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AGENDA REPORT CityofPoway
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
July 7, 2026
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
Carrie Gallagher, City Clerk vCA';r-
(858) 668-4535 or cgallagher@po~y.org
CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: Approval of the April 21, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Summary
The City Council Meeting Minutes submitted hereto for approval are:
• April 21, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
The Poway City Council sits as the Poway Planning Commission, the Poway Housing Authority, the Public Financing Authority, and the Successor Agency to the Poway Redevelopment Agency.
Recommended Action:
It is recommended the City Council approve the April 21, 2026 Regular City Council meeting minutes.
Public Notification:
None.
Attachments:
A. April 21, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
Tracy Stevens
Assistant City Manager
Reviewed By:
Alan Fenstermacher
City Attorney
Appro~edB: a, :>
Ch~Hazetme
City Manager
2 of 7 July 7, 2026, Item #2ATTACHMENT A
CITY OF POWAY
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
April 21, 2026
City Council Chambers
13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway, California
(Per Government Code 54953)
(Meeting Called to Order as City Council/City of Poway Planning Commission/Poway Housing Authority/Public Financing Authority and Successor Agency to the Poway Redevelopment Agency) CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Vaus called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Peter De Hoff, Christopher J. Pikus, Jenny Maeda, Steve Vaus STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
City Manager Chris Hazeltine; Assistant City Manager Tracy Stevens; City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher; City Clerk Carrie Gallagher; Director of Development Services Julie Procopio; Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Jodene Dunphy; Director of Public Works Eric Heidemann; Director of Community Services Audrey Denham; Fire Chief Brian Mitchell; Captain Claudia Delgado, San Diego County Sheriff's Office. (Note: Hereinafter the titles Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councilmember, City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk shall be used to indicate Mayor/Chair, Deputy MayorNice Chair, Councilmember/Director, City Manager/Executive Director, City Attorney/Counsel and City Clerk/Secretary.)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Deputy Mayor Maeda led the Pledge of Allegiance.
MOMENT OF SILENCE:
Mayor Vaus led a moment of silence.
PRESENTATIONS:
None.
Mayor Vaus introduced new Assistant City Manager Tracy Stevens.
Assistant City Manager Tracy Stevens addressed the Council following her introduction, noting her return to Poway after more than 30 years and expressing her enthusiasm for serving the City of Poway.
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PUBLIC COMMENT:
Nick Carruthers commented on staff-level administrative approval processes and expressed appreciation to the Council for the adopted in-lieu fee modifications.
Allison Shammel spoke in opposition to pickleba/1 courts at The Farm and raised concerns regarding their potential health risks.
Mayor Vaus acknowledged that no plans for pickleball have been submitted to the City for review.
James Ambrose discussed residents' frustration regarding communication surrounding proposed pickleba/1 courts at The Farm and requested a new noise study.
Joe St. Lucas addressed potential fire risks associated with dual-pane windows.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Motioned by Councilmember De Hoff, seconded by Councilmember Pikus to approve Consent Calendar Items 1 through 4. Motion carried 4/0 by the following roll-call vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstained:
Absent:
Disqualified:
De Hoff, Pikus, Maeda, Vaus
None
None
None
None
1. Approval of Reading by Title Only and Waiver of Reading in Full of Ordinances on this Agenda
2. Approval of the February 3, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
3. Acceptance of the Poway Center for the Performing Arts Sound System Replacement Project with Clair Global Integration LLC as Complete
4. Resolution No. 26-009 Approving a 2% Increase in the Regional Transportation Congestion Improvement Program Traffic Mitigation Fee for Fiscal Year 2026-27, as Required by the TransNet Ordinance
ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION:
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None.
STAFF REPORTS:
5. Resolution Approving an Amended Water Rights Agreement with the City of San Diego and Authorizing an Appropriation for Retroactive Replacement Water Charges for Calendar Years 2017-2025
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Utilities Administrator Carlos Cortes presented the item along with a PowerPoint presentation.
Mr. Cortes explained the item is intended to resolve a longstanding lapse in administration of the original 1968 agreement governing water rights within the San Dieguito River watershed.
Mr. Cortes provided background on the 1968 agreement, noting it was established in connection with the proposed construction of Poway Dam following a protest by the City of San Diego related to senior water rights. The agreement allowed the project to proceed and was based on the concept of replacement water, whereby Poway would compensate San Diego for inflows to Lake Poway. He noted over time, the parties experienced disputes regarding measurement and billing, and invoicing ceased in the early 1990s despite continued data reporting by the City of Poway.
Mr. Cortes described recent efforts to address the lapse, noting the issue was identified in 2018 and discussions with the City of San Diego led to agreed-upon terms in early 2026. He explained the parties established 2017 as the baseline year for retroactive considerations.
Staff reviewed key provisions of the amended agreement, including updated methodologies for estimating inflows in the absence of direct measurement, interim use of a proxy based on Lake Hodges inflows, and a requirement for the City of Poway to install a metering device within five years. Mr. Cortes further noted the agreement includes a retroactive lump sum settlement covering the period from 2017 through 2025, establishes a credit mechanism related to releases from the Lake Hodges Dam, and reestablishes an annual billing cycle.
Public Comment.
None.
End of Public Comment.
Council discussion ensued. Council commended the presentation and suggested historical construction photographs be displayed near the lake for public interest purposes. Council also commented on construction imagery and overall conditions at the site, noting the concept as reasonable.
Responding to Council questions, staff clarified overflow releases from Lake Hodges do not result in monetary payment and are instead addressed through a credit mechanism under the agreement. Staff confirmed such flows are not retained under the City's allocation.
Staff further explained the proposed agreement and associated project will not impact water rates, as costs were included in the Cost-of-Service Study and are already incorporated into the existing rate structure. Staff addressed seepage on the downstream side of the dam and clarified releases from Lake Hodges Dam are measured by the City of San Diego.
Motioned by Councilmember Pikus, seconded by Mayor Vaus to approve Resolution No. 26-010 entitled "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Poway, California, Approving the Amended Water Rights Agreement with the City of San Diego and Authorizing an Appropriation for Retroactive Replacement Water Charges for Calendar Years 2017 to 2025" in the amount of $441,866 to the Water, Supply, & Storage, Replacement Water Agreement account (402060-28070). Motion carried 4/0 by the following roll-call vote:
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Ayes:
Noes:
Abstained:
Absent:
City of Poway -Minutes -April 21, 2026
De Hoff, Pikus, Maeda, Vaus
None
None
None
Disqualified: None
6. Density Bonus Law Overview and Summary
City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher and Director of Development Services Julie Procopio presented the item along with a PowerPoint presentation. Staff explained the purpose of the presentation was to provide an overview of State Density Bonus Law, as such projects are increasingly utilized locally and statewide.
Mr. Fenstermacher provided background on Density Bonus Law, explaining it has been in place for several decades and allows developers to exceed base zoning density when including a minimum percentage of affordable housing units. Staff noted the statute uses a formula based on affordability levels to determine allowable bonus density.
He further explained in addition to bonus density, qualifying projects may request waivers of development standards, concessions or incentives to improve financial feasibility, and reduced parking requirements subject to statutory limits. Additionally, certain projects may qualify for streamlined or ministerial processing, though environmental review under CEQA still applies.
Additionally, he explained waivers as requests from development standards such as setbacks, height, or floor area ratio, which must be supported by findings that the standards would physically preclude the project as proposed. Staff referenced recent case law reinforcing a narrower ability for cities to deny waivers where projects remain physically feasible.
He further explained concessions and incentives as non-physical development standards intended to improve project feasibility, such as modifications to parking, design requirements, or ground-floor use requirements, provided the applicant demonstrates cost reductions supporting the request.
Statutory parking provisions for density bonus projects were reviewed, it was noted that maximum parking ratios are established in State law and may be further reduced near qualifying transit, though no such transit qualifies within the City.
Responding to Council questions and discussion, staff and Council clarified affordability categories, including "very low income" units are subject to deeper affordability restrictions and may generate bonus density under different thresholds.
Mr. Fenstermacher discussed evaluation of waivers and concessions and staff reiterating denial is limited to specific findings related to public health and safety impacts or inability to meet statutory requirements.
Ms. Procopio provided local examples of density bonus implementation, highlighting several projects within the City, including senior housing, mixed-income developments, and City partnered affordable housing projects. Staff noted these projects have utilized a range of concessions to achieve affordability while maintaining project feasibility.
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Public Comment.
Anita Edmondson spoke neutrally on Item #6, expressing support for a City-hosted public workshop.
End of Public Comment.
Council discussion ensued. Council expressed appreciation for the informational presentation and described it as sobering in its overview of State Density Bonus Law and related legal constraints. Council noted State legislation and court decisions have significantly reduced local discretion and can override locally adopted plans developed through extensive community engagement, including the Poway Road Specific Plan.
Council discussed broader statutory and legal changes affecting density bonus implementation, including impacts to parking standards, height limits, and development regulations. Council noted certain local standards may be modified or waived under State law and community character and consistency with local plans may have limited weight in certain determinations.
Council emphasized prior City planning efforts were developed in good faith but subsequent State actions have materially changed the regulatory framework governing housing development. Council concluded by underscoring the importance of understanding the current legal environment.
This was an informational item. No action was taken.
WORKSHOPS:
None.
COUNCIL-INITIATED ITEMS:
None.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS and ANNOUNCEMENTS: Pursuant to AB1234 -(G.C. 53232(d))
Councilmember De Hoff encouraged residents to utilize the Poway City App to report maintenance and infrastructure concerns, noting reports submitted through the application are routed directly to the appropriate staff for more efficient response. He also thanked staff for their work and responsiveness.
Councilmember De Hoff requested Council concurrence to direct staff to analyze the City's current noise regulations within the municipal code, with specific consideration of noise impacts related to pickleball facilities. Mayor Vaus requested the item come back to Council once a full City Council is in place. The City Council unanimously concurred.
Councilmember Pikus reiterated the importance of using the Poway City App, noting it is the fastest way for issues to be addressed by staff. Mr. Pikus discussed a recent tour of the EDCO facility in Escondido and shared information regarding the company's recycling and composting
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operations. He encouraged residents not to place batteries or bagged recyclables in recycling bins and highlighted the company's composting and renewable natural gas efforts.
Deputy Mayor Maeda provided an update regarding the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and shared the Board recently approved a recommendation requesting the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department consider raising the water level at Lake Hodges by 15 feet, subject to approval by the State. She stated the recommendation was intended to support wildfire mitigation efforts, wildlife corridors, and the bird sanctuary.
CITY MANAGER ITEMS:
City Manager Chris Hazeltine welcomed Tracy Stevens to the City's leadership team and expressed enthusiasm regarding her recent appointment as Assistant City Manager. Additionally, he shared appreciation for her returning to serve in the community where she grew up.
CITY ATTORNEY ITEMS: (Including any public report of any action taken in closed session) City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher reported no reportable action was taken.
CLOSED SESSION:
7. Public Employee Performance Evaluation
Government Code § 54957(B)(1)
Title: City Attorney
8. Public Employee Performance Evaluation
Government Code§ 54957(B)(1)
Title: City Manager
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was recessed into closed session at 8:23 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:23 p.m.
Carrie Gallagher, CMC
City Clerk
City of Poway, California