Agenda, first session — San Bruno City Council, September 8, 2026

"The City With a Heart"
Rico E. Medina, Mayor
Sandy Alvarez, Vice Mayor
Tom Hamilton, Councilmember, District 2
Michael Salazar, Councilmember, District 3
Marty Medina, Councilmember, District 4
AGENDA
SAN BRUNO CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
September 8, 2026
5:30 PM
IN PERSON* MEETING LOCATION
San Bruno Recreation and Aquatic Center, Community Room 251 City Park Way
San Bruno, CA 94066
*Please turn off all electronic devices before the start of the meeting to prevent disruptions*
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ACCESSIBILITY: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals requiring special accommodations or modifications to participate in this meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Office 48 hours prior to the meeting at (650) 6167061 or [email protected]
.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any public writings related to an open session item on a special meeting agenda and distributed by the City to at least a majority of the City Council less than 24 hours prior to this meeting are available for public inspection at the City Clerk's Office at City Hall located at 567 El Camino Real, San Bruno, California during normal business hours. In addition, the City may also post such documents on the City’s Website at sanbruno.ca.gov/AgendaCenter .

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. ROLL CALL

3. STUDY SESSION
Public comment will be requested after each item in this section a. Conduct a Study Session to Discuss Downtown Zoning Adjustments to Improve Activity and Aesthetics
b. Council Policies and Procedures Review

4. ADJOURNMENT – The next Regular City Council Meeting will be held on September 8, 2026 at 7:00 pm.

POSTING: I declare a copy of this agenda was posted at City Hall, 567 El Camino Real, San Bruno, among other locations in the city limits of San Bruno, on September 3, 2026, by 8:00 pm.

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1. CALL TO ORDER

2. ROLL CALL

4. ADJOURNMENT – The next Regular City Council Meeting will be held on September 8, 2026 at 7:00 pm.

POSTING: I declare a copy of this agenda was posted at City Hall, 567 El Camino Real, San Bruno, among other locations in the city limits of San Bruno, on September 3, 2026, by 8:00 pm. 2 of 77

City Council Agenda Item
Staff Report

CITY OF SAN BRUNO
DATE: September 8, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor, Members of the City Council
FROM: Alex D. McIntyre, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Peter Gilli, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Conduct a Study Session to Discuss Downtown Zoning Adjustments to Improve Activity and Aesthetics
BACKGROUND:

During the FY27 goal setting process, several City Councilmembers identified areas where the City should proactively leverage its zoning authority to improve the downtown environment. The intent is to improve aesthetics and activity levels downtown by reconsidering what business types are allowed, exploring methods to increase investment in exterior improvements, improving property maintenance, and providing targeted enforcement of regulations. This eventually led City Council to include downtown zoning adjustments as one component of the Downtown Improvement Initiative for FY27.

As was noted during goal setting, these amendments will be limited adjustments, not a comprehensive update of the applicable regulations or a process with community engagement beyond the adoption hearings. This is due to limited staff resource availability driven by major initiatives like the Tanforan redevelopment, Elevate San Bruno, ongoing Housing Element implementation, the reduction in planning staff as part of the FY27 budget, and the City Council’s desire that these amendments be adopted as early in FY27 as possible.

May 2026 Joint Study Session
A joint City Council/Planning Commission study session was held on May 19, 2026 to provide an opportunity for City Council, Planning Commission, staff, and interested members of the public to discuss potential approaches to zoning amendments to the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district, which encompasses the downtown area.

Topics that were outlined in the May 2026 staff report included exterior improvements, adjusting allowed uses, other aesthetic considerations, amortization, and incentives. The Council/ Commission was not able to cover the content in the available time, particularly the portion related to consideration of adjusting allowed uses.

July 2026 Planning Commission Feedback
On July 21, 2026, the Planning Commission (PC) revisited the topic at a study session. The PC understood that the Council initiative is for limited, incremental steps forward, but there was some concern that these incremental steps are “rearranging the deck chairs” and that more 3 of 77
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significant City efforts are needed to strengthen downtown. At the end of this report, staff provides a “Long Term Plan” recommendation to build upon the Commission’s comments.

For this limited zoning adjustment initiative, the Commission generally supported staff’s recommendations for adjusting allowed uses (see Attachment 1), as well as looking at maximum lighting levels as it relates to signs and lights that have LED or neon that can be distracting.

The Commission supported the concept of requiring more storefront improvements for new businesses to improve aesthetics, but Commissioners believe the San Bruno downtown market cannot support high enough rents that lead to an owner investing more than the minimum, and that tenants aren’t equipped to fund major improvements on their own.

DISCUSSION:

Exterior Improvements
Methods of increasing private investment into building exteriors were discussed at the May 19 study session, and the conclusion that staff took from Council comments was that there was not interest in expanding requirements for exterior improvements, instead there was direction to focus on proper maintenance of the exterior. Staff believes that the proposed Code Compliance checks on exteriors is the best approach to respond to the City Council’s interest in this matter.

Code Compliance would either set up annual walk-throughs for the entire downtown, or schedule individual annual walk-throughs when a business applies for a new business license or renewal, depending on which approach is most manageable and effective.

Adjusting Allowed Uses
The downtown area is in the Central Business District (CBD), one of a handful of Mixed-Use Zoning Districts created following the adoption of the Transit Corridor Plan. The CBD, like most other zoning districts in the City, has a list of permitted, conditional, and prohibited uses. Permitted (P). Fundamentally, a permitted use is allowed anywhere and everywhere in the district. These should be limited to a type of use that, theoretically, the City Council would accept each and every tenant space being that type of business. Prohibited (-). A prohibited use is a type of use that is allowed nowhere because the City does not want that use in any situation or circumstance, no matter how well the use is operated.
Conditional (C). A conditional use is a type of use that lies in between permitted and prohibited. The community may accept this type of use in that district, but each proposal is considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on many factors such as the specific operations of that business, the specific location, and what is specifically in the surrounding area. A Use Permit can include conditions of approval that define performance standards for the use. The City’s ability to perform regulatory enforcement

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of conditional uses is much greater than for a permitted use, which allows the City to better protect the surrounding area from the actions of a single business.

The recommended changes to allowed uses in downtown fall into three categories:

1.Adjusting how a use type is allowed depending on whether the use is proposed on the ground floor or upper floors. The intent of the changes is to allow more options for a business to locate on different floors, subject to City review to ensure ground level uses have the desired storefront appearance, and upper-level uses can manage its logistical needs such as solid waste management and deliveries.

2.Separating certain uses from the general Retail Sales and Services category.

These proposals are based on City Council feedback about the suitability or over- concentration of Grocers, Liquor Stores and Smoke Shops.

3.Adjusting Personal Service uses. These proposals are based on City Council feedback about the suitability or overconcentration of personal services uses such as barber shops and salons.

Attachment 1 provides a comprehensive table, titled CBD Use Table and Definitions, which provides each land use type in the City’s Mixed Use Zoning Districts, the definition of each land use from the Municipal Code, and whether that use type is Permitted (P), Prohibited (-) or Conditional (C) in CBD. The other Mixed-Use districts are included for reference. Proposed changes in Attachment 1 are also highlighted in yellow to aid the reader.

The table below provides a snapshot of only the uses that are proposed to be changed, which the Planning Commission supported.

Table 1: Adjusting Allowed Uses (changes are highlighted) Land Use Existing CBD Proposed CBD
Business Services P (upper only) C (ground), P (upper)
Office P (upper only) C (ground), P (upper)
Research and Development * P (upper only) C (ground), P (upper) Restaurants P (ground only) P (ground), C (upper)
Retail Sales and Services P (ground only)
P (ground), C (upper)
Separate Grocery Stores, Liquor
Stores, and Smoke Shops
Grocers P C
Liquor Stores P C
Smoke Shops P -
Personal Services, Downtown Focus P C (ground), P (upper) Personal Services, Instructional Focus C C (ground), P (upper) Personal Services, General - C (ground or upper)
* Note: R&D uses with higher biosafety/haz mat levels would automatically be a C Other Aesthetic Considerations

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The City has existing regulations in place to improve aesthetics of the streetscape. One notable example is that the CBD regulations require the majority of storefront windows and doors to be transparent to allow people along the street to see what is happening (activity) and to have a better aesthetic environment. Ninety percent of the transparent windows and doors on the building’s street frontage must remain clear “to allow views into the building” (SBMC

12.280.040). Many storefronts violate the Municipal Code and this requirement has not been enforced, but can be moving forward.

Some businesses use very bright lights, or bright signs, neon lights, and other elements that negatively affect downtown’s aesthetics, and the Municipal Code does not have specific standards that prohibit these. There was City Council and Planning Commission support for increased enforcement of the aesthetic regulations and creating regulations to address bright lights or signs.

Amortization
When the Mixed-Use Zoning Districts were adopted in 2019, including the TOD-1, TOD-2 and CBD regulations, many existing businesses became legal non-conforming. A legal non- conforming (LNC) use is a use that was permitted or conditional at one time, but the City Council consciously made it a prohibited use at some point. The LNC use becomes “grand- fathered” meaning it can stay. There are numerous examples of non-conforming uses in San Bruno, and throughout California, that have remained in operation for years, with no sign of change. In San Bruno, if the LNC use ceases for six-months, the use has to be replaced with an allowed use. This timeframe is fairly common. In addition, a LNC use cannot be expanded.

As a result, property and business owners have little incentive to reinvest in their buildings, which can cause these properties to contribute to the appearance of disinvestment downtown.

The City has the authority to require LNC uses to be terminated within a certain time frame, by applying amortization. This assigns a number of years the LNC use can remain, but after that “amortization period” ends, the use must end. The number of years provided by the City must reasonably allow the business owner to recoup their investments in the business. Except for abandoned signs having 60 days, the City does not have amortization within its zoning regulations. Options include legislative changes such as:
Require LNC uses that are now prohibited to cease within a certain number of years.

Examples of amortization periods can range from three years for adult businesses (Culver City), to five years for signage, to 10+ years for other uses. Providing a sufficient amortization period allows the business to be closed without compensation. If requiring all LNC businesses to close after an amortization period ends is not what the City wants to do, then the City can establish a process that LNC uses cease within a certain number of years unless they get a Conditional Use Permit, in which case the LNC use can remain beyond the amortization period because the City has established conditions of approval that protect the public welfare. The City can also explore methods to require LNC uses that used to be permitted, but are now conditional, to secure a use permit within a certain number of years. This

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allows the City to apply conditions of approval to protect public welfare, and require exterior improvements if necessary.

Based on City Council and Planning Commission’s limited interest in the amortization topic, staff requests feedback on whether to pursue amortization for smoke shops, and bright lights or other low-cost corrections to new regulations that come forward.

Recommendation
The May 19, 2026 staff report included a list of recommendations for types of policy and zoning changes to improve aesthetics and visitor experiences in the Central Business District (Downtown). The following table describes the revisions to staff recommendations in response to the feedback received from the May 19 joint session and the July 21 PC study session:

Topic (text copied directly from the May 19
staff report)
PC/CC Feedback and Staff
Recommendation
1 Shift certain Permitted Uses to Conditional Uses,
in order to ensure there is not too much over-
concentration of that use, to leverage exterior
improvements, and/or to ensure the City can
place operational conditions for particular uses
that will make future enforcement of potential
nuisances easier to process
2 Shift certain Permitted or Conditional Uses to
Prohibited Uses, if City Council and Planning
Commission determine that particular use is not
appropriate in downtown at all
Support, but this discussion was not
completed at the May study session.

There was general PC support for
staff recommended changes at the
July study session.

Staff requests City Council feedback
on these proposed changes
3 Do not use maximum numbers or minimum
distances for regulating downtown uses Confirmed – this is not being pursued 4 Do not create a “change of use” permit process
at this time, which would require planning
approvals and exterior improvements for almost
every new business
Confirmed – this is not being pursued
5 Amend the Municipal Code to limit/prohibit the
use of bright lights, neon, or other features that
negatively affect the aesthetic environment of the
Avenue. What other examples of features does
the City Council and Planning Commission want
to address?
Support for regulations about bright
LED/neon lights
6 Support a CD Department policy to require all
discretionary planning permits in downtown to
include site, building (façade) and landscaping
improvements, as applicable, designed by a
licensed architect/professional
No support to change the current
approach to require exterior
improvements, which is determined by
staff on a case-by-case basis given
the scale of the proposal for projects
that require a separate planning action
7 Support a CD Department policy to perform
annual visual surveys of the CBD and provide
business owners with information about how
Support for Code Compliance to
perform annual inspections

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their existing operations may violate the
Municipal Code related to use, storefront window
coverings, signage, lighting, and maintenance.

Enforcement action would follow for businesses
that do not address violations in a timely manner
8 Support applying only partial cost recovery of the
planning application fees for the additional use
permits and permits for exterior improvements
that are part of this initiative
Support to continue current practice
9 That City Council and Planning Commission
accept the proposed downtown zoning
adjustments will result in a greater number of
complaints from business owners in the short-
term, until such time as the process becomes
accepted as standard practice
Confirmed
10 Provide general direction to staff regarding
amortization (amendments related to
amortization would likely have to come separate
from the downtown zoning adjustments)
A
Study requiring all non-conforming, non-
residential uses (business use, signage, lighting,
etc), that are now or become Prohibited, to
cease operations within a reasonable
amortization period? Or provide these uses with
the opportunity to get a Conditional Use Permit
to remain in perpetuity?
B
Study methods to require non-conforming, non-
residential uses, that are now or become
Conditional Uses, to get a Conditional Use
Permit within a certain number of years, which
may include operational conditions to protect the
surrounding area and require improvements that
will improve the aesthetics of the surrounding
area?
Staff believes there is interest in
amortizing nonconforming
improvements that have limited costs
such as bright LED lighting
Staff did not hear support for
amortizing certain business uses such
as smoke shops
If City Council makes smoke shops
prohibited in downtown, that only
stops new smoke shops from opening,
but it will not remove existing smoke
shops. Staff recommends amortization
regulations for smoke shops and/or
other prohibited uses
Expected Outcomes of the Zoning Adjustments
Staff believes the outcomes of the zoning adjustments will be limited, but would fulfill the intent of the City Council’s initiative. Certain new businesses will be required to obtain use permits, many businesses will have to follow-up on potential Municipal Code violations, and there will be some aesthetic improvements to downtown over time.

LONG TERM PLAN
The Planning Commission recommended the City develop a long term plan for downtown. The table below is a synopsis of the efforts the City should pursue or maintain to improve downtown based in part on past planning documents City Council has already adopted.

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Basic Goal Ways to Fulfill the
Goal What we Have What we Need
Increase population
around downtown
through more
housing development
Initiative to
reconsider building
height limits (Elevate
San Bruno)
Completion of
Elevate San Bruno
Seasonal and/or
recurring events that
draw people into
downtown
City has managed
successful events in
downtown
Funding and
resources
Expand customer
base for downtown
Add an anchor tenant
that will draw people
into downtown
No anchor tenant,
though Artichoke
Joe’s does draw
considerable traffic
An environment
where an anchor
tenant would come to
downtown
Major improvements
at Centennial Plaza
and Posy Park
Minor streetscape
improvements with
banners, plantings,
newsracks
Maintain the
improvementsPedestrian friendly
streetscape design
with gathering
spaces, greenery,
canopies, lighting Adopted Streetscape
Plan with concepts
for greenery,
canopies, lighting
Design drawings to
open up grant,
earmark, or other
funding opportunities
Make the
environment more
comfortable for
people so they
return
Public art Mural program, Posy
Park art Resources
Pedestrian
improvements
leading to downtown
TCP concept to
redesign ECR/San
Mateo Avenue to
improve crossing
Design drawings to
open up grant,
earmark, or other
funding opportunities
Wayfinding pointing
people to downtown,
and also within
downtown
Adopted Streetscape
Plan with concepts
Design drawings to
open up grant,
earmark, or other
funding opportunities
Make it easier to get
to, and around
downtown
Maintain available
parking spaces Paid parking program Maintain the program Improving downtown has been a community priority, as evidenced by the community engagement and resulting goals and policies from the 2009 General Plan, the 2014 Transit Corridor Plan, the 2019 Streetscape Plan, and more recent community polling.

The City has completed the conceptual planning for downtown, but has not taken the next step of preparing the design drawings for the improvements. Such design drawings turn concepts into “shovel ready” projects. Funding and resource availability is the primary reason these efforts have not moved further along.

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Staff believes there are potential funding strategies to complete the design drawings, which can open up opportunities for grant, earmark and other funding opportunities, including Business Improvement Districts (BID) or Community Facility Districts (CFD), for the actual installation and long-term maintenance.

As staff resources become available as other initiatives are completed, staff recommends City Council consider a priority initiative in future budget cycles to develop a funding strategy for completing plans that City Council has already adopted related to downtown.

NEXT STEPS
After receiving City Council feedback, staff will develop the actual downtown zoning adjustment code amendments. Those will be combined with a package of already prepared minor code amendments, including those required by law, and those that are clean-up/clarifications.

Original Schedule Current Schedule
May 19 Study Session May 19 Study Session
July 21 PC Study SessionLate Summer PC public hearing (delayed to hold additional study sessions) September 8 City Council Study Session Tentative November PC public hearingEarly fall City Council public hearing Tentative January City Council public hearing
Due to competing schedules with Tanforan and Elevate San Bruno, the downtown zoning adjustments are anticipated to be before the City Council in January 2027.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact from this agenda item. Depending on the potential zoning ordinance adjustments, staff expects minimal fiscal impact (positive or negative) in the short term, with minor positive fiscal impact in future years as the aesthetics and activity in downtown improves.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:

There is no formal action with this agenda item, therefore this item is not considered a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The potential zoning ordinance adjustments from this initiative are expected to be exempt from environmental review.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. CBD Use Table and Definitions

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1 Attachment 1
C
BD Use Table and Definitions
"P" designates permitted land uses
"C" designates Use Permit required as set forth in Chapter 12.112 “-" designates land uses that are not allowed
Recommended Changes are Highlighted
Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
Recommended
CBD Change
TOD-S TOD-1 TOD-2 MX-R
Residential Uses
Duplex Homes a residential structure that contains two dwelling units, each with its own entrance. Each unit within a duplex home provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
- No change - - - -
Mobile Home
Parks
a residential development designed and developed for occupancy by mobile homes.
- No change - - - -
Single-Family
Homes
a structure, including manufactured housing units, designed for occupancy by one family. A single-family home provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
- No change - - - -
Boardinghouse a dwelling other than a hotel where lodging and meals for three or more persons is provided for compensation with a host for a rental period of thirty or more consecutive calendar days.

C No change C C C C
Live/Work a building or space within a building that is used jointly for office, light industrial or commercial use combined with a residential use.

C No change P P P P
Multifamily Homes a residential structure that contains three or more dwelling units.

Each unit within a multifamily dwelling provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation. Examples include apartment buildings, residential condominiums, attached townhouses, and shared housing or co- housing structures.

P No change P P P P
Residential Care
Facilities, Small &
a residential facility providing social and personal care for residents. Examples include children's homes, supportive and P No change P P P P
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ATTACHMENT 1
2 Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
Recommended
CBD Change
TOD-S TOD-1 TOD-2 MX-R
Large transitional houses, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, self-help group homes, and transitional housing for homeless individuals.

Excludes facilities where medical care is a core service provided to residents, such as nursing and convalescent homes. A large residential care facility is a residential care facility for seven or more persons. A small residential care facility is a residential care facility for less than seven persons.

Accessory
Dwelling Units
an attached or a detached residential dwelling unit located on a single lot with a proposed or existing single-family residence or existing multifamily residence which provides complete
independent living facilities for one or more persons. It shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel as the single-family dwelling is situated. At minimum, the kitchen shall contain a sink, refrigerator, and either a cooktop or range. An accessory dwelling unit also includes the following:

1. Efficiency unit, as defined in Section 17958.1 of Health and Safety Code: a separate living space for occupancy by no more than two persons, which has a minimum floor area of one hundred fifty square feet containing partial kitchen or bathroom facilities.

2. Manufactured home, as defined in Section 18007 of Health and Safety Code: a transportable structure which in the traveling mode is eight feet or more in width and forty feet or more in length and is a minimum of three hundred twenty square feet and whic
h is built on a permanent chassis and
is designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein.

P No change P P P P
Transitional
Housing
buildings configured as rental housing developments, but operated under program requirements that require the termination of assistance and recirculating of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at a predetermined future point in time that shall be no less than six months from the beginning of the assistance.

P No change P P P P
Supportive
Housing
housing with no limit on length of stay that is occupied by the target population, and that is linked to an on-site or off-site service that assists the tenant in retaining the housing; improving his or her health; and maximizing his or her ability to live, and, when possible, work in the community.

No change

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3 Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
Recommended
CBD Change
TOD-S TOD-1 TOD-2 MX-R
Single Room
Occupancy (SRO)
a single room dwelling unit, usually ranging from 150 - 300 square feet in size, that provides living and sleeping space for the exclusive use of the occupant. Each unit is for occupancy by a single eligible individual. The unit must contain either food preparation or sanitary facilities (and may contain both).

P No change P P P P
Employee Housing a housing accommodation, or property upon which a housing accommodation is located, that meets the requirements as set forth in Health and Safety Code Section 17008. Employee housing can include farmworker housing.

P No change P P P P
Public and Quasi-Public Uses
Cemeteries [1] a place used for the interment of human or animal remains or cremated remains. This definition includes burial parks, crematoriums, mausoleums, columbariums, associated sales and maintenance facilities, and other similar land uses.
- No change - - - -
Colleges and
Universities
a private or public institution that provides full-time or part-time education beyond high school, and grants associate, bachelor, or similar higher degrees. Trade and vocational schools are excluded from this definition.

C [2] No change C C C -
Schools a facility for primary or secondary education, including elementary, junior high, and high schools. This definition includes both public and private schools but does not include trade or vocational schools.

C [2] No change C C C -
Trade and
Vocational
Schools
a specialized instructional establishment that provides on-site training of business, commercial, or trade skills. This definition excludes colleges and universities offering associate, bachelors, and other advanced degrees.

C [2] No change C C C -
Community
Facilities, Public
a public facility that provides meeting space for public gatherings or that functions as a cultural institution within the community. This definition excludes hospitals, schools, police and fire stations, parks and recreational facilities, cemeteries, or government offices. Public community facilities include publicly owned community centers, senior centers, libraries, and museums, and other similar public uses.

C No change C - C C
Community
Facilities, Private
a private facility that provides meeting space for public gatherings or that functions as a cultural institution within the community. This definition excludes hospitals, schools, police and fire stations, parks C No change C - C C

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4 Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
Recommended
CBD Change
TOD-S TOD-1 TOD-2 MX-R
and recreational facilities, cemeteries, or government offices.

Private community facilities include privately-owned community centers, clubs and lodges, places of worship, senior centers, libraries, museums, and other similar private uses.

Community
Garden [1]
Undefined P No change P P P P
Day Care Center a facility that provides non-medical care and supervision of minors for periods of less than twenty-four hours. Examples include nursery schools, day nurseries, childcare centers, infant day care centers, cooperative day care centers, and similar uses.

C No change P P P P
Emergency
Shelters
housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less by a homeless person, and where no individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay. (Health and Safety Code Section 50801(e).) Emergency shelter includes other interim interventions, including, but not limited to, navigation centers, bridge housing, and respite or recuperative care.
- No change P [7] P [7] P [7] -
Home Day Care,
Small
a licensed facility providing daytime supervision and care for children, located in the provider's own home. "Small home day care" means a home day care facility for eight or fewer children, including children under the age of ten years who reside in the home.

P No change P P P P
Home Day Care,
Large
a licensed facility providing daytime supervision and care for children, located in the provider's own home. "Large home day care" means a home day care facility for nine to fourteen children, including children under the age of ten years who reside in the home.

P No change P P P P
Hospitals a medical facility engaged primarily in the provision of diagnostic services and extensive medical treatment, including surgical services and in-patient beds.
- No change C C C -
Nursing and
Convalescent
Homes
an establishment providing long-term and twenty-four-hour nursing and personal care for the elderly or for other individuals incapacitated in some manner.
- No change C C C -
Parks and
Recreational
Facilities (Public)
a noncommercial public facility that provides active or passive recreational opportunities. Such facilities include neighborhood parks, regional parks, ball fields, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor P No change P P P P

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5 Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
Recommended
CBD Change
TOD-S TOD-1 TOD-2 MX-R
[1] swimming pools, recreation centers, and other similar facilities.

Does not include health clubs, commercial amusement or similar recreational facilities, such as water slides, go-carts, and miniature golf courses.

Parks and
Recreational
Facilities (Private)
[1]
Undefined C No change C C C C
Places of Worship a site or structure used by a religious group for regular organized worship. This definition includes churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other similar religious places of assembly. This definition also includes related facilities such as meeting halls, offices for administration, and childcare facilities for use during religious services.

C No change C C C C
Public Safety
Facilities
a facility operated by a public agency for the purpose of protecting public safety. This definition includes fire stations and other fire- fighting facilities, police stations, public ambulance dispatch facilities, and other similar land uses.

P No change P P P P
Public
Maintenance
Facilities [1]
facilities providing material storage areas and vehicle maintenance and repair services for governmental agencies.
- No change - - - -
Social Services
and Charitable
Institutions
a facility that provides social services directly to persons in need.

This definition includes food banks, soup kitchens, crisis centers, and other similar land uses.

No change C C C -
Low Barrier
Navigation Center
a temporary living facility with a low barrier for entry for persons experiencing homelessness that provides services focused on helping homeless individuals and families to quickly obtain permanent housing.

P No change P P P P
Commercial Uses
Adult Businesses
(12.84.040)
any business establishment which, as a regular and substantial course of conduct, offers, sells, or distributes adult-oriented merchandise, or which offers to its patrons materials, products, merchandise, services, or entertainment characterized by an emphasis on matters depicting, describing, or relating to sexual activities or anatomical areas, but not including those uses or activities which are preempted by state law.
- No change - - C [5] -

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Amusement Game
Centers
(12.84.060)
a public place of amusement or public place of business in which more than three amusement machines are installed. As used herein, an "amusement machine" is any device, machine,
apparatus, or other instrument (including, but not limited to, electronic games, marble games, and pinball games) the operation of which is permitted, controlled, allowed, or made possible by the deposit or placing of any coin, plate disk, slug or key into any slot, receptacle, crevice, or other opening, or by the payment of any fee or fees, for its use as a game or contest of any description, or which may be used for any such game or contest, and the use or possession of which is not prohibited by laws of the state.

C No change C C C C
Banks & Other
Financial
a financial institution licensed to receive deposits and make loans.

Banks may also provide financial services such as wealth management, currency exchange, and safe deposit boxes. This definition does not include institutions that fall under professional offices as defined by this chapter.

P No change P P P P
Bars, Nightclubs
and Lounges
businesses primarily engaged in the serving of alcoholic beverages to paying customers, and in which the service of food is only incidental to the consumption of such beverages.

C [5] No change C [5] C [5] C [5] C [5]
Business Services an establishment that provides services to other businesses on a fee or contract basis. This definition includes computer rental and repair, catering, food services, printing and duplicating services, outdoor advertising services, package delivery services, and other similar land uses.

P [2] Keep P for upper
floors, add C for
ground floor

P P P P
Cannabis Retailer any establishment which engages in the retail sale of cannabis for adult-use purposes.
- No change - C [4] C [4] C [4]
Cardroom
(12.84.050)
an establishment that provides recreational or entertainment activities or services for a fee or admission charge.

C [5] No change - - C [5, 6] C [5,
6]
Check Cashing
Establishments
a business, other than a bank or similar financial institution, which cashes checks for a fee as a principal business activity. - No change - - C -
Commercial
Recreation and
Entertainment
an establishment that provides recreational or entertainment activities or services for a fee or admission charge. This definition includes movie theaters, amusement game centers, gaming clubs and card rooms (as may be subject to separate city regulations), bowling alleys, electronic game arcades, skating rinks, billiard rooms, sports clubs, golf driving ranges, water parks, commercial C No change C C C C

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sports centers, and other similar land uses. Food sales may be permitted as an accessory and incidental use to commercial recreation and entertainment uses.

Drive-Through
Facilities
a facility where a customer is permitted or encouraged, either by the design of physical facilities or by the service procedures offered, to be served while remaining seated within a vehicle. This definition includes drive-through facilities associated with restaurants, coffee shops, pharmacies, banks, automatic car washes, and other similar uses.
- No change - - C [5] C [5]
Firearm Dealers a business that sells firearms as defined in San Bruno Municipal Code Chapter 6.08 (Firearms). a person engaged in the business of selling, transferring, or leasing, or offering or exposing for sale, transfer, or lease, any firearm.
- No change - - - -
Gas and Service
Stations [1]
any facility used primarily for the retail sale and dispensation of motor fuels, lubricants, and motor vehicle accessories. Included in this definition are incidental food and beverage sales and car wash facilities.
- No change - - C
Grocer * Create this specific use definition, which is currently part of Retail Sales and Services

P C C C C C
Health and
Exercise Clubs
a place of business with exercise equipment and facilities for the use of paying members. This may include use of outside swimming pools or sports courts.

C No change C C C C
Hotels and Motels a facility containing guestrooms where lodging is provided for a fee, with or without cooking facilities in individual rooms or suites.

Included in this definition are meeting facilities, personal services, recreational facilities, guest dining room, and retail sales that are incidental to guestroom facilities and intended to primarily serve hotel or motel guests.

C No change P P P P
Liquor Store * Create this specific use definition, which is currently part of Retail Sales and Services

P C C C C C
Office "Offices" include the following:

1. "Government office" means a place of employment occupied by governmental agencies and their employees. This definition includes offices for administrative, clerical, and public contact functions; post offices; and other similar land uses.

2. "Medical office" means a facility, not including a hospital, where P [2] Add C for ground
floor, remain P for
upper floors

P P P P

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medical, mental, dental, or other personal health services are provided on an outpatient basis using specialized equipment. Examples include offices and clinics providing medical services and containing medical professionals such as physicians, dentists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, optometrists, therapists, psychologists, veterinary office, or other similar medical professionals.

3. "Professional office" means a place of employment occupied by businesses providing professional services. This definition includes offices for accountants, advertising agencies, insurance agents, attorneys, commercial art and design services, non-retail financial institutions, real estate agents, news services, photographers, engineers, employment agencies, and other similar professions.
a. "Neighborhood-serving office" means a professional office that directly serves residents of the city of San Bruno.
b. "Regional office" means a professional office that serves a larger area encompassing multiple counties in the region and beyond.

Outdoor Dining [1] outside dining permitted on the public sidewalk through an encroachment permit in a zoning district that allows restaurants when incidental to and part of a restaurant.

P No change P P P P
Personal Services,
Downtown Focus
Downtown focused personal services include beauty salons and barber shops, shoe repair shops, tailors, dry cleaners, and launderettes.

P Change to C for
ground floor,
make P for upper

P P P P
Personal Services,
Instructional Focus
Instructional personal services include dance studios, martial arts studios, fitness studios, photography studios, and music education studios, and similar land uses.

C
Keep C for
ground floor,
make P for upper
floors

C P P P
Personal Services,
General
General personal services include massage establishments, tattoo parlors, funeral homes, and other similar land uses, in addition to the uses listed in downtown focused and instructional personal services.
- C for Any Floor C P P P
Personal Storage a structure or group of structures with controlled access that contains individual and compartmentalized stalls or lockers for storage of customers' goods.
- No change - - - -
Pet Boarding
Overnight
A boarding facility where animals are kept on site both during and after business hours of seven a.m. to seven p.m. or only after business hours of seven a.m. to seven p.m.
- No change - C C -
Pet Day Care A boarding facility where animals are kept on site between the C No change C P P -

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9 Land Use Title 12’s Definition of the Land Use Existing CBD
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Facility business hours of seven a.m. to seven p.m.

Research and
Development
a business that engages in the study, testing, engineering, product design, analysis and development of devices, products, processes, or services related to current or new technologies. Research and development may include limited manufacturing, fabricating, processing, assembling or storage of prototypes, devices, compounds, products or materials, or similar related activities, where such activities are incidental to research, development or evaluation. Research and development land uses do not involve the
mass manufacture, fabrication, processing, or sale of consumer products, and do not produce dust, smoke, fumes, odors or noise at levels that would affect surrounding uses. Examples of "research and development" uses include, but are not limited to, computer software and hardware firms, computer peripherals and related products, electronic research firms, biotechnical and biomedical firms, instrument analysis, genomics, robotics and pharmaceutical research laboratories, and related educational development.

P [2] Add C for ground
floor, keep P for
upper floors

Add C for higher
biosafety levels
involving more
hazardous
materials
P

Add C
for bio-
safety

Add C
for bio-
safety
P

Add C
for bio-
safety

Retail Sales and
Services
a store or shop selling merchandise to the general public. This definition includes food and beverage stores, appliance stores, bookstores, clothing stores, convenience stores, department stores, drug stores, animal and animal accessory sales, grocery stores, liquor stores, pharmacies, pawn shops, smoke shops, furniture stores, art galleries, home improvement stores, vehicle parts and accessories sales, hardware stores, and other similar land uses.

P [3] Add C for Upper
Floor, separate
certain uses to
make them either
conditional or
prohibited

P P P C
Restaurants a retail business that sells and serves cooked or ready-to-eat food or beverages for consumption primarily upon the premises.

Restaurants include cafés, coffee shops, ice cream shops, and bakeries. A restaurant may include sales of alcoholic beverages only when incidental to the sales of food for onsite consumption.

This definition does not include drive-through facilities.

P [3] Keep P for
ground floor, add
C for upper floors

P P P P
Smoke Shop * Create this specific use definition, which is currently part of Retail Sales and Services

P - - - C -
Vehicle Sales and
Rental [1]
an establishment for the retail sales or rental of new or used vehicles, including automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. This definition includes parts sales and vehicle repair, provided that these activities are incidental to the - No change - - C -

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sale of vehicles.

Vehicle Repair and
Maintenance
an establishment for the repair, alteration, restoration, or finishing of any vehicle, including body repair, collision repair, painting, tire and battery sales and installation, motor rebuilding, tire recapping and retreading, and towing. Repair shops that are incidental to a vehicle sales or rental establishment on the same site are excluded from this definition.
- No change - - - -
Industrial Uses
Construction,
Maintenance, and
Repair Services
businesses that provide construction, maintenance, and repair services off site, but which store equipment and materials or perform fabrication or similar work on site. This definition includes off-site plumbing shops, general contractors, contractors' storage yards, appliance repair, janitorial services, electricians, pest control, heating and air conditioning, roofing, painting, landscaping, septic tank service, and other similar uses.
- No change - - - -
Heavy Equipment
Sales and Rental
businesses selling, renting, or servicing tools, trucks, tractors, construction equipment, agricultural implements, and similar heavy equipment. Heavy equipment sales and rental uses may include the storage, maintenance and servicing of such equipment. - No change - - - -
Lumberyards an area used for the storage, distribution, and sale of finished or rough-cut lumber and lumber products.
- No change - - - -
Manufacturing and
Processing
(General)
any establishment engaged in any of the following activities within enclosed structures: manufacturing or compounding of raw materials, agriculture product and food processing, manufacturing of finished products or parts from predominantly previously prepared materials, fabrication, assembly, processing or distribution.
- No change - - - -
Manufacturing and
Processing (Light)
the manufacture, predominantly from previously prepared materials, of finished products or parts, including processing, fabrication, assembly, treatment and packaging of such products, and incidental storage, sales and distribution of such products, but excluding basic industrial processing and custom manufacturing. - No change - - - -
Warehousing,
Wholesaling, and
Distribution
an establishment used primarily for the storage, selling, or distributing of goods to retailers, contractors, commercial purchasers or other wholesalers, or to the branch or local offices of a company or organization. This definition includes vehicle storage, - No change - - - -

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moving services, general delivery services, cold storage facilities, and other similar land uses.

Transportation, Communication, and Utilities Uses
Alternative Energy
Structures [1]
a structure or installation such as a windmill, solar collecting array, or geothermal system, which is designed and intended to produce energy from natural forces such as wind, sunlight, or geothermal heat.

C No change C C C C
Ground
Transportation
Provider
any person providing ground transportation services to and from an airport by taxi, limousine, charter party carrier, van, shuttle, bus, or other ground transportation common carrier to the general public, shuttle services for airline employees, or courtesy transportation provided for business purposes. This definition also includes courier operators.
- No change - - - -
Parking Lots,
Commercial [1]
Undefined - No change - - - -
Parking Structures,
Commercial [1]
a structure with two or more levels used for the parking and storage of vehicles. Included in this definition are mechanical and automated parking systems.

C No change C C C C
Recycling
Collection Facilities
a center for the acceptance by donation, redemption, or purchase, of recyclable materials from the public.
- No change C C C C
Recycling
Processing
Facilities
a building or enclosed space used for the collection and processing of recyclable materials. Processing means preparation of material for efficient shipment, or to an end-user's specifications, by such means as baling, briquetting, compacting, flattening, grinding, crushing, mechanical sorting, shredding, cleaning, and
remanufacturing.
- No change - - - -
Transportation
Terminals
a passenger station for bus and rail mass transit systems. - No change P - - - Utilities, Major [1] a large-scale infrastructure facility necessary to support development within San Bruno and the larger region. This definition includes sanitary landfills, electrical distribution lines thirty-five kilovolts or greater, sewage treatment plants, power generation plants, gas metering stations, electrical substations, telephone exchanges, water storage tanks and reservoirs, sewer and water pumping stations, and other similar facilities.

C No change C C C C

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Utilities, Minor [1] an infrastructure facility that is necessary to support development within the immediate vicinity and that involves only minor structures. This definition includes electrical distribution lines less than thirty-five kilovolts, water and sewer lines, storm drainage facilities, telephone and cable television lines, and other similar facilities.

P No change P P P P

Notes:
[1] Permitted as an indoor and/or outdoor use.
[2] Permitted on upper floors only.
[3] Permitted on ground floors only.
[4] Subject to obtaining the necessary permits pursuant to Chapter 4.70 and Chapter 12.300. [5] Requires planning commission action.
[6] Only permitted along El Camino Real and San Mateo Avenue. [7] Pursuant to performance standards as set forth in Section 12.96.205.E.

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City Council Agenda Item
Staff Report

CITY OF SAN BRUNO
DATE: September 8, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Alex D. McIntyre, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Brian Adam, Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT: Council Policies and Procedures Review
BACKGROUND:

During the July 28 meeting, the City Council moved to create an Ad Hoc Subcommittee to review the Council Policies and Procedures. The Council asked staff to schedule a Study Session for council members to identify potential policy areas or issues for staff and the Subcommittee to review. The Council Policies and Procedures were last amended in 2023.

DISCUSSION:

Council policies and procedures are a means of concretely communicating the roles and responsibilities of council members, statutory responsibilities, and how the City makes appointments, handles public meetings, and communicates with staff members. Effective policies and procedures enable the City Council to make effective policy decisions that enable public participation, represent the City, and ensure continuity as membership changes. The latest version of these policies and procedures is included as Attachment 1.

Legislative changes affecting council policies
In 2025, the California Legislature adopted SB 707, making extensive changes to the Brown Act (Government Code sections 54950 et seq.), which governs meetings held by legislative bodies of local government agencies. Many of these changes became effective on January 1, 2026, with provisions regarding expanded meeting accessibility requirements effective on July 1, 2026.

Most notable among these new meeting requirements is providing public participation via Zoom, or another similar teleconferencing platform. The City Attorney has proposed changes to the Policies and Procedures to reflect current requirements under the Brown Act, which are available in Attachment 2.

In addition, council members have identified the following as issues to address with an updated policy:
 commenting on foreign affairs
 process for adding items to a future agenda.
23 of 77 Item 3b.

Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
September 8, 2026

Page 2 of 2 ends

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:

The action is not a project subject to CEQA. City Council’s action is not considered a “Project” per CEQA Guidelines and therefore no further environmental analysis is required.

RECOMMENDATION:

Discuss and provide direction to staff and the Subcommittee to bring back a proposed set of changes to the Council Policies and Procedures for Council consideration.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. City Council Policies and Procedures - Adopted 05-09-2023

2. City Council Policies and Procedures - Initial Proposed Edits

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TY OF SAN BRUNO

CITY COUNCIL

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Adopted on May 9, 2023
25 of 77 ATTACHMENT 1
City Council Policies and Procedures Manual
Adopted on May 9, 2023
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. General Rules .................................................................................................................... 4 A. Preamble ........................................................................................................................................... 4 B. Statutory Authority ........................................................................................................................... 4 C. Quorum ............................................................................................................................................. 4 D. Training Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 5 Section 2. Responsibilities of the City Council ............................................................................ 5 A. Responsibilities of the City Council as the governing body for the City of San Bruno shall be to: ... 5 Section 3. Responsibilities of the Mayor and Vice Mayor ......................................................... 5 A. Responsibilities of the Mayor: .......................................................................................................... 5 B. Responsibilities of the Vice Mayor:................................................................................................... 6 Section 4. City Councilmember Duties .......................................................................................... 7 A. The duties for all Councilmembers (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor): .................................... 7 Section 5. Strategic Initiatives and Goal Setting ......................................................................... 9 Section 6. Advisory Commissions, Boards and Committees ................................................ 10 Section 7. Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees of the City Council ................................. 11 Section 8. Appointments to City Commissions, Boards and Committees (CBCs) .......... 11 A. Appointments per San Bruno Municipal Code Process .................................................................. 11 B. Alternative Appointment Process for Commission, Board or Committee Members ..................... 12 C. Appointment Process for SBCF Board of Director Appointments .................................................. 13 D. Recruitment Officer for Commission, Board or Committee Members ........................................... 14 Section 9. Meetings ........................................................................................................................... 15 A. City Council Meeting Dates ............................................................................................................. 15 B. Types of Meetings ........................................................................................................................... 15 C. Meeting Requirements ................................................................................................................... 17 Section 10. Action Minutes ................................................................................................................ 20 Section 11. Public Participation ........................................................................................................ 20

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3 Section 12. Appeals ............................................................................................................................... 21 Section 13. Communication with City Council and Staff ............................................................. 22 Section 14. Communication to the City Council and Use of Social Media ............................. 23 Section 15. Budget Controls for the City Council Budget .......................................................... 24 Section 16. Ceremonial Matters ......................................................................................................... 25 Section 17. Enforcement ...................................................................................................................... 25

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City Council Policies and Procedures Manual
Adopted on May 9, 2023
4 Section 1. General Rules

A. Preamble

1. The purpose of this policy and procedure manual is to assure the orderly and efficient conduct of the meetings of the City Council. These policies and procedures are intended to assure the right of the majority of the City Council to decide items of business brought before the Council; and the right of the minority to be heard. These rules are also intended to foster and promote the right of residents to have adequate notification of city council meetings and a fair and reasonable opportunity to be heard.

November 2022, the first Councilmembers for District 1 and District 4 will be elected to serve four -year terms . In November 2024, the first Councilmembers for District 2 and District 3 will be elected to serve four - year terms. District elections do not affect the Mayor’s position.

3. In November 2022, San Bruno voters adopted term limits of no more than 12 consecutive years for the Mayor and members of the City Council. Only terms that begin after November 2022 count towards 12 consecutive year term limit.

B. Statutory Authority

1. These policies and procedures for the meetings of the City Council are adopted in compliance with laws of the State of California, in particular, Government Code Sections 54940 et. Seq. (herein referred to as the “Brown Act”). Whenever these policies are found to be in conflict with the terms and provisions of the Brown Act, the Act shall apply and govern.

Further, the City of San Bruno Municipal Code shall control whenever these rules are found to be in conflict therewith.

C. Quorum

1. A quorum shall be three or more Councilmembers. Policies, goals and priorities for the City of San Bruno shall be established by a majority vote of at least a quorum of the Council unless otherwise required by State law.

2. Per Government Code section 36936, ordinances and resolutions must be adopted by a majority vote of the total membership of the City Council. As such, a majority of the City Council is defined as three of the total five Councilmembers. In limited circumstances, State law requires a super -

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5 majority of the City Council to authorize specific actions. In such cases, a super-majority is defined as four of the total five Councilmembers.

D. Training Requirements

1. Per California Assembly Bill (AB) 1234, each Councilmember shall receive at least two hours of training in general ethics principles and ethics laws relevant to their public service every two years.

2. Per California Assembly Bill (AB) 1661, each Councilmember shall receive at least two hours of training in prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

Section 2. Responsibilities of the City Council

A. Responsibilities of the City Council as the governing body for the City of San Bruno shall be to:

1. Be stewards of the public interest as the primary concern.

2. Establish clear goals and priorities for addressing short and long -range needs of the community.

3. Adopt policies that define a course of action that shape the City now and in the future.

4. Demonstrate dignity, courtesy, honesty, integrity and respect during every public meeting.

5. Assure the fair and equal treatment of all persons coming before the City Council and Commissions.

6. Value all opinions, be tolerant of new and different ideas, and encourage different viewpoints while being mindful to not unnecessarily prolong discourse, or block consensus or majority action.

7. Strive to keep comments clear, concise, and on topic.

8. Work towards the common good, not personal interests.

9. Start City Council meetings on time.

Section 3. Responsibilities of the Mayor and Vice Mayor

A. Responsibilities of the Mayor:

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6 1. Conduct meetings of the City Council as its Presiding Officer . (SB MuniCode 2.04.120)

2. Ensure that items on the agenda move along without delay or disruption.

3. If necessary, to keep Councilmember questions, and comments from members of the public relevant and on topic.

4. Maintain meeting order and limit meeting disruptions.

5. Convey the Mayor’s positions regarding ceremonial proclamations (or the City’s position, subject to City Council approval).

6. Represent City Government as its chief elected official at community functions, events, meetings, and business outreach and retention visits.

7. Represent the City to officially welcome/thank dignitaries, outside officials and open formal city sponsored gatherings.

8. Appoint Councilmembers for liaison positions to various external government agencies on an annual basis or from time to time as necessary, subject to City Council approval.

9. Convey the Mayor’s position regarding potential federal, state and regional legislative actions on behalf of the Mayor (or the City, subject to Council approval).

10. Make all appointments to and removals from City boards, commissions, and committees, subject to approval by the City Council. Also, see Section 7 in this document and SB MuniCode 2.04.120.

11. To vote as the City’s “voting delegate” at the League of California Cities Annual Conference and other similar meetings. This responsibility may be delegated to another Councilmember, as desired by the Mayor.

12. City letterhead, logo, insignia and brand representing the “Office of the Mayor” may be used in written communications by the Mayor in furtherance of the Mayor’s duties.

B. Responsibilities of the Vice Mayor:

1. Rotation of Vice Mayor will be ranked by time of service on the City Council, with the longest serving member at the top of the rotation, and the newest member placed at the bottom of the rotation. The process is outlined in the San Bruno MuniCode 2.04.110.

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7 2. In the absence or incapacity of the Mayor, or upon specific delegation by the Mayor, to perform the functions of the Mayor and possess all of the powers and duties thereof. (SB MuniCode 2.04.120)

Section 4. City Councilmember Duties

A. The duties for all Councilmembers (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor):

The items listed below are a guideline for all members of the City Council.

1. As independently elected members of the City Council, each Councilmember shall:

i. Treat each other, city employees , and members of the public with dignity, courtesy and respect.

ii. Be attentive to other s and not interrupt or distract during public meetings.

iii. Keep comments during meetings clear, concise, and on-topic; manage meeting time appropriately.

iv. Respect the role of the Presiding Officer in maintaining order during public meetings.

v. Arrive on time for Council meetings, having reviewed meeting materials in preparation for the meeting.

vi. In the absence of the mayor and the vice mayor, the City Council shall select a temporary presiding officer. (SB MuniCode 2.04.120)

vii. Comply with all requirements of the Brown Act when communicating with each other.

viii. At the request of the Mayor, when available, represent the City at ceremonial functions, or at meetings of other agencies or bodies.

ix. Respect the roles of staff in ensuring open and effective government.

2. Additionally, each Councilmember (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor ) shall abide by the following policies:

i. No Councilmember who attends a Closed Session meeting may disclose or discuss any statements, items or documents which were developed for or presented in any Closed Session, except when specifically authorized by State law. Violation of this rule shall be

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8 considered a breach of confidentiality. Violations of closed session confidentiality may include the city obtaining injunctive relief in court and/or referral of the Councilmember to the grand jury. – Government Code Section 54963

ii. Councilmembers may not utilize City letterhead, logo, insignia and brand. Such materials are intended for official communications of the City and their use is delegated to the City Manager and City Attorney, or their designees, or as otherwise provided herein.

iii. Councilmembers shall not attempt to interfere , direct, inhibit, or become involved in administrative functions and operations of the City, unless granted specific permission by the City Manager. (SB
MuniCode 2.12.060)

iv. Councilmembers should respect and adhere to the City’s form of government which is a general -law City operating under a Council - Manager form of government, with the City Council acting as the legislative body of the City. Council is the visionary policy maker; the City Manager is responsible for implementation of the Council’s vision through the administration of staff and resources, subject to the delegation of legislative authority.

v. Councilmembers must not influence or attempt to influence a decision on a matter or project on which they have a conflict of interest.

vi. When using City reporting tools, such as SB Responds , email, or telephonic messages , Councilmembers shall identify themselves when possible commenting on open/archived reports.

Councilmembers shall not attempt to influence staff responses to comments/service requests from the public.

vii. Emails addressed to all Councilmembers by default will be handled by their area representative on the City Council, if it is able to be determined who their representative is.

viii. Councilmembers are encouraged to refer operational and policy interpretation questions on specific matters from residents to the appropriate staff members. Resident concerns/complaints should be referred to the Office of the City Manager for resolution by email to [email protected]
.

ix. Councilmembers will comply with Brown Act communication protocols.

x. Email and any other written communications amongst
Councilmembers on general , non-policy matters shall include a copy

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9 to the City Manager, the City Attorney, or the general City Manager’s Office email account at [email protected] . Additionally, Councilmembers shall be included via a blind carbon- copy (bcc) in order to avoid inadvertent Brown Act violations.

xi. If a Councilmember is unable to attend a specific regional agency meeting that they are the liaison for, they should notify their alternate as soon as possible, and alert the regional agency staff representative of their absence and provide information as to where to send any packet materials.

xii. Use of City offices by the City Council should be limited to official City business review of physical documents and meetings with constituents and staff. City offices shall not be used for campaigning nor any other political or personal purpose. Space at City facilities may be reserved by emailing [email protected]
.

Section 5. Strategic Initiatives and Goal Setting

i. Set a basic framework for action within a specific timeframe; supporting council in allocating time to accomplish the most important tasks and focus on the most critical issues, with less distraction.

ii. Provide clear direction to staff on budgetary guidelines and the City Council’s priorities and initiatives for the upcoming year. This is important because clearly defined goals offer the City Manager and staff a roadmap to meet the expectations of C ouncil and avoid any conflicting priorities that do not meet the collective vision of the Council as a whole.

2. Strategic planning is one of the tools that enable a council to define their vision and determine methods for accomplishing short -term and long -term goals.

Strategic planning and goal setting will be identified during Study Sessions.

3. Each year before the budget sessions, the Council shall hold a Study Session in January to March to review progress on goals previously set , reprioritize existing goals as needed, and define and prioritize new goals and objectives for the City of San Bruno.

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10 4. An update on City Council Strategic Initiatives will be submitted to the City Council on a quarterly basis, but only reprioritized by vote of the Council annually at the City Council Retreat, unless altered as prescribed in Section 5.5.

Section 6. Advisory Commissions, Boards and Committees

1. The City has established several Commissions, Boards and Committees that are advisory to the City Council as a means of gathering community input. Those who serve on Commissions, Boards and Committees are volunteers who have taken their positions in an effort to become more involved with local government and to serve on advisory bodies to the City Council.

2. City Councilmembers are encouraged to not regularly attend advisory body meetings in order to avoid interference in the operation of the advisory body or an appearance of specific City Council direction as to matters under consideration by the advisory body.

3. City Councilm embers who plan to attend Commissions, Boards or Committee meetings shall adhere to the following protocols:

A. When a Councilmember attends a particular Commission, Board or Committee, they may address the body before them, but may do so only when stating that the comments they are about to make do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire City Council, unless they are explicitly referencing an action that was taken by the City Council at a public meeting.

B. Refrain from lobbying any Commission, Board or Committee Member s on behalf of any particular project, in an effort to sway their decision to match that of the Councilmember.

C. Keep political campaign discussions away from the Commission, Board or Committee meetings. For example, i f a Commission, Board or Committee Member is running for a particular elected office, a Council Member may not voice their support of the candidate during any public meeting.

4. Fireworks Permits: As per Section 9C of Resolution No. 2008 – 67 relating to temporary fireworks stands pursuant to San Bruno Municipal Code S ection

6.50.060, “a city council subcommittee may review the applications and the city clerk findings and make recommendations to the city council”. Notwithstanding this provision, the City Council has elected to not establish an annual subcommittee to review fireworks stand permits. Instead, the City Council has directed staff to process the permit applications and calendar action by the City Council pursuant to Section 9D of the same resolution, which states that at a regularly scheduled public meeting, the city council shall determine which applicants shall be granted permits and whether as a “grandfathered permittee” or “lottery permittee.”

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11 Section 7. Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees of the City Council

For purposes of the State of California’s open meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act), there are two types of subcommittees created by the City Council:
standing committees and ad hoc committees.

City Council committees are generally used to provide more detailed review and analysis of complex issues. Committees make recommendations to the City Council but cannot take formal action on behalf of the City Council.

Per the Brown Act: “standing committees of a legislative body, irrespective of their composition, which have a continuing subject matter jurisdiction, or a meeting schedule fixed by charter, ordinance, resolution, or formal action of a legislative body" are subject to all open meeting requirements.

Ad hoc committees are composed solely of less than a quorum of the City Council and are created for a limited time for a particular purpose, and generally do not have regularly scheduled meetings. Under the Brown Act, ad hoc committees are not required to comply with open meeting requirements.

A. All City Council standing and ad hoc committees shall be established by the City Council and the membership will be appointed by the City Council pursuant to Section 8.

B. Standing and ad hoc committees exist, with the initially appointed membership, until the next annually scheduled City Council assignment process for City committees and regional appointments.

C. Standing and ad hoc committees shall select their own chair during their first meeting. If the committee is unable to select a chair, or if th e timing requires immediate action, the Mayor may appoint a chair from the members.

D. Any action to create a standing or ad hoc committee, appoint new or different members, or modify its duties must be placed on a City Council agenda for action.

E. Standing and ad hoc committees must provide reports to the City Council at a public meeting at least once per calendar year, or from time to time as needed or requested by the City Council.

Section 8. Appointments to City Commissions, Boards and Committees (CBCs)

A. Appointments per San Bruno Municipal Code Process

1. In accordance with the San Bruno Municipal Code, the Mayor shall m ake all appointments to and removals from City boards, commissions, and

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12 committees, subject to approval by the City Council. (SB MuniCode

2.04.120 and CA Gov’t Code §40605)

2. Use of the Alternative Appointment Process for Commission, Board or Committee Members
a. The Mayor may elect to use the Alternative Appointment Processes outlined in Sections 7.B and 7.C.
b. A majority of the City Council may only elect to use the Alternative Appointment Process after the Mayor has proposed an
appointment(s) that the City Council has not approved in accordance with SB MuniCode 2.04.120 and CA Gov’t Code §40605.

3. Removals from City boards, commissions, and committees shall follow the process outlined in S B MuniCode 2.04.120 as well as applicable Federal and State law.

B. Alternative Appointment Process for Commission, Board or Committee Members

Does not apply to San Bruno Community Foundation Board of Director Appointments, see Section 7.C.

Round One: Nominations

o Mayor or Presiding Officer of the Meeting to facilitate nominations

o Council members to be given the opportunity to make a Motion for Consideration for Appointment for any applicant
 Requires a Second

Note: Any applicant that receives a Motion and a Seco nd advances to Round 2 (no vote of the full City Council taken at this time). During the nomination process, Council members will not be called upon in alpha order. Members must ask to be recognized through the Presiding Officer if they would like to make a nomination.

Round Two: Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees

o City Clerk to call Council members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.

o Once called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.

o In the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process proceeds to Round Three.  The nominee(s) that receive the lowest number of votes (or are tied for the lowest number of votes) shall be eliminated.

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13 Note: If five nominees each receive one vote, all five nominees advance to Round Three.

Round Three: Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees, if needed o City Clerk to call Council members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.

o Once called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.

o In the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process proceeds to Round Four.  The nominee(s) that receive the lowest nu mber of votes (or are tied for the lowest number of votes) shall be eliminated.

Note: If five nominees each receive one vote, all five
nominees advance to Round Four.

Round Four:

Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees, if needed
o City Clerk to call Counc il members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.

o Once called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.

o In the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process ends and Council shall provide direction to staff whether to leave the position vacant or conduct a new recruitment process to fill the vacancy.

C. Appointment Process for SBCF Board of Director Appointments

Founded in 2013 by the City of San Bruno, the San Bruno Community Foundation (SBCF) is a 501(c)(3) tax -exempt nonprofit organization. T he SBCF is distinguished from other City CBC’s in that its legal structure is a dependent - nonprofit corporation under the City of San Bruno and SBCF Board members have a legal fiduciary duty to the Foundation (not the City). As such, the City Council has established the following Alternative Process for appointing SBCF Board members, which may be used at the discretion of the Mayor or a majority of the City Council.

1. Advertising for and recruitment of S BCF Board members shall be done in accordance with Section 7D of this document, with the exception that:
o The City Council shall receive all applications.
o The Council may meet to review applications and determine which applicants to invite for an interview.

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14 o The SBCF Board shall select two members to attend and participate in the City Council interview process.
o The appointment process for SBCF Board members shall follow the procedures outlined in Section 7A ( option: Section 7B) of this document.

D. Recruitment Officer for Commission, Board or Committee Members

1. The City Clerk serves as the official Recruitment Officer for members of the CBC’s. As such, the City Clerk is responsible for advertising vacancies (whether scheduled or unscheduled) in conformance with Government Code section 54974, receiving and processing applications, scheduling interviews , and preparing staff reports related to CBC appointments . Additionally, as the CBC Recruitment Officer, the City Clerk is responsible for maintaining the City’s official lists of CBC membership, vacancies, appointment dates , and term expirations.

2. Prior to the end of the term for a filled position or w hen a CBC position is vacated, the City Clerk shall initiate a recruitment , which includes an initial recruitment period of 10 business days or greater, and/ or schedule interviews to fill the position, if there are at least 2 individuals have applied for vacancy.

3. Per Government Code Section 54974 (a), a Notice of Vacancy, shall be posted not earlier than 20 days before, or not later than 20 days after the vacancy occurs. The Notice of Vacancy shall be posted to the City’s website, as well as published on the City’s social media accounts, and the City Clerk’s Office will share the Notice of Vacancy with the City Council during the initial recruitment period, schedule permitting. The initial recruitment period may be extended at the discretion of the City Clerk in the event that fewer than 2 individuals have applied for the vacancy.

4. Per Government Code Section 54974 (a), f inal appointment to the board, commission, or committee shall not be made by the legislative body for at least 10 working days after the posting of the notice in the clerk’s office.

5. Notwithstanding a decision to extend the initial recruitment period, the City Clerk shall furnish all submitted applications to the City Council at the close of the initial recruitment period and each subsequent recruitment period. During the period when the recruitment is extended, if a majority of the City Council requests to interview the applicants, the City Clerk shall work to schedule interviews with the City Council.

6. Unless directed by a majority of the City Council, all CBC applicants shall be given the opportunity to be interview by the City Council.

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15 Section 9. Meetings

A. City Council Meeting Dates

1. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the second and fourth Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m. (SB MuniCode 2.04.020)

2. The second regular meeting shall not be held in December. (SB MuniCode

2.04.020)

B. Types of Meetings

1. Regular Meetings – Agendas for regular meetings shall be released to the public no later than 72 hours in advance of the meeting, as required by the Brown Act and will include the meeting location and access information.

Every effort will be made to release agendas and distribution materials prior to 72 hours before the meeting, when possible.

2. Special Meetings – May be held on a non-regular meeting date and/or time.

Special Meetings may be called with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice, versus the required 72 hours’ notice for regular meetings.

3. Study Sessions – Can occur during a Regular Meeting or a Special Meeting.

They are held for the purpose of providing information to the City Council, typically on issues that are more complex and time-consuming than matters scheduled during a regular meeting agenda. During Study Sessions, Councilmembers may state their individual responses, preferences and questions based on the information provided during the meeting, and the Council may provide direction to staff regarding the discussed topic. For maximum clarity and to minimize any confusion by staff on the direction given by the City Council, all Council direction to staff on study session items will be provided in the standard format that provides a clear direction in a motion, a second and a vote.

4. Closed Sessions – May be scheduled by the Mayor , a majority of the City Council, the City Manager, or the City Attorney. Closed sessions can be part of either a regular or special meeting. All closed sessions shall be noticed and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Brown Act.

After a closed session, the City Council must reconvene the public meeting to provide a report as required by Government Code Section 54957.1, or report that the City Council took no reportable action in closed session.

Closed sessions may be held to discuss certain matters specified by law, including:

 Personnel matters to consider the appointment, employment, performance, or dismissal of a public employee

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16  Public safety threats
 Labor negotiations
 License applications by persons with criminal records  Real estate negotiations
 Pending and existing litigation

5. A request from a Councilmember (other than the Mayor) for a c losed session for personnel matters to consider the appointment, employment, performance, or dismissal of a public employee, such shall occur during the “Comments from Councilmembers” section of a regular meeting agenda (as per Section 9.C.9 of this policy) and such requests are not required to be published on the printed agenda.

6. Closed sessions (excluding those related to employee performance evaluations) are attended by the City Council, City Manager, City Attorney, and if requested, appropriate management staff or special consultants.

Except for public comment at the beginning of the meeting, C losed Sessions are not open to the public. The City Attorney shall keep a record of the Closed Session, including the votes taken on each closed session item where appropriate. No other notes or minutes of closed session discussions shall be recorded. The record of the votes taken shall constitute the exclusive record of the closed session, shall not be considered a public record, and shall be confidential pursuant to section 54957.2 of the Brown Act. Violations of the closed session confidentiality requirement are serious and may have impacts with respect to litigat ion exposure and represent a violation of the law for the person violating the confidentiality requirement.

For maximum clarity and to minimize any confusion by staff on the direction given by the City Council, all Council direction to staff on closed sess ion items will be provided in the standard format that provides a clear direction in a motion, a second and a vote.

7. Emergency Meetings – Are allowed per the Brown Act when an emergency situation involving matters upon which prompt action is necessary due to the disruption or threatened disruption of the public’s well-being.

 Regular Meetings / Special Meetings / Study Sessions : Open to the public for in-person attendance, recorded, televised and/or livestreamed online, and available to on-demand viewing online.

Action minutes prepared and published.

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17  Retreats & Committee Member Candidate Interview ( a type of special meeting) : Open to the public for in- person attendance.

Action minutes prepared and published.

 Closed Sessions: Closed to the public . Action minutes prepared and published, as per applicable laws.

 Emergency Meetings: As directed by the City Manager, as per applicable laws.

C. Meeting Requirements

1. In the event that provisions of the Brown Act are suspended in order to allow for local legislative bodies to conduct meetings telephonically or by other electronic means to comply with public health or emergency orders , councilmembers, staff and members of the public may attend the meeting by video or phone linked to the agenda or watch by livestream when the meeting is not available for in-person attendance at a physical location.

2. Except as otherwise provided in Section 1 above, i f the Councilmember attends a meeti ng telephonically or digitally , the Councilm ember must ensure that:

i. The City Clerk is provided the teleconference/digital address location, and the councilmember must ensure the agenda is posted at that location 72 hours prior to the meeting and is visible 24 hours per day until the meeting is adjourned.

ii. The teleconference location is open and fully accessible to the public, as well as fully accessible under the A mericans with Disabilities Act, throughout the entire meeting.

iii. These requirements apply to private residences, hotel rooms, conference rooms, and similar facilities as well as digital platforms all of which must remain accessible throughout the duration of the meeting, without requiring identification or registration on the part of the public to attend. These rules also apply to the same type of locations outside of the United States.

3. The City Council and members of staff will make every effort to end it s meetings before 11 :00 p.m. At 10:30 p.m. during a regular or special meeting, the City Council will decide by majority vote and announce whether it will begin consideration of any agenda items after 11:00 p.m. and, if so, which specific items will be discussed.

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18 4. It is recommended that a Councilmember or staff notify the Presiding Officer prior to the meeting if they desire to reorder an item on the agenda.

5. Regular meeting agendas will include an item for “Council Committee Report Out”, placed before “Comments from Council members”. This item will be an opportunity to inform the full City Council of significant agenda items or updates from Council subcommittees or ad hoc committees.

For detailed Committee Reports, the Councilmember(s) shall notify the City Clerk at [email protected]
(with a copy to the City Manager and
City Attorney) of the subject of their comments one week prior to the meeting, so that the topic may be placed on the agenda in accordance with the Brown Act. Brief announcements or reports do not need to be placed on the agenda as an item.

6. A City Councilmember may request that the City Council remove an item from the Consent Calendar; however, the Councilmember should strive to notify the City Manager’s Office, via email, of the request no later than noon on the day of the City Council meeting. Given that, from time to time, new information or questions may arise after noon on the day of the meeting, a Councilmember may also request to pull an item from the consent calendar for clarifying questions, or they may have written the City Manager earlier with questions regarding a specific agenda item. The City Manager may report answers for any agenda item q uestions when the item is being discussed during the meeting or provide a written response to the entire City Council (and made available to the public) before the meeting and prior to the close of business for the City Clerk’s Office on the day of the meeting.

7. Council Comments on Agenda Items – No discussion or debate shall be permitted upon items on the Consent Calendar; however, any Councilmember may request that their vote on a particular Consent Calendar item be noted as “Abstain” or “Recuse” due to a potential conflict of interest. In such case, a vote may be taken on the item the Councilmember is abstained from, and a separate vote must be taken for the remaining Consent Calendar items. Alternatively, a Councilmember may announce their recusal or abstention before the vote on the Consent Calendar. In such cases, a vote on the entire Consent Calendar will occur and the official minutes will reflect the Councilmember’s recusal or abstention on the specific items.

8. If a Councilmember would like to pull any item(s) from the Consent Calendar for further discussion at the meeting, they may do so before voting on the Consent Calendar begins . Consent items are meant to address routine items. The Mayor should first ask Councilmembers if they wish to move any consent agenda items to the regular agenda for further discussion. If requested, the Mayor would move the item and open it up for discussion

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19 during the Conduct of Business portion of the agenda, or make it a “parking lot” item for a future agenda. Ideally, Councilmembers should ask for such a move before the meeting so it can be placed on the Conduct of Business agenda before the meeting starts. A dditionally, Councilmembers sh ould strive to notify the City Manager’s Office, via email , of any requests to pull an item from the Consent Calendar by noon on the day of the City Council meeting.

9. Comments from Councilm embers – The purpose of this regular meeting agenda item is to allow the City Council an opportunity to make important city announcements, such as City-sponsored, or City-related public events and pertinent information. Each Councilmember shall strive to make comments that are respectful and benefic ial to the community.

Councilmembers shall refrain from making any campaign announcements or solicit votes for an election-related matter during this agenda item. Each Councilmember shall strive to be brief during this agenda item .

Councilmembers shall notify the City Clerk [email protected] (with
a copy to the City Manager and City Attorney) of the subject of their comments one week prior to the meeting, so that the topic may be placed on the agenda in accordance with the Brown Act.

10. Voting – A motion, second, and a majority vote of the City Council shall be required for any formal action detailed on the agenda. If a motion is stated and there is no second verbally stated, the Mayor must ask the City Council for a second to the motion made. If no second is presented, the motion fails for lack of a second. Any vote of abstention must clearly indicate for the record the basis for the abstention.

Similarly, a motion, second, and a majority vote of the City Council shall be required for any Council direction to staff that occurs during any type of meeting. If direction to staff is proposed through a motion and there is no second verbally stated, the Mayor must ask the City Council for a second to the motion made. If no second is presented, the motion fails for lack of a second. Any vote of abstention must clearly indicate for the record the basis for the abstention.

11. Reconsideration – Once an item has been voted on, it will not be permitted for further discussion, unless a motion for reconsideration is made by a Councilmember who voted in the majority on that item at the same meeting (as per Robert’s Rules of Order).

12. Full Participation - To encourage full participation of all members of the Council, no member or members shall be permitted to monopolize the discussion of the question or agenda item. If a councilmember has already spoken and other members wish to speak, the latter members should be recognized in preference to the member who has already spoken. However,

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20 if no other members seek recognition, the Mayor may recognize the member who has already spoken or make a motion on the item. The Mayor has the responsibility of controlling and expediting any debate or item. It is the duty of the Mayor to keep the subject clearly before the members, to rule out irrelevant discussion, and to restate the question whenever necessary.

13. Questions on Agenda Items - Councilmembers are encouraged to submit any detailed questions on agenda items to the City Attorney or the City Manager at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Th is will allow senior staff to request information from other City staff that may not be present at the meeting and provide time to formulate a response. If a response is provided to the entire City Council prior to the meeting, State law requires (Government Code Section 54957.5) that the response be made avai lable to the public. This is done by posting the response at C ity Hall and posting the response online. Questions should be emailed directly to the City Attorney and/or to the City Manager’s Office at
[email protected]
.

Section 10. Action Minutes

1. The City Council shall use Action Minutes to record their proceedings.

2. Action minutes shall be defined as decision- only minutes that exclude any discussion that went into making the decision and capture only the conclusion and/or action to be taken. The minutes shall include the definition of action minutes.

3. Motions and votes are outlined in the action minutes.

4. Members of the public /media are authorized to bring personal recording devices to the public meeting, as long as the equipment used does not cause a disturbance or disruption to the official business of the City Council or the official recording and documentation of the meeting by the City or its agents.

Section 11. Public Participation

1. Public Participation - Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the legislative process by either submitting written comments before the meeting or speaking in person during a meeting. The following is a list of rules designed to explain how members of the public may address the governing board:

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21 ii. In the interest of facilitating the Council’s conduct of City business, speakers are provided up to 3 minutes to speak by the Presiding Officer of the meeting. Members of the public may not defer their time to another member of the public. If a speaker decides not to address the Council after submitting a speaker card, they may decline their time when their name is called by the City Clerk.

iii. Those in the audience may not jeer, boo, or applaud if these activities cause any disruption during the meeting, including times when other members of the public are speaking at the podium. If a disruption occurs, which will not allow the meeting to continue unimpeded, the Mayor may recess the meeting. The Mayor also has the right to request removal of any member of the audience who actually disrupts the meeting.

iv. No member of the audience, or person(s) speaking at the podium may approach the dais at any time before, during, or after the meeting.

Any documents being presented to the City Council, or an y Committee, Board, or Commission must be provided to the City Clerk, or staff liaison before public comment.

v. For public comment on items not on the agenda, the Brown Act prohibits councilmembers from discussing or acting upon any matter not agendized pursuant to State Law. Councilmembers and staff may respond briefly to comments by members of the public or ask questions for clarification. The City Council may refer the matter back to staff for a future reply or may direct staff to place the matter on a future agenda.

vi. All statements made to the City Council must be made at the appropriate time of the meeting and may not be shouted from the audience. Any person wishing to address the City Council will be called to the podium at the appropriate time by the Mayor.

Section 12. Appeals

1. Appeals are public hearings and will follow the time allocations for addressing the City Council detailed below, unless otherwise required, or provided by law:

i. Applicant – 10 minutes combined

ii. Appellant – 10 minutes combined

iii. Individual Speakers (public comments) – up to 3 minutes (as per Section 10)

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22 2. Appeals from decisions of the City’s Committees , Boards and Commissions shall appear on the City Council agenda for discussion. The City Council has the option to affirm the action of the commission, modify the action of the commission, refer the matter back to the commission, or revers e the decision, unless otherwise provided by law.

3. Any person that addressed the City Council during one of the 10- minute periods (as an applicant or appellant), may not speak again during the public comment period unless explicitly authorized to rebut or provide clarification by the Presiding Officer of the meeting.

4. Members of the public may not defer their time at the podium to another member of the public. If a member of the public has already addressed the City Council or has a speaker card in queue to address the City Council, they may not speak on behalf of another member of the audience.

Section 13. Communication with City Council and Staff

1. All communications between staff and councilmembers may be determined to be public records.

2. The Council, in adopting this policy, does not waive attorney -client privilege, the attorney work product privilege, or any other privilege associated with a closed session authorized under the Brown Act.

3. All emails sent and received through the City server are retained per the City’s Records Retention Schedule and are subject to the Public Records Act.

4. Members of the public are permitted to email members of the City Council by sending each Council Member an individual email.

5. From time to time, the need for a new City Council Strategic Initiatives or special projects may arise outside of the Council’s annual priority setting process. When this occurs, a Councilmember may request that the topic of their proposed Strategic Initiative be placed under the “Comments from Councilmembers” section on the agenda of regularly scheduled meeting, as described in Section 9.C.9 of this document. At such meeting, the Councilmember shall articulate why the new Strategic Initiative or special pr oject is of critical importance and requires immediate action from the City Council to consider and/or be prioritized above existing Strategic Initiatives. Upon a majority vote of the City Council, the Council may request the City Manager and/or the City Attorney analyze the impact on other priorities if directed to work on the requested item and provide the City Council with an estimated timeframe and resources needed for the work effort at a subsequent Council meeting.

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23 6. Periodically, a member of the City Council may desire for the City Attorney’s Office to conduct detailed/complex legal research on a particular topic or policy area. The Councilmember shall contact the City Attorney t o discuss the topic. If the City Attorney determines that the desired research is a significant endeavor and/or recommends that the item be placed before the City Council for direction prior to initiating the legal research, the Councilmember will need to obtain support from the City Council. This shall be accomplished by under the “Comments from Councilmembers” section on the agenda of regularly scheduled meeting, as described in Section 9.C.9 of this document. The City Attorney will determine if the request needs to be published on the printed agenda. Upon a majority vote of the City Council, the City Attorney will conduct the legal research and report back to the full City Council (a confidential/privileged memo, public report, email, or off- agenda staff report ). The limitations in this paragraph do not apply to legal research and advice regarding conflicts of interest.

7. In the event of an emergency, critical incident or activation of the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the City Councill will receive instructions and information from the City Manager or a designated liaison. At no time should a member of the City Council attempt to contact or communicate with the Incident Commander or anyone that reports to or is under the direction of the Incident Commander. Additionally, members of the City Council should not go to the scene of an emergency/critical incident and attempt to enter any evacuated or cordoned off area without prior authorization from the City Manager or the Incident Commander. During and immediately following an emergency or critical incident, the City will establish a contact for media inquiries. The Councilmembers shall make every attempt to contact the City Manager, the Council L iaison, and/or the City’s established Media Liaison prior to providing any information on the incident to members of the public or the media.

Section 14. Communication to the City Council and Use of Social Media

i. Individual City Councilmembers should confirm and clarify that the comments they are about to make do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire City Council. Because members of the public will hear and understand comments by a Councilmember to repres ent City policy and/or the City Council as a whole, it is important that Councilmembers use discretion while engaging with members of the public on any social media/media platform or public forum , regarding matters of City

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24 business or policy. Suggested language for a disclaimer to be used when clarifying opinions or statements are made is:

“I am a City Councilmember of the City of San Bruno. These are my own opinions and they may not represent those of the San Bruno City Council as a whole.”

ii. City Councilmembers are expected to actively protect any information received the course of service as a Councilmember which is considered confidential or protected, such as information that is protected under personnel privacy laws.

iii. City Councilmembers shall not post information, images or icons to any social media platform, which was obtained in their official capacity and not otherwise available to the general public without s pecific confirmation by the City Manager that such information may be used and distributed publicly.

iv. If a City Councilmember creates a post on social media about city business (examples: upcoming meeting dates, public safety issues, etc.), they may not de lete comments made by other users, or block any person who comments on the post(s). City Councilmembers should not block content or users due to a personal dislike of the user, or because of comments the other user makes, or has made.

v. Councilmembers’ use of social media is restricted by AB 992 (Mullin), and is limited to answering questions posed by the public, providing information to the public, or soliciting information from the public regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

vi. A majority of Councilmembers are prohibited from discussing business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

vii. Councilmembers may not directly respond to any communication made, posted, or shared by any other Councilmember regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

Section 15. Budget Controls for the City Council Budget

1. The annual City budget includes appropriations for City Council expenses and conferences. The amount allocated in the budget should be at least sufficient to cover City Council stipends, as well as limited funding to cover approved attendance at conferences or educational seminars when deemed appropriate.

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25 2. If a City Councilmember wishes to attend a conference, educational seminar or training, they should contact the City Clerk, who will manage reservations for the Councilmember. Any out-of-state conferences or trainings for a Councilmember must be approved by a majority of the City Council during a regular or special meeting before the scheduled conference takes place.

3. If a City Councilmember attends a conference or educational seminar on the City’s behalf, then the Councilmember must present a brief oral report of the conference or seminar at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting during the “Comments from Council Members” section of the agenda.

Section 16. Ceremonial Matters

i. If the Mayor determines that a request is consistent with the policy stated above, the Mayor can request that the City Clerk prepare the document and coordinate the release of the document, either privately, or at a future public meeting.

ii. The person who submit ted the request must provide specific details regarding the request, including language for a proclamation or resolution, or information for a certificate of appreciation at the time the request is made.

iii. Depending on the nature and time- sensitivity of a particular request, the Mayor may act without full formal concurrence of the City Council when the situation warrants. When there is no formal concurrence the Mayor shall clearly indicate the issue is from the Mayor and not the Council.

Section 17. Enforcement

1. Councilmembers have the primary responsibility to assure that these practices and protocols are understood and are followed. Councilmembers entering office shall sign a statement affirming receipt of the Council Policies and Procedures Manual.

All Councilmembers shall also sign a statement affirming receipt when the Manual is amended.

2. The following sets forth the procedures to be followed when one or more Councilmembers allege that a Councilmember has violated this Policy or any other applicable City policy.

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City Council Policies and Procedures Manual
Adopted on May 9, 2023
26 i. A majority of the City Council may request, at a public meeting, that an item be agendized at a regular or special meeting to discuss an alleged violation of this Policy. Such requests shall occur during the “Comments from Councilmembers” section of a regular meeting agenda (as per Section 9.C.9 of this policy) and such requests are not required to be published on the printed agenda.
ii. After consideration of the alleged violation, the City Council may direct that an investigation be conducted.
iii. The City Council may also schedule a hearing and provide the councilmember who is the subject of the allegation with the opportunity to submit a response in writing and/or orally at the hearing. iv. The City Council may consider admonishing the councilmember by issuing a statement of disapproval, imposing a sanction such as removal from committee assignments, and/or censuring the councilmember by adopting a formal resolution (with specific restrictions, as applicable).

3. The aforementioned shall not be used for violations of State or Federal laws, as such laws are subject to separate penalty and enforcement provisions outside of the City’s purview.

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CITY OF SAN BRUNO

CITY COUNCIL

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Adopted on December 13, 2022
Amended on May 9, 2023
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ATTACHMENT 2
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. General Rules...................................................................................................................4 A. Preamble...........................................................................................................................................4 B. Statutory Authority...........................................................................................................................4 C. Quorum ............................................................................................................................................4 D. Training Requirements .....................................................................................................................5 Section 2. Responsibilities of the City Council............................................................................5 A. Responsibilities of the City Council as the governing body for the City of San Bruno shall be to: ...5 Section 3. Responsibilities of the Mayor and Vice Mayor.........................................................5 A. Responsibilities of the Mayor: ..........................................................................................................5 B. Responsibilities of the Vice Mayor: ..................................................................................................6 Section 4. City Councilmember Duties..........................................................................................7 A. The duties for all Councilmembers (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor): ....................................7 Section 5. Strategic Initiatives and Goal Setting.........................................................................9 Section 6. Advisory Commissions, Boards and Committees................................................10 Section 7. Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees of the City Council.................................11 Section 8. Appointments to City Commissions, Boards and Committees (CBCs)...........11 A. Appointments per San Bruno Municipal Code Process ..................................................................11 B. Alternative Appointment Process for Commission, Board or Committee Members .....................12 C. Appointment Process for SBCF Board of Director Appointments ..................................................13 D. Recruitment Officer for Commission, Board or Committee Members...........................................14 Section 9. Meetings...........................................................................................................................15 A. City Council Meeting Dates.............................................................................................................15 B. Types of Meetings ..........................................................................................................................15 C. Meeting Requirements...................................................................................................................17 Section 10. Action Minutes................................................................................................................20 Section 11. Public Participation........................................................................................................20

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3 Section 12. Appeals..............................................................................................................................21 Section 13. Communication with City Council and Staff.............................................................22 Section 14. Communication to the City Council and Use of Social Media.............................23 Section 15. Budget Controls for the City Council Budget..........................................................25 Section 16. Ceremonial Matters.........................................................................................................25 Section 17. Enforcement......................................................................................................................25

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3 54 of 77

4 Section 1. General Rules
A. Preamble

2. The City Council includes the Mayor and four Councilmembers. The Mayor is elected at-large and serves a two-year term. On March 8, 2022, the San Bruno City Council authorized a conversion to district-based elections. The conversion will take place over two election cycles in 2022 and 2024. In November 2022, the first Councilmembers for District 1 and District 4 will be elected to serve four-year terms. In November 2024, the first Councilmembers for District 2 and District 3 will be elected to serve four- year terms. District elections do not affect the Mayor’s position.

B. Statutory Authority

Further, the City of San Bruno Municipal Code shall control whenever these rules are found to be in conflict therewith.

C. Quorum

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5 majority of the City Council to authorize specific actions. In such cases, a super-majority is defined as four of the total five Councilmembers.

D. Training Requirements

2. Per California Assembly Bill (AB) 1661, each Councilmember shall receive at least two hours of training in prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

Section 2. Responsibilities of the City Council
A. Responsibilities of the City Council as the governing body for the City of San Bruno shall be to:

1. Be stewards of the public interest as the primary concern.

2. Establish clear goals and priorities for addressing short and long-range needs of the community.

3. Adopt policies that define a course of action that shape the City now and in the future.

4. Demonstrate dignity, courtesy, honesty, integrity and respect during every public meeting.

5. Assure the fair and equal treatment of all persons coming before the City Council and Commissions.

6. Value all opinions, be tolerant of new and different ideas, and encourage different viewpoints while being mindful to not unnecessarily prolong discourse, or block consensus or majority action.

7. Strive to keep comments clear, concise, and on topic.

8. Work towards the common good, not personal interests.

9. Start City Council meetings on time.

Section 3. Responsibilities of the Mayor and Vice Mayor A. Responsibilities of the Mayor:

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6 1. Conduct meetings of the City Council as its Presiding Officer. (SB MuniCode 2.04.120)

2. Ensure that items on the agenda move along without delay or disruption.

3. If necessary, to keep Councilmember questions, and comments from members of the public relevant and on topic.

4. Maintain meeting order and limit meeting disruptions.

5. Convey the Mayor’s positions regarding ceremonial proclamations (or the City’s position, subject to City Council approval).

6. Represent City Government as its chief elected official at community functions, events, meetings, and business outreach and retention visits.

7. Represent the City to officially welcome/thank dignitaries, outside officials and open formal city sponsored gatherings.

8. Appoint Councilmembers for liaison positions to various external government agencies on an annual basis or from time to time as necessary, subject to City Council approval.

9. Convey the Mayor’s position regarding potential federal, state and regional legislative actions on behalf of the Mayor (or the City, subject to Council approval).

10.Make all appointments to and removals from City boards, commissions, and committees, subject to approval by the City Council. Also, see Section 7 in this document and SB MuniCode 2.04.120.

11.To vote as the City’s “voting delegate” at the League of California Cities Annual Conference and other similar meetings. This responsibility may be delegated to another Councilmember, as desired by the Mayor.

12.City letterhead, logo, insignia and brand representing the “Office of the Mayor” may be used in written communications by the Mayor in furtherance of the Mayor’s duties.

D. Responsibilities of the Vice Mayor:

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7 2. In the absence or incapacity of the Mayor, or upon specific delegation by the Mayor, to perform the functions of the Mayor and possess all of the powers and duties thereof. (SB MuniCode 2.04.120)
Section 4. City Councilmember Duties
A. The duties for all Councilmembers (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor):

The items listed below are a guideline for all members of the City Council.

1. As independently elected members of the City Council, each Councilmember shall:
i. Treat each other, city employees, and members of the public with dignity, courtesy and respect.
ii. Be attentive to others and not interrupt or distract during public meetings.
iii. Keep comments during meetings clear, concise, and on-topic; manage meeting time appropriately.
iv. Respect the role of the Presiding Officer in maintaining order during public meetings.
v. Arrive on time for Council meetings, having reviewed meeting materials in preparation for the meeting.
vi. In the absence of the mayor and the vice mayor, the City Council shall select a temporary presiding officer. (SB MuniCode 2.04.120) vii. Comply with all requirements of the Brown Act when communicating with each other.
viii. At the request of the Mayor, when available, represent the City at ceremonial functions, or at meetings of other agencies or bodies. ix. Respect the roles of staff in ensuring open and effective government.

2. Additionally, each Councilmember (including the Mayor and Vice Mayor) shall abide by the following policies:
i. No Councilmember who attends a Closed Session meeting may disclose or discuss any statements, items or documents which were developed for or presented in any Closed Session, except when specifically authorized by State law. Violation of this rule shall be

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8 considered a breach of confidentiality. Violations of closed session confidentiality may include the city obtaining injunctive relief in court and/or referral of the Councilmember to the grand jury. – Government Code Section 54963
ii. Councilmembers may not utilize City letterhead, logo, insignia and brand. Such materials are intended for official communications of the City and their use is delegated to the City Manager and City Attorney, or their designees, or as otherwise provided herein.
iii. Councilmembers shall not attempt to interfere, direct, inhibit, or become involved in administrative functions and operations of the City, unless granted specific permission by the City Manager. (SB MuniCode 2.12.060)
iv. Councilmembers should respect and adhere to the City’s form of government which is a general-law City operating under a Council- Manager form of government, with the City Council acting as the legislative body of the City. Council is the visionary policy maker; the City Manager is responsible for implementation of the Council’s vision through the administration of staff and resources, subject to the delegation of legislative authority.
v. Councilmembers must not influence or attempt to influence a decision on a matter or project on which they have a conflict of interest. vi. When using City reporting tools, such as SB Responds, email, or telephonic messages, Councilmembers shall identify themselves when possible commenting on open/archived reports.

Councilmembers shall not attempt to influence staff responses to comments/service requests from the public.
vii. Emails addressed to all Councilmembers by default will be handled by their area representative on the City Council, if it is able to be determined who their representative is.
viii.Councilmembers are encouraged to refer operational and policy interpretation questions on specific matters from residents to the appropriate staff members. Resident concerns/complaints should be referred to the Office of the City Manager for resolution by email to [email protected].
ix. Councilmembers will comply with Brown Act communication protocols. x. Email and any other written communications amongst
Councilmembers on general, non-policy matters shall include a copy

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9 to the City Manager, the City Attorney, or the general City Manager’s Office email account at [email protected]. Additionally, Councilmembers shall be included via a blind carbon-copy (bcc) in order to avoid inadvertent Brown Act violations.
xi. If a Councilmember is unable to attend a specific regional agency meeting that they are the liaison for, they should notify their alternate as soon as possible, and alert the regional agency staff representative of their absence and provide information as to where to send any packet materials.
xii. Use of City offices by the City Council should be limited to official City business review of physical documents and meetings with constituents and staff. City offices shall not be used for campaigning nor any other political or personal purpose. Space at City facilities may be reserved by emailing [email protected].

Section 5. Strategic Initiatives and Goal Setting

1. The City Council and individual Councilmembers are often tasked with balancing myriad community needs, concerns, and potential policy directives, and as such the Council agrees to undertake an annual Strategic Initiatives & Goal Setting Process which is designed to:
i. Set a basic framework for action within a specific timeframe; supporting council in allocating time to accomplish the most important tasks and focus on the most critical issues, with less distraction. ii. Provide clear direction to staff on budgetary guidelines and the City Council’s priorities and initiatives for the upcoming year. This is important because clearly defined goals offer the City Manager and staff a roadmap to meet the expectations of Council and avoid any conflicting priorities that do not meet the collective vision of the Council as a whole.

2. Strategic planning is one of the tools that enable a council to define their vision and determine methods for accomplishing short-term and long-term goals.

Strategic planning and goal setting will be identified during Study Sessions.

3. Each year before the budget sessions, the Council shall hold a Study Session in January to March to review progress on goals previously set, reprioritize existing goals as needed, and define and prioritize new goals and objectives for the City of San Bruno.

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10 4. An update on City Council Strategic Initiatives will be submitted to the City Council on a quarterly basis, but only reprioritized by vote of the Council annually at the City Council Retreat, unless altered as prescribed in Section 5.5.

Section 6. Advisory Commissions, Boards and Committees

1.The City has established several Commissions, Boards and Committees that are advisory to the City Council as a means of gathering community input. Those who serve on Commissions, Boards and Committees are volunteers who have taken their positions in an effort to become more involved with local government and to serve on advisory bodies to the City Council.

3. City Councilmembers who plan to attend Commissions, Boards or Committee meetings shall adhere to the following protocols:

B. Refrain from lobbying any Commission, Board or Committee Members on behalf of any particular project, in an effort to sway their decision to match that of the Councilmember.

C. Keep political campaign discussions away from the Commission, Board or Committee meetings. For example, if a Commission, Board or Committee Member is running for a particular elected office, a Council Member may not voice their support of the candidate during any public meeting.

4. Fireworks Permits: As per Section 9C of Resolution No. 2008 – 67 relating to temporary fireworks stands pursuant to San Bruno Municipal Code Section

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11 Section 7. Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees of the City Council For purposes of the State of California’s open meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act), there are two types of subcommittees created by the City Council:
standing committees and ad hoc committees.

A.All City Council standing and ad hoc committees shall be established by the City Council and the membership will be appointed by the City Council pursuant to Section 8.

B.Standing and ad hoc committees exist, with the initially appointed membership, until the next annually scheduled City Council assignment process for City committees and regional appointments.

C.Standing and ad hoc committees shall select their own chair during their first meeting. If the committee is unable to select a chair, or if the timing requires immediate action, the Mayor may appoint a chair from the members.

D.Any action to create a standing or ad hoc committee, appoint new or different members, or modify its duties must be placed on a City Council agenda for action.

E.Standing and ad hoc committees must provide reports to the City Council at a public meeting at least once per calendar year, or from time to time as needed or requested by the City Council.

Section 8. Appointments to City Commissions, Boards and Committees (CBCs)
A. Appointments per San Bruno Municipal Code Process
Commented [TO2]: the requirements below are more
applicable to standing committees than ad hoc committees because they do not reflect the ad hoc nature of the non- brown act bodies, including their limited scope and
duration.

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12 1. In accordance with the San Bruno Municipal Code, the Mayor shall make all appointments to and removals from City boards, commissions, and committees, subject to approval by the City Council. (SB MuniCode

2.04.120 and CA Gov’t Code §40605)

3. Removals from City boards, commissions, and committees shall follow the process outlined in SB MuniCode 2.04.120 as well as applicable Federal and State law.

E. Alternative Appointment Process for Commission, Board or Committee Members
Does not apply to San Bruno Community Foundation Board of Director Appointments, see Section 7.C.

Round One: Nominations
oMayor or Presiding Officer of the Meeting to facilitate nominations oCouncil members to be given the opportunity to make a Motion for Consideration for Appointment for any applicant
Requires a Second
Note: Any applicant that receives a Motion and a Second advances to Round 2 (no vote of the full City Council taken at this time). During the nomination process, Council members will not be called upon in alpha order. Members must ask to be recognized through the Presiding Officer if they would like to make a nomination.

Round Two: Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees
oCity Clerk to call Council members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.
oOnce called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.
oIn the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process proceeds to Round Three.

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13 The nominee(s) that receive the lowest number of votes (or are tied for the lowest number of votes) shall be eliminated.

Note: If five nominees each receive one vote, all five
nominees advance to Round Three.

Round Three: Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees, if needed oCity Clerk to call Council members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.
oOnce called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.
oIn the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process proceeds to Round Four. The nominee(s) that receive the lowest number of votes (or are tied for the lowest number of votes) shall be eliminated.

Note: If five nominees each receive one vote, all five
nominees advance to Round Four.

Round Four: Simultaneous Voting Process for Nominees, if needed oCity Clerk to call Council members alphabetically, with the Vice Mayor and Mayor last.
oOnce called upon, Council members shall vote for their preferred nominee or abstention.
oIn the event of a tie or if no single nominee receives three votes from the City Council, the appointment process ends and Council shall provide direction to staff whether to leave the position vacant or conduct a new recruitment process to fill the vacancy.

F. Appointment Process for SBCF Board of Director Appointments Founded in 2013 by the City of San Bruno, the San Bruno Community Foundation (SBCF) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. The SBCF is distinguished from other City CBC’s in that its legal structure is a dependent- nonprofit corporation under the City of San Bruno and SBCF Board members have a legal fiduciary duty to the Foundation (not the City). As such, the City Council has established the following Alternative Process for appointing SBCF Board members, which may be used at the discretion of the Mayor or a majority of the City Council.

1. Advertising for and recruitment of SBCF Board members shall be done in accordance with Section 7D of this document, with the exception that:
oThe City Council shall receive all applications.

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14 o The Council may meet to review applications and determine which applicants to invite for an interview.
oThe SBCF Board shall select two members to attend and participate in the City Council interview process.
oThe appointment process for SBCF Board members shall follow the procedures outlined in Section 7A (option: Section 7B) of this document.

G. Recruitment Officer for Commission, Board or Committee Members

1. The City Clerk serves as the official Recruitment Officer for members of the CBC’s. As such, the City Clerk is responsible for advertising vacancies (whether scheduled or unscheduled) in conformance with Government Code section 54974, receiving and processing applications, scheduling interviews, and preparing staff reports related to CBC appointments. Additionally, as the CBC Recruitment Officer, the City Clerk is responsible for maintaining the City’s official lists of CBC membership, vacancies, appointment dates, and term expirations.

2. Prior to the end of the term for a filled position or when a CBC position is vacated, the City Clerk shall initiate a recruitment, which includes an initial recruitment period of 10 business days or greater, and/or schedule interviews to fill the position, if there are at least 2 individuals have applied for vacancy.

4. Per Government Code Section 54974 (a), final appointment to the board, commission, or committee shall not be made by the legislative body for at least 10 working days after the posting of the notice in the clerk’s office.

6. Unless directed by a majority of the City Council, all CBC applicants shall be given the opportunity to be interview by the City Council.

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15 Section 9. Meetings
A. City Council Meeting Dates

1. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the second and fourth Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m. (SB MuniCode 2.04.020)

2. The second regular meeting shall not be held in December. (SB MuniCode

2.04.020)
B. Types of Meetings

Every effort will be made to release agendas and distribution materials prior to 72 hours before the meeting, when possible.

2. Special Meetings – May be held on a non-regular meeting date and/or time.

Special Meetings may be called with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice, versus the required 72 hours’ notice for regular meetings.

3. Study Sessions – Can occur during a Regular Meeting or a Special Meeting.

4. Closed Sessions – May be scheduled by the Mayor, a majority of the City Council, the City Manager, or the City Attorney. Closed sessions can be part of either a regular or special meeting. All closed sessions shall be noticed and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Brown Act.

Closed sessions may be held to discuss certain matters specified by law, including:

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16 Personnel matters to consider the appointment, employment, performance, or dismissal of a public employee
Public safety threats
Labor negotiations
License applications by persons with criminal records
Real estate negotiations
Pending and existing litigation

5. A request from a Councilmember (other than the Mayor) for a closed session for personnel matters to consider the appointment, employment, performance, or dismissal of a public employee, such shall occur during the “Comments from Councilmembers” section of a regular meeting agenda (as per Section 9.C.9 of this policy) and such requests are not required to be published on the printed agenda.

Except for public comment at the beginning of the meeting, Closed Sessions are not open to the public. The City Attorney shall keep a record of the Closed Session, including the votes taken on each closed session item where appropriate. No other notes or minutes of closed session discussions shall be recorded. The record of the votes taken shall constitute the exclusive record of the closed session, shall not be considered a public record, and shall be confidential pursuant to section 54957.2 of the Brown Act. Violations of the closed session confidentiality requirement are serious and may have impacts with respect to litigation exposure and represent a violation of the law for the person violating the confidentiality requirement.

For maximum clarity and to minimize any confusion by staff on the direction given by the City Council, all Council direction to staff on closed session items will be provided in the standard format that provides a clear direction in a motion, a second and a vote.

8. Accessibility of City Council Meetings – All meetings of the City Council shall be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act (as amended), which guarantees the public's right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. Subject to technical constraints and consideration of other factors at the City Manager’s discretion, broadcasting of such meetings shall be conducted as follows:
Regular Meetings / Special Meetings / Study Sessions: Open to the public for in-person attendance, recorded, televised and/or Commented [TO3]: SB 707 removes discretion about in-
person versus teleconference participation. All meetings of the City Council must provide for remote public
participation.

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17 livestreamed online, and available to on-demand viewing online. Action minutes prepared and published.
Retreats & Committee Member Candidate Interview (a type of special meeting): Open to the public for in-person attendance.

Action minutes prepared and published.
Closed Sessions: Closed to the public. Action minutes prepared and published, as per applicable laws.
Emergency Meetings: As directed by the City Manager, as per applicable laws.

H. Meeting Requirements

1. In the event that provisions of the Brown Act are suspended in order to allow for local legislative bodies to conduct meetings telephonically or by other electronic means to comply with public health or emergency orders, councilmembers, staff and members of the public may attend the meeting by video or phone linked to the agenda or watch by livestream when the meeting is not available for in-person attendance at a physical location.

2. Except as otherwise provided in Section 1 above, if the Councilmember attends a meeting telephonically or digitally, the Councilmember must ensure that:
i. The City Clerk is provided the teleconference/digital address location, and the councilmember must ensure the agenda is posted at that location 72 hours prior to the meeting and is visible 24 hours per day until the meeting is adjourned.
ii. The teleconference location is open and fully accessible to the public, as well as fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act, throughout the entire meeting.
iii.i. These requirements apply to private residences, hotel rooms, conference rooms, and similar facilities as well as digital platforms all of which must remain accessible throughout the duration of the meeting, without requiring identification or registration on the part of the public to attend. These rules also apply to the same type of locations outside of the United States.

3.1. The City Council and members of staff will make every effort to end its meetings before 11:00 p.m. At 10:30 p.m. during a regular or special meeting, the City Council will decide by majority vote and announce whether Commented [TO4]: SB 707 amended the Brown Act to
specify the terms under which City Council Members'
remote participation is permitted, including public health emergencies.

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18 it will begin consideration of any agenda items after 11:00 p.m. and, if so, which specific items will be discussed.

4. It is recommended that a Councilmember or staff notify the Presiding Officer prior to the meeting if they desire to reorder an item on the agenda.

5. Regular meeting agendas will include an item for “Council Committee Report Out”, placed before “Comments from Councilmembers”. This item will be an opportunity to inform the full City Council of significant agenda items or updates from Council subcommittees or ad hoc committees.

For detailed Committee Reports, the Councilmember(s) shall notify the City Clerk at [email protected] (with a copy to the City Manager and City Attorney) of the subject of their comments one week prior to the meeting, so that the topic may be placed on the agenda in accordance with the Brown Act. Brief announcements or reports do not need to be placed on the agenda as an item.

6. A City Councilmember may request that the City Council remove an item from the Consent Calendar; however, the Councilmember should strive to notify the City Manager’s Office, via email, of the request no later than noon on the day of the City Council meeting. Given that, from time to time, new information or questions may arise after noon on the day of the meeting, a Councilmember may also request to pull an item from the consent calendar for clarifying questions, or they may have written the City Manager earlier with questions regarding a specific agenda item. The City Manager may report answers for any agenda item questions when the item is being discussed during the meeting or provide a written response to the entire City Council (and made available to the public) before the meeting and prior to the close of business for the City Clerk’s Office on the day of the meeting.

8. If a Councilmember would like to pull any item(s) from the Consent Calendar for further discussion at the meeting, they may do so before voting

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19 on the Consent Calendar begins. Consent items are meant to address routine items. The Mayor should first ask Councilmembers if they wish to move any consent agenda items to the regular agenda for further discussion. If requested, the Mayor would move the item and open it up for discussion during the Conduct of Business portion of the agenda, or make it a “parking lot” item for a future agenda. Ideally, Councilmembers should ask for such a move before the meeting so it can be placed on the Conduct of Business agenda before the meeting starts.

Additionally, Councilmembers should strive to notify the City Manager’s Office, via email, of any requests to pull an item from the Consent Calendar by noon on the day of the City Council meeting.

9. Comments from Councilmembers – The purpose of this regular meeting agenda item is to allow the City Council an opportunity to make important city announcements, such as City-sponsored, or City-related public events and pertinent information. Each Councilmember shall strive to make comments that are respectful and beneficial to the community.

Councilmembers shall notify the City Clerk [email protected] (with a copy to the City Manager and City Attorney) of the subject of their comments one week prior to the meeting, so that the topic may be placed on the agenda in accordance with the Brown Act.

10.Voting – A motion, second, and a majority vote of the City Council shall be required for any formal action detailed on the agenda. If a motion is stated and there is no second verbally stated, the Mayor must ask the City Council for a second to the motion made. If no second is presented, the motion fails for lack of a second. Any vote of abstention must clearly indicate for the record the basis for the abstention.

11.Reconsideration – Once an item has been voted on, it will not be permitted for further discussion, unless a motion for reconsideration is made by a Councilmember who voted in the majority on that item at the same meeting (as per Robert’s Rules of Order).

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20 12.Full Participation - To encourage full participation of all members of the Council, no member or members shall be permitted to monopolize the discussion of the question or agenda item. If a councilmember has already spoken and other members wish to speak, the latter members should be recognized in preference to the member who has already spoken. However, if no other members seek recognition, the Mayor may recognize the member who has already spoken or make a motion on the item. The Mayor has the responsibility of controlling and expediting any debate or item. It is the duty of the Mayor to keep the subject clearly before the members, to rule out irrelevant discussion, and to restate the question whenever necessary.

13.Questions on Agenda Items - Councilmembers are encouraged to submit any detailed questions on agenda items to the City Attorney or the City Manager at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. This will allow senior staff to request information from other City staff that may not be present at the meeting and provide time to formulate a response. If a response is provided to the entire City Council prior to the meeting, State law requires (Government Code Section 54957.5) that the response be made available to the public. This is done by posting the response at City Hall and posting the response online. Questions should be emailed directly to the City Attorney and/or to the City Manager’s Office at
[email protected].

Section 10. Action Minutes

1. The City Council shall use Action Minutes to record their proceedings.

2.Action minutes shall be defined as decision-only minutes that exclude any discussion that went into making the decision and capture only the conclusion and/or action to be taken. The minutes shall include the definition of action minutes.

3. Motions and votes are outlined in the action minutes.

4. Members of the public/media are authorized to bring personal recording devices to the public meeting, as long as the equipment used does not cause a disturbance or disruption to the official business of the City Council or the official recording and documentation of the meeting by the City or its agents.

Section 11. Public Participation

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21 explain how members of the public may address the governing board:

i. The public is welcome to address the City Council on items that are not listed on the agenda during the Public Comment section of the agenda, which occurs directly before the Consent Calendar is approved.
ii. In the interest of facilitating the Council’s conduct of City business, speakers are provided up to 3 minutes to speak by the Presiding Officer of the meeting. Members of the public may not defer their time to another member of the public. If a speaker decides not to address the Council after submitting a speaker card, they may decline their time when their name is called by the City Clerk.
iii. Those in the audience may not jeer, boo, or applaud if these activities cause any disruption during the meeting, including times when other members of the public are speaking at the podium. If a disruption occurs, which will not allow the meeting to continue unimpeded, the Mayor may recess the meeting. The Mayor also has the right to request removal of any member of the audience who actually disrupts the meeting.
iv. No member of the audience, or person(s) speaking at the podium may approach the dais at any time before, during, or after the meeting.

Any documents being presented to the City Council, or any Committee, Board, or Commission must be provided to the City Clerk, or staff liaison before public comment.
v. For public comment on items not on the agenda, the Brown Act prohibits councilmembers from discussing or acting upon any matter not agendized pursuant to State Law. Councilmembers and staff may respond briefly to comments by members of the public or ask questions for clarification. The City Council may refer the matter back to staff for a future reply or may direct staff to place the matter on a future agenda.
vi. All statements made to the City Council must be made at the appropriate time of the meeting and may not be shouted from the audience. Any person wishing to address the City Council will be called to the podium at the appropriate time by the Mayor.

Section 12. Appeals

1. Appeals are public hearings and will follow the time allocations for addressing the City Council detailed below, unless otherwise required, or provided by law:

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22 i. Applicant – 10 minutes combined
ii. Appellant – 10 minutes combined
iii. Individual Speakers (public comments) – up to 3 minutes (as per Section 10)

2. Appeals from decisions of the City’s Committees, Boards and Commissions shall appear on the City Council agenda for discussion. The City Council has the option to affirm the action of the commission, modify the action of the commission, refer the matter back to the commission, or reverse the decision, unless otherwise provided by law.

3. Any person that addressed the City Council during one of the 10-minute periods (as an applicant or appellant), may not speak again during the public comment period unless explicitly authorized to rebut or provide clarification by the Presiding Officer of the meeting.

Section 13. Communication with City Council and Staff

1. All communications between staff and councilmembers may be determined to be public records.

2. The Council, in adopting this policy, does not waive attorney-client privilege, the attorney work product privilege, or any other privilege associated with a closed session authorized under the Brown Act.

3. All emails sent and received through the City server are retained per the City’s Records Retention Schedule and are subject to the Public Records Act.

4. Members of the public are permitted to email members of the City Council by sending each Council Member an individual email.

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23 immediate action from the City Council to consider and/or be prioritized above existing Strategic Initiatives. Upon a majority vote of the City Council, the Council may request the City Manager and/or the City Attorney analyze the impact on other priorities if directed to work on the requested item and provide the City Council with an estimated timeframe and resources needed for the work effort at a subsequent Council meeting.

6. Periodically, a member of the City Council may desire for the City Attorney’s Office to conduct detailed/complex legal research on a particular topic or policy area. The Councilmember shall contact the City Attorney to discuss the topic. If the City Attorney determines that the desired research is a significant endeavor and/or recommends that the item be placed before the City Council for direction prior to initiating the legal research, the Councilmember will need to obtain support from the City Council. This shall be accomplished by under the “Comments from Councilmembers” section on the agenda of regularly scheduled meeting, as described in Section 9.C.9 of this document. The City Attorney will determine if the request needs to be published on the printed agenda. Upon a majority vote of the City Council, the City Attorney will conduct the legal research and report back to the full City Council (a confidential/privileged memo, public report, email, or off- agenda staff report). The limitations in this paragraph do not apply to legal research and advice regarding conflicts of interest.

7. In the event of an emergency, critical incident or activation of the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the City Councill will receive instructions and information from the City Manager or a designated liaison. At no time should a member of the City Council attempt to contact or communicate with the Incident Commander or anyone that reports to or is under the direction of the Incident Commander. Additionally, members of the City Council should not go to the scene of an emergency/critical incident and attempt to enter any evacuated or cordoned off area without prior authorization from the City Manager or the Incident Commander. During and immediately following an emergency or critical incident, the City will establish a contact for media inquiries. The Councilmembers shall make every attempt to contact the City Manager, the Council Liaison, and/or the City’s established Media Liaison prior to providing any information on the incident to members of the public or the media.

Section 14. Communication to the City Council and Use of Social Media

1. The following guidelines apply to City Councilmember personal communications including use of various forms of social media, letters to the editor of newspapers, personal endorsements, email, newsletters, participation in public forums or other meetings and the like.
i. Individual City Councilmembers should confirm and clarify that the comments they are about to make do not necessarily reflect the views

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24 of the entire City Council. Because members of the public will hear and understand comments by a Councilmember to represent City policy and/or the City Council as a whole, it is important that Councilmembers use discretion while engaging with members of the public on any social media/media platform or public forum, regarding matters of City business or policy. Suggested language for a disclaimer to be used when clarifying opinions or statements are made is:
“I am a City Councilmember of the City of San Bruno. These are my own opinions and they may not represent those of the San Bruno City Council as a whole.”
ii. City Councilmembers are expected to actively protect any information received the course of service as a Councilmember which is considered confidential or protected, such as information that is protected under personnel privacy laws.
iii. City Councilmembers shall not post information, images or icons to any social media platform, which was obtained in their official capacity and not otherwise available to the general public without specific confirmation by the City Manager that such information may be used and distributed publicly.
iv. If a City Councilmember creates a post on social media about city business (examples: upcoming meeting dates, public safety issues, etc.), they may not delete comments made by other users, or block any person who comments on the post(s). City Councilmembers should not block content or users due to a personal dislike of the user, or because of comments the other user makes, or has made. v. Councilmembers’ use of social media is restricted by the Brown ActAB 992 (Mullin), and is limited to answering questions posed by the public, providing information to the public, or soliciting information from the public regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative bodywhich prohibits a City Councilmember from responding directly (including use of digital icons that express reactions) to any communication by another City Councilmember on social media regarding a matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council.
vi. A majority of Councilmembers are prohibited from discussing business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.
vii. Councilmembers may not directly respond to any communication made, posted, or shared by any other Councilmember regarding a Commented [TO5]: revised to more closely track Section 54952.2.

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25 matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

Section 15. Budget Controls for the City Council Budget

2. If a City Councilmember wishes to attend a conference, educational seminar or training, they should contact the City Clerk, who will manage reservations for the Councilmember. Any out-of-state conferences or trainings for a Councilmember must be approved by a majority of the City Council during a regular or special meeting before the scheduled conference takes place.

Section 16. Ceremonial Matters

1. The City may issue ceremonial proclamations, resolutions or certificates of appreciation when such an issuance positively impacts the community and conveys an affirmative message to residents. It will be the policy of the City Council to process requests for ceremonial documents in the following manner:
i. If the Mayor determines that a request is consistent with the policy stated above, the Mayor can request that the City Clerk prepare the document and coordinate the release of the document, either privately, or at a future public meeting.
ii. The person who submitted the request must provide specific details regarding the request, including language for a proclamation or resolution, or information for a certificate of appreciation at the time the request is made.
iii. Depending on the nature and time-sensitivity of a particular request, the Mayor may act without full formal concurrence of the City Council when the situation warrants. When there is no formal concurrence the Mayor shall clearly indicate the issue is from the Mayor and not the Council.

Section 17. Enforcement

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26 1. Councilmembers have the primary responsibility to assure that these practices and protocols are understood and are followed. Councilmembers entering office shall sign a statement affirming receipt of the Council Policies and Procedures Manual.

All Councilmembers shall also sign a statement affirming receipt when the Manual is amended.

2. The following sets forth the procedures to be followed when one or more Councilmembers allege that a Councilmember has violated this Policy or any other applicable City policy.
i. A majority of the City Council may request, at a public meeting, that an item be agendized at a regular or special meeting to discuss an alleged violation of this Policy. Such requests shall occur during the “Comments from Councilmembers” section of a regular meeting agenda (as per Section 9.C.9 of this policy) and such requests are not required to be published on the printed agenda.
ii. After consideration of the alleged violation, the City Council may direct that an investigation be conducted.
iii. The City Council may also schedule a hearing and provide the councilmember who is the subject of the allegation with the opportunity to submit a response in writing and/or orally at the hearing. iv. The City Council may consider admonishing the councilmember by issuing a statement of disapproval, imposing a sanction such as removal from committee assignments, and/or censuring the councilmember by adopting a formal resolution (with specific restrictions, as applicable).

3. The aforementioned shall not be used for violations of State or Federal laws, as such laws are subject to separate penalty and enforcement provisions outside of the City’s purview.

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San Bruno City CouncilSeptember 8, 2026

San Bruno City Council
September 8, 2026