Public Comments — Orange City Council, January 13, 2026

Item 10.2
Prohibit Sale and
Distribution of Kratom
Products

California Narcotic Officers’ Association 28245 AVENUE CROCKER STE 230 - SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA 91355-1201 (661) 775-6960 • (877) 775-NARC • FAX (661) 775-1648 WWW.CNOA.ORG President

DEVIN CHASE
Torrance PD (Ret/)
1st Vice President

JAMES APPLEGATE
El Dorado D.A./DEA TF
2nd Vice President

JAMES HOFFMAN
San Bernardino Co. S.D. (Ret.)
Sergeant at Arms

SCOTT BACHMAN
DOJ/BI
Executive Director

JOE STEWART
CNOA
Director of Training

JOHN KENNEY
Orange Co. D.A. (Ret.)
General Counsel
DAVID R. DEMURJIAN
Huntington Beach
Legislative Counsel

RYAN SHERMAN
Sherman Consulting
Conference Chair

MIKE KENNEDY
SLO Co. D.A. (Ret.)
Legislative Chair

ANTHONY MUNOZ
Alameda Co. Sheriff's Office
Region I Chair

TOM MORENO
San Jose P.D.

Region II Chair

JASON WINGER
West Sacramento PD (Ret.)
Region III Chair

JESSE BRAVO
Irwindale P.D.

Region IV Chair

PAUL PAXTON
San Diego P.D. (Ret.)
Region V Chair

ALEX NAOUM
San Bernardino Co. S.D.

Region VI Chair

JASON DICKEL
San Luis Obispo P.D.

Region VII Chair

STEVEN STOVER
CA DOJ
Region VIII Chair

BRETT LETENDRE
CA ABC
Immediate Past President

BOB COOKE
WISN
January 13, 2026

Honorable Members of the Orange City Council
300 E. Chapman Ave.

Orange, CA 92866
Re: Support for Prohibiting the Sale and Distribution of 7-OH Products Dear Mayor Slater and Members of the City Council:

On behalf of the thousands of member of the California Narcotic Ofﬁcers’ Association (CNOA), I am writing to express our strong support for the proposal to prohibit the sale and distribution of concentrated, synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine products (7- OH) in the City of Orange.
7-OH is the psychoactive component which occurs naturally in kratom leaves in trace amounts. It is now being synthetically concentrated into various products that are sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and other retail and online venues in the city.

High doses of concentrated, synthetic 7-OH alone or co-used with alcohol or other sedatives can cause severe respiratory depression and death. Again, 7-OH is entirely unregulated and available for purchase by anyone one - of any age. Medical research has shown that concentrated, synthetic 7-OH binds to the same receptors in the brain as traditional opioids, creating a risk for dependency, withdrawal, and overdose when combined with other substances. Concentrated, synthetic 7-OH has no approved medical use and is widely recognized by public health authorities as dangerous.

In July, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to ﬁrms for the illegal marketing of concentrated synthetic 7-OH products. The FDA indicated that “7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods.

Additionally, there are no FDA-approved drugs containing 7-OH, and it is illegal to market any drugs containing 7-OH. “Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use.” Importantly, the federal government recently requested that the Drug Enforcement Agency classify 7-OH as a Schedule I drug, while speciﬁcally noting that natural kratom is not being similarly considered. In August 2025, the County of Orange enacted Ord. 25-014: Prohibiting sale of kratom derivatives. The County of Riverside enacted these same restrictions, as did the City and County of Fresno.

The CNOA also worked with a number of cities and counties to prohibit the sale or distribution of concentrated synthetic 7-OH including Huntington Beach, Buena Park, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Stanton and Tustin. Other cities and counties are also preparing similar ordinances throughout the state. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recently issued a news release entitled, Multiple Fatal Overdoses Tied to Synthetic Kratom Compound in Los Angeles County which warned about the dangers posed by this concentrated, synthetic opioid.
“FOR BETTER NARCOTIC ENFORCEMENT”

The Los Angeles Times covered these deaths and the lack of action by the state legislature.

The CNOA has been active in addressing the recent explosion of the use of kratom and the abuse of concentrated, synthetic 7-OH throughout the state.

We have been strong advocates to limit natural kratom sales to only persons 21 and over and prohibit the marketing of natural kratom to children while seeking a ban on concentrated, synthetic 7-OH by outlawing any products that contain 2% or more of 7-OH in the total alkaloid fraction.

AB 1088 (Bains) takes this approach and was passed by the Assembly, with support from all of Orange County’s Assembly members. The bill awaits action in the Senate Health Committee.

Most recently, Orange County Senator Tom Umberg introduced SB 758 which establishes a misdemeanor for any person selling or distributing products containing enhanced levels of 7- OH above that naturally occurring in kratom. The bill also further restricts sales of nitrous oxide throughout the state. SB 758 (Umberg) unanimously passed the Senate Public Safety Committee earlier today.

To be clear, the CNOA has taken no formal position on natural kratom. Instead, we are following the lead of the FDA by advocating to ban concentrated synthetic 7-OH which presents a unique health risk and has been determined to have contributed to numerous deaths
On a daily basis, our dedicated members witness ﬁrst-hand the dangers these substances can pose to our children, families and communities which is why the CNOA urges you to prohibit the sale and distribution of concentrated synthetic 7-OH in Orange. Taking action now will help prevent future deaths and reduce the risk of harm - especially for our youth.

For these reasons, we are pleased to support local efforts to prohibit the sale or distribution of 7-OH. Please contact our legislative counsel, Ryan Sherman, with any questions or concerns. He can be reached at (916) 580-5464
Sincerely,
Devin Chase
President
“FOR BETTER NARCOTIC ENFORCEMENT”

Orange City Council on 2026-01-13 6:00 PM
Meeting Time: 01-13-26 18:00
eComments Report
Meetings Meeting
Time
Agenda
Items
Comments Support Oppose Neutral
Orange City Council on 2026-01-13 6:00
PM
01-13-26
18:00
54 41 13 23 2

Orange City Council on 2026-01-13 6:00 PM
01-13-26 18:00
Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral

2. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS 18 8 9 1

2. PUBLIC COMMENTS 1 1 0 0

3.11. Approval of temporary street closures for approved special events.

Resolution No.11654.
4 3 0 0

9.1. Dirt hauling permit for the development of Tract 18163, currently owned by Milan REI X, LLC.
14 0 12 1

9.2. Approval of dedication agreement with Milan REI X, LLC; and acceptance of the dedication of 30.75 acres of open space to the City of Orange from Milan REI X, LLC. Resolution No. 11649.
1 1 0 0

10.2. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance No. 01-26 adding Chapter 9.45 to the Orange Municipal Code prohibiting the sale and distribution of kratom products.
3 0 2 0

Agenda Item: eComments for 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 5:32pm 01-13-26
I was surprised to learn this evening that the video of the Orange CIty Council meeting did not commence at 5:00pm, at the time the Mayor calls to order the City Council meeting for closed session (Item 1). Item 2 is public comments. Item 3 is recess to closed session (through State law, the public understands that Item 3 is not available to the public for good reason). To maximize public trust in government through transparency, the City of Orange would benefit greatly from starting the video at 5pm as many other cities do -- to call the meeting to order and to provide public comments. As Orange care deeply about public trust, having access to public comments on closed session (Item 2) through live video would well serve the public interest. The public appreciates video of regular session that begins at 6pm; the public would also appreciate live video of Items 1 and 2 pertaining to closed session that begins t 5pm. Thank you.

Kath Voss
Location:

Submitted At: 4:11pm 01-13-26
I strongly support the sale of 171 and 177 N. Cypress Street to Orange Home Grown over other potential buyers.

Orange Home Grown has a proven track record of turning land into measurable economic and community value.

Their Education Farm drives foot traffic to Old Towne Orange, supports nearby small businesses, and attracts visitors through events, programs, and volunteer activity, all without adding strain to parking or infrastructure.

The organization has donated over 120,000 pounds of produce, contributed more than 55,000 volunteer hours, hosted 50+ educational events annually, and awarded over $100,000 in scholarships. These outcomes represent real economic benefit to the community and reduce the need for future public spending on food access, youth programs, and community services.

Just as importantly, Orange Home Grown preserves historic homes and the Cypress Street Barrio’s agricultural legacy while keeping the site active, accessible, and community-serving. This is long-term stewardship that

creates ongoing value, not a one-time transaction.

For economic vitality, historic preservation, and sustained public benefit, Orange Home Grown is the right choice.

I urge the City to approve this sale. Thank you for your consideration.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 3:45pm 01-13-26
My name is Renee Canuso, as a volunteer who became a Board Member of Orange Home Grown(OHG), I ask the City Council to support the sale of the Cypress St properties to OHG.

OHG would like to establish a permanent physical presence in the City of Orange to enable it to continue its mission of cultivating a healthy, connected community by promoting education, sustainable practices, and access to locally grown food.

I have personally seen OHG partner with many other non-profits in the city to spread this mission and to support the mission of other local non-profits in the City of Orange. I am personally excited about what the ownership of this piece of land could mean to the organization. I believe it would enable us to expand our outreach knowing we have a stable location from which to teach others about sustainable food growth, support the education of the youth in Orange, and to share the story of the agricultural history of the City of Orange. I am grateful to be a part of this organization and ask the City to help OHG grow and prosper by supporting the sale of these properties to OHG.

Sincerely, Renee Canuso
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 2:59pm 01-13-26
As a volunteer for Orange Home Grown, I want the city council to know what a great non-profit this organization is. It has fostered a great community of individuals working together to support the local farmer's market, learn about growing vegetables, picking fruit at Hart Park, offering learning opportunities for all ages . I'm so grateful for the vision of this organization to make Orange a better place.

Laureen
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 2:57pm 01-13-26
In support of Orange Home Grown Educational Farm
Orange Home Grown reflects the heart and soul of the city of Orange: focused on sustaining and nourishing the land, building community, and educating volunteers and residents to continue Orange’s legacy of crop & community for generations to come.

OHG is dedicated to using regenerative methods and maintaining & growing crops in the most sustainable way.

Every week volunteers ensure the farm is maintained using sustainable practices such as composting, vermicomposting, water conservation & optimization, and using all hands on deck to tend to the soil & plants and to harvest.

OHG not only brings together a diverse group of people to the farm to tend to the land and educate on agricultural best practices, the organization is deeply dedicated to the community of Orange and integrated into several facets of community life. Residents from inside and outside the city of Orange gather at the Farmers Market. The market supports and highlights local growers and businesses, and many praise it as one of the best - if not THE best - in Orange County. (I personally learned of the farm through a foodie friend who lives in Anaheim RAVING about the market). OHG also provides education to a wide variety of groups directly through the Y outh Food Literacy program and organized volunteer events by companies and groups covering a wide range of fields (nurses, nuns, engineers, summer camps, boy scouts … the list goes on and on). If people want to get educated on farming, OHG is there with open arms. This education does not stop at the farm, volunteers bring their new- found gardening knowledge home and continue to educate through their families, homes, and neighborhoods.

Additionally, OHG provides seeds to the community through various community libraries and is dedicated to making quality food accessible to all.

OHG is a space where all ages and walks of life thrive. Intergenerational friendships and education is fostered every week. The amount of healing and support - spoken and unspoken - at OHG is beyond measure. The amount of stories shared of parents’ and children’s mental clarity, productivity, and overall happiness improving after volunteering at the farm are countless. To see children excited to learn about gardening, volunteering, building community, and seeing their characters take shape, are some of the most treasured experiences at the farm. Chapman University students and faculty are also an integral part of the community - providing a space for them to decompress and to build friendships as they integrate into the community. OHG is a safe space for many and the education, community-building, and dedication to future generations will help the community nourish the land for years to come.

Orange Home Grown embodies an ecosystem every city should strive to build - one built through the land and whose reach extends beyond the land, one that involves every component of community and continues to grow through the tireless dedication of the people to the land, their city, and their neighbors.

I’m honored to be a part of this community and grateful to the city for its support.

With gratitude,
OHG Volunteer, Vi.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 1:49pm 01-13-26
My name is Emily Atwood and I am a volunteer at the Orange Home Grown Educational Farm. I am writing in support of Orange Home Grown’s offer for the two homes on Cypress to move our OHG Farm to this location in an act of preserving our agricultural roots as a city and honoring the history of the Cypress Barrio. Helping Orange Home Grown to continue to thrive in our city means that you are actively helping our community to thrive.

The Farmer’s Market connects us to local farmers, organic produce, as well as facilitating community and connection. The Educational Farm is an intergenerational hub for people in our city to nourish a vital relationship with our environment, to learn about how food is grown, and most importantly it provides opportunities for youth to connect with the earth in a world that is so greatly disconnected with technology. Orange Home Grown by nature has provided a solution for many issues that plague our society: social isolation, lack of third spaces that provide community, our broken relationship with the environment, disconnection from how our food is grown, lack of access to food and education, food illiteracy in the youth, to name a few. I hope that our city can continue to value the vitality and education Orange Home Grown brings to the City of Orange by supporting their offer.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 11:37am 01-13-26
I strongly support the offer that Orange homegrown has made on the property with the two homes in Orange to move the garden. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful a community tool. This is especially in educating youth, but also in bringing people together.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 10:43am 01-13-26
Please do not ban kratom under the assumption that it is the same thing as high-potency 7-hydroxymitragynine (“7-OH/7oh”) products.

There is a critical difference between traditional kratom leaf products and high-concentration isolated/fortified 7- OH products. Lumping them together is like treating “raw opium poppy tea” and “illicit fentanyl analogs” as identical because both touch opioid receptors. That’s NOT how responsible public policy works.

A blanket ban would be negligent from a harm-reduction standpoint. Many adults have used standard kratom products as a bridge away from far more deadly street opioids, including fentanyl, and as a way to remain employed, stable, and connected to family. If you remove a lower-risk option, you don’t erase demand. Y ou push people back toward the highest-risk supply.

If the City’s goal is public safety, the smarter approach is targeted regulation:
- Restrict or ban isolated/fortified 7-OH products and other “enhanced” extracts marketed for maximum potency. - Require age limits, clear labeling (alkaloid content, serving size), and batch testing for contaminants and adulterants.
- Enforce truth-in-marketing rules (no medical claims, no “opioid-like high” advertising). - Create standards that differentiate leaf from synthetic/fortified products.

I’m asking you to regulate with nuance: address the genuinely risky products, but do not criminalize or eliminate standard kratom and the harm-reduction role it has played for many residents.

I, myself, have gone from massive amounts of opioids to a very minimal amount of Kratom (when my pain management doctor was shut down by the DEA) and I have gotten my life back in these past 14 months. My pain is under control, my cravings for pharmaceutical opioids are nonexistent and I am working seven days a week again, got my relationships, my family, my life back! I would also like to point out that for some, like myself, kratom works better than pharma. I was on 400 mg of oxycodone before I switched to kratom and my pain was still not controlled. After enduring a grueling 4 month detox, I switched to Kratom and now my pain is nonexistent! The adverse reactions (opioid induced gastroparesis, depression, anhedonia) I was getting from oxycodone are no longer an issue with kratom. Please do not discount my comment by dismissing me as a “junkie” or an addict. I am a teacher, a mother, a daughter, an aunt, an animal shelter volunteer, and a contributing member to our society. I’d like to warn you that this ban can have very VERY dire consequences FOR ALL OF US.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 8:46am 01-13-26
My name is Venus Usher. I strongly oppose the proposed ordinance to prohibit the sale and distribution of kratom.

Kratom and Cannabis have been my sole source of pain relief for years after serious harm from FDA-approved medications. It allows me to function and live with dignity. A ban would not protect public health. It would harm people like me who use kratom responsibly as a safer alternative.

Prohibition does not stop use. It drives people to the illicit market, removes safety controls, and criminalizes law- abiding adults. If the City has concerns, the answer is reasonable regulation such as age limits, labeling, and quality standards, not an outright ban.

Please do not take away access to something that keeps people stable, functional, and alive. I urge you to reject this ordinance and pursue regulation instead of prohibition.

Thank you for including my comment in the public record.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 7:30am 01-12-26
My name is Christine Clarke and for almost 10 years I have volunteered my time, energy and commitment to the Orange (and larger) community through the Orange Home Grown Education Farm. This is a comment of appreciation for the support Orange City Council has provided over the last 15 years to OHG and to ask for continued support.

I serve as volunteer coordinator of the OHG education farm and do not have space to begin to share the positive impact that OHG farmers market, education farm and related services (Hart Park Orange grove opportunities, Y outh Food Literacy Program, Seed Lending Library) have for our community. There is no greater model of ‘cultivating community’ than OHG.

There is no more welcoming, healthy, concerned community than OHG. There is no other self-driven volunteer organization that weaves itself positively with other Orange community organizations than OHG. Only in this wonderful city of Orange could this nonprofit take root and grow.

Please help it grow in the wonderful ways you have supported it over the past 15 years. Our community members need this organization as a vehicle for nutritional health, for urban agriculture awareness, for mental health and for a model of compassionate behavior unlike any. Thank you for the 15 years of support! Hope to see each of you at the farmers market on a Saturday or swinging by the Farm on a Friday to dig in the dirt and learn, laugh and connect.

Sincerely
Christine Clarke
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 12:26am 01-12-26
Dear City Council Members I am commenting regarding Agenda 10.2, a complete ban on Kratom.

NATURAL LEAF KRATOM has made the past 10 years bearable for me. I live in chronic severe nerve pain and spasms due to nerve damage, fibromyalgia, IBS and migraines. Before NATURAL LEAF KRATOM I existed. I didn’t have a life. NATURAL LEAF KRATOM is such an important tool in my chronic pain toolbox. It has given me my life back.

I think 7-OH products should be banned. I always have. I consider them very dangerous But NATURAL LEAF KRATOM is safe and helps millions of people. Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 3:02pm 01-11-26
I understand the concern about Kratom but it is important to understand that synthetic and extracted compounds that aren’t natural Kratom are being labeled as such. Please leave the natural Kratom alone, as it helps me and many other people! Ban the synthetic and extracted compounds, not kratom itself. Or make regular kratom 21+, but please don’t take it away entirely. It wouldn’t be right. I know many people who’ve used kratom to successfully taper off much stronger drugs like heroin, and without kratom accessibility I don’t know if some of them would be standing here today.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 2:24pm 01-11-26
I've had severe chronic pain for over 25 years. The doctors have tried everything, from an implanted morphine pump, to liquid morphine, to pills, to physical therapy. Dozens of surgeries, and no improvement. My condition only worsened. I've been to the ER more than a 100 times over the years, more than half that time because of prescription medication or botched surgeries. The doctors were actually making things worse. I was on the verge of death in my early 60's, then my family started to give me natural Kratom, and it took my pain away - better than opioids!. And the best part it didn't affect my mind like opioids, I was no longer sleepy or forgetful. I was able to function again, and live like a normal person. As a person of faith, I believe God blessed me with a miracle in the form of Kratom. I truly believe without it I would not be here today. Now I'm in my late 70's, and I'm healthier and happier. I have my life back. Let me be perfectly clear, I do not oppose the ban on the synthetic 7-Oh product (I've never used it, nor do I want to); however, please I implore you NOT to impose a blanket ban on the natural powdered product that I, and millions of others use daily to save them from a life of agony. If God has blessed you with good health then please show Him gratitude by having sympathy for those who suffer. For our sake, please have empathy and compassion, please do not ban natural Kratom. Thank you.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 12:56pm 01-11-26
I support the ban on oh- sysnthetic kratom. It is not kratom in natural form. The benefits of natural kratom such as crushed leaf tea is vast. It has aided people with pain relief for 100's of years. My concern is, a blanket ban using the word Kratom. Again, , natural Kratom offers many benefits while the b synthetic does not. I urge you to not ban kratom in its natural form as millions of people may suffer.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 9:58am 01-11-26
I oppose, because I am a person with chronic pain. I have spinal stenosis, foraminal stenosis, facet joint arthritis, and multiple disc degeneration. I use natural crushed kratom leaves to brew tea, and this tea is a tremendous help for my pain and my ability to function in daily living. Without natural kratom, I would spend a big chunk of my day in bed. I am 32 years old, I'm too young to live my life that way. I definitely support a ban on 7oh, but that is not what natural kratom is. I get my kratom from a reputable source. I do not trust what smoke shops have, there is not enough regulation for them to prove what they are selling is actually kratom. I know what true natural kratom is and it does not contain 7oh. I hope you guys can understand how true kratom has helped thousands of people with chronic pain. We don't want to take opiates, we need natural pain relief.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 8:06pm 01-10-26
Please oppose Item# 10.2 :

I'd like to share my story on the impact kratom has had on my life.

After waking up one day in 2005, paralyzed from my neck down, I was eventually diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, and became a chronic pain patient. For years, I was able to manage my chronic pain with prescription medications, but eventually with more DEA cutbacks and new regulations over the years those were no longer an option for me. I was left to endure living in pain every single second of every single day just like so many other chronic pain patients in the same position. Luckily I discovered whole leaf kratom powder in May of 2019. I've been consuming it responsibly for 6 years and it has granted me a second chance at life! I no longer suffer every day, I can get out of bed and be a mom! I can go to school functions run errands, go to the store, and just live life without suffering. Though I regained mobility I still face many physical limitations, however I'm no longer confined by constant pain. Kratom gave me my life back. My story is just one of many chronic pain patients that have been able to manage their pain with kratom.

There is a big difference between natural whole-leaf kratom VS the semi-synthetic 7-OH products being marketed as kratom. I’ve been encouraged to see even the FDA has stepped in, not only to educate the public on this distinction, but also to warn about the risks of 7-OH. They’ve made it clear their concern is with 7-OH products, NOT with whole leaf kratom.

I’m asking you to support regulation instead of prohibition and keep natural, whole-leaf kratom legal. We need clear safety standards such as age restrictions, mandatory lab testing, accurate labeling, and limits on 7- hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). These are the kinds of measures that protect public health while preserving the freedom of choice for responsible adults.

There are so many people who are benefiting from whole leaf kratom please don't take that away. Thank you for your time, Jennifer Gillis
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 3:50pm 01-10-26
My life was headed down hill after two failed lower back surgeries and a diagnosis of chronic pain and fibromyalgia. I was on prescription opioids 25 yrs. At my worst I wore a 100 mcg Fentanyl patch and took three 10/325 hydrocodone per day. I was about to be increased to 125 mcg patches! These patches had to be increased every 3-5 yrs. My Pain Management Dr monitored my health, did random drug tests and pill counts to assure I was not abusing these drugs! I needed someone to care for me on my bad days and they were numerous! Then I discovered Kratom in 2013. I never failed a pill count or drug test, I’ve never had a criminal record, do not do illicit drugs and haven’t even had a speeding or parking ticket in 55 yrs of driving. I do not drink alcohol or do drugs! I was afraid to drive while on prescription opioids for fear of getting in a wreck and receiving a DUI!
I started consuming Kratom along with my fentanyl patches. For the first time since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia my fibromyalgia pain was well managed! None of the numerous prescription medications ever provided relief for fibromyalgia pain! In 2017 I decided on my own to stop all opioids and try Kratom only. Thanks to Kratom I did not suff Once My primary care physician does annual comprehensive lab work. After only four months of pure leaf, unadulterated Kratom my labs improved drastically and have maintained these improvements.

I do not require help! In fact, I cared for my 88 yr old mother for two yrs after she was diagnosed with cancer. I have taken care of my 100% service connected disabled veteran husband who has suffered two brain bleed strokes. My head is clear, my pain is well managed.

My primary care physician, orthopedic surgeon, OB/GYN and dentist all approve of my choice and support my decision to consume pure kratom.

Instead of banning kratom and forcing people into a dangerous black market with zero protections from bad actors adding illegal drugs to Kratom. Push to pass the KCPA or Kratom Consumer Protection Act as written by the American Kratom Association. This act will protect City of Orange residents from tainted Kratom products and dangerous extracts like 7-OH. 7-OH is NOT Kratom! It is a chemical extract. KCPA will provide a specific age limit for legal purchase and consumption AND KCPA will provide law enforcement with clear guidelines when dealing with any Kratom products.

We Kratom consumers do not consume Kratom to get high! Kratom is a distant cousin to coffee. Would you vote to ban coffee? Please follow actual science.

Pure, unadulterated Kratom is not the problem! Regulation is the answer.

Y ou think Kratom is dangerous? Dangerous is banning Kratom for honest citizens. Even the FDA has backed off banning pure unadulterated kratom.

Please do not lump pure GMP , lab tested, unadulterated Kratom in with 7-OH.

Someone is standing to make big money from the ban of kratom. This should be an individual choice and not a money grabbing choice! If Kratom were to have been banned in North Carolina, my health would have suffered a great deal! I was born and grew up in San Bernardino.

At 71 yrs old I should have the right to choose what I consume. Stand for your citizens right to choose pure, unadulterated Kratom. Not for lies and misinformation! Vote to trash this bill and put into law the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. Thank you for your time!
Mrs Eadie Rowell.

Abdullah Mamun
Location:

Submitted At: 2:06pm 01-10-26
Hello i am opposing Item # 10.2. A blanket ban on all kratom products will be catastrophic. There are millions of people that uses natural kratom for managing pain, anxiety, or even energy. Kratom comes from the same plant family as the COFFEE that we drink every morning.

According to the OC Public Health Care Information sheet as well as FDA Press Release on July 29, 2025 Synthetic 7oh is dangerous and needs to be banned. According to Secretary Dr. Makary, natural kratom and the naturally occurring traceable amount of 7oh is NOT their target, synthetic bi-product of kratom 7oh is.

However, I am all FOR banning the synthetic 7oh products that are a danger to our communities across the country. Please take a look at the riverside ordinance that was passed very recently and I believe as a kratom consumer, this is the way to go.

Should you have any question, please contact me via email

Agenda Item: eComments for 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 4:10pm 01-13-26
Hello Mayor Slater and City Council: I am in support of the efforts of the Orange Sustainability Group in reducing the use of plastic in our retail and restaurant operations. Agenda item 4:1 did not have an option for comments, so I am leaving mine here. There is so much work to be done to clean up our environment, but I think City of Orange can be a leader in reducing the use of plastic - straws - take-out containers, etc. It is a start and will go a long way in reducing what we see in our landfill… because, let’s face it. Most people do not rinse and recycle those containers. Thank you for putting this issue on the agenda. Vickie Laughlin ~

Agenda Item: eComments for 3.11. Approval of temporary street closures for approved special events. Resolution No.11654.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 10:23am 01-13-26
I strongly support for Agenda Item 3.11 regarding the approval of temporary street and parking closures for approved special events in 2026.

These events, such as Celebrate Orange, Taste of Orange, the International Street Fair, and long-standing community holiday traditions, are vital to the cultural life, economic vitality, and sense of community in Orange.

The proposed closures are limited, well-planned, and consistent with long-established City policies. I appreciate the careful coordination by City Staff to balance neighborhood impacts while supporting events that benefit residents, local nonprofits, and small businesses.

I respectfully urge the City Council to approve Resolution No. 11654.

Thank you for your time and service to our community.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 9:26pm 01-12-26
I strongly support for Agenda Item 3.11 regarding the approval of temporary street and parking closures for approved special events in 2026.

I respectfully urge the City Council to approve Resolution No. 11654.

Thank you for your time and service to our community.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 8:27pm 01-12-26
I strongly support for Agenda Item 3.11 regarding the approval of temporary street and parking closures for approved special events in 2026.

I respectfully urge the City Council to approve Resolution No. 11654.

Thank you for your time and service to our community.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 7:49pm 01-12-26
I strongly support for Agenda Item 3.11 regarding the approval of temporary street and parking closures for approved special events in 2026.

I respectfully urge the City Council to approve Resolution No. 11654.

Thank you for your time and service to our community.

Agenda Item: eComments for 9.1. Dirt hauling permit for the development of Tract 18163, currently owned by Milan REI X, LLC.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 5:30pm 01-13-26
This development cannot move forward. I request that the City of Orange follow their legal obligations respect that citizens successfully overturned the approval of this development project with a referendum, which decertified the EIR. If DR Horton would like to move forward with a development, they must conduct a new environmental review by drafting a subsequent or supplemental EIR. Any haul route and subsequent earth movement will have significant impacts to Santiago Creek because there are special status species, including least Bell's vireo, coastal California gnatcatcher, San Diegan legless lizard, southern tarplan, mountain lion, western spadefoot, yellow-breasted chat, intermediate mariposa lily and many-stemmed dudleya known to occur in the area. There are also known prehistoric archaeological sites located nearby. The planned project is within a historic floodplain in a fire severity zone where evacuation routes have already exceeded capacity, which was shown to be the case during the 2017 Canyon Fire 2. Please consider scenario 2 (Option 3 on TMP) for the haul route. Mitigation measures are currently inadequate, so the city and state must reevaluate the impacts to residents, biological and cultural resources. Thank you. kim plehn
Location:

Submitted At: 2:27pm 01-13-26
Subject: Public Comment – Proposed Truck Route, Contaminated Stockpile, and City CEQA Obligations Mayor and Members of the City Council,
My name is Kim Pheln. I am a resident of the City of Orange, and I am here to speak in opposition to the proposed truck route through the former dump site.

The proposal to construct a bridge over Santiago Creek was already deeply concerning. What is even more troubling is the request to relocate a verified contaminated stockpile in order to construct a roadway to serve that bridge. This proposal raises serious environmental, public health, and legal concerns for the City.

I want to be very clear about one point: even though the Regional Water Quality Control Board has given permission (not a permit, there is no such thing), that decision does not remove the City of Orange’s independent legal obligations. If the City approves this truck route, the City is making a discretionary decision—not a ministerial one—and that triggers responsibility under CEQA.

Courts have been clear on this issue. In *Save Tara v. City of West Hollywood*, the California Supreme Court held that a city may not rely on another agency’s approvals to avoid CEQA review when it exercises discretionary authority over a project—particularly where environmental impacts are foreseeable.

Approving this route would require City grading permits, roadway construction approvals, and encroachment permits. Because the project involves disturbing contaminated soil containing arsenic, dieldrin, petroleum hydrocarbons, and lead, the City is legally required to evaluate hazardous materials impacts, cumulative impacts, and reasonable alternatives.

In contrast, there is a reasonable and far less harmful alternative. I spoke directly with the project manager for DR Horton, who explained that from a business and logistical standpoint, the developer would prefer to use the existing city street—Y ellowstone Boulevard—for site access. The alternative route through the dump site is being pursued primarily to avoid the inconvenience of truck traffic to one neighborhood.

I personally drove Y ellowstone Boulevard. It is a short street, it provides direct access to the site, and no homes front that street. Using Y ellowstone Boulevard would eliminate the need to disturb contaminated stockpiles, eliminate the need for new grading and roadway construction, eliminate the need for bridge construction, and significantly reduce environmental permitting and legal risk.

While truck inconvenience is temporary, the environmental impacts of disturbing contaminated soil and altering sensitive areas near Santiago Creek are permanent. If the City approves the dump-site route, it assumes responsibility and potential liability for those impacts. That liability does not disappear because another agency issued a permit.

By selecting Option 1—the existing city street route—the City avoids unnecessary environmental harm, reduces regulatory complexity, shortens the project timeline, and protects itself from avoidable legal exposure.

I respectfully urge the City Council to reject the proposed truck route through the dump site and require use of Y ellowstone Boulevard instead.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kimberly Pheln
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 8:20pm 01-12-26
As a resident of Mabury Ranch, I strongly oppose hauling dirt through the neighborhood. The damage to the roads, the increased traffic, and the danger to neighborhood children are unacceptable. Go through Milan's property to transport the dirt, not a family neighborhood.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 7:53pm 01-12-26
Option 2. Maybury is opposed to
This
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 7:52pm 01-12-26
Option 2 We don’t want more traffic through Maybury!
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 12:52pm 01-12-26
option 2, I oppose trucks coming through Mabury Ranch on Y ellowstone Ave, it is enough serrano has become a freeway the last several years!
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 11:38am 01-12-26
I oppose the route for trucks coming through Mabury Ranch on Y ellowstone Ave due to excessive noise, danger to our kids who play around this area, and the health of the residents who live in this neighborhood. Build the approved bridge over the creek and bring in the dirt that way. Thank you for your consideration.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 11:35am 01-12-26
I’m opposed to the option that routes trucks onto Y ellowstone in Mabury Ranch. The destruction to property and noise should not be allowed.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 11:24am 01-12-26
I oppose haul option 2 which will route heavy trucks through a residential neighborhood, bringing excessive noise and destruction to our streets. Option 1 utilizes access through commercially zoned areas, meant for such usage.

Thank you.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 10:44am 01-12-26
I oppose the route 2 through Y ellowstone/Mabury Ranch as it would add even more highly disruptive activity and risk to the community beyond the pending construction. The dirt should be limited to hauling through the Milan property access point off Santiago.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 9:48am 01-12-26
We have young children that play in the front yard and ride their bikes in our neighborhood. We live at 5743 E.

Mabury Ave and DO NOT want trucks coming on our streets. Not to mention they will destroy our streets with dirt falling off, the weight of the trucks destroying the streets, etc. NO!!!! Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 8:02am 01-12-26
I oppose the use of Y ellowstone to haul dirt to the Milan building site. I own a home with the backyard facing Y ellowstone and am concerned that the weight, dust and dirt will affect my living conditions. I am also concerned that the weight of these trucks will cause settling and cause cracks to pools and concrete walls along Y ellowstone. Therefore I ask you to vote for a bridge built across the creek on Milan's property to haul the dirt. It is a shorter route and one that does not involve the existing homes. Thank you, Ron and Vickie Priddy Ilyse Davidoff
Location:

Submitted At: 5:45am 01-12-26
The trucks should use the route through the Milan property. The bridge over the creek has already been approved, and there is no reason that all those trucks should go through a residential area. Cannon and Serrano are already heavily trafficked.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 7:37pm 01-09-26
I am concerned about the health and safety of Mabury residents if the dirt hauling permit is approved as written.

The materials the developer provided to the City include a letter from Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board's letter (attachment 6) stating that "Option 2 is the preferred haul route as it will eliminate approximately 200 daily dump truck trips through the Mabury Ranch residential community".

Please take this item off the agenda and vote on a new one with a single haul route from Santiago Canyon Blvd across the land bridge, since that is the preferred route and will greatly minimize impact on my neighborhood and all of the families and children there.

Agenda Item: eComments for 9.2. Approval of dedication agreement with Milan REI X, LLC; and acceptance of the dedication of 30.75 acres of open space to the City of Orange from Milan REI X, LLC. Resolution No. 11649.

Adrienne Gladson
Location:

Submitted At: 11:48pm 01-12-26
A very positive step for Orange to start off a new year, by chipping away 1-acre at a time (or 30-acres for this acquisition) to move us forward in ending our open space deficit! The light at the end of the long tunnel to get us there is brighter. I could send you pages and pages of the numerous goals and policies from the adopted 2010 General Plan this item aligns with. Or the pages from the General Plan's EIR mitigation monitoring program or implementation program. I'll save you the eye strain. Vote AYE.

Agenda Item: eComments for 10.2. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance No. 01-26 adding Chapter 9.45 to the Orange Municipal Code prohibiting the sale and distribution of kratom products.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 12:06pm 01-12-26
I’m a 55-year-old mother of two, a working Realtor, and a proud 17-year survivor in long-term recovery from opioid addiction — a struggle that consumed over two decades of my life. For the past 11 years, I have been a responsible Kratom user, and it has played a significant and positive role in my continued recovery.

Kratom has provided me with a safe, effective alternative to manage the conditions that once fueled my opioid dependence — including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and chronic back pain. Unlike opioids, Kratom has not derailed my life; it has supported it. When used responsibly and in moderation, Kratom can be a powerful tool for stability and wellness, without the devastating addiction profile and consequences of narcotics.

The key is responsible use. Any substance — even Tylenol — can be dangerous when abused. But we don’t ban Tylenol because of rare cases of misuse. Likewise, banning Kratom because of isolated misuse would unjustly punish thousands of responsible adults who benefit from it daily.

Prohibition does not protect — it punishes. Instead of restricting access, let’s study Kratom further, understand its properties, and regulate it reasonably. People deserve access to natural, plant-based options that support health and recovery without fear of criminalization.

Please support fair, informed, and compassionate policy — not fear-based bans. Thank you for your open- mindedness, your integrity, and your commitment to reason over rhetoric.

With gratitude and respect,
Allisun Sturges
Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 11:13am 01-11-26

I'm an army veteran and have been benefiting from natural Kratom since 2012. That includes when I got a degree from a UC, helped run a small business for 10 years, and trained county departments on how to handle veterans in crisis--and at no point was that same natural Kratom an issue. 7oh products and their users have virtually nothing in common with natural Kratom; they are a Frankenstein thing that needs to be banned, and an example of companies pushing the envelope until it becomes a tool of harm like we saw with 4LOCO drinks, or "synthetic weed", or bump stocks. NOT natural kratom products.

Thank you for your time, and please consider this message when you are making your decision.

Guest User
Location:

Submitted At: 12:11pm 01-10-26
Dear Members of the City Council,
I am writing to clarify an important scientific distinction between traditional whole-leaf kratom and the products now being sold as "7-hydroxymitragynine" (7-OH).

Whole-leaf kratom is the dried leaf of Mitragyna speciosa. Its primary alkaloid, mitragynine, is what produces kratom's effects. When consumed, the human body converts only a very small fraction of mitragynine into 7-OH, typically well under 1%, through normal liver metabolism. This process is slow and self-limiting.

By contrast, today's 7-OH products are not naturally occurring kratom preparations. They contain laboratory- isolated or chemically converted 7-hydroxymitragynine in concentrations far beyond what the body could ever produce from kratom leaf. At these levels, 7-OH behaves much more like a traditional opioid, with significantly higher risk.

Conflating these high-potency 7-OH products with the kratom plant itself leads to inaccurate risk assessments and poor public health policy. Regulating or restricting 7-OH does not require banning whole-leaf kratom, which has helped many adults avoid far more dangerous substances.

I urge the Council to consider this distinction when evaluating policy and enforcement decisions.

Here’s my testimony…
From 2008 to 2019, I lived in the grip of FDA-approved pain pills, benzos, and muscle relaxers prescribed for my degenerative disc disease. For 11 years, chronic pain management fueled my addiction. What started as a dependency slowly slid into a destructive cycle of misuse and despair.

In April 2019, I was dismissed from pain management after failing a required pill count. I was 11 pills short, and my usual drug dealers didn’t have the pink oxy 10s I needed. Cut off from prescriptions, I turned to the streets in desperation and eventually slipped into cocaine use while searching for another doctor.

Then, in June 2019, while suffering through cocaine withdrawal, I stumbled upon the documentary A Leaf of Faith. That single moment changed the course of my life. The very next day, I began my journey with whole-leaf Kratom, not synthetic 7OH, by walking into a smoke shop. The Kratom was in a glass case, locked up and i was carded when purchased.

Kratom quieted the relentless cravings, the constant voice whispering, one more pill, one more snort, one more escape. For the first time in over a decade, I felt peace. Kratom gave me the space and clarity to confront the deeper reasons behind my addiction and to rebuild my life from the ground up.

I have not returned to pain management in over six and a half years. Today, I am a thriving mother, a proud first- time grandmother, a functioning member of society, and a tax-paying citizen. Most importantly, I’m no longer a burden to my children. I’m an example of hope and healing.

I will forever be grateful that I found safe, lab-tested, whole-leaf Kratom. Now, I share my story, knowledge, and the science behind it to help others facing addiction, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.

Y ours truly,
Misty Brown, A Kratom Advocate and Activist est. 2019

Orange City CouncilJanuary 13, 2026

Orange City Council
January 13, 2026