City Manager Review: SW
Council Agenda Item No.: 1
CITY OF BUELLTON
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting of November 13, 2025
City Council Chambers, 140 West Highway 246
Buellton, California
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Silva called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Silva introduced Krista Armenta-Belen, who recited an opening blessing.
ROLL CALL
Present: Council Member John Sanchez, Council Member Hudson Hornick, Council Member Carla Mead, Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis (Via Zoom), and Mayor David Silva
Staff: City Manager Scott Wolfe, City Attorney Greg Murphy, Planning Director Andrea Keefer, Finance Director Shannel Zamora (Via Zoom), Public Works Director Rose Hess (Via Zoom), and City Clerk Linda Reid
City Attorney Murphy announced that Vice Mayor Lewis would participate via Zoom.
Vice Mayor Lewis stated she is appearing remotely under the “just cause” provision of the Brown Act.
REORDERING OF AGENDA
City Manager Wolfe announced that Item 8 would be reordered to occur before the Public Hearing of Item 6.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
John Dorwin, Buellton, discussed stormwater enforcement and provided a handout for the record.
Kevin Little, Buellton, stated the Buellton Community Garden members are running a hostile organization and he would like the Council to agendize this issue for further discussion.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 November 13, 2025
Lisa Palmer, Los Olivos, announced that the City of Solvang pledged another $50,000 to the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation and asked that the City of Buellton pledge the same additional funding for a total from both Cities in the amount of one million dollars.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Minutes of October 23, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting
2. List of Claims to be Approved and Ratified for Payment to Date for Fiscal Year 2025/2026
3. Financial Report for the Fourth Quarter Ending June 30, 2025 MOTION:
Motion by Council Member Sanchez, seconded by Council Member Mead, approving Consent Calendar Items 1 through 3 as listed.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 5-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Mead – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
PRESENTATIONS
4. Proclamation Recognizing National Native American Heritage Month Lucy Padilla and Chris Stevenson representing the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians accepted the proclamation recognizing National Native American Heritage month and thanked the Mayor and Council for their support.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
5. Ordinance No. 25-06 – “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Amending Chapter 3.28.060 of the Buellton Municipal Code Pertaining to Registration Requirements of Hotel Operators Subject to Transient Occupancy Tax, and Adding Chapter 19.06.290 of the Buellton Municipal Code Pertaining to the Operation of Hotels for Short Term Rental Use Only (25-ZOA-01)” (Introduction and First Reading)
City Manager Wolfe explained that Ordinance No. 25-06 has been continued to allow the California Department of Housing and Community Development to weigh in on the terms of the proposed ordinance and that Ordinance 25-06 would be re-noticed by staff.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 November 13, 2025
Council Member Hornick recused himself from Item 5.
MOTION:
Motion by Council Member Sanchez, seconded by Vice Mayor Lewis, continuing the Public Hearing of Ordinance No. 25-06 to a date uncertain.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 4-0.
Council Member Mead – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
8. Deep Dive: Tree Policies, Procedures, and City Ordinance Information RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive staff’s presentation, review the materials provided, and discuss as appropriate.
STAFF REPORT:
Planning Director Keefer presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
The City Council discussed specifics of the City’s current tree policy and requested that staff agendize further discussion regarding the tree planting list, tree canopies, tree height, and other specifics. Staff stated the revised General Plan will address these issues in the latest update, which will be brought to the City Council for further discussion.
DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
6. Ordinance No. 25-07 – “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Setting Policies Governing the Planting and Care of Trees on Public Property and Making Provisions for the Emergency Removal of Trees on Private Property under Certain Conditions” (Introduction and First Reading)
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider the introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 25-07.
STAFF REPORT:
City Manager Wolfe presented the staff report.
DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 November 13, 2025
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
The City Council discussed aspects of the proposed ordinance and future codification of tree policies and procedures.
Mayor Silva opened the Public Hearing at 7:18 p.m. There being no public comment, Mayor Silva closed the Public Hearing at 7:19 p.m.
MOTION:
Motion by Vice Mayor Lewis, seconded by Mayor Silva, approving the introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 25-07 – “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Setting Policies Governing the Planting and Care of Trees on Public Property and Making Provisions for the Emergency Removal of Trees on Private Property under Certain Conditions” by title only and waive further reading.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 5-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Mead - Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS/ITEMS
Vice Mayor Lewis, Council Member Sanchez, and Council Member Mead, thanked all involved with organizing Fall Fest on the Avenue of Flags and said it was a great event.
Council Member Sanchez requested that staff agendize discussion of additional funding for the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation.
Council Member Mead thanked the City of Solvang for their additional pledge of $50,000 for the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation.
Council Member Mead thanked all Veterans for their service.
Council Member Mead requested, and the Council agreed by consensus to have staff look into partnering with Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation to install animal microchip scan stations in Buellton.
Council Member Hornick requested an update on narrowing Highway 246 through Buellton. Public Works Director Hess provided an update on this project.
Council Member Hornick requested traffic control measures in Rancho de Maria.
Council Member Hornick requested, and the Council agreed by consensus to have staff look into partnering with the United Way to create Early Childhood Education programs in Buellton.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 November 13, 2025
Council Member Hornick requested additional electronic newsletter communications for residents.
Mayor Silva requested and the Council agreed by consensus to have look into housing trust options.
Mayor Silva requested that staff review the City’s current political sign ordinance to ensure it is legally accurate and possibly add an enforcement provision to the ordinance.
Vice Mayor Silva thanked Pam Gnekow for organizing the Veterans Day events in the Valley. Mayor Silva thanked everyone who assisted with the recent Town Hall meetings and those who helped organize Fall Fest and the Halloween Haunted House in Solvang.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Council Member Hornick announced that he attended a Green Team meeting and provided an oral report for the record.
Vice Mayor Lewis announced that she attended a City/School District Joint Use Committee meeting and provided an oral report for the record.
Mayor Silva announced that he attended the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) North County Sub-Regional Committee meeting and provided an oral report for the record.
BUSINESS ITEMS
7. Consideration of Arts and Culture Project Application: Banner and Social Media Outreach - Buellton.Art
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider funding for the Arts & Culture project listed above.
STAFF REPORT:
Recreation Coordinator Firey presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
A. Banner and Social Media Outreach – Buellton.Art
Kristin Merz, project organizer, announced that the Buellton Art Banners has received good press coverage recently and thanked the Council for their continued support.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6 November 13, 2025
The City Council requested that the Buellton Art Banners be listed as a funding item in the City’s Biennial Budget.
DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
MOTION:
Motion by Vice Mayor Lewis, seconded by Council Member Sanchez approving funding for $22,572 for Banner and Social Media Outreach – Buellton.Art project.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 5-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Mead – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
9. General Plan Update 2025-2050; Augmented Scope of Work; Approval of Consultant Contracts for: Sargent Town Planning, Atlas Planning Solutions, Circlepoint RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into contracts with Sargent Town Planning, Atlas Planning Solutions, and Circlepoint on the basic terms set forth in the attached scopes of work and associated budgets to support the Comprehensive General Plan Update and related long-range planning efforts for the City of Buellton.
STAFF REPORT:
Planning Director Keefer presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
The City Council discussed the importance of the General Plan Update and that it deserves due diligence by professional contractors to ensure the best end product.
DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
MOTION:
Motion by Mayor Silva, seconded by Council Member Hornick authorizing the City Manager to enter into contracts with Sargent Town Planning, Atlas Planning Solutions, and Circlepoint on the basic terms set forth in the attached scopes of work and associated budgets to support the Comprehensive General Plan Update and related long-range planning efforts for the City of Buellton.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 7 November 13, 2025
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 4-1, with Council Member Sanchez voting no.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Mead – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – No
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
10. Informational Item: Cost Options for Extended Library Hours RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council discuss extending the Buellton Library hours and bring this item back for further discussion in January 2026.
STAFF REPORT:
City Manager Wolfe presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
The City Council discussed the possibility of extending the Library’s hours and that staff bring this item back for further discussion in January 2026.
11. Resolution No. 25-30 – “A Resolution of the City Council of Buellton, California, Establishing a Policy for the Acceptance and Public Disclosure of Donations to the City”
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider adoption of Resolution No. 25-30.
STAFF REPORT:
Finance Director Zamora presented the staff report.
DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
The City Council discussed issues pertaining to creating a policy concerning donations to the City.
MOTION:
Motion by Council Member Hornick, seconded by Vice Mayor Lewis, adopting Resolution No. 25-30 - “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Establishing a Policy for the Acceptance and Public Disclosure of Donations to the City” City Council Meeting Minutes Page 8 November 13, 2025
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 5-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Mead – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Wolfe provided an informational report for the record.
CLOSED SESSION ITEMS
12. Closed Session Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8 Conference with Real Property Negotiator
Property: 140 West Highway 246, Buellton, CA (APN: 099-261-027) Agency Negotiator: Scott Wolfe, City Manager
Negotiating Party: Katie Burns, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment
The City Council met in closed session to discuss Item 12. No reportable action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Silva adjourned the regular meeting at 9:02 p.m. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. ____________________________
David Silva
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Linda Reid
City Clerk