CITY OF DEL MAR
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
City of Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar California 92014
The minutes set forth the actions taken by the City Council on the matters stated. Audio/video recordings of the City Council proceedings are retained for a period of ten years, in accordance with the City's Records Retention Schedule. Audio/video recordings, as well as written materials presented to the City Council, including Red Dots (materials provided to the City Council after the agenda has published), are available on the City’s website at www.delmar.ca.us/AgendaCenter or by contacting the Administrative Services Department at (858) 755-9313.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Tracy Martinez called the Regular Meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Tracy Martinez; Deputy Mayor John Spelich; Councilmembers Terry Gaasterland and Dan Quirk (arrived at 5:47 p.m.)
CITY ATTORNEY CLOSED SESSION REPORT
None.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Martinez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Martinez announced the recent passing of community member Louise Keeling, expressed condolences to the Keeling family, and commented on Louise’s impact and contributions to the Del Mar community.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Ashley Jones reported on the San Diego Association of Governments’ (SANDAG) completion of the Del Mar Bluff 5 Stabilization project and the one-year plant establishment period running through roughly August 2027, and introduced Kevin Parker, the City’s new Principal Planner over current planning, and recently hired Fire Marshal Medi Maldonado.
PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 1: PROCLAMATION HONORING MATT BATOR’S RETIREMENT AND 29 YEARS OF CITY (CLERK’S FILE NO. 1201-5)
Mayor Martinez read the proclamation honoring Matt Bator on his retirement and for his service to the Del Mar Community. Matt Bator provided comments, thanked the City Council for the proclamation, and expressed his gratitude to current and past City staff.
City Council Regular Minutes
September 8, 2026
Mayor Martinez opened the item to public comment and the following people spoke:
1) Dwight Worden
2) Amy Cheshire read comments prepared by Shirli Weiss
3) Suren Dutia
Mayor Martinez closed the item to public comment.
Council discussion focused on appreciation to Mr. Bator for his service to the Del Mar community.
ITEM 2: DEL MAR FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW & RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE REVIEW (CLERK’S FILE NO. 1101-8)
A presentation was provided by Fire Chief Bret Davidson.
Mayor Martinez opened the item to public comment and the following people spoke:
1) Carol Kerridge
2) Jas Grewal
3) Betty Wheeler provided comments on behalf Mai-Lon (Alberta) Gittelsohn 4) Philip Posner
Mayor Martinez closed the item to public comment.
Council questions and discussion focused on mitigation of fire risk in Crest Canyon; whether brush clearing has occurred in Crest Canyon by the City of San Diego and in what areas; approach for fuel reduction; whether irrigation in Crest Canyon could reduce fire risk in the area; whether use of thermal imagining or cameras would be helpful for managing fire risk in Crest Canyon; coordination between the Fire Department and San Diego Gas & Electric regarding fire risk; consideration related to balancing a robust tree canopy with Zone 0 regulations; whether the Fire Department has considered partnership with Del Mar Community Connections (DMCC) regarding fire preparedness outreach; level of care provided by Del Mar Firefighter/Paramedics; and considerations related to the location of the Del Mar Fire Station.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Administrative Services Manager/City Clerk Sarah Krietor read the titles of the items included on the Consent Calendar. There were no public speakers for the consent calendar items.
IT WAS MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR SPELICH, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GAASTERLAND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 3 THROUGH 5, 7 THROUGH 11. (VOTE 4-0)
Ayes: Mayor Martinez; Deputy Mayor Spelich; Councilmember Gaasterland; Noes: 0; Recuse: 0;
Absent: Councilmember Quirk; Abstain: 0.
ITEM 3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: AUGUST 25, 2026, REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETING (CLERK’S MINUTES BOOK)
Council approved the minutes, on consent.
ITEM 4: RATIFICATION OF LIST OF DEMANDS, DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2026 (CLERK’S FILE NO. 201-3)
Council approved the list of demands, on consent.
City Council Regular Minutes
September 8, 2026
ITEM 5: WAIVER OF READING OF ORDINANCES ON AGENDA (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-4) Council waived the reading of ordinances, on consent.
ITEM 6: SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAMS 7F, 4A, AND 4B RELATED TO REASONABLE
ACCOMMODATIONS AND SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING REGULATIONS, INCLUDING
RESIDENTIAL CARE, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, LOW
BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTERS, EMERGENCY SHELTERS, AND ADULT AND CHILD DAY CARE SERVICES CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW (CLERK’S FILE NO. 304-7,401-4)
Mayor Martinez introduced the item.
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER GAASTERLAND AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER QUIRK TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 1029, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE DEL MAR
MUNICIPAL CODE BY REPEALING EXISTING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS REGULATIONS FROM SECTION 30.86.230 IN CHAPTER 30.86 (SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS) AND SECTION 23.08.035 IN CHAPTER 23.08 (DESIGN REVIEW); AND CREATING A NEW CHAPTER 30.94 (REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS) TO
ESTABLISH NEW REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS REGULATIONS IN THE CITY
OF DEL MAR THAT ADDRESS FAIR HOUSING AND FURTHER ACCOMMODATE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,” AND ORDINANCE 1030, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE DEL MAR MUNICIPAL CODE (DMMC) CHAPTER 30.04 (DEFINITIONS), CHAPTER 30.10 (VERY LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL R1-40), CHAPTER 30.11 (MODIFIED LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL R1-14), CHAPTER 30.12 (LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL R1-10), CHAPTER 30.13 (LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL BEACH R1-10B), CHAPTER 30.14 (MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL R1-5), CHAPTER 30.15 (MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BEACH R1-5B), CHAPTER 30.16 (MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE-MIXED RESIDENTIAL RM-EAST), CHAPTER 30.17 (MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED RESIDENTIAL RM-WEST), CHAPTER 30.18 MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED RESIDENTIAL RM-CENTRAL), CHAPTER 30.19 (MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED RESIDENTIAL RM-SOUTH), CHAPTER 30.20 (HIGH DENSITY MIXED RESIDENTIAL R2), CHAPTER 30.21 (RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL ZONE RC), CHAPTER 30.22 (CENTRAL COMMERCIAL ZONE) AND CHAPTER 30.24 (NORTH COMMERCIAL ZONE), AND CHAPTER 30.25 (PROFESSIONAL COMMERCIAL ZONE), AND SECTION 30.75.080 (COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT ISSUANCE); AND CREATING A NEW DMMC SECTION 30.86.205 (SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING) AND CHAPTER 30.95 (HOUSING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
POPULATIONS) AS NECESSARY TO HARMONIZE THE DEL MAR MUNICIPAL CODE
AND CERTIFIED LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM WITH FAIR HOUSING STATE LAWS.” (VOTE 3-0-1 WITH DEPUTY MAYOR SPELICH RECUSED)
Ayes: Mayor Martinez; Councilmember Gaasterland; Noes: 0; Recuse: Deputy Mayor Spelich; Absent: Councilmember Quirk; Abstain: 0.
City Council Regular Minutes
September 8, 2026
ITEM 7: TASK ORDER AMENDMENT WITH NOVA SERVICES, INC. FOR THE JIMMY DURANTE BOULEVARD BLUFF STABILIZATION PROJECT (CLERK’S FILE NO. 406- 1)
Council approved a $25,343 Task Order Amendment with NOVA Services, Inc. for extended geotechnical services and laboratory testing; authorized the City Manager to execute the Task Order Amendment and any subsequent amendments within the project contingency necessary to complete the work; approved a $20,000 increase to the project contingency; and amended the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating and Capital Budget as described in the Fiscal Impact section below, on consent.
ITEM 8: TASK ORDER AMENDMENT WITH UTILITY SPECIALISTS SOUTHWEST, INC. FOR STRATFORD COURT NORTH (1B) UTILITY UNDERGROUNDING DISTRICT (CLERK’S FILE NO. 406-1)
Council approved a $60,200 Task Order Amendment with Utility Specialists Southwest, Inc. for extended design services; approved a $50,000 contingency; and authorized the City Manager to execute the Task Order Amendment and any subsequent amendments within the contingency necessary to complete the work, on consent.
ITEM 9: BIENNIAL REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE DEL MAR CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE (CLERK’S FILE NO. 404-6)
Council received this report and adopted Resolution 2026-59 “A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE CITY OF DEL MAR CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE,” incorporating revisions to the Del Mar Conflict of Interest Code to reflect changes in staff positions, on consent.
ITEM 10: LAGOON COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-5) Council appointed Karen Lare as a voting member to the Lagoon Committee to serve a full three-year term effective November 1, 2026, and ending on November 30, 2029, on consent.
PUBLIC HEARING
ITEM 11: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE DATE BY WHICH PROPERTIES MUST BE
READY TO RECEIVE UNDERGROUND SERVICE IN THE UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT X1A (CREST CANYON) – WORK ZONE 3 (CLERK’S FILE NO.) Council adopted Resolution 2026-60, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING THE DATE BY WHICH PROPERTIES
MUST BE READY TO RECEIVE UNDERGROUND SERVICE IN THE UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT X1A (CREST CANYON) – WORK ZONE 3,” on consent.
COUNCIL MEETING RECESS:
The City Council took a meeting recess from approximately 6:26 p.m. to 6:40 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL OTHER BUSINESS
City Council Regular Minutes
September 8, 2026
ITEM 12: UPDATE ON CITYWIDE PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2026-2027 RAINY SEASON AND FORECASTED EL NIÑO CONDITIONS (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-1)
A presentation was provided by Assistant City Manager Clem Brown. City Manager Jones provided comments on the City’s increased efforts to manage the El Nino storm conditions.
Mayor Martinez opened public comment and Rick Kuhle with a donation of time from Amy Cheshire spoke.
Council questions and discussion focused on how the City communicates with other coastal cities regarding their preparedness efforts; whether the City can engage California Edison to move up the date for dredging; location of the berms; and whether the City could consideration an emergency declaration resolution related to the Army Corp of Engineers delay in implementing mitigation efforts associated with sedimentation in the San Dieguito Lagoon.
Council consensus was for staff to return to Council on September 22, 2026, with an emergency declaration resolution related to the high volume of sand accumulation in the San Dieguito Lagoon resulting from the 2024 United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) sand nourishment project in the cities of Solana Beach and Encinitas, that has gone unaddressed by USACE despite the City of Del Mar raising significant concerns for at least the last 18 months.
ITEM 13: CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEL MAR COMMUNITY PLAN (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-1)
An introduction to the item was provided by Mayor Martinez. Community Plan drafters and participants spoke including Tom Shephard, Sage Sweetwood, Nancy Hoover and John Weare. Mayor Martinez presented the proclamation honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Del Mar Community Plan.
Mayor Martinez opened the item to public comment and the following people spoke:
1) Drew Keeling
2) Dwight Worden with one donation of time from Betty Wheeler 3) Bruce Bekkar
4) Roger Reynolds
5) Chana Mannen
Mayor Martinez closed the item to public comment.
Council discussion focused on the importance and lasting impact of the Del Mar Community Plan and appreciation to the residents and community members who volunteered their time to participate in the development of the Community Plan.
REGIONAL ORGANIZATION AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES/SUBCOMMITTEES/COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Martinez adjourned the meeting at 7:34 p.m.
________________________________________
Sarah Krietor, Administrative Services Manager/
City Clerk