October 14, 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
October 14, 2025 7:00 PM
MINUTES
ROLL CALL
City Council Present: Sara McDowell, Mayor
Pranita Venkatesh, Vice Mayor
John Dugan, Councilmember
Neil Layton, Councilmember
Adam Rak, Councilmember
Staff Present: Nil Blackburn, Assistant City Manager
Barack Carter, Fire Chief
Janice Cheung, Fire Marshall
Lisa Costa Sanders, Principal Planner Consultant
Greg DaCunha, Deputy Fire Chief
Paul Harris, Financial Services Manager
Steven Machida, Public Works Director
Jeff Maltbie, City Manager
Rebecca Mendenhall, Administrative Services Director
Crystal Mui, City Clerk
Lisa Porras, Planning Manager
Gregory Rubens, City Attorney
Al Savay, Community Development Director
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor McDowell called the meeting to order at 7:00 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.
5. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Greg Rubens reported that in the closed sessions earlier this evening, Council voted unanimously to join a lawsuit titled County of San Mateo versus State of California.
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6. PRESENTATIONS
a. Present a Proclamation Recognizing the San Carlos Youth Softball Summer Force Program.
Mayor McDowell presented Robert Bollier, President of the San Carlos Youth Softball Association, with a proclamation recognizing the San Carlos Youth Softball Summer Force Program. Mr. Bollier thanked the Council for the recognition and expressed appreciation to the volunteers, parents, and players. The Association thanked Council for the recognition and presented them with a commemorative pin.
b. Present a Proclamation Recognizing October 5 – 11, 2025 as Fire Prevention Week.
Mayor McDowell presented Fire Marshal Janice Cheung with a proclamation recognizing Fire Prevention Week. Ms. Cheung thanked the Council for the recognition and highlighted her department’s activities in celebration of Fire Prevention Week. Councilmember Rak thanked Fire Marshal Cheung for her work and reminded residents that they may drop off batteries for free seven days a week at the recycling center. Fire Marshal Cheung offered to collaborate with RethinkWaste on outreach.
7. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Council commended the Parks and Recreation Department for the successful Art and Wine Faire held this past weekend, noting the strong community turnout.
8. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
9. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor McDowell provided details on the process for selecting a firm to provide professional recruitment services for the City Manager position (Item ‘g’).
MOTION: Adopt City Council Consent Calendar items ‘a’ through ‘m’ and Item ‘m’ – Ordinance No. 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 Com pliance Review), 18.30 (Use Permits), and 18.41 (Terms and Definitions) of the San Carlos Municipal Code.
MOVER: Layton
SECONDER: Rak
AYES: Dugan, Layton, Rak, Venkatesh, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
a. Motion to Waive Reading of All Ordinances.
b. Approve the September 8, 2025 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
October 14, 2025 3
c. Approve the September 8, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes.
d. Adopt a Resolution Adopting the Sewer Collection System Master Plan 2025 Update.
Resolution 2025-107
e. Deny Claim of Parvin Falahpour.
f. Accept the Quarterly Reports from City Commissions and Boards.
g. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Teri Black and Company, LLC For Professional Recruiting Services for the Position of City Manager in a Not-to-Exceed Contract Amount of $40,000. Resolution 2025-108
h. Adopt a Resolution Approving Additional Cash Payments to Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW), Over Three Years Starting in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 -26, to Meet the City’s Funding Contribution Requirement for SVCW Infrastructure, and Appropriating $755,000 in FY 2025-26, $2,275,000 in FY 2026-27, and Approving Future Payment in the Amount of $780,000 in FY 2027- 28 from the Wastewater (Sewer) Fund Balance, for Cash Payments to SVCW. Resolution 2025-109
i. 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.
Resolution 2025-110
j. 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. Resolution 2025-111
k. Adopt a Resolution Accepting the Arroyo Avenue and Chestnut Street Safe Routes to School Improvements (C2201) and Authorizing the Public Works Director to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion. Resolution 2025-112
l. 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. Resolution 2025-113
m. Adopt a Resolution Awarding the 2025 On-Call Sewer Replacement Project (C1702); Authorizing the Execution of 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 Approximat ely 18.7% of the Budget, for a Total Not-to-Exceed Contract Amount of $899,906.77. Resolution 2025-114
n. 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 (Res idential 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 R eview), 18.30 (Use Permits), and 18.41 (Terms and Definitions) of the San Carlos Municipal Code.
10. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Approving the Final Design for the 700 Block of Laurel Street (Phase 1B Downtown Streetscape Master Plan Implementation).
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Advance Planning Manager Lisa Porras commenced the item. She noted for the record that corrections were needed to the study session notes (enclosed in the staff report as Attachments 3, 4, and 5) including the correction of misspelled names and clarification of the Mayor’s comment from the March 10, 2025 study session, specifying that the fountain operate throughout the year rather than 24/7 as stated.
Architect Consultant Jim Stickley presented the final design for the 700 block of Laurel Street and provided a breakdown of the project cost estimate. Ms. Porras wrapped up the presentation with next steps. Mr. Stickley and City Manager Jeff Maltbie responded to Council questions.
Public Comment
- Greg St. Claire, resident and downtown business owner, expressed concerns with the proposed design for the 700 block of Laurel Street.
- John Durkin, resident, expressed concerns with the proposed design for the 700 block of Laurel Street.
Councilmembers provided the following suggestions to consider:
- extend the benches so that they do not slope down in a way that invites children to climb on them
- relocate the newspaper rack to the side rather than in the center - e xtend the café lighting to complete the “m” shape and create a more symmetrical appearance
- confirm that the trees are not heavy fruit-bearing
- consider Greg St. Claire’s input on the next phase of the process
MOTION: Adopt Resolution 2025-115 Approving the Final Design for the 700 Block of Laurel Street (Phase 1B Downtown Streetscape Master Plan Implementation).
MOVER: Dugan
SECONDER: Rak
AYES: Rak, Dugan, Layton, Venkatesh, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
Council recessed at 8:34 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 8:41 p.m.
11. PUBLIC HEARING
a. Consideration of Actions for the Minkoff Project Located at 789 Old County Road (APNs 046-131- 610 and 046-131-630).
Principal Planner Consultant Lisa Costa Sanders presented on the proposed Minkoff Project.
Applicant Will Birdsey, along with his design and landscape architects Tony Markese and Dawn Jedkins, presented their project.
Councilmembers Rak and Layton, Vice Mayor Venkatesh, and Mayor McDowell disclosed that they met with the developer a few years ago but stated that it would not affect their decision.
Ms. Costa Sanders, Mr. Birdsey, City Attorney Greg Rubens, and Ms. Jedkins responded to Council questions.
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Public Comment
- Georganne Morin, Executive Director of Healthy Cities Tutoring, spoke in support of the Minkoff Project.
- Jay Strauss, resident and Board Member of the Healthy Cities Tutoring and the Elms, spoke in support of the Project.
- Max Schaumkel, with the San Mateo County Joint Electrical Apprenticeship, spoke in support of the Project.
- Jennifer Rosse, resident and Co-President for Greater East San Carlos Board, spoke in opposition to the Project.
- Dimitri Vandellos, resident, spoke in opposition to the Project.
- Peter Nguyen, resident, spoke in support of the Project.
- Emily McLuhan, resident, spoke in support of the Project.
- Michael, resident, spoke in support of the Project.
- Michelle Williams, resident, spoke in support of the Project.
MOTION: Close the Public Hearing.
MOVER: Rak
SECONDER: Dugan
AYES: Venkatesh, Rak, Dugan, Layton, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
Ms. Costa Sanders and Traffic Consultant Mark Spencer responded to Council’s additional questions.
Council provided the following direction to staff:
- review the bike plan on Old County Road to improve conditions for cyclists (outside the scope of this project)
- explore adding shade as a new code requirement for tall buildings - f ollow-up expeditiously on construction noise complaints and enforce violations - in future discussions, when referencing an “amenity”, clarify whether it is public or private
MOTION: At 10:22 p.m. extend meeting to 11:00 p.m.
MOVER: Rak
SECONDER: Dugan
AYES: Layton, Venkatesh, Rak, Dugan, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
i. Adopt a Resolution Adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program;
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MOTION: Adopt Resolution 2025-116 Adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the 789 Old County Road Project.
MOVER: Layton
SECONDER: Rak
AYES: Dugan, Layton, Venkatesh, Rak, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
ii. Introduce an Ordinance Approving the 789 Old County Road Project Planned Development Plan, Sign Program and Related Zoning Map Amendment to Rezone the Project Site from Heavy Industrial (IH) to Planned Development (PD); and
MOTION: Introduce Ordinance 1627 Approving the 789 Old County Road Project Planned Development Plan, Sign Program, and Related Zoning Map Amendment to Rezone the Project Site from Heavy Industrial (IH) to Planned Development (PD) at 789 Old County Road (APNs 046- 131- 610 & 046- 131-630) with an a mendment to require automatic window shades installed on the complete side of the west building at 1% and shading on the 5th floor of the east building facing west at 1%.
MOVER: Rak
SECONDER: McDowell
AYES: Rak, Dugan, Layton, Venkatesh, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
iii. Introduce an Ordinance Approving a Development Agreement with Bransten Road Associate LLC.
MOTION: Introduce Ordinance 1628 Approving a Development Agreement with Bransten Road Associates LLC, for the 789 Old County Road Project with an amendment to add the following provisions:
- if a multi -tenant occupies the space and restaurant, cafe, or other retail is provided, it shall be open to the public and public parking shall be provided
- allow public access to the courtyard
MOVER: Dugan
SECONDER: Venkatesh
AYES: Venkatesh, Rak, Dugan, Layton, McDowell
NAYS: None
RESULT: Motion Passed 5 – 0
12. AGENDA SETTING
a. 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.
Councilmember Rak suggested that Council reconsider the Ordinance for construction time limits, noting that the current law provides too much flexibility for construction projects to continue indefinitely. The Council expressed support, and the item will be scheduled for future discussion.
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13. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor McDowell adjourned the meeting at 10:42 p.m. in memory of Jean Dehner. She and Council shared tributes honoring Ms. Dehner’s legacy as a longtime educator and dedicated community leader.
Crystal Mui,
City Clerk