REGULAR MEETING OF THE MILPITAS
CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
JAMUARY 30, 1861 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2025
The City Council of the City of Milpitas convened in a Regular Meeting of the Milpitas City Council on November 18, 2025, in the City Council Chamber, 455 E. Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas, CA, and via teleconference/Zoom webinar.
CALL MEETING TO ORDER by Mayor and ROLL CALL by City Clerk Mayor Montano called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:00 PM. Roll Call was taken by City Clerk Guzzetta.
PRESENT: Mayor Montano, Councilmember Chua, Councilmember Lam, Councilmember Lien ABSENT: Vice Mayor Barbadillo
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
Acting City Attorney Creech briefed the public on the closed session item. No public comment was received.
The Council adjourned to closed session at 6:02 PM.
(a) PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT AND HIRING
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)
Employee Position: City Attorney
CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT:
Upon reconvening at 7:15 PM, Acting City Attorney Creech reported that there was nothing to report out of closed session.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Chua led the Pledge of Allegiance.
INVOCATION
Mayor Montano provided the invocation.
PRESENTATIONS
Mayor Montano, joined by the Milpitas City Council, presented the Key to the City and Proclamation to the Dagupan, Phillipines Sister City delegation.
PUBLIC FORUM
There were the following public speakers:
1. Alex Li
2. Sergio Jimenez
3. Gwan Alisantosa
4. Kevin Sandhu
5. Govinda Karempudi
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6. Andres Minlo
7. Loreto Quevedo Diamaandal
8. Kaveri Rangaraj
9. Nikunj Vaidya
10. Hilary Davidson
11. Priti
12. ManoJ
13. Voltaire Montemayor
14. Member of the public
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS Acting City Attorney Creech asked the Mayor and City Councilmembers if they had any personal conflicts of interest. By roll call, there were no conflicts of interest (Absent: Barbadillo). Acting City Attorney Creech asked the Mayor and City Councilmembers if they had any reportable campaign contributions. By roll call, there were no reportable campaign contributions (Absent: Barbadillo).
READING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT
Councilmember Chua read the City Council Code of Conduct.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Councilmember Lien made a motion: to approve the agenda. Councilmember Chua seconded the motion amending it by adding a proposal to reschedule Item 11. Councilmember Lien did not accept the amendment to the motion. With no second, the motion failed
After discussion, motion: to approve the agenda, rescheduling Item 11 to a later date.
Motion/Second: Councilmember Chua / Councilmember Lam
Motion carried by the following:
AYES: Mayor Montano, Councilmember Chua, Councilmember Lam, Councilmember Lien NOES: None
ABSENT: Vice Mayor Barbadillo
CONSENT CALENDAR
There were the following public speakers:
1. Marvin Serber
After discussion, motion: to approve the Consent Calendar.
Motion/Second: Councilmember Lien / Councilmember Chua
Motion carried by the following:
AYES: Mayor Montano, Councilmember Chua, Councilmember Lam, Councilmember Lien NOES: None
ABSENT: Vice Mayor Barbadillo
Receive City Council Calendar of Meetings (Staff Contact: Suzanne Guzzetta, City Clerk, 408- 586-3001)
Received City Council Calendar of Meetings for November and December 2025.
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Approve City Council Meeting Minutes (Staff Contact: Suzanne Guzzetta, City Clerk, 408-586- 3001)
Approved City Council Meeting minutes of October 28 and November 4, 2025.
3. Receive the Preview List of Anticipated Items for the Next Regular City Council Meeting (Staff Contact: Suzanne Guzzetta, City Clerk, 408-586-3001)
Received the list of anticipated agenda items for the next regular City Council meeting.
4. Receive and Review the List of Agenda Items Requested by City Councilmembers (Staff Contact: Suzanne Guzzetta, City Clerk, 408-586-3001)
Received the list of items that have been requested by City Councilmembers and received consensus in previous meetings to date.
5. Adopt Ordinance No. 38.859 Approving Zoning Text and Zoning Map Amendment ZA25-0002 for the Gateway-Main Street Specific Plan (Staff Contact: Jay Lee, Planning Director, 408-586-3077) (1) Determined that the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (EIR) adequately analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Zoning Amendments and is in compliance pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162; and (2) Waived the second reading and adopted Ordinance No. 38.859 approving Zoning Text and Map Amendment No. ZA25-0002 for the Gateway-Main Street Specific Plan.
6. Approve and Authorize the City Manager, or Designee, to Execute a Fee Reimbursement Agreement with Toll West Coast, LLC for the City's Share Cost of Sango Court Road Extension (Staff Contact: Christian Di Renzo, Public Works Director, 408-586-2602; Michael Silveira, City Engineer, 408-586-3303)
Approved and authorized the City Manager, or designee, to execute a Fee Reimbursement Agreement with Toll West Coast, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $1, 110,530, for the City's share of the cost of the Sango Court Road extension.
7. Approve and Authorize the City Manager, or Designee, to Execute the Improvement Agreement with Duke Realty Limited Partnership for a New Industrial Building at 475-525 Sycamore Drive (Staff Contact: Christian Di Renzo, Public Works Director, 408-586-2602; and Michael Silveira, City Engineer, 408-586-3303)
Approved and authorized the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Improvement Agreement between the City of Milpitas and Duke Realty Limited Partnership with a value of $929,000 for a new industrial building at 475-525 Sycamore Drive to be completed within one (1) year from the date of the Improvement Agreement.
8. Authorize the City Manager, or Designee, to Negotiate and Execute an Agreement with Paladin Drones, Inc., for the Purchase of an Additional Drone Docking Station and Renew the Annual Subscription Fee (Staff Contact: Luz Cofresí-Howe, Finance Director, 408-586-3111; and Jared Hernandez, Chief of Police, 408-586-2406)
(1) Authorized the City Manager, or designee, to negotiate and execute a purchase order agreement with Paladin Drones Inc. for the purchase of an additional drone docking station and renew annual subscription fee for a 1-year term for a not-to-exceed amount of $91,875, subject to the appropriation of funds; and (2) Authorized the City Manager, or designee, to amend the agreement to extend it for up to one (1) additional twelve (12) month term and add additional compensation as required, subject to the appropriation of funds.
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Consider Donation Request from Knights of Columbus St. John Council (Staff Contact: Renée Lorentzen, Recreation and Community Services Director, 408-586-3409) Approved a Donation request of $500 for the Knights of Columbus St. John Council Annual Free Thanksgiving Dinner.
10. Approve Milpitas Arts and Culture Grant Request for a Cultural Menorah Lighting Event (Staff Contact: Renee Lorentzen, Recreation and Community Services Director, 408-586-3409) Approved a Milpitas Arts and Culture in-kind grant request from Dina and Marvin Serber for a Cultural Menorah Lighting Event on December 21, 2025.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
11. Adopt a Resolution Accepting Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Transit-Oriented Communities Planning and Implementation Projects Grants (Staff Contact: Jay Lee, Planning Director, 408-586-3077)
The item was rescheduled.
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
12. Receive Presentation on Considering an Increase to Milpitas Assistance Program Water Utilities Bill Subsidy Amount (Staff Contact: Renee Lorentzen, Recreation and Community Services Director, 408-586-3409)
Due to technical issues, the Council took a short recess at 8:15 PM. Reconvened at 8:28 PM.
Received presentation on Increasing the Milpitas Assistance MAP Water Utilities Bill Subsidy and provided feedback to staff. Direction was provided to staff to prepare a full MAP program update that:
1. Includes tiered subsidy increase options, including Tier 3.
2. Provides multiple scenarios (flat vs. tiered vs. hybrid).
3. Shows financial impacts across participation levels.
4. Addresses fund sustainability and admin cost recovery.
5. Presents an outreach and communications plan tied to increased participation.
6. Returns to Council at a future meeting with clear, actionable recommendations.
Councilmember Lam requested clarification about sewer fee variations and tier-structure logic. Director Lorentzen explained the differences between single-family, multifamily, duplex, and mobile-home billing structures, and noted that Tier 3 receives a temporary hardship benefit because their need is acute but time-limited.
There were the following public speakers:
1. Voltaire Montemayor
Following public comment, Councilmember Lam introduced a detailed subsidy proposal. He recommended a three-tier structure he described as the "50/30/20 plan," consisting of:
• Tier 1: 50% discount on meter fee, 50% on sewer fee, plus $50 off water consumption (estimated $139.82 per bimonthly bill).
• Tier 2: 30% discount on meter fee, 30% on sewer fee, plus $30 off water consumption (estimated $83.89 per bimonthly bill).
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• Tier 3: 20% discount on meter fee, 20% on sewer fee, plus $20 off water consumption under temporary hardship (estimated $55.93 per bimonthly bill).
He stated that using estimated MAP participation levels, the proposal would cost roughly $165,000 annually and emphasized that MAP participants make up only 1.6% of the city's population.
Mayor Montano then asked Lam clarifying questions about the total discount amounts and how the tiers aligned with income designations (very low, low, and temporary hardship). Lorentzen explained how HUD income thresholds determine tier assignment and provided examples using family-size A MI limits.
Councilmember Lien spoke next, asking how Lam's plan would support Tier 3 households given that the temporary hardship category represents residents in their most vulnerable period. She also asked how residents become aware of the program and whether current participation reflects full community need. Director Lorentzen described the City's outreach efforts, including PG&E CARE bill inserts, water bill inserts, e-mail lists, social media, the Resource Center, and event tabling. She noted there is no way to know precisely how many eligible households are not enrolled, but increased subsidies would likely increase participation.
The City Manager added that additional discussion would occur after receiving full council direction.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Council Member Chua commended the Recreation team for the Militas Community Choir, which held its first session and is preparing for a performance at the December tree lighting.
Council Member Lien proposed revising the Council policy to require members to state reasons when abstaining from votes. The proposal did not receive consensus (Noes: Chua, Lam. Absent: Barbadillo) Mayor Montano requested a community forum on the Crown Castle small cell towers within the next couple weeks, which received consensus. (Absent Barbadillo)
Mayor Montano also requested staff to research how public funds could be used to advertise local restaurants during the upcoming Super Bowl, which received consensus. City Manager Santana noted that funds for Super Bowl and FIFA promotion had been deferred since October, limiting the timeframe for Super Bowl promotion. (Absent: Barbadillo)
Mayor Montano requested staff look into establishing a Friendship City relationship, which received consensus. (Absent: Barbadillo)
Council Member Chua proposed reviewing the Council prioritization process, which received consensus (Noes: Lien. Absent: Barbadillo)
Mayor Montano requested a review of commission names, particularly considering renaming the Science and Technology Commission to better reflect its telecommunications focus, which received consensus. (Absent:
Barbadillo)
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Montano adjourned the meeting at 9:35 PM.
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The foregoing minutes were approved by the Milpitas City Suzanne Guzzetta
Milpitas City Clerk
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