CITY OF SAN CARLOS
City Council/Successor Agency to the
Redevelopment Agency/Housing Authority
Special Meeting
October 09, 2025 1:00 PM
Enterprise Room, City Hall
600 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070
www.cityofsancarlos.org
AGENDA
Agenda
materials
may
be
viewed
online
at
www.cityofsancarlos.org/agenda,
at
City
Hall
–
600
Elm
Street,
and
in
the
San
Carlos
Library
–
610
Elm
Street,
at
least
24 hours
prior
to
this
special
meeting.
Members
of
the
public
are
welcome
to
attend
this
meeting
in-
person
.
There
will
not
be
an
option to participate remotely.
MAYOR:
Sara McDowell
COUNCIL:
John Dugan, Neil Layton, Adam Rak,
Pranita Venkatesh
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
Persons
wishing
to
address
the
City
Council
on
matters
NOT
on
the
posted
agenda
may
do so.
Each
speaker
is
limited
to
two
minutes.
If
there
are
more
than
five
individuals
wishing
to
speak
during
public
comment,
the
Mayor
may
choose
to
allow
the
first
five
speakers
to
speak
during
this
time,
and
the
balance
of
the
Public
Comment
speakers
will
be
called
upon at the end of the Council Meeting.
If
the
item
you
are
speaking
on
is
not
listed
on
the
agenda,
please
be
advised
that
the
City
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Council
may
briefly
respond
to
statements
made
or
questions
posed
as
allowed
under
the
Brown
Act
(Government
Code
Section
54954.2).
The
City
Council's
general
policy
is
to
refer
items
to
staff
for
attention,
or
have
a
matter
placed
on
a
future
City
Council
agenda
for
a
more
comprehensive
action
or
report
and
formal
public
discussion
and
input
at
that
time.
4. STUDY SESSION
a.
Discussion
of
Issues
and
T opics
Affecting
the
City
of
San
Carlos,
Including,
But
Not
Limited
T o,
the
Items
Listed
in
the
Attachments.
No
Action
Will
be
T aken
on
Any Items at This Meeting.
5. ADJOURNMENT
Any
writings
or
documents
provided
to
a
majority
of
the
City
Council
regarding
any
item
on
this
agenda
will be made available for public inspection upon request.
In
compliance
with
the
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
and
Title
VI,
and
as
outlined
in
the
City’s
Reasonable
Accommodations
Policy,
if
you
need
special
assistance
or
translation
services
to
participate
in
this
meeting,
please
contact
the
City
Clerk’s
Office
at
(650)
802-4222
or
via
Notification
in
advance
of
the
meeting
will
enable
the
City
to
make
reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
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CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: October 9, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Discussion of Issues and Topics Affecting the City of San Carlos, Including, But Not Limited To, the Items Listed in the Attachments.
No Action Will be Taken on Any Items at This Meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that the City Council discuss topics of interest identified by the City Council as listed in the Attachments, as well as any other issues that may be raised, including, but not limited to: the Strategic Plan; the City budget; economic development; zoning; planning; City services; parks and recreation; public safety; and contracting.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with this study session. Additional costs will depend upon direction provided to staff and would be requested as part of upcoming budgets or individually, as necessary.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
This Mini Retreat Study Session is an opportunity for the City Council to discuss and review topics of interest prior to the annual Strategic Retreat. The discussions will be limited to conferring with and providing general direction to staff for future review or agendizing. No action will be taken on any items at this meeting.
ALTERNATIVES:
The alternatives available to the City Council include:
1. Provide staff with general direction and authority to agendize items for further discussion or action; or
2. Do not provide staff with general direction and authority to agendize items for further discussion or action.
Respectfully submitted by:
Crystal Mui, City Clerk
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Approved for submission by:
_______________________
Jeff Maltbie, City Manager
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Mini Retreat Agenda Topics
2. Draft Agenda Forecast for October - December 2025
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Attachment 1 - Mini Retreat Agenda Topic
Development Fees & Grants
1 Thinking strategically about the Childcare Impact Fee 2 Thinking strategically about commercial development permit extension requests 3 Grant updates that we are in the process of receiving and dates for implementing? 4 Role of the Community Foundation - Funding vs. Events. It appears that the Community Foundation may be shifting focus to grant funding. What is their new role? Strategic outreach; city processes; grants.
Downtown & Economic Development
5 At a recent Council meeting $30,000 was allocated to revive downtown. What are the plans to build community?
6 Downtown building height
7 What can the city do to bring more daytime and midweek vibrancy to our downtown? Thursday night market? Mid-week music? Should the Chamber of Commerce be doing more to support our retailers and restaurants?
8 Strategic discussion on how San Carlos will maintain commercial vibrancy in light of state housing laws that permit 100% housing development throughout mixed-use districts. Should we require or otherwise incentivize first floor commercial uses on Laurel and El Camino Real? Are active residential uses that are not commercial acceptable on the first floor of our business districts?
9 How is city staff engaging with our local businesses, especially those downtown? 10 Are current parklet standards acceptable until we implement the Downtown Specific Plan?
11 Community Development Director to provide update on inbound commercial activity /development projects and related funding, and receive Council guidance on business types and locations the Council would like to encourage in particular. Assess the City's needs (follow up from August 25 City Council meeting). How to attract and retain business in San Carlos, especially downtown.
12 Compliance process for restaurants who are not compliant with county standards, specifically disposing of waste.
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Housing
13 Workforce housing: create a working group.
14 RHNA status - an update on the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) 15 Thinking strategically about housing, Eaton project, community request for housing for mentally disabled adults
Parking, Streets, & Traffic
16 Update on parking and parking restrictions on the back lot of Peet's and entrance to the yoga studio. There are many businesses that no longer exist with signs "no parking or you will be towed. "
17 Wheeler Plaza parking structure: what are ways we can encourage employees to park on the second floor?
18 Public Works - Traffic Mitigation Update: Tierra Linda, Charter, Mariposa 19 Plan for road improvements to meet council goals of upgrading Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for all roads in San Carlos.
Parks, Recreation, and Events
20 Picnic Table Reservations - current policy limits reservations for only one time block of 12 hours: 8am-8pm. The community feels strongly about shorter reservations (2-3 hours).
21 What is the policy to reserve the pickle ball courts? Is a resident able to play with 3-4 friends together?
22 Community Celebrations - Diwali and Lunar New Year. Parks & Rec organizes scheduled events and they are not able to accommodate cultural holidays.
Community members are welcome to organize cultural events but only if they are a nonprofit, or the insurance is too high for individual residents who are interested in organizing community events. Is there a solution for community members who do not have a non profit business to organize a cultural event? Diwali became a state holiday recently.
23 Is it possible to add benches to Vista Park and a small play structure? The views are beautiful and currently residents need to bring their own chair for gatherings 24 Parks maintenance and volunteers
25 What are our obligations to preserve/protect identified protected California Native Plants on public lands in San Carlos?
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Policy
26 Given significant interest in our community and over 380 petition signatures of support, should we at least hold a study session on the potential benefits and expected costs of a city ban on two-stroke engine gas leaf blowers? 27 Policies concerning the unhoused; encampment ordinance. 28 Life Moves training
29 Preparing response to potential Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) threat letter
30 Recreational Marijuana: Redwood City and Belmont have multiple. Would like to review economics/public perception of city.
Governance & Internal Processes
31 Subcommittees/Commissions: what is their intended use and how can we make their direction to staff more effective? Discuss having subcommittees reflect the Strategic Plan.
32 Study Sessions: better ways to provide direction to staff rather than not doing anything formal. Getting presentation sooner from staff to help guide us. 33 Support for Council - Employee benefits, Employee Assistance Plan, onboarding 34 Support for Council - Safety
35 Support for Council - IT system: email usage abroad, website access 36 Memos from the City Attorney for Closed Sessions
37 Brown Act and photographs
38 City scheduling of public events
39 Usage of AI in workflow
40 Emergency preparedness exercises
41 Sounding board for public educational videos - what is Council hearing from the community that can be answered in the videos?
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Agenda Forecast
Printed on: 10/01/2025
10/14/2025
City Council Regular Meeting
Item Title Department
PRESENTATIONS
Present a Proclamation Recognizing the San Carlos Youth Softball Summer Force Program.
Present a Proclamation Recognizing October 5 – 11, 2025 as Fire Prevention Week.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
Approve the September 8, 2025 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
Approve the September 8, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes.
Adopt a Resolution Adopting the Updated Sewer Master Plan. Public Works Deny Claim of Parvin Falahpour. Admin Services
Accept the Quarterly Reports from City Commissions and Boards. City Clerk Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Teri Black and Co. for Professional Recruiting Services for the Position of City Manager in a Not-to-Exceed Contract Amount of $______.
Admin Services
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Financing Agreement with Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) that Consists of a Hybrid Funding Scenario of Cash and the Use of SVCW Water Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Reserves to Meet the City’s Requirement of Funding for SVCW Infrastructure.
Admin Services
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Collections Bureau of America (CBA) to provide Collections Agency Services to the City.
Admin Services
Adopt a Resolution Accepting the 2024 Sewer Lateral Replacement Project (C1737) and Authorizing the Public Works Director to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion.
Public Works
Adopt A Resolution Accepting the Arroyo Avenue and Chestnut Street Safe Routes to School Improvements C2201; and Authorizing the Public Works Director or his designee to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion.
Public Works
Adopt a Resolution Accepting the 2023 On-Call Traffic Striping and Marking Project (C9417) and Authorizing the Public Works Director to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion.
Public Works
Adopt a Resolution Awarding the 2025 On-Call Sewer Replacement Project (C1702); Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with C2R Engineering Inc. in the Amount of $758,290.00; and Authorizing the Expenditure of a Contingency of $141,616.77 or Approximately 18.7% of the Budget for a Total of $899,906.77.
Public Works
Adopt Ordinance 1626 Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Title 18 – Zoning, to Create Objective Design Standards (ODS) for Development within the Multi-family (RM) Housing and Mixed-use (MU) Zoning Districts: Chapter 18.03 (Rules of Measurement), 18.04 (Residential Districts), 18.05 (Mixed-Use Districts), 18.06 (Commercial Districts), 18.15 (General Site Regulations), 18.18 (Landscaping), 18.26 (Planning Authorities), 18.27 (Common Procedures), 18.29 (Design Review and Objective Design Standards Compliance Review), 18.30 (Use Permits), and 18.41 (Terms and Definitions) of the San Carlos Municipal Code.
Community Devlpmnt
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NEW BUSINESS
Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Approving the Final Design for the 700 Block of Laurel Street (“Phase 1B Downtown Streetscape Master Plan Implementation”).
Community Devlpmnt
PUBLIC HEARING
Consideration of Actions for the Minkoff Project located at 789 Old County Road (APNs 046-131-610 and 046-131-630): Community Devlpmnt - Adopt a Resolution Certifying the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; - Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Map to Change the Zoning of the Site from IH – Heavy Industrial Zoning District to PD – Planned Development Zoning District and Approving the Associated Planned Development Plan and Master Sign Program; and - Introduce an Ordinance Approving a Development Agreement with Minkoff.
AGENDA SETTING
Consideration of Agendizing an Item to Reconsider Construction Time Limits (Municipal Code Chapter 15.60) to Limit the Number of Requested Time Extensions and Limit the Conditions for Exception.
ADJOURNMENT
Adjourn the Meeting in Memory of Jean Dehner.
10/27/2025
City Council Regular Meeting
Item Title Department
PRESENTATIONS
Present a Proclamation Recognizing October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Receive a Presentation from SamTrans on the Grand Boulevard Initiative Action Plan/Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
Approve the September 22, 2025 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a License Agreement with Crestview Park Condominium Association for the Trillium Lane Trail Connection.
Attorney
Adopt a Resolution for a Workers Compensation Program. Admin Services Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Third Addendum to the Professional Services Agreement with True North Research, Inc. for Survey Services for an Additional Three Years.
City Manager
Adopt a Resolution Consenting to the Dissolution of San Mateo County Cities Insurance Group Joint Powers Authority Pursuant to Section 5 of the San Mateo County Cities Group Joint Powers Agreement and Approving a Dissolution Agreement to Govern the Dissolution Process.
Admin Services
STUDY SESSION
Review and Provide Input on Draft Parks Master Plan Recommendations Parks & Recreation
NEW BUSINESS
Consideration of Introducing an Ordinance Amending and Modifying San Carlos Municipal Code Chapter 15.04 Technical Building Codes to Adopt the 2025 California Building Code Series; and Introducing an Ordinance Adopting the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code with the 2025 California Fire Code Amendments.
Community Devlpmnt
Consideration of Introducing an Ordinance by Reference Banning the Sale and Distribution of Nitrous Oxide, Also Known as “Whippets”, Subject to Limited Exceptions.
Attorney
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11/10/2025
City Council Regular Meeting
Item Title Department
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
Approve the City Council Meeting Minutes.
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Five-Year Professional Services Agreement with the County of San Mateo for Code Enforcement Services in an Amount Not to Exceed [TBD].
Community Devlpmnt
Adopt a Resolution Approving the Specifications for the Library Makerspace Project and Authorizing a Call for Bids. City Clerk Adopt a Resolution Approving Phase1A/Harrington Park Construction Drawings and Authorizing a Call for Bids. Public Works
NEW BUSINESS
Receive a Report on the Results of the September 2025 Community Survey Related to Funding for City Facilities and Services and Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Authorizing Community Outreach.
Admin Services
11/24/2025
City Council Regular Meeting
Item Title Department
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
Approve the City Council Meeting Minutes.
Accept the Fiscal Year 2025-26 First Quarter Investment Report for the Period Ending September 30, 2025 Admin Services Accept the Fiscal Year 2025-26 First Quarter Financial Report for the Period Ending September 30, 2025 Admin Services Accept the Annual Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2025 on Development Impact Fees, Reaffirming Necessity for Development Impact Fees, Making Findings Related to Impact Fee Balances and In-Lieu Fees Admin Services
Accept the City of San Carlos' Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2025 Admin Services
NEW BUSINESS
Consideration of Adopting a Resolution and Introducing an Ordinance Adopting the Downtown Specific Plan. Community Devlpmnt 12/8/2025
City Council Regular Meeting
Item Title Department
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
Approve the City Council Meeting Minutes.
REORGANIZATION
Call for Nominations for New Mayor and Vice Mayor.
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