Memorandum
Office of the City Manager
TO: City Council
FROM: Kevin S. Woodhouse, City Manager
Yulia Carter, Assistant City Manager
DATE: April 9, 2025
SUBJECT: Analysis of Potential New Strategic Plan Items raised during the Strategic Planning Workshop, March 1, 2025
During the Strategic Planning workshop on March 1, 2025, numerous new potential workplan items were identified by the Council, with direction for staff to evaluate these items for potential inclusion in the Strategic Plan by identifying required resources such as staff time, budget, timelines, additional studies, and community outreach and education. These new potential workplan items, parked in the “bike rack” flipchart to capture them as potential add-ons to the higher priority strategic plan workplan items already directed by Council, are analyzed below.
Council Chambers Art Program
Establishing a Council Chambers Art Display Program in the City of Pacifica would require a coordinated, multi-phase effort involving policy development, external collaboration, and ongoing staff support. A Council Chambers Art Program could be closely aligned with the City’s existing Keep Pacifica Beautiful Through Public Art Program policy, a program the Beautification Advisory Committee (BAC) is responsible for administering. The policy outlines definitions, project and site criteria, application and selection processes, artist qualifications, public notice requirements, and appeal provisions. However, the current policy is focused exclusively on outdoor public art that is visible from sidewalks and streets. To accommodate an indoor program within a civic building like the Council Chambers, the policy would likely need to be amended. The Council may or may not wish to assign administration of an indoor art program to the BAC.
2 To launch the program, the City would likely need to form a new City Council ad-hoc subcommittee, which would require staff facilitation, agenda/document preparation, research, etc. The subcommittee would play a key role in shaping the program’s scope, selection criteria, and display guidelines, as well as ensuring alignment with overall City goals.
It is anticipated this program could be a collaboration with the Sanchez Art Center, which could provide expertise and assistance in artist outreach, curating, and program promotion. In addition, the Beautification Advisory Committee may serve as a stakeholder body, contributing feedback on the integration of visual arts in public spaces. Ongoing coordination with these groups would require ongoing support from the Community Development, Parks, Beaches & Recreation, or Public Works departments, as well as the City Manager’s Office, depending on which department is tasked with managing the program.
The administrative tasks would include developing a formal application and review process, facilitating artist selection (either through the subcommittee or a designated review panel), drafting display agreements, and managing installation logistics. Legal counsel and the City’s risk manager would need to review agreements to address liability, insurance, and indemnification provisions—especially for artwork on loan. There could also be the need for physical space upgrades, such as display rails or lighting, which could require one-time or ongoing facility expenditures.
While the program would provide cultural and community value by enhancing civic spaces (with potential expansion to the Civic Center) and showcasing the work of local artists, it would also require ongoing administrative support, including coordination, scheduling, legal review, and communication with artists and partner organizations. If the program was a collaboration with the Sanchez Art Center, the division of responsibilities would need to be determined. Although these staff and resource commitments could be modest, they would be on-going rather than onetime, and would need to be balanced against other City priorities and carefully evaluated whether the City has the long-term capacity to support and sustain the program.
Council Pay
Including a potential increase in City Council pay as part of the FY 2025–26 Strategic Plan workplan would involve a multi-step process requiring policy analysis, legal review, and budget planning. While such an effort could be modest, it would still require focused staff/legal time and coordination to execute properly and in compliance with state law.
The first step would involve conducting a compensation study of comparable agencies to assess how Pacifica’s Council stipend and associated benefits compare with similarly sized or situated cities. This study would also need to include an analysis of other budgetary support provided to City Councils, such as travel, training, and other discretionary use of funds. Depending on internal capacity, the City may need to allocate funds to retain a consultant to conduct this study, which would involve survey development, data collection, and analysis of impact to the City’s general fund.
3 Staff would also need to conduct an internal analysis of historical Council stipend levels in Pacifica to provide context for any proposed adjustment. This would involve researching past Council actions, resolutions, or ordinances related to compensation and reviewing budgetary impacts over time.
Additionally, the City must account for legal constraints under California Government Code Section 36516, which limits Councilmember compensation and outlines when increases may take effect. Any proposed adjustment must comply with state law restrictions and would typically only become effective after the next regular municipal election, applying only to newly elected or re-elected Councilmembers. Legal counsel would be required to draft any ordinance language.
Finally, any proposal to adjust Council pay would need to be included in the City’s budget planning process. This item would also require City Council consideration and public transparency, likely through agendized discussion and public hearings.
While the project is relatively contained, it would require a thoughtful and well-documented process with legal oversight, budget analysis, and transparency.
E-bikes and Bike/Ped conflicts
Developing e-bike regulations specific to Pacifica would require close coordination among the Parks, Beaches, and Recreation (PB&R) Department, the Police Department, Public Works, the City Attorney’s Office, the City Manager’s Office, and partner agencies such as the County and the National Park Service. This effort would involve significant staff time and, with significant public engagement, is expected to take at least 12 months to complete.
The first phase would focus on research, including a review of relevant state laws, policies from other cities, and common safety and enforcement challenges related to e-bike usage. Based on the findings, a community outreach effort—potentially including a citywide survey—would likely be necessary to gather public input and evaluate the perceived impact of e-bikes on trail use, safety, and public interactions.
Following the initial outreach phase, a more formal public engagement process would begin, including a PB&R Commission study session to review survey results and discuss policy options. Concurrently, a 3rd party trail study, similar to a traffic study, would need to be conducted along with the public engagement phase. Staff would then prepare a comprehensive report summarizing the research, study results and public feedback, presenting policy recommendations, and outlining possible education campaigns and enforcement measures related to speed limits, signage, helmet use, and trail-specific restrictions, to name a few.
It is important to note that the Pacifica Police Department currently lacks the staffing and resources to conduct dedicated e-bike speed enforcement on trails. The department does not have a specialized traffic enforcement unit and is already unable to fully respond to the high volume of vehicle-related complaints received on public roadways each week. Dedicating personnel to 4 patrol trails or conduct targeted enforcement of bicycle or off-road vehicle activity is not feasible, as it could reduce emergency response capabilities and pose safety risks to officers.
Currently, the Police Department enforces vehicle code violations related to e-bikes on public roadways when time permits.
The adoption of an e-bike ordinance also would require additional time and collaboration across departments and other government agencies. Given the complexity of this issue—and the fact that the GGNRA has its own e-bike regulations and that many Pacifica trails fall under Park Police jurisdiction—any proposed ordinance would need to be developed in close coordination with both the GGNRA and the California Coastal Commission. The approval process would likely involve the Planning Commission and multiple City Council study sessions prior to final adoption, and an LCP amendment. Considering the extensive burden on all city departments, extensive public engagement, and regulatory complexities described above, City staff does not currently have the capacity to undertake the development of a community e-bike program in the upcoming fiscal year, unless other priority workplan items are delayed or replaced. This effort would need to be reconsidered as part of a future strategic plan workplan if and when sufficient resources are available.
Arbor Day & Adopt A Tree Program
Arbor Day
For the past several years, Arbor Day has been a successful community-driven event, supported through a strong partnership between Tree City Pacifica, the Public Works and the Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Departments. Although the event already receives substantial City staff support, it has not yet been formally designated as an official City-sponsored event. Given its continued growth and its place as a staple in Pacifica’s fall calendar, formally recognizing Arbor Day as a City special event might be a logical and low-cost next step. Since many City resources are already allocated to the event, this designation would not result in substantial additional expenditures.
Currently, Public Works plays a key role in the event’s execution. The department is responsible for sourcing trees, delivering equipment, and assigning multiple staff members to assist with planting activities. This includes pre-digging holes, ordering and transporting trees, and providing materials such as stakes and support straps. In total, Public Works helps plant approximately 30 trees per year, about 20 at a central project site and 10 at local elementary schools. The department also holds responsibility for watering and maintaining the trees for up to two years post-planting, with extended maintenance periods during drought conditions. This ongoing support represents a significant staff commitment beyond the day of the event.
The PB&R Department supports the program by managing event logistics, coordinating outreach and social media, and providing both advance planning and day-of staffing. Tree City Pacifica plays a significant role in the effort by engaging and coordinating volunteers, and providing technical knowledge, and general support. Staff’s assessment is that taking the lead in planning 5 and carrying out this event may be feasible for the City as long as Tree City Pacifica continues to operate as a strong City partner.
Adopt-a-Tree Program
Expansion of the program to include an Adopt-a-Tree program would require an increase in staff resources (or reprioritizing existing staff resources from other priority strategic plan or day-today operations) to develop a formal policy specifying criteria for adoption, tracking tree locations, coordinating with event participants (adopters and volunteers), and long-term staffing capacity for administration and tree maintenance within the Public Works Department. As such, while formalizing Arbor Day as a City event is feasible within the current capacity, any program expansion is not feasible. Similar to models in other cities, such a program would be more costeffectively developed and managed by a community partner organization, such as Tree City Pacifica.
Food Truck Ordinance
The food truck ordinance item was first discussed at the Economic Development Committee (EDC) when the idea of having ongoing food truck events was brought up by one of the EDC members.
Currently, food trucks are only allowed as part of a special event permit. Adopting a food truck ordinance in the City of Pacifica would be a significant undertaking, particularly for the Community Development Department, requiring substantial staff time, interdepartmental coordination, and legal resources. The effort would include drafting new ordinance language, reviewing zoning and land use policies, and ensuring alignment with state regulations governing mobile food operations. This work would also have a significant impact on the City Attorney’s Office, as legal counsel would be involved throughout the process.
The adoption process would also likely require environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to assess potential impacts related to traffic, noise, waste, and public services. Additionally, changes to zoning or land use that affect coastal areas could trigger the need for an amendment to the City’s Local Coastal Plan (LCP). This would add a significant layer of complexity and would require review and certification by the California Coastal Commission. The ordinance itself would also be subject to public hearings and approval by both the Planning Commission and the City Council.
Public outreach would be a critical component, requiring staff to engage food truck operators, local business owners, and community members to gather input and address potential concerns.
In communities like Pacifica, where small, locally owned restaurants are an important part of the economy, there may be significant concerns about competition and fairness. Responding to these concerns could involve more time developing nuanced policies around operating locations, hours, and fee structures, all of which increase administrative cost. 6 It is important to note that following a presentation at the Economic Development Committee (EDC) proposing the idea of food truck events, the Pacifica Seaside Merchants Association convened a meeting with Sharp Park restaurant owners to gather initial feedback. During that meeting, restaurant owners expressed strong opposition, stating that such events would be detrimental to their businesses, particularly during peak visitor seasons.
While food trucks may contribute to the cultural vibrancy of the City, the expected financial return to the City through permit fees or increased tax revenue would be minimal and the program would likely be controversial within the local restaurant community. Given the extensive work required to navigate environmental review, potential LCP amendments, regulatory drafting, public engagement, and multi-agency coordination, the return on investment for Pacifica would be limited. Due to the above complexities, City staff does not currently have the capacity to undertake the development of a food truck ordinance in the upcoming fiscal year, unless other priority workplan items are delayed or replaced.
Sustainability Commission Formation and Alternatives
In addition to the five items above, the City Council also requested more information about the potential formation of a new permanent Sustainability Commission to replace the temporary Climate Action Plan Task Force, as part of the Council’s discussion under Goal 4 – Pursue climate change adaptation and mitigation. Such a commission would be tasked with overseeing implementation of the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). The Council directed staff to evaluate the resources required for both the formation and ongoing support of such a body.
Establishing a new Sustainability Commission would represent a significant and ongoing cost to the City in terms of staff time, legal resources, and administrative support. The structure and function of a formal commission come with substantial operational overhead. By definition, a commission is a formal advisory body established by ordinance and subject to Brown Act public meeting requirements, and require dedicated staff liaisons to coordinate agendas and public notices, attend meetings, prepare minutes, conduct follow-up, and interface with the City Council. Unlike task forces, which may be temporary and focused on specific issues, commissions are permanent and require a much higher level of formality and staffing. The City’s CAAP Task Force was previously supported by a limited-term position equivalent to 0.75 FTE, created solely to manage its operations. Converting that group into a commission (or creating a new one) would trigger additional compliance requirements and would increase the staffing demands.
City staff from the City Manager’s Office or Community Development Department would be required to absorb these responsibilities on a long-term basis, including ongoing support, meeting logistics, public noticing, minutes and follow-up tasks, diverting time and focus from existing core services. Additionally, creating a commission would require legal review and ordinance language development by the City Attorney’s Office to define its scope, structure, and authority, which entails both staff time and additional legal costs. The City Clerk's Office would 7 be responsible for managing ongoing recruitment, onboarding, and appointment logistics. The total administrative cost of maintaining a new commission, including indirect labor, legal support, staff participation, and materials, is considerable over time.
Rather than formation of a new commission and its high cost and time impact for the City, staff has identified several alternatives as less costly alternatives that would achieve many of the same goals:
Repurpose an existing Commission/Committee to focus on the CAAP; Distribute CAAP implementation tasks as necessary amongst existing commissions and committees, such as the PB&R Commission, Planning Commission, Beautification, and OSPAC, each of which already has an assigned staff liaison and could integrate the Council’s strategic sustainability priorities into their existing workplans. It is important to note that implementation of the CAAP is already a strategic plan priority for the City Council, which is the highest level of commitment to visibility for environmental initiatives, and the staff workplan will include implementation actions, tracking, and public transparency.
Continue the CAAP Task Force, assigning it a broader role in supporting CAAP implementation. This body could remain focused on the implementation tasks and strategic sustainability priorities as they relate to the Council’s Goal #4.
While a Sustainability Commission may provide structure and visibility for environmental initiatives, it comes with a high cost for the City, particularly in a time of constrained staffing and competing strategic priorities. City staff does not currently have the capacity to initiate or support a Sustainability Commission in the upcoming fiscal year, unless other priority workplan items are delayed or replaced.