CITY COUNCIL
HOUSING AUTHORITY AND
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Council Chamber
200 Civic Center Way
El Cajon, CA 92020
Joint Special Meeting
Agenda
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Bill Wells, Mayor Graham Mitchell, City Manager
Gary Kendrick, Mayor Pro Tem Vince DiMaggio, Assistant City Manager Steve Goble, Councilmember Marisol Thorn, Deputy City Manager Michelle Metschel, Councilmember Morgan Foley, City Attorney Phil Ortiz, Councilmember Angela Cortez, City Clerk
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Angela Cortez
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
1. Cajon Cruise Application (Submitted by Downtown Café)
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council considers and provides feedback on the proposed Cajon Cruise application from Downtown Café.
ADJOURNMENT: The Joint Special Meeting of the El Cajon City Council/El Cajon Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency held this 2nd day of September 2025, is adjourned.
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City Council
Agenda Report
Agenda Item 1.
DATE: 09/02/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Adam Tronerud, Director of Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: Cajon Cruise Application (Submitted by Downtown Café) RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council considers and provides feedback on the proposed Cajon Cruise application from Downtown Café.
BACKGROUND:
The Cajon Classic Cruise has historically been organized and funded by Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, the management entity for the Downtown El Cajon Property-Based Improvement District (PBID). The funding for the car show has been through assessments (additional taxes) paid by property owners in the downtown area. Traditionally, the car shows have been held on Wednesdays from April through October.
For the 2025 Cajon Cruise, PBID held the event every Wednesday from June 4 to July 30. With the shortened series this year, Downtown Café has submitted a Special Event in the Community Application to host their own Cajon Cruise on Wednesdays from September 10 through October 22. The events will take place on Main Street and Prescott Promenade from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and feature cars. The event is free and open to the public, aligning with the community-focused goals outlined in the El Cajon Municipal Code Chapter 12.24.
To facilitate the event, Downtown Café requested the following partial road closures with a start time of 3:00 p.m. on event days:
3:00 to 7:30 p.m. Sulzfeld Way: North of East Main Street to south of the alley 3:00 to 7:30 p.m. Orange Avenue: South of West Main Street to north of the alley Additionally, there is a request for parking spots on Main Street to be used after 3:00 p.m. for car show participant parking. These street closures ensure the safety and enjoyment of the attendees during the event.
If approved by the City Council, the Downtown Café will be required to meet additional conditions, including, but not limited to, approved certificates of insurance, proof that affected businesses and residents have been notified, and any other necessary permits or licenses. The applicant must meet with City staff to review all conditions before final event approval. .!!!!_ Valley of Opportunity
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Although not in the application, the applicant has communicated to staff that they are requesting that the City waive fees. These fees recover the City’s costs to manage the permit and ensure compliance with the conditions. The fees are $2,725 with an additional $1,350 refundable damage deposit. Staff does not recommend that the fees be waived as this would establish a precedent for future event applications. However, if the City Council wishes to waive the fees, staff would recommend that these funds be paid for from the General Reserve Fund.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
The proposed community events with scheduled road closures are exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to state CEQA Guideline section 15301(c). The proposed events involve a minor and temporary alteration to the vehicular use of public streets and alleys in connection with special events held in the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Applicable fees to be paid by the applicant or by the City of El Cajon, depending on the City Council's decision.
Prepared By: Adam Tronerud, Director of Parks and Recreation Reviewed By: Adam Tronerud, Director of Parks & Recreation Approved By: Graham Mitchell, City Manager