City Council November 17, 2023
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/SANTA CLARA VALLEY
WATER DISTRICT BOARD MEETING
Minutes
Friday, November 17, 2023
9:00 AM
LOCATION:
Hybrid Meeting - Valley Water Headquarters. Bldg.
Boardroom, 5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California and Virtually - https://valleywater.zoom.us/j/84454515597
MATT MAHAN, MAYOR
ROSEMARY KAMEI, DISTRICT 1
SERGIO JIMENEZ, DISTRICT 2
OMAR TORRES, DISTRICT 3
DAVID COHEN, DISTRICT 4
PETER ORTIZ, DISTRICT 5
DEV DAVIS, DISTRICT 6
BIEN DOAN, DISTRICT 7
DOMINGO CANDELAS, DISTRICT 8
PAM FOLEY, DISTRICT 9
ARJUN BATRA, DISTRICT 10
City Council November 17, 2023
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
9:11 a.m. - Joint City Council / Santa Clara Valley Water District Board
Present Councilmembers: Batra, Candelas, Cohen, Foley, Jimenez, Kamei, Mahan.
Absent Councilmember: Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.
Present District Board Members: Beall, Eisenberg, Estremera, Keegan, Santos, Varela.
Absent District Board Members: Hsueh.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Matt Mahan and Chair Varela led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Opening Remarks by Chair of the Board and the Mayor.
Chair Varela and Mayor Mahan welcomed the City of San José staff and offered brief opening comments.
4. Emergency Preparedness and Response - Joint Emergency Action Plan.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and the City of San José Mayor and City Council receive an update on the continued coordination to support our communities in the case of flooding.
Alexander Gordon, Assitant Officer for Valley Water, and Alvin Galang, Assistant to the City Manger, Office of Emergency Management for the City of San José provided a presentation.
Public Comment: (In Person) Gale Osmer, and (Zoom) Caller 579 provided public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, seconded by Councilmember Pam Foley, and carried unanimously, the update on the continued coordination to support our communities in the case of flooding was accepted. (7 -0-4. Absent: Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.)
5. Shoreline Levee and Pond A18.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and the City of San José Mayor and City Council receive an update on the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase I Project and Pond A18.
Bhavani Yerrapotu, Deputy Operating Officer, Valley Water; and Kevin Ice, Sr. Real Estate Manager, City of San José provided a presentation.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember David Cohen, and carried unanimously, update on the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase I Project and Pond A18 was accepted. (7 -0-4. Absent: Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.)
6. Purified and Recycled Water.
Recommendation: Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and the City of San José Mayor and City Council: (a)Receive an update and provide feedback on the expansion of the purified and recycled water system and development of a potable reuse project to ensure our community is more drought resilient; and (b) Refer further discussion to the Joint R ecycled Water Policy Advisory Committee with the cities of San José and Santa Clara.
Kip Harkness, Deputy City Manager, City of San José; Melanie Richardson, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Valley Water; Jeff Provenzano, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Department; and Kirsten Struve, Assistant Officer, Water Supply Division, provided a presentation.
Public Comment: (Zoom) Caller 579 provided public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, seconded by Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, and carried unanimously, the report on the expansion of the purified and recycled water system and development of a potable reuse project was accepted. (7-0-4. Absent:
Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.)
7. Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project and Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and the City of San José Mayor and City Council receive an update on the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project and Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project.
Ryan McCarter, Deputy Operating Officer; and Bhavani Yerrapotu, Deputy Operating Officer, provided a presentation.
Public Comment: (Zoom) Nicolas G. provided public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember David Cohen, and carried unanimously, the update on the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project and Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project was accepted. (7-0-4
Absent: Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.)
8. Overall Coordination on Unhoused Issues.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Board and the City of San José Mayor and City Council receive an update and provide feedback on the overall coordination between the City of San José and Valley Water on unhoused issues.
Mark Bilski, Assistant Operating Officer for Operations and Maintenance, Valley Water; City Council November 17 , 202 3
Jen Codianne, Deputy Operating Officer for Watersheds Operations and Maintenance, Valley Water; Jon Cicirelli, Director of Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Serivices; and Ragan Henninger, Deputy Director, Housing Department provided a presentation.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, and carried unanimously, the update on the Coyote Creek Flood Protection Project and Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project was accepted. (7-0-4.
Absent: Doan, Davis, Ortiz, Torres.)
9. Discussion - Other Items for Future Consideration.
Director Eisenberg requested a Joint Working Committee, focused on sustainability and climate resilience.
Mayor Matt Mahan thanked all staff for the productive meeting. • Public Comment
1. (In Person) Gale Osmer provided public comment regarding her concern over only have two overnight warming locations, specifically in South San José.
2. (Zoom) Guest 579 provided public comment, thanking Valley Water for helping residents. • Adjournment
Valley Water Chairperson John L. Varela and City of San José Mayor Matt Mahan adjourned the Special Meeting at 12:11 p.m.
Minutes Recorded, Prepared and Respectfully Submitted by, --------------------------------------------------
Daniel Aguilar
Deputy City Clerk, City of San José
Approved at Council on: 9/9/2025
Attest By:
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Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk, City of San José