REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026
The Concord City Council met in a regular meeting in the Council Chamber, located at 1950 Parkside Drive and via various telephonic/electronic locations at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, with Mayor Nakamura presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Mayor Nakamura. Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano (arrived at 7:35 p.m.), Pablo Benavente, Carlyn Obringer, Laura Nakamura
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Laura Hoffmeister
CITY TREASURER PRESENT: Patti Barsotti
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; Mindy Gentry, Director of Community Development; Margaret O’Brien, Director of Finance; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Colleen Awad, Community Relations Manager; Trish Beirne, Emergency and Volunteer Services Manager; Aaron Sage, Planning Manager; Aaron Elias, Transportation Program Manager II; Himmat Bains, Senior Financial Analyst, Melissa Rea, Economic Development Specialist; Ben Ulrey, Associate Planner; Louisa Stevens, Climate Fellow
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Anonymous; Kristin Diaz, Concord; Mike Hall, Concord
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
No public comment was received.
PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION – Red Cross Month
No public comment was received.
BUSINESS RECOGNITION AWARDS – Concord Aquarium, The Flipper Room, Patty’s Original Cheese Zombies, and Blue Oak Square (Building Design)
Public comment was received from an anonymous speaker.
JOHN MUIR HEALTH UPDATE
No public comment was received.
City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
2 TREASURER’S REPORT – October 1 – December 31, 2025
City Treasurer Barsotti presented the report.
No public comment was received.
The City Council received the Treasurer’s Report for the period October 1 – December 31, 2025.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
No public comment was received.
APPROVE MINUTES – February 24, 2026, Special and Regular Meetings A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to approve the minutes from the February 24, 2026, Special and Regular Meetings. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 26-425.1 – Amending Title 18 (Development Code) adding Chapter 18.120 (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Overlay District) This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Mayor Nakamura.
Public comment was received by:
Kristin Diaz, Concord
Mike Hall, Concord
A motion was made by Nakamura and seconded by Obringer to adopt Ordinance No. 26-425.1 entitled, “An Ordinance Amending Title 18 (Development Code), Chapters 18.15 (Zoning Districts and Zoning Map), 18.25 (Development and Land Use Approvals), 18.30 (Residential Districts), 18.40 (Office and Commercial Districts), and 18.410 (Zoning Clearance), and Adding Chapter 18.120 (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Overlay District) and Rezoning Approximately 28 Acres to Apply the Affirmatively Fair Housing Overlay District (PL25166 – MC).” Ordinance No. 26-425.1 was introduced on February 24, 2026, by reading of the title only and waiving further reading. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-5 – Establish Annual Parcel Assessment for FY 2026-27 for Drainage and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to adopt Resolution No. 26-5 entitled, “A Resolution Authorizing the Contra Costa County Flood Control & Water Conservation District to Establish an Annual Parcel Assessment for Fiscal Year 2026-27 for Drainage Maintenance and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
3 APPOINTMENT TO CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT AUTHORITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (COUNTY CONNECTION) – Jeanette Green
This item was removed from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Mayor Nakamura.
No public comment was received.
A motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Aliano to recommend the appointment of Jeanette Green to serve as Concord’s Representative on the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority Advisory Committee for the remainder of a three-year term ending June 30, 2028. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister AWARD THREE FIVE-YEAR CONTRACTS – On-call traffic signal maintenance and streetlight repair services
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to award three, five-year contracts for on-call traffic signal maintenance and streetlight repair services in the not-to-exceed amounts of $400,000 per year to DC Electric Group, Inc., Bear Electrical Solutions, LLC., and St. Francis Electric, LLC., with the option to extend each contract for two (2) additional one (1) year periods, and authorize the Mayor to execute the contracts in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister Public Hearing Item
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-4832.2 – Amending General Plan Safety and Noise Element A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to adopt Resolution No. 26-4823.2 entitled, “A Resolution Approving an Amendment to the General Plan Safety and Noise Element to Incorporate the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan by Reference to Make the City Eligible for Additional Disaster Assistance Pursuant to Government Code Section 8685.9 (AB 2140, 2006) (PL26004-GP).” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEM
GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
Associate Planner Benjamin Ulrey and Climate Fellow Louisa Stevens presented the staff report.
No public comment was received.
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Benavente to accept the 2025 General Plan Annual Progress Report, including the Housing Element Annual Progress Report, authorize its submittal to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (“LCI”) and submittal of the Housing Element Annual Progress Report to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HDC”), authorize the City Manager to make minor edits prior to said submittals, and make the CEQA determinations as provided in the staff report. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: None ABSENT: Hoffmeister City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
4 CORRESPONDENCE
a. Letter to Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Schultz re: Notice of Support for AB 1632 (Johnson) - Trespass - February 24, 2026
b. Letter to US Senator Schiff re: support for White Pony Express Grant Application for Community Project Funding - March 4, 2026
c. Letter to Chair Allen, Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee re: SB 1138 (Padilla) - Support - March 5, 2026
d. Agenda Item No. 3.c – John Muir Health Update PowerPoint Presentation e. Agenda Item No. 4.a – Treasurer’s Report PowerPoint Presentation f. Agenda Item No. 5.b – Ordinance No. 26-425.1 Benched Correspondence g. Agenda Item No. 6.a – 2025 General Plan Progress Report Staff Report Benched Text h. Agenda Item No. 6.a – 2025 General Plan Progress Report Benched Correspondence i. Agenda Item No. 6.a – 2025 General Plan Progress Report PowerPoint Presentation
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
Vice Mayor Aliano reported that the Infrastructure and Franchise Committee (Aliano/Hoffmeister) has been meeting to explore and identify solutions to address the City’s unfunded infrastructure needs (Tier I City Council priority) and has identified five strategies that could contribute to closing the funding gap while maintaining essential services. After review, the Committee directed staff to continue exploring one of the strategies this year, a Business License simplification measure, as simplifying Concord’s outdated 37-year old business license could generate up to $3 million annually. He noted that the infrastructure funding gap will require multiple strategies implemented over multiple years, and stated that the Committee expects to bring additional information and potentially a recommendation to Council in July.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on March 10, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. /s/
LAURA M. NAKAMURA
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK