLY BEFORE THIS MEETING, UH, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, GARY CHALLENGED ME TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S TURKEY GIVEAWAYS THAT WERE DONE BY, UH, RODRIGUEZ AND TURKEY GIVEAWAY PICTURE, I GUESS, UH, UH, RON'S GIVING THERE BOTH RODRIGUEZ'S WAS DONE WITH CITY MONEY AND I GUESS, UH, RON'S PROBABLY WAS DONE BY, UH, A CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTES FROM THIS GUY NAMED WRINKLE.
NOW AND BOTH IMPLY THAT THEY WERE DONE FOR CITY, UH, FOR FAVORING POLITICAL FAVORS.
NOW, BOTH OF THEM ARE WRONG IN THAT RESPECT.
ONE BUT ONE HAS A CLEAR CRITERIA FROM THE CITY.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING CITY MONEY ON TURKEY GIVEAWAYS.
JUST NOW, I THINK, UH, UH, GARY WANTS ME TO SAY CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, PUT, UH, THERE.
SO POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, UNION CONTRIBUTIONS, TURKEY CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD, SHOULD BE LOOKED AT TOO.
ALRIGHT, CYNTHIA, THE ETHICS TRAINING HERE, UH, PER THE, UH, JAVIER, FOLLOWED BY CESAR JAVIER.
[00:25:01]
EVENING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, CITY STAFF.UH, MY CYNTHIA FULLER QUINONES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY THAT IS LONG FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH ISSUES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, LIKE CLAIRE BEFORE ME, I'M HERE TO URGE THE CITY TO REJECT, UH, THE USDG FUELS TRANSFER PROJECT IF IT IN FACT COMES TO CITY COUNCIL AFTER ITS REVIEW WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN EARLY, UH, JUNE.
UH, THE PROJECT, AS WE KNOW, INVOLVES BUILDING, UH, A FUEL TRANSFER STATION, UH, IN, IN NATIONAL CITY ON WEST 18TH STREET, LESS THAN HALF A MILE FROM KIMBALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ANTHONY'S, UH, CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THE RAIL CARS WOULD CARRY TOXIC FUEL TO THE STATION AND TRANSFER IT TO HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS DRIVING DOWN OUR STREETS AND DISTRIBUTE, UH, THAT FUEL THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO.
THE PROJECT WOULD INCREASE TRUCK, TRUCK TRAFFIC AND, UH, LUNG DAMAGE AND POLLUTION, UH, AND, UH, IMPACT OUR CLEAN AIR GOALS.
UH, THE TRUCK TRAFFIC WOULD BE 24 7.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S CARRYING A DANGEROUS CARGO, UH, WHICH HAS ALL KINDS OF RISKS, INCLUDING FIRE, UH, HAZARDS, UH, IF THO THERE SHOULD BE ACCIDENTS NEAR THE HOMES.
IT ALSO, UH, THERE'S AIR POLLUTION, UH, IMPACTS.
AS I PREVIOUSLY SAID, WE ALREADY A NATIONAL CITY, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST SIDE, UH, BREATHE MORE DIESEL POLLUTION THAN 90% OF RESIDENTS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE LAST THING THAT WE NEED IS MORE OF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED GREATLY OVER THE PAST, UH, 50 YEARS.
SO PLEASE, IF THIS DOES IN FACT, COME BEFORE THE CITY, UH, UH, COUNCIL, IF YOU COULD REJECT IT, PLEASE.
NEXT WE HAVE PURITA, UH, JAVIER, FOLLOWED BY CESAR JAVIER.
SHE HAS, UH, ALZHEIMER DEMENTIA.
I WILL READ YOU OUR ISSUE, ISSUE FOR SOLUTION AS FOLLOWS.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITY, LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENT GROUP.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, WE THE RESIDENTS OF CHOA PARKWAY, LAY STREAM VIEW, SALTA BOISE.
FIFTH, UM, 51ST STREETS, WEST BANK OF CHO CREEK OF DISTRICT NINE CERTIFIED.
AND REPORT THAT A HOME BUSINESS AT 52 38 STREAM VIEW DRIVE, CERAMICS, MANUFACTURING, AND CAL INDUSTRIAL OPERATION HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE DECEMBER 17TH, 1984.
AND RENEWED DECEMBER 31ST, 1924 IN OUR COMMUNITY, DESIGNATED AS RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, CESAR JAVIER, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY GOGI TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON.
WE WERE CLASSMATES AT SAND UNIVERSITY, UH, MALINA AND, UM, AND
[00:30:01]
PUBLIC SAFETY.OUR HONORABLE, BRAVEST, UH, LAW, ENFORCER PROPOSITION 59.
PLEASE TELL US PROPOSITION 65, TELL US WHAT IS HAZARDOUS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR NEIGHBOR, I MUST TELL YOU, THIS IS EMPIRICAL OURSELF.
EVERY HUMAN IN SAN DIEGO HAS, PLEASE TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
I WAS JUST SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, SO I HAVE TO RESET EVERYONE.
OUR CELL IS VULNERABLE BECAUSE OF TOXICITY, MEANING AIR POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION, LAND POLLUTION, ALL KIND OF POLLUTION, EVEN NOISE, EVEN LIGHT.
SO PREPAREDNESS AND BE AWARE OF IT BECAUSE IT'LL LEAD TO DISEASE, ET CETERA.
WE HAVE
AND WE SHOULD RESPECT THAT FOR LIFETIME.
I HAVE, WE HAVE ONLY THREE MINUTES EACH.
AND, UH, THIS IS NOT TO CONFRONT OR TO ATTACK PERSONALLY.
MY CLASSMATE AT THE GOVERNING BOARD MEETING AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT, WE ASKED YOU VALIDATE THE 20 MANUFACTURING IN INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IT'S KILLING HUMANS.
I HAVE EXPLAINED IT TO OUR HONORABLE MAYOR BECAUSE YOU HAVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU MR. AND MRS. JAVIER, UH, SHERRY GOGI TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON.
BE FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER GUTR.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCILMAN STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HAN HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND WE, THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CREATED A RESTAURANT COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT, SUPPORT, PROMOTE AND STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL RESTAURANT INDUSTRY BY FOSTERING COLLABORATION, DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND ENHANCING THE DINING EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I AM THE CHAIR ON THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS COMMITTEE HAS A MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE.
THIS THAT IS PREPARING A MARKETING STRATEGY TO PROMOTE, PROMOTE NATIONAL CITY AS A FOOD DESTINATION, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTING AT LEAST TWO RESTAURANTS A MONTH TO BRING MORE CUSTOMERS TO THEIR EATERY EATERY.
THIS COMMITTEE WILL ALSO HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL COM COMPONENT WITH THE GOAL TO ENCOURAGE AND GUIDE THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE NOT COMPLIANT TO BECOME COMPLIANT.
IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS, BUT WE WANT TO HELP THEM AND EDUCATE THEM.
THE EFFORTS OF THIS COMMUNITY SHOULD BE FELT DIRECTLY BY THE ACTUAL RESTAURANTS WHO WILL SEE INCREASED TRAFFIC IN THE COMING MONTHS.
THE BRAND FOR THESE EFFORTS WILL BE CALLED DLI NATIONAL CITY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT ON FACEBOOK, YOU NEED TO FIND IT.
MY GOAL, IF WE CAN, BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE HAVE A THOUSAND.
THIS IS GONNA HELP US PROMOTE NATIONAL CITY RIES.
UM, I'M TELLING YOU, ASKING YOU WHATEVER, TO WATCH YOUR EMAILS.
THAT WILL KICK OFF EVERYTHING WE'RE PLANNING AND WE'RE DOING ALREADY.
'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IT.
WE'RE FEATURING THE NEXT TWO OR FOUR RESTAURANTS IS FOUR.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT WE GO WITH ALICIA MORRISON.
WE FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER GUTTER.
THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAID NO.
THOSE FOUR LOTS USED TO HAVE FOUR HOUSES, HOUSES WITH YARDS, REMEMBER YARDS, NICE LAWN.
THE SMELL OF FRESH CUT, GREEN GRASS, THE SOUND OF SPRINKLERS GOING OFF.
[00:35:01]
THOSE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXTINCT AROUND NATIONAL CITY.LINCOLN ACRES IS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
THOSE FOUR LOTS ARE ADJACENT TO LINCOLN ACRES.
THEY NEED TO BE REZONED BACK TO RS TWO.
MIXED USE DOES NOT BELONG IN THAT RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
HOUSES WERE THERE BEFORE THEY COULD BE THERE AGAIN.
DOYLE AND I STOOD THERE AT THE SKY CHARGERS PRESENTATION AND LISTENED TO YOU OPPOSING THAT PROJECT, EXPRESSING YOUR DISAPPROVAL OF IT.
ALL THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF INCREASED TRAFFIC COMING FROM OTHER AREAS, CONCERNS FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR YOUR PEOPLE, SHOULD A LITHIUM BATTERY, CATCH, FIRE, ALL THOSE TOXIC FUMES, ET CETERA.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE THE FIRST MAYOR IN THE HISTORY OF NATIONAL CITY TO HAVE TO EVACUATE AN ENTIRE CITY.
WE IN LINCOLN ACRE SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION AND CONCERNS, MAYOR, REGARDING UNWANTED DEVELOPERS BRINGING THEIR TOXIC AND DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENTS.
ANY VACANT LAND APPEARS TO BE DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPERS FIRST OVER THE PEOPLE.
THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STARTER HOME OWNERSHIP IN NATIONAL CITY WILL ONLY DRIVE YOUR CITIZENS AWAY.
GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS ABSURD, AS I'M SURE YOU WILL.
DO YOU THINK GENERATING REVENUE FOR YOUR CITY IS WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER? A GREAT LEADER CARES FOR THE PEOPLE FIRST.
SIR, YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS DEVELOPMENT.
YOU PUT THE DEVELOPERS FIRST OVER PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.
MR. HU, I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THE VACANT ABANDONED HOUSE ON 2305 SWEETWATER ROAD.
YOU COME RUSHING YOUR CARD OVER THERE TO ME.
PLEASE SEND ME YOUR INFORMATION.
SO PLEASE, THE VACANT, UH, IMPOSED THE FEE FOR THE VACANT BUILDING MONITORING 7.06.
THE SWEETWATER ROAD PROJECT IS A PARADOX ON THE ONE HAND, A CQA EXEMPTION WAS GIVEN BASED ON THE PRESUMED LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC IMPACT.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PROJECT WAS GIVEN THREE VARIANCES.
THREE FOR THE PRICE OF ONE REQUESTING WIDER DRIVEWAYS, A MINIMUM STREET WALL WIDTH IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC.
IT'S THE SCHRODINGER'S CAD OF A PROJECT.
IT HAS AT THE SAME TIME BOTH VARIANCES FOR AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND EXEMPTIONS TO CQA FOR A DECREASE IN TRAFFIC.
IN ORDER TO GET BOTH BETWEEN APRIL AND DECEMBER OF 2024.
PLANNING STAFF PUSHED TO TRY AND MEET PLANNING COMMISSION STANDARDS, TRYING TO FIT A SQUARE PEG OF A PROJECT INTO A ROUND HOLE.
PLEASE STOP TRYING TO PUSH A SQUARE PEG OF A PROJECT INTO A ROUND HOLE AND RESTORE THE ZONE BACK TO RESIDENTIAL.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE MICHAEL AGUIRE, FOLLOWED BY, UH, MIKA POLANCO, FOLLOWED BY GREGORY MARTINEZ.
UH, I'VE TAKEN THE DEPOSITION OF SARAH DAVID MARTIN AND BEN.
ONE OF THEM TESTIFIED THAT THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT FROM THE PLANNING STAFF SAID WE HAVE TO HELP THE BRICO.
THE MAYOR MET WITH THE BRICO IN EARLY JANUARY, NOT EARLY JANUARY 22ND OR SO AT THEIR MOBILE STATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
ALONG THE WAY, ISSUE AROSE, OH, AND BY THE WAY, UH, IN THE REPORT THAT MARTIN GAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THE CITY ATTORNEY WROTE THE SECTION ON THE, UH, NEXT PARTY COMMUNICATIONS, NOT MARTIN.
SO, ALONG THE WAY, THE MAYOR, HIS ASSISTANT, KEPT IN CLOSE CONTACT.
AND WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE VARIANCES, THEY HAD TO HAVE THE VARIANCES IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
GOT THE VARIANCES, THEN THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
NOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THROUGH CQA? BECAUSE CQA WAS GONNA HAVE TO BE USED BECAUSE THERE WAS TRAFFIC IMPACT.
AND THEY CAME BACK AND THEY, UH, MAYOR HAD THE CITY MANAGER MEET WITH, AND THE CITY ENGINEER MEET WITH THE BRICO RIGHT NEXT DOOR HERE, UH, IN, UH, OCTOBER.
[00:40:01]
AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA THAT IT WAS OKAY TO FIND NO IMPACT ON THE TRAFFIC.NOW THE MAYOR'S DEPOSITION'S BEEN SET, BUT JOSIE'S DEPOSITION WAS SET.
AND JUST YESTERDAY WE FOUND OUT SHE'S CANCELING IT FOR THE TIME BEING AND WE'RE STILL WAITING.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BEN TURNED HIS PHONE IN, UH, JUST AT THIS ISSUE AS AROSE IN DECEMBER.
AND SO IT HASN'T BEEN RESEARCHED.
THANK YOU, MIKA POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY GREGORY MARTINEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY SCHROCK.
I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE, UM, THIS WHOLE PROJECT STARTED IN AUGUST 7TH, 2017.
AND IT WAS A MISREPRESENTATION BY THE DEVELOPERS AND THE LANDOWNERS AS A STARBUCKS TO GET THE ENTITLEMENTS TO MAKE THAT LAND MORE USABLE.
IT WAS A SHAM TO GET THE ENTITLEMENTS, TO GET THE MIXED USE TO GET THE ZONING.
UH, UH, THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT CREATED A SPOT ZONING AND IT CREATED AN INCONSISTENT GENERAL PLAN.
IT SHOULDN'T HAVE NEVER, EVER BEEN CONVERTED INTO A MIXED USE.
NOW THIS IS, THIS IS THE SPOT ZONING RIGHT HERE.
ALL THE YELLOW IS RESIDENTIAL.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE SITE IS.
THIS IS SPOT ZONING, SPOT ZONING, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE.
IT'S ALL RESIDENTIAL IN THE BACK, RESIDENTIAL TO THE WEST, RESIDENTIAL TO THE EAST.
AND IT'S ALSO INCONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN USE.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO, AS I HAVE SENT A LETTER TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, IS TO PLEASE RETURN IT TO, UM, RESIDENTIAL AS IT WAS.
NOW, SEVEN YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN THE TRUTH.
IT'S BEEN SEVEN YEARS SINCE THIS PROJECT WAS BROUGHT FORTH.
AND 40 YEARS LATER, SINCE THE MAAS HAVE PURCHASED THAT LAND, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED ON THAT LAND OTHER THAN TORN FOUR HOU HOUSES DOWN.
NOW IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE YOU'RE 5,000 HOUSES SHORT.
AND YET WE'RE TEARING DOWN HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, GREGORY MARTINEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY SCHROCK.
UH, MY NAME'S GREGORY MARTINEZ.
I LIVE ON HARDING AVENUE AT 1511 HARDING AVENUE.
FOR THE LONGEST TIME, I'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY NEIGHBOR'S DOGS.
THEY HAD THREE DOGS, ONE BIG ONE AND TWO LITTLE ONES.
UH, ONE OF THE LITTLE ONES IS A, A WHITE LITTLE DOG.
HIS BARK IS VERY, UH, HIGH PITCH.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I'M HERE TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO THIS.
UH, TO GET THE LITTLE DOG TO QUIT BARKING SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE HAD, I HAVE YELLED AT THEM AND EVERYTHING.
EVEN THROWING ROCKS AT THE LITTLE DOG
AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT IS ANNOYING.
AND I'M HERE TO SEE IF SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE DOGS.
WE HAVE HIS ADDRESS, SO WE'LL PASS THAT ON TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE JEFFREY SCHROCK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS, STAFF, EVERYBODY.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I MEAN, YOU GUYS GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE TO DEAL.
A LOT OF WORK PROBLEMS KEEP POPPING UP AND WE JUST GOTTA KEEP FINDING THE SOLUTIONS.
UM, AS FAR AS SAVING MONEY GOES VARSITY, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BUYING GASOLINE WHOLESALE, INSTALLING OUR OWN 500 GALLON TANK AND A, A TANK FOR DIESEL.
UM, IF WE CAN FIND A FEASIBLE SPOT FOR IT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO CONVERT OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE OVER TO A FRANK ELECTRIC VEHICLE INSTEAD OF THE PICKUP TRUCKS.
THAT'S ONE LESS CITY, CITY VEHICLE.
WE HAVE A GAS HUB WITH FUEL, ONE LESS FULL-TIME GAS AT LEAST EVERY WEEK.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO RETROFIT
[00:45:01]
ALL CITY BUILDINGS WITH SOLAR PANELS TO SAVE ON OUR UTILITY BILLS.UM, THERE'S WAYS TO SAVE MONEY OUT THERE THROUGH ENERGY.
AND IF WE CAN FIND A FEASIBLE SITE, BUYING OUR GASOLINE WHOLESALE WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO GO.
UM, IT'S THAT PROJECT AT 18TH AND AVENUE.
EAST 18TH AND EL AVENUE IS LONG OVERDUE.
I, I BEGGED TO ASK, WHERE'S THE CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR THOSE ABANDONED PROPERTIES? I MEAN, WE GOT ONE PERSON LIVING IN ONE HOUSE, 1, 2 0 3, AND THE OTHER THREE LOOK LIKE CRAP.
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA CANDY COAT IT, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK NICE.
AND VICE MAYOR BUSH, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD WORK WITH ME ON THIS PROJECT TO CLEAN UP THOSE AREAS.
WE OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, I MEAN, THE DEVELOPERS AND SAY, OH, CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES ARE TOO HIGH.
YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO, TO PUT THEIR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE AND SAY, LOOK, YOU HAVE A DEADLINE TO MEET, OR YOU'RE GONNA SELL THE PROPERTY TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT WILL DEVELOP IT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE NICE NO MORE.
'CAUSE THE FIRST THING THEY'LL DO IS ONCE THEY DO TO SOCIETY ABOUT THE PROPERTY, IS TO ASK FOR A FEE WAIVER TO UNDER, TO WAIVE THE UNDERGROUND AND UTILITY REQUIREMENTS.
I'VE WATCHED THEM DO THAT FOR YEARS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA REWARD THEM FOR SITTING ON A PROJECT FOR ALL THESE ALL THESE YEARS.
SO THIS PROJECT WILL REQUIRE THEM TO UNDERGROUND UTILITIES.
'CAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE WAITED FOR SO LONG.
LET'S USE OUR ENERGY TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO SAVE MONEY.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE WILL HOLD OVER TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND, UH, SINCE I FORGOT TO LOOK AT THE CLOCK TO SEE WHEN WE STARTED TO START THE 30 MINUTES.
[6.1 Proclamation: Marisa Ugarte Day]
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO INTO, UH, OUR PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS AND OUR FIRST ONE.YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HEAR THERE WAS A MOVIE CALLED THE FORCE, THE FORCE OF NATURE.
AND SOMETIMES YOU HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE REFERRED TO AS A FORCE OF NATURE.
AND THEN THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, NATURE GETS OUT OF THE WAY OF, AND, UM, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THIS PERSON.
UM, A PERSON WHO HAS JUST WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, BASED HERE OUT OF NATIONAL CITY, BUT HAS TAKEN OVER AND IN DEALING WITH THE AREA OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND HAS MADE JUST A HUGE, HUGE DIFFERENCE IN, IN WORKING CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WITH A EVERY AGENCY THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN THINK OF, UH, AND DEALING WITH YOUNG MEN, YOUNG WOMEN, AND GETTING THEM ABLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS AND GET THEM TURNED AROUND IN THEIR LIVES, UH, FULFILLED.
UH, I WAS RECENTLY AT ONE OF THEIR EVENTS AND THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY THAT WAS JUST, YOU LOOK AT HER AND YOU GO, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PERFECT YOUNG LADY.
AND SHE WAS JUST, UH, VERY, VERY PASSIONATE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, VERY ARTICULATE EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN SHE TOLD THE STORY ABOUT HOW THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEX TRAFFICKED AND, UH, BUT THAT THIS LOVELY LADY HAD WORKED SO HARD AND TO BREAK, TAKE HER IN AND HELP HER GET HER LIFE TURNED AROUND AND GET OUT OF THIS, UH, THIS TERRIBLE TRAP THAT'S OUT THERE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND SO, UM, OUR OWN BEYOND FORCE OF NATURE AND
I'VE NEVER CALLED YOU THAT BEFORE, HAVE I? AND, UH, UH, MARISSA ATE.
IF, IF YOU WANT SOMEONE TO FIGHT A BATTLE FOR YOU, AND, UH, IT DOESN'T MATTER ON HER SIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS, THIS IS THE LADY.
I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU.
BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF YOU FIGHT THE BATTLE.
NOT WITH SB 1414, NOT WITH S SP 3 79, WHERE THEY WERE MAKING OUR CHILDREN 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS BE ABLE TO PROSTITUTE ON MAIN STREET, WHICH IS OURS.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN YOU AND SEE YOU SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN, MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN, THE INTERNET AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS GOING ON.
I'M PROUD OF THE MAYOR BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN THERE NOT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I HAVE GONE AND KNOCKED ON HIS STORY AND SAID, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME.
AND I ALSO WANT TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.
[00:50:01]
BEEN IN NATIONAL CITY, HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE.PENNY NOT ASKED ONE PENNY OF YOU GUYS.
WHEN I WENT THE OTHER DAY AND I ASKED IF I COULD HAVE A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN FRONT OF WHERE I AM IN 31ST STREET, THEY SAY, OF COURSE, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? ONE BEDROOM, 200 AND, UH, 2,300 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS.
SO THE WORRY IS, I HAVE MALES THAT THEY'RE BRINGING IN.
I HAVE FEMALES THAT MEET DESPERATELY WITH CHILDREN AND I HAVE NOTHING.
I HAVE FOUR APARTMENTS IN 24TH STREET AND WE'RE PRAYING, I'M PRAYING FOR EVERY SINGLE PENNY TO COME.
I'M LOOKING AT YOU LOSE MARCOS, BARRY,
THIS IS OUR CHILDREN IN OUR AREA.
THIS IS MAIN STREET WHERE THE PROSTITUTION IS.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE MAYOR IN MY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT STREETS AND MONEY AND OH, WE WANT THIS AND WE WANT THAT.
AND WHAT ABOUT COMMUNITY? WHAT ABOUT THAT? THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME, IS THE COMMUNITY.
OUR CHILDREN, OUR PEOPLE THAT I GO ON SWEETWATER DISTRICT.
WHAT CAN WE DO? YOU JUST LET ME KNOW, DITAS, EVERYBODY JUST LET ME KNOW ONE IDEA THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
MY CHIEF OF POLICE, HE'S THE OTHER ONE, I GO KNOCKING ON HIS DOOR AND SAID, I NEED YOU.
AND HE COMES, HE HAS ASSIGNED SOMEBODY TO THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE DOES? AND WHAT THOSE PEOPLE DO TO RESCUE OUR CHILDREN IN MAIN STREET? AND WHAT ABOUT SUPPORTING? BECAUSE NOW SB 3 79 IS GOING TO THE SENATE AND WE HAVE A PRETTY BAD GUY THERE NAMED SCOTT WIER.
AND I WANNA TELL YOU SOMETHING, IT WAS NEVER ABOUT RACIAL PROFILING.
IT WAS ABOUT KIDS AND PROTECTING.
AND THEY'RE ALL GREEN, PURPLE, YELLOW, BLUE, ALL OF IT.
AND THEY ALL VICTIMS. THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE LAST WEEK, RESCUED EIGHT MINORS AND THE WEEK BEFORE ANOTHER 10 MINORS CHILDREN.
SO, MR. MAYOR, I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION, BUT PUT YOU TO WORK.
I WANT YOU TO WORK FOR ME, FOR US, FOR THE CHIEF, FOR EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN JUST, I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING.
MARISSA TO ME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU STAND RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM.
WE DON'T WANT YOU BEHIND THE PODIUM.
THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MARISSA HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER FOR YEARS AND DECADES.
AND, BUT IT REALLY CAME TO A HEAD TWO YEARS AGO WHEN, UH, FOR MENTIONED MR. SCOTT WEINER, UH, PASSED, UH, GOT PASSED THROUGH THE, UH, THE LEGISLATURE, UH, SB 3 57, AND THAT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, BASICALLY LEGALIZED PROSTITUTION IN CALIFORNIA AND HAS DRIVEN EVERYBODY CRAZY.
SO LAST YEAR TO RECTIFY THAT, THEY CAME UP WITH, UH, AB 1414, WHICH NOW SAID THAT IT, UH, THAT YOU COULD PROSECUTE IF YOU WERE BUYING OR SELLING SOMEONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
BUT THEN WHEN IT WENT INTO COMMITTEE, THEY CHANGED THAT THEY HAD TO BE 15 OR UNDER 'CAUSE IT WAS OKAY TO BUY OR SELL SOMEONE 16 OR 17.
THEY COULDN'T BUY A CIGARETTE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COULDN'T SIGN A CONTRACT, BUT THEY COULD BE BOUGHT OR SOLD.
SO THIS YEAR CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER BILL AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, 3 79.
AND BASICALLY IT WAS, TO PUT THAT BACK IN THERE, SAID IT HAS TO BE WHAT A MINOR REALLY IS.
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE UNDER 18.
AND IN COMMITTEE THEY TOOK OUT
[00:55:01]
THE 16 AND 17-YEAR-OLD AGAIN AND MOVED THE, THE DEAL FORWARD.SO MUCH FLACK HAPPENED ALL OVER THE STATE BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT THEY PULLED IT AND PUT IT BACK IN.
AND NOW, AND SO NOW THE IN CURRENT FORM, IT DOES INCLUDE SIXTEENS AND 17 YEAR OLDS.
AND THAT HAS GONE OVER TO THE SENATE.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL BE PROBABLY BRINGING THAT BEFORE OUR COUNCIL HERE, UH, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
'CAUSE I SAY THAT IS, THAT IS CURRENTLY BEFORE THE, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR HAS COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF IT.
AND SO HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT DID A LITTLE SCREAMING AT THE LEGISLATURE TOO, AND SAID, THAT'S, UH, YOU, YOU'RE GOING TOO FAR.
SO ANYWAY, BUT, UH, MARISSA HAS BEEN THE FOREFRONT OF THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, UH, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UP AND DOWN THE STATE AND NATIONAL, THEY ALL KNOW HER.
AND, UH, SHE MAKES HERSELF WELL KNOWN, BUT IN DOING, DOING WORK, AND SHE'S OUT THERE IN THE STREETS MAKING IT HAPPEN.
SO REALLY WANT TO THANK HER ON THAT ONE.
[6.2 Recognition: Maeve Nieva - 2025 LEO of the Year for the State of California ]
NEXT, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND MAKE AN INTRODUCTION? YES, BRIANNA.CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY OFFICIALS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BRIANNE CLAPPER AND I AM HONORED TO SERVE AS THE CO LEO ADVISOR FOR THE NATIONAL CITY HOSTS HIGH ALPHA LEO CLUB STUDENTS AGE RANGE FROM 13 TO 19, THE DISTRICT.
I'M ALSO THE DISTRICT ALPHA LEO CHAIR FOR SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL COUNTIES, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CITY HOST LIONS CLUB, WHO IS ALSO A SPONSOR OF OUR LEOS CLUB.
WE DO HAVE SOME MEMBERS AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM TO SHOW, COME AND SHOW SUPPORT.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT LEADER, MAVE NEVA, A SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR.
AND THE 25 20 25 LEO OF THE YEAR.
2025 LEO OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
MAVE JOINED THE SUHA LEOS CLUB AS A FRESHMAN AFTER ARRIVING HERE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AT AGE 11 IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND QUICKLY BECAME A DEDICATED MEMBER WHEN MOST OF THE CLUB'S MEMBERS GRADUATED.
WE BUILT A CLUB FROM THE GROUND UP, RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS, PLANNING SERVICE EVENTS, CREATING A STRONG, INCLUSIVE SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO GIVE BACK.
UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, OUR CLUB GREW TO OVER 75, 75, 7 5 ACTIVE MEMBERS AS, AND THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT BY ITSELF.
MAEVE HAS LED COUNTLESS IMPACTFUL EVENTS THAT HAS BENEFITED NASHVILLE CITY DIRECTLY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUPS LEADING TASKS AT THE NASHVILLE CITY HOST LIONS 4TH OF JULY CARNIVAL, ENSURING WE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS.
YOUTH HOMELESS DRIVE, FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, CANCER AWARENESS, WALKS TO VOLUNTEER AT THE BOYS GOOD AND GIRLS CLUB, AND THE SAN DIEGO CENTER FOR THE BLIND.
HER EFFORTS HAVE HELPED OUR YOUTH CONNECT WITH THEIR CITY IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
SHE HAS PERSONALLY COMPLETED OVER 400 COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS, MOST THROUGH THE LEOS AND THE LIONS CLUB WORK.
AND SHE LEAVES BEHIND A THRIVING CLUB READY TO CONTINUE HER LEGACY ACADEMICALLY.
SHE MAINTAINS A 4.6 GPA HAS TAKEN AT LEAST FIVE AP CLASSES SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR.
I'M TALKING ABOUT MAYBE SIX TO SEVEN AP CLASSES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND WAS RECENTLY AWARDED THE KYLE MORGAN SCHOLARSHIP, GRANTING HER A FULL RIDE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER, WHERE SHE WILL STUDY ENGINEERING.
SHE HAS ALSO RECEIVED A $2,000 SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE TEENAGER OF THE YEAR FROM THE ELKS CLUB, AS WELL AS A THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM A TEENAGER OF THE YEAR FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, ALONG WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS SCHOLARSHIP FROM A-S-G-S-R INSPIRATION SCHOLARSHIP.
MAEVE WAS SELECTED AS CALIFORNIA'S LEO OF THE YEAR AFTER COMPETING AGAINST NOMINEES FROM 14 OTHER ALPHA LEO DISTRICTS STATEWIDE, OVER 4,000 OTHER STUDENTS.
HER SELECTION WAS BASED ON HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION TO SERVICE AND IMPACT ON HER COMMUNITY THROUGH A BLIND SELECTION FROM LINE OFFICIALS IN OTHER STATES BEFORE MAYE GRADUATES.
WE WANTED TO TAKE THE MOMENT TO HONOR HER PUBLICLY, NOT JUST AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CLUB OR OUR ORGANIZATION
[01:00:01]
OR EVEN HER SCHOOL, BUT AS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE VALUES OF NASHVILLE CITY AND WHAT WE STAND FOR, SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND HEART.THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME AND RECOGNIZING MADE EVA CELEBRATING THE BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HER.
AND SHE'D LIKE TO MAKE A LITTLE QUICK 32ND SPEECH AS WELL.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO FIRST THANK YOU TO MY DAD WHO JOINED ME HERE TODAY AND FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME IN WHATEVER I HAVE DONE.
UM, AND TO THE NATIONAL CITY HOST LION CLUB FOR MAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR ME AND MANY OTHER YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO TO MY ADVISOR, MS. CLAPPER, FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME IN EVERY WAY.
I KNOW I'LL BE GRADUATING IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
AND ON THAT NOTE, I HOPE THAT I WILL, I'LL BE LEAVING A GOOD LEGACY IN SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL FOR UPCOMING YOUTH THAT WILL WANT TO BE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY AS I HAVE AND MANY OTHERS HAVE IN THE CLUB AS WELL.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK OF ALL THOSE, THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, 4.0 WITH ALL THOSE AP CLASSES OR 4.6.
YOU ORIGINALLY, YOU TOLD ME 4.5 I KNOW, BUT IT JUST KEEPS GOING UP.
SO IT'S 4.6 NOW THEY'RE GETTING, THEY'RE GETTING THEIR FINAL GRADES IN, SO THAT POPPED IT UP.
AND YOU GET TO GRADUATE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, HUH? YES.
AND, UH, SO, BUT FIRST OF ALL, YOUR CLUB IS ONE THAT NOMINATED HER.
AND THEN YOU WENT ON, THERE'S SEVEN OTHER CLUBS IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAD NOMINEES, SO SHE HAD TO GO UP AGAINST SEVEN OTHERS.
AND THEN AFTER SHE BECAME THE DISTRICT, UH, PERSON OF THE YEAR, LEO OF THE YEAR, THEN YOU WENT UP AGAINST 14 DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND, AND TO FINALLY GET THE CALIFORNIA LEO OF THE YEAR.
THAT IS PRETTY, PRETTY AWESOME.
THAT IS PRETTY DOGGONE AWESOME FOR PICTURE.
AND IF YOUR FAMILY WANTS TO COME UP, UH, FOR A PICTURE AND, UH, AND, AND YOUR LIONS ARE PART OF YOUR FAMILY, I KNOW THAT.
WE WANT TO PRESENT THAT FRONT FOR YOU.
AND LET ME ASK YOU JUST A REAL QUICK QUESTION.
YOU SAY, UH, IMMIGRATED FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
WHAT PART OF THE PHILIPPINES? UM,
[6.3 Proclamation: National Public Works Week]
ONE MORE HERE.AND THIS IS FOR OUR NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
AND YOU KNOW, IT IS GOOD EVENING.
I KNOW I DID NOT ADVANCE THE AGENDA TO THE SEWER ITEM, BUT
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO TAKE THE SERENDIPITOUS OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY HAVE OUR CONSULTANT, CARMEN KASSNER, WHO'S WITH OUR DURA AND OUR SEWER EXPERT, BUT SHE'S ALSO PAST PRESIDENT OF THE SAN DIEGO IMPERIAL, A PWA CHAPTER.
SO I ASKED HER TO JUST SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY ON WHAT NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IS
AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS.
IT IS WHAT MAKES THESE COMMUNITIES WHAT THEY ARE.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS PEOPLE PURPOSE AND PRESENCE.
THE, THEY'RE THE CORNERSTONES OF WHY PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS DO WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY.
WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE A STRONG PURPOSE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
AND WE DO IT IN THE BEHIND THE SCENES MOST OF THE TIME WE'RE YOU ONLY NOTICE IT WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT GOES WRONG.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE FIRST RESPONDERS TOO.I MEAN, THEY'RE FIRST TO BE, THEY'RE RIGHT ALONG WORKING WITH THE FIRE AND THE POLICEMEN TO MAKE THE PLACE SAFE TO CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS.
THEY DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HELP OFTENTIMES DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHICH IS WHY THEY HAVE THE PRESENCE JUST TO ALWAYS BE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO A PWA IS VERY PASSIONATE AND, UM, WANT TO CELEBRATE THE ONE WEEK OUT OF THE YEAR WHEN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS NEED TO, WE DO GOOD THINGS.
I JUST WANNA ADD, SO, YOU KNOW, ARE THE ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, FOUR OF OUR DIVISIONS ARE MORE OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONAL DIVISIONS.
I WANNA JUST GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AND RECOGNIZE THEM.
SO THEY ARE, THEY ARE OUR STREETS AND WASTEWATER DIVISION, OUR PARKS DIVISION, OUR FACILITIES DIVISION, AND OUR FLEET AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE DIVISIONS.
AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE ABOUT 54 INDIVIDUALS THAT TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY.
I ALWAYS SAY BETWEEN SIDEWALK TO SIDEWALK ALBERT AND UNDER, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T SEE, THE SEWER LINES, THE STORM DRAIN LINES.
YOU KNOW, IF A, IF A TREE FALLS AT TWO IN THE MORNING, OUR PARKS CREW COMES OUT.
IF YOU HAVE A SEWER BACKUP ON A SATURDAY AT 3:00 PM OUR STREET AND WASTEWATER TEAM COMES OUT, IF, YOU KNOW THE AC BREAKS
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN RELY AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE OUR FLEET, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT SITUATION, YOU KNOW, WITH A POLICE VEHICLE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY COME OUT AND THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HANDLE IT.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN RELY ON THEM 24 7.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATIVES HERE TODAY, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM WORK 6:00 AM 4:00 AM SHIFTS EVEN.
UM, BUT WE, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THEM, THEIR, THEIR WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND APPRECIATE THEM.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
WELL, THIS, THIS IS THE GROUP THAT'S OUT THERE WORKING FOR US 52 WEEKS OUTTA THE YEAR.
AND SO FOR THAT, WE GIVE YOU YOUR OWN WEEK.
WE GET A PICTURE, DON'T WE? SURE.
[7. REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS (Limited to Five (5) Minutes each)]
INTO, UH, REGIONAL BOARDS AND, UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS ALSO.ANY, UH, UH, 1234 REPORTS, ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED, WE'LL START DOWN HERE ON MY LEFT.
THANK NOTHING TO REPORT, MR. MAYOR.
UH, I ATTENDED THE SANDECK BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ON MAY 9TH.
WE WENT AHEAD AND ADOPTED THE FINAL PROGRAM BUDGET.
UH, THE ESTIMATED REVENUES WERE LOWER THAN, UM, THAN, UH, WAS EXPECT THAN WHAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY, BUT THAT WAS EXPECTED.
OVERALL, IT IS A $1.3 BILLION BUDGET.
UM, THERE WAS, LET'S SEE, 7%, ABOUT 86 MILLION IS FOR LOCAL SERVICES.
UM, I HAVE A BUNCH OF DETAILS ON HERE.
COME SEE ME IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SANDAG DETAILS.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE SANDAG PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
THIS WAS LAST FRIDAY ON THE 16TH THERE.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE DRAFT 2025 REGIONAL PLAN.
UH, ESTIMATED COST IS LESS THAN THE LAST TWO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANS.
AGAIN, DUE TO THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY.
UM, THE, THE, UM, THE DRAFT IS RELEASED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
FEEL FREE TO COME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT THE REGIONAL PLAN AS WELL.
WE DID RECEIVE UPDATES AS WELL.
UM, THE BIKE ANYWHERE DAY, WHICH HAPPENED, UM, ON, UH, I THINK IT WAS MAY 15TH.
IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL BIKE ANYWHERE DAY.
WE HAD OVER 10,000, UM, VISITORS.
THIS WAS THE LARGEST, UM, UH, EVENT SINCE, UH, COVID.
SO, UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS GREAT SUCCESS THERE.
UM, AND THEN THIS FRIDAY, I ACTUALLY, THIS WILL BE THURSDAY.
I WILL BE ATTENDING THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL FOR SANDAG.
[01:10:01]
FOR MTS, WE HAD, UH, MTS THIS PAST WEEK.UH, THE MAIN ITEM THERE WAS THE BUDGET.
AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL, UH, WORKSHOP WHERE YOU HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT NEW REVENUE SOURCES, INCLUDING A POTENTIAL BALLOT MEASURE FOR 2026.
NOT SURE WHAT THAT, UH, LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE'RE EXPLORING DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE.
UH, FOR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT HAD OUR MEETING, UH, LAST WEEK.
UM, THE BIG ITEM THAT I WAS, UH, FOCUSING ON, IT DID CON CONFLICT WITH OUR, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP.
SO, AND I HAD ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR THIS.
AND THE REASON WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO GO TO, UH, UH, THIS MEETING, UM, IS FOR THE MITIGATION FUND FROM CARB THAT IS FOR OCEAN BOUND VESSELS, UM, THAT ARE REQUIRED TO PLUG INTO SHORE POWER.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPACITY IN OUR PORT TIDELANDS.
SO I JUST WANNA, UH, POINT OUT TO STAFF, WHETHER THAT'S MARTHA, CARLOS MARTIN, OR THROUGH OUR, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT POT OF FUNDING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T, UM, IT APPEARS THAT, UH, WE MIGHT NEED TO GIVE MORE SCRUTINY THAT MAYBE THERE'S MORE, UM, FUNDING THAT MIGHT BE OWED THERE.
SO I DIRECTED OUR A PC STAFF, A PCD STAFF TO, UH, TO WORK WITH CARB, UH, AND THE PORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LOGGED IN HOURS ON THOSE OCEAN BOUND VES VESSELS THAT ARE NOT BEING PLUGGED IN, THEY'RE POLLUTING AND CARB IS INSTITUTED NOW, NEW RULES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT THIS YEAR.
THAT, AND, UM, IF THEY'RE NOT MITIGATING VIA A BONNET SYSTEM, CAPTURING THAT, UH, POLLUTION AND THEY'RE NOT, UM, AND IF THEY AREN'T, UH, PLUGGED IN, THEN THEY NEED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MITIGATION FUND.
SO, UM, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THIS YEAR OR IN A FEW MONTHS, THEY'RE GONNA BE RELEASING, UM, UH, AN RFP SO THAT CITIES AND IMPACTED COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS, AB 6 1 7 COMMUNITIES IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
SO COMMUNITIES LIKE NATIONAL CITY, WE CAN APPLY FOR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP AND MITIGATION MEASURES.
SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITY OF FUNDING FROM THAT SOURCE THAT JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO, TO STAFF.
AND I CAN WORK WITH YOU GUYS ON MORE INFO THERE.
SO OTHERWISE, UH, THAT'S IT FOR MY BOARD UPDATES.
UH, WITH SWEETWATER AUTHORITY TOMORROW NIGHT, WE WILL BE HAVING OUR, OUR BUDGET MEETING AND GOING OVER THE, UH, BUDGET.
SO ANOTHER, ANOTHER FUN, FUN ONE OF THESE MEETINGS.
UM, AND THAT'S BASICALLY ALL THAT, UH, THAT I HAVE ON THAT ONE.
UM, OH, AND, AND MAYOR, CAN WE, UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR PORT COMMISSIONER COME AND GIVE AN UPDATE IN, IN A WHILE, SO CAN WE MAKE SURE THE NEXT MEETING WE HAVE OUR PORT COMMISSIONER TO COME? I KNOW HE'S OUTTA COUNTRY SURE.
SO I'D ALREADY ASKED HIM ABOUT DOING ONE FOR THIS QUARTER, BUT I KNOW HE WAS GONNA BE OUT OF, OUT OF COUNTRY THAT, UH, FOR THIS MEETING.
[8. CONSENT CALENDAR]
GO INTO A CONSENT CALENDAR.THIS IS ITEMS EIGHT ONE THROUGH EIGHT 14.
I DO HAVE REQUEST TO PULL 8 6 8, LET'S SEE, 8 6, 8 13, 8 14.
IS THAT ALL THEM? YEAH, THAT'S JUST THOSE THREE SO FAR.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? MOVED UP.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[8.6 Appropriation of funds in the amount of $300,000 from the Clean Mobility Options (CMO) Voucher Program for the Free Ride Around National City (FRANC).]
TO EIGHT SIX.THIS IS APPROPRIATIONS OF FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000 FROM THE CLEAN MOBILITY OPTIONS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CMO VOUCHER, UH, PROGRAM FOR THE FREE RIDE AROUND NATIONAL CITY, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE FRANK.
I WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS THE, THIS IS FOR $300,000 ADDITIONAL.
NOW MY EXPERIENCE WITH FRANK IS SOMETIMES IT WORK AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
AND I THINK THEY KNOW WHEN MY EMAIL ADDRESS APPEARS IN THEIR, APPEARS IN THEIR THING THAT THEY GIVE ME A LONG RIDE OR THEY SAY THEY'RE BUSY.
BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT NOT EVERYTHING ABOUT FRANK IS PERFECT IN $300,000.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT WHAT THIS WILL ACCOMPLISH THOUGH, IS RIGHT NOW WE ONLY, WE HAVE TWO VEHICLES AND TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO THIS ADDS A THIRD VEHICLE AND PAYS FOR ALL OF THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S GONNA MAKE THOSE RESPONSE TIMES BETTER.
AND, UH, BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR FREE? BUT ANYWAY, MAYOR.
I, I THINK STAFFS WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
[01:15:01]
I I CAN WAIT IF THERE'S MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.WELL ACTUALLY, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, ACTUALLY THAT'S WHAT I EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK IS FOR A REPORT, A BRIEF REPORT, UM, REGARDING THE SITUATION WITH FRANK.
UM, DURING MY BRIEFING, I DID RECEIVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
IT TURNS OUT IT IS RATHER SUCCESSFUL, UH, BECAUSE IT IS IN HIGH DEMAND.
AND JUST AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT HIGH DEMAND, UH, FOR THIS SERVICE THAT THE PUBLIC DOES UTILIZE.
SO, MS. JUAREZ, IF YOU CAN HELP, UM, PUT SOME CONTEXT INTO THAT, UH, AND THE NEED FOR THIS FUNDING.
MARTHA JUAREZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM, BUT JUST WANTED TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT OVERVIEW.
SO THE PROJECT, THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN SEPTE IN OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
AND IN THE, UM, 20 MONTHS OR SO, UH, WE HAVE 18, 19 MONTHS OF DATA SO FAR.
WE DO GET REPORTS OF RIDERSHIP.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE DATA SHOWS IS THAT IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.
SO IN THOSE 19 MONTHS, WE'VE UH, PROVIDED OVER 40,000 RIDES WITH JUST TOO LITTLE NEV SHUTTLES THAT ARE OPERATING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UM, IT IS, UM, SO SUCCESSFUL THAT WE CAN'T MEET THE DEMAND.
SO, UM, WE GET, UM, THE, THE WAY THAT CIRCUIT OUR OPERATOR WORKS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE APPLICATION HAS, UM, A, A CALCULATION.
SO WHEN SOMEBODY LOGS ON AND, AND REQUESTS A RIDE, IF THE CALCULATION OF WHO'S ALREADY IN QUEUE, WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED, WHERE THE RIDE LOCATIONS ARE, UM, IF THEY CAN'T, UH, IF THEY CAN'T PROVIDE THAT RIDE WITHIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THE APPLICATION ACTUALLY DROPS THEM.
SO THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, A PROBLEM OF DEMAND OF SO MANY PEOPLE USING THE PROGRAM AND WANTING TO WRITE IT.
UM, SO WITH THESE ADDITIONAL $300,000, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE, FROM THE ORIGINAL VOUCHER GRANTING AGENCY, UM, WE EXPECT TO ADD A THIRD VEHICLE IN ROTATION.
SO THAT'LL PAY FOR, PARTIALLY FOR THE COST OF OPERATION AND THE STAFFING TO DO THAT.
UM, INITIALLY IT'S GONNA BE DURING WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE MORE THE PEAK MONTHS IN THE SUMMER, AND THEN FOR THE, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT YEAR, WE INTEND TO HAVE THAT BE CONTINUOUS.
UM, SO WE'LL BE TESTING THAT OUT AS WELL.
BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
THE FUNDING IS LIMITED AND WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, NUMBER OF VEHICLE SERVICES AREA.
UM, A LOT OF THINGS ARE IN, IN INFLUX WITH IT.
HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, MAYOR, IF YOU'RE READY FOR A MOTION, I AM READY TO PROPOSE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, APPROVE THIS ITEM AS, UH, IN, UH, PER THE STAFF REPORT.
I WILL SECOND, WE DO HAVE A MOTION A SECOND JUST REAL QUICK.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OUTSIDE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROGRAM IN NAME, NOT FRANK, BUT IT'S WITH CONNECT, UH, IN CHULA VISTA.
BUT THAT'S ONLY SENIORS GET TO RIDE FOR FREE.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT A SENIOR, I FORGETTING OUT THEIR CUTOFF IS 60 OR 65, I FORGET NOW WHAT IT IS.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY.
UH, AND THEN, UH, DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO HAS ONE ALSO.
I THINK PACIFIC BEACH ALSO, UH, HAS ONE, BUT YOU PAY FOR THOSE.
SO OURS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ENTIRELY FREE.
AND, UH, BUT THE ONLY LIMITATION THAT WE HAVE, IT'S BASICALLY WEST OF 8 0 5, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OLLYWOOD DISTRICT.
IT IS, IF SO, IT DOES NOT GO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 8 0 5, WHICH REALLY LIMITS IT TO THE, THE HOSPITAL AND THOSE AREAS AND PLAZA BONITA, THINGS ALONG THAT LINE.
I DON'T KNOW WE'LL EVER BE ABLE TO CORRECT THAT.
BUT HOPEFULLY MAYBE ONE OF THESE DAYS WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXPAND INTO THOSE AREAS ALSO.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MAYOR, CAN I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT? YEAH, CERTAINLY.
UH, JUST REALLY WANT TO COMMEND THE PROGRAM.
THE COUNCIL, UH, ENTIRELY FOR SUPPORTING IT.
UM, UH, THE PORT HAS HAD A HAND IN THIS AS WELL, SO, UH, UH, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE SUPPORT FOR IT.
UM, SOMETHING TO DEFINITELY CONSIDER IS FINDING WAYS TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM PERMANENT.
UM, HOW MANY MORE YEARS ARE LEFT OF THE GRANT FUNDING? THE TOTAL GRANT FUNDS WE'VE RECEIVED FROM, FROM THE STATE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THE PORT IS, UH, 2.2 MILLION TOTAL.
AND THAT WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE END OF FOUR YEARS OF OPERATION.
THE FIRST YEAR WAS FOR PLANNING AND, AND THE PROGRAM SET UP.
AND THEN FOUR, RIGHT NOW WE BELIEVE WE'RE, WE'RE FUNDED FOR OPERATION THROUGH FOUR YEARS OF OPERATION, WHICH IS LATE 2027.
AND YEARLY COST FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, OPERATIONALLY DO WE HAVE AN IDEA, IT'S RIGHT AROUND 280,000,
[01:20:02]
LESS THAN 300,000.UH, WITH THE THIRD DRIVER IT'LL BE, UM, OVER 300,000.
IT CAN VARY BASED ON THE HOURS IN SERVICE, BUT IT'S APPROXIMATELY THAT.
I KNOW SOME OF OUR REGIONAL COLLEAGUES, UM, THAT HAVE A PROGRAM, THE ONE IN PB AND IN DOWNTOWN HAVE A SMALL FEE AT THIS MOMENT, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE, UM, ADVERTISING AROUND, UM, THEIR VEHICLES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UM, WORTHWHILE EXPLORING? I, I, I THINK SO.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE MENTIONED.
AS WE GIVE REPORTS TO THE, THE GRANTING AGENCY, THEY ALSO WANT US, THEY ACTUALLY REQUIRE US TO, TO HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY, FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE EXPLORING IS HAVING A SMALL FEE, HAVING MAYBE SOME LIMITATIONS ON NUMBER OF RIDES THAT ARE FREE AND THEN YOU PAY, UM, POTENTIALLY THE ADVERTISING, ET CETERA.
AND ALL OF THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT WITH OUR OPERATOR AS WELL TO SEE HOW CIRCUIT, UM, FIGURES INTO, YOU KNOW, THE ADVERTISING PIECE AS WELL.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, THE MORE WE CAN HAVE THE PROGRAM BE SELF-SUSTAINING WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY ALSO KEEP IT FREE, RIGHT? OTHERWISE WE MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME, UM, FREE ROUTE AROUND NATIONAL CITY TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE, BUT, UM, CHEAP RIDE AROUND, CHEAP RIDE AROUND THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SPELLS OUT, BUT
WE SEE IT DRIVING A BUNCH OF KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL SENIORS.
SO IT IS A, IT IS DEFINITELY A WORTHWHILE PROGRAM.
WELL, I, I, I THINK THE ONE OTHER FUNDING SOURCE THAT WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IS THE DIFF UH, FOR THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, UH, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS APPROXIMATELY RIGHT AROUND WHAT ABOUT $3,000 PER HOUSING UNIT? I BELIEVE IT IS.
AND SO A MONTH AGO, SO FOR EVERY, EVERY NEW HOUSING UNIT THEY HAVE TO PAY IN.
AND, AND THIS MONEY CAN ONLY BE USED FOR INCREASING THE CAPACITY ON OUR REGIONAL ARTERIALS.
SO FOR THE, THE PART WHERE THEY ARE TRAVELING ON OUR, WE HAVE A LOT OF REGIONAL ARTERIALS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, SO THAT PART, A PORTION OF THAT MONEY COULD GO IN, GO INTO THAT, UH, TO HELP CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.
SANDAG IS ALSO RELEASING A, UM, NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT WILL BE FOR MICRO MOBILITY.
SO WE'LL BE READY TO TARGET THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND MAYOR, OUR WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECEIVED FROM TED GOTCH ON THE SECOND.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[Items 8.13 & 8.14]
ITEMS EIGHT 13 AND EIGHT 14.I'M PUTTING 'EM TOGETHER 'CAUSE THEY'RE BOTH WARRANT REGISTRY AND THEY ARE BOTH MR. WRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA LET HIM TAKE CARE OF BOTH OF THESE AT THE SAME TIME.
HOW'S THAT COUNSEL? I'LL JUST READ SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THEN YOU CAN COUNT ON 'EM.
FROM WARRANT REGISTER, 38 FREDERICK RIO GRUPO FOLKLORE $5,500 A CC, SECURITY INCORPORATED SENIOR CENTER ACCESS CONTROL, 36,000 CIRCUIT TRANSIT, SPECIALIZED SERVICE 24,000.
THE PROJECT PROFESSIONAL PROJECT PROFESSIONAL LAS P LAS P, UH, UH, 29,000.
THE RDD EQUIPMENT, THE JOHN DEERE TRACTOR, 68,000, THE RIGHT CONSTRUCTION, PARADISE CREEK WATER QUALITY, 136,000.
DO YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? ALRIGHT.
AND, OKAY, DID YOU COVER BOTH OF THEM THERE FOR YOUR, UH, BOTH WARRANTS? NO, THAT, THAT'S FOR 13.
WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND DO 14 ALSO WHILE YOU'RE 14.
EAGLE AND LAUR EAGLE, LLC HOURLY DE DEPUTY BUILDING OFFICIAL SERVICES, 23,000 NORTH COUNTY EVS FIRE, UH, FIRE APPARATUS SERVICE, 54,000 GOOD SIGN GRAPHIC WAYFINDING PROJECT, 20,000
[01:25:01]
ESTHER AD IMPROVEMENTS, 219,000 GEO SYNTAX A NEED, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, 43,000, UH, GEOTECH DUN DUCK POND MONITORING 3,600 AND THE WARRANT REGISTER ON X AND ENTERPRISES X AND BODY CAMERAS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 101,000 AND TS SIGNS, OH AND TS SIGNS INCORPORATED WHITE T-SHIRTS FOR THE FAMILY FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FAMILY DAY, UH, $1,200.IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THERE.
UM, UNLESS THERE'S SOME COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THOSE, IF WE COULD GET MAYBE A, UH, A MOTION FOR BOTH ITEMS. 13.
SO WHO, MR. CHAIR? I SAID ITEMS 13 AND 14.
[9.1 Second Public Hearing, Adoption of an Ordinance of the City Council of National City, California, Repealing Ordinance No. 2017-2442, as Amended by Ordinance No. 2023-2521, and Adopting an Ordinance Establishing Sewer Service Charges for FY26 through FY30]
WE GO ON TO, UH, CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARINGS AND, UM, WE HAVE ON 9.1 WE HAVE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, ADOPTION AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL OF NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA, REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER, UH, 20 17 24 42 AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 DASH 25 21 AND ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING SEWER SERVICE CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 THROUGH 30.HELLO AGAIN, MARTHA JUAREZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
JUST TRYING TO KEEP THIS TOPIC LIGHT.
UM,
SO JUST RUNNING BRIEFLY THROUGH THE BACKGROUND ON THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME TO YOU MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
THE FIRST TIME WAS REALLY TO PRESENT THE SEWER RATE STUDY IN MARCH.
WE THEN INITIATED THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS THAT'S REQUIRED FOR SEWER RATE, UH, SERVICE CHARGE REVISIONS, UH, NOTICES WERE SENT OUT TO ALL OWNERS AND RESIDENTS.
WE INTRODUCED THE FIRST READING FOR THESE, UH, PROPOSED RATES ON MAY 6TH AND HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE ONLY RECEIVED, WE HAD ONLY RECEIVED SIXTH OFFICIAL PROTEST VOTES AND SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS IN WRITING AND IN PERSON.
AND WE ARE HERE FOR THE SECOND READING AND ADOPTION, UM, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ENSURE THAT WE'VE ANSWERED EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS.
UM, SO WITH ME, CARMEN WILL BE PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT TECHNICAL BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
YEAH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME, THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO MAJOR METHODOLOGIES WITH A COMBINATION BEING THE THIRD MAJOR METHODOLOGY USING A FLOW RATE, WHICH IS A STRENGTH OF THE SEWAGE WITH USING A PERCENTAGE OF THE WATER USAGE.
UM, OR SOME AGENCIES USE WINTER WATER USAGE, UM, TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR IRRIGATION, A FLAT RATE.
YOU BASICALLY SET IN A, A CLASS BY CLASSIFICATIONS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING COMPARATIVE, TYPICAL USAGE OR A COMBINATION OF FLOW AND FLAT RATES.
AND WHEN YOU DO A COMBINATION, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IN YOUR BASE FLOW AND BASE FLAT RATE THAT YOU COVER YOUR O AND M AND YOUR CAPITAL COSTS.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE, UM, IF THE FLU FLOWS VARY, YOU DON'T, CANNOT CAPTURE ENOUGH, UM, REVENUE.
UM, AND FOR THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 53% OF THE BILL.
AND THAT WOULD VARY BASED ON THE CLASSIFICATIONS IF WE WERE TO GO THROUGH THAT METHODOLOGY.
UM, YOUR CURRENT METHODOLOGY IS THAT WE HAVE FLAT RATES FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, MULTIPLE MULTI-FAMILY AND MOBILE HOMES AND COMMERCIAL.
WE DO FLOW, UM, RATES FOR THEM.
THE METHODOLOGY OF USING A BEDROOM COUNT WAS RAISED AND I RESEARCHED, I HAD MY STAFF HELP ME RESEARCH ALL OF THE WASTEWATER AGENCIES IN ORANGE COUNTY AND LA COUNTY.
I'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND THERE IS NO ONE THAT I COULD FIND THAT USES THIS METHODOLOGY.
HOWEVER, WHAT I FOUND IS YOUR PRIVATE APARTMENT COMPLEXES USE THAT METHODOLOGY, AND THEY STARTED USING IT A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED HAVING A MUCH HIGHER WATER USE AND YOUR WATER BILLS
[01:30:01]
STARTED GOING UP TREMENDOUSLY.AND SO THERE WERE SOME RESIDENTS THAT FELT, WELL AGAIN, I'VE, I'VE GOT A ONE BEDROOM, WHY SHOULDN'T I PAY AS MUCH AS A THREE BEDROOM? AND SO APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE USING THIS METHODOLOGY, BUT THERE ARE NO PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT I CAN FIND THAT USE THAT METHODOLOGY.
CORONADO, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LARGE COMPLEX THERE THAT USES A USE.
IT, THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT,
UM, AND SO THEY USE IT TO, YOU KNOW, TO DIVIDE WATER, SEWER AND TRASH BILLS APP PARTIALLY BASED UPON WHAT THEY THEORETICAL, THEY CALL 'EM S SUBS.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHBACK BECAUSE SOMETIMES A ONE PERSON PER WILL RENT A TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT AND THEY'RE LIKE, I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH USAGE.
BUT, SO IT'S JUST AS CONTROVERSIAL FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSUMPTION, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES WITH THAT BECAUSE WE, THEY DO NOT HAVE CONSUMPTION PER WATER, YOU KNOW, PER EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIT.
WE CAN'T EVEN OFTENTIMES GET BEDROOM COUNTS FOR COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR AN AGENCY WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST THE UNPERMITTED ADDITIONS A YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE DATA.
AND PART OF THE REASON WE DO VERY STRICT METHODOLOGIES IS THAT IT'S DEFENSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY THIS METHODOLOGY, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE NEARLY AS EQUITABLE.
UM, AND I CANNOT SEE, I MEAN, I COULD NOT RECOMMEND IT.
I COULD, THE CITY WANTS TO GO IN THE FUTURE TO A FLOW METHODOLOGY.
THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION.
BUT THE BEDROOM METHODOLOGY DOES NOT.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD STAND UP VERY WELL.
UM, GOING ONTO THE RESIDENTIAL FLAT RATE, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE DO LOOK AND OBTAIN FROM SWEETWATER ALL OF THE WATER DATA USED FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS.
AND IN CALCULATING THE RATES, I DID LOOK AT HOW MUCH WATER THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS USED.
UM, AND DID IT, YOU KNOW, SUMMARIZED AND CALCULATED THE AVERAGE BASED UPON THE SINGLE FAMILY MULTIFAMILY MOBILE HOME.
THE FLOW VARIANCE IS NOMINAL ACROSS SRF PROPERTIES.
IT IS A VARIANCE, NO QUESTION.
UM, BUT YOU GET INTO A LOT OF ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENTIATING IRRIGATION FROM INTERIOR WATER USE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS FROM THAT.
UM, THE BIGGER CONCERN HERE IS THAT YOU, WE GET THE WATER USE FROM JANUARY OF THE PRIOR YEAR.
IT SHOWS UP ON THE TAX ROLL IN OCTOBER, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY WOULD BE CHARGING THE CUSTOMER, WHICH AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE RENTER MAY BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RENTER.
AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF BILLING IT ON FLOW, I MEAN, IT, IT CAN BE DONE, A LOT OF AGENCIES DO IT.
UM, WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE PRETTY LIMITED STAFF HERE, AND SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE, WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO CONSIDER CONTINUE HAVING CONSULTANT HELP.
UM, OR IT DOES TAKE MORE ENERGY TO CALING AND DO THE BILL AND DO THE DATA VALIDATION BECAUSE YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT THE PROPER METERS ASSIGNED TO THE PROPER, UM, PROPERTIES.
AND MORE THAN HALF THE BILL WOULD STILL BE A FIXED AMOUNT.
AND SO THAT'S A PRETTY MAJOR, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERATION THAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IT.
YOU'D BE DOING IT FOR A VERY NOMINAL CHANGE AND IT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD INDIVIDUAL, YOU COULD HAVE PRETTY BIG, HIGH COMPLAINTS BECAUSE OF TURNOVER UNITS.
I MEAN, REMEMBER THOUGH, IT IS A PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSIGN IT AND, UH, PAY FOR IT.
UM, THE DISABILITY OF THE BILLS JUST BECOMES A CONCERN FOR MANY CITIES.
UM, I DID ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ALSO ON YOUR ADU, UM, AND HOW WE ARE DOING CALCULATIONS ON THAT FOR A, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, 'CAUSE WE ARE, WHEN WE DO BILL FOR A SINGLE FAMILY WITH AN A DU, UM, YOU DO HAVE A TOTAL OF ABOUT 555 SINGLE FAMILY, AND I CALL IT PLUS ONE.
SOME OF THOSE ARE DUPLEXES, SOME OF 'EM ARE ADUS.
UM, SOME OF 'EM ARE EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, BUT THEY, SO I CAN'T REALLY DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN DUPLEXES AND ADUS.
UM, I JUST, I KNOW THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS YOU'VE HAD 47 PERMITTED CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCIES OF NEW ADUS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION OF WHEN THEY WERE PERMITTED AND OCCUPANCY AND WHEN THEY MAYBE HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN A, A RENTER IN THERE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WATER USE INCREASES ABOUT 50% AFTER THEY GET AN A DU IN PLACE.
NOW YES, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE DIFFERENT, BUT, UM, AND WHEN I DO THAT CALCULATION, YOU KNOW, AS WITH THE FLOW, THAT'S BASICALLY A SINGLE FAMILY PLUS A MULTIFAMILY IN USING,
[01:35:01]
LOOKING AT A BASE RATE.SO, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY FAIR TO BUILD THE SINGLE FAMILY AND ONE MULTIFAMILY FOR, UM, SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY.
UM, REMINDER AGAIN, UM, THIS IS WHERE YOUR RATES ARE RELATIVE TO THE OTHERS IN THE COUNTY.
THE ONES IN YELLOW OR ACROSS NATIONAL CITY, THE BLUES, THEY USE FLAT RATE AND IN GREEN, ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES DO USE A COMBINATION OF FLAT AND FLOW.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE AGENCY THAT JUST DID FLOW AND IT TURNED OUT THEY ACTUALLY DO A COMBINATION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD, WE DID, WE, YOU KNOW, CARMEN DOES WORK WITH A LOT OF THESE OTHER AGENCIES, UM, AND WE ALSO DID CONNECT WITH ONE OF THEM IN PARTICULAR THAT WE BELIEVE IS VERY SIMILAR TO NATIONAL CITY.
AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE A, A PERSON, A FINANCIAL ANALYST THAT BASICALLY FOCUSES ON SEWER BILLS AND ALL THIS.
THEY SAID PROBABLY 50% OF THAT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE GOES JUST TOWARDS SEWER.
SO WE KNOW THAT IT, IT, IT'S A BIG EFFORT, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S A HISTORY HERE AS FAR AS HAVING MADE THE DECISION TO GO TO PROPERTY TAX BILL, UH, CHARGES, I GUESS LIKE 30 YEARS AGO WE USED TO ACTUALLY BILL RESIDENTS AND WE HAD A VERY LOW YIELD ON PAYMENT AND THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF RENOVATING TO THE CITY AND HAVING TO GO TO COLLECTION.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S BEEN, UM, AN EVOLUTION RIGHT AT THE CITY AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIND THE BEST METHODOLOGY, THE BEST WAY TO, TO STRUCTURE THESE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE THE MOST EQUITABLE AS WELL, AND A, A VERY TYPICAL METHODOLOGY.
SO THAT SAID, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS STILL TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE THAT ESTABLISHES THOSE, UH, SEWER SERVICE RATES, WHICH AGAIN, REPRESENT ABOUT A 3% INCREASE PER YEAR, UM, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BASED ON THE RATE STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AT THIS POINT WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM THAT WOULD BE LIKE ZOOM? BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE NO SERVICE.
IN THAT CASE, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOTION TO CLOSE SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THERE WE GO.
GET THEM IN THERE AND, UH, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, NOW THIS IS A, UM, THIS IS SET UP FOR ADOPTION AT THIS POINT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. JUAREZ.
IT FEELS LIKE TODAY, TONIGHT IS YOUR NIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. CARMEN, FOR THE EXTRA WORK AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE THAT DOES HAVE THE GREEN BARS ACROSS IT, UM, AND IT DOES SHOW THE NATIONAL CITY, UM, ON THE CHART, UH, IS IN THE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE YELLOW.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I, I AM ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE CURRENT RATE, YOU KNOW, FOR, UM, FISCAL YEAR 26 NATIONAL CITY SINGLE FAMILY RATE VERSUS 25 METRO AGENCIES, NATIONAL CITY.
THE CURRENT RATE VERSUS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING, UM, NATIONAL CITY IS STILL WITHIN, YOU KNOW, IN THAT MARGIN OF, UM, COMPARED TO THE OTHER AGENCIES, UH, WITHIN SORT OF THE STANDARD WHERE WE HAVE LANDED RECENTLY.
SO ALTHOUGH WE ARE RAISING THE RATES FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UM, WE DO REMAIN SORT OF WITHIN THAT SAME RANGE.
AGAIN, ALTHOUGH WE ARE RAISING THE RATES A LITTLE BIT, IT IS, UM, NOT SOMEWHERE, IT ISN'T PLACING US, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE VERY FAR BEYOND, UM, BETWEEN OTHER AGENCIES.
AND SO, UM, I, I AM OKAY WITH THE METHODOLOGY.
I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WORK WENT IN.
UH, AND ALSO YOU, YOU DID CONSIDER A LOT OF THE, UM, UH, PROPOSED, UH, IDEAS THAT THE PUBLIC BROUGHT FORTH IN DURING THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING.
SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
UM, AND MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE AS, UM, DETAILED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND MAKE SURE, OKAY, THAT'S NOT ON THIS ONE.
UM, YEAH, WE GO AND I DID, I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF AND, AND, AND THANKS AGAIN TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA WAS SAYING.
THANK YOU, UH, MARTHA, EVEN, UH, YOUR CONSULTANT TEAM.
[01:40:01]
YOU BOTH FOR, UH, MR. CARMEN.THANK YOU, UH, FOR TAKING OUR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, LOOKING INTO GETTING ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IN RESPONSE TO THE RESIDENT, UH, QUESTIONS.
SO JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE ADDITIONAL WORK YOU GUYS DID.
UH, ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT WORK.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS OFF, OFF, UH, OFFLINE AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE GOOD WORK AND PROVIDING US AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
ALRIGHT, SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND, UH, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE A UNANIMOUSLY.
[10.1 Public Hearing - Amendment to the 2026 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP).]
GO ON TO, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS HIMSELF.THAT WAS A CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NOW WE GO ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND, UH, FIRST ONE IS, UH, 10.1, A PUBLIC HEARING AMENDMENT TO THE 2026 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE RT EP FOR THE RECORD, MARTA JUAREZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
I DON'T KNOW ALL MY ITEMS, SCOTT, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, STAGE TODAY.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THIS IS REALLY JUST A REQUESTING A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD, UM, ALLOW US TO AMEND THE TRANSNET LOCAL STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM.
UM, THE RE THE, I'M GONNA SAY IT WRONG IF I DON'T READ IT.
THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS, UM, EFFECTIVELY, UH, FUNDING FOR STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND HAS VERY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE, UM, THROUGH SANDAG.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE INTEND TO USE FOR THIS, UH, FUNDING.
UH, EVERY YEAR WE PROGRAM IT IN, AND THEN IF WE HAVE ANY CHANGES OR REVISIONS TO THOSE PROJECTS, WE HAVE A ONCE A QUARTER OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE NEED YOUR, YOUR, UH, APPROVAL THROUGH A RESOLUTION IN ORDER TO SEND THAT OVER TO SANDAG.
SO IN THIS CASE, WE ARE PROPOSING TO TRANSFER, UM, AN, AN ALLOCATION FROM, UH, STREET RESURFACING TO TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATION, UPGRADE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SO WHAT WE INTEND TO DO WITH THAT 1.2 MILLION IS, UM, CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR A PROJECT THAT IS, UH, FUNDED BY FEDERAL DOLLARS UNDER THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM.
WE CALL IT THE CITYWIDE PROTECTED LEFT TURN ENHANCEMENTS PROJECT.
THAT PROJECT IS BASICALLY 100% DESIGNED.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PUTTING IT OUT FOR BID THIS SUMMER IF WE HAVE, IF WE, ONCE WE HAVE THE APPROVAL TO, UM, ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS TOWARDS THIS PROJECT INSTEAD.
UH, AND THAT WILL PROVIDE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED IN 2022.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOCATION OF, OF, UM, THE, THE PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS IS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT'S ALONG SOME OF THE MAJOR CORRIDORS, UM, EIGHTH 18 D, EUCLID PLAZA, BOULEVARD, SWEETWATER, ROOSEVELT PALM.
AND SO IT'S EFFECTIVELY MAKING THOSE LEFT HAND TURNS, UM, SAFER AT, AT INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE'RE EITHER ADDING TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR IMPROVING WHAT WE HAVE.
ALL THE CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT AT EACH INTERSECTION, BUT THAT'S EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO WITH THESE FUNDS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
UH, MS. JUAREZ, I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST, AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN FOR THIS ITEM HERE, BUT, UM, I HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CLEVELAND AVENUE, UM, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, WHETHER IT IS RTIP OR, UH, AT ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITY, IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MITIGATE, UM, THE ISSUES THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP REGARDING CLEVELAND AVENUE IN DISTRICT ONE.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THERE IS CONSISTENT SPEEDING.
THERE IS HAZARDS RELATED TO, UH, TRUCKS AND, UH, TRUCK TRAFFIC AND, UH, OFFLOADING OF, UM, MERCHANDISE OR, OR, I, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE DETAILS THERE, BUT I DO OFTEN HEAR ABOUT ISSUES ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.
SO IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ON THE RADAR FOR FUTURE FUNDING AND, AND YOU KNOW, A TRAFFIC STUDY PERHAPS, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
IF THAT'S IN THE FORM OF FUTURE RTIP FUNDS OR, UH, ANOTHER WAY THAT THAT CAN, UM, BE PUT ON THE RADAR, I'D APPRECIATE.
WE'LL, UM, I'LL BRING IT TO OUR DIRECTOR'S ATTENTION AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR PROTOCOL FOR SPEED SURVEY LOOKING AT, UM, ACCIDENT DATA, ET CETERA, AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO START OUR STREET RESURFACING PROGRAM, UH, HERE THIS NEXT MONTH.
AND SO FOR US TAKING THIS $1.2 MILLION
[01:45:01]
OUT OF THE STREET RESURFACING AND PUTTING OVER, WILL THAT AFFECT THAT, UH, WHAT WE HAVE LAID OUT, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE GOT LAID OUT FOR THE SUMMER? UH, NO, IT WILL NOT BECAUSE THAT PROJECT HAS ALREADY BEEN SCOPED AND AWARDED AND IS UNDERWAY.UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SEQUENCING OF WORK WITH THE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH SOME ACCESSIBILITY.
THE CONCRETE WORK HAS TO HAPPEN FIRST, ET CETERA.
UM, YOU NEED DRY, WARMER WEATHER, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TO BEGIN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH AND WE EXPECT IT TO BE, UM, LARGELY COMPLETED WITHIN ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
SO THEY'RE MOVING, THEY'LL BE MOVING THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH A, A SCHEDULE.
UM, AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING, UM, SOME OF THOSE UPDATES IN THE BIWEEKLY INFORMATION WE PROVIDE AS WELL ON OUR CIP PROJECTS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE DIVERTING MONEY FROM RESURFACING FROM THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT ALREADY TO DO THIS SUMMER.
UM, WITH THAT WE CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER, UH, THOMAS REICH, IF THIS IS FROM MY, WHEN I'M LOOK AT IT, IT'S MISLEADING.
YOU THINK IT'S 101 MILLION, 200,000? IT'S NOT 1,200,000.
IT'S FOR ALL THE CITIES OF, OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY OF THE SAN DIEGO AREA.
AND IT BREAKS DOWN TO $1,220 OR SOMETHING.
IT'S NOT 1 MILLION AND IT'S TO TRANSFER, TO TRANSFER IT TO THE SIGNALS, IT'S ONLY $1,228 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING.
AND DID WE HAVE ANYONE ON ZOOM ON THAT ONE? NO ONE ON ZOOM? NO ONE ON ZOOM.
UM, WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO, YEAH, I SECOND.
WHOEVER GETS THEIR DEAL FIRST.
UH, SO NO OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
UM, MY COMMENT IS FOR, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JUAREZ, CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THE AMOUNT OF THE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE WORK THAT IS BEING PROPOSED? UM, YES.
IN THE STAFF REPORT, THERE'S ACTUALLY A TABLE THAT SHOWS THE FORECAST OF WHAT THE TRANS FUNDS WILL BE FOR EACH OF THE CITIES THAT PARTICIPATE WITH SANDAG.
UM, SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, IT WAS, IT'S ACT AND, AND 2026 IS VERY SIMILAR.
IT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS 1,928 FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, BUT THAT'S IN THOUSANDS, RIGHT? SO THE CITY RECEIVES A TOTAL OF 1.9 MILLION, $1,928,000 IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
AND SO OF THAT 1.2 MILLION WE ARE ALLOCATING TO THE, TO THE LEFT TURN, UM, ENHANCEMENTS PROJECT.
IT'S, I THINK THERE'S, THE ZEROS ARE LISTED OUTSIDE OF THE TABLE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
ANY OTHER, I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS GONNA COME UP BECAUSE, UH, I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GONNA DO TOO MUCH WITH, UH, ONE, UH, $1,200.
UH, IF NOTHING ELSE, CAN WE, UH, HAVE A MOTION FOR, LET'S SEE, DID WE GET A MOTION? NO, WE DID GET, I DID.
WE HAD A MOTION FOR, FOR ADOPTION.
UH, SO YOU KNOW THE DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
[10.2 Public Hearing - Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Section 8.32.015 of the National City Municipal Code Related to the Keeping of Hen Chickens.]
INTO, UM, 10.2.AND THIS IS THE, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND IT'S AN INTRODUCTION, FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 8.325 OF THE NATIONAL SEA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO THE KEEPING OF HIN CHICKENS.
WELL, NO,
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC MARTIN REEDER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE GIVEN YOU A STAFF REPORT THAT PRETTY MUCH LAYS OUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS OBVIOUSLY FOLLOWS UP, UH, FROM A POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CHICKENS ALLOWED AND OR WHERE THEY MAY BE LOCATED.
AS A BRIEF BIT OF HISTORY, IN 2000,
[01:50:01]
IT WAS 12 CHICKENS WERE ALLOWED ON SINGLE FAMILIES OWNED PROPERTIES IN 2004 THAT WAS CHANGED AND REDUCED TO FOUR CHICKENS.AND THERE WAS A LIMITATION PLACED ON THE PROPERTY THAT IT BE AT LEAST 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HEN CHICKENS NOT ROOSTERS.
ROOSTERS ARE PROHIBITED BY THE CODE WOULD WOULD CONTINUE TO BE.
AND, UH, YEAH, SO THERE WILL BE NO ROOSTERS ANYWAY.
UH, THERE WASN'T, UH, UH, SO ANY SPECIFIC DIRECTION.
SO THIS IS REALLY INTENDED TO, TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO RE REMOVE THE, UH, LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT, THE 20,000 SQUARE FEET FOR SINGLE FAMILY ZONE PROPERTIES, AND TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CHICKENS THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN ORDER TO HELP WITH, UH, MORE EGGS AND SO FORTH.
SO, UH, WE DID GIVE YOU A DRAFT ORDINANCE.
THEN THERE'S A STRIKETHROUGH UNDERLINE, WHICH IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT IT ALLOWS UP TO 12 CHICKENS IN ANY SINGLE FAMILY'S OWN PROPERTY FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE, I SHOULD SAY.
SO THAT WOULDN'T IN ITS CURRENT FORM INCLUDE MIXED USE PROPERTIES OR, OR A MULTI-FAMILY.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS ONE, SO WE'LL SEE.
UH, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THE ITEM UP, AND THANK YOU FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, THIS WAS A POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST BROUGHT FORWARD BY MYSELF.
UM, UH, I DO THINK THAT, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, GET RECONNECTED WITH OUR FOOD SOURCE.
UM, I THINK IN A CITY LIKE NATIONAL CITY, UH, WE ARE SO FAR DISCONNECTED FROM WHERE OUR FOOD COMES FROM.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING ADDITIONAL GARDENS.
UH, THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE CHICKENS ALREADY, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMOVE, I THINK, UM, UH, UH, LANGUAGE THAT IS IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE THAT COULD BE PROHIBITIVE FROM, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO RAISE CHICKENS AND HAVE, UM, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL GARDENS.
AND SO I THINK, I THINK, UH, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
UM, MANY OF US MAY NOT ACTUALLY HAVE CHICKENS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THAT OPTION TO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, UH, UH, WORK ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, DURING MY BRIEFING, I DID UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS SOME REVIEW AS TO THE INCREASE.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING FROM FOUR CHICKENS.
I THINK IN THE PAST IT HAD BEEN 12.
NOW WE ARE INCREASING IT BACK TO 12.
UM, IN THE PAST IT WENT FROM 12 DOWN TO FOUR.
AND I UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS SOME GRIEVANCE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GRIEVANCE WAS AND I, I DUNNO IF THE CITY MANAGER CAN PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION THERE, BUT, UH, THERE WAS A REASON WHY IT WAS REDUCED DOWN TO FOUR.
AND SO I ASKED THE QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO INCREASE IT BACK UP TO 12? YOU KNOW, AND WHAT IS THE RATIONALE THERE? UM, WHY NOT JUST DOUBLE IT? YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S A BIT MORE SENSIBLE, MAYBE JUST EIGHT.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE, UH, UH, A METHODOLOGY THERE EITHER, BUT I, I'M JUST CONCERNED AND I'M GLAD THAT THE REPORT DOES, UH, BRING UP SOME OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH.
RIGHT? UH, WE HEAR IN THE NEWS A LOT ABOUT AVIAN FLU AND WE HEAR ABOUT, I I THINK EVEN IN THE STAFF REPORT THERE WAS MENTION ABOUT, UM, UH, WEST NILE VIRUS.
AND ALTHOUGH, UH, PERHAPS IT'S NOT BEEN PREVALENT IN NATIONAL CITY, UM, IT IS A CONSIDERATION.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST CONSIDER IF WE ARE INCREASING, UH, SOMETHING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF CHICKENS THAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, COULD BE, UH, NOW SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN NATIONAL CITY, UH, DOESN'T NEED TO BE THAT HIGH A NUMBER.
UM, PERHAPS MAYBE WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE.
UM, IF, IF, IF, I DON'T KNOW, IN THE PAST 12 WASN'T WORKING.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT, UM, I DUNNO, I'M OPEN FOR MORE DETAILS HERE OR, UH, SOME COMMENTS, FURTHER COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
WELL, LET'S, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON THIS.
SO I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS, MR. REICH, PLEASE.
FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON.
I'VE READ THE THING ABOUT CHICKENS, BUT THE THING ABOUT IT MAKES HAMSTERS, SNAKES AND TURTLES ILLEGAL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IF YOU READ THE THING, IT'S THE ONLY THING THEY ALLOW.
THEY ALLOW, UH, CHICKENS, I THINK RABBITS SOMETHING.
BUT THEY DON'T ALLOW ANY HAMSTERS, SNAKES, OR TURTLES.
SO THE THANK YOU
[01:55:01]
ALRIGHT.DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON.
I LIVE IN LINCOLN ACRES AND I HAVE CHICKENS.
I FEEL THE RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY DESERVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE AND RAISE CHICKENS AS WELL.
THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT SHOULD BE.
THE SIZE THAT YOU HAVE, THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY DESIGNATED FOR THE CHICKENS BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE HUMANE LIKE, UH, UM, LIZ MELINA WAS JUST SAYING IS, IS IF YOU HAD A SMALL AREA, THEN EIGHT CHICKENS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
IF YOU HAD A LARGER AREA DESIGNATED FOR THE CHICKENS, IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE LARGER, IT SHOULD BE HUMANE FOR THE, FOR THE CHICKENS.
UM, SO AFTER ALL THE FRESH EGGS ARE HEALTHIER AND MAKE HEALTHIER RESIDENTS, WE, WE ALL BE, OUR EGGS ARE, ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
THEY DON'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO GET REFRIGERATED BECAUSE THEY GET EATEN STRAIGHT AWAY OR THEY CAN SIT OUT ON THE COUNTER BECAUSE THEY'RE PROTECTED AND NOT WASHED AND ALL THAT.
BUT IN LINCOLN CONNECT, WE HAVE LESS RESTRICTIONS IN NATIONAL CITY AND REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES.
I THINK THE AMENDMENT SHOULD, UH, ALLOW MORE CHICKENS IN NATIONAL CITY, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT SHOULD INCLUDE TURKEYS TO HELP KEEP THIS CITY COUNCIL OUT OF TROUBLE.
UM, WE DO HAVE CHICKENS AND IT IS REALLY NICE HAVING FRESH EGGS IN THE MORNING.
UM, AND ORGANIC A DOZEN ORGANIC EGGS.
YOU'RE PAYING WELL OVER $10 FOR A DOZEN EGGS, SO IT'S EXPENSIVE.
UM, ALSO, UH, I, I GO WALKING.
I, I HEAR THE ROOSTERS CROWING OFF IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I HEAR GOATS BLEEDING IN DISTRICT FOUR, SO YOU KNOW, WHY NOT AMEND IT TO, TO, UH, PEOPLE HAVING THAT LITTLE, UH, URBAN FARM.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY ABOUT THAT QUESTION.
MS. MORRISON, WHAT ARE YOU COMFORTABLE TELL SHARING WHAT SIZE YOUR PROPERTY IS? JUST FOR CONTEXT ON THE LIMIT IS 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT'S, THAT'S PRIVATE INFORMATION.
SO THAT, THAT IT JUST, UH, JUST TO STAFF'S POINT, UM, QUESTION THE STAFF.
SO THE LIMIT, IF YOU GUYS, AND WE CAN DO THIS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT JUST WHILE IT'S FRESH IN MY HEAD, UH, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE SIZE AND THEN I THINK IT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT 25 FEET DISTANCE, SO IT WOULDN'T, UM, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, THIS IS, UH, CARLOS GAR, EIGHTH DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THE PERFECT SIZE IS PER CHICKEN, BUT TRADITIONALLY IN A, IN A TYPICAL CHICKEN RUN, YOU CAN, THE POPULAR OPINION AS WE RESEARCHED THIS WAS THAT EIGHT TO 12 CHICKENS FIT COMFORTABLY IN THE TRADITIONAL CHICKEN RUN.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY HOW 12 EIGHT TO 12 CHICKENS CAME TO BE.
THE KIND OF LIKE THE, THE MEASURE, BECAUSE CHICKEN RUNS TRADITIONALLY HAVE THAT MANY CHICKEN RUN IS THE CAGE CORRECT? SO YOU HAVE A, A CAGE WHERE THEY CAN RUN THE, I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THAT? THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE CAGES OR THE RUNS? IT'S ABOUT 16 FEET LONG BY 16 BY EIGHT OR 16 BY SIX.
SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO LIVE COMFORTABLY IN THE CHICKEN RUN, IT'S EIGHT TO 12.
NO MORE THAN 12 IS WHAT IS, IS IS THE GOING OPINION.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON ZOOM? NO.
COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING CHAIR SECOND? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THIS IS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING MOTION TO PROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, SOME QUESTIONS CAME UP ABOUT WHY DID IT GO FROM, YOU KNOW, 12 TO FOUR AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
WELL, THE INTERESTING THING WAS ALL THE STUFF WE'RE TAKING OFF OF THAT'S IN OUR DEAL IS HERE, IS OFF THE, UH, THE 2004 ORDINANCE.
IT WAS FOUR CHICKENS ON 20,000 SQUARE FOOT IN THE YEAR 2000.
AND I GOT THE MINUTES AND STUFF HERE FROM IT.
UM, IT WAS A MATTER OF FACT THAT TIME COUNCILMAN IN ZZA, UM, BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND, AND THAT WAS TO CHANGE IT TO THE IDEA OF 12 CHICKENS AT ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
THAT'S THE EXACT SAME THING WE'VE GOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW.
THAT WAS IN 2003 AND A HALF YEARS LATER, STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT WE GO BACK BACK
[02:00:01]
TO FOUR AT 20,000.AND, AND ALL OF THOSE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
'CAUSE WE, WE TRIED THE EXPERIMENT IN 2000, SAID, LET'S DO THIS.
AND AFTER THREE AND A HALF YEARS, STAFF BROUGHT IT BACK AND SAID, WE ARE SPENDING SO MUCH, WE ARE SPENDING MUCH, SO MUCH TIME WITH COMPLAINTS, WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES IF IT'S NOT DONE RIGHT, IF YOU DO IT RIGHT.
I MEAN, WHEN I WAS A KID, WE RAISED, MY FAMILY RAISED CHICKENS.
I HAD A ROOSTER THAT USED TO CHASE ME AROUND THE HOUSE WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW ME, THAT WAS A MEAN ROOSTER.
AND, UM, BUT, UH, BUT ANYWAY, UH, BUT IF IT'S NOT DONE RIGHT, JUST THINK OF IT THIS WAY.
IF YOU LEAVE DOG FOOD, I'VE GOT DOGS IN MY BACKYARD AND YOU LEAVE OUT DOG FOOD, I'M SORRY, DOGS WILL NOT ALLOW RATS AROUND THEIR FOOD.
YOU THROW A BUNCH OF GRAIN OUT AND IF YOU LEAVE IT IN AN AREA THAT IS OUT IN THE OPEN, YOU'RE GONNA ATTRACT RATS.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT, YOU CAN'T LET 'EM BE RUNNING FREE IN A, IN AN URBAN AREA.
UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAD.
I REMEMBER WE HAD ONE FAMOUS HOUSE OVER HERE ON PLAZA BETWEEN A AND B, UM, THAT THEIR CHICKENS KEPT GETTING OUT INTO THE STREET, OUT INTO PLAZA AND WE HAD A COUPLE CAR ACCIDENTS, EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN WE HAD DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE, 'CAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT TAKING, NOT TAKING CARE OF THEM.
'CAUSE IT DOES CALL FOR, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE LOT, IT STILL CALLED FOR THAT.
THEY HAD TO BE THEIR ENCLOSURE.
THEY HAD TO BE IN AN ENCLOSURE AND THEY HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 25 FEET FROM ANY RESIDENCE, INCLUDING THAT HOUSE THAT THEY'RE FROM.
THAT'S STILL IN OUR, THAT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE.
BUT, UH, SO IN 2020, I'M SORRY, YEAH, 20 0 4, 3 AND A HALF YEARS LATER, WE SAID THAT EXPERIMENT DIDN'T WORK OUT REAL WELL AND WE'RE MUCH DENSER NOW THAN WE WERE THEN.
SO THAT WAS THE REASON IT WAS CHANGED BACK.
AND, UH, 'CAUSE AND AS I SAY, BECAUSE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY PASSED IN 2000 WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE BE LOOKING AT DOING TONIGHT.
THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER WE WENT BACK.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE HISTORY OF THEM.
AND ANYONE WANTS TO LOOK AT THE STUFF.
I'VE GOT THE MR HOW IN TWO IN 20, IN 2020, HOW MANY SQUARE FEET PER CHICKEN? IN 2020 IT TOOK OFF THAT IT JUST SAID ANY RESIDENCE, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, JUST LIKE WHAT WE'VE GOT IN OUR AGENDA.
AND THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE FOUR HUH FOUR CHICKENS IN ANY RESIDENTIAL? NO, NO.
AND ANY, THE EXACT THING THAT WE HAVE HERE, OKAY, THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER IT SAYS, NO, THAT'S NOT WORKING.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT BACK TO THE, WHAT IT WAS BEFORE 4, 4, 4 IN 20,000.
NOW, NOW WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, UH, TO SEE IF WE WANNA EXPERIMENT WITH THAT AGAIN.
AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE NEVER, AT MY CURRENT HOUSE, I'VE NEVER HAD CHICKENS.
WE DID HAVE DUCKS AND WE HAD GOATS THERE.
THAT WAS WHEN THERE WAS NO PROPERTY AROUND.
MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAD HORSES AND UM, UH, WE HAD GOATS FOR MILK, GOATS FOR MY, MY DAUGHTER.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
NOW I'VE GOT MORE HOUSES AROUND YOU AND YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE THE CLEARANCES AND EVERYTHING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS ANYMORE.
UM, BUT UM, SO I'M ALL FOR AS MUCH NATURE AS WE CAN HAVE WITHIN AN URBAN AREA, BUT SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S FOUR HANDS.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR, UH, IT CAN BE A, A ROOSTER, BUT IT HAS TO BE, UM, UH, DEC CROWED, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TO SURGICALLY AND THEY DON'T CROW.
AND NOBODY, YOU CAN'T EVEN, YOU CAN'T EVEN DEC CROW ANYMORE.
THEY CANNOT DO, THAT'S MEAT THAT'S MEAN TO THE ROOSTER.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOISY, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THEY THEY'RE GONNA DEVOICE THEM OR WHATEVER THEY CALL NO, THAT, THAT'S JUST ROOSTERS.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ROOSTERS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HE CHICKENS.
I, I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MAYBE REDUCE THE NUMBER SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 12 OR TALK ABOUT PER SQUARE FOOTAGE.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE PROPERTY.
AND I KNOW I DO HAVE TWO HOUSES FROM WHERE I LIVE NOW.
THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE CHICKENS 'CAUSE I HEAR 'EM, BUT THEY HAVE A EXTREMELY LARGE LOT.
THAT'S THAT ONE RIGHT UP ON TOP OF THE HILL THERE.
THAT'S THE LARGEST LOT IN THAT AREA.
AND, UH, YEAH, THERE ARE VERY FEW, THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY PROPERTIES IN THE CITY THAT ARE 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE HAVE THE OLIVE WOOD WHERE THERE 10, 10 TO 12 AND MOST OF THE CITY IS ABOUT 5,000.
I MEAN, HOW MANY EGGS DOES ONE CHICKEN PRODUCE OR IF THERE'S 12, HOW MANY EGGS? I I HAVE NO IDEA.
I MEAN, DO YOU NEED 12 CHICKENS? I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD IT'S TWO ON A GOOD DAY, BUT, UH, THAT'S JUST HEARSAY ON MY PART.
I DON'T HAVE CHICKENS, SO I GUESS 12 CHICKENS, YOU GET TWO DOZEN EGGS UP, TWO, ONE EGGS.
[02:05:01]
YEAH.NORMALLY GONNA BE ONE, ONE PER DAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MR. RODRIGUEZ BROUGHT UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR THE REASON YOU'RE BRINGING THIS UP, YOU, WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT REQUESTED THIS.
ARE THEY INTERESTED IN MORE CHICKENS OR IS EIGHT A GOOD NUMBER? YOU KNOW, I, I'VE TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE.
I WAS ACTUALLY WALKING ON NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD AND THIRD, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I ACTUALLY SAW CHICKENS ON A TREE.
I THINK IT'S IN, IN, IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOOD COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, UH, BUT LOOK, I, I THINK IT ALREADY HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALREADY OCCURS, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO UPDATE OUR ACTUAL POLICY AND ACTUALLY ALLOW IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW IT'S VERY SILLY RIGHT? TO, TO ALLOW CHICKENS OR TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND CHICKENS.
BUT, UM, WE ARE VERY DISCONNECTED FROM OUR FOOD SOURCE AND BEING AN URBAN CENTER IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE NOT JUST COMMUNITY GARDENS, BUT PEOPLE GARDENING IN THEIR OWN HOMES.
UH, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE, HOPEFULLY HAVING SOME, UH, UM, UH, CHICKENS.
THEY, THEY DO A GREAT MANY THINGS, UM, INCLUDING EAT ALL OF YOUR FOOD SCRAPS, WHICH IF YOU DO NOT PUT IN THE PROPER CONTAINER IN THE WASTE CONTAINER, IT ACTUALLY GOES INTO THE LANDFILL AND PRODUCES SO MANY MORE ISSUES FOR US IN THE LONG RUN, WHICH WE WANNA, UM, UH, AVOID IN OUR LANDFILL.
SO IT ACTUALLY PROVIDES A GREAT DEAL OF BENEFITS.
AND THE QUALITY IS JUST SO MUCH BETTER WHEN IT'S ORGANIC EGGS.
THEY'RE EXPENSIVE FOR THE, FOR A REASON.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY.
I MEAN, I DON'T SEE MYSELF RAISING CHICKENS IN OUR CURRENT SITUATION, RIGHT? BUT, BUT I THINK IF MY NEIGHBOR WANTS TO, I, I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE OR HE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO.
AND UM, BUT THERE IS ALSO A HUMANE WAY TO DO IT.
AS, AS MENTIONED FROM SOME COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE QUALITY OF THE EGGS ARE OFTENTIMES DETERMINED BY THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THE CHICKENS HAVE, WHAT THEY'RE FED.
AND ALL THAT HAS TO DO WITH A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT, UM, UM, UH, APPROACH WHEN, WHEN NURTURING CHICKENS.
BUT IT IS, IT DOES, TO BE HONEST, LEAD YOU TO A LITTLE RABBIT HOLE OF BEING A LITTLE MORE INDEPENDENT AND NOT BEING SO DEPENDENT ON A GREAT MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, THAT OUR CURRENT SOCIETY, UH, KIND OF DRILLS UPON US.
AND SO HAVING FOOD INDEPENDENCE IS CRITICAL.
AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S LOCALLY GROWN, IF WE ARE REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, IF IT IS BETTER QUALITY, I THINK WHY NOT? AND PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DOING IT.
SO WHY WOULD WE NOT UPDATE A POLICY TO ACTUALLY ALLOW IT? UM, I DO BELIEVE, UM, AND I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES SOMETIMES.
UM, UM, I DO HEAR ROOSTERS ONCE IN A WHILE, AND THOSE ARE, UM, UH, VERY DISRUPTIVE.
ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE LIGHT SLEEPERS AND GOING OFF AT FOUR IN THE MORNING.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO SLEEP.
UM, BUT THIS DOESN'T PERTAIN TO ROOSTERS.
THIS IS, THIS IS ONLY TO CHICKENS.
SO FOR, FOR ALL THOSE REASONS.
UM, AND I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN I BROUGHT THIS UP, CHICKEN OR, OR, UM, EGG PRICES WERE EXCEEDINGLY HIGH.
AND I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN FLUCTUATING, UH, THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, BUT, BUT, UM, SO WHAT BETTER THAN TO HAVE, UM, LOCAL HOMEGROWN, UM, UM, EGGS THAT ARE SUPER HEALTHY FOR YOUR FAMILY, MARY? YES.
SO, UM, SIX, NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL OF EIGHT EACH CLASS LIMITED BY A MAXIMUM OF FOUR, NO RABBITS, NO CHINCHILLAS.
WHAT'S CHINCH? UM, FOUR TURKEYS, FOUR DUCKS, FOUR
UM,
HOW ABOUT SIX? HOW ABOUT SIX? SIX? AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST, JUST TO HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN YEAH.
BUT, BUT NONE OF THOSE OTHER ANIMALS.
YEAH, I'M, I'M DEFINITELY OKAY WITH THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE BROUGHT UP THE SPECIFIC ORDINANCE AND ALL THOSE WERE KIND OF JUMBLED TOGETHER.
BUT REALLY I ONLY INTENDED IT TO BE, UM, THE, THE, THE CHICKENS.
AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ANIMALS ARE ACTUALLY, YES, A LITTLE, A LITTLE LOUD, BUT NONE OF THOSE.
UH, SO, UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR BRINGING THIS.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE SELF-SUSTAINING.
I THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS MORE ON URBAN AGRICULTURE.
IT'S WHY SUPPORT OLIVE GARDENS AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AS A NONPROFIT.
SO, UH, HAVING OUR FOOD LOCALLY SOURCED AND SUSTAINABLE.
UM, PART OF THAT DOES INCLUDE LIVESTOCK.
UM, I LIVE ON EUCLID, SO RIGHT BY WHERE, UM, I THINK THE MORRISONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHERE
[02:10:01]
WE CALL HIM PANAMA.UM, I THINK HE HAS OSTRICH OR EMU OR WHATEVER TOO.
SO, UM, HE HAS, AND, AND I, I DON'T MIND, I THINK IT ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE VIBE AND THE CULTURE.
HE HAS LIKE EVENTS THERE SOMETIMES TOO.
UH, MY PROBLEM IS I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT, UM, CHICKENS IN THEIR IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BEING VETTED, HAVING ANOTHER, UM, KIND OF SESSION, UH, THROUGH THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IT'S ANOTHER, UH, SET OF EYES BECAUSE I DO, I, I THINK THERE'S A, MAYBE A COMPROMISE THERE.
UM, NOT JUST, I THINK THE 20,000 SQUARE FEET, LIKE THAT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE CHANGED, UH, BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY A BAN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF 5,000 IS 2,500, LIKE I WANT TO SEE SOME MORE DATA AND SOME MORE STATISTICS TO BACK THIS UP BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED, UH, I WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT AS IS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED AND WE REPEALED IT.
SO CLEARLY THERE WAS AN ISSUE.
UM, THERE WAS COMPLAINTS, SO THAT'S WHY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, FOR EXAMPLE, COMPLAINTS THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT GOT AT THE TIME, AND THAT WAS, WHAT, 15 OR 20 YEARS AGO.
SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY RECORDS, UH, OF THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS FURTHER VETTED.
I I'M NOT READY TO, UM, PUT OUT AN ARBITRARY NUMBER THERE WITHOUT SOME, SOME MORE ANALYSIS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS WELL SUITED TO, TO, UH, BE ANOTHER REVIEW BODY AND TO, AND TO DO THAT.
UH, SO, BUT I, BUT I DO SUPPORT, UM, SOME TYPE OF, UM, WHETHER IT SOMETHING BETWEEN FOUR AND 12, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FAR BELOW THE 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS.
I THINK IT REALLY DOES NEED TO HAVE, UH, MORE LOOK GOING INTO THIS.
UM, BECAUSE OKAY, WE PICKED CHICKENS HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER ANIMALS THAT ARE PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN FOR HUMANS, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA CONSIDER THEM DUCKS.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST UP IN MONTEREY AND THERE WAS, OH, A, UH, STREET FAIR, AND THEY HAD DUCK EGGS THERE, $25 A DOZEN.
SO YEAH, YEAH, YOU NEED TO GET DUCKS
BUT, UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S, UH, UM, I, IT IS GOOD.
BUT I THINK, AND, AND I, I THINK, UM, UH, MY COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEND DOWN HERE, HE MADE, I THINK A GOOD POINT.
HE SAW CHICKENS FOR THE FIRST TIME OUT IN THE STREET ON NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD.
AND THAT BECAME THE BIG CODE ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY THING THIS IS DEALING WITH IS THE NUMBER AND THE SIZE OF THE LOT.
AND, BUT THERE IS STILL ALL THE STUFF IN THERE THAT THEY NEED TO BE CAGED.
THEY NEED TO BE 25, UH, FEET AWAY.
THEY HAVE TO BE A CERTAIN TYPE OF BOTTOM ON THE, ON THE MATERIAL.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT, AND THE CLEANLINESS, EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IT REALLY BROUGHT UP A WHOLE LOT OF ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF CHICKENS OUT IN THE STREETS.
WAS WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS. AND YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE PEOPLE WOULDN'T GO AND BUY ALL OF THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND GOING WITH THE DEAL OF, WELL, SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING IT, SO LET'S, MIGHT AS WELL LEGALIZE IT.
WELL, WE HEARD EARLIER, UM, SOMEONE WHO'S UP HERE WAS COMPLAINING.
TED GOTCH WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT ALL THE SPEEDING ON CLEVELAND.
LET'S JUST LEGALIZE IT, YOU KNOW? AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT, THAT BY ITSELF IS NOT A GOOD DEAL.
IT'S WHAT DOES MAKE GOOD SENSE AND, UH, UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A SITUATION.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU ADEQUATELY ON A 2,500 OR A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT? MOST LOTS, YOU COULD NOT GET 25 FEET CLEARANCE BETWEEN IT, IT WOULD BE BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A 25 FOOT CLEARANCE.
AND SO IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING A LITTLE LARGER THAN EVEN THAN 5,000 FOOT.
5,000 FOOT IS OUR STANDARD, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF 2,500 SQUARE FOOT LOTS OR MAYBE THE 25 FEET DISTANCE.
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT FUNCTIONS, BUT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT TO ME.
WELL, I'LL BE HONEST, UH, I KNOW WE LOOK BACK AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS THE STANDARD IN ALMOST EVERY CITY.
UH, AND EVEN IF IT WAS NOT BEING OBSERVED IN ALL CASES BECAUSE OF LACK OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS PRETTY WELL A STANDARD, INCLUDING ALSO NORMALLY IN COUNTY AREAS ALSO.
UM, SO, AND A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE OF HYGIENE AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS ELSE THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT AND, AND, UH, SMELLS.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU NAME IT THAT GO, GO ALONG WITH ALL OF THIS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I COULD SEE US DOING SOMETHING, BUT I, YOU KNOW, JUST OPENING IT WIDE OPEN, SAYING ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, UH, THAT I WOULD, THAT, THAT I WOULD HAVE, HAVE AN ISSUE WITH.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A, A LOT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA GO BY, THEY'RE JUST GONNA BE TOLD, OKAY, YEAH, YOU CAN DO 12 CHICKENS ON ANY RESIDENTIAL
[02:15:01]
PROPERTY.AND THEY FORGET ABOUT ALL THE OTHER, THE OTHER PARTS OF IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT BECOMES A BURDENSOME ON NOT ONLY THEIR NEIGHBORS, BUT ALSO UPON THE CITY.
AND, UH, UM, SO I, I'M, I THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THIS, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE WE DO IT.
PUT IT IN, IN A PRACTICAL SENSE.
I KNOW EGG PRICES ARE COMING DOWN AND THE REASON IS, IS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO KILL OFF SO MANY HENS.
UM, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF HENS GOT KILLED OFF AND NOW THEY'RE JUST NOW GAINING THOSE HENS AND THE NUMBER OF HENS BACK SO THEY CAN GET THE SUPPLY BACK UP.
AND SO IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE, BUT THOSE PRICES ARE ALREADY STARTING TO COME DOWN.
FIRST YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE EGGS IN THE STORE.
PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING OVER EGGS AND, UH, LIKE THEY WERE TOILET PAPER A FEW, FEW YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, BUT NOW, AND NOW YOU GET ALL THE PALLET LOADS OF EGGS OUT THERE AND THE PRICES ARE STARTING TO DROP.
SO IT'S BECAUSE I HOPE MILK PRICES DON'T GO UP.
'CAUSE THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEGALIZE COWS IN EVERY YARD.
SO WE KNOW WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT ONE EITHER.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS.
MR. DE MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, MR. DE MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, YES, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING THAT MR. BUSH SAID.
UH, TALKING ABOUT PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT IS TITLE EIGHT, NOT TITLE 18.
I THINK WHAT I'D BE HAPPY TO DO IS WHEN WE COME BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEETING, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO SEE WHAT ALL THE OTHER CITIES, INCLUDING THE, UM, THE MORE URBAN ONES SUCH AS OURSELVES DO AND BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
AND THEN WE CAN HASH OUT THE DETAILS AND, UH, PERHAPS AFTER THE BREAK, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? THE EIGHT IN THE, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
UH, PLANNING COMMISSION IS SPECIFICALLY TITLE 18 OR ZONING MATTERS.
WHEREAS THE REST OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE IS OKAY, GOT IT.
BUT I CAN COME BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH THAT INFORMATION IF YOU LIKE.
'CAUSE THAT'LL TAKE A FEW WEEKS TO GET GOING.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SPEEDING AND, UH, LEGALIZING IT TO HAVING CHICKENS, BUT
BUT, UM, I DO SAY IN A VERY UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC WORLD AND UNCERTAIN SUPPLY CHAINS FOR MANY FOODS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE SELF-RELIANT AND THAT WE HAVE INDEPENDENCE AND WE GIVE THAT INDEPENDENCE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT, UH, DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INFORMATION.
SO IF WE CAN GET A AGREEMENT HERE, THIS IS, THIS WAS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN HOLD IT OVER THAT LONG OR WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, REDO IT.
UH, HAVE A REINTRODUCTION AT THAT POINT.
THAT'S ABOUT THREE MONTHS AWAY.
SO I, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT OUR, I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN COME UP WITH A DATE AND, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST.
THAT WOULD BE AFTER THE BREAK FIRST MEETING, BACK AFTER THE BREAK.
I'M SURE THAT WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME.
SO WE CAN, CAN WE HOLD THIS PUBLIC HEARING OVER TO THAT POINT? UH, YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTINUING IT TO A CERTAIN DATE? YEAH.
SO, UM, WHY DON'T, JUST IN CASE WE SAY, DEPENDING ON HOW BIG THAT CALENDAR IS, UH, CONTINUING IT TO A DATE NO LATER THAN THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST, CAN WE DO THAT? OR DO WE HAVE TO DO A CERTAIN DATE? I'D PREFER A CERTAIN DATE.
SO THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING? YEAH, JUST IN CASE NO ONE COMING OFF A BREAK.
A LOT OF TIMES WE END UP WITH A PACKED AGENDA SOMETIMES.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE AUGUST 18TH.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME.
THAT BE GOOD WITH EVERYONE? YES.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT IN A MOTION.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE A MOTION TO HOLD THIS, UH, AND TO CONTINUE THIS PUBLIC HEARING UNTIL AUGUST 18TH AND COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION.
CAN YOU HOLD, I BEG YOUR PARDON? I THINK IT, I THINK I GAVE YOU THE PLANNING COMMISSION DATE.
HE'S PLANNING DIRECTORS ONE MINE.
CAN I, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I, I'M JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF, UH, WE CAN GO OUT AND GET A BUNCH OF INFORMATION, BUT IS THERE AREAS WHERE YOU ALREADY FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME DIRECTION? I HEARD, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT, UM, SIZE OF THE LOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE CAN GET A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT THE MORE YOU CAN REFINE THAT, IT WILL HELP THEM IN TERMS OF NARROWING IT.
WELL, I, I, I WOULD THINK WHAT I HEARD, AND YOU GUYS CAN CORRECT ME, WAS OTHER, UH, URBAN CITIES, SOMEWHAT COMP, WHATEVER, SOME KIND OF COMPS ALONG WITH US AND WHAT THEIR REGULATIONS ARE, UH, CONCERNING NUMBERS TYPE TYPE OF, UH, UH, IF THERE'S SIZE OF LOTS OR TYPE OF LOTS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS ZONING OR IF THERE'S, HOW MANY, UH, THINGS ALONG THAT LINE.
THEN JUST, SO FOR ME, JUST TO ADD SOME SPECIFICITY ON MY END, I THINK IT'S THE LOT SIZE.
SO REDUCING THE 20,000, I THINK LOOKING
[02:20:01]
AT SOMETHING THAT RELATES MORE TO OUR LOT SIZE IS SOMETHING AROUND 5,000 SQUARE FEET.I DON'T THINK I AGREE WITH THAT DISTANCE OF 25 FEET.
I THINK THAT'S ARBITRARY AND IT, TO ME DOESN'T SEEM TO BE NECESSARILY BASED ON, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ODOR THING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A AIRBORNE BACTERIA THING.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT 25 FEET DISTANT, UH, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF THE CHICKENS, I'M OPEN BETWEEN FOUR AND 12.
I JUST CAUTION ABOUT THE 12 BECAUSE WE ALREADY, SEEMS LIKE WE DID, WE DID THIS AGAIN.
SO YEAH, THOSE ARE AT LEAST THE THREE AREAS I I'M INTERESTED IN EXPLORING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MEMORY, AMANI MONEY, IT, IT HAS TO BE HOUSED OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY HAVE ISN.
YEAH, WE, WE DO HAVE, THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER SECTION OF CHAPTER EIGHT THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE KEPT AND CLEAN, KEEP CLEAN AND SO FORTH.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, JUST A THOUGHT THAT, UM, 5,000 SQUARE FEET IS ALSO TOO BIG HERE IN OUR AREA.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING, I'M OPEN TO UNDER FIVE.
FIVE, 5,000 AND JUST CHECKING STANDARD, STANDARD SIZED LAWS.
YEAH, I, WE, WE, WE USED TO HAVE THE PEACOCK HERE AT THE ZOO, THE NATIONAL CITY ZOO, AND YOU COULD HEAR THEM ALL OVER NATIONAL CITY.
UH, SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND THIS IS TO CONTINUE THIS TO THE, UH, SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST.
[10.3 Public Hearing - Local Public Employee’s Vacant Positions -- Assembly Bill No. 2561.]
WE GO TO 10.3.AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON LOCAL PUBLIC EMPLOYEES VACANT POSITIONS FROM ASSEMBLY BILL 25 61.
AND, AND WHO DO WE HAVE PRESENTING ON THIS ONE? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
I HAVE, UM, MY HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST TO HAILEY LUER, WHO WILL BE DOING THIS PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS HAILEY LUER AND I'M AN HR RECRUITMENT ANALYST HERE AT THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
TONIGHT I WILL BRIEFLY DISCUSSING ASSEMBLY BILL 25 61.
THIS NEW LAW INTRODUCES IMPORTANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO JOB VACANCIES IN PUBLIC AGENCIES.
SO WHAT IS AB 25 61? TO BEGIN, WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT BEHIND AB 25 61.
ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2024, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED THE BILL INTO EFFECT IN RESPONSE TO THE FOLLOWING KEY FINDINGS.
FIRST JOB VACANCIES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE A WIDESPREAD AND PRESSING ISSUE.
HIGH VACANCY RATES NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES, OFTEN FORCING REMAINING STAFF TO TAKE ON HEAVIER WORKLOADS.
THIS IN TURN, LEADS TO BURNOUT AND INCREASED TURNOVER, CREATING A CYCLE OF UNDERSTAFFING THAT ONLY WORSENS THE SITUATION.
THERE'S A GROWING STATEWIDE CONCERN ABOUT ENSURING THAT PUBLIC AGENCIES ARE ADEQUATELY STAFFED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SERVICE DELIVERY AND LABOR STABILITY.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE LEGISLATURE ISN'T JUST FOCUSED ON NUMBERS.
THEY'RE FOCUSED ON HOW THESE VACANCIES IMPACT PEOPLE AND SERVICES, BOTH WITHIN AGENCIES AND IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
AS A RESULT OF THE FINDINGS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE NOW REQUIRED TO PRESENT VACANCY DATA AND RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AT A PUBLIC HEARING AT LEAST ONCE PER FISCAL YEAR.
THIS INCLUDES JOB OPENINGS, CANDIDATE ACTIVITY, ELIGIBILITY LISTS, AND RETENTION EFFORTS.
THE HEARINGS MUST TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE BUDGET IS APPROVED.
BARGAINING UNIONS MUST BE NOTIFIED AND IF THEY CHOOSE, SO MAY SPEAK ON THE MATTER.
THE HR DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED THE UNIONS ON MARCH 19TH.
SO TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE STATUS OF OUR VACANCIES HERE AT THE CITY AS OF MARCH 1ST, WE'VE OPENED 55 RECRUITMENTS SINCE THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE HAD SOME DIFFICULTY WITH RECRUITMENT EFFORTS IN THE PAST, THIS NUMBER REFLECTS ACTIVE EFFORTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS STAFFING NEEDS.
AS A RESULT OF OUR ACTIVE EFFORTS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FILLED 74 FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
THAT SAID, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 35 VACANCIES.
WE'RE STILL WORKING TO FILL ON THIS SLIDE.
[02:25:01]
OF OUR VACANCIES AS OF MARCH 1ST, 2025.WE CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 366 CAREER FULL-TIME AND ONE CAREER PART-TIME, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 366.5 POSITIONS OF THAT TOTAL 35 ARE VACANT AS OF MARCH 1ST, IN REGARDS TO OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, WE HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASED THE TIME IT TAKES TO FILL POSITIONS BY REDUCING THE TIME IT TAKES TO POST A POSITION, SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS, OFFER A JOB, COMPLETE THE ONBOARDING PROCESS, WHICH MAY INCLUDE BACKGROUND AND MEDICAL SCREENING, AND CONFIRM A START DATE.
IN THE PAST, THIS COULD TAKE UPWARDS OF NINE TO 12 MONTHS FOR NON-SAFETY POSITIONS.
THIS IS NOW TAKING APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS.
THE POLICE RECRUIT SALARY WAS INCREASED AND WE ARE NOW HAVING MORE CANDIDATES INTERESTED IN APPLYING AND TESTING WITH THE CITY THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE ALSO ATTENDED MORE JOB FAIRS, INCLUDING SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR NAME OUT THERE.
WE HAVE ALSO UPDATED NEO GOV, OUR RECRUITMENT PLATFORM BY MOVING MANY OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES COMPLETELY ONLINE, WHICH HAS HELPED STREAMLINE, STREAMLINE OUR HIRING AND ONBOARDING PROCESSES.
AND WE'RE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? IF NOT, IF WE CAN, UH, UH, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE DO, WE DO HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS ON THIS ONE.
UM, JEREMY DAY AND ALSO, UH, CARLA
IT'S SAID THAT THAT LABOR WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS PART OF PUBLIC COMMENT OR IF WE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK, LIKE SAF IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK, BUT MY, UH, MY COMMENTS WILL BE UNDER THE TWO MINUTES.
UM, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT EXHIBIT B THROUGH D, BUT UH, WE ARE ABLE TO SPEAK TO HR BEFORE THE MEETING AND NOW WE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT LIST WAS COMPILED.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION TO SLIDE SIX OR EXHIBIT E.
YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE 45 POSITIONS REPRESENTED BY THE FFA 43 OF WHICH ARE FILLED.
THESE 45 POSITIONS COMPRISE THE ENTIRE OPERATIONS DIVISION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND EVERY ONE OF THESE POSITIONS RESPONDS ON 9 1 1 CALLS.
CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PERSONNEL ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE BETWEEN THE POSITION RESPOND POSITIONS RESPONDING TO 9 1 1 CALLS, AND THE FIRE CHIEF, THE 45 OPERATIONS POSITIONS, ALONG WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, TWO ADMIN STAFF, ONE EMERGENCY MANAGER, AND FOUR COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION STAFF COMPRISE THE ENTIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE STRUCTURE, THIS STRUCTURE MEANS OUR OPERATION PERSONNEL ARE MANAGING CRITICAL FUNCTIONS REQUIRED TO EFFECTIVELY RUN YOUR CLASS ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHILE NOT IMPACTING OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE IN NEED OF A DIVISION'S CHIEF OF OPERATIONS.
THIS POSITION WILL HELP FILL THE STRUCTURAL GAP AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, WHILE ALSO CREATING A SUCCESSION PLAN FOR THE FIRE CHIEF POSITION.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS YOU'RE ALL BEING PRESENTED WITH AND CAN APPRECIATE THE ASK FOR US TO FOCUS ON WAYS WE CAN REDUCE THE BUDGETARY IMPACT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHILE INCREASING REVENUES WHERE WE CAN.
TONIGHT, I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT AND AGREEMENT WITH THE FIRE CHIEF ON THIS MATTER.
WE SUPPORT HIS DECISION TO UTILIZE BUDGETED FUNDS FROM VACANT FIRE DEPARTMENT POSITIONS TO FUND THE CREATION OF THE POSITION DIVISION CHIEF OF OPERATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ADDRESSING THIS CREATION, THE CREATION OF THIS POSITION THAT DID NOT MAKE IT TO YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE ITEM WILL BE ON THE JUNE 3RD COUNCIL AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.
AND, UH, CARLA, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS CARLA PALATE, SCIU 2 2 1, CHAPTER PRESIDENT.
REPRESENTING THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES FOR THE STATE OF NATIONAL CITY.
UM, THIS AB 25 61, IT'S VERY POSITIVE FOR OUR MEMBERS.
UM, WE FELT SOMETIMES IN THE PAST IF A POSITION, UM, BECAME OPEN, SOMEBODY WOULD RETIRE, SOMEBODY WOULD GET
[02:30:01]
A PROMOTION SOMEWHERE ELSE.WE WEREN'T CERTAIN THAT THAT POSITION WILL OPEN FOR OUR MEA MEMBERS.
WE DIDN'T, DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STRUCTURE FOR THE POSITIONS.
AND I THINK THIS WILL WILL HELP.
AND WE UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, BARRIERS WITH BUDGET WITH, YOU KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES THE DECISIONS THAT WERE BEING MADE WEREN'T ACTUALLY BUDGET FRIENDLY.
WE, WE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND FOR, WITH THIS COMMUNICATION, UM, INCLUDING THE UNIONS, I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY POSITIVE TO ASSURE THAT OUR GOAL FOR OUR MEMBERS IS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO, TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE RESIDENTS, TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ASSURING THAT WE CAN, UM, SUCCESSFULLY FILL THE VACANT POSITIONS AS POSITIVE FOR THE CITY.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE ANY PART-TIME EMPLOYEES POSITIONS.
THEY ARE, UM, ALREADY REPRESENTED BY A CIU.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY RESTRICTIONS BY THE ASSEMBLY BILL, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT I WOULD REQUEST IF, IF THAT COULD BE ADDED, AT LEAST FOR OUR GROUP SINCE THEY ARE PART OF SCIU.
AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF.
THIS WAS, UH, VERY HELPFUL, VERY, GAVE US A LOT OF COMMUNICATION.
UH, COULD WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I THOUGHT WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE COMMENTS.
NO, JUST CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION TO APPROVE YOU UNANIMOUSLY.
ALRIGHT, NOW, NOW WE WILL TAKE COMMENTS.
I'LL START WITH YOU DOWN THERE SINCE YOU WERE, IT WAS JUST A QUESTION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, SORRY, LEMME BRING UP MY NOTES.
UM, I DID NOTICE THAT, UM, A LOT OF THE INTENT OF THE ASSEMBLY BILL, UH, REALLY DOES, UM, FOCUS ON THE GROWING CONCERN ABOUT VACANCIES AND BURNOUT.
UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK, UH, STAFF MORALE, EMPLOYEE MORALE, UM, HAS BEEN A CONCERN OF MINE, UH, EVER SINCE I'VE TAKEN THIS POSITION.
AND I THINK, UM, I HAVE VOICED THAT CONCERN MANY TIMES.
UH, AND, AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, HAVING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT CONCERN RAISED TO THE LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, A STATE LAW, AND NOW THIS IS SOMETHING, THIS IS A REPORT THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE, UH, REPORTED OUT ANNUALLY, UM, I THINK IS GOING TO ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY THAT ISSUE.
UM, I WASN'T EVEN AWARE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT NOW THAT IT IS, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN.
SO FIRST I WANTED, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A VALID QUESTION.
WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION ABOUT, UH, THE CURRENT STATE OF, OF, UH, EMPLOYEE MORALE? UM, HERE IN OUR AGENCY? UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE VERY PROUD TO BE HERE.
UM, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNCIL IS WORKING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, AND DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE ALSO WORKING.
AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND FOR THE EMPLOYEES REGARDING THE RECRUITMENTS.
AS, UM, CARLA STATED, UH, PREVIOUSLY THINGS WERE NOT HAPPENING THE WAY THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, EXCUSE ME, HAPPEN.
AND NOW WE'VE SET THOSE RULES.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AS STATED TO GET THESE POSITIONS FILLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND PART OF AB 2 56 1 STATES THAT, UM, ANY POSITIONS THAT ARE, OR ANY POSITION THAT HAS 10% OR MORE, UM, WE MUST WORK WITH THE UNIONS ACTUALLY TO GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, WHERE ARE THE DELAYS OR THE REASONS WHY WE CANNOT FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT PROBLEM, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO FILL THEIR POSITIONS.
UM, WHERE WE PREVIOUSLY HAD FOUR TO FIVE PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING POSITIONS OPEN, WE'RE NOW DOWN TO ONE.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK.
AND HALEY STARTED IN SEPTEMBER AND DURING THE THREE MONTH,
[02:35:01]
OR THE, SOME JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, I WAS HANDLING THE RECRUITMENTS ON TOP OF THAT.SO SHE HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN TRYING TO GET THESE PROBLEMS RESOLVED AND GET THE POSITIONS FILLED FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT AS EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE IMPORTANT FOR THIS ORGANIZATION AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, HEARING THAT IMPROVEMENTS, UH, CONTINUE TO BE MADE, IT IS SO, UH, WONDERFUL.
AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED AND, UH, THERE ARE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO, TO GET US TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE MS. UH, APEG, UM, VOICING THE FACT THAT, YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR GREATER COMMUNICATION.
THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, NEEDING GREAT IMPROVEMENT ON.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR MS. HERNANDEZ THAT YES, THERE IS GREATER COMMUNICATION THAT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? UH, OR HAS BEEN HAPPENING NOW.
AND, AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, LACK OF COMMUNICATION IS, UH, A LOT OF THE TIMES A SOURCE OF MANY PROBLEMS. AND SO NOW, UM, THANKFULLY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AVENUES THAT ARE OPEN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE COMMUNICATION AND, AND SOLVE PROBLEMS. SO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, RELATED TO, UH, SOME OF THE SLIDES ON HERE TALK A LOT ABOUT A FOCUS ON RAISING THE SALARY FOR PD, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT I DID WANNA NOTE, UM, THE HIGH VACANCIES IN A LOT OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES, SPECIFICALLY MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT IN ONE OF THE CHARTS SHOWS IT'S 17%, WHICH IS A HIGHER RATE ACTUALLY, THAN PD.
SO I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT IN FACT, WE DO HAVE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEED FOR PD, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I HIGHLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT PD PROVIDES, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MOVE AWAY AND MOVE, REMOVE ANY FOCUS FROM THE OTHER AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MANAGEMENT WHERE WE DO HAVE GREAT NEEDS THAT ALSO WE NEED TO GET FULFILLED.
SO, UM, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE TOPIC ABOUT BURNOUT, UM, WE ARE ASKING A LOT OF OUR CURRENT STAFF IN FULFILLING, UH, THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE VACANCIES THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT FILLED.
UM, AND, UM, THE WORK IS THERE.
AND SO
AND, AND, UM, IT'S NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION.
SO I AM A PROPONENT OF, UM, HIRING THE POSITIONS THAT WE NEED TO HIRE FOR.
SO, UM, AND MY LAST POINT I WANNA MAKE IS ON EXHIBIT B, UH, THE RECRUITMENT LIST.
I DID NOTICE, UM, ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT I'VE HAD ON MY, I, UH, LINE OF SIGHT FOR SOME TIME IS THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR POSITION ON THAT RECRUITMENT LIST, IT DOES SHOW THAT THE POSITION CLOSED 10 17 20 24.
BUT IN FACT, I THOUGHT THAT THAT POSITION WAS IN FACT OPEN, SO I WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION THERE.
SO ORIGINALLY WE HAD CLOSED THE POSITION, UM, SINCE WE HAVE RECENTLY APPOINTED, UM, FOR IN AN INTERIM BASIS, IT MUST SHOW AS OPEN.
SO THE CHART ON EXHIBIT B IS NOT CORRECT.
THIS WAS AS OF MARCH 1ST THROUGH MARCH 1ST.
AND IT, I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK AND I COULD GET BACK TO YOU REGARDING WHEN IT WAS REOPENED.
SO THIS WAS FROM JULY ONE THROUGH, UH, MARCH 1ST.
SO ANY OTHER DATA, ANY OTHER VACANCIES THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED AFTER THAT DATE? AFTER MARCH 1ST? CORRECT.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR POSITION AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE LEADERSHIP PLAN THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GET COMPLETED.
UM, UM, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
AGAIN, THIS IS A GREAT FOCUS FOR ME.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, MISS? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.
WELL, THIS IS, UM, I'M SORRY, WHAT? OH, YEAH, THIS JUST, JUST, JUST TO RECEIVE ON THIS ONE AND, UM, OKAY.
YOU NORMALLY DON'T HAVE RECEIVING ON PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT OKAY.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE A MOTION TO, TO RECEIVE, I MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT.
[02:40:01]
OKAY.SO, SO THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REPORT TO THE HR STAFF.
AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UH, ON, UH, CARLA'S COMMENT ABOUT PART-TIME, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INCLUDED FOR ANY OF THE PART-TIME POSITIONS? I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY, OR I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE ANY POLICE OR FIRE, BUT JUST ANY OF THE COVERED PART-TIME EMPLOYEES FOR MEA POLICE AND FIRE.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR THOSE WHAT ARE CONSIDERED NON-CAREER POSITIONS.
THEY MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS BARGAINING UNITS, BUT THEY ARE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE BUDGET.
SO EACH DEPARTMENT HAS A BUDGET FOR PART-TIME STAFF, AND THEY CAN HIRE THOSE POSITIONS AS THEY FEEL IS NEEDED.
IF, IF YOU ALL IN HR COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY WHERE THAT INFORMATION COULD BE.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ON THE CLASSIFICATION PURPOSES, BUT I THINK FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE, IT'D BE HELPFUL, UH, IF, IF THAT COULD ALSO BE PRESENTED IN THE FUTURE.
SO FOR TONIGHT, UH, I THINK THIS INFO IS FINE, BUT, BUT SOMEHOW IF WE COULD FIND THAT OUT, I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL TO, IN TERMS OF, UH, CONTEXT, OF COURSE, WHAT I CAN, UH, ASK MY STAFF TO DO IS START CREATING LISTINGS OF EVERY TIME THAT WE OPEN THESE POSITIONS, IT'S ACTUALLY EASY FOR US TO EXTRACT OH, OKAY.
FROM OUR SYSTEM, AND WE CAN ADD THAT TO IT.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS, WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD IT.
UM, THIS IS VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT, UM, WILL, UH, REQUIRE EVERYONE TO COMMUNICATE.
UM, THIS IS ALSO GOOD INFORMATION FOR US.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S A SMALL CITY.
UM, WE HAVE 34 MANAGERS, 13 EXECUTIVES.
WE NEED PD, WE NEED THAT POSITION FROM FIRE, AND WE NEED PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THOSE TWO COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPERVISORS, I WILL STICK TO THAT.
WITH THAT, UM, PLEASE, LET'S SEE, AS SOON AS IT COMES UP, PLEASE VOTE.
RECEIVE THAT MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[11.1 Staff report on potential increases and/or implementation of taxes and fees and the strategic use of reserves to generate additional revenue for National City.]
UM, STAFF REPORTS.AND OUR FIRST ONE IS, UH, STAFF REPORT ON POTENTIAL INCREASES OR IMPLEMENTATION OF TAXES AND FEES AND STRATEGIC USES OF RESERVES TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR OUR CITY.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CARLOS KET, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE A BRIEF PRE PRESENTATION WITH REGARDS TO, UM, SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE MAY 8TH, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP.
UM, WE'VE BEEN EXTRAPOLATING AT A STAFF TO SEE, UH, HOW TO CRACK THE SAG OF BRINGING MORE REVENUE TO THE CITY.
UM, THE, THERE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THE WORKSHOP.
AND TODAY, UH, WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UH, THE TAX PORTION AND WITH REGARDS TO, UH, FURTHER THE USE OF OUR, UH, FUND RESERVES, UH, STRATEGICALLY, UH, AS LEVERAGE FOR, UH, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ON CITY SITES, UH, BOTH CITY FACILITIES AND CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
UM, SO I'LL COVER VACANT PROPERTY TAX FIRST, SALES TAX, UH, TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX, FRANCHISE FEES, AND THE STRATEGIC USE OF RESERVES.
YEAH, JUST ONE THING TO ADD ON THAT FIRST LIST THAT WE HAD UP, THAT WAS WHAT WE PUT UP.
YOU GUYS GAVE US SOME FEEDBACK.
WE JUST HAVEN'T UPDATED IT WITH YOUR FEEDBACK.
SO I KNOW ONE OF THE ITEMS WAS, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUSINESS LICENSE FEE.
WE JUST HAVEN'T PUT YOUR INPUT FROM THE LAST MEETING INTO THAT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING INTO.
SO, UH, THE FIRST PROGRAM BEING, UH, TO CONTEMPLATE IS A, A VACANT OR ABANDONED PROPERTY TAX PROGRAM.
UH, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE UN UNOCCUPIED TO ENCOURAGE THEM, UH, FOR, UH, FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, RENT OR SALE.
AS WE KNOW, WHEN A PROPERTY ISN'T VACANT, THEY'RE NOT ONLY AN ISSUE FOR THE CITY AND EVERY DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT STIMULATING THE ECONOMY EITHER THROUGH PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION OR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
SO, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A VACANT STRUCTURE FEE.
IT'S VERY LOW, 60, UH, $60, AND IT'S REALLY INADEQUATE TO COVER ALL THE CODE ENFORCEMENT WE DO WITH SOME OF THESE, UH, PROPERTIES.
AND I, I, I KIND OF DID A COUNT BASED ON SOME, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES.
AND WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM, UH, 40 TO 60 PROPERTIES
[02:45:01]
SIGNIFICANT OF SIGNIFICANT SIZE, BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL THAT CONTINUE TO GIVE US ISSUES.AND SO IF WE HAD, UH, THE POTENTIAL OF CREATING, UM, AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE SITES, THEN UH, WE COULD STIMULATE, UM, UH, THE, UH, THE ECONOMY HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
UH, ESCONDIDO RECENTLY, UH, IN, IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR, ADOPTED A FULL COST RECOVERY MODEL FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
BUT WE COULD, UH, ALSO CONSIDER A SLIDING SCALE FOR SMALLER, UH, RESIDENTIAL TO LARGER.
UM, THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE OF 1000, ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS, 1,042, AND THEN AN ONGOING MONITORING FEE, ANNUAL FEE OF 3,432, VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UH, OAKLAND STARTED, UH, UH, THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY CHARGING 6,000 A YEAR FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
UH, SO, AND, AND COMMERCIAL AS WELL.
UH, AND IT DID INCENTIVIZE THE USE OF, OF, OF THAT.
AND REALLY THE PRIMARY, ONE OF THE PRIMARY GOALS IS TO DO FULL COST RECOVERY, BECAUSE WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, UH, MANAGING, UH, THE BLIGHT ISSUES AROUND THESE PROPERTIES.
AND SO IF, IF, IF, IF IT'S NOT ENOUGH OF AN INCENTIVE FOR, UH, UH, THE OWNERS TO DEVELOP OR SELL OR DO SOMETHING WITH THE PROPERTY, THEN AT LEAST WE RECOVER OUR COSTS OF, OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
UM, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION IS SALES TAX.
SO THE CURRENT SALES TAX RATE IN NATIONAL CITY IS 8.75%.
UM, THAT INCLUDES THE 1%, UH, THROUGH MEASURE D, THE DISTRICT TAX.
THAT'S THROUGH, UH, 2035 IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
UH, YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF MOVEMENT UP EVEN INTO THE 11% AREA IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE CITIES, UH, CANNOT CAPITALIZE ON OTHER TYPE OF, OF, OF TAX REVENUE OR PROP OR PROPERTY TAX.
THEY'RE FOCUSING ON SALES TAX.
UH, SO, UH, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN TERMS OF BALLOT INITIATIVES CURRENTLY, UM, THE, UH, CAP IS 9.25%.
UM, IT'S SE THE BASELINE IS 7.75% IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
AND THAT'S DUE TO, UH, ONE HALF CENT, UH, T TAX THAT THEN FUNDS THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UH, UH, DIRECTOR JUEZ WAS, UM, UM, TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
UM, SO IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER, UH, AN ADDITIONAL ONE HALF, UH, SENT THROUGH A BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT COULD YIELD, UH, ABOUT APPROXIMATELY $8 MILLION TO THE CITY A YEAR, UH, TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX, UM, THAT'S IMPOSED ON GUESTS, UH, THAT OCCUPY HOTELS, MOTELS, OR OTHER SHORT, UH, TERM ESTABLISHMENTS LODGING, UH, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
CURRENTLY, THE NATIONAL CITY, UH, TOT IS 10%.
AND THIS, UH, SAN DIEGO, DEPENDING ON WHAT DISTRICT TOT DISTRICT IT'S IN, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM 11.75, UH, PERCENT TO 13.75%.
SO THAT YIELDS US ABOUT 2 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, BUT IF WE WERE TO INCREASE, SAY THE, THE TAX, UH, 12%, THAT COULD BRING US AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OF, UH, APPROXIMATELY 400.
THAT'S WHAT THE EXISTING HOTELS WE HAVE NOW, CORRECT.
AND ANOTHER AREA, UH, WE NEED TO CONSIDER AND LOOK, UH, INTO ARE FRANCHISE FEES.
FRANCHISE FEES ARE, UH, PAYMENTS MADE BY UTILITIES TO USE THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR ANY OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, YOU KNOW, ECHO, UH, SDG, E AND, UH, OTHER COMPANIES THAT USE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, CURRENTLY WE RECEIVE ABOUT 3 MILLION A YEAR.
UM, ECHO, UH, HAS PROVIDED AN ESCALATOR IN THEIR FRANCHISE FEE.
SO CURRENTLY IT'S 11% AND IT GOES UP, UH, HALF A PERCENT EACH YEAR.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
AND THEN WE, WE NEED TO WATCH AND MAKE SURE THAT AS WE NEGOTIATE, UH, ADDITIONAL FRANCHISE FEES INTO THE FUTURE THAT WE CONSIDER ESCALATION TO KEEP UP WITH COSTS.
UM, SDG E PAYS 1.1% WITH NO ESCALATION.
AND THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, THEY, THEY CHARGE THE 1.1%, BUT, UH, THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO HAS ALSO ADDED A FEE DIFFERENTIAL OF 5.78% FOR A TOTAL OF 6.88%.
SO THAT'S, IS THAT THEIR UNDERGROUND, I'M WONDERING IF THEIR UNDER, I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR UNDERGROUND CITYWIDE EFFORT.
I JUST KNOW THAT THERE IS, THERE'S A FEE.
WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF THAT'S
[02:50:01]
THE, THAT PROCESS, BUT THERE IS A FEE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN, SO, UH, THAT COULD BE POTENTIAL FOR IF WE WERE TO UNDERGROUND OR CREATE ANOTHER INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM THAT THAT WOULD BE, WE COULD OFFSET IT THROUGH A FEE DIFFERENTIAL AS WELL.BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, I JUST, UM, I KNOW WE BROUGHT THIS QUESTION, I BROUGHT THIS QUESTION UP JUST BECAUSE WE JUST GOT A SURVEY FROM OTHER CITIES ABOUT WHAT WE'RE, WHAT OTHER, WHAT ARE AGENCIES DOING ABOUT PUTTING TOT TAX ON, UM, VACATION RENTALS? AND SO I KNOW WE HAVE VACATION RENTALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE LEGAL FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
UM, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF, UM, DO WE, DO WE ENFORCE THEM AND GET 'EM OUT, OR DO WE LOOK AT ACCOMMODATING AND TAXING? AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. SO ON JUNE 3RD, WE ARE COMING WITH A SHORT TERM ORDINANCE FOR CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION, AND PART OF THAT IS CONTRACTING WITH A THIRD PARTY TO COLLECT THE TOT ON THOSE UNITS.
UH, LASTLY, UM, WE'D LIKE TO USE LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC USE OF, UH, RESERVES FROM THE CITY.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, RESERVES, UH, ENABLE THE CITY TO WITHSTAND ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS AND OTHER FISCAL CHALLENGES.
AND POLICY 2 0 1, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE STAFF REPORT, UH, UH, PROVIDES A GUIDE TO THE TARGET LEVELS THAT EACH FUND SHOULD HAVE.
BUT ONE OF THE, UM, UH, ONE OF THE INNOVATIVE THINGS WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO IS, UM, RESERVE, UH, ANYWHERE BETWEEN HALF A MILLION TO $2 MILLION, DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO INITIATE, UH, PRE-DEVELOPMENT, UH, OR THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS FOR CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE AND CITY FACILITIES.
LAST YEAR THERE WAS, UH, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOOKING AT, UH, THE, UM, LOOKING AT, UH, A NEW CONSTRUCTION HERE AT CITY HALL BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND ISSUES WITH THIS BUILDING AND CONSIDERING IT A MIXED USE PROJECT WHERE WE CAN DO A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND PROVIDE FOR RETAIL SPACE OR, UH, HOUSING AT ALL ECONOMIC LEVELS.
BUT THAT OPENS UP A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT FINANCING MECHANISMS BY WAY THAT WE ARE JUST NOT AS A CITY THEN FUNDING NEW FACILITIES.
WE'VE DONE THIS VERY, UM, UH, VERY WELL.
AND AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, OUR PARADISE CREEK, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT PAID PRETTY MUCH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF, OF THE, UH, PARK THAT WE BUILT NEXT DOOR, INCLUDING THE REMEDIATION OF IT.
UH, IT, THE CASH FLOW FROM, UH, PARADISE CREEK CONTINUES TO PAY INTO, THROUGH, THROUGH COMMUNITY HOUSING WORKS.
IT, IT, THERE IS A COMMUNITY FUND WHICH WILL FUND, UH, A BATHROOM AT THE PARK.
WELL, UH, ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AT THE, UH, COMMUNITY GARDEN AND, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AS CASA AS WELL, AND AS CASHFLOW PERSISTS, IT'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UH, AT OUR, WHEN WE REHABILITATED, UH, MORGAN KIMMEL TOWERS, WE PROVIDED FOR A SUBSIDY OF THE NUTRITION CENTER TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 550,000 A YEAR WITH ESCALATION.
WHEN WE DID, WE FINISHED MOR, UH, KIMBALL HIGHLAND PROJECT.
WE RECEIVED, UH, UH, AS PART OF THE PROJECT AND PUBLIC BENEFIT, THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, AS A DONATION TO THE CITY AT A, AT A LONG-TERM LEASE OF A DOLLAR A YEAR.
SO THAT'S THE, THE, THE TYPE OF THINKING THAT, UM, BRINGS US TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE CITY PROPERTIES, EXISTING FACILITIES AND VACANT PROPERTY THAT'S COMMERCIAL, UM, AND, AND REALLY LOOK AT, AT THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES THAT WE CAN THEN, UH, TYING UP THE, UH, UH, PROJECT, UM, PROFILE AND OTHER PRE-DEVELOPMENT WORK SO THAT WE GO INTO A PROJECT WITH THE RIGHT ECONOMICS AND LOOK FOR THE, UH, RIGHT RESOURCES AFTER THE FACT.
BUT STARTING OUT WITH A PIECE OF, UH, UH, FUND RESERVES TO, TO, TO PUSH THOSE PROJECTS ALONG.
UM, HERE'S JUST A, A SUMMARY OF ALL OF THE FUND RESERVE BALANCES.
UH, THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, UH, CURRENTLY STANDS AROUND 24.5 MILLION.
UM, THE TARGET IS 8.1 MILLION, SO THAT PROVIDES, UH, 16.4 MILLION, UH, POSSIBLY TO RESERVE A, A, UM, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THAT AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND TO, UH, FURTHER DEVELOP CITY PROPERTIES.
UM, WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS AND HAVE A DISCUSSION AND, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION WITH REGARDS
[02:55:01]
TO WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, WE CAN TAKE THAT AS WELL.UM, I'LL START OFF WITH A FEW.
THE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT ONES ON HERE, PROBABLY THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE THE EASIEST ONE TO DEAL WITH, BUT IS PROVING TO BE DIFFICULT AT THE BALLOT BOXES IS THE TOT TAX.
AND, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE THAT YOU, YOU, YOU DO HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE ON IT, VOTE OF THE PEOPLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOESN'T COME OUTTA YOUR LOCAL RESIDENCE, IT COMES OUTTA YOUR VISITORS.
SO YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EASY SELL, BUT CITIES ARE HAVING A HARD TIME SELLING THAT ONE.
AND, UH, BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY AS YOU MENTIONED THAT EVEN WITH EXISTING, I THINK AS YOU SAID, IF WE WENT TO 12%, IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE ABOUT $400,000.
BUT WITH CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE TWO APPROVED THAT WERE, WE'RE APPROVED BY COASTAL COMMISSION FOR TWO NEW HOTELS, UH, DOWN BY THE WATERFRONT.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT, UM, GOING BEFORE THE COASTAL COMMISSION TO HAVE ANOTHER TWO, UH, TO BE ALLOWED.
I THINK THAT THAT NUMBER CAN GO UP DRASTICALLY OVER WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
WE'RE PROBABLY GETTING CLOSER TO, WELL BE MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE THE 400,000 IS JUST DIFF GOING FROM 10% TO 12%.
THESE NEW HOTELS ARE GOING FROM 0% TO 12%.
SO, UM, TO ME, THAT THAT ONE IS, IS THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT IF WE SELL IT.
UM, I THINK RIGHT NOW SALES TAXES ARE, UNLESS YOU ARE REALLY LOW ON THE SALES TAX LIST AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY, THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT.
AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THIS BEFORE AND WE WERE ABLE TO SELL IT, BUT I, I THINK THAT ONE WOULD BE DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, THE, UH, THE WHOLE IDEA ON THE FRANCHISE FEES.
I KNOW SHULA VISTA HAS FRANCHISE FEES ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING AND, UH, TELEPHONE, EVERYTHING.
UM, BUT ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE ON THAT.
AND THAT WAS, AND THAT'S ONE THAT COMES OUT DIRECTLY FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR BUSINESSES.
SO ONCE AGAIN, A LITTLE, IT USED TO BE EASIER.
CHULA VISTA GOT IT THROUGH A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING ON IT FOR US, THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT.
UM, THE VACANT PROPERTY TAX, I THINK IS, IS A GOOD IDEA AS LONG AS WE DO NOT TRY TO BE OVERLY PUNITIVE.
UM, AND BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA BE TELLING EVERYONE, WE WANT EVERYONE TO DEVELOP YOUR, YOUR VACANT PROPERTY THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE THEN WHAT DO WE DO IN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WE, WE, WE LOSE ALL OPTIONS.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO EVERY PIECE OF PROPERTY.
BUT I'M, ESPECIALLY, I'M EVEN MORE CONCERNED NOT AS MUCH AS THE VACANT PROPERTY, VACANT PROPERTIES, UH, I SAY VACANT LOT, BUT AS VACANT BUILDINGS AND, UM, BECAUSE THEY SAY WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT MORE INSPECTIONS, EVERYTHING ELSE HAVE TO BE DONE ON THAT MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND, UM, WHETHER IF IT IS A FEE LIKE THE ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT, OR ALSO ONE IS ON BASED ON SERVICE CALLS, MUCH LIKE WHAT WE DO WITH THE, UH, POLICE, WITH PARTIES.
IF THEY, IF THEY GO ONE TIME, IT'S OKAY, TURN DOWN THE MUSIC, GO BACK THE SECOND TIME YOU START CHARGING, AND EACH TIME THE, THE FEE GOES UP.
AND WE KNEW, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN BUILDINGS IN TOWN HERE THAT ARE BOARDED UP THAT GET BROKEN INTO ON A QUITE REGULAR BASIS 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT SECURED WELL ENOUGH.
AND SO, I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
UH, BUT I THINK THOSE WOULD ALL BE GOOD ON THE, UH, STRATEGIC USE ON CITY RESERVES.
AND I KNOW WE KEEP LOOKING AT THAT UNDECIDED FUND BALANCE THERE, UH, 24 MILLION AND WHEN THERE'S A TARGET OF 8 MILLION, AND SO IT STILL LEAVES US, IF WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR SHORTFALLS, IT, IT LEAVES US WITH ALMOST $7 MILLION OVER IN THAT FUND.
BUT ONE OF THE ONES THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS THAT PENSION TRUST RESERVE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SAYING OUR TARGET IS A LITTLE OVER 10 MILLION.
WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE OVER 7 MILLION, BUT IT'S TALKING ABOUT, UM, TWO YEARS OF IT.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT, UM, WE'RE PUTTING IN I THINK 1.5 MILLION AND WITHIN FOUR YEARS THAT RATCHETS UP TO $7 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THAT NUMBER'S GONNA DRASTICALLY BE GOING UP.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE PUTTING A LOT MORE MONEY INTO THAT.
AND THEN LOOKING AT A DEFICIT THIS YEAR, WHICH THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE COMING OUTTA THAT, THAT 6.8 ALSO.
SO IT'S, UH, UM, IT IS, IT, WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT THE CHART, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT WHEN YOU START SEEING WHERE OUR TARGETS ARE AT AND, AND HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GROW IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, UM, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT AGAINST USING SOME RESERVES ON SOME OF THOSE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE BRINGING IN REVENUE.
IF WE'RE JUST USING IT FOR OPERAT, YOU KNOW, RESERVES
[03:00:01]
TO ME WE SHOULDN'T BE USING EXCEPT AS A LAST DITCH EFFORT FOR OPERATIONAL USE.YOU USE THEM MORE FOR EMERGENCY USE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT IF WE'RE USING SOMETHING THAT HAS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UH, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA AND, UM, BUT STILL HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH IT.
BUT I SAY REMEMBERING A LOT OF THESE ONES ALSO TAKE PUBLIC VOTES TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
OUR, OUR CONCERN MOSTLY IS THAT WHEN WE, UH, CONSIDER NEW DEVELOPMENT, UH, PARTICULARLY CITY DEVELOPMENTS, WE WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF IN A HIT AND MISS MODE WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ENVISIONING DOING SOMETHING, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL FUNDING TO DO THE ECONOMICS
AND SO WE, WE, AND, AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER TIME HERE AT THE CITY, THAT PROJECTS SEEM TO BE PROLONGED.
THEY TAKE 5, 10, 15 YEARS TO COMPLETE BECAUSE THE CONCEPT NEEDED TO BE REFINED AS WE WENT ALONG WITH, WITH, WITH MOVING IT FORWARD.
IF WE WERE TO INVEST MONEY UPFRONT TO BE ABLE TO, TO VET OUT THE CONCEPT, WE'RE THEN MORE SURE ABOUT THE ECONOMICS AND THE, AND HOW THE DEVELOPMENT WORKS AND PRESENTING IT TO CITY COUNCIL SO THAT WHEN WE'RE, UH, HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING WITH THE, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VETTED AND, AND IT WORKS FINANCIALLY VERSUS KIND OF A HIT AND MISS ALONG THE WAY.
RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU MS. MAYOR.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THIS WORK.
UM, I THINK, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO START WORKING ON SOME OF THESE, UH, ITEM ALONG WITH MY, WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING JUST KIND OF GOING ONE, ONE BY ONE.
IF WE CAN PUT OUT THE SLIDE ON THE VACANCY PROPERTY, UH, TAX.
SO THERE ARE SOME LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBDIVIDED, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS BE APPLICABLE PER SUBDIVISION OR WOULD IT BE APPLICABLE TO ISSUES WITH THE, IS IT UNDER ONE OWNERSHIP OR ARE WE, ARE WE LOOKING AT DOING IT BY PARCEL? CORRECT.
IT COULD BE MULTIPLE PARCELS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YEAH.
AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC ANSWER NOW, BUT I'M, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT ESCONDIDO DID.
UM, YEAH, SO THEY JUST HAD A FLAT RATE.
UH, IT DID, THEY, UH, ESCONDIDO, EXCUSE ME, UH, HAS A FLAT RATE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIZE OF IT, IT'S JUST COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT WE COULD CREATE A, A SLIDING SCALE OR MORE THAN AS WAS REFERENCED BEFORE, AND MAYBE WE COULD DO IT BY TRUE COST RECOVERY, WHICH IS EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING WITH THE PROPERTY, WE ADD IT TO THE VACANT PROPERTY TAX ROLE.
I THINK THE REGISTRATION PIECE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UH, PARTICULARLY WHAT ESCONDIDO HAS THEN IS THEY MAKE, THEY MAKE SURE WE VET IT OUT WITH FIRE.
SO IF IT IS A VACANT BUILDING THAT THE APPROPRIATE ALARM AND SECURITY SYSTEMS ARE ON THAT BUILDING, UH, AND THAT THE FULL REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE AND OTHER ISSUES THAT TYPICALLY WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS AT A VACANT LOT, NO ONE RESPONDS TO, TO THE ISSUE.
AND, UH, IN HAVING THE REGISTRATION, THEN WE HAVE AN ENTITY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT THE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED INSTEAD OF GOING OUT THERE TWO TO THREE TO FOUR TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE.
AND I ACTUALLY DO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL OF A, A VACANCY, UM, FEE AS WELL.
SO NOT JUST THE LOT ITSELF, BUT A VACANCY FEE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPTY, UM, AT TIMES, UM, UH, STOREFRONTS OR, YOU KNOW, MIXED USE SPACES THAT ARE, THAT ARE VACANT.
UM, AND OFTENTIMES IT'S, UH, UH, OWNERS THAT MAY NOT, UH, NECESSARILY NEED THE CASH FLOW AND, AND AS A RESULT, THEY'RE KIND OF OKAY WITH SITTING ON THE PROPERTY AND TAKING IT AS A LOSS.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS OR COMMUNITY, AND IT OFTENTIMES BECOMES OBLIGED.
SO I, I ACTUALLY DO, UH, QUITE AGREE WITH THAT, AND IT, I THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE THAT IN, IN THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, LASTLY, FOR THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, DOES, DOES A COUNCIL HAVE A RIGHT TO PASS SOMETHING LIKE THIS, OR DOES IT HAVE TO COME TO VOTERS? UM, THIS CAN BE DONE BY ORDINANCE ORDINANCE.
UH, I, IF BARRY IF YOU COULD SECOND ME ON THAT, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT COULD BE DONE BY ORDINANCE.
UM, ON THE SALES TAX, UM, PROPOSAL, I WOULD BE A LITTLE HESITANT ON THE SALES TAX CONSIDERING WHERE WE ARE
[03:05:01]
ECONOMICALLY, AND I DO BELIEVE ULTIMATELY SALES TAX ARE, UH, MORE AGGRESSIVE FORM OF TAXATION.UM, IT HITS THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE BOTTOM END OF, UH, INCOME INSTEAD OF THOSE THAT ARE MORE WELL OFF.
SO I, I WOULD DEFINITELY BE A LITTLE MORE RESERVED ON THAT ONE.
UM, UH, A TOT TAX, I DID HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSSED SHORT TERM RENTALS UNDER THE, UH, LANGUAGE THAT WAS PROPOSED, UM, IT'S, IT STATED THAT NATIONAL CITY HAD AN 8% TOT, BUT IT STATES HERE THAT IT'S 10%.
DO WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHICH ONE IT IS? I, I DEFER TO, UH, BRUCE.
THAT'S THE PERCENTAGE THAT WAS PROVIDED.
IN OUR, IT'S 10 FOR CODE MM-HMM
UM, BUT THIS IS NOT, UM, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, UH, THESE FIGURES DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR, UH, POTENTIALLY INCLUDING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES AS WELL.
IT'S, IT'S ONLY HOTELS EXISTING? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND THAT DOES HAVE TO, UH, BE AN INITIATIVE THAT WOULD GO TO VOTERS CORRECT.
UM, FRANCHISE FEES, I HAVE ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UM, NO, NO, IT'S A LITTLE LATE.
UM, THE FEE ITSELF, SO IN COMPARISON TO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, HOW WAS IT THAT THEIR DIFFERENTIAL WENT? HOW WAS IT THAT THEIR DIFFERENTIAL WAS 5.78 IN COMPARISON TO THE DIFFERENCE WAS 5.78? HOW, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN OVER THE YEARS AND WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THEIR GENERAL FUND? THAT MEANS THEY'RE COLLECTING THAT, WHETHER IT'S ALLOCATED TO A SPECIFIC USE OR TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO'S COLLECTING 5.79% OVER THE 1.1%.
AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO IN THEIR GENERAL FUND?
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
I, I KNOW SAN DIEGO HAS A FEE TO HELP THEM UNDERGROUND THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS ANOMALY, I'M WONDERING IF IT, IF THIS IS THE AREA FOR IT.
UM, AND THEY DID, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WENT AND GOT THAT PASSED.
I THINK THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I'LL, WE'LL RESEARCH THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY GET AN ANSWER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THIS ANOMALY.
I I DID HEAR RECENTLY THAT THEY STOPPED UNDERGROUNDING FOR A WHILE IN SAN DIEGO, SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CONNECTED TO THIS FEE OR NOT.
AND THIS IS ON THE SEG AND E WEBSITE, SO IT'S AN OFFICIAL COLLECTION.
I I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WOULD NOT POST IT IF IT WAS IN A GREAT COLLECTION.
AND, AND THE, THE LAST, UM, UH, QUESTION, IT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT YOU DID MENTION IT BEFORE THE, UM, UH, LICENSE THE NATIONAL CITY BUSINESS LICENSE FEE.
UM, TYING IT TO THE SIZE OF THE BUSINESS ARE GROSS RECEIPTS.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S INHERENTLY UNFAIR TO ASK A COMPANY LIKE WALMART TO PAY THE SAME FEE AS, YOU KNOW, HOME COFFEE IN NATIONAL CITY.
IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE.
UM, SO WE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE AND WILLING TO ADJUST.
A LOT OF CITIES ACTUALLY DO IT.
SO SOMETHING ELSE I WOULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING.
UM, ACTUALLY MR. RODRIGUEZ COVERED EVERY SINGLE POINT I WAS GONNA MAKE, UH, THE VACANT PROPERTY TAX.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT.
UM, I THINK WE HAD CONSIDERED MAKING THIS A FEE, NOT A TAX.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE THAT WE HEAR BY ORDINANCE? YEAH, SO BY ORDINANCE, YES.
SO THAT'S JUST, IF IT'S A FEE UHHUH, THAT'S COST RECOVERY.
SO WE WOULD CALL IT A FEE, NOT A TAX.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I, I, YOU KNOW, NOT TO, UM, DIMINISH IT, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD ACTUALLY PRODUCE A LOT OF REVENUE.
UH, AND IN FACT, I THINK THIS WOULDN'T, UM, SINCE IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A BIG REVENUE GENERATOR, UM, I I SEE THIS MORE AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL, RIGHT? CORRECT.
UH, BECAUSE IT WOULD, UM, ENCOURAGE ACTIVATION OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES.
UM, AND, AND SO, UH, THE PROJECTED REVENUE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF OUR DEFICIT, BUT IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATING THOSE BUSINESSES THAT, UH, WE DON'T WANNA SEE ABANDONED.
UM, SO I, YES, I DO WANT TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND I AM IN AGREEMENT THAT IT SHOULD BE THROUGH ORDINANCE, UM, YEP.
I'M NOT PREPARED FOR TOTI DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD PURSUE KNOWING THAT, UH, WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE PRECIPICE OF, UM, POTENTIALLY MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, BRINGING
[03:10:01]
NEW HOTELS TO NATIONAL CITY FRANCHISE FEES.AGAIN, THE SAME THING IS, UH, IT BOTHERS ME THAT SDG AND E PAYS 1.1% WITH NO ESCALATION.
AND ED ECHO, GOD, WE LOVE ED ECHO.
UM, AND THEN LET'S SEE, ANOTHER COMMENT.
UM, I GUESS MY ONLY OTHER ONE WOULD BE THE, UM, UH, UM, LET'S SEE, BUSINESS LICENSE TAXES.
SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING I MENTIONED TO SCOTT EARLIER WHEN WE WERE IN OUR, UM, BRIEFING.
AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, YES, UH, I HAVE BEEN, UH, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, STRATEGIST, UH, PEDRO GARCIA, RIGHT? HE WORKS IN DISTRICT ONE OFFICE, BUT ALSO HE DOES, UH, WORK WITH YOU CARLOS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO HE HAS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE BUSINESS LICENSING, UM, TAX TAXES STRATEGY, HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK THROUGH AND, UH, UM, MODERNIZE THE STRUCTURE FOR WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
I, I THINK, UH, IT HASN'T BEEN MODERNIZED IN A WHILE.
AND JUST AS JOSE MENTIONED, UM, IT IS A WAY THAT WE CAN SORT OF PROTECT THE MOM AND POPS, UH, SHOPS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND APPROACH THIS IN AN EQUITABLE WAY BY GROSS RECEIPTS AND NOT HAVE TO, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, OVERBURDEN THE, THE SMALLER BUSINESSES COMPARED TO THE BIGGER ONES.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL REVENUE GENERATING, UM, UH, STRATEGY.
THE VACANT PROPERTY TAX I, I SUPPORT LOOKING INTO THAT, THE SALES TAX, I DON'T, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S STRATEGICALLY GOOD USE OF TIME.
I THINK WE SHOULD SAY THAT IF AN EMERGENCY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MTS IS LOOKING AT IS A SALES TAX, WHICH I'VE CAUTIONED THEM ABOUT JUST GIVEN HOW HIGH THEY ALREADY ARE.
BUT, SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT A SALES TAX BALLOT MEASURE POTENTIALLY IN 2026.
SO, AND THE MORE BALLOT MEASURES THERE ARE SALES TAX, A GREATER CHANCE OF ALL OF THEM FAILING.
UM, THE TRANSIT, UH, TOT, UH, I SUPPORT THAT, UH, LOOKING INTO THAT AS WELL AS THE FRANCHISE FEES.
SO I THINK THOSE TWO BOTH ARE, UH, GOOD IDEAS IN TERMS OF THE, OUR USE OF THE RESERVE FUNDS.
UH, I DO SUPPORT USE OF THE ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY RESERVE.
WE'VE NEVER REALLY HAD AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE ACTUALLY ARE PLANNING TO OR WHAT WE SHOULD OR COULD USE THAT FOR.
AND I THINK GIVEN OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC, UH, POTENTIAL HEADWINDS THIS NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO USE IT FOR.
AND I WOULD SAY STRATEGICALLY WHAT WE COULD USE IT FOR IS, UH, LOOKING AT, UH, INVESTING THAT IN AREAS WHERE WE CAN GET MORE REVENUE.
SO MAYBE IT'S THE CHAMBER, MAYBE IT'S A MARKETING PROGRAM SO THAT THEY CAN MARKET OUR BUSINESSES, GET MORE SALES TAX REVENUE, I'M NOT SURE.
UM, BUT SO ECONOMIC, UH, UH, CONTINGENCY RESERVE.
I THINK, UH, I'M, I'M FINE WITH YOU, UH, DIPPING INTO, AND THE OTHERS I THINK WE SHOULDN'T GENERALLY TOUCH, UM, BUSINESS LICENSING FEES.
THE ONE THING I THINK WAS MISSING WAS USE OF OUR, UH, CURRENT USE OF OUR FACILITIES, UH, RENTING OUT MARTIN LUTHER KING, UM, UH, PEPPER PARK.
I KNOW THERE'S, THAT'S NOW THE PORT OR SOMETHING.
UH, SO I, I THINK WE SHOULD OPEN OUR FACILITIES, THE POOL.
I THINK WE SHOULD OPEN OUR FACILITIES MORE TO USE FOR EVENTS, FOR PARTIES, FOR OUR, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND IN CHARGING THEM FOR THAT, AND SEEING ABOUT WHAT REVENUE POTENTIAL THOSE CAN GENERATE.
SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, UH, ONLY COMMENTS ON THE REVENUE.
UM, APPRECIATE THE, UH, REPORT.
I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT I HAVE EXPRESSED BEFORE, UH, BEFORE.
AND, UM, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO, UM, WE MAYBE HAVE LOOKED AWAY, BUT NOW WE ARE REALLY, UM, FOCUSED ON, UM, LOOKING AT IT AND HOW WE CAN GENERATE REVENUE FROM, FROM ALL THIS, UM, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT WE CAN TAP.
UM, I BELIEVE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ARE, UH, ARE, ARE REALLY GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE ARE WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, VACANCY FEE IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UM, MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S AN ORDINANCE, UH, THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE THINGS THIS ALSO WILL, UM, WILL, UH, MITIGATE BLIGHT AS YOU CAN, AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF, OF OUR, OF OUR CITY.
I'M REALLY NOT, UM, ENCOURAGED, UM, TO DO THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STUDY
[03:15:01]
NOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE THOSE HOTELS, UH, THAT ARE, UH, YIELDING US, UH, SOME FUNDS, BUT ALSO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL COME IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, PLUS THAT THE, UM, SHORT, SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT, UM, WE HAD, UM, STARTED TO STUDY, UH, FRANCHISE FEES.UM, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'M SURE, UM, WE CAN LOOK AT SOME MORE AND MAKE SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, GET MORE STUDY ON HOW WE CAN, UM, DO SOME OF THOSE ESCALATION.
AND, AND, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF, I THINK IF THEY CAN, IF THEY CAN GET THAT FEE, WHY CAN'T WE? RIGHT? UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UH, REVISIT OUR CONTRACTS.
UH, THOSE ARE OTHER REVENUE GENERATING THAT, UM, THAT, UM, WE HAVE NOT, HAVEN'T BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, REVISITED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
JUST LIKE, UH, VICE MAYOR SAID, THERE ARE OUR, UH, FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING, UM, RENTED OR MAYBE RENTED, UM, FOR, FOR EVENTS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE RENTING OUR FACILITY FOR, I THINK WE HAVE TO REVISIT THOSE BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALSO REVENUE GENERATING FOR US, UM, RIGHT AWAY.
UM, THE, THE RESERVE FUND, UH, THE RESERVE BALANCES.
I KNOW OUR NUMBERS ARE STILL MOVING.
WE HAVE 12 MONTHS TO, TO LOOK INTO IT.
OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, WE, WE, UM, REVISIT THAT.
UM, IT IS FOR NOW AS, UH, WE ARE, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, WITH, UM, PRESENTING OUR BUDGET AND APPROVING IT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, WE HAD THE OP WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UM, UM, TO, TO, UM, MITIGATE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE, THE, UM, MITIGATE THE, UH, THE DEFICIENCY, THE DEFICIT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT IS, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UM, PROVIDE A, UH, ACCEPTABLE CONTRACT TO OUR, TO, TO ALL OF OUR WORKFORCE, ACTUALLY.
UM, I THINK IT IS, UH, PREMATURE FOR US TO LOOK AT THIS NOW.
I THINK I, I LOOK AT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND, AND ALL OF THE DIRECTORS TO SEE HOW WE CAN MITIGATE THIS, UH, DEFICIT, UM, IN THE MEANTIME.
SO IT IS, UM, IT IS VERY NICE TO SEE IT IN WRITING.
'CAUSE NOW AT LEAST WE HAVE, WE HAVE A FOCUS ON, UH, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO FIRST? UM, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THAT MONEY FIRST? WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE MONEY, AND HERE WE ARE LOOKING FOR IT.
AND I THINK ALSO ON THE, UH, VACANT PROPERTY, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK IN SOME CASES ON WHY THEY ARE VACANT.
UH, 'CAUSE WE GOT SOME DIFFERENT INSTANCES.
WE GOT RIGHT DOWN HERE ON A CORNER AT 16TH AND NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD.
THAT DEVELOPER CAME IN, HE WAS READY TO GO, EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND HE SAID, BUT YEAH, BUT WE GOT A PARKING ISSUE.
AND SO OUR STAFF PUT EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE TO WORK ON A PARKING DISTRICT FOR THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE READY TO GO.
HOW MANY YEARS HAS THAT PLACE SET VACANT NOW? AND THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS THEY, THEY DUMPED A WHOLE BUNCH OF, OF SOIL ON IT, PILES OF SOIL THAT THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO AND HAVE DONE NOTHING WITH IT.
AND THAT WAS AFTER, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN OVER BACKWARDS TO HELP THEM OUT.
SO THAT'S A QUESTION WE GO, WHY IS THAT VACANT? BUT WE GO DOWN HERE ON NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD, ALSO DOWN TO THIRD IN NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD, AND WE GOT A BUNCH OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE VACANT, BUT THEY'RE VACANT BECAUSE WE REZONED IT.
AND NOW THEY CAN'T HAVE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THERE.
AND SO WE GOT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SITTING THERE THAT COULD BE USED, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE ZONED IT FOR RESIDENTIAL, IT'S NOT IN USE, AND THEY SIT THERE VACANT, EVERYONE GOES, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG HERE IN THIS AREA.
AND WHAT'S WRONG IS THE ZONING.
AND BECAUSE WE, WE HAVEN'T ALLOWED FOR THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, WHICH WAS ALREADY THERE.
UM, AND THEN YOU GOT THE FAMOUS 18TH AND L STREET, UH, WHERE YOU GOT A HOUSE HERE.
AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU MENTIONED A WHILE AGO ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING ABOUT FIRE ALARMS OR ALARMS IN, ON THE BUILDINGS.
THE ALARM ON THAT BUILDING IS IF ANYONE GOES INSIDE THAT BUILDING, IT'S GONNA FALL DOWN, MAKE ENOUGH NOISE, SO EVERYONE'S GONNA, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD'S GONNA KNOW IT.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, SO I, SO IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACCOMMODATING TO HELP THEM TO, SO THAT THEY'RE NOT VACANT.
AND IF WE, AND IF THE CITY'S IN THE WAY, THAT'S ONE DEAL.
IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE THE ONES IN THE WAY, THEN I THINK THAT'S, THERE'S WHERE THE, THE COST REALLY, REALLY SHOULD, UH, BE APPLIED.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK IF THAT SPEAKS TO
[03:20:01]
THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY ABOUT PHASING THE PROGRAM, SO MAYBE THE FIRST YEAR IT'S A REGISTRATION FEE ONLY.SO WE GET THE INTELLIGENCE WITH REGARDS TO THE STATUS AND WHY IT HASN'T MOVED FORWARD.
AND ONCE WE BUILD THAT DATABASE AND WE'RE ABLE TO CUT BACK AND SAY, LOOK, X AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES ARE JUST BUY AND HOLD SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT A TAX WRITE OFF VERSUS THERE'S, THERE'S ISSUES WITH, UH, THE, UH, UH, ZONING OR HOW TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY.
AND MAYBE WE CAN ASSIST IN THAT PROCESS.
SO I THINK EVEN GATHERING THE INFORMATION BY REGISTERING THOSE PARCELS WOULD HELP THE PROCESS ALONG.
AND THEN MAYBE IN, IN THE SECOND PHASE, YOU RAMP IT UP SO THAT THE BAD ACTORS THAT JUST DON'T WANT TO MOVE ON THE PROPERTIES AND HAVE TO PAY A FULL, A FULL FEE.
AND, AND I THINK A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
I KNOW OUR FACILITIES, WE TALK ABOUT RENTING THEM OUT.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS, NORMALLY FOR LOCAL GROUPS, THEY DON'T WANNA PAY ANYTHING.
AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE LIKE KIMBALL PARK THAT WE DO RENT IT OUT, BUT AS YOU JUST NOTICED, WE HAVE THE CANCER WALK DOES, AND WE DON'T MAKE MONEY OFF OF THAT.
THAT'S, WE JUST, WE JUST ASK THEM TO PAY FOR THE OVERTIME.
SO THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A RE THAT'S NOT A, UH, A MONEYMAKER FOR US IN ANY WAY.
IT JUST PAYS FOR THE EXTRA OVERTIME THAT WE'RE USING.
BUT THEY'RE GOING DOWN TO, UH, UH, THE CHULA VISTA PARK.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA USE HERE, BECAUSE THEN THEY'D BE CHARGED FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE WOULD BE PROVIDING.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS ALL TOO OFTEN.
AND I KNOW WHEN WE USED TO HAVE THE OLD COMMUNITY BUILDING BEFORE THIS ONE WAS BUILT, IT WAS, IT WAS USED EVERY WEEKEND.
NO ONE PAID ANYTHING, BUT IT WAS USED EVERY WEEKEND UNTIL THEY FINALLY BROKE IT DOWN SO BAD.
UM, SO, UM, SO THERE NORMALLY IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE IN THE RENTAL ON OUR FACILITIES BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND, BUT I, I DO THINK THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME TO DO LONG RA DO SOME PLANNING IS THAT TOT AND, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, IF WE WERE GONNA DO THAT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN 26.
AND, BUT THAT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO GET THAT ALL TOGETHER AND START GETTING, GETTING THAT, THAT DEAL DONE.
SO IF, UH, I KNOW CHULA VISTA RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE AT 10% ALSO.
SO I KNOW THEY SHOWED SAN DIEGO ON ONE SIDE OF US, IMPERIAL BEACH DOWN THE SOUTH, BUT THE BIG ONE NEXT TO US HERE IS AT AT 10%.
BUT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY DON'T END UP RATCHETING THAT ONE UP ALSO.
AND, UH, BUT I THINK 12% WOULD BE OF SOMETHING WE COULD BE, WE COULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH AND WOULD BRING IN A GOOD AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
BUT THAT'S WHEN WE GOTTA PLAN QUITE A BIT IN ADVANCE JUST TO EVEN GET IT, GET IT ON THE BALLOT.
SO ANYWAY, JUST A THOUGHT WITH THAT.
WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER, EDWIN NETO, BEFORE I FORGET YOU.
IT IS, UH, INTERESTING HEARING ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AFTER THE REPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN $8 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.
JOAN ONCE SAID, UH, TO GENERATE $8 MILLION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF SALES.
SO, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GONNA GENERATE REVENUE, YOU GOTTA PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, UH, SOME THINGS ARE NOT GONNA HIT AND SOME THINGS WILL HIT AND SOME THINGS WILL HIT LATER.
SO I THINK THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE, FRANKLY, I THINK IT'S INCOMPLETE.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE PROBABILITY OF AGING, WHETHER YOU CAN COLLECT IT AND BE ABLE TO GET WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, TWO YEARS, OR THREE YEARS, OR FIVE YEARS, WHETHER THERE'S POSSIBLE PROBABLE
I THINK YOU NEED A LOT MORE ANALYSIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THIS.
UM, I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK INTERNALLY TOO.
YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THE ENTHUSIASM, BUT I DON'T SEE A LOT OF GOOD ANALYSIS YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS OR, UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE, WE PICKED JUST A FEW OF THE ITEMS MM-HMM
WE DO HAVE A LOT MORE THAT WE HAVE TO STUDY.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TOO FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHY AND NOT JUST LOOK AT THE DEFICIT.
UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE THOUGHT PROCESSES.
WE'RE LOOKING, IT'S OUR EFFORT TO TRY TO PRESERVE, UH, SERVICES IN THE CURRENT SITUATION WE'RE IN, PAY A COMPETITIVE WAGE TO OUR PERSONNEL AND LOOK AT EXPANDING WHERE WE CAN.
UM, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT, AT, UM, CONSERVATIVE
[03:25:01]
MEASURES TOO.SO, UM, AT EXPENDITURES AND, UH, REALLY TRYING TO BUILD ANY, ANY OF THESE ITEMS. I THINK THE PUBLIC ALSO EXPECTS US TO BUILD INTO THAT OUR VISION GOING FORWARD.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN OFFER AS A CITY WE DON'T CURRENTLY DO.
AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE, IF WE BUNDLE THAT TOGETHER, UM, YEAH, WE, WE NEED TO DEAL WITH OUR BUDGET SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
BUT I, I THINK IF WE OWE THAT TO THE PUBLIC TO GIVE THEM THAT VISION AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND IT.
SO YOUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING ON THAT, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
SO NOT JUST TODAY, UH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW THINGS ARE GONNA BE, UH, FACED BY US AND SOME INVENTIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH THAT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START PLANNING FOR, YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT IT.
NATIONAL CITY, YOU KNOW, 20 30, 20 40.
WHAT WE DO TODAY IS GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY LATER.
SO, UM, AND, AND THAT'S A, TO ME, THAT'S A MORE RESPONSIBLE WAY THAN JUST, OH MAN, WE, WE GOT A DEFICIT, RIGHT? AND, AND WE DO.
BUT WE'RE GONNA WORK HARD TO BRING BACK SOME GOOD PLANS TO, UH, HELP IN SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY MORE.
WELL, AND, AND, AND WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS ON SOME OF THESE FRONTS.
UH, WHAT WAS IT WEEK BEFORE LAST? I SIGNED THE DOCUMENTS FOR CARMAX.
SO THEY, IT IS NOW THEIR PROPERTY.
AND, UH, SO, BUT, UM, SO THAT ONE, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UH, WITH OUR RPS FOR THE TWO HOTELS, UM, DOWN AT, UH, FOOT OF CLEVELAND, 24TH AND CLEVELAND ACROSS FROM THE, UH, MARINA GATEWAY PLAZA HOTEL.
SO THOSE, AND THEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE MSA, UH, THINGS ON THAT LANE.
BUT THE DEAL IS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, TO SEE ANY REAL RESULTS ARE PROBABLY TWO TO FIVE YEARS AWAY.
AND SO, UM, AND AS I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, SMALL BUSINESSES CREATE THE CHARACTER OF A TOWN, BUT IT'S LARGE BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR A TOWN.
SO IT HAS TO BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THOSE AND, UH, UM, AND DOING THINGS THAT DON'T HURT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT BRING IN LARGE BUSINESS THAT WILL, UM, THAT WILL GIVE US SOME MONEY SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES OTHERWISE WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB.
SO, AND THEN ANY OF THESE OTHER MEASURES WE CAN THROW IN THERE, EVERY LITTLE BIT'S GONNA HELP.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE SPENDING DOLLARS TO COLLECT DIMES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT TOO.
ANYONE, ANYBODY COMMENTS ON THIS? MAY WE HAVE THE ONE SPEAKER ON ZOOM? AND WE DO HAVE THE SPEAKER ON ZOOM? OKAY.
UM, COUNSEL, I SUGGEST A ROBUST DISCUSSION OF A TAX TO GENERATE REVENUE SHOULD INCLUDE MARIJUANA, NOT JUST A LICENSING FEE, BUT A POTENCY BASED TAX.
EXPERTS HAVE SUGGESTED THIS TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF HIGH POTENCY MARIJUANA, SUCH AS ADDICTION AND IMPAIRED DECISION MAKING.
AND TO GENERATE INCOME, IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN A HIGHER TAX RATE APPLIED TO HIGH PROOF ALCOHOL.
NEW BUSINESSES WILL ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY SELL HIGH POTENCY THC PRODUCTS.
AND THOSE PRODUCTS LIKE VAPES HAVE THE ADDED BURDEN OF HAZARDOUS WASTE THAT SHOULD BE TAXED AT A HIGHER RATE.
A RECENT WALL STREET JOURNAL POINTED OUT THAT BUSINESSES THAT PROFIT OFF DANGEROUS FEDERALLY ILLEGAL DRUGS SHOULD BE HIGHER TAXED TO STEM ADDICTION AND THE MANUFACTURER OF MORE POTENT, INDUSTRIALIZED PRODUCTS.
THIS INDUSTRY POSES A DETRIMENTAL THREAT TO VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES BY PUSHING PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO KIDS LIKE THC INFUSED GUMMIES AND SNACKS AND SNOWS.
YOUTH USE FEMALES AGE 11 TO 15, IN FACT ARE THE FASTEST GROWING POPULATION FOR CANNABIS USE DISORDER.
MARIJUANA PRODUCTS PUT MANY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AT RISK.
A POTENCY TAX COULD HELP OFFSET COSTS OF MARIJUANA'S DEMONSTRATED CAUSTIC IMPACT.
FEW FIGHTS ARE AS WORTHY AS THOSE TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM ADDICTION AND DRUG INDUCED DEBILITATION.
THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY SHOULD SHARE A LARGER PART OF THAT BURDEN.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU THAT, THAT CONCLUDES ZOOM PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE STAFF NEED ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS OR GUIDANCE OR ANYTHING OR, UM, I THINK
[03:30:01]
WE GOT THE INPUT THAT WE WANTED.IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED? ALRIGHT.
SO WITH THAT THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, 11.3.
THIS IS CITY COUNCIL ATTENDANCE AT STAFF LEVEL WORKING GROUPS, CITY MANAGER.
I'M SORRY, YOU GRAB SOMETHING WRONG.
UM, SO I PUT THIS, I GOTTA CLEAN MY GLASSES.
I PUT THIS ITEM ON JUST TO, TO WORK RIGHT AFTER THE DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS TO SEE, UH, AREAS WHERE, UM, STAFF WORKING GROUPS, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING ON SOME OF THESE TASKS WHERE IT'D PROBABLY BE GOOD TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH A STAFF OR WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER OR TWO, UM, AS, AS PART OF THE WORK TEAM.
SO, UM, I KNOW IN THE DEVELOPMENT AREA, THE A DU AREA, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY A NEED FOR THAT, THAT, THAT I'VE SEEN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I THINK I'M JUST ABSORBING KIND OF THE INFORMATION FROM TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO COME BACK AGAIN AND TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT SOME OF YOUR, UH, DIRECTION WAS ON THESE TAX ITEMS OR, UH, TOT.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S INTEREST.
THE DEVELOPMENT PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UM, IS A BIG UNDERTAKING.
AND SO WE NEED TO FRAME THAT AND BRING IT TO YOU.
BUT I THINK THAT AREA IS GONNA, UH, LEND ITSELF TO TRYING TO GET SOME INPUT ON THESE WORK TEAMS FROM COUNCIL.
AND, UM, AND LIKE I SAID, ADUS IS ONE THAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS ACTIVE.
WE GOT A LOT OF INTERACTION GOING ON, UH, ON THAT WITH THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, UH, SCOTT AND YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
UM, I DO THINK THAT, UH, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF US TO WORK, UH, COLLABORATIVELY, UM, ON THE ISSUES WE JUST SPOKE BEFOREHAND.
SO, UM, IF, IF, IF THE MAYOR, UM, IS OPEN TO IT, I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SET UP, UM, OR HAVE YOU CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEES SO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY WORK ON THESE ISSUES ALONG WITH OURSELVES AND OUR STAFF TIME, AND OUR, AND OUR CITY, UM, STAFF.
SO WE CAN MOVE THESE THINGS FORWARD.
BECAUSE SOME THINGS DO TAKE A LONG TIME.
I THINK SOME ITEMS MAY BE, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, BUT OTHERS ARE GONNA TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.
PUTTING ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT TAKES AT LEAST A YEAR OF WORK, UH, INCLUDING RESEARCH, WRITING THE ORDINANCE.
AND SO I THINK, I THINK, UH, A LOT OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW MM-HMM
IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE FOR US TO START WORKING ON IT NOW AND IDENTIFYING THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THAT, UH, WISH TO WORK ON WHICHEVER ITEMS. YEP.
I DID, I WANTED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A WORKING GROUP YES.
UM, IT'S, IT'S YOUR DECISION, BUT WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR IS AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL.
AND, AND AS, AS, AS I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HERE, THESE ARE WORKING GROUPS OF STAFF AND THEY WERE JUST, THE COUNCIL WOULD NOT BE, 'CAUSE NORMALLY ON AD HOCS, KIND OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DOING, DOING THE STUFF AND KIND OF RUNNING, THIS WOULD BE THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
WE WOULD HAVE THE BACK SEAT, BUT WE WOULD BE THERE JUST IN CASE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR INPUT, THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
AND, BUT THESE WOULD BE STAFF.
AND SO I'D BE LOOKING TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR WHERE HE SEES THERE'S NEEDS ON.
THERE MAY BE SOME STAFF WORKING GROUPS THAT THERE'S, IT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE.
OTHERS THERE WOULD BE, AND THEN WE'D WANNA SEE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WOULD WANT TO DO THAT AND WOULD BE THE BEST FIT.
MR. I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
I DO THINK THAT, UH, MANY OF US HAVE, UM, VERY SPECIFIC SKILL SETS.
YOU KNOW, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR BUSH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI, VERY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH REAL ESTATE.
AND UM, UH, MAY BE VERY, UM, UH, UH, WELL-VERSED ON WHAT A VACANCY FEE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO I THINK THERE ARE SKILLS THAT MANY OF US HAVE THAT COULD BE APPLICABLE TO ITEMS THAT ARE BEFORE US.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I MENTION INITIALLY MENTIONED TO SCOTT, I DIDN'T REALLY CARE WHICH COMMITTEE, BUT THEN HE BROUGHT UP ADUS.
I LOVE ADUS, SO I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, BUT JUST OP, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OF US TO BRING IN OUR, OUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND OUR WORK EXPERIENCE INTO THE, THE, THE CITY AND HELP.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING? IT'S MY, MY UNDERSTANDING THE MAYOR POINTS THOSE, SO YEAH.
IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN STUFF THAT YOU'VE SEEN OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LET HIM KNOW.
AND THEN I'LL WORK THROUGH THE MAYOR.
WELL, AND I SAY, I'D BE LOOKING TO YOU, UH, LOOKING TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I'D BE LOOKING TO YOU TO WHERE YOU THINK YOU NEED, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
ON, ON WHAT WORK GROUPS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN WE COULD SEE WHAT, WHAT INTEREST THERE IS.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT YOU, YOU
[03:35:01]
DO HAVE A POLICY THAT'S HERE, RIGHT.THAT TALKS ABOUT THE PROCESS AND IT'S ACTUALLY DRIVEN BY THE CITY MANAGER MM-HMM.
SO WHO YOU GET, YOU I PICK THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
YOU DETERMINE WHAT, WHAT WORKING GROUPS NEED TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM THEN.
AND THEN YOU, YOU REACH OUT AND GET IT, GAUGE THE INTEREST OF WHO'S THERE.
AND THEN THERE'S A SELECTION PROCESS HERE.
FULL S THOUGHT IT, THE MAYOR SELECTS.
IT'S NOT LIKE THE AD HOC FOR AD HOC, THE MAYOR, UM, FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT FOR THE WORKING GROUP, I'LL FOLLOW WHATEVER PROCEDURE YOU HAVE ME FOLLOW.
I GOT WAY TOO MANY PAPERS HERE TONIGHT.
[12. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT]
MY FIRST STEP, I CAN JUST DO MINE REALLY QUICK.I'VE MET WITH BRIAN, UH, WITH ALLIANCES ON 4TH OF JULY.
AND WE'RE, UM, WE'VE TALKED, WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERNALLY, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SEEING WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, BUT, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
SO, I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THIS ON? PARDON ME? I I, I DIDN'T CATCH YOU THE VERY FIRST PART OF THAT SENTENCE.
I JUST SAID THAT, UM, I DID MEET WITH BRIAN OH, YEAH.
AND, UM, HE GAVE ME SOME QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT INTERNALLY, UM, AND ALSO TRYING TO THINK OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM, UH, BUT NOT NECESSARILY, UM, ECONOMICALLY, BUT WE DO HAVE COSTS.
AND SO IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, THIN THOSE COSTS BY PARTICIPATION BETWEEN THEM OR OTHER VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE.
SO, AND, AND WE, AND WE DO PROVIDE THEM BY, BY OUR RULES WITH $6,000 OF SERVICES THAT COMES RIGHT OFF OF THEIR, THEIR BILL.
SO I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, ARE WE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME AND REQUEST FOR US TO PAY SOME OF THE FIREWORKS? OR IS IT THE 6,000 THAT COVERS WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA DO? WELL, WHAT WE'VE, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST UNTIL THIS LAST YEAR IS THAT, UH, FOR CITIES, UH, CO-SPONSORED EVENTS, WHICH THIS IS ONE, IT'S $1,200 PER DAY.
MOST OF 'EM ARE ALWAYS ONLY A ONE DAY, BUT THIS ONE'S FIVE DAYS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON IT GOES UP TO $6,000.
AND IN THE PAST, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE HALF OF THE FIREWORKS.
NOW LAST YEAR, BECAUSE OF COMING OUT OF COVID AND ALL THAT KINDA STUFF, THEY HAD A CASH SHORTAGE AND THEY ASKED IF WE WOULD COVER ALL THE FIREWORKS FOR ONE YEAR.
BUT OUR, OUR NORMAL AGREEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HALF THE FIREWORKS.
I'LL RESEARCH WHAT THAT AMOUNTS TO.
SO, OH, IF I COULD CHIME IN ON THAT TOO.
UM, IT'S A DIFFICULT TOPIC AND I'VE TALKED TO OUR POLICE ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THE OVERTIME THAT IS SPENT ON THAT.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T DO SCHEDULING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, WITH THAT.
IT'S NOT A UNIQUE THING TO NATIONAL CITY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, ALL CITIES HAVE THIS CHALLENGE WITH EVENTS, BUT IT'S, BUT THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE COST.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S JUST, JUST LOOKING AT THAT, I, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANYTHING OFFHAND.
IT'S JUST BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ONGOING.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE ON OR STILL ON THAT OR WE'RE STILL NO, I'M DONE.
THAT'S ALL OF, UH, UH, SO NO OTHER STAFF REPORTS? THAT WAS NO OTHER STAFF REPORTS? WE'RE WE'RE, YOU'RE DONE UNDER MY REPORT.
I WANNA KNOW ANY OTHER STAFF REPORT.
[13. ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORT]
WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.AND I DO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
IT'S CRITICAL TO WORK WITH OUR, UM, UH, HOST LIONS CLUB.
AND, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER AND COLLABORATIVE WITH THEM.
AND I KNOW LAST YEAR WE ENDED UP, UM, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE FIGURES, BUT I THINK IT WAS CLOSER TO 20,000.
BUT A LOT OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING IS ACTUALLY STAFF TIME AND THE, UM, PERMITS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER COLLABORATION WITH THEM AND, AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM.
MOST PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE CARNIVAL THAT ARE LOCAL DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SPONSORED BY THE CITY.
THE CITY'S PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
THAT'S HOW TIGHT THE RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE.
UM, SO JUST MY, MY 2 CENTS, UH, JUST A COUPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, UH, MAY 4TH THROUGH THE 10TH WAS NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK.
UM, NA SMALL BUSINESSES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY HALF OF THE JOBS CREATED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND THEY ARE A CRITICAL, INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, NOT JUST SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EMPLOYED BY SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ALSO USE THEIR PURCHASING POWER TO STIMULATE THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
[03:40:01]
AND VISIT RESTAURANTS, UM, ALL OVER THE CITY.UM, UH, WE ARE A FOOD, UM, A VERY UNIQUE FOOD PLACE.
IT IS SO DIVERSE IN A VERY SMALL PLACE.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, OF COURSE IT IS FITTING THAT IT IS, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AND THE ENDLESS REQUESTS THAT THE COMMUNITY SENDS, UH, YOUR WAY.
UM, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE WERE A PART OF THE ADOPTED TREE PROGRAM WHERE WE PLANTED 60 TREES IN TWO WEEKS.
UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, CITY STAFF TREE SAN DIEGO VOLUNTEERS, MY COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRIORITIZING TREE CANOPY AND NATIONAL CITY, UH, RESIDENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO BE A PART OF THE ADOPT TREE PROGRAM.
WE HAD EACH TIME, UM, WE PLANTED TREES, UH, TWO FRIDAYS, UM, AND, UH, WE HAD MAYBE 25 TO 30 VOLUNTEERS EACH TIME.
UM, AND, UH, SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING MORE OF THOSE, PLANTING MORE TREES IN THE FALL, UH, AND EXPANDING THE PROGRAM AROUND OUR CITY.
AND LASTLY, UM, THERE IS AN ORGANIZING EFFORT HAPPENING HERE IN NATIONAL CITY BY THE TEAMSTERS OF THE COSTCO OPTICAL LAB, UH, HERE ON THE WEST SIDE, WHERE THERE'S 700 WORKERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ORGANIZING, UH, TO BE PART OF A UNION.
AND, UM, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH A LOT OF THE WORKERS.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, FAMILIES HERE IN NATIONAL CITY THAT ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, ASIDE FROM ALL THOSE, UM, APPRECIATION MONTH, UM, THIS MONTH IS ALSO TEACHERS APPRECIATION MONTH.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THE EDUCATORS, UM, ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UM, GM I HAVE REQUESTED A CODE ENFORCEMENT VISIT ON 2 9 2 5 LAST TIME.
UM, HIGHLAND, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A REPORT BACK ON THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT REPORT PLEASE.
UM, AND, UM, LOTS OF TOPICS, GOOD TOPICS.
WE, UH, WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, STUDIED TODAY.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING PATIENT.
THANK YOU TO OUR DIRECTORS, UM, ICM AND OUR COUNCIL.
IT'S HARD SOMETIMES TO BE PUTTING ALL OUR HEADS TOGETHER, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE THE DIAL.
I JUST WANNA, UH, CONGRATULATE THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THEIR NEW PROGRAM, THE DELI NATIONAL CITY.
IT IS, UM, CELEBRATING THE RESTAURANTS IN NATIONAL CITY, SO I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO, I WANNA PROMOTE MY TOWN HALL NEXT TUESDAY, UH, RIGHT NEXT DOOR AT 6:00 PM UM, TO TALK ABOUT DISTRICT ONE TOPICS AND EVERYBODY IS INVITED.
UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY, I, ONCE AGAIN, I'M, WE HAD COMMENTS MADE DURING PUBLIC ORAL, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER TONIGHT, WHICH YOU COULDN'T RESPOND TO AT THAT TIME, BUT I'M GONNA MAKE A QUICK RESPONSE.
IT DOESN'T DO DO ANY DIFFERENCE THAT THEY'RE NOT STILL HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
'CAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS UNTRUE.
BUT IT WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD IF HEAR IT AGAIN.
BUT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF COMMENTS.
ONE, THEY, THEY SHOWED UP A BIG MAP THERE AND SHOWED THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL RESIDENTIAL TO THE, TO THE, UH, TO THE E OR TO THE WHAT? THEY PUT IT TO THE NORTH, TO THE WEST, TO THE EAST.
THE PART DIDN'T SHOW ON THAT MAP IS TO THE EAST THERE ON THE CORNER OF, THEY'RE ON THE CORNER OF ORANGE AND SWEETWATER ROAD.
THE OTHER CORNER OF ORANGE SWEETWATER ROAD IS A SEVEN 11, WHICH IS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S RESIDENTIAL.
NEXT TO THAT IS A, UH, MEXICAN RESTAURANT, AND NEXT TO THAT IS A NIGHTCLUB.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF LEFT THAT LITTLE PART OUT.
THEIR OTHER THING DEALING WITH THE IDEA THAT, UH, WE DID, UH, IT WAS HEARD ON PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER THE SECOND.
AND THEN WE HEARD IT, WE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA ON DECEMBER THE 10TH, AND WE PUT IT UNDER CONSENT, WHICH WAS A TERRIBLE THING TO PUT IT UNDER CONSENT BECAUSE IT WAS A NOTICE OF DENIAL.
SO IT WAS NON-CONTROVERSIAL, AND ONLY ONE WE COULD DO IS EITHER DENY IT OR AT THE VERY MOST YOU HAVE TO, THAT YOU, THAT COULD BE DONE IF IT GOT PULLED OFF OF CONSENT, IS IT COULD POSSIBLY BE PUT OUT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED.
SO IT WAS ON THERE AS A NOTICE OF DENIAL.
AND THE REASON WE DID IT ON THE 10TH AND ON THAT MEETING, THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER MEETING SCHEDULED UNTIL JANUARY THE 18TH.
AND WE HAVE TO DO THE NOTICE WITHIN 30 DAYS.
SO THERE WAS NO OTHER DATE FOR IT.
THEY KNOW ALL THAT STUFF, BUT YET THEY KEEP KEEP BRINGING UP ALL THIS STUFF.
UM, THERE ISSUE ABOUT HOW WE SAID THAT IT, THE, THERE IS NO MORE PROJECT,
[03:45:01]
THE PROJECT IS DEAD.AND THEY SAID, BUT IT WAS PUT ON HOLD, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT THEY, UH, THAT THEY PULLED THEIR APPLICATION, THEY WITHDREW THEIR APP.
THAT WAS THE TITLE WITHDRAWAL OF APPLICATION.
SO THE CITY, FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, THERE IS NO PROJECT.
THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THEIR PROPERTY AND PUT THEIR PLANS ON HOLD.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE GONNA, AND THEY SAID THEY'LL COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FUTURE.
ALL THAT'S SAYING IS IT'S STILL THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY STILL LOOK, MIGHT LOOK AT SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE, BUT THEY STILL SAY, WELL THEN WE'RE LYING.
WE ARE, THERE'S STILL A PROJECT, THERE'S NO PROJECT.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE DO HAVE A RIGHT IF THEY WANNA BRING A PROJECT BACK IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THIS, THIS IS THE CONSTANT DEAL, THE CONSTANT CYCLE.
AND UH, SO ANYWAY, WE DO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO I THINK IT DOES NEED TO GO ON THE RECORD WHEN THEY KEEP BRINGING THESE THINGS ON THE RECORD.
OTHER THAN THAT, UH, MAYOR, HUH? SORRY.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT (Part 2 of 2)]
STILL HAVE THIS ROOM, DON'T WE? YES, WE DO.WE HAVE ONE, ONE PERSON ON, ONE PERSON LEFT THERE.
THAT WAS LEFT OVER FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.
TO URGE CAUTION, AS YOU CONSIDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS OF EXPANDING CANNABIS ACTIVITIES WITHIN NATIONAL CITY, WHILE THE PROMISE OF INCREASED REVENUE IS OFTEN TOUTED, WE MUST ALSO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD OUTWEIGH THESE GAINS.
THE EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTH E-CIGARETTE USE AS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE FDA'S ACTIONS RECENTLY SERVES AS A CAUTIONARY TALE.
THEIR FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY REGULATE APPEALING FLAVORED PRODUCTS LED TO A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND ULTIMATELY SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO SOCIETY IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE AND LOST PRODUCTIVITY.
WE RISK REPEATING THIS WITH CANNABIS EDIBLES AND OTHER YOUTH APPEALING PRODUCTS, POTENTIALLY CREATING A NEW GENERATION STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION AND ITS ASSOCIATED ECONOMIC BURDENS ON OUR CITY.
THERE ARE OTHER COSTS TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
INCREASED IMPAIRED DRIVING ACCIDENTS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF EASIER ACCESS AND CONSUMPTION WILL STRAIN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES BUDGETS.
ADDRESSING POTENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO INCREASED YOUTH USE WILL ALSO REQUIRE RESOURCES, POTENTIALLY NEGATING THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE GAINS.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATED TO CANNABIS.
WE MUST WEIGH THE POTENTIAL REVENUE AGAINST THE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM ECONOMIC COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS INCREASED STRAIN ON PUBLIC SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
A NARROW FOCUS ONLY ON TAX REVENUE COULD LEAD TO NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR CITY IN THE FUTURE.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR
[14. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT]
CITY ATTORNEY.SO, UH, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UM, ANNOUNCE THAT, OH, HERE WE GO.
I SHOULD SAY TO ASHLYN LUTZ, OUR DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, SHE, UH, GAVE BIRTH TO HER FIRST SON JACKSON ON, UH, SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
SO ALL IS WELL AND SHE STILL PROMISES TO COME BACK, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.
SO TODAY IN CLOSED SESSION, UH, WE HAD A CONFERENCE WITH THE LABOR NEGOTIATORS AND THE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDED STAFF DIRECTION.
WE ALSO HAD, UM, 5.2 DEALT WITH ANTICIPATED LITIGATION AND THERE'S NO REPORTABLE ACTIONS, RIGHT.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH WILL BE ON JUNE THE THIRD.