DEL MAR CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
OPEN SESSION
FEBRUARY 27, 2025
City of Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, California
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gaasterland called the meeting to order at 4:30 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Gaasterland; Deputy Mayor Tracy Martinez; Councilmember John Spelich
Absent: Councilmember Dan Quirk
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Gaasterland and Deputy Mayor Martinez led the pledge of allegiance.
CITY COUNCIL OTHER BUSINESS
ITEM 1: APPROVAL OF A LETTER TO THE SANDAG BOARD OF DIRECTORS
REGARDING THE SAN DIEGO LOSSAN RAIL REALIGNMENT PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS (CLERK’S FILE NO. 1005-2, 1506-1)
A presentation was provided by Assistant City Manager Clem Brown. Assistant City Attorney Ralph Hicks was available to answer questions.
Council questions and discussion focused on clarification of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes; approval process for the Project’s Notice of Preparation (NOP); whether the NOP can be revised after public input has been received; whether the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Board of Directors or their staff will release the Draft Environmental Impact Report; SANDAG Board certification process of the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and any mitigation monitoring program; timing of the EIR; whether SANDAG has a federal agencies lead for the NEPA process; clarification on a responsible agency definition in CEQA; the contents of the proposed letter; and request for patience from the community as this will be a long process with many opportunities for the community to weigh in.
Mayor Gaasterland opened the item to public comment and the following individuals spoke:
1) Shirli Weiss
2) Camilla Rang
3) Jonathan Polikoff
4) Devin Capps
5) Mark Rittenbaum with a donation of time from Carol Kerridge 6) Melody Bacha
7) Michael Deftos
Mayor Gaasterland closed the item to public comment.
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
February 27, 2025
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER SPELICH AND SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR
MARTINEZ TO MOVE APPROVAL OF SENDING A LETTER TO THE SANDAG BOARD OF
DIRECTORS REGARDING THE RAIL REALIGNMENT PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND
ALTERNATIVES AND TO APPROVE THE STATEMENT TO BE READ BY MAYOR GAASTERLAND AT THE SANDAG MEETING (VOTE 3-1, WITH COUNCILMEMBER QUIRK
ABSENT)
Ayes: Mayor Gaasterland, Deputy Mayor Tracy Martinez, and Councilmember John Spelich; Noes:
0; Recuse: 0; Absent: Councilmember Dan Quirk; Abstain: 0.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Gaasterland adjourned the meeting at 6:38 P.M.
_______________________________________
Sarah Krietor, Administrative Services Manager/
City Clerk