June 23, 2025 1
San Carlos City Council/Successor Agency to the
Redevelopment Agency/Housing Authority Regular Meeting
Council Chambers, City Hall
600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070
June 23, 2025 7:00 p.m.
MINUTES
ROLL CALL
City Council Present:
City Council Absent:
Sara McDowell, Mayor
John Dugan, Councilmember
Neil Layton, Councilmember
Adam Rak, Councilmember
Pranita Venkatesh, Vice Mayor
Staff Present: Nil Blackburn, Assistant City Manager
Lauren Burd, Recreation Supervisor
Akanksha Chopra, Senior Management Analyst
Samantha Copsey, Deputy City Clerk
Lisa Costa Sanders, Principal Planner Consultant
Greg DaCunha, Deputy Fire Chief
Will Hoch, IT Manager
Robert Lord, Assistant Building Official
Jeff Maltbie, City Manager
Rebecca Mendenhall, Administrative Services Director
Tyler Muela, Recreation Supervisor
Amy Newby, Parks and Recreation Director
Lisa Porras, Planning Manager
Gregory Rubens, City Attorney
Al Savay, Community Development Director
Tracy Scramaglia, Assistant Public Works Director
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor McDowell called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
2. ASSEMBLY BILL 2449 TELECONFERENCE REQUESTS
None.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor McDowell led the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. CHANGES TO THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA
None.
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5. PRESENTATIONS
a. Present a Proclamation Recognizing the City’s Centennial on July 8, 2025.
Mayor McDowell presented a proclamation recognizing the City’s centennial to Gayle Collins, President of the San Carlos History Museum.
Ms. Collins accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Museum Board, thanking the Council and City staff for their support and highlighting the vital role of collaboration in the Museum’s success.
Mayor McDowell expressed appreciation to the Museum’s board members and volunteers for their dedication to preserving and sharing the City’s history, particularly through school groups.
b. Present a Proclamation Recognizing July 2025 as Parks and Recreation Month.
Mayor McDowell presented a proclamation recognizing July 2025 as Parks and Recreation Month to Parks and Recreation Director Amy Newby, highlighting the department’s key role in coordinating this year’s centennial celebrations.
Ms. Newby accepted the proclamation, invited the community to the City’s birthday celebration at Burton Park on July 8, and thanked her staff and the Public Works team for their collaborative efforts in maintaining facilities and delivering programs.
6. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor McDowell invited the community to attend the upcoming Great Gatsby Ball this Saturday at the Hiller Aviation Museum, as part of the ongoing centennial celebrations.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION: Adopt City Council Consent Calendar items ‘a’ through ‘p’.
MOVER: Dugan
SECONDER: Rak
AYES: Dugan, Layton, Rak, McDowell
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Venkatesh
RESULT: Motion Passed 4 – 0 – 1
a. Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
b. Approve the City Council May 12, 2025 Special Meeting Minutes.
c. Approve the City Council May 12, 2025 Regular Meeting Minutes.
d. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Three -Year Agreement for Professional Services for As-Needed Outside Plan Review Services Not to Exceed $400,000 Each Annually with Firms Bureau Veritas of North America, Inc., CSG Consultants, I nc., True North Compliance Services, Inc., and $750,000 Annually with West Coast Code Consultants, Inc.
Resolution 2025-059
June 23, 2025 3
e. Adopt a Resolution Approving and Adopting an Updated Comprehensive Master Salary Schedule for Fiscal Year 2025-26 in Accordance with Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations Section 570.5 and the California Employees’ Retirement System ("CalPERS"). Resolution 2025-060
f. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Three -Year Agreement with Gartner, Inc. for Information Technology and Advisory Services in the Amount of $153,932, Including Authority to Modify Services and Renew for Successive Terms up to Thr ee Years.
Resolution 2025-061
g. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Submittal of the Annual Property Assessments to San Mateo County for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Stormwater Fees, Pulgas Creek Levee Assessment Fees, and Sewer Service Charges for Fiscal Year 2025 -2026. Resolution 2025-062
h. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with the County of San Mateo for Law Enforcement Services for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030, Providing for Annual Reviews, Including the Fiscal Year 2025 -26 Payment of $13,446,007 for Police Services, Offset by the CalPERS UAAL Credit in Amount of $1,898,292, and Offset by the Approval of the Use of Prior Year Savings in the Amount of $250,000 for Police Services. Resolution 2025-063
i. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Filing of an Application for Funding Assigned to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for the City of San Carlos/San Mateo County Regional EV Charging Project; and Authorizing Local Support for the MTC’s 2024 Climate Program Implementation Grants: Charging Infrastructure Program. Resolution 2025-064
j. Adopt a Resolution Awarding the Landslide Repairs (Hillsides Above Eaton Trail, 3101 Brittan Avenue, Sheldon Avenue, and Chilton Park) Project (C2403); Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Public Projects Agreement with Brannon Corporation in the Amou nt of $479,254.00; and Authorizing the Expenditure of a 30% Contingency in the Amount of $143,776.00 totaling a Not-To-Exceed Project Cost of $623,030.00. Resolution 2025-065
k. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Plans and Specifications for the 2025 Annual Street Resurfacing Pavement Project (C9416) and Authorizing a Call for Bids. Resolution 2025-066
l. Adopt a Resolution Accepting the Midblock Crossing Project at 1650 Industrial Road C1807 and Authorizing the Public Works Director to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion. Resolution 2025-067
m. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Adjustments to the City of San Carlos Cost of Services Schedule (“User Fees”) for Fiscal Year 2025 -26 Updating Field Maintenance Per Player Use Fees.
Resolution 2025-068
n. Adopt a Resolution Awarding the 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project C9617; Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Public Projects Agreement with C2R Engineering, Inc. of Los Altos, CA in the Amount of $3,058,576.40; Authorizing the Expenditure of a 25% Co ntingency in the Amount of $764,644 for a Total Not-to-Exceed Contract Amount of $3,823,220.40; and Carrying Forward Any Remaining Unencumbered Project Funds from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 Project Budget into the FY 2025-26 Project Budget. Resolution 2025-069
o. Deny Claim of Susana Vallebueno Aimar, Carlos Fernando Vallebueno Garcinava, and Christine Gabrielle Aimar Ghionzoli.
p.
Adopt a Resolution Approving the Additional Use of the Library Excess Funds in Fiscal Year 2024- 25, in Accordance with the Library Joint Powers Authority Agreement. Resolution 2025-070
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9. STUDY SESSION
a. Receive a Presentation and Provide Input on the Downtown Specific Plan.
Planning Manager Lisa Porras commenced the item with a project summary, and reviewed the project’s vision and guiding principles, civic engagement overview, and policy recommendations.
She emphasized that the Downtown Specific Plan, along with the recently adopted Streetscape Master Plan, would guide city de cision-making for the next 20 years. Items were separated into three groups: 1) Land Use & Urban Design and Prosperity & Economic Development; 2 ) Mobility & Transportation and Parking & Transportation Demand Management (TDM); and 3 ) Public Realm, Public Art, Sustainability & Resiliency and Infrastructure.
Land Use & Urban Design and Prosperity & Economic Development
Jim Stickley presented on the land use and urban design section of the plan and outlined the key policy changes.
Public Comment
Sailesh Mehra encouraged holding community meetings with commercial brokers, builders, and property owners to gather additional input on activating the downtown and emphasized the importance of flexibility and market-driven development.
Council provided the following feedback and direction:
- expressed concern about potential impacts of state density bonuses on building heights - ensure that Harrington Park and the new plaza on the 600 block are zoned as “park” - support upzoning the Samtrans building from MU-DC-100 to MU-D-120 - provide additional data on the potential impacts of changes to the formula business ordinance, and include a more detailed analysis of trade -offs for proposed revisions; consider a future study session to explore loosening use restrictions and the implications of formula business regulations
- provide more detail on proposed outdoor dining standards; allow awnings for outdoor dining, provided they are not permanently bolted to the sidewalks ; ensure no roofs over outdoor dining; consider flexibility in allowing barriers if desired for outdoor dining areas; ensure outdoor retail display area standards maintain equity with standards for outdoor dining
- conduct more outreach to downtown business operators to discuss outdoor dining and retail display area standards
- preference to maintain 3rd floor building stepbacks on the 600, 700, and 800 blocks of Laurel Street
Mobility & Transportation and Parking & TDM
Principal Consultant Mark Spenser and Senior Principal Consultant Brian Canepa presented on the Mobility and Transportation and Parking and Transportation Demand Management piece.
Council recessed at 8:59 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 9:12 p.m.
Mr. Spenser, City Manager Jeff Maltbie and Mr. Canepa responded to Council questions.
Council provided the following feedback and direction:
- ensure consistent parking enforcements
- continue exploring more options for modified time restrictions and zoned parking such as in Palo Alto
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- ensure that the automobile, ride-share, and ADA user experiences are considered in the planning strategies for downtown
- consider waiving employee parking permit fees at Wheeler Plaza Garage to gauge employee interest in parking there
- conduct additional outreach with businesses to provide updates and promote Wheeler Plaza Garage parking for employees
- expressed hesitation with implementing parking maximums ; provide more guidance on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Transit Oriented Community Policy and its requirement for One Bay Area Grant ( OBAG) funding and provide potential consequences of non-compliance; provide report on past funds received from the MTC through the OBAG program
MOTION: At 10:07 p.m. Extend the Meeting to 11:30 p.m.
MOVER: Rak
SECONDER: Dugan
AYES: Rak, Dugan, Layton, McDowell
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Venkatesh
RESULT: Motion Passed 4 – 0 – 1
Public Realm, Public Art, Sustainability & Resiliency and Infrastructure
Mr. Stickley presented on the Project’s public realm, public art, sustainability and resiliency, and infrastructure and responded to Council questions.
Council provided the following feedback and direction:
- provide additional details for outdoor dining and retail display area standards - a llow businesses the flexibility in using non-permanent barriers for outdoor dining - p revent electric vehicle charging cables from running through busy dining corridors
b. Receive a Presentation on the Parks Master Plan Update and:
i. Discuss Merging the North Crestview Park Master Plan with the Parks Master Plan Update.
Parks and Recreation Director Amy Newby provided background on the project, gave an update on the North Crestview Park Plan, and outlined three options for Council consideration. She, along with City Attorney Greg Rubens and Principal Planner Consultant Lisa Costa Sanders, responded to Council questions.
After discussion, Council directed staff to proceed with Option 2, which involves relocating the tarplant on the site and preparing a Habitat Mitigation Plan and EIR. They emphasized the importance of maintaining the elements of the previously approved park design while addressing the rare plant issue.
ii. Discuss and Provide Direction on Preferred Opportunity Sites for Further Analysis of a Community and/or Aquatic Center.
Council Member Rak recused himself from this item as he lives within 500 feet of a location being considered.
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Project Manager Consultant Casey Case and Consultant Sus i Marzuola provided background on the project, shared community input received, and presented potential sites and conceptual designs for a community and/or aquatic center.
MOTION: At 11:26 p.m. Extend the Meeting to 12:00 a.m.
MOVER: McDowell
SECONDER: Dugan
AYES: Dugan, Layton, McDowell
NAYS: None
RECUSED: Rak
ABSENT: Venkatesh
RESULT: Motion Passed 3 – 0 – 1 – 1
Public Comment
- Sam Hertzberg, resident and Co-President of the Greater East San Carlos Association, spoke in support of including Laureola Park in the Parks Master Plan for a community and swim center, and urged the city to distribute amenities more equitably, rather than concentrating them in Burton Park. - Andy Klein, resident, thanked the Council for their supportive vote on North Crestview Park.
After discussing the pros and cons of each location and configuration, Council directed staff to further study three options - Burton Park Option 1, Burton Park Option 2, and Laureola Park Option 1, and requested additional information on the potential acquisition of the adjacent property owned by the Sequoia High School District to support the Laureola Park option.
10. AGENDA SETTING
None.
11. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 11:41 p.m.
Crystal Mui,
City Clerk