MINUTES
CALISTOGA CITY COUNCIL - REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 6:00 PM
Calistoga Community Center I 1307 Washington Street Calistoga, CA 94515
1. Call to Order/Roll Call/Pledge of Allegiance and Optional Patriotic Activity Mayor Williams called the regular session to order at 6:05 p.m.
Present: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega and Councilmembers Eisenberg, Cooper and Gift
Absent:
2. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSIONS
There was a closed session this afternoon regarding labor negotiations; there was no reportable action.
3. ORAL COMMUNICATION ON CONSENT ITEMS OR NON-AGENDA ITEMS There was public comment by Kerri Abreu and Cindy Yant.
4. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
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1. Pacific Tree Care is trimming trees downtown today in honor of Joseph Schneider, who passed away in July. He founded Pacific Tree Care in 1983 and, along with the Tree Coalition, Joe planted most of the trees downtown.
2. The Holiday Food Bank distribution days are 11/20, 12/11 and 12/18 from 2pm-5pm at the Fairgrounds.
3. The 30th Annual Lighted Tractor Parade is on Saturday, 12/6 at 7pm.
4. Calistoga's Merry and Bright Event will be held on Friday, 12/5 at 5pm at the Brannan Center. This is a new event put on by the Parks and Rec Dept. in conjunction with the Brannan Center, the Calistoga Chamber and the UpValley Family Center. There will be a tree lighting, gingerbread house building and much more!
5. There have been some road closures and delays due to micropaving on Second St. and Fairway that should be wrapped up by tomorrow.
6. CalTrans will be starting some road work on St Helena Hwy soon. Once they get started, there will be delays and road closures for about 3 or 4 weeks. We will pass along any further information when it is available.
7. The RV Park has been doing well; they have had over 187K in total sales. Director Wright and her staff have been doing a great job keeping the RV Park up and running.
8. There will be a Calistoga Wine Competition during the Ag Fair this year. Applications to enter are available now; additional information is on the Fairgrounds website.
9. The City gets the water tested quarterly and again we have passed with flying colors. PW has been doing a great job making sure the water exceeds State standards.
10. Public Works will be doing some hydrant flushing around town this week.
11. The Riverside Pond project is expected to be completed in early 2026. This project was part of the cease and desist order process.
12. Last week, the Kortum Project was approved by the Planning Commission. This is one of many projects that continue to move forward.
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega added that on Dec. 12, the stores downtown will stay open until 9pm in conjunction with the Catholic Church's parade honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe.
City Council Minutes November 18, 2025
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Mayor Williams confirmed with Director Rayner that some of these capital improvement projects have contributed to the good water quality we have seen in the past 3 years.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/ AWARDS
CONSENT CALENDAR
6.1. Adoption of Consent Calendar
Motion by Councilmember Eisenberg and seconded by Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega to adopt the consent calendar as presented Motion Carried
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember
Gift, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg None
None
None
6.2. Council adopted the minutes from 8/12, 8/19, 8/27, 9/02, 9/23, and 10/14.
6.3. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-99 - Accepting the Notice of Completion for the Brannan Crosswalk Improvements Project.
6.4. Adoption of Ordinance No. 779 - Second Reading of an Adoption of An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Calistoga repealing Calistoga Municipal Code Chapters 15.01 , General Provisions, 15.04, Administrative Code, 15.08, California Building Code, 15.12, California Residential Code, 15.16, California Electrical Code, 15.20, California Mechanical Code, 15.24, California Plumbing Code, 15.28, California Energy Code, 15.32, California Historical Building Code, 15.36, California Fire Code, 15.38, California Wildland Urban Interface Code, 15.40, California Existing Building Code, 15.44, California Green Building Standards, 15.48, California Reference Standards of Title 15, Building Standards Codes; and adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code, Title 24, as adopted by the California State Building Standards Commission, with local amendments.
6.5. Adoption of Ordinance No. 778 - Second reading of ordinance #778 of the City of Calistoga amending Title 17 of the Calistoga Municipal Code to add Chapter 17.34 (Short-Term Rentals) and adopt the ordinance.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
7.1. Consideration of an Ordinance of the City of Calistoga amending Titles 8 and 17 of the Calistoga Municipal Code to implement programs in the City's Sixth Cycle Housing Element.
This item was presented by Associate Planner Lauren Clark and City Attorney Karen Murphy There was public comment by Donna Higgins, and Cindy Yant.
Motion by Mayor Williams and seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg to accept the introduction of the first reading and waive further reading of an Ordinance amending Titles 8 and 17 of the City of Calistoga Municipal Code. Motion Carried City Council Minutes November 18, 2025
AYES: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember Gift, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
8. GENERAL GOVERNMENT
8.1. Calistoga Fairgrounds Community Statistically Valid Survey Results Presented By FM3 Research & Strategy.
This item was presented by Fairgrounds Director Sheli Wright and Lucia Del Puppo from FM3.
There was public comment by Jenna Mitchem, Kerri Abreu, Cindy Yant, Marcia Beauchamp, Donna Higgins, Dave Ross, Mitzi Mischler, Tim Reilly, Wyatt Farris, Rob Serini and Emily Bucchianeri.
Council discussed this item and asked clarifying questions. Council thanked the public for their participation.
9. COUNCIL REPORTS
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0. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Williams adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Prepared by:
APPROVED: 1/6/26
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Donald Williams, Mayor