REVISED 1/8/2026 4:10 PM
City of Capitola
City Council Meeting Agenda
Thursday, January 08, 2026 – 6:00 PM
City Council Chambers
420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010
Mayor: Margaux Morgan
Vice Mayor: Gerry Jensen
Council Members: Joe Clarke, Melinda Orbach, Susan Westman Regular Meeting of the Capitola City Council – 6 PM
1. Roll Call and Pledge of Allegiance
Council Members Joe Clarke, Melinda Orbach, Susan Westman, Vice Mayor Gerry Jensen, and Mayor Margaux Morgan
2. Additions and Deletions to the Agenda
3. Presentations
Presentations are limited to eight minutes.
A. Proclamation Recognizing Kristen Brown for Her Service Representing Capitola on the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County
B. Presentation on the Golden Bell Award, Awarded to the City’s Equity Swim Program Partnership with Soquel Union Elementary School District.
4. Additional Materials
Additional information related to an agenda item on this agenda and submitted to the City after distribution of the agenda packet pursuant to Government Code §54957.5. All correspondence received prior to 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding a Council Meeting will be distributed to Councilmembers to review prior to the meeting. Information submitted after 5 p.m. on that Wednesday may not have time to reach Councilmembers, nor be read by them prior to consideration of an item.
A. Item 8A - Correspondence Received
B. Item 8D - Updated Attachment Provided as Additional Materials
5. Oral Communications by Members of the Public
Oral Communications allows time for members of the Public to address the City Council on any “Consent Item” on tonight’s agenda, or on any topic within the jurisdiction of the City that is not on the “General Government/Public Hearings” section of the Agenda. Members of the public may speak for up to three minutes, unless otherwise specified by the Mayor. Individuals may not speak more than once during Oral Communications. All speakers must address the entire legislative body and will not be permitted to engage in dialogue. A maximum of 30 minutes is set aside for Oral Communications.
6. Staff / City Council Comments
Comments are limited to three minutes.
City Council Meeting Agenda – January 08, 2026
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7. Consent Items
All items listed as “Consent Items” will be enacted by one motion in the form listed below. There will be no separate discussion on these items prior to the time the Council votes on the action unless members of the City Council request specific items to be discussed for separate review. Items pulled for separate discussion will be considered following General Government. Note that all Ordinances which appear on the public agenda shall be determined to have been read by title and further reading waived.
A. City Council Meeting Minutes
Recommended Action: Approve minutes from the regular meeting on December 11, 2025.
B. 2
nd Amendment to Agreement with Ben Noble Planning
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution amending the FY 2025-26 Budget to allocate funding for Housing Element Implementation and authorizing the City Manager to execute Amendment 2 to the Professional Services Agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney’s Office with Ben Noble Planning to assist in Housing Element implementation.
C. Capitola Municipal Code Sections 2.04.140 and 2.04.210 Recommended Action: Adopt an ordinance amending Capitola Municipal Code Sections
2.04.140 and 2.04.210 to update the process by which City Council members request agenda items and their rules of debate.
D. City Investment Brokerage Services
Recommended Action: Authorize the Administrative Services Director to execute a noncorporate resolution allowing Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC to continue acting as the City’s investment broker.
8. General Government / Public Hearings
All items listed in “General Government / Public Hearings” are intended to provide an opportunity for public discussion of each item listed. The following procedure pertains to each General Government item: 1) Staff explanation; 2) Council questions; 3) Public comment; 4) Council deliberation; 5) Decision.
A. 2025 Special Event Report
Recommended Action: Receive a report highlighting special events held in the City in 2025; provide feedback for recurring Special Event Permits; determine if any additional review should be required for any 2026 special events; and adopt a resolution to approve Coastal Development Permit #25-0607 for the 2026 Capitola Beach Festival and Junior Guards Competition.
B. Local Coastal Program Amendments for Cliff Drive Resiliency Recommended Action: 1) Introduce for first reading, by title only, waiving further reading of the text, an ordinance amending Capitola Municipal Code Title 17: Zoning, Chapter 17.32 Parks and Open Space, Chapter 17.64 ESHA, Chapter 17.76 Parking and Loading, and Chapter 17.68 Geological Hazard (collectively, the “Zoning Code Amendments”) and authorizing submittal to the California Coastal Commission for Certification; 2) Adopt a resolution amending Capitola’s Land Use Plan Chapter 2: Public Access and Chapter 7: Natural Hazards (collectively, the “Land Use Plan Amendments”) and authorizing submittal to the California Coastal Commission for certification; and 3) Find that the above actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
C. Annual and Five-Year Impact Fee Report
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Development Impact Fee Annual Report.
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D. FY 2024-25 Audit Report
Recommended Action: Receive report.
E. City Council Representation on Regional Boards
Recommended Action: Appoint a representative to the Santa Cruz County Community Action Board.
9. Adjournment
The next regularly scheduled City Council meeting is on January 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM. _____________________________________________________
How to View the Meeting
Meetings are open to the public for in-person attendance at the Capitola City Council Chambers located at 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, California, 95010.
Other ways to Watch:
Spectrum Cable Television channel 8
City of Capitola, California YouTube Channel
To Join Zoom Application or Call in to Zoom:
Meeting
link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83328173113?pwd=aVRwcWN3RU03Zzc2dkNpQzRWVXAydz09 Or dial one of these phone numbers: 1 (669) 900 6833, 1 (408) 638 0968, 1 (346) 248 7799 Meeting ID: 833 2817 3113
Meeting Passcode: 678550
How to Provide Comments to the City Council
Members of the public may provide public comments to the City Council in-person during the meeting.
If you are unable to attend in-person, please email your comments to [email protected] and they will be included as a part of the record for the meeting. Please be aware that the City Council will not accept comments via Zoom.
Notice regarding City Council: The City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers located at 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola.
Agenda and Agenda Packet Materials: The City Council Agenda and the complete Agenda Packet are available for review on the City’s website and at Capitola City Hall prior to the meeting. Need more information? Contact the City Clerk’s office at 831-475-7300.
Agenda Materials Distributed after Distribution of the Agenda Packet: Pursuant to Government Code §54957.5, materials related to an agenda item submitted after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at the Reception Office at City Hall, 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, California, during normal business hours.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Disability-related aids or services are available to enable persons with a disability to participate in this meeting consistent with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Assisted listening devices are available for individuals with hearing impairments at the meeting in the City Council Chambers. Should you require special accommodations to participate in the meeting due to a disability, please contact the City Clerk’s office at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting at 831-475-7300. In an effort to accommodate individuals with environmental sensitivities, attendees are requested to refrain from wearing perfumes and other scented products.
City Council Meeting Agenda – January 08, 2026
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Si desea asistir a esta reunión pública y necesita ayuda - como un intérprete de lenguaje de señas americano, español u otro equipo especial - favor de llamar al Departamento de la Secretaría de la Ciudad al 831-475-7300 al menos tres días antes para que podamos coordinar dicha asistencia especial o envié un correo electrónico a [email protected].
Televised Meetings: City Council meetings are cablecast “Live” on Charter Communications Cable TV Channel 8 and are recorded to be rebroadcasted at 8:00 a.m. on the Wednesday following the meetings and at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday following the first rebroadcast on Community Television of Santa Cruz County (Charter Channel 71 and Comcast Channel 25). Meetings are streamed “Live” on the City’s website by clicking on the Home Page link “Meeting Agendas/Videos.” Archived meetings can be viewed from the website at any time.