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MINUTES OF THE
JOINT MEETING OF THE RULES AND OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE AND
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
SAN JOSÉ, CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026
The Committee meeting was held in the Council Chambers and convened at 2:00 p.m.
Present: Councilmembers - Cohen, Foley, Kamei, Doan, Candelas.
Absent: Councilmembers - None.
Staff: Lee Wilcox, Assistant City Manager, City Manager’s Office; Kevin Fisher, Assistant City Attorney, City Attorney’s Office; Joy Rodriguez, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office; Rachelle Blattman, Senior Executive Analyst, City Manager’s Office; and Daniel Aguilar, Deputy City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office.
A. City Council (City Clerk)
1. Review January 27, 2026 Final Agenda
a) Add New Items to Final Agenda
b) Assign "Time Certain" to Agenda Items (if needed)
c) Review of Notice of Waiver Requirements for Agenda Items or Documents (if needed) Public Comment: Blair Beekman offered public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Bien Doan, seconded by Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, and carried unanimously, the Committee approved the final agenda for the City Council meeting on January 27, 2026; including the add sheet, with Item 8.6 not to be heard before 6:00 p.m. (5-0-0)
2. Review February 3, 2026 Draft Agenda
a) Add New Items to Draft Agenda
b) Assign "Time Certain" to Agenda Items (if needed)
c) Review of Notice of Waiver Requirements for Agenda Items or Documents (if needed) Public Comment: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Bien Doan, seconded by Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, and carried unanimously, the Committee approved the draft agenda for the City Council meeting on February 3, 2026. (5-0-0)
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B. Consent Calendar
Public Comment: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Bien Doan, seconded by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, and carried unanimously, the Consent Calendar was approved as a whole, with the following actions taken as indicated. (5-0-0)
1. The Public Record for January 8, 2026 - January 15, 2026. (City Clerk) Receive and file the Public Record for January 8, 2026 - January 15, 2026.
Action: The Public Record for January 8, 2026 - January 15, 2026 was received and filed. (5-0-0)
2. Approval of District 9 SAP Funds for Rotary Club of San José Foundation. (Foley)
1. Approve a grant to the Rotary Club of San José Foundation to support their Enterprise Leadership Conference in the amount of $2,500.
2. Place the item on the January 27, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
Action: A grant to the Rotary Club of San José Foundation was approved for placement on the January 27, 2026 City Council Agenda for action. (5-0-0)
C. Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals
1. Exploration of a Scaled Development Fee Framework and Deferred Development Impact Fees. (Ortiz, Cohen, Mulcahy, and Casey)
Direct the City Manager to:
1. Evaluate and return to Council with options for a scaled development fee framework that aligns development fees with project characteristics such as size, affordability, public benefit, and location;
2. Develop a deferred Development Impact Fee (DIF), Public Works Offsite Fee, and other eligible project-related fee payment programs that allow projects to remit these fees at Certificate of Occupancy instead of at earlier entitlement or permitting stages; and
3. Explore aligning the City's Notice of Funding Availability cycle with the State's Business Cycle including but not limited to providing preliminary letters of commitment at time of application for funding that are subject to final Council approval.
Councilmember Peter Ortiz introduced the item and recommendation, as outlined in the January 15, 2026 joint memorandum co-authored by Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Cohen, Councilmember Mulcahy, and Councilmember Casey.
Public Comment: Blair Beekman and Jean offered public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Bien Doan, and carried unanimously, the Committee directed that the item, regarding Exploration of a Scaled Development Fee Framework and Deferred Development Impact Fees, return on a future Rules and Open Government Committee agenda with a Workload Analysis (date not specified on the record). (5-0-0) [3]
2. 2026-2027 Preliminary General Fund Forecast and Budget Priorities Study Session. (Mayor) Direct the City Manager to prepare an agenda and content for the 2026-2027 Preliminary General Fund Forecast and Budget Priorities Study Session scheduled for February 5, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. that incorporates the framework outlined in this memorandum to ensure that the City Council is prepared to provide clear and meaningful input that will directly inform the development of the 2026- 2027 Mayor’s March Budget Message and subsequent 2026-2027 Proposed Budget.
Public Comment: Blair Beekman offered public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, seconded by Councilmember Domingo Candelas, and carried unanimously, the City Manager was directed to prepare an agenda and content for the 2026-2027 Preliminary General Fund Forecast and Budget Priorities Study Session scheduled for February 5, 2026. (5-0-0)
D. Open Forum
1. Blair Beekman addressed public processes, public oversight practices, and frustration with the current federal administration.
E. Adjournment
Chair David Cohen adjourned the Committee meeting at 2:24 p.m.
Minutes Recorded, Prepared, and Respectfully Submitted by, ______________________________________
Daniel Aguilar
Deputy City Clerk, City of San José
Approved at Council on: 2/10/2026
Number of actions: 5
Attest by:
______________________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk, City of San José