REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 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, April 28, 2026, with Vice Mayor Aliano presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Councilmember Benavente.
Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano, Pablo Benavente, Laura Hoffmeister, Carlyn Obringer
COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: Laura Nakamura
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Jeffrey Lara, Administrative Secretary; Brandi Kendricks, Administrative Assistant III; Colleen Awad, Community Relations Manager; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; Steve Voorhies, Director of Recreation Services, Mark Bustillos, Chief of Police; Mindy Gentry, Director of Community Development, Margaret O’Brien, Director of Finance; Kit Jory, Director of Public Works; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Alex Diosadado, City Urban Forester; Ricardo Farias, Senior Team Leader; Barbie Gary, Recreation Services Manager; Kylie Hicks-Carrera, Budget Analyst; Matt Galindo, Recreation Services Program Manager; Kelly Rush, Principal Housing Program Analyst; Sophia
Huckabay, Housing Manager; Nick Davison, Police Seargent; Frank Abejo, Principal Planner; James Nakayama, Police
Captain; Lisa Agustin, Budget Officer; RJ Natal, Recreation Services Program Manager
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Natalie; Betty Gabaldon, TSTU; Guadalupe Tolento, Inquilinos Unidos; Kristi Laughlin, EBASE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Natalie requested the issuance of an Autism Awareness Month proclamation.
Betty Gabaldon, TSTU, spoke about the positive impacts of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
Guadalupe Tolento, Inquilinos Unidos, thanked the Council for adopting the Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
Kristi Laughlin, EBASE, spoke of EBASE efforts in the community.
The City Council Consent Calendar was considered out of agenda order.
City Council Minutes April 28, 2026
2 CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
No public comment was received.
APPROVE MINUTES – April 14 and 17, 2026, Special Meetings and April 14, 2026, Regular Meeting A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve the minutes from the April 14 and 17, 2026, Special Meetings and April 14, 2026, Regular Meeting. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura APPROVE CITY-OWNED PARCEL BUILDING LEASE WITH KIDANGO, INC.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve a building lease with Kidango, Inc., a California Non-Profit Corporation for the City-owned parcel located at 2750 Parkside Circle, known as Accessor Parcel #111-170-0052-5, for a monthly rent of $575 plus ten cents ($0.10) per square foot of rentable space annual adjustment from the second year through the initial term of five years plus and including one extension option of five years, for a total of ten years, and authorize the City Manager to execute the lease in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-18 – Accepting Concord Police Department 2025 Military Equipment Report, 2026 Military Equipment Inventory, and Approve Existing Department Policy in Compliance with AB 481
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-18 entitled, “A Resolution to Accept the Concord Police Department AB 481 2025 Military Equipment Report, 2026 Military Equipment Inventory, and Approve the Continued Use of Existing Military Equipment Policy.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura APPROVE THREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENTS – Landscape Maintenance Services A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve three Maintenance Services Agreements, each for a term of up to seven years with the option for three one-year extensions, to provide landscape maintenance services on City medians, certain right-of-way areas, and small pocket parks citywide, at annual not-to-exceed amounts as follows:
1. EMTS Inc., dba Elite Maintenance & Tree Servies in the not-to-exceed amount of $289,868 per year, increasing by up to 5% per year, to provide services for Area 1;
2. Gachina Landscape Management, Inc., in the not-to-exceed amount of $105,751 per year increasing by up to 5% per year, to provide for Area 2;
3. Medallion Landscape Management, LLC. in the not-to-exceed amount of $100,169 per year, increasing by up to 5% per year, to provide services for Area 3; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute the agreements in a form acceptable to the City Attorney.
The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura City Council Minutes April 28, 2026
3 APPROVE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT – Street Landscaping Renovations A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve a construction contract in the not-to-exceed amount of $522,100 to Palomas Landscape Inc., including a $454,000 base amount and an additional 15% as project contingency for contract change orders, for street median landscaping renovations within Galindo Street, at Oak Street to Monument Blvd at Systron Drive, and within Monument Blvd. at the City entrance from Pleasant Hill; and authorize the Mayor to execute the contract in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NOS. 26-19, 26-20, 26-21, 26-22, 26-23, 26-24, 26-25 AND 26-26 – Accepting the Preliminary Engineer’s Reports and Ordering Improvements in the Downtown Landscape Maintenance District, Pine Hollow Landscape Maintenance District, Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance District No. 3, and the Citywide Street Lighting Assessment District, and Setting a Public Hearing for May 26, 2026.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-19 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Preliminary Engineer’s Report for the Downtown Landscape Maintenance District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-20 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Preliminary Engineer’s Report for the Pine Hollow Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-21 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Preliminary Engineer’s Report for the Landscape and Lighting Assessment District No. 3.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-22 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Preliminary Engineer’s Report for the Concord Citywide Street Lighting Assessment District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-23 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution of Intention to Order Improvements, Levy and Collect Assessments, and Set a Public Hearing for the Downtown Landscape Maintenance District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-24 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution of Intention to Order Improvements, Levy and Collect Assessments, and Set a Public Hearing for the Pine Hollow Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura City Council Minutes April 28, 2026
4 A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-25 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution of Intention to Order Improvements, Levy and Collect Assessments, and Set a Public Hearing for the Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District No. 3.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 26-26 entitled, “Adoption of a Resolution of Intention to Order Improvements, Levy and Collect Assessments, and Set a Public Hearing for the Citywide Street Lighting Assessment District.” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura
PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION – COCOKIDS 50 YEARS OF NON-PROFIT SERVICE
This proclamation was not presented.
PROCLAMATION – MICHAEL MILLER DAY – April 28, 2026
No public comment was received.
PROCLAMATION – EARTH DAY – April 22, 2026
Public comment was provided by Natalie.
PROCLAMATION - ARBOR DAY – April 24, 2026
No public comment was received.
MUNICIPL CLERKS’ WEEK – May 3 – 9, 2026
Public comment was provided by Marsha Moore, City Clerk, City of Dublin.
TOYOTA PAVILION AT CONCORD UPDATE
Public comment was provided by Natalie.
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEM
APPROVE WORK PLAN AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT – Objective Design Standards
Principal Planner Frank Abejo presented the staff report.
No public comment was received.
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Obringer to approve a work program and Professional Services Agreement with MIG, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $163,064 for updates to the Objective Design Standards (ODS) to address small lot residential subdivisions, individual single-family homes, and two-unit developments under SB 9; authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney; and adopt CEQA determinations for this work. The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
City Council Minutes April 28, 2026
5 AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-6042.1 - Amending Exhibit A to Resolution No. 78-6042 Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services
Budget Analyst Kylie Hicks-Carrera presented the staff report.
No public comment was received.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to adopt Resolution No. 26-6042.1 entitled, “A Resolution Amending Exhibit A to Resolution No. 78-6042 (Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services in the City of Concord).” The motion passed by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Letter to State Senator McNerney re: support for SB1408 (Arreguin) – Contra Costa Transportation Authority - April 16, 2026
b. Information about EBASE submitted by Kristi Laughlin c. Agenda Item 5.a – Objective Design Standards Update PowerPoint Presentation d. Agenda Item 6.a – Fee Schedule Amendments 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.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Vice Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on April 28, 2026, at 8:18 p.m. in memory of Concord Art Association artist Renaye Johnson.
/s/
DOMINIC ALIANO
VICE MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK