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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, APRIL 1, 2026
The Committee meeting was held in the Council Chambers and convened at 2:00 p.m.
Present: Councilmembers - Cohen, Foley, Doan, Candelas.
Absent: Councilmembers - Kamei.
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 April 7, 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: None provided.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Bien Doan, and carried unanimously, the Committee approved the final agenda for the City Council meeting on April 7, 2026. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
2. Review April 14, 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 Domingo Candelas, and carried unanimously, the Committee approved the draft agenda for the City Council meeting on April 14, 2026. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
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B. Consent Calendar
Public Comment: Brian Darby offered public comment.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Domingo Candelas, and carried unanimously, the Consent Calendar was approved as a whole, with the following actions taken as indicated. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
1. The Public Record for March 19, 2026 - March 26, 2026. (City Clerk) Receive and file the Public Record for March 19, 2026 - March 26, 2026.
Action: The Public Record for March 19, 2026 - March 26, 2026 was received and filed. (4-0-1;
Absent: Kamei)
2. Monthly Report of Activities for March 2026. (City Auditor) Approve the Auditor’s Office Monthly Report of Activities for the month of March 2026.
Action: The Auditor’s Office monthly report of activities for the month of March 2026 was approved. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
3. Approval of District 1 San José Sharks Community Funds Grant for American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley. (Kamei)
1. Approve a $1000 grant to American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley to support its leadership development programs.
2. Place the item on the April 7, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
Action: The grant from District 1 to American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley was approved for placement on the April 7, 2026 City Council agenda for action. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
4. Approval of the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Raising for District 7’s Black April Commemoration. (Doan)
1. Approve the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Raising for District 7’s Black April commemoration on April 30, 2026.
2. Place the item on the April 7, 2026 City Council Agenda for action.
Action: The Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag raising for District 7’s Black April commemoration, was approved for placement on the April 7, 2026 City Council agenda for action. (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
C. Rules Committee Reviews, Recommendations and Approvals
1. Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy. (Foley, Campos, Tordillos, Cohen, and Casey) Direct the City Manager to prepare and return to the City Council with an Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy. [Referred from 3/11/26 - Item C.1 (ROGC 26-094)] [Page 3]
Public Comment: None provided.
Lee Wilcox, Assistant City Manager, City Manager’s Office, announced that the staff recommendation was green lit for approval, as detailed in the Workload Analysis.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Bien Doan, seconded by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, and carried unanimously, direction for the City Manager to prepare and return to the City Council with an Emergency Interim Housing Siting Policy was approved for placement on a City Council agenda for action (date not specified on the record). (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei)
2. Al Fresco 2.0. (Ortiz, Tordillos, Kamei, Cohen, and Mulcahy)
1. Direct the City Manager’s Office to:
a. Explore permanently re-establishing the Al Fresco outdoor dining program in the City of San José, for supporting economic development and small businesses in designated growth areas, including Greater Downtown San José, Urban Villages, and Business Improvement Districts. i. Evaluate opportunities to modernize and expand the program beyond basic table-and-chair setups by establishing a clear, predictable permitting pathway for more complex outdoor dining configurations: such as patios, railings, pergolas, and semi-permanent structures, while maintaining a low-barrier, by-right process for simpler installations, and review best practices from peer cities, including San Francisco’s Shared Spaces Manual, to inform the development of clear design standards and streamlined administrative processes.
b. Designate Public Works staff to serve as a coordinator for Al Fresco and outdoor dining applications, responsible for facilitating interdepartmental review and ensuring timely coordination among Public Works, Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement, Fire, Transportation, and any other relevant departments, to reduce duplicative review, minimize delays, and provide applicants with an understandable and consistent permitting pathway. [Referred from 3/18/26 - Item C.1 (ROGC 26-112)] Public Comment: Jordan Moldow offered public comment.
Lee Wilcox, Assistant City Manager, City Manager’s Office, acknowledged that the staff recommendation was green lit for approval, as detailed in the Workload Analysis.
Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Pam Foley, seconded by Councilmember Bien Doan, and carried unanimously, the item regarding Al Fresco 2.0 was approved for placement on a City Council agenda for action (date not specified on the record). (4-0-1; Absent: Kamei) D. Open Forum
1. Brian Darby offered public comment regarding victims of abuse and accountability.
2. Jordan Moldow proposed that the standing committee referral process for policy and staff recommendations be streamlined.
E. Adjournment
Chair David Cohen adjourned the Committee meeting at 2:14 p.m. [Page 4]
Minutes Recorded, Prepared, and Respectfully Submitted by, ______________________________________
Daniel Aguilar
Deputy City Clerk, City of San José
Approved at Council on:
Number of actions: 5
Attest by:
______________________________________
Toni J. Taber, MMC
City Clerk, City of San José
4/21/2026