03/05/2024 City Council Minutes Page 1 of 5
MINUTES OF THE DAVIS CITY COUNCIL
Meeting of March 5, 2024
The City Council of the City of Davis met in regular meeting session beginning at 6:38 p.m. in the Community Chambers, 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, California. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Josh Chapman.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Present: Will Arnold, Donna Neville, Gloria Partida, Bapu Vaitla, Josh Chapman
Councilmembers Absent: None
Other Officers Present: City Manager Michael Webb, City Attorney Inder Khalsa, City Clerk Zoe Mirabile
Approval of
Agenda
G. Partida moved, seconded by D. Neville, to approve the agenda.
Motion passed unanimously.
City Manager
Announce-
ments
M. Webb: March 6—Registration for summer activities starts for 3 spe- cific high demand and popular recreation camps. March 20—registration for all other camps and programs. March 6—Annual Chamber of Com- merce event State of the City at Sudwerks restaurant. March 6 —City and Amtrak holding outreach meetings for pending improvements and upgrades to the train station to make it more ADA accessible. March 4— weekly voting starts for the Strongest Town Contest, vote at strong- esttown.com. March 13 —Putah Creek Wetlands Restoration Pro ject Community Meeting at Veterans Memorial Center. March 18—Thong Hy Huynh Award nominations deadline.
City Council
Announce-
ments and Li-
aison Reports
None
Public Com-
ments
• Alan Hirsch: Regular item I -80 letter —support letter. Oppose I -80 widening project.
• Todd Edelman: Putah Creek Restoration Project is wonderful. Would like to see similar open space projects.
• Alan Miller: Concerns about parking impact on adjacent neighbor- hoods from proposed Hibbert Lumber project.
Consent Cal-
endar
Third Extension for Approval of Small Lot Final Map, and Subdivision Agreements for Bretton Woods Phase 1, Lot 3 (Final Map No. 5199) 03/05/2024 City Council Minutes Page 2 of 5
Approve Resolution No. 24 -024 - Third Extension of Small Lot Final Maps for Bretton Woods Phase 1, Lot 3 (Final Map No. 5199), and Au- thorizing the City Manager to Execute the Subdivision Agreement with DeNova Homes, Inc.
Appointments to an Ad Hoc Council Subcommittee on the Village Farms Davis project proposal for Development Agreement and Tax Share ne- gotiations
Appoint a Subcommittee of Councilmembers Donna Neville and Will Ar- nold to Work with City Staff and to Serve as Representatives for the City in the Development of the Village Farms Davis Proposal Development Agreement/Baseline Project Features Negotiations with the Project Ap- plicant, and in Tax Share Negotiations with Yolo County
Commission Minutes: Historical Resources Management Commission Meeting of September 18, 2023
Informational
B. Vaitla moved, seconded by D. Neville, to approve consent calendar.
Motion passed unanimously.
Consideration
of Letter to the
State Regard-
ing Transpor-
tation — I-80
City Manager Mike Webb: City Council Subcommittee drafted a letter regarding broad policy concerns associated with making public transit more viable.
Public comments:
• Dillan Horton, Greg Crawford, Todd Edelman, NJ Mvundo, unnamed individual, Alan Miller , and Jim Zanetto : Support letter. Support Council refocusing conversation on sustainability goals and address- ing the climate crisis. Should provide more details on reasonable al- ternatives such as transit options.
• Ken Wagstaff and Don Saylor: Oppose letter. Does not reflect senti- ments of co mmunity majority. Support widening I -80. Will take im- provements to all modes of transportation to address traffic conges- tion issue and integrate corridor.
• Johannes Troost, Congregation Bet Haverim ; Gayna Lamb -bang; Judy Ennis; Vera Sandronsky; Victoria Whither; Gabriel Erlich; Rob- erta Millstein; Bill Miller; Steven Hinkey; and Dora Lee: Support letter.
Oppose I-80 widening and proposed toll lanes. Support public trans- portation. Project is a temporary fix to larger transportation issues. • Autumn Bernstein, Yolo County Transportation District: Shared re- sults of online survey—majority of residents support widening of the freeway and oppose proposed toll lane.
• Alan Hirsch; David Shongrun, Train Riders Association of CA ; Roy Caplan; John Natomas; Ellen Kalorick; and Eric Lebber: Oppose I- 80 widening project.
03/05/2024 City Council Minutes Page 3 of 5
• Kathleen Hanley, SACOG: Managed Lanes Project is first step to implementing larger regional vision. Support toll lanes option; in- cluded in sustainable communities plan. Will generate revenue to re- invest in transit.
• Robert Davison: Support freeway widening. Oppose toll lane. • Gene Davis, Julie Hurley: Support freeway widening and adding an HOV lane.
Councilmember comments included:
D. Neville: City does not play a decision making role in the I-80 Managed Lanes Project. No longer believe this is the right letter to send as it doesn’t serve a clearly defined purpose , doesn’t contain an actionable request, and doesn’t reflect a consensus view of council or community.
Alternative recommendation: Council has been asked to provide public comment on Caltrans Investment Framework , due April 15 . Interested in taking this opportunity to provide specific, positive, tangible feedback.
W. Arnold: Comfortable with sending letter.
G. Partida: Most important to express the need for more transportation alternatives and more resources allocated to public transportation. Don’t believe letter as presented represented concerns of the community.
B. Vaitla: Support letter. Oppose freeway widening. There is never una- nimity in the community. Need to make tough decisions to address cli- mate change.
J. Chapman: Oppose letter. Don’t believe it reflects opinions of commu- nity.
By consensus, Council decided to take no action on the proposed letter.
B. Vaitla moved, seconded by Will Arnold, to s ubmit a policy statement from City Council on Caltrans Investment Framework by April 15. Leg- islative Subcommittee authorized to draft comments and submit on be- half of Council. Subcommittee can represent diversity of views ex- pressed by Council. Motion passed unanimously.
City Council recessed at 8:20 p.m. and reconvened at 8:32 p.m.
Cannabis
Business Up-
date
Assistant City Manager Kelly Stachowicz: Update after 5 years of regu- lation and business operation. Summarized current land use authority (conditional use permits for storefront dispensaries and distribution; and administrative use permits for manufacturing, hazardous research and development). Overview of current businesses with business permits ; 03/05/2024 City Council Minutes Page 4 of 5
permit process overseen by Police Department and addresses business structure and operations including security, o wnership structure and other procedural actions. Current regulations and licensing rules need to be updated to align with State. Cannabis business license tax was approved on a ballot measure. Regulatory fees are based on business type and are set to cover the city cost to provide services. Request Council feedback on whether to increase or remove the cap on total number of retail dispensaries with a storefront.
Public comments:
• Ashley Camra, Davis Cannabis Collective and Rob Reid, F Street Dispensary: Oppose removing cap on total number of retail dispen- saries with a storefront. Would be detrimental to business and de- crease revenue.
• Mary Kay Hoal: Family owns and operates Good People Farms.
Currently delivery only, would like to discuss having a dispensary retail location in Davis.
Councilmember comments included:
W. Arnold: Should look at opportunities for commercial cultivation. Inter- ested in allowing Good People Farms to have a dispensary, but not re- move cap altogether. Interested in information about current and antici- pated future state of the business market, and comp study including taxes, fees, and revenue generated in other jurisdictions.
G. Partida: Consider allowing current delivery only businesses to open up storefronts.
J. Chapman: Would like further discussion around the business market and operations in other jurisdictions.
M. Webb: Staff can compare and contrast tax, and regulatory and li- cense fees with other jurisdictions. Discuss business market with busi- nesses that operate storefronts and delivery only.
W. Arnold moved, seconded by D. Neville, as follows:
1. Direct staff to align local licensing requirements with State l icensing rules.
2. Direct staff to review and propose updates to regulatory fees and tax structures.
3. Direct staff to complete Cannabis Benefit Fund Impact Report.
Motion passed unanimously.
Housing Ele-
ment Annual
Progress Re-
Community Development Director Sherri Metzker: Summarized build- ing permits issued and project construction status. Overview of major development projects, housing and mixed use.
03/05/2024 City Council Minutes Page 5 of 5
port and Resi-
dential Devel-
opment Status
Report for
Calendar Year
2023
AB 1234 Re-
porting
None
Long Range
Calendar
M. Webb: Next meeting March 19
D. Neville: Request update on current status of Crisis Now , including County plans and expectation of City.
M. Webb: Key next step is City-County 2x2 meeting. Will provide a full update to entire Council.
G. Partida: Consider placing on next ballot a vote for mayor at large.
I. Khalsa: Only way to do that is to add a new at large mayor position.
M. Webb: Will set up separate conversations with councilmembers. If enough interest, will bring back a report to full council.
Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 9:43 p.m.
Zoe Mirabile
City Clerk