November 10, 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
November 10, 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
Greg DaCunha, Deputy Fire Chief
Grace Le, City Engineer
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
Chris Valley, Building Official
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
Council Member Layton requested that Item 8e —Harrington Park Plans and Specifications —be pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
5. PRESENTATIONS
a. Present a Proclamation Recognizing Natalie W. Upon Winning Second Place in the 2025 Rethink Waste Poster Contest.
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Mayor McDowell presented a proclamation to Natalie W. recognizing her achievement in earning second place in the 2025 Rethink Waste Poster Contest and also presented a certificate from Assemblymember Diane Papan’s office. Following the recognitions, Natalie spoke briefly about her project.
b. Receive a State Legislative Update from Assemblymember Diane Papan.
Assemblymember Papan provided 2025 legislative updates and responded to Council questions.
Public Comment
- Ken Castle, resident, expressed concerns regarding prior and potentially upcoming Cal Water rate increases.
- Judy Louser spoke about free speech limitations at public meetings.
- Fred Leuchter spoke against a vehicle taxation registration and the importance of free speech limitations at public meetings.
6. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor McDowell thanked the Parks and Recreation Department for the Life on Laurel events and acknowledged the Youth Center’s Fallmas Craft Fair held over the weekend. She also noted her neighborhood’s fourteenth annual block party, held using the Centennial Block Party Kit, and thanked Alison Rak for her block party suggestions as a member of the Centennial Planning Committee.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Andrew Diesh, resident, commented about issues with local businesses and suggested the city raise taxes on businesses.
A member of the public provided comments that were off-topic.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Item ‘e’ was pulled from the Consent Calendar.
MOTION: Adopt City Council Consent Calendar items ‘a’ through ‘i; and Item ‘j’ - Adopt Ordinance 1629 Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Chapter
15.04 – Technical Building Codes, Adopting the 2025 Editions of the California Administrative Code, California Building Code (Volumes 1 and 2), California Residential Code, California Electrical Code, California Mechanical Code, California Plumbing Code, California Energy Code, California Historical Code, California Existing Building Code, California Green Building Standards Code, California Referenced Standards Code, 1997 Uniform Security Code, the 2024 Edition of the International Property Maintenance Code with Amendments and Modifications, and Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Placards; and Adopt Ordinance 1630 Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Section 15.04.110 – Title 24, Part 9, California Fire Code – Adopting the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code and the 2025 California Fire Code including all Adopted Standards; and Item ‘k’ - Adopt Ordinance 1631 Adding Chapter 8.11 to the San Carlos Municipal Code Banning the Sale and Distribution of Nitrous Oxide, Also Known as “Whippets”, with Limited Exceptions.
MOVER: Dugan
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SECONDER: Venkatesh
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 22, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes.
c. Approve the October 9, 2025 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
d. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Plans and Specifications for the Library Makerspace Project; Authorizing a Call for Bids; and Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority. Resolution 2025-122
e. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Downtown Plan Implementation Phase 1A – Harrington Park Project (C2215) Plans and Specifications; Authorizing a Contract Amendment in the Amount of $300,000 to the WRT, Inc. Agreement for Design Support During Construction; and Authorizing a Call for Bids.
Item pulled from the Consent Calendar.
f. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Amended Job Classification Specification for the Position of City Manager, Effective on the First Date of Employment of the New City Manager. Resolution 2025-123
g. Deny Claim of Kelly Boyett.
h. Adopt Resolutions Summarily Vacating a 5 -Foot-Wide Sewer Easement and Accepting a 10 - Foot-Wide Sewer Easement Over the Existing Sewer Main at 315 Elm Street (APN 050 -052- 310). Vacate Easement – Resolution 2025-124; Accept Easement – Resolution 2025-125
i. Adopt a Resolution Accepting the Big Canyon Park Landslide Project (Behind 995 Crestview Drive) (C2318) and Authorizing the Public Works Director to Issue and Record a Notice of Completion. Resolution 2025-126
j. Adopt Ordinance 1629 Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Chapter 15.04 – Technical Building Codes, adopting the 2025 Editions of the California Administrative Code, California Building Code (Volumes 1 and 2), California Residential Code, California Electric al Code, California Mechanical Code, California Plumbing Code, California Energy Code, California Historical Code, California Existing Building Code, California Green Building Standards Code, California Referenced Standards Code, 1997 Uniform Security Code , the 2024 Edition of the International Property Maintenance Code with amendments and modifications, and Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Placards; and Adopt Ordinance 1630 Amending San Carlos Municipal Code Section 15.04.110 – Title 24, Part 9, California Fire Code – Adopting the 2024 Edition of the International Fire Code and the 2025 California Fire Code including all Adopted Standards.
k. Adopt Ordinance 1631 Adding Chapter 8.11 to the San Carlos Municipal Code Banning the Sale and Distribution of Nitrous Oxide, Also Known as “Whippets”, with Limited Exceptions.
8e. Adopt a Resolution Approving the Downtown Plan Implementation Phase 1A – Harrington Park Project (C2215) Plans and Specifications; Authorizing a Contract Amendment in the Amount of
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$300,000 to the WRT, Inc. Agreement for Design Support During Construction; and Authorizing a Call for Bids.
Council Member Layton pulled this item from the Consent Calendar to express budgetary concerns and questioned the bidding process. City Engineer Grace Le responded to his questions.
MOTION: Adopt Resolution 2025 -127 Approving the Downtown Plan Implementation Phase 1A – Harrington Park Project (C2215) Plans and Specifications; Authorizing a Contract Amendment in the Amount of $300,000 to the WRT, Inc.
Agreement for Design Support During Construction; and Authorizing a Call for Bids.
MOVER: Layton
SECONDER: Rak
AYES: Rak, Layton, Venkatesh, McDowell
NAYS: None
ABSTAIN: Dugan
RESULT: Motion Passed 4 – 0 – 1
9. STUDY SESSION
a. Receive a Report on the Results of the September 2025 Community Survey Related to Funding for City Facilities and Services and Provide Feedback.
Rebecca Mendenhall, Administrative Services Director, provided a brief overview of the request for proposal process to retain vendors to assist with polling. She then introduced Jeremy Hauser of Team CivX and Dr. Timothy McLarney of True North Research, who presented findings from a survey conducted in September regarding potential ballot measures to fund City facilities and services. Mr. Hauser, Dr. McLarney, Ms. Mendenhall, and Public Works Director Steven Machida responded to Council questions.
Council directed staff to proceed with the next steps in exploring a potential sales tax measure, including:
- Initiating community education to raise awareness of the City’s funding sources and needs, including the absence of a local sales tax in San Carlos and the potential for sales tax revenues to be imposed by another agency and used outside the City. - Developing clear and transparent messaging about how any potential sales tax revenue would be used, with particular emphasis on infrastructure needs. - Testing potential tax rates in the next tracking poll, including both a ½-cent and a ¾-cent sales tax, and clearly communicating what each option would fund. - Conducting stakeholder outreach and broader community engagement to gather input and feedback on the potential measure.
10. AGENDA SETTING
At Council M ember Layton’s request, Administrative Services Director Rebecca Mendenhall provided a brief, high-level update on the City Manager timeline and hiring process, and City Attorney Greg Rubens noted that additional details would be provided offline.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor McDowell adjourned the meeting at 9:13 p.m. acknowledging Veterans Day and thanking Council Member Dugan for his service, as well as all community members who have served.
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Crystal Mui,
City Clerk