ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 2026
The regular meeting of August 11, 2026 was called to order at 4:02 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Anaheim City Hall, located at 200 South Anaheim Boulevard. The meeting notice, agenda, and related material were duly posted on August 6, 2026.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken and Council Members Carlos A. Leon, Ryan Balius, Natalie Rubalcava, Norma Campos Kurtz, Kristen M. Maahs, and Natalie Meeks.
STAFF PRESENT: Interim City Manager Greg Garcia, City Attorney Robert Fabela, and City Clerk Theresa Bass
ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO CLOSED SESSION: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS: None
CLOSED SESSION: At 4:03 p.m., Mayor Aitken recessed to closed session for consideration of the following:
1. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
(Subdivision (a) of Section 54957.6 of the California Government Code) Agency Designated Representative: Linda Andal, Human Resources Director Name of Employee Organizations: Anaheim Municipal Employees Association, Police Cadet Unit
2. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
(Subdivision (a) of Section 54957.6 of the California Government Code) Agency Designated Representative: Linda Andal, Human Resources Director Name of Employee Organizations: Anaheim Police Association At 5:32 p.m., Mayor Aitken reconvened the Anaheim City Council.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken and Council Members Carlos A. Leon, Ryan Balius, Natalie Rubalcava, Norma Campos Kurtz, Kristen M. Maahs, and Natalie Meeks
INVOCATION: Pastor James Bove, Calvary Chapel Anaheim
Council Member Maahs requested that, during the Pledge of Allegiance, remaining mindful of the men and women who are currently serving in the military overseas and City staff members.
FLAG SALUTE: Council Member Kristen M. Maahs
ACCEPTANCE OF OTHER RECOGNITIONS (To be presented at a later date):
Recognizing August 2026, as Chicano Heritage Month
Recognizing September 2026, as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA: None
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
PUBLIC COMMENTS (all agenda items): Prior to receipt of public comments, City Clerk Theresa Bass provided an outline of procedures for public comments in-person and remotely, notice of translation services, automated live captioning in the Webinar, and a brief decorum statement.
City Clerk Theresa Bass reported that a total of six (6) public comments were received electronically prior to 2:00 p.m. [A final total of fourteen (14) public comments were received electronically and distributed to the City Council].
R. Joshua Collins advocated for establishing designated safe parking areas for people experiencing homelessness. He emphasized that people experiencing homelessness should have access to food, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, medical care, and other necessities. He urged the City to create a safe location where individuals could park and remain without repeatedly being displaced. He referenced homeless mothers with children, people with disabilities, and elderly residents and questioned why the City could not establish a safe parking program given available land and the economic resources generated by tourism activity. He expressed support for the Arzola family and urged the Council to establish a program for safe parking.
Paul Hyek advocated for greater shelter access and employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. He referenced ongoing Grand Jury interest in shelter access and supported establishing a “walk-in, walk-out” shelter model. He noted that some individuals want to work but lack a secure place to store their belongings and suggested allowing people with relevant skills to assist with shelter operations. He shared his personal experience with a carpenter he met and suggested exploring an available hotel in Fullerton as a potential emergency shelter. He noted that some people experiencing homelessness have companion dogs and urged the City to pursue solutions to help move people off the streets.
Stephanie Mercadante reported that residents’ concerns regarding water quality have not been fully addressed. She stated that an answer was provided regarding Well 51 and discrepancies with dates.
She cited two audits of Anaheim’s Water Operations conducted between October 2025 and June 2026, stating that reviews addressed public health, regulatory compliance, system vulnerabilities, SCADA and HMI systems, water production, and the City’s ion exchange treatment facilities. She noted that multiple water supply wells reportedly shut down simultaneously on July 28, 2026, affecting residents and major facilities including Angel Stadium, Disneyland, and City Hall. She expressed concern that the audit findings and recommendations had not been released publicly and questioned whether the audits had identified deficiencies that could have contributed to the shutdown. She urged the Council to release the reports, findings, and recommendations and requested that City water leadership explain what actions were taken in response to any identified deficiencies.
G. Price referenced findings from a January 2024 California State Auditor review that identified deficiencies in Anaheim’s contract management, including insufficient monitoring of contractor performance, deliverables, quality, and compliance. She questioned whether the City had adequately addressed those concerns in connection with the Dudek wildfire evacuation study which was completed late. She identified several discrepancies and inconsistencies in the Dudek study, including different estimates of residential units and vehicle-per-household assumptions compared with the prior Festival evacuation study. She referenced a contradiction within the study regarding full evacuation of the area under Scenario 5. She questioned the review process of the study and why inconsistencies had not been reconciled before the study was released. She urged the Council to improve contract oversight and emphasized that accurate wildfire evacuation planning is critical to public safety.
Jeanine Robbins questioned the number of claims filed against the City by current and former employees over the past two years and urged the City Council to further review the claims. She City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
alleged that employees have reported retaliation, harassment, unsafe working conditions, misconduct, and inadequate responses from the Human Resources Department. She referenced complaints involving managers and department heads, including allegations of retaliation related to safety and water quality concerns, and harassment. She questioned the Human Resources Department’s handling of the claims and whether employees who raised the concerns were adequately protected. She expressed concern regarding understaffing in Risk Management and ignored recommendations. She urged the City Council to conduct an independent investigation and greater accountability of department leadership.
Marc Herbert raised concerns regarding Anaheim’s water system and the City’s response to residents’ questions. He stated that the matter was deemed closed at the July 22nd Public Utilities Board meeting; however, on July 28th, the City’s water system experienced a major malfunction affecting water pressure and operations at Disneyland and Angel Stadium. He questioned whether the incident could have been prevented, citing prior employee concerns regarding the City’s newer ion exchange wells, alarms, automatic shutdown protections, and SCADA system. He referenced reports that identified disabled alarms, inadequate controls, and questioned why deficiencies had not been addressed. He urged City leadership to explain what actions were taken after the first shutdown to prevent more incidents and called for the release of audit reports and findings. He concluded by calling for justice for the Arzola family.
Mike Robbins commented on the City’s investment in its wells and recycled water systems. He expressed concerns regarding allegations of Police Department overtime and referenced the Chief of Police’s statement on the matter. He compared the City’s response to the allegations to a California Highway Patrol overtime-fraud investigation and urged the City to launch a similar investigation. He questioned whether outside internal relationships influenced the handling of an overtime audit. He urged the Chief of Police and City Attorney to pursue systemic reforms and individual accountability to restore public trust.
Dave Duran stated that several issues, including water system failures, wildfire evacuation study discrepancies, employee lawsuits, contract management concerns, and Police Department overtime allegations, reflect a lack of accountability within City government. He criticized the City for dismissing residents’ concerns. He called for greater transparency, independent oversight, and accountability from City leadership and urged the Council to address outstanding concerns raised by residents and employees. He shared his support for the Arzola family and called on the Council to address their concerns.
Cecil Jordan Corkern expressed concerns over Disney content and expressed interest in being interviewed on the topic. He shared that he could bring in memorabilia and materials for reference.
Melody Marler expressed concerns about events at Center Greens Park and the Downtown Youth Center affecting parking availability for senior programming and the Downtown Anaheim Community Center. She explained that senior activities, including programs organized by Community Services staff, Senior Citizens Club volunteers, and the Anaheim Senior Table Tennis Club, are scheduled in advance and occur one Saturday each month. She requested that the City consider existing senior programming when scheduling events at Center Greens Park, the Downtown Community Center, or the Downtown Youth Center and defer events until after the senior programming has concluded. She emphasized that seniors from throughout Anaheim depend on the available parking and that coordination is needed to prevent program disruption.
Art Castillo shared difficulties for residents understanding the difference in the roles of the City and the School Board, noting that the public is often unable to obtain clear answers or participate in decisions affecting them. He expressed concerns about being prevented from assisting students in school disciplinary matters despite previously helping students avoid expulsion and return to school.
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
He questioned the role of School Resource Officers and the Police Department’s union structure. He urged the City to clearly communicate residents’ rights, explain applicable laws and jurisdictions, and provide greater transparency and opportunities for public input before decisions are made.
Rani Kuusto, representing Lions Club, announced plans to establish a new Lions Club in Anaheim and described efforts to complete the necessary City licensing and organizational requirements. She stated that the organization is surveying community groups and residents throughout Anaheim to identify the needs, strengths, demographics, and challenges of each district and to determine where volunteer services could be effective. She identified priority service areas including hunger, vision, pediatric cancer, diabetes, environments, mental health, and assistance for seniors and individuals experiencing hardships. She noted that the club would rely on volunteers, seek to avoid duplicating existing community services, and collaborate with local organizations, churches, City departments, and other community partners. She shared that the club would meet at the West Anaheim Youth Center on Beach Boulevard with potential use of the parking lot for community events and health fairs.
Anonymous 4 (Card No. 7615) spoke in support of Anaheim Convention Center duty managers who have not received raises over the past ten years. He explained that employees were told raises only occur in July, despite other employees receiving increases throughout the year. He criticized management for providing little information regarding whether the employees would receive increases or retroactive compensation. He expressed concern about the reclassification of the Events Manager position to a director role despite holding the same responsibilities. He stated that the duty managers had requested reclassification and compensation adjustments had been delayed for years.
He questioned whether funds previously designated for duty manager raises were redirected.
Mazatl Tepehyolotzin recognized Chicano Heritage Month and discussed the importance of preserving and teaching Native American, Mexican American, and Chicano history in Anaheim. He highlighted recent murals and other cultural changes in Anaheim as positive steps toward greater historical and cultural representation. He commended water conservation efforts and landscaping changes in Anaheim Hills to reduce grass and conserve water. He advocated establishing an educational monument at Pearson Park documenting the former exclusion of Mexican Americans and people of color from the park’s swimming pool. He encouraged collaboration with the School Board to use the monument as an educational tool for future generations and promote community healing and understanding.
Angelina Ortega shared her personal experiences involving her roommate and the Police Department response to her complaints. She stated that, based on allegations from her roommate, she was ordered to leave her apartment with her support animal, without her identification, money, and other belongings. She added that she has made formal complaints with the Police Department that have gone unanswered.
Mayor Aitken requested that Ms. Ortega leave her contact information to refer her to legal resources and to follow up with her regarding her complaints.
Sergio Pelayo expressed support for the family of Albert Arzola regarding his death. He stated that the officer involved had been involved in an alleged prior incident with a child during a stolen-bike investigation. He raised concerns regarding Albert Arzola’s death, questioning the circumstances of the police shooting and limited information about the second officer present. He explained that the second officer’s body-worn camera was reportedly not activated and a neighbor’s camera provided the only available outside video of the incident. He questioned why the second officer’s identity and footage had not been released.
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
Pearl Arzola described an interaction involving a family member who was stopped by the Anaheim Police Department. She shared that the officer questioned whether the vehicle was stolen and inquired about other family members. She expressed concern about the Police Department’s management of the family’s dogs during the incident, alleging that the officer left the dogs unattended, requiring neighbors to retrieve them. She criticized the Department’s treatment toward the family following the death of her brother Albert Arzola and urged the Council to hold the officers involved accountable.
Grace Arzola called for justice for her nephew Albert Arzola and expressed grief over his death. She criticized the City for its continued employment of Officer Nathan Garcia and questioned an alleged prior incident involving a 14-year-old. She expressed concern over Council Member Rubalcava’s social media posts including Officer Garcia, noting the effect it had on the family. She raised concerns about Code Enforcement and the Mondragon Family Market, including issues involving trash receptacles, sidewalk planters, and inconsistent treatment compared with City-sponsored displays.
She urged Council Members to prioritize residents and uphold their responsibilities to their constituents.
Juanita Lopez requested assistance with affordable housing, noting that her current residence was no longer affordable. She explained that the high cost of moving has prevented her from relocating and inquired about housing assistance. She spoke about the death of her grandson, Albert Arzola, and expressed grief and concern about the circumstances of his death.
Mayor Aitken referred Ms. Lopez to Housing and Community Development Department staff for assistance.
Christine Lopez expressed continued grief and concern about the death of her nephew Albert Arzola.
She questioned why the officer involved remained on patrol and called for accountability from City leadership and the Police Department. She argued that the active investigation should not prevent the Chief of Police from addressing alleged policy violations or taking steps to protect the community.
She expressed concern over a lack of independent oversight of Police Department investigations and urged Council Members to take stronger action regarding alleged misconduct. She advocated for rent control and urged the Council to address the concerns of renters and the high cost of living.
Ariel Espinosa called for justice for the death of Albert Arzola and expressed grief over his death. She questioned how the community can be expected to feel safe when the officer involved is still employed and participates in public events. She expressed concern over Council Member Rubalcava’s social media post including the officer.
Bethany Ahlberg expressed concern over inconsistent enforcement of City codes and laws. She stated that she submitted a Public Records Request, which was extended, and questioned whether the City had provided the required justification for the delay. She raised additional concerns regarding Code Enforcement and small businesses, referencing a coffee truck that faced repeated complaints causing the business to move to Santa Ana. She stated that Latino and Chicano businesses and families may be disproportionately affected and urged the City to provide clearer explanations and interpretations of City laws.
Leslie Lopez (Remote) spoke regarding the death of her cousin Albert Arzola and expressed concern that the identity of the officer involved was released months after the incident. She questioned the delay in the release of the officer’s name and Council Member Rubalcava publicly posting photographs of the officer on social media. She questioned the circumstances for the use of force, including gaps in video and audio footage. She expressed concern over allegations of previous excessive force claims against the officer and questioned what accountability or additional training followed those incidents. She called for greater transparency and accountability regarding officers’ City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
use of deadly force and urged the City and Police Department to invest in training, de-escalation, oversight, and community trust. She stated that the family and community deserve answers and reassurance that similar incidents would not happen again.
COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS:
Council Member Maahs highlighted a backpack giveaway in the Anna Drive neighborhood on August 3 rd
. She shared that ICNA Relief provided the backpacks and school supplies. She noted that the event was organized by residents and parent leaders from the PTA. She acknowledged the organization that donated the supplies and the residents who volunteered their time. Council Member Maahs highlighted the National Night Out event held in District 5. She noted that many residents and neighbors were grateful to welcome residents from all over the City to Juarez Park. She shared that she met Anaheim resident and Mini Miss Wheelchair California. She acknowledged the Police Department and staff who organized the event. She recognized Jason Perez as the reigning champion of the Donut Eating Contest. Council Member Maahs shared that Disneyland and Mickey and Friends joined students at a District 5 elementary school for their first day of school. She highlighted the kids’ and parents' excitement and expressed appreciation for the generosity of the Disneyland Resort for creating special moments for the children. Council Member Maahs announced that on Saturday, August 15th, OC Animal Care would be hosting an adoption event. She reported that adoption fees would be waived for dogs that weigh 25 pounds or more. She noted that adoption fees are always waived for veterans and encouraged the public to visit the shelter. She added that OC Animal Care hosts a drive-through pet food pantry the second Saturday of every month. Council Member Maahs congratulated the Chamber of Commerce for organizing the Amazing Taste of Anaheim event on Center Street. She announced that the monthly cleanup with a Council Member would be held on Saturday, August 22, at Rio Vista Park.
Mayor Pro Tem Leon shared that he had the opportunity to participate in the 2026 CHOC Walk at Disneyland, joining thousands of people who came to support the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the incredible work they do for children and families throughout the region. He thanked everyone who participated, volunteered, and helped make the CHOC Walk such a success. Mayor Pro Tem Leon highlighted the National Night Out event. He shared that the event is a great opportunity for families to meet officers who serve the neighborhoods, ask questions, and build relationships. He recognized Jason Perez as the undefeated Donut Eating Champion. He thanked Chief Cid, the Anaheim Police Department, and the organizers of the event. Mayor Pro Tem Leon highlighted the fourth Annual Back-To-School Bash at Madison Elementary School. He noted that the event welcomed more than 2,000 people and students within a few hours. He announced that families received backpacks and school supplies, free back-to-school haircuts from True School Barber Shop, food boxes distributed by CAP OC (Community Action Partnership of Orange County), and hot dogs from the Anaheim Municipal Employees’ Association (AMEA) and the Orange County Employees’ Association (OCEA). He shared that throughout the morning, families had access to community resources, activities, and performances. He thanked Karina’s Backpack Project for partnering for the event and the businesses, community organizations, volunteers, and staff who contributed their time and resources. He thanked his staff and volunteers, Kelly, Angie, Patty, Richard, Miranda, Ian, and more. He recognized the Anaheim Elementary School District, Principal Bown, and the staff at Madison Elementary School, including custodial team members Santos and Marcos. He thanked the City Clerk’s Office, Chief Cid and the Police Department, and Acting Public Utilities General Manager Brian Beelner for participating. He expressed his appreciation for all who continue to assist with the event and to the students in the community who have gone back to school.
He thanked teachers, educators, and school staff for all they do for students.
Council Member Kurtz announced that she had the opportunity to welcome over 7,000 walkers at the 2026 CHOC Walk. She invited residents to attend free gardening classes at the Anaheim Public City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
Utilities New Sustainability Center where residents would learn how to plant native plants. She shared that the classes are held once a quarter on Saturday mornings and posted on the Anaheim Public Utilities website. She thanked Public Utilities for hosting the classes for residents.
Council Member Rubalcava shared that she was born and raised in Anaheim and expressed pride in representing District 3 and its approximately 50,000 residents. She noted being the first Latina to represent District 3 and emphasized taking the responsibility of representation seriously, particularly in response to comments suggesting the City lacks equitable representation. She stated that the City Council voted unanimously to recognize August as Chicano Heritage Month. She noted that Anaheim is only the second City in the State to recognize Chicano Heritage Month. She highlighted her service on the Fair Board and noted the Board’s recent recognition of Dolores Huerta. She added that the City Council recognized Ms. Huerta’s contributions to women’s history, labor rights, and the Chicano movement. Council Member Rubalcava highlighted an exhibit in recognition of Chicano Heritage Month at the Downtown Community Center. She recognized Director of Community Services Sjany Larson-Cash and the Department for prioritizing the initiative. She noted the installation of murals recognizing Chicano Heritage Month and ongoing efforts to preserve the historic mural at Little People's Park, emphasizing the significance of Anaheim's Chicano movement during the 1970s. She encouraged residents to visit the exhibit and support the work of local Chicano artists. Council Member Rubalcava highlighted the City's participation in National Night Out, a nationwide policecommunity event focused on strengthening community relationships and promoting public safety. She mentioned her attendance at the event along with fellow Council Members and her family. She shared that it was meaningful to see residents and families from District 3 participate at the event in District 5. She echoed Council Members’ recognition of Jason Perez as the reigning Donut Eating Champion. Council Member Rubalcava apologized to the senior community for a parking inconvenience caused by a car show held during a backpack giveaway event on July 25 at Center Greens. She noted that the event was intended to support local families and announced that 600 backpacks were distributed to Anaheim youth preparing for the school year. She shared that the event brought together families, local car club members, school districts, and multiple City departments, including Fire, Public Utilities, and Public Works. She noted that staff and community partners provided complimentary haircuts, food, and refreshments, with the Anaheim Police Department's youth engagement team distributing hot dogs and a local Starbucks providing beverages. She thanked City staff, volunteers, community partners, and families for contributing to the successful community event and stated that future scheduling would take senior access and parking needs into greater consideration. Council Member Rubalcava announced construction in District 3 on Harbor Boulevard and highlighted the benefits of enhancing infrastructure. She thanked the contractor for personally notifying residents about the construction. Council Member Rubalcava announced that Chief Cid and Battalion Chief Morris would be competing in the 2026 Motorhome Madness at the OC Fair to support fundraising at CHOC Hospital. She shared that donations benefit kids and families struggling with childhood diseases. She thanked both Chiefs for dedicating their time. Council Member Rubalcava congratulated Officer Angelica Mejia on her retirement from the Anaheim Police Department after 31 years of service. She expressed appreciation for her dedication and service to Anaheim and noted the importance of having longtime Anaheim residents serve the community. She added that she would be requesting a formal recognition for Officer Mejia.
CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE:
Interim City Manager Garcia announced the selection of a structural consultant to perform the final engineering analysis and assessment of the Stadium test results. He reported that the final assessment was expected to be completed later in the year. He noted that there were no additional developments and that updates would continue to be provided as the process continues. Interim City Manager Garcia highlighted the City’s Sister City partnership with Mito, Japan. He noted that Anaheim and Mito are celebrating 50 years of partnership. He reported that six high school students City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
from Mito would visit Anaheim, stay with local host families, and tour City landmarks and facilities, including the Muzeo, a fire station, the Sustainability Education Center, attend an Angels game, and visit Disneyland. He added that the students are expected to attend the August 25th City Council meeting. He noted that Anaheim students participate in a reciprocal annual exchange to Mito and recently returned from their trip. He expressed interest in inviting the Anaheim students to share their experiences with the Council.
Mayor Aitken thanked Interim City Manager Garcia and the Sister City Commission for their work supporting the cultural exchange between Anaheim and Mito, including ensuring meaningful opportunities for Anaheim students abroad and welcoming Japanese students to Anaheim.
CONSENT CALENDAR: At 7:13 p.m., the consent calendar was considered with Council Member Maahs pulling Item No. 4 for separate consideration.
MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Leon moved to waive reading of the ordinances and resolutions and adopt the balance of the consent calendar as presented, in accordance with reports, certifications, and recommendations furnished each City Council Member, seconded by Council Member Meeks. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES – 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Leon, Balius, Rubalcava, Kurtz, Maahs, and Meeks); NOES – 0. Motion carried.
1. Receive and file minutes of the Cultural and Heritage Commission meeting of April 16, 2026, the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting of June 24, 2026, and the Public Utilities Board meeting of June 24, 2026.
2. Approve a certificate recognizing the 2026 Student Exchange Participants from Anaheim's Sister City of Mito, Japan.
3. Approve response to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury Report titled, “Wildfires Hit Home”, and authorize the Interim City Manager to execute a letter and forward the response to the Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933(c).
5. Award Master Agreement Purchase Order No. 106-498764 to Waxie Enterprises, LLC, a Brady PLUS company dba Waxie Sanitary Supply for janitorial supplies, for a one year term in an amount not-to-exceed $383,500 ($234,500 for the Anaheim Convention Center, $100,000 for Anaheim Public Utilities and $49,000 for Public Works), with two one-year optional renewals (annual contract amount for renewals will be based on prior year usage, subject to available budget appropriations); and authorize the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to exercise renewal options in accordance with the terms of Omnia Partners Cooperative Agreement No.152610.
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
6. Award a Master Agreement with OneSource Supply Solutions, LLC, in an average annual amount of $1,120,000, for the purchase of electrical connectors, fuses, and other components for a one year term with four one-year optional renewals, for a cumulative amount not to exceed $5,600,000 plus applicable sales tax; and authorize the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute the contract and all related documents and to exercise the renewal options.
7. Award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, R.J. Noble Company, in the amount of $2,589,550, for the Nohl Ranch Road Rehabilitation Project from Rural Ridge Drive to 200 feet east of Anaheim Hills Road; Imperial Highway from 200 feet south of Nohl Ranch Road to Santa Ana Canyon Road; and Anaheim Hills Road from Nohl Ranch Road to Auburn View Lane Project; authorize the Director of Public Works to execute the contract and related documents and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the contract; determine that the Project is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Class 1, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations; and authorize the Finance Director to execute the Escrow Agreement pertaining to contract retentions.
8. Award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Boudreau Pipeline Corporation, in the amount of $20,088,888, for the Resort Area Sanitary Sewer and Roadway Widening Improvements Project; authorize the Director of Public Works to execute the contract and related documents and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the contract; determine the Project is consistent with the previously-certified Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report No. 352; and authorize the Finance Director to execute the Escrow Agreement pertaining to contract retentions.
9. Approve the Subdivision Agreement for Parcel Map No. 2025-135 with Manchester Lincoln, LLC, associated with the proposed automobile dealership located at the northeast corner of Lincoln Avenue and Loara Street.
10. Approve the Final Map and Subdivision Agreement for Tract No. 19335 with Meritage Homes of California, Inc., to create a one-lot condominium subdivision for the development of 53 multi-story townhome dwelling units, including private drive aisles, common open space amenities, and related site improvements, located at 2564 W. Broadway.
11. Approve the Final Map and Subdivision Agreement for Tract No. 19112 with Lennar Homes of California, Incorporated, to create a one-lot condominium subdivision for the development of a 156-unit residential subdivision, including private drive aisles, onsite parking, and related site improvements for that certain real property located at 200 West Midway Drive.
12. RESOLUTION NO. 2026-091 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM dedicating certain City-owned property for public street, utility, and other municipal purposes [property generally located at 1768 South Douglass Road, Assessor Parcel Number: 232-072-06 and more commonly known as the ARTIC property].
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-092 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM dedicating certain City-owned property for public street, utility, and other municipal purposes [property generally located north of the Union Pacific Rail Road, west of Phoenix Club Drive and east of the former Anaheim Center, Assessor Parcel Number: 253- 631-29].
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-093 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM vacating portions of Irrevocable Offer of Dedication of Public Access Easement for emergency services, solid waste/trash collection, vehicular and pedestrian for public use pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code Section 8330, et seq. - Summary Vacation (ABA2025-00443).
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-094 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM vacating segments of excess street right of way adjacent to 1715-1725 and 1768 South Douglass Road pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code Section 8330, et seq. - Summary Vacation (ABA2026-00451).
Authorize the City Clerk to withhold the Resolutions dedicating certain City-owned properties for public road, utility, and other municipal purposes from recordation with the Orange County Clerk-Recorder until the Public Works Director or designee provides written confirmation that the applicable right-of-way improvements have been completed and accepted by the City [requested as part of the OCVIBE development project].
13. RESOLUTION NO. 2026-095 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM levying special taxes within City of Anaheim Community Facilities District No. 06-2 (Stadium Lofts).
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-096 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM levying special taxes within City of Anaheim Community Facilities District No. 08-1 (Platinum Triangle).
14. ORDINANCE NO. 6627 (ADOPTION) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM approving Development Application No. 2026-00022, adopting amendments to Title 18 (Zoning) of the Anaheim Municipal Code to implement the Sixth Cycle Housing Element and maintain consistency with state housing law and finding and determining that this ordinance is not subject to the requirements to prepare additional environmental documentation per California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15061(b)(3) and California Public Resources Code Section 21080.085 because it will not have a significant effect on the environment [Development Application No. 2026-00022, introduced at the Council meeting of July 28, 2026, Public Hearing Item No. 16].
15. Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting of June 9, 2026.
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
BUSINESS CALENDAR:
4. Approve response to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury Report titled, “PFAS and Public Awareness – A Closer Look at Orange County Drinking Water”, and authorize the Acting Public Utilities General Manager to execute a letter and forward the response to the Presiding Judge of the Orange County Court and the Orange County Grand Jury, pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933(c).
DISCUSSION: Council Member Maahs requested that staff share key findings from the Grand Jury report and how they were addressed.
Acting Public Utilities General Manager Brian Beelner introduced Assistant General Manager of Water Services Craig Parker to outline the findings and the City’s responses.
Assistant General Manager Parker outlined the findings from the Orange County Grand Jury Report concerning perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and drinking water. He reported that Anaheim agreed with findings that PFOS contamination is widespread in Orange County groundwater and that the community water systems must report PFOS monitoring in annual Consumer Confidence Reports. He stated that Anaheim also agreed that the Orange County Water District has taken a proactive leadership role in addressing PFOS contamination in groundwater basins through PFOS treatment implementation varied across local cities and water agencies. He reported that Anaheim agreed that Orange County drinking water meets or exceeds State and federal standards and is safe for consumption without additional home filtration. He stated that approximately 80% of Anaheim’s water supply comes from groundwater and that the City has met applicable State and federal standards. He added that the City partially disagreed with the finding regarding limited online PFOS education and outreach programs among Orange County water retailers, with many relying primarily on the Orange County Water District. He cited Anaheim’s numerous outreach and educational efforts, including community meetings and open houses, student tours of water treatment facilities, groundwater treatment program events, the Sustainability Education Center, regional water-sustainability events, annual Water Awareness Month activities, and informational and action items presented to the Anaheim Public Utilities Board and City Council.
Acting General Manager Beelner noted that the Orange County Grand Jury specifically commended Anaheim for its PFOS treatment efforts, highlighting the City’s approximately $150 million municipal PFOS treatment program as one of the largest of its kind in the country. He emphasized that the Grand Jury’s report not only identified findings requiring a City response but also recognized Anaheim as a leader in PFOS treatment and noted its proactive approach to addressing PFOS contamination.
Council Member Maahs thanked staff for highlighting the Orange County Grand Jury’s recognition of Anaheim’s PFOS treatment efforts.
Council Member Meeks noted her role as Anaheim’s representative on the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Board and highlighted OCWD’s partnership with Anaheim in responding to PFAS contamination. He stated that OCWD developed a funding plan that enabled Anaheim to temporarily shut down affected wells, construct treatment and filtration systems, and return the wells to service, reducing reliance on more costly imported water. She emphasized that Anaheim and OCWD have been nationally recognized as models for proactively addressing PFAS contamination through coordinated response and treatment efforts.
City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
In response to Mayor Aitken, Assistant General Manager Parker reported that Public Utilities maintains a comprehensive website regarding PFOS, including the nature and sources of the contamination, the City’s response, and any required public notifications. He explained that the website is intended to provide residents with access to information about Anaheim’s actions and Orange County’s broader response to the issue.
Mayor Aitken highlighted the Public Utilities facilities and congratulated them.
MOTION: Council Member Maahs moved to approve the response to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury Report titled, “PFAS and Public Awareness – A Closer Look at Orange County Drinking Water”, and authorize the Acting Public Utilities General Manager to execute a letter and forward the response to the Presiding Judge of the Orange County Court and the Orange County Grand Jury, pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933(c), seconded by Council Member Meeks. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES – 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Leon, Balius, Rubalcava, Kurtz, Maahs, and Meeks); NOES – 0. Motion carried.
16. Receive a presentation by Visit Anaheim related to the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District Annual Report [informational item only].
Executive Director of Convention, Sports & Entertainment Tom Morton reported that the item was requested by Council Member Kurtz at the June 9
th Council meeting. He introduced Visit Anaheim’s
Chief Marketing Officer Scott Oklin to provide the presentation.
Mr. Oklin presented an overview of the organization’s tourism marketing strategy, with a focus on improving the effectiveness of Tourism Improvement District (TID) marketing dollars and demonstrating measurable returns to the City. He explained that tourism marketing is increasingly driven by data and analytical tools that allow Visit Anaheim to track not only whether people are exposed to advertisements, but whether those exposures ultimately result in actual visits, overnight stays, visitor spending, and economic activity in Anaheim.
Mr. Oklin stated that the primary objective of Visit Anaheim’s marketing expenditures is to generate overnight visitation and hotel bookings. He emphasized the economic significance of extending visitor stays, estimating if every visitor stayed an additional night in Anaheim, the City could see approximately $800 million in additional hotel revenue. He explained that tourism marketing is more than a traditional advertising budget, it is an important revenue-generating mechanism for the City.
He reported that for calendar year 2025, Visit Anaheim generated approximately 117.5 million trackable marketing impressions. He clarified that the organization generates substantially more impressions overall; however, the 117.5 million represents the impressions that could be measured through its newer attribution-data platform. He emphasized that impressions alone are an incomplete measure of success because they indicate exposure but do not necessarily demonstrate that someone visited Anaheim. He reported that the new attribution platform allows Visit Anaheim to connect marketing exposure to actual visitation. He noted that based on the 2025 data, the organization reported that for every 1,000 trackable marketing impressions, approximately 9.5 actual visits to Anaheim could be measured. He emphasized that it represented a shift away from treating impressions as a “vanity metric” and toward measuring concrete outcomes, including visitation, visitor spending, and the financial benefits associated with those trips. He stated that the visitors generated through the marketing efforts contribute to the City’s tax base, noting that the associated economic activity offset approximately $9,000 across Anaheim households. He emphasized that the objective was to demonstrate how individual marketing expenditures ultimately translate into measurable economic activity rather than simply reporting advertising reach.
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Mr. Oklin reported that the organization uses the functions and data capabilities to evaluate the full visitor journey, from initial awareness and inspiration through consideration and booking, with the goal of demonstrating the return generated by tourism marketing expenditures. He outlined the four stages of the visitor journey beginning with awareness. He explained that Visit Anaheim uses earned media, connected television, and social media to introduce Anaheim to audiences who may not be actively planning a trip. He added that earned media includes unpaid press coverage, national news segments, and organic media stories. He stated that connected TV includes streaming platforms such as Hulu, Roku, and YouTube TV, which allow Visit Anaheim to target and track audiences digitally.
He reported that the next stage, inspiration, includes storytelling, content creation, and influencer or creator partnerships. He added that Visit Anaheim works with a vendor named Stellar, which allows visitors to recreate or customize trips featured by influencers and provides Visit Anaheim with the ability to measure the return on investment of influencer campaigns. He stated that the next stage, consideration, applies to paid search and retargeting to reach travelers who are actively planning trips and ensure Anaheim appears during searches for destinations or travel information. He outlined the final stage of booking, noting that promotions and hotel partner offers provide the final incentive to secure an overnight stay. He provided an example of the seasonal campaign “100 Days Till Summer”, which builds urgency ahead of peak season. He noted that Visit Anaheim incorporated feedback from hotel partners into the “100 Days Till Summer” campaign by allowing participating hotels to facilitate bookings directly through their own platforms instead of requiring bookings through a vacation provider. He added that over 25 hotels participated, with offers including discounts, added value, free valet service, food and beverage credits, and other incentives. He provided an example of earned media producing measurable results, and highlighted a summer campaign featuring skateboarder Tony Hawk, who participated in media interviews at Muzeo in connection with a skateboarding exhibit and the broader nostalgia-travel trend. He reported that Muzeo’s ticket sales for the exhibit increased 40% the following week, demonstrating that an earned-media effort could be linked to increased local visitation and revenue.
Mr. Oklin stated that Visit Anaheim has historically relied on metrics such as hotel occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), revenue per available room (RevPAR), Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections, (TID) collections, and overall visitation trends. He noted that while the measures show overall tourism performance, they do not identify which specific marketing campaigns, advertisements, vendors, or geographic markets are responsible for generating visitation. He reported that Visit Anaheim utilizes Tourism Economics’ Symphony Attribution Platform to close the gap by connecting exposure to marketing with actual travel behavior. He stated that the platform uses anonymized, aggregated location data and does not identify or track individual people. He explained that the platform can measure whether someone exposed to a Visit Anaheim advertisement subsequently traveled to Anaheim, how long it took between exposure and visitation, where visitors traveled after arriving, and the markets from which they originated. He provided an example of an individual from another city seeing a Visit Anaheim advertisement and visiting Anaheim later, noting that the platform can identify that connection and the vendor associated with the campaign.
Mr. Oklin emphasized that the data is being used to make ongoing marketing decisions rather than being reported into a dashboard. He explained that Visit Anaheim monitors creative performance, vendor performance, visit rates per 1,000 impressions, source markets, visitor movement within Anaheim, and the time between exposure and visitation. He reported that it allows the organization to discontinue underperforming advertisements, reallocate marketing dollars among vendors, identify stronger source markets, inform partner and district strategies, and determine how far in advance campaigns should be launched. He noted that the information is available on a near-real-time basis, allowing Visit Anaheim to adjust campaigns while they are running rather than waiting for year-end results.
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Mr. Oklin provided a case study involving programmatic media, explaining that it is advertising purchased and placed automatically through software and real-time bidding. He explained that the approach allows Visit Anaheim to target specific audiences and optimize advertising expenditures across multiple placements simultaneously, providing greater speed and flexibility than manually negotiated media buys. He reported that, midway through 2025, Visit Anaheim added a second programmatic media vendor to compete directly with its longtime Incumbent. He explained that for the first time, both vendors could be evaluated using the same independent, third-party Symphony Attribution Platform, allowing Visit Anaheim to compare performance based on actual observed visitation rather than vendor-reported results. He reported that during 2025, Visit Anaheim spent approximately 75% more with the Incumbent vendor, which generated nearly twice as many impressions, 63.2 million compared with 30.8 million for the Challenger. He added that observed visitation was nearly comparable, at approximately 656,000 visits for the Incumbent and 609,000 for the Challenger. He stated that as a result, the Challenger generated approximately 10 visits per 1,000 impressions, compared with 5 visits per 1,000 impressions for the Incumbent. He noted that Visit Anaheim subsequently shifted investment toward the Challenger, allowing the organization to maintain or exceed visitation results despite reductions in the marketing budget. He emphasized that the independent attribution system helps Visit Anaheim make spending decisions based on measurable results rather than established vendor relationships or past practices. He stated that the approach is intended to maximize the value of TID-generated marketing dollars and, in turn, protect the tax relief those revenues provide to Anaheim residents.
Mr. Oklin reported that for meetings and conventions marketing, Visit Anaheim focuses on helping the sales team secure additional business and increase attendance for groups already scheduled to visit Anaheim. He stated that in the sports and gaming sector, comparing 2024 and 2025, Visit Anaheim reported a 10.5% increase in events, a 114% increase in room nights, and an 80.4% increase in attendance. He explained that the gains were attributed to coordination between the sales and marketing teams and stated that all three measures were expected to increase in 2026. He highlighted Visit Anaheim’s work with VidCon, which faced competition in 2025 due to the Cannes Festival in Europe, targeting similar content-creator audiences. He noted that at VidCon’s request, Visit Anaheim launched a promotional helicopter activation and sweepstakes, allowing attendees to enter for a chance to take a helicopter ride with a favorite content creator. He stated that the promotion and related media coverage were designed to give potential attendees an additional incentive to choose Anaheim and maintain VidCon attendance. He shared that the marketing activation helped protect VidCon attendance and the associated hotel room nights and visitor spending generated in Anaheim.
Mr. Oklin stated that Visit Anaheim’s focus has shifted from measuring advertising impressions and reach alone to measuring actual visitation and return on TID marketing investments. He emphasized that strategies such as discontinuing underperforming creative, reallocating funds from less-effective vendors, and timing campaigns to coincide with travelers’ booking windows are intended to maximize the effectiveness of every marketing dollar entrusted to Visit Anaheim by the hotel community. He noted the potential economic impact of extending visitor stays, estimating that one additional night per visitor could generate approximately $800 million in additional hotel revenue for Anaheim.
DISCUSSION: Council Member Meeks inquired how Visit Anaheim tracks whether individuals were exposed to marketing and how the visitors spend their money.
Mr. Oklin explained that Visit Anaheim’s attribution platform does not identify individuals by name and does not rely on credit-card data. He clarified that Visit Anaheim uses IP addresses, device information, and household-level data to connect exposure to Visit Anaheim advertising with subsequent travel activity. He stated that extensive data cleaning and deduplication are used to improve accuracy and distinguish actual visitors from Anaheim residents commuting to work or City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
passing through the City. He reported that the system can measure visitors’ movements within Anaheim, including by district and specific points of interest, helping Visit Anaheim determine where visitors go after arriving and evaluate the effectiveness of targeted marketing campaigns.
In response to Council Member Kurtz, Mr. Oklin reported that Visit Anaheim uses a 90-day lookback period to evaluate marketing performance and determine whether sufficient time has passed to make informed budget and strategy decisions. He stated that the process is ongoing and that Visit Anaheim can adjust budgets, tactics, and vendor allocations in near real time based on performance results.
He noted that different vendors are evaluated using different performance measures, depending on their intended purpose. He explained that some partners are focused primarily on awareness and inspiration, including promoting OCVIBE, DisneylandForward, or new hotel developments, and therefore not evaluated solely on immediate visitation or booking results. He noted that the attribution data allows Visit Anaheim to continuously assess performance and adjust marketing investments accordingly.
Council Member Kurtz inquired if there were long-term agreements that bind Visit Anaheim to a group for a specific time.
Mr. Oklin clarified that there are no long-term agreements with any vendors. He added that with vendors like the Challenger, Visit Anaheim is able to shift tactics in relationships with vendors throughout the course of the year.
In response to Council Member Maahs, Mr. Oklin explained that the typical performance benchmark for programmatic marketing is approximately five to six visits per 1,000 impressions, although the target varies depending on the purpose of the campaign and vendor. He noted that vendors focused on broad awareness and inspiration, such as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast, may not include a direct hotel booking mechanism and are evaluated using different performance standards. He reported that in contrast, vendors such as Expedia, which reach travelers closer to the point of making a booking decision, can be evaluated more directly based on visitation and conversion metrics. He stated that Visit Anaheim establishes different benchmarks for each vendor and marketing tactic based on their intended role in the visitor journey.
Mayor Pro Tem Leon thanked Visit Anaheim for the presentation and ongoing reporting and highlighted the importance of fiduciary responsibility in the use of public funds. He expressed appreciation for Visit Anaheim’s independent comparison of Incumbent and Challenger vendors and asked how many vendors the organization currently uses for its marketing efforts.
Mr. Oklin stated that the organization typically works with approximately 15 to 25 vendors throughout the year, depending on its marketing objectives and the specific tactics being used. He added that the vendors may support various efforts, including digital advertising and out-of-home advertising such as billboards.
In response to Mayor Pro Tem Leon, Mr. Oklin reported that he has prioritized preventing vendor complacency by maintaining a competitive environment and continuously evaluating vendor performance. He noted that Visit Anaheim generally avoids multi-year marketing contracts, with most agreements lasting no more than six months, allowing the organization to regularly assess existing vendors and introduce new vendors each year. He stated that Visit Anaheim works with a media agency that provides significant purchasing power and continually evaluates emerging marketing opportunities. He noted that Visit Anaheim is exploring Twitch as a potential platform to support Anaheim’s visibility in the esports sector and complement the work of the sports and gaming team.
He emphasized that the organization continually reviews and adjusts its vendor mix and marketing strategies to maximize performance.
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Mayor Pro Tem Leon thanked Visit Anaheim for maintaining competitive vendor practices and inquired about the typical timeline for moving a potential visitor through the marketing journey from awareness to consideration and ultimately booking.
Mr. Oklin explained that the visitor journey is no longer a linear process from awareness to booking but is increasingly circular, with travelers entering the process at different stages based on factors such as social media, AI tools, and other forms of destination discovery. He noted that Visit Anaheim is using tools including Mindtrip to help potential visitors explore Anaheim before their trip and to enhance the experience of visitors already in the City. He added that Visit Anaheim is also working with hotels to provide pre-populated visitor guides featuring nearby attractions and restaurants. He stated that travelers in the consideration and booking stages are typically visiting within approximately 30 to 45 days, while the 90-day attribution window captures travelers earlier in the planning process.
He reported that the timeline varies by target market, with travelers from farther-away markets potentially requiring more time and marketing engagement.
Mayor Pro Tem Leon stated that based on previous conversations with Visit Anaheim, the primary markets are international locations, including Mexico and Canada. He inquired if Visit Anaheim has completed any campaigns for the local market.
Mr. Oklin stated that international visitation represents a portion of Anaheim’s tourism activity but is not the majority of the overall visitation. He explained that Visit Anaheim’s primary leisure marketing efforts focus on domestic markets, particularly Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs, and Riverside.
He highlighted Visit Anaheim’s recent rebrand, which emphasizes local storytelling and showcasing attractions and experiences that have existed in Anaheim for decades. He stated that as part of the effort, Visit Anaheim partnered with local tattoo artist Gus Jaimes to create a mural at Brewery X and held its rebrand launch there rather than in a traditional hotel ballroom to strengthen connections with the local community. He shared that the goal is to encourage nearby residents and visitors to discover more of Anaheim, stay overnight when possible, and return to the City repeatedly.
Mayor Pro Tem Leon commended Visit Anaheim for expanding its marketing efforts to highlight local businesses, restaurants, and attractions throughout Anaheim, including West Anaheim and areas outside the Resort District. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that local small businesses and longstanding “mom-and-pop” establishments throughout the City benefit from tourism marketing efforts and thanked Visit Anaheim for its continued work to broaden those opportunities.
Mr. Oklin thanked Mayor Pro Tem Leon for the recognition and highlighted Visit Anaheim’s efforts to promote the City through a new YouTube series and broader community-focused programming. He noted that Visit Anaheim launched its first comedy and culinary festival earlier in the year, and that the new series would feature two comedians visiting a variety of Anaheim businesses and attractions.
He reported that the first episode includes stops at Okayama Bakery, The Viv Hotel, and Adventure City, showcasing a broader range of experiences throughout Anaheim beyond the destinations the City is typically known for.
In response to Council Member Balius, Mr. Oklin confirmed that the click-through rate includes a blended rate for all of Visit Anaheim’s campaigns. He clarified that Visit Anaheim is no longer primarily evaluating marketing effectiveness based on whether users click on advertisements. He explained that instead, Visit Anaheim measures whether a device within a household was exposed to Visit Anaheim’s advertising and subsequently visited Anaheim. He added that the analysis does not depend on where or how the visitor ultimately booked their hotel or whether they clicked on the advertisement.
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Council Member Balius requested clarification regarding advertising clicks and the number of hotel nights generated.
Mr. Oklin clarified that impressions and clicks are different metrics. He explained that impressions measure how many people or devices were exposed to an advertisement, while clicks measure whether someone interacted with the advertisement. He explained that Visit Anaheim historically focused more on clicks and whether users proceeded to a booking platform. He noted that with the new attribution system, Visit Anaheim can instead determine whether a device exposed to an advertisement subsequently visited Anaheim, regardless of whether the individual clicked the ad or where they ultimately made their booking.
In response to Council Member Balius, Mr. Oklin acknowledged that Visit Anaheim may lose some tracking visibility when users decline cookies or when vendors do not permit tracking tools such as UTM (Urchin Tracking Modules) parameters and pixels. He explained that Visit Anaheim does not rely solely on visits to its own website, and also tracks exposure through third-party platforms and marketing partners, including Tripadvisor, Expedia, and programmatic advertising vendors, where tracking is permitted. He noted that when users decline tracking across the channels, Visit Anaheim cannot fully measure their subsequent activity. He stated that as a result, the reported visitation figures may be understated relative to actual visitation, although the data remains useful for benchmarking Anaheim’s performance against competing destinations.
Council Member Balius expressed support for maintaining competition among Visit Anaheim’s marketing vendors and emphasized the importance of regularly evaluating vendors to ensure independent performance assessment and effective use of funds. He requested clarification regarding the estimated $800 million in potential additional hotel revenue.
Mr. Oklin explained that the City currently receives approximately 8.6 million overnight visitors, who stay an average of 2.17 days. He reported that increasing the average stay by one additional night, from 2.17 to 3.17 days, was used as the basis for the estimate, using approximately $1.7 billion in 2025 lodging revenue as the reference point.
Council Member Kurtz asked whether Visit Anaheim’s convention marketing strategy also aims to encourage convention attendees to extend their stays, add additional nights, or bring family members by promoting activities and attractions beyond Disneyland and the Convention Center.
Mr. Oklin confirmed that a key objective is to encourage convention attendees who may initially plan to stay two or three days to extend their visit by an additional night, including bringing family members and exploring Anaheim. He explained that Visit Anaheim is increasingly focusing on visitor interests and affinities rather than demographics alone when developing marketing strategies.
Council Member Kurtz thanked Visit Anaheim for the presentation and expressed appreciation for the organization’s use of data and technology to track the effectiveness of its tourism marketing efforts.
Council Member Rubalcava thanked Visit Anaheim for providing additional information about their marketing efforts and emphasized the importance of measuring results, particularly the impact on TOT revenues. She noted that TOT performance is a key measure of the effectiveness of Visit Anaheim’s work and mentioned seeing Visit Anaheim marketing materials while traveling. She inquired about Visit Anaheim’s rebranding and questioned the reasoning behind the new branding approach.
Mr. Oklin explained that the rebranding was intended to reflect the growth, excitement, and trajectory of the Anaheim destination. He noted that while the previous brand was effective, it had been in place City Council Minutes of August 11, 2026
for approximately 15 years. He reported that the rebranding process included expanding the color palette through extensive research conducted with Collider Lab, internal stakeholder interviews, and discussions with local businesses to identify community perspectives, challenges, and attributes that should be reflected in the destination’s identity. He added that the new brand was designed to be flexible, allowing Visit Anaheim to use different messaging depending on the audience and purpose, including “Visit”, “Win in Anaheim” for international efforts, and “Anaheim, California” to provide geographic context. He emphasized that the new brand is intended to promote the entire City, not solely the Resort District. He explained that the messaging focuses on local stories and characteristics identified through the research, including Anaheim’s blue-collar character, community grit, and generational pride, incorporated into Visit Anaheim’s marketing efforts moving forward.
Council Member Rubalcava acknowledged the new branding but expressed concern about removing “Visit” from “Visit Anaheim.” She noted that consumers may view “Anaheim” alone as a general brand rather than a clear call to action and emphasized the importance of ensuring that Visit Anaheim’s branding effectively communicates its purpose and attracts visitors to the City. She praised Visit Anaheim’s use of grassroots marketing, including influencers who have generated significant views through content featuring Anaheim. She encouraged Visit Anaheim to broaden its focus beyond businesses that are already highly visible and popular on social media. She suggested providing greater promotional exposure to smaller and less-visible local businesses, including businesses such as Colony Wine Merchant and En Familia, as well as establishments within Little Arabia. She emphasized that highlighting businesses that do not have substantial social media exposure could help distribute the benefits of tourism marketing more broadly throughout Anaheim.
Mr. Oklin thanked Council Member Rubalcava for the feedback and highlighted Visit Anaheim’s new “Locally Loved” program, which recently recognized 14 local businesses across a range of categories and neighborhoods, including Little Saigon and Little Arabia. He stated that the program is intended to promote a broader range of Anaheim businesses, particularly to convention visitors, and help showcase the diversity of dining, shopping, and other experiences available throughout the City.
Council Member Maahs noted that Midsummer Scream, a horror convention, would move from Long Beach to Anaheim the following year. She expressed support for the event coming to Anaheim and stated that it would complement the City’s existing Halloween-related events, including the Fall Festival and Parade.
Informational item; no formal action taken by the City Council.
17. Nominate and appoint a voting delegate and up to two voting alternates to the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) Annual Conference, to be held September 23 – 25, 2026 in Anaheim, California.
APPOINTMENT: Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken
ALTERNATE: Council Member Ryan Balius
ALTERNATE: Interim City Manager Greg Garcia
DISCUSSION: In response to Mayor Aitken, City Clerk Theresa Bass explained that although the City is assigned a voting delegate, formal approval by the City Council is required.
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NOMINATION: Council Member Rubalcava nominated Council Member Balius.
DISCUSSION: City Clerk Bass clarified that the nomination would be for one voting delegate but requires City Council approval.
Council Member Rubalcava explained that she nominated Council Member Balius because he previously expressed interest and because of previous Council discussion to diversify appointment opportunities.
Council Member Balius stated that he was willing to serve as either the delegate or alternate. He noted that the City of Murrieta had reportedly introduced a proposal to establish a Statewide working group to evaluate legislative, constitutional, and ballot-related strategies, and a vote on the proposal was expected during the year. He noted his prior service on a nominating committee for the League of California Cities.
City Clerk Bass stated that the nominations were required and if multiple nominations were made, each appointment would be voted on separately.
Council Member Rubalcava proposed nominating Mayor Aitken as the voting delegate and Council Member Balius as the alternate.
In response to Mayor Aitken, City Clerk Bass confirmed that the appointments can be confirmed through one vote.
Council Member Kurtz suggested nominating a City staff member as the second alternate.
Mayor Aitken confirmed that the second alternate can be a City staff member.
NOMINATION: Mayor Pro Tem Leon nominated Mayor Aitken as the voting delegate, Council Member Rubalcava nominated Council Member Balius as the alternate and Interim City Manager Greg Garcia as the second alternate. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES – 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Leon, Balius, Rubalcava, Kurtz, Maahs, and Meeks); NOES – 0. Motion carried.
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS (non-agenda items): None
COUNCIL AGENDA SETTING:
Council Member Meeks expressed concern that unsolicited advertising flyers left in residents’ driveways end up as litter in streets, landfills, and storm drains. She requested that staff investigate whether the City has enforcement options or other regulatory measures available, while considering whether distribution of the materials is protected by the First Amendment, and to clarify when the materials may cross the line from informational distribution to litter.
Council Member Rubalcava requested a recognition for Officer Angelica Mejia for her 31 years of service to the Anaheim Police Department. She requested an update from the City Attorney’s Office regarding the City’s work on rent control, enforcement of the State rent control initiative, and current initiatives to help Anaheim residents.
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ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Council, Mayor Aitken adjourned the City Council at 8:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Theresa Bass, CMC
City Clerk