AGENDA REPORT
City Council
MEETING
DATE:
September 09, 2026
PREPARED
BY:
Abe Bandegan, PE, TE
City Traffic Engineer
DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR:
Dan Nutter, PE
DEPARTMENT: Engineering CITY
MANAGER:
Jennifer Campbell
SUBJECT:
Explore the Applicability of a Red Light Camera Pilot Program per SB 720 in the City of Encinitas.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
City Council to review, discuss, and provide direction to staff regarding the applicability of red light camera detection per SB 720.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The action being considered by the City Council is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a “project” under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. The action is also exempt from CEQA under Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines because it involves an organizational or administrative activity of government that will not result in the direct or indirect physical change in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN/CITY COUNCIL FOCUS AREAS:
This item is Objective 3.1.3 “Consider red light camera use in the city” on the FY 2026-27 City Council Work Plan.
FISCAL CONSIDERATIONS:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Previous Red-Light Camera System in City of Encinitas
2026-09-09 Item #12A Page 1 of 5
The City of Encinitas previously operated a red-light photo enforcement program for approximately 16 years. The City entered into a contract with Redflex in February 2004, and cameras were installed at two signalized intersections beginning in 2004 and 2005. The system monitored three approaches between the two intersections. The two intersections were Encinitas Boulevard and El Camino Real intersection and Leucadia Boulevard and El Camino Real intersection.
In 2018, staff provided a summary report to City Council. The cameras at the time detected nearly one million vehicle movements each month. Approximately 0.05 percent of those were initially identified as possible red-light violations, and approximately one-third of those detected events ultimately resulted in actual notices after review. During the two Fiscal Years of 2016-17 and 2017-18, approximately 336 notices per month were printed. Approximately 80 percent of violations during the preceding five years involved non-Encinitas residents.
Under the former program, a red-light violation was processed as a conventional traffic citation.
Although the base fine was $100, state and court assessments increased the total cost to approximately $490, excluding traffic school.
The report also identified reductions in collisions at both camera locations. At one location, total collisions decreased from an average of 8.7 per year before installation to 4.8 per year after installation, with red-light-related collisions decreasing from 2.0 to 0.32 per year. At the other location, total collisions decreased from 9.2 to 6.3 per year, and red-light-related collisions decreased from 1.9 to 1.2 per year.
Council revisited the program in 2018 and again in December 2019. In December 2019, Council directed staff not to extend the contract at that time and to evaluate vendors, alternative intersection-control measures, and whether warnings could be issued before citations. The Redflex contract subsequently expired in May 2020.
Senate Bill 720
Senate Bill 720 (SB 720), signed by the Governor in October 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, established a new statewide framework allowing a city, county, or city and county to operate an automated traffic enforcement system for red-light violations under Vehicle Code Section 21455.9.
The new program differs significantly from the City's former red-light camera program. Violations issued under Section 21455.9 are civil penalties rather than conventional traffic citations. The system generally photographs the rear license plate rather than the driver, and the notice is issued to the registered owner. Facial-recognition technology is prohibited, and a violation does not result in a driver's license point or suspension.
SB 720 establishes the following civil penalties:
• $100 when there has been no prior violation within the previous three years; • $200 when there has been one prior violation within three years; • $350 when there have been two prior violations within three years; and • $500 when there have been three or more prior violations within three years.
No additional processing fees may generally be added other than electronic payment processing fees. A first late fee is capped at $50 and subsequent late fees for the same violation are capped at $100. The law also requires an 80-percent reduction in applicable fines and penalties for indigent persons and a 50-percent reduction for qualifying persons with income up to the statutory threshold.
Before establishing a program, the City would be required to prepare an Automated Traffic Enforcement System Impact Report addressing matters including the proposed system, fiscal impacts, civil rights and civil liberties considerations, proposed locations, and supporting traffic 2026-09-09 Item #12A Page 2 of 5
data. The report must be made available for public review before adoption at a public hearing.
The City must also make a safety-related finding supporting installation at each selected location.
Before citations may be issued, the City must operate a 60-day warning period and make a public announcement at least 30 days before enforcement begins. SB 720 also contains requirements regarding signage, yellow-light intervals, equipment inspection and calibration, administrative review and appeals, data privacy, and retention of photographic and video records.
Program revenues must first be used to recover program costs. The statute restricts the use of excess revenues and directs them toward eligible traffic-calming improvements rather than allowing an automated enforcement program to operate primarily as a general revenue source.
Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission (MTSC) Recommendation Automated enforcement was included in the MTSC's Fiscal Year 2025-26 Work Plan. Following passage of SB 720, the MTSC subcommittee assigned to Work Plan Item No. 5 recommended shifting its focus from consideration of automated speed enforcement under AB 645 to consideration of red-light automated enforcement under SB 720.
At its February 9, 2026 meeting, the MTSC voted to recommend that the City Council review and consider a policy for implementation of red-light cameras, including staff analysis to identify the most suitable intersections. The Commission subsequently voted on March 9, 2026 to transmit its recommendation to the City Council. (Attachment 1)
ANALYSIS
Potential Pilot Program
SB 720 provides the City with an opportunity to consider a red-light enforcement program that is substantially different from the City's former program. Most notably, the new framework uses civil penalties, registered-owner liability, rear-license-plate images, an administrative review process, and specific privacy and public-process requirements.
If Council wishes to proceed, staff, with the support of the MTSC, could develop a limited pilot program at a small number of intersections. Locations should be selected based primarily on demonstrated traffic-safety need rather than anticipated citation volume or revenue. The process to evaluate and select pilot intersection(s) will be presented to MTSC, and the final pilot program would be presented to the City Council.
A first step could be a citywide screening of signalized intersections using readily available collision and traffic data. Potential locations could then be ranked using factors such as:
• Input and feedback by San Diego County Sheriff’s Office • History and frequency of red-light-related collisions; • Severity of collisions, with greater weight given to fatal and injury collisions; • Observed or documented frequency of red-light violations; • Pedestrian and bicycle activity and exposure;
• Approach speeds and traffic volumes;
• Intersection geometry and complexity; and
• History of previous engineering or enforcement measures.
Staff could then conduct a more detailed review of the highest-ranked locations. That review could include field observations or temporary video collection to determine the frequency and type of red-light violations, including whether violations involve through movements, left turns, or right turns.
Rather than simply selecting the locations with the highest number of violations, a pilot could include intersections with different safety characteristics. For example, locations could be selected to represent different combinations of collision history, violation frequency, traffic volumes, 2026-09-09 Item #12A Page 3 of 5
speeds, and pedestrian or bicycle activity. This would provide the City with better information about where automated enforcement is most effective.
Pilot Evaluation
Performance measures should be established before enforcement begins so that the effectiveness of the pilot can be objectively evaluated. Measures could include:
• Change in the number or rate of red-light violations; • Red-light-related collisions and collision severity;
• Pedestrian and bicycle collisions or conflicts;
• Rear-end collisions;
• Number of warnings and citations issued;
• Citation dismissal and appeal rates;
• Repeat violations;
• Program costs and revenues; and
• Public complaints or other community feedback.
Where practical, staff could also compare pilot intersections with similar intersections where cameras are not installed. This would help distinguish changes associated with automated enforcement from broader changes in traffic volumes or collision trends. The City's previous program provides useful historical information; however, a new pilot should be evaluated independently because SB 720 creates a significantly different enforcement, penalty, privacy, and administrative framework.
Next Steps
Receive City Council directions as to how to proceed. Should council consider moving forward, Staff can begin investigating a pilot program, staff could work with MTSC and return with a proposed implementation plan that identifies objective location-selection criteria, evaluates candidate intersections, estimates vendor and administrative costs, develops proposed enforcement and review procedures, and/or establishes pilot performance measures.
If the prepared pilot program is supported at a future City Council, staff would return to Council with recommended pilot program location(s), required safety findings, costs and budget requests, program policies, and a defined pilot and evaluation period. Depending on the cost of the program and potential contract amount additional City Council approval(s) might be required to award the contract to a vendor to operate the program. Prior to selection of a vendor, staff would have to prepare the Automated Traffic Enforcement System Impact Report and complete the public engagement process, both of which are required by SB 720.
A limited, data-driven pilot will allow an opportunity to evaluate safety benefits, costs, administrative requirements, and community impacts before deciding whether automated redlight enforcement should be expanded, modified, or discontinued.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter from MTSC to City Council supporting SB720
2026-09-09 Item #12A Page 4 of 5
To: City of Encinitas Mayor and City Council
From: Mobility and Traffic Safety Commission
Motion to send a memo to City Council passed during March 9, 2026, Commission Meeting Motion Approved by: Chair Trauth & Commissioners Eldon, Hintlian, Medak, Ratcliffe & Templin
Absent: Vice Chair Duncan
Motion to recommend City Council review and consider a policy for the implementation of red-light cameras passed during February 9, 2026, Commission Meeting.
Motion Approved by: Chair Trauth & Commissioners Duncan, Johnson, Templin, Thile.
Nays: Commissioner Medak
Absent: Commissioner Gross
Subject: MTSC Work Plan #5 – AB 645/ SB 720
Subcommittee: Commissioners Duncan, Gross and Thile
With the passing of SB 720 in October 2025 and overwhelming community support to address safety issues, traffic violations and deaths in our city, the MTSC supports SB 720 legislation. At our February 9th MTSC meeting the commission voted in favor of recommending City Council review and consider a policy for the implementation of red-light cameras, including staff analysis, to identify the most suitable intersections.
Extensive community input was heard by public speakers as documented in our meeting minutes.
SB 720 creates an alternative approach for how cities can implement red light camera programs. The summarized points of the legislation are listed below:
• Liability Shift: The legislation shifts liability from drivers to vehicle owners, similar to parking violations.
The registered owner receives the ticket based on the license plate. • Reduced Fines: The legislation reduces the $500 criminal fine to a $100 civil penalty. Subsequent violations within three years increase to $200, $250, and $500 for additional violations. • No Required Driver Identification: The legislation proposes to photograph the rear license plate, while photographic evidence identifying the driver would be removed. • Revenue Use: Ticket revenue would help to subsidize local traffic safety improvements. • Yellow Light Standards: The legislation would prohibit reducing yellow light interval durations where red-light cameras are posted.
Background:
SB 720 legislation builds upon the AB 645 legislation passed in 2023, which was a pilot study that utilized automated speed enforcement to enhance safety and reduce speeding violations for San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, and Long Beach. With the passage of SB 720 legislation, it is appropriate to utilize the most current automated speed enforcement guidance designed for all cities in California.
The main issues that opponents have had with the original red-light camera programs have been revised to focus on safety and reduce the number of vehicles running red-lights. Ultimately, red-light cameras will lead to reduced collisions and improved safety by changing the behavior of drivers. The MTSC sees this program as an effective response to many of the traffic safety issues Encinitas faces. 2026-09-09 Item #12A Page 5 of 5