San Juan Bautista City Council
August 11, 2026

City of San Juan Bautista
The “City of History”
www.san-juan-bautista.ca.us

CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026, 6:00 P.M.

HYBRID MEETING
City Hall, Council Chambers
311 Second Street, San Juan Bautista, California
AGENDA

PUBLIC COMMENT - ADVISEMENT
Public comments are limited to items on this special meeting agenda pursuant to California Government Code section § 54954.3(b). Public comments are generally limited to three (3) minutes per speaker; the Mayor may further limit the time for public comments depending on the agenda schedule

ZOOM WEBINAR PARTICIPATION
The meeting can also be accessed by the public in the following ways: via Zoom (https://zoom.us/join) per the instructions below, and on Facebook.

Please note: If all Council Members are present in person, public participation via Zoom or Facebook viewing is for convenience only and is not required by law. If the Zoom or Facebook feed is lost for any reason, the meeting may be paused while a fix is attempted, but it may continue at the presiding officer's discretion.

JOIN ZOOM WEBINAR TO PARTICIPATE LIVE
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88373320235

To participate telephonically:

Call 1 (669) 900-6833
Webinar ID: 883 7332 0235

1. CALL TO ORDER
A. Pledge of Allegiance
B. Roll Call

2. CLOSED SESSION 5:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

Receive public communication from the audience on Closed Session items. The City Council will recess to closed session pursuant to:
a. Conference with Legal Counsel—Existing Litigation – Orozco v. City of San Juan Bautista et al. (California Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1))

3. PRESENTATION
Page | 2 City Council Auigust 11, 2026
A. Monterey Bay Economic Partnership Update – Matt Huerta, Senior Advisor, Housing

4. CONSENT
All matters listed under the San Juan Bautista City Council Consent Agenda may be enacted by one motion unless a member of the City Council or the public requests discussion or a separate vote.

A. Approve the Affidavit of Posting Agenda
B. Waive Reading of Resolutions and Ordinances on the Agenda Beyond Title C. Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review and Confirm the Continuation of the City’s Existing Development Impact Fees
Recommendation: Approve a RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista Accepting the Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review and Confirming Continuation of the City’s Existing Development Impact Fee.

D. Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage Policy Recommendation: Approve a RESOLUTION adopting a Policy on the Use of Property for Banners and Temporary Signs
E. City Parks and Facilities Use Policy
Recommendation: Approve a RESOLUTION Adopting the City of San Juan Bautista Parks & Facilities Use Policy and authorize the City Manager to administer city park and facility reservations in accordance with the adopted Policy.

F. Update on State Route 156 At the Alameda Eastbound Right-Hand Turn Lane Improvement Project
Recommendation: Receive an update on State Route 156 at the Alameda Eastbound Right-Hand Turn Lane Improvement Project
G. Municipal Communications Facilities Policy
Recommendation: Approve a RESOLUTION adopting the City of San Juan Bautista Municipal Communications Facilities Policy, and authorize the City Manager to develop administrative procedures, standard agreements, and forms necessary to implement the policy.

5. ACTION ITEMS
The Recommendation indicates the staff recommendation at the time the agenda was prepared. That recommendation does not limit the City Council's alternative actions on any matter before it.

A. Historic Downtown Revitalization Strategy: Economic Development Priorities Recommendation: Receive the presentation, discuss the City's downtown economic development priorities, and provide direction to staff.

6. ADJOURNMENT
________________________
Elizabeth Soto, City Clerk

AGENDA MATERIAL / ADDENDUM
Page | 3 City Council Auigust 11, 2026
Any addenda will be posted no later than 72 hours before regular meetings or 24 hours before special meetings, unless otherwise permitted under the Brown Act. City Council reports may be viewed at the City of San Juan Bautista City Hall at 311 Second Street, San Juan Bautista, and are posted on the City website www.san-juan-bautista.ca.us subject to the Staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting, or City Clerk Elizabeth Soto at cityclerk@san-juanbautista.ca.us or by calling (831) 623-4661 during normal business hours.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Govt. Under Code 54953(a), the City will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility for this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at least 48 hours prior to the meeting at (831) 623-4661.

If you challenge any planning or land use decision made at this meeting in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing held at this meeting, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Please take notice that the time within which to seek judicial review of any final administrative determination reached at this meeting is governed by Section 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure.

A Closed Session may be called during this meeting pursuant to Government Code §54956.9 (d)(2) if a point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the City on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the City.

PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES
If you wish to make a public comment and are attending in person, please fill out a speaker card. If you are attending via Zoom, join the Zoom Webinar and use the "Raise Hand"; if joining by telephone, press *9 on your telephone keypad.

SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS
Written comments may be submitted via mail to the City Clerk at City Hall (P.O. Box 1420, San Juan Bautista, CA 95045) or emailed to [email protected] no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Written comments will be read into the record provided that the reading does not exceed three (3) minutes.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
This agenda was posted on Thursday, August 6, 2026, on the bulletin board at City Hall, 311 Second Street; the bulletin board at the City Library, 801 Second Street; the bulletin board at the entrance to the United States Post Office, 301 The Alameda; and the City’s website. Meetings are streamed live at https://www.facebook.com/cityofsanjuanbautista/.

Item: 4.A
City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026

AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
I, Elizabeth Soto, Do Now Declare, under the Penalties of perjury, that I am the City Clerk / Administrative Services Director in the City of San Juan Bautista and that I Posted Three (3) True Copies of the attached City Council Agenda. I Further Declare That I Posted Said Agenda on the 6th day of August 2026 and in the Following Locations in the City of San Juan Bautista, County of San Benito, California.

1. On The Bulletin Board at City Hall, 311 Second Street.

2. On The Bulletin Board at The City Library, 801 Second Street.

3. On The Bulletin Board at The Entrance to The United States Post Office, 301 The Alameda
Signed at San Juan Bautista, County of San Benito, California, on the 6th day of August 2026.
____________________________________________
Elizabeth Soto, CMC, CPMC
City Clerk / Administrative Services Director
Item: 7.B
City Council Meeting
January 20, 2026

WAIVER OF READING

OF ORDINANCES
State law requires that an ordinance be read in its entirety prior to adoption unless the City Council waives reading beyond the title. Reading an entire ordinance at the meeting is extremely time-consuming; reading of the title alone usually gives the audience sufficient understanding of what the Council is considering.

To ensure that this waiver is consistently approved by the Council, Council should make the waiver at each meeting, thus, you should do it at this point on the Consent Agenda. The Council then does not have to worry about making this motion when each ordinance comes up on the agenda.

GC36934
Item: 4.C
City Council Meeting
June 16, 2026
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CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASHLEY COLLICK, CITY MANAGER
BY: ARIELLE GOODSPEED, PLANNING MANAGER
TITLE: DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE NEXUS CONSIDERATION
REVIEW AND CONFIRM CONTINUATION OF THE CITY’S

EXISTING DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Approve a Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista Accepting the Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review and Confirming Continuation of the City’s Existing Development Impact Fee.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1. Receive and accept the Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review;

2. Determine that projected growth and current planning conditions do not provide a sufficient basis to update the City’s development impact fees at this time

3. Confirm that the City’s existing development impact fees will remain unchanged and continue in effect;

4. Direct staff to continue administering the existing development impact fee program in accordance with applicable law; and

5. Direct staff to revisit the impact fee program if growth projections, development activity, infrastructure needs, or service-level assumptions materially change.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The city retained Matrix Consulting Group to complete a Comprehensive User Fee Study evaluating the full cost of providing City services and identifying recommended updates to the City’s fee The City retained Matrix Consulting Group to review the City’s existing development impact fees and determine whether current growth projections and infrastructure needs support an update. Development impact fees are charges imposed on new development to fund the development’s proportionate share of new or expanded public facilities, infrastructure, and Page | 2
eligible equipment. They may not be used to correct existing deficiencies or fund staffing, maintenance, or other operating expenses.

The review evaluated the requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act (Government Code Section 66000 et seq.) and Assembly Bill 602, as well as current regional growth projections. Matrix found that San Juan Bautista is projected to experience approximately 2.68 percent total residential and employment growth from 2026 through 2050, consisting of approximately 27 additional residents and 42 additional employees. The memorandum also notes that the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation anticipates additional housing units primarily to address existing housing needs rather than population growth.

Based on these conditions, Matrix concluded that there is presently insufficient nexus to support an update to the City’s development impact fees. The impact and proportionality relationships required by the Mitigation Fee Act, together with the demonstration of new service-level needs required by Assembly Bill 602, cannot be reasonably established for an increased or revised fee program at this time. Accordingly, staff recommends retaining the City’s existing development impact fees without change. No new or increased development impact fees are proposed by this action.

BACKGROUND:

The City established its current development impact fees in 2019. Assembly Bill 602 requires periodic review of development impact fee programs and imposes additional requirements on nexus studies and residential fee methodologies. As a matter of due diligence, the City retained Matrix Consulting Group to evaluate whether current growth trends and planning assumptions support an update to the existing fee program.

Under the Mitigation Fee Act, a development impact fee must be supported by findings identifying the purpose and use of the fee and demonstrating a reasonable relationship between the fee, the type of development charged, the need for the facilities to be funded, and the proportional impact of the development. Assembly Bill 602 additionally requires a nexus study before adopting new impact fees, analysis of existing and future service levels, and a residential fee methodology based on square footage unless findings support a different metric.

DISCUSSION:

Nexus Review and Growth Projections
Matrix reviewed growth projections prepared by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. The review identifies projected residential growth from 2,022 residents to 2,049 residents and employment growth from 548 to 590 employees between 2026 and 2050. This represents a combined increase of 69 residents and employees, or approximately 2.68 percent over the period.

The memorandum concludes that this limited projected growth does not establish a sufficient connection between new development and a need for new or expanded City facilities at a level that would support an updated impact fee calculation. The city must be able to demonstrate both that Item: 4.C
City Council Meeting
June 16, 2026
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new development creates the need for additional facilities and that the fee imposed is proportionate to that development’s impact. Based on the available projections, those findings cannot be reasonably supported at this time.

Continuation of Existing Impact Fees
Staff recommends that the city retain and continue administering its existing development impact fees. This action does not adopt a new fee, increase an existing fee, or modify the current impact fee amounts. Existing fee resolutions and implementing requirements will remain in effect unless subsequently amended or repealed by the City Council.

Maintaining the current fee schedule preserves the City’s existing impact fee program while avoiding adoption of revised fees that are not supported by the current nexus analysis. Staff will continue to account for and expend impact fee revenues in accordance with the Mitigation Fee Act and the purposes for which the fees were originally established.

Future Review
Staff will continue to monitor development activity, regional growth projections, capital facility needs, and changes in applicable law. If major development or redevelopment projects are proposed, the city may evaluate project-specific development agreements or other lawful mechanisms to address infrastructure impacts. A future citywide impact fee update may be considered when changed conditions provide sufficient evidence to support the required nexus and proportionality findings.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

The proposed Master Fee Schedule is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15273 because the fees are established to meet operating expenses, purchase supplies, equipment, and materials, and recover the costs of providing City services. In addition, the adoption of the Master Fee Schedule constitutes an administrative and fiscal activity that is not a project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with receiving the nexus review and retaining the existing development impact fee schedule. Development impact fee revenues will continue to be collected at the current adopted amounts and may be used only for eligible purposes consistent with the Mitigation Fee Act and the City’s existing impact fee program. Because no fee increase is proposed, this action will not generate additional impact fee revenue.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Resolution

2. Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review, dated June 27, 2026 Item No. 3.C
Special City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
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RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XX

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

ACCEPTING THE DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE NEXUS CONSIDERATION REVIEW AND CONFIRMING CONTINUATION OF THE CITY’S EXISTING DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES.

WHEREAS, the City of San Juan Bautista established its current development impact fees in 2019 to fund eligible public facilities, infrastructure, and equipment needed to serve new development; and
WHEREAS, development impact fees are governed by the Mitigation Fee Act, Government Code Section 66000 et seq., which requires findings demonstrating a reasonable relationship between the purpose and use of the fee, the type of development charged, the need for the public facilities, and the proportional impact of the development; and WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 602 imposes additional requirements for the adoption and periodic review of development impact fees, including adoption of a nexus study before imposing new fees, analysis of existing and future service levels, and proportionality requirements for fees imposed on housing development; and
WHEREAS, the city retained Matrix Consulting Group to conduct a Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review to evaluate whether current growth projections and infrastructure needs support an update to the City’s existing development impact fees; and WHEREAS, the review found that the city is projected to experience approximately 2.68 percent combined residential and employment growth from 2026 through 2050, including approximately 27 additional residents and 42 additional employees; and WHEREAS, the review further found that anticipated housing production identified through the Regional Housing Needs Allocation is intended primarily to address existing housing needs rather than projected population growth; and
WHEREAS, based on the limited projected growth and current planning conditions, Matrix Consulting Group concluded that there is insufficient nexus at this time to support an update to the City’s development impact fees because the impact and proportionality relationships required under the Mitigation Fee Act and the new service-level needs required under Assembly Bill 602 cannot be reasonably established; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to accept the Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review and confirm that the City’s existing development impact fees will remain unchanged and continue in effect; and
WHEREAS, this action does not adopt a new development impact fee, increase an existing fee, or modify the amount or application of the City’s current development impact fees; and Item No. 3.C
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August 11, 2026
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WHEREAS, accepting the review and maintaining the existing fee schedule is an administrative and fiscal activity that does not involve commitment to a specific project and is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista as follows:

SECTION 1. Findings.

The City Council finds that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated into this Resolution by reference. The San Juan Bautista City Council hereby makes the findings and declarations, as more fully set forth in Exhibit “A” attached hereto, with regard to the following:

A. Consistency with the 2035 San Juan Bautista General Plan.

B. Protection of the public health, safety, and welfare.

C. Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

SECTION 2. Acceptance of Nexus Review.

The City Council hereby receives and accepts the Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review prepared by Matrix Consulting Group and dated June 27, 2026, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit B.

SECTION 3. Continuation of Existing Development Impact Fees.

The City Council determines that an update to the City’s development impact fees is not warranted at this time. The City’s existing development impact fees shall remain unchanged and continue in effect pursuant to the resolutions, ordinances, and implementing documents under which they were originally adopted, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit C. Nothing in this Resolution adopts a new fee, increases an existing fee, or modifies the amount or application of any existing development impact fee.

SECTION 4. Administrative Implementation and Future Review.

City staff is directed to continue administering, accounting for, reporting, and expending development impact fee revenues in accordance with the Mitigation Fee Act and the purposes for which the fees were established. Staff shall continue to monitor regional growth projections, development activity, capital facility needs, and changes in applicable law and may return to the City Council with a future nexus study and proposed fee update when changed conditions support the findings required by law.

SECTION 5. California Environmental Quality Act.

The City Council finds that this Resolution is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4) because it constitutes an administrative and fiscal activity that does not involve a commitment to a specific project.

SECTION 6. Severability.

Item No. 3.C
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If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Resolution is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, that decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution. The City Council declares that it would have approved this Resolution and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more portions may be declared invalid or unconstitutional.

SECTION 7. Effective Date.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

PASSED AND APPROVED, by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista on this 11th day of August 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:
___________________
Leslie Jordan, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________
Elizabeth Soto, City Clerk
Item No. 3.C
Special City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
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Exhibit A
(A) Consistency with the City of San Juan Bautista 2035 General Plan and 2023–2031 Housing Element.

The proposed Master Fee Schedule is consistent with the goals and policies of the 2035 General Plan because it supports orderly municipal operations, the implementation of development review processes, the maintenance of public facilities and infrastructure, and the continued delivery of public services.
(B) Protection of the Public Health, Safety, and Welfare.

The updated Master Fee Schedule supports the protection of public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring the city has adequate resources to administer permitting, inspections, planning review, code enforcement, recreation services, and regulatory programs. (C) Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The adoption of the Master Fee Schedule is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15273 and Section 15378.

Matrix Consulting Group 1
June 27, 2026
Development Impact Fee Nexus Consideration Review
The City of San Juan Bautista (City) contracted with the Matrix Consulting Group to conduct a Development Impact Fee Study. One of the key components of the development impact fee study is the consideration of a nexus and appropriate growth requirements. The following memo presents the results of this nexus analysis, including an overview of the legal authority and nexus requirements for impact fees, growth projections for the City, and a summary of whether a sufficient nexus exists to support an update to the City’s impact fees.

STATE LEGAL AUTHORITY
A “Development Impact Fee” is a charge assessed to new development projects to offset impacts on the jurisdiction’s future infrastructure needs based on the effects of residential or commercial populations associated with the development. These fees cannot be used to offset existing infrastructure deficiencies, nor can they be used to pay for personnel services. In California, Development Impact Fees are governed by the Mitigation Fee Act (Government Code Section 66000 et seq.), originally enacted as Assembly Bill 1600, and the recently enacted Assembly Bill 602. The following subsections provide an overview of each governing document.

Mitigation Fee Act
The Mitigation Fee Act, or AB 1600, specifies that there needs to be a nexus between the collection of fees and the new residential and non-residential development within a jurisdiction’s service area. It also states that this revenue can only be used to expand existing facilities or to purchase new facilities, infrastructure, and equipment. It does not allow for revenue to be used for staffing, maintenance, or other operational costs.

The Mitigation Fee Act requires certain findings to establish a reasonable relationship or nexus between the new development and the need for new facilities or infrastructure. The following points highlight each of the key findings requirements:
• Purpose of Fee: The specific types of facilities, infrastructure, equipment, and projects for which the impact fee will be utilized. It is important to note that it cannot be utilized for operational purposes. • Use of Fee Revenue: The revenue collected from impact fees may be used only to fund specific facility expansions, infrastructure improvements, or the purchase of new facilities or equipment. • Benefit Relationship: The benefit relationship requires that the use of the impact fee revenue and the type of development project upon which it is imposed be reasonable. • Impact Relationship: To establish an impact relationship, there must be a clear and reasonable connection between the need for the public facility or infrastructure and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed.

Exhibit B
Nexus Consideration Results San Juan Bautista, CA
Matrix Consulting Group 2
• Proportionality: The proportionality requirement states that the established impact fee must be directly related to the proportionate impact of the development project.

To establish a reasonable relationship and legal nexus, a Development Impact Fee must meet all five of the requirements noted above.

Assembly Bill 602
In January of 2022, Assembly Bill 602 went into effect. This Bill applies to all impact fees adopted and/or implemented on or after July 1, 2022. The bill has three main criteria:

1. Prior to the adoption of new impact fees, a nexus study should be adopted.

2. The nexus study should highlight existing service levels, new service level needs, and an explanation of why new service levels are necessary.

3. A fee levied on housing developments must be proportionate to the square footage of proposed units or make findings on why square footage is not the appropriate metric.

Along with the above criteria, other key provisions of the bill provide guidelines regarding the implementation and oversight of impact fees, including:
• Impact fees must be posted online – along with the nexus analysis. • All impact fees must be collected at the time of final inspection or certificate of occupancy, whichever occurs later.
• Impact fees must be reviewed every 8 years.

The bill also provides for the development of a template by the State’s Housing and Community Development department prior to January 2024. This template has been developed; however, it serves more as a guideline for jurisdictions than as a template for entering information directly.

For San Juan Bautista to implement impact fees, it must meet both the criteria outlined in AB 1600 and in AB 602. The remaining sections of this memo provide information on whether there is a sufficient nexus to meet the criteria outlined in AB 1600 and AB 602.

GROWTH PROJECTIONS
One of the key components of a nexus analysis is determining whether there is sufficient growth to account for the impact on infrastructure. In determining projections for San Juan Bautista, the project team reviewed the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG)'s current projections. The following table shows the total projected growth (residential and employment) for San Juan Bautista:

Type 2026 12050 Difference Count Difference %
Residential 2,022 2,049 27 1.34%
Employment 548 590 42 7.66%
Total 2,570 2,639 69 2.68%
1 These values are from 2023 for AMBAG but serve as a proxy for 2026 values.

Nexus Consideration Results San Juan Bautista, CA
Matrix Consulting Group 3
Overall, the City is anticipated to have approximately a 2.68% growth from 2026 through 2050.

The table shows that over the 2026–2050 period, the population is expected to grow by only 27 residents, a 1.34% increase. However, the employment-to-population ratio is expected to increase by 42 employees, a 7.66% increase, over the same period.

In addition to this information, the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) has identified the need to add units; however, those units are to be redeveloped to meet existing population needs, not due to anticipated growth in the community.

SUMMARY
The City of San Juan Bautista has already established impact fees. However, these impact fees were established in 2019 and, per AB 602, are subject to review. As such, the City undertook this reevaluation as a matter of due diligence.

Overall, after reviewing growth trends and internal planning documents, there is insufficient nexus to support an update to the City’s impact fees. Because projected residential and employment growth through 2050 is minimal, the impact and proportionality relationships required under the Mitigation Fee Act and the demonstration of new service-level needs required under AB 602 cannot be reasonably established at this time. Should major developments or redevelopments occur, the City may consider negotiating development agreements to offset infrastructure or operational impacts, rather than updating its impact fees.

Exhibit C
Item: 4.D
City Council Meeting
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CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASHLEY COLLICK, CITY MANAGER
TITLE: USE OF CITY PROPERTY FOR BANNERS AND TEMPORARY

SIGNAGE POLICY
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Approve a resolution adopting a policy on the Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage Policy to establish a consistent framework governing the placement of banners, temporary signage, and other temporary displays on City-owned property. The proposed policy promotes public safety, protects City infrastructure, ensures fair and content-neutral administration, and provides clear guidance regarding authorized and unauthorized use of public property.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City periodically receives requests from community organizations, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, and other groups seeking to display banners or temporary signage on Cityowned property to promote community events, public activities, and civic initiatives.

While many of these requests provide a community benefit, the City has not previously adopted a comprehensive Council policy governing the placement of temporary banners and signage on Cityowned property. As a result, requests have historically been evaluated on a case-by-case basis, creating the potential for inconsistent application and uncertainty regarding the appropriate use of public assets.

The proposed policy establishes clear governance principles for the use of City-owned property while ensuring that requests are administered in a fair, consistent, and content-neutral manner. The policy also delegates implementation to the City Manager through administrative procedures, allowing operational practices to be updated as needed without requiring future amendments by the City Council.

Page | 2
BACKGROUND:

The City owns and maintains public property for the benefit of the community, including parks, buildings, utility poles, streetlight poles, public rights-of-way, and other public infrastructure.

From time to time, individuals and organizations request permission to place banners, temporary signs, decorations, or similar displays on City-owned property. In addition, staff occasionally encounter unauthorized signs or banners affixed to public infrastructure that require removal or enforcement action.

Although the City's Municipal Code regulates signs generally, the City has not adopted a Council policy specifically addressing the use of City-owned property for temporary banners and signage.

Adoption of this policy establishes consistent governance principles while providing flexibility for the City Manager to administer the program through administrative procedures.

DISCUSSION:

Establishing a Consistent Framework
The proposed policy establishes a clear framework governing temporary banners and signage placed on City-owned property while preserving the City's ability to protect public infrastructure and maintain public safety.

Key policy provisions include:
• Establishing uniform standards for the use of City-owned property; • Protecting public infrastructure and municipal assets; • Ensuring requests are administered in a fair and content-neutral manner; • Authorizing City-sponsored programs and approved temporary displays; • Delegating administrative implementation to the City Manager; and • Providing consistent enforcement procedures for unauthorized installations.

The policy is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing Municipal Code provisions governing signs and public property.

Administrative Implementation
Following adoption, the City Manager will continue to administer the policy through administrative procedures governing permit review, enforcement, documentation, and other operational matters. These procedures may be amended from time to time to improve efficiency, respond to operational needs, or reflect changes in law without requiring amendments to the Council-adopted policy.

These procedures will address operational matters including permit review, documentation, enforcement, removal procedures, communication standards, safety considerations, and staff Item: 4.D
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responsibilities.

The City Manager will administer the policy through administrative procedures, which may be updated as necessary to reflect operational needs, legal requirements, and best practices.

Protecting Public Assets
The policy reinforces the City's responsibility to preserve public infrastructure while allowing the City to support community events and civic activities through appropriate, authorized use of public property. It also establishes consistent expectations for applicants and provides staff with clear direction when responding to unauthorized installations.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

The proposed action involves the adoption of administrative policies governing the management of City communications and does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Accordingly, the proposed action is not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).

FISCAL IMPACT:

Adoption of the proposed policy is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.

Administration of the policy will be performed by existing City staff. Establishing standardized procedures may improve administrative efficiency by providing consistent guidance for evaluating requests and addressing unauthorized installations.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
The proposed policy supports several Strategic Plan goals, including:
• Transparent & Responsive Government;
• Organizational Capacity & Professionalization;
• Community Engagement;
• Economic Development & Tourism Promotion; and
• Operational Excellence.

CONCLUSION
The proposed Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage Policy establishes a consistent governance framework for the temporary use of City-owned property. Adoption of the policy will improve consistency, protect public infrastructure, support community events through a transparent approval process, and provide clear direction for the administration and enforcement of temporary banners and signage.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution
Page | 4

2. Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage Policy Item: 4.D
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RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XX

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

ADOPTING THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY FOR BANNERS AND TEMPORARY

SIGNAGE POLICY
WHEREAS, the City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains public property for the benefit of the community; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes its responsibility to protect public infrastructure, promote public safety, ensure the consistent and equitable use of City-owned property, and support community activities through the appropriate use of public assets; and WHEREAS, the City periodically receives requests from community organizations, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, and other entities seeking to place banners, temporary signage, and similar displays on City-owned property; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adopting a formal policy will establish clear governance principles for the use of City-owned property, promote consistent and contentneutral administration, and provide guidance regarding authorized and unauthorized temporary displays; and
WHEREAS, the proposed policy complements existing provisions of the San Juan Bautista Municipal Code governing signs and the use of public property; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to delegate administration and implementation of the policy to the City Manager through administrative procedures; and WHEREAS, the proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines because it involves the adoption of administrative policies governing the management of City-owned property.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista as follows:

Section 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 2. The City Council hereby adopts the Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage Policy, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 3. The City Manager, or designee, is authorized to administer the policy and establish, amend, and implement administrative procedures necessary to carry out its provisions.

Item: 4.D
City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
Page | 2
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.

PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista on this 11th day of August 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:
___________________
Leslie Q. Jordan, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________
Elizabeth Soto, City Clerk
Page | 1

CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL POLICY
Use of City Property for Banners and Temporary Signage
I. PURPOSE
The City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains public property for the benefit of the community. The City Council recognizes its responsibility to protect public infrastructure, preserve public safety, maintain the appearance and integrity of City facilities, and ensure the consistent and lawful use of City-owned property.

The purpose of this Policy is to establish uniform rules governing the placement of signs, banners, decorations, notices, memorials, artwork, and other items on City-owned or Citycontrolled property.

II. POLICY
Except as specifically authorized by this Policy or by City approval, no private person, organization, business, or other entity may attach, affix, install, suspend, post, or display items on City-owned property.

City-owned property includes, but is not limited to:
 Utility poles
 Streetlight poles
 Traffic signal poles
 Sign posts
 Trees
 Buildings
 Fences
 Park facilities
 Benches
 Public rights-of-way
 Other City infrastructure
This prohibition applies regardless of the message, purpose, viewpoint, political affiliation, religious affiliation, or organizational identity of the sponsoring individual or organization.

III. AUTHORIZED USES
The City Council authorizes the following categories of use:

A. Official City Uses
The City may install signs, banners, decorations, flags, seasonal displays, public art, informational materials, or other items as necessary for governmental operations, public safety, tourism, civic celebrations, economic development, or community beautification.

B. City-Sponsored or City-Approved Programs
Page | 2
The City Council may authorize programs permitting temporary displays or decorations on City property.

The Council may also delegate authority to the City Manager to approve temporary installations consistent with adopted Council policies.

C. Permitted Activities
Where authorized by:
• Special Event Permit
• Encroachment Permit
• License Agreement
• Facility Use Permit
• Other City authorization
Temporary installations may be permitted subject to conditions established by the City.

IV. ADMINISTRATION
The City Manager shall establish administrative procedures governing:
• Permit review
• Enforcement
• Removal procedures
• Safety standards
• Documentation
• Cost recovery
• Notice requirements
• Other implementation measures
These procedures may be revised administratively as necessary to ensure efficient implementation of this Policy.

V. ENFORCEMENT
Unauthorized items placed upon City-owned property may be removed by the City consistent with:
 applicable Municipal Code provisions;
 this Policy; and
 administrative procedures adopted by the City Manager.

Where practical, voluntary compliance should be encouraged before removal unless immediate action is necessary to protect public safety or City infrastructure.

VI. CONTENT NEUTRALITY
This Policy shall be administered in a content-neutral manner.

Decisions regarding authorization, denial, removal, or enforcement shall not be based upon:

Page | 3
 viewpoint;
 political affiliation;
 religious expression;
 ideological position;
 identity of the speaker; or
 subject matter of the display.

Nothing in this Policy shall be interpreted as creating a public forum on City-owned property.

VII. PROTECTION OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
The City may prohibit or remove installations that:
 damage City property;
 interfere with maintenance;
 create safety hazards;
 obstruct visibility;
 interfere with utilities or traffic control devices;
 create liability for the City; or
 otherwise impair governmental operations.

VIII. LIABILITY
The City assumes no responsibility for the maintenance, repair, replacement, theft, loss, or damage of privately owned items placed on City-owned property.

Any authorized installation remains the sole responsibility of the permittee or sponsoring organization.

IX. DELEGATION
The City Council delegates administration and enforcement of this Policy to the City Manager, who may further delegate responsibilities to appropriate City staff.

X. SEVERABILITY
If any section or provision of this Policy is determined to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

XI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Policy shall become effective upon approval of the City Council resolution.

Item: 4.E.

City Council Meeting
August 18, 2026
Page | 1

CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASHLEY COLLICK, CITY MANAGER
TITLE: PARKS AND FACILITIES USE POLICY
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Approve a resolution adopting the City of San Juan Bautista Parks & Facilities Use Policy, and authorize the City Manager to administer city park and facility reservations in accordance with the adopted Policy.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the resolution adopting the City of San Juan Bautista Parks & Facilities Use Policy, acknowledging the historical record associated with Abbe Park, and authorizing the City Manager to administer city park and facility reservations in accordance with the adopted Policy.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Recent scheduling conflicts involving multiple user groups at Abbe Park highlighted the absence of a formal City policy governing reservations for parks and recreational facilities. During staff's review of the historical record, additional recorded documents were identified that provide a more complete history of Abbe Park than was reflected in Resolution No. 2022-52.

The proposed action accomplishes two primary objectives.

First, it updates the City's legislative record by acknowledging the complete chain of title and related recorded documents associated with Abbe Park.

Second, it establishes a comprehensive park and facilities use policy providing consistent procedures for reservation requests, scheduling priorities, facility administration, key control, maintenance responsibilities, and use of City parks and recreational facilities.

Following adoption, the City Manager will implement administrative procedures, reservation forms, and operational practices necessary to administer the policy.

BACKGROUND:

Page | 2
Since the 1939 conveyance of Abbe Park, the City's role has evolved from maintaining a single recreational park to administering multiple parks, recreational facilities, community events, youth sports programs, and facility reservations. As community use has expanded, formal policies governing reservations and administration have become increasingly important to ensure equitable access, operational consistency, and effective stewardship of public facilities. 1939 Abbe Park Deed
On July 8, 1939, Lydia A. Abbe, Rena Grace Louis, individually and as Trustee under the Last Will and Testament of Frank A. Abbe, conveyed Abbe Park to the City of San Juan subject to three deed restrictions:

1. The property shall be used as a recreational park;

2. The property shall be known as Abbe Recreation Park; and

3. The San Juan Service Club would have control of park activities so long as the organization functioned within the City.
1966 Recorded Waiver
During staff's review of County Recorder records, a recorded Waiver of Restriction dated January 31, 1966 and recorded April 5, 1966 was identified. The document, executed by the successors to the original grantors, expressly waived the third deed restriction and released the San Juan Service Club from responsibility for the operation or control of activities within Abbe Park. 2006 Little League Agreement
In 2006, the City Council approved a use agreement with the San Juan Bautista Little League to formalize responsibilities for use of the Abbe Park athletic facilities and to improve public access and maintenance responsibilities.
2022 Resolution No. 2022-52
In 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-52 to amend the existing agreement regarding maintenance and electrical costs associated with youth baseball activities. Resolution No. 2022-52 referenced the original 1939 deed language but did not include the subsequently recorded 1966 waiver.

Current Operations
Over time, the City has assumed increasing responsibility for administration of park reservations, athletic field scheduling, key control, maintenance coordination, and recreational facility management. Recent requests from multiple organizations to utilize Abbe Park have highlighted the absence of a Council-adopted reservation policy governing priority of use and administration of City recreational facilities.

Item: 4.E.

City Council Meeting
August 18, 2026
Page | 3
DISCUSSION:

Over time, the City's administration of Abbe Park has evolved in response to changing community needs, recreational programming, and operational responsibilities. While previous Council actions addressed specific maintenance and programming matters, the City has not adopted a comprehensive policy governing park and facility reservations or clearly defining administrative responsibilities for scheduling, facility access, key control, maintenance coordination, and operational oversight.

Recent requests for use of Abbe Park by multiple organizations highlighted the need for a consistent, transparent, and Council-adopted reservation process applicable to all City parks and recreational facilities.

During staff's review of the historical record associated with Abbe Park, additional recorded documents were identified that provide a more complete understanding of the property's history.

While Resolution No. 2022-52 addressed maintenance responsibilities associated with youth baseball programming, it did not reflect the complete documentary record now available to the City.

Rather than addressing the historical documents and current reservation issues separately, staff is recommending a comprehensive governance framework that both acknowledges the complete historical record and establishes clear administrative policies for future use of City parks and facilities.

The proposed Resolution and parks and facilities use policy are intended to modernize the City's administration of public recreational facilities by:
• Acknowledging the complete historical record associated with Abbe Park; • Establishing a uniform reservation process for all City parks and facilities; • Clarifying the respective roles of the City Council, City Manager, City staff, and facility users;
• Providing transparent and equitable procedures for facility scheduling and access; • Establishing standards for reservation requests, scheduling priorities, key issuance, recurring use, maintenance responsibilities, cancellations, and appeals; and • Authorizing the City Manager to implement administrative procedures necessary for dayto-day administration of the City's parks and recreational facilities.

The proposed policy establishes consistent standards applicable to all City parks and recreational facilities while authorizing the City Manager to administer day-to-day operations through administrative procedures. The policy is intended to improve transparency, ensure equitable access to public facilities, clarify administrative authority, and provide consistent expectations for all park users.

This approach shifts the City's administration of park facilities from reliance on historical practices and individual agreements toward a comprehensive, Council-adopted policy framework that will provide consistency, transparency, and flexibility for future recreational programming and Page | 4
community use.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

The proposed action involves adoption of administrative policies governing the use and administration of existing public recreational facilities and is not a project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).

FISCAL IMPACT:

The proposed policy is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact. Park reservations will continue to be administered by existing staff utilizing adopted fees and existing operational resources.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
The proposed policy supports several Strategic Plan goals, including:
• Transparent & Responsive Government;
• Organizational Capacity & Professionalization;
• Community Engagement;
• Economic Development & Tourism Promotion; and
• Operational Excellence.

CONCLUSION
Adoption of the proposed Resolution and parks and facilities use policy will modernize the City's administration of parks and recreational facilities, establish clear and transparent reservation procedures, provide consistent operational authority, and ensure future decisions regarding use of City facilities are guided by Council-adopted policy rather than historical practice.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution 2026-XX

2. Exhibit A – City of San Juan Bautista parks and facilities use policy

3. Resolution 2022-52 (1939 Grant Deed)

4. 1966 Waiver of Restriction
Page | 1

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

ACKNOWLEDGING THE HISTORICAL RECORD ASSOCIATED WITH ABBE PARK, SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION NO. 2022-52, ADOPTING THE CITY OF SAN

JUAN BAUTISTA PARKS AND FACILITIES USE POLICY, AND AUTHORIZING

THE CITY MANAGER TO ADMINISTER CITY PARK AND FACILITY

RESERVATIONS
WHEREAS, on July 8, 1939, Lydia A. Abbe, Rena Grace Louis, individually and as Trustee under the Last Will and Testament of Frank A. Abbe, conveyed certain real property to the City of San Juan, now the City of San Juan Bautista, for use as a public recreational park, subject to certain deed restrictions; and
WHEREAS, the recorded Grant Deed provided that the property shall be used as a recreational park, shall be known as Abbe Recreation Park, and included a third restriction regarding control of park activities by the San Juan Service Club; and WHEREAS, on January 31, 1966, the successors to the original grantors executed a Waiver of Restriction in Deed, recorded on April 5, 1966, expressly waiving the third deed restriction and releasing the San Juan Service Club from responsibility for the operation or control of activities at Abbe Park; and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved a use agreement with the San Juan Bautista Little League in 2006 to formalize responsibilities associated with recreational programming and use of the athletic facilities at Abbe Park; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-52 to amend maintenance responsibilities and funding associated with youth baseball activities at Abbe Park; and
WHEREAS, following adoption of Resolution No. 2022-52, staff identified additional recorded historical documents associated with the Abbe Park property that provide a more complete record regarding the property's chain of title and historical governance; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to acknowledge the complete historical record, affirm the City's responsibility for administration of City-owned parks and recreational facilities, and establish a comprehensive policy governing reservations and use of City parks and facilities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adoption of a uniform Parks and Facilities Use Policy promotes fairness, transparency, consistency, equitable public access, and efficient administration of City parks and recreational facilities, and that implementation of the Policy requires a coordinated transition to ensure all organizations and users are subject to the same reservation requirements, administrative procedures, and scheduling standards; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista as follows:

Page | 2
SECTION 1. Historical Record.

The City Council acknowledges the historical documents associated with Abbe Park, including the 1939 Grant Deed, the recorded 1966 Waiver of Restriction in Deed, subsequent agreements concerning recreational programming, and other related public records.

SECTION 2. Administration of City Parks.

The City Council reaffirms that City parks and recreational facilities are public facilities owned and administered by the City of San Juan Bautista. The administration of reservations, scheduling, facility access, key control, maintenance coordination, and related operational matters shall be conducted by the City in accordance with Counciladopted policy and applicable law.

SECTION 3. Adoption of parks and facilities use policy.

The City Council hereby adopts the City of San Juan Bautista parks and facilities use policy, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference.

SECTION 4. Administrative Authority.

The City Manager is authorized to implement and administer the parks and facilities use policy, establish administrative procedures and forms necessary for its implementation, approve facility reservations consistent with the adopted policy, and make administrative determinations regarding scheduling, facility access, and operational matters.

SECTION 5. Supersession of Resolution No. 2022-52.

Resolution No. 2022-52 is hereby superseded to the extent it is inconsistent with this Resolution or the City of San Juan Bautista parks and facilities use policy. Any provisions of Resolution No. 2022-52 relating to maintenance funding or operational matters that are not inconsistent with this Resolution shall remain in effect unless subsequently modified by the City Council.

SECTION 6. Transition to New Reservation System.

To ensure the consistent implementation of the City of San Juan Bautista Parks & Facilities Use Policy, the City Manager is authorized to establish an implementation schedule for the transition to the new reservation system. Existing recurring reservations, seasonal schedules, and informal facility use arrangements may be reviewed, modified, or discontinued as necessary to implement the adopted Policy. Organizations seeking continued use of City parks or facilities shall submit reservation requests in accordance with the adopted Policy and the City's administrative procedures.

SECTION 7. Severability.

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Resolution is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution.

SECTION 8. Effective Date.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Page | 3
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista on this 18th day of August 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:
________________
Leslie Q. Jordan
ATTEST:
_____________________
Elizabeth Soto, City Clerk

CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

PARKS & FACILITIES USE POLICY
I. PURPOSE
The City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains parks and recreational facilities for the benefit of residents, visitors, community organizations, and the general public.

The purpose of this Policy is to establish a fair, transparent, and consistent framework governing the reservation and use of City parks and facilities while protecting public assets, promoting equitable access, and ensuring the efficient administration of City resources.

This Policy establishes the governance principles for reservation and use of City parks and recreational facilities. Administrative procedures necessary to implement this Policy shall be established by the City Manager.

II. APPLICABILITY
This Policy applies to all City-owned parks, athletic fields, picnic areas, community facilities, and recreational amenities made available for public reservation or organized use.

This Policy applies equally to:
• Individuals;
• Residents and non-residents;
• Nonprofit organizations;
• Youth sports organizations;
• Civic organizations;
• Schools;
• Government agencies;
• Private organizations; and
• Commercial users, where authorized by the City.

III. POLICY OBJECTIVES
The City Council establishes the following objectives:

A. Preserve City parks and facilities for public recreational use.

B. Provide equitable and transparent access to City recreational facilities.

C. Protect City infrastructure and public investment.

D. Encourage recreational programming that benefits the community.

E. Ensure reservations are administered consistently and without preferential treatment except as expressly authorized by this Policy.

F. Clearly define administrative responsibilities.

IV. ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
The City Manager, or designee, shall administer this Policy and is authorized to establish administrative procedures necessary for its implementation.

Administrative responsibilities include:
• Reviewing reservation applications;
• Approving, denying, conditioning, or modifying reservations; • Establishing seasonal scheduling calendars;
• Coordinating recurring reservations;
• Issuing facility keys;
• Establishing operational procedures;
• Resolving scheduling conflicts consistent with this Policy; • Suspending facility privileges when necessary to protect City property or public safety.

V. RESERVATION PRINCIPLES
The City recognizes that public parks and recreational facilities serve a variety of community needs and are intended to provide opportunities for recreation, community gatherings, civic events, youth activities, and other public purposes.

When evaluating reservation requests, the City shall administer reservations in a manner that is fair, transparent, and consistent with the following principles:

A. Public Benefit. Priority shall be given to uses that provide a broad recreational, civic, educational, or community benefit.

B. Youth Recreation. In furtherance of the City's recreational objectives, substantial consideration should be given to programs that provide recreational opportunities for children and youth.

C. Community Access. The City shall strive to maximize reasonable public access to parks and facilities while balancing recurring recreational programming, community events, maintenance needs, and facility preservation.

D. Equitable Administration. Reservation requests shall be evaluated consistently using objective criteria. No organization, league, club, or individual shall have exclusive or perpetual rights to use any City park or recreational facility unless expressly authorized by the City Council through a separate agreement.

E. Operational Considerations. The City may consider public safety; facility capacity; maintenance requirements; field conditions; seasonal scheduling; historical use patterns; staffing availability; and the efficient use of public resources when evaluating competing requests.

F. City Functions. City-sponsored meetings, programs, public safety activities, maintenance operations, and officially sponsored community events may receive priority over other uses when necessary to fulfill municipal responsibilities.

G. Compliance with Property Restrictions. The use of City parks and facilities shall remain subject to any applicable deed restrictions, easements, covenants, grant requirements, licenses, permits, or other legal restrictions governing the use of a particular property. Nothing in this Policy supersedes or modifies any applicable deed restriction, easement, covenant, grant condition, permit, or other legal requirement governing the use of a City property.

H. Recurring Reservations. The City may approve recurring or seasonal reservations when doing so promotes efficient scheduling and consistent recreational programming. Approval of a recurring reservation for one season does not create a vested right or guarantee priority in future seasons. All recurring reservations remain subject to annual review, operational needs, maintenance requirements, and the provisions of this Policy. Recurring reservations are a privilege and not a property right and may be modified or discontinued by the City in accordance with this Policy and applicable administrative procedures.

In administering this Policy, the City Manager or designee may establish seasonal scheduling procedures, application deadlines, and administrative practices that further these principles while ensuring equitable and efficient use of City facilities.

Nothing in this Policy grants exclusive or perpetual use of any City facility.

VI. USE REQUIREMENTS
All users shall:
• Comply with City ordinances;
• Comply with park rules;
• Maintain required insurance when applicable;
• Pay adopted fees and deposits;
• Protect City property;
• Return facilities in clean condition;
• Comply with directions from City staff.
• Comply with all conditions of an approved reservation.

VII. KEYS AND FACILITY ACCESS
City-issued keys, access devices, combinations, and electronic credentials remain the property of the City of San Juan Bautista.

Only authorized City personnel may issue keys or provide access to restricted facilities. Keys shall not be duplicated, transferred, loaned, or used by any person other than the authorized key holder.

A refundable key deposit and other applicable fees shall be established by the City Council's adopted Fee Schedule.

Any individual or organization issued a City key shall be responsible for its safekeeping and timely return.

Failure to return a city-issued key, unauthorized duplication or transfer of a key, or misuse of City access credentials may result in one or more of the following:
• Forfeiture of any refundable key deposit;
• Assessment of actual costs associated with replacement keys, lock replacement, rekeying, or restoration of facility security;
• Recovery of applicable City staff time and administrative costs in accordance with the City's adopted Fee Schedule;
• Suspension or revocation of current or future reservation privileges; and • Any other remedies available under applicable law.

The City Manager or designee may immediately deactivate or recover access credentials whenever necessary to protect public facilities or City property.

VIII. MAINTENANCE
Routine maintenance of City parks and facilities shall be performed by the City unless otherwise authorized in writing.

No individual or organization may perform maintenance activities involving City equipment or motorized vehicles without written authorization from the City Manager or designee.

Volunteer projects may be authorized through separate agreements approved by the City.

IX. FEES
Reservation fees, deposits, damage charges, and other applicable costs shall be established by resolution of the City Council.

Administrative procedures may establish methods of payment, collection of deposits, refunds, billing, and cost recovery consistent with the City's adopted Fee Schedule.

X. APPEALS
Applicants may appeal an administrative reservation decision to the City Manager or designee in accordance with administrative procedures established pursuant to this Policy.

The City Manager's decision shall constitute the City's final administrative determination.

XI. Enforcement
Users who violate this Policy, reservation conditions, City ordinances, or applicable laws may have their reservation modified, suspended, or revoked. The City may also recover damages, cleaning costs, repair costs, administrative costs, and any other amounts authorized by the City's adopted Fee Schedule or applicable law.

Repeated or serious violations may result in suspension, revocation, or denial of future reservation requests.

XII. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
The City Manager is authorized to develop administrative procedures, reservation forms, seasonal scheduling calendars, standard operating procedures, and related documents necessary to implement this Policy.

Administrative procedures may be revised from time to time without further action by the City Council provided they remain consistent with this Policy.

XIII. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Policy shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the City Council.

XIV. INTERPRETATION
The City Manager is authorized to interpret and administer this Policy consistent with its stated purpose and objectives. In the event of ambiguity or circumstances not specifically addressed herein, the City Manager may make administrative determinations that are consistent with this Policy, applicable law, and the efficient operation of City parks and facilities.

Item:4.F__
City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
Page | 1

CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: ENGINEERING
FROM: JERRY SANGUINETTI, PUBLIC WORKS
BY: DOUGLAS PIKE, CITY ENGINEER
TITLE: UPDATE ON STATE ROUTE 156 AT THE ALAMEDA

EASTBOUND RIGHT-HAND TURN LANE IMPROVEMENT

PROJECT
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Receive an update on the State Route 156 at The Alameda Eastbound Right-Hand Turn Lane Improvement Project.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends the City Council receive an update on the State Route 156 at The Alameda Eastbound Right-Hand Turn Lane Improvement Project.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The report provides an update on the design, coordination, and bidding of the State Route 156 at The Alameda Eastbound Right-Hand Turn Lane Improvement Project. The improvement is a developer-required mitigation associated with the development of the Alameda Gas Station project.

Under the Development Agreement and related reimbursement agreements, the developer completed the engineering design, while the City is responsible for administering the public improvement, including advertising for bids, awarding the construction contract, construction management, and coordination with Caltrans. The project was advertised for competitive bids on August 11, 2026, and the City is currently accepting bids from qualified contractors. Staff will return to the City Council with a recommendation for contract award following bid opening and evaluation.

Advertisement Date: August 11, 2026
Bid Opening Date: September 15, 2026, 11 AM at City Hall Council Chambers Page | 2
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The eastbound right-hand turn lane at State Route 156 and The Alameda is a public roadway improvement required as part of the approved Alameda Gas Station development. Although the original traffic analysis concluded that cumulative traffic conditions would not necessitate improvement until approximately 2035, Caltrans requested earlier construction to enhance traffic operations and safety at the intersection.

Because the improvement is located within State highway right-of-way, the project was designed in coordination with Caltrans District 5 and will be constructed under a Caltrans Encroachment Permit. The City will administer the construction contract, with Caltrans providing oversight for work performed within the State highway system.

Under the Development Agreement and reimbursement agreements:
 The City administers procurement, permitting, construction management, and Caltrans coordination.
 The developer funds its required fair share of the improvement and reimburses the City for eligible costs.

PROJECT HISTORY:
 2014 – Planning Commission approved the project.
 2014 – City Council approved the project with conditions requiring participation in the right-hand turn lane improvement.
 2015 – City and developer entered into a reimbursement agreement.  2022 – Agreement amended following transfer of ownership.  2025-2026 – Development Agreement updated to reflect current project obligations and reimbursement provisions.
 August 11, 2026 – Project advertised for competitive bids.

The improvement, while required for the development, will provide long-term public benefits by improving traffic flow, reducing vehicle queueing, and enhancing safety for motorists traveling through the State Route 156 corridor and The Alameda intersection.

NEXT STEPS:
 September 15, 2026 – Scheduled bid opening.
 Staff will evaluate bids for compliance, cost, and contractor qualifications.  Staff will return to the City Council with a recommendation for contract award.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

A Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the project dated March 28, 2025, was prepared for this project as a supplement to the Alameda Gas Station project. The MND concludes that implementation of the identified mitigation measures will reduce potential environmental impacts to a less-than-significant level. The project plans and specifications include the report identifying the mitigation measures that the Contractor is required to implement during construction.

Item:4.F__
City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
Page | 3
FISCAL IMPACT:

The Engineer’s Estimate for construction is $1.262 million. The estimated costs for bidding and construction engineering support services, construction management, and inspection will be presented in the City Council staff report following the bid opening.

Project funding will be provided through a combination of developer contribution and Traffic Impact Fees. Pursuant to the Development Agreement and related reimbursement agreements, the developer will reimburse the City for its required share of eligible project costs, consistent with the Development Agreement and reimbursement provisions.

Following the bid opening, staff will return to City Council, prior to award, with a recommendation for contract award identifying the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, along with an updated project budget, and a summary of project funding and reimbursement obligations.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Exhibit A

Item: 4.G
City Council Meeting
August 11, 2026
Page | 1

CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASHLEY COLLICK, CITY MANAGER
TITLE: ADOPTION OF THE MUNICIPAL COMMUNICATIONS

FACILITIES POLICY AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY

MANAGER TO DEVELOP ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

AND STANDARD AGREEMENTS
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Approve a Resolution adopting the City of San Juan Bautista Municipal Communications Facilities Policy and authorize the City Manager to develop administrative procedures, standard agreements, and forms necessary to implement the policy.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy establishing consistent principles governing the use of City-owned property for communications infrastructure and authorize the City Manager to implement administrative procedures and standard agreements consistent with the adopted Policy.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains a variety of public facilities that may be suitable for communications infrastructure, including water storage facilities, municipal buildings, utility sites, and other public property. As communications technology has evolved, municipalities are increasingly receiving requests to utilize public facilities for broadband, wireless communications, fiber infrastructure, and related technologies.

While the City has evaluated such requests on a case-by-case basis, it has not previously adopted a comprehensive Council policy establishing consistent principles governing the use of municipal facilities for communications infrastructure.

The proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy establishes a governance framework to guide future requests involving City-owned property. The policy is intended to protect critical municipal infrastructure, preserve the City's operational flexibility, promote transparency and consistency in decision-making, ensure fair market compensation, and support communications infrastructure that serves the public interest.

Page | 2
Following adoption, the City Manager will develop administrative procedures and standard agreements necessary to implement the Policy.

BACKGROUND:

The City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains a variety of municipal facilities that may be suitable for communications infrastructure, including water storage facilities, municipal buildings, utility sites, and other public property. These facilities are increasingly sought by communications providers to support broadband, wireless internet, fiber optic networks, public safety communications, and other telecommunications services.

Over the past several years, the City has received proposals from communications providers seeking to utilize City-owned facilities to expand broadband infrastructure and improve internet connectivity within the community. These proposals have included a combination of traditional lease arrangements, public-private partnerships, and agreements providing public benefits in lieu of monetary compensation. In 2021, the City entered into a Site License Agreement authorizing the placement of communications equipment on a City water tank in exchange for municipal internet services and a proposed downtown public Wi-Fi network.

While these opportunities have demonstrated the value of municipal facilities in expanding communications infrastructure, they have also highlighted the need for a consistent policy framework governing the use of City-owned assets. To date, requests have been evaluated individually, without a Council-adopted policy establishing uniform principles for compensation, public benefits, infrastructure protection, operational responsibilities, or long-term administration.

As communications technologies continue to evolve and demand for access to municipal facilities increases, staff recommends adoption of a Municipal Communications Facilities Policy to provide clear direction for future requests. The proposed Policy establishes consistent governance principles that protect critical public infrastructure, promote transparency and fairness in the evaluation of proposals, preserve the City's future operational needs, and ensure the responsible stewardship of municipal assets.

The proposed Policy is intended to serve as the City's overarching framework for evaluating future communications infrastructure proposals. Adoption of the Policy does not authorize any specific lease, license agreement, or communications project. Future proposals will continue to be presented to the City Council for consideration, as appropriate, and evaluated in accordance with the adopted Policy, applicable laws, and the specific facts of each proposal.

DISCUSSION:

Municipal infrastructure has become an increasingly valuable asset for the deployment of communications facilities, including broadband, wireless internet, fiber networks, public safety communications, and other emerging technologies. Water tanks, municipal buildings, utility sites, and other public facilities are routinely sought by communications providers because of their strategic locations and existing infrastructure.

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Historically, the City has evaluated requests for the use of municipal facilities on a case-by-case basis. While this approach has allowed flexibility, it has not provided a consistent framework for evaluating proposals, protecting municipal assets, ensuring equitable treatment of applicants, or establishing clear expectations for compensation, public benefits, operational requirements, and long-term management.

The City's experience with communications infrastructure agreements has demonstrated the importance of clearly defining the respective responsibilities of the City and communications providers, establishing measurable performance expectations, and providing mechanisms for ongoing oversight and administration. Adoption of a comprehensive policy will provide staff and the City Council with consistent guidance for future requests, regardless of the communications provider or technology involved. The City's prior Site License Agreement contemplated public benefits in exchange for use of City property, including municipal internet service and a downtown Wi-Fi network, illustrating the variety of arrangements that may be proposed for municipal facilities.

The proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy establishes guiding principles intended to:
• Protect critical municipal infrastructure and public safety operations; • Preserve the City's ability to expand and modernize its own communications systems; • Promote transparency and consistency in evaluating future proposals; • Ensure fair market compensation or clearly defined public benefits for the use of municipal assets;
• Encourage broadband and communications infrastructure that serves the community; and • Establish a consistent administrative framework for negotiating, managing, and monitoring communications facility agreements.

The proposed Policy does not approve any specific communications project, lease, or license agreement. Rather, it establishes the governance framework under which future proposals will be evaluated by the City. Each proposal will continue to be considered on its own merits and will remain subject to applicable City approvals, environmental review, engineering analysis, and legal review.

Adoption of this Policy will provide the City with a consistent and transparent process for managing municipal communications facilities while protecting public assets and supporting future technology investments that benefit the community.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

The proposed action involves adoption of administrative policies governing the use and administration of existing public recreational facilities and is not a project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).

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FISCAL IMPACT:

Adoption of the proposed Policy has no immediate fiscal impact. The Policy establishes a framework for evaluating future communications facility requests and may improve the City's long-term management of municipal assets and opportunities for cost recovery.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
The proposed policy supports several Strategic Plan goals, including:
• Transparent & Responsive Government
• Infrastructure Stewardship
• Financial Sustainability
• Organizational Capacity
• Technology & Innovation

CONCLUSION
Adoption of the proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy establishes a consistent governance framework for evaluating future communications facility proposals, protecting critical municipal infrastructure, promoting transparency, supporting responsible asset management, and ensuring future agreements involving City-owned facilities are guided by Council-adopted policy.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution

2. Exhibit A - Municipal Communications Facilities Policy Page | 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-xx

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

ADOPTING THE CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA MUNICIPAL COMMUNICATIONS

FACILITIES POLICY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT

THE POLICY THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND STANDARD

AGREEMENTS
WHEREAS, the City of San Juan Bautista owns and maintains public facilities, including water storage facilities, municipal buildings, utility sites, and other public property that may be suitable for communications infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, communications technologies continue to evolve, and municipalities are increasingly receiving requests to utilize public facilities for broadband, wireless communications, fiber optic networks, public safety communications, and other communications infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that municipal facilities are valuable public assets that should be managed in a manner that protects critical public infrastructure, preserves the City's operational flexibility, and supports the long-term interests of the community; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adoption of a Municipal Communications Facilities Policy promotes transparency, consistency, responsible stewardship of public assets, fair market compensation, and equitable evaluation of future communications infrastructure proposals; and
WHEREAS the proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy establishes guiding principles for evaluating requests involving City-owned facilities while preserving the City's ability to protect municipal operations, support future communications needs, and negotiate agreements that serve the public interest; and WHEREAS, adoption of the Municipal Communications Facilities Policy is an administrative action establishing governance principles for future communications facility requests and does not approve any specific communications project, lease, license agreement, or other entitlement; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the proposed Municipal Communications Facilities Policy attached hereto as Exhibit A, considered the staff report and all public testimony, and finds that adoption of the Policy is in the best interests of the City of San Juan Bautista.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista as follows:

Section 1. Adoption of Policy.

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The City Council hereby adopts the City of San Juan Bautista Municipal Communications Facilities Policy, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 2. Administration.

The City Manager, or designee, is authorized to implement and administer the Policy, including the development of administrative procedures, standard lease and license agreement templates, application materials, technical standards, and other administrative documents necessary to carry out the purposes of the Policy, provided such documents are consistent with this Resolution, the adopted Policy, and applicable law.

Section 3. Future Agreements.

Nothing in this Resolution or the adopted Policy shall be construed as approving any specific communications facility proposal, lease, license, easement, or other agreement.

Any future agreement involving the use of City-owned real property shall be considered in accordance with applicable law and City approval requirements.

Section 4. Severability.

If any provision of this Resolution or the adopted Policy is held invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect.

Section 5. CEQA.

The City Council finds that adoption of this Resolution and the Municipal Communications Facilities Policy is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), as it constitutes the creation of administrative procedures and general policy direction that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment. Any future communications facility project will be evaluated for CEQA compliance as required by law.

Section 6. Effective Date.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of San Juan Bautista on this 11th day of August 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

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APPROVED:
____________________
Leslie Q. Jordan, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________
Elizabeth Soto, City Clerk
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CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL POLICY

COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND MUNICIPAL FACILITIES LEASING POLICY
I. PURPOSE
The City of San Juan Bautista owns and operates public facilities that may be suitable for communications infrastructure, including water tanks, buildings, utility sites, and other municipal property.

The purpose of this Policy is to establish consistent principles for the leasing and licensing of municipal facilities for communications infrastructure while protecting critical public assets, ensuring fair compensation to the City, promoting reliable communications services, and supporting the public interest.

This Policy is intended to provide direction to the City Council and City staff in evaluating requests for use of municipal property for communications facilities. It is not intended to create contractual rights or obligations and does not obligate the City to approve any particular proposal.

II. POLICY OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this Policy are to:

A. Protect the City's critical infrastructure and public utility facilities.

B. Preserve the City's ability to operate, maintain, expand, and improve municipal facilities.

C. Ensure the City receives fair market compensation for the use of public assets.

D. Promote transparency and consistency in the evaluation of communications facility proposals.

E. Support the expansion of reliable broadband and communications infrastructure where consistent with the public interest.

F. Preserve flexibility for future municipal communications, public safety systems, and emerging technologies.

III. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The following principles shall guide all communications facility leases and licenses.

A. Protection of Municipal Operations
Municipal operations, including water, wastewater, public safety, emergency communications, and other governmental services, shall take priority over private communications facilities.

B. Fair Market Compensation
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The City shall seek compensation that reflects the fair market value of the municipal asset being utilized, taking into consideration the location, infrastructure, operational impacts, and value of the facility.

C. Non-Exclusive Use
Communications facilities shall generally be authorized on a non-exclusive basis unless the City Council determines that exclusive use is in the City's best interest.

D. Public Benefit
The City encourages communications infrastructure that enhances broadband availability, improves public safety communications, strengthens emergency preparedness, or otherwise provides a demonstrable public benefit.

E. Protection of Public Assets
Communications equipment shall not compromise the structural integrity, operational reliability, or safety of municipal facilities.

F. Future Municipal Needs
Nothing in any lease or license shall limit the City's ability to install or expand municipal communications systems, utility infrastructure, or public safety equipment.

IV. LEASING STANDARDS
The City shall utilize a standard Communications Facilities Lease Agreement whenever practical.

Each lease should address, at a minimum:
 Term and renewal options;
 Compensation and annual adjustments;
 Insurance requirements;
 Indemnification;
 Equipment ownership;
 Maintenance responsibilities;
 Structural review requirements;
 Utility responsibilities;
 Access procedures;
 Interference protection;
 Equipment removal upon termination;
 Default and termination provisions; and
 Compliance with all applicable laws.

V. EVALUATION CRITERIA
When evaluating a proposed communications facility lease, the City may consider:

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A. Compatibility with municipal operations;
B. Public safety impacts;
C. Structural capacity of the facility;
D. Visual and aesthetic impacts;
E. Historic resource considerations, where applicable;
F. Environmental impacts;
G. Fair market compensation;
H. Public benefit provided by the proposal;
I. Availability of alternative locations; and
J. Long-term impacts on City operations.

VI. MUNICIPAL INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
The City may negotiate additional services as part of a lease agreement where such services provide value to the City.

Examples include:
 Municipal internet service;
 Broadband connectivity for City facilities;
 Temporary communications support during City-sponsored events;  Emergency communications assistance; and
 Other technology services determined to be in the public interest.

Such services shall be separately identified within the applicable lease agreement and shall not replace fair market compensation unless specifically approved by the City Council.

VII. COLOCATION
The City encourages efficient use of municipal facilities through colocation where appropriate.

Additional communications providers or equipment shall require City approval and may require additional compensation, engineering review, or lease amendments.

VIII. ADMINISTRATION
The City Manager is authorized to receive proposals, negotiate lease terms, and execute administrative actions authorized by the City Council.

All leases involving City-owned real property or critical municipal infrastructure shall require approval by the City Council unless otherwise delegated by law.

IX. ANNUAL REVIEW
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The City Manager shall periodically review communications facility leases to ensure compliance with lease terms and evaluate opportunities to improve the management and utilization of municipal communications assets.

X. POLICY REVIEW
This Policy should be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect changes in technology, market conditions, and the City's operational needs.

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CITY OF SAN JUAN BAUTISTA

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
DEPARTMENT: CITY CLERK
FROM: ASHLEY COLLICK, CITY MANAGER
BY: ARIELLE GOODSPEED, PLANNING MANAGER
TITLE: HISTORIC DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION STRATEGY:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES
RECOMMENDED MOTION:

Receive the presentation, discuss the City's downtown economic development priorities, and provide direction to staff.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1. Identify the three to five economic development priorities staff should focus on over the next one to two years.

2. Provide policy direction regarding whether staff should evaluate amendments to the City's formula business regulations.

3. Direct staff to return with implementation plans, budgets, timelines, fiscal analyses, and any required policy or ordinance amendments for the Council's selected priorities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City's long-term economic health depends on a vibrant Historic Downtown. A successful downtown attracts visitors, supports local businesses, creates jobs, increases sales tax revenue, and reinforces San Juan Bautista's identity as a historic destination. This discussion is intended to help the City Council establish clear priorities so staff can focus limited resources on the initiatives that will have the greatest economic impact. Over the past year, the city has advanced several Strategic Plan initiatives supporting economic development. This discussion represents the next step in establishing a focused work program for Historic Downtown based on community input and City Council priorities.

Historic Downtown is the economic and cultural heart of San Juan Bautista. It is where residents gather, visitors experience our community, and local businesses contribute to the City's economy.

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The City Council has identified economic development as a strategic priority. Strengthening Historic Downtown will require attracting visitors, supporting existing businesses, encouraging new investment, improving the customer experience, and making it easier to open and operate businesses while preserving the City's historic character.

To better understand community priorities, the city conducted a Downtown Economic Development Survey and hosted a Business Community Listening Session. Staff will summarize the key themes from both outreach efforts during the meeting.

The purpose of this discussion is not to adopt a comprehensive economic development strategy or approve specific projects. Instead, staff is requesting policy direction regarding the priorities the City should focus on during the coming year.

Following Council direction, staff will return with implementation plans, budgets, timelines, partnership opportunities, and any required ordinance amendments. Consistent with the City Council's Strategic Plan and recent budget discussions, this report also requests policy direction regarding whether selected development regulations should be evaluated to ensure they continue to support the City's economic development objectives while preserving the historic character that defines San Juan Bautista.

Ultimately, the City's goal is to create a more vibrant Historic Downtown that supports existing businesses, attracts new investment, increases tourism, strengthens sales tax revenues, and enhances the quality of life for residents.

BACKGROUND:

Economic development is a priority identified in the City Council's One-Year Strategic Goals and Implementation Plan. A vibrant Historic Downtown supports local businesses, creates jobs, increases sales tax revenue, enhances quality of life for residents, and reinforces San Juan Bautista's identity as a regional destination.

Historic Downtown is the City's commercial, cultural, and tourism center. While San Juan Bautista benefits from its unique history, architecture, and visitor attractions, the city also faces challenges common to many small communities, including vacant storefronts, seasonal tourism, limited staff resources, and the need to balance historic preservation with economic growth.

Recognizing these opportunities and challenges, the city has initiated the Historic Downtown Revitalization Strategy. Rather than focusing on a single project, the strategy is intended to establish a long-term framework for strengthening the local economy through business retention and attraction, tourism, downtown improvements, strategic partnerships, and regulatory improvements.

As a first step, the City conducted a Downtown Economic Development Survey and hosted a Business Community Listening Session to better understand the experiences, concerns, and ideas of businesses, property owners, residents, and community stakeholders. The information gathered Item No.:5.A
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through these outreach efforts will help inform future work programs and ensure that economic development focus areas reflect community priorities.

The purpose of this meeting is to review that feedback, discuss the City's economic development priorities, and obtain policy direction from the City Council regarding which initiatives staff should pursue first.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Downtown Economic Development Survey
The City distributed a Downtown Economic Development Survey on July 24th 2026, to gather feedback from businesses, property owners, residents, employees, and other community stakeholders. Staff posted the survey on our website, social media, constant contact, at the library, City Hall, the post office, and then staff canvased all the businesses in town distributing the survey.

The survey asked participants to identify the City's strengths, challenges facing businesses, desired improvements, opportunities for tourism, priorities for business recruitment, and ways the city can better support economic development.

The survey was designed to establish a baseline understanding of community priorities and will continue to serve as one tool for measuring community sentiment as the Historic Downtown Revitalization Strategy moves forward.

Business Community Listening Session
On August 10, 2026, the city will host a Business Community Listening Session to hear directly from local business owners and stakeholders.

The discussion focused on four guiding questions:
• What is working well in Historic Downtown?
• What challenges are businesses currently experiencing? • What opportunities should the city pursue?
• How can the city better support local businesses?
The listening session was intended to begin an ongoing dialogue between the city and the business community rather than serve as a one-time outreach effort. Staff anticipates continuing business engagement through future meetings, surveys, partnerships and continued communication.

The presentation to the City Council will summarize the major themes identified through both outreach efforts.

CURRENT INITIATIVES
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The city has already begun implementing several Strategic Plan initiatives that support economic development and downtown revitalization. These efforts provide a foundation for future work and demonstrate the City's ongoing commitment to creating a business-friendly environment while preserving the character of Historic Downtown.

Initiative Status
Mobile Food Facility Ordinance In Progress
Master Fee Schedule Adopted
Vacancy Registration Program Implementation Beginning
Municipal Code Review Ongoing
Business Outreach and Community Engagement Ongoing
While these initiatives are already underway, the Downtown Economic Development Survey, the upcoming Business Community Listening Session, and Strategic Plan will together identify additional opportunities that may warrant future City investment and policy direction. Staff has organized those opportunities into four focus areas to assist the Council in its discussion.

Collectively, these initiatives establish a foundation for future economic development efforts. The following discussion focuses on additional opportunities identified through the Strategic Plan and community outreach where Council direction is needed.

DISCUSSION:

Economic development is a long-term investment in the City's fiscal health and quality of life. A successful Historic Downtown attracts visitors, supports local businesses, creates employment opportunities, increases sales tax revenue, and reinforces San Juan Bautista's identity as one of California's premier historic communities.

Through the Downtown Economic Development Survey and the upcoming Business Community Listening Session, businesses, residents, and stakeholders expressed a desire for the city to play a more active role in supporting economic vitality while preserving the unique character that defines Historic Downtown. Although individual recommendations received so far varied, several consistent themes are emerging, including increased tourism, stronger business support, streamlined City processes, downtown improvements, and continued collaboration between the city and the business community.

Staff recognizes that the city cannot pursue every initiative simultaneously. Like many small communities, San Juan Bautista operates with limited staffing and financial resources. Establishing clear priorities will allow staff to focus available resources on initiatives that provide the greatest community benefit while developing realistic implementation plans over time.

To facilitate the Council's discussion, staff has organized potential future implementation initiatives into four interconnected focus areas.

1. Business Support and Investment
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Supporting existing businesses while encouraging complementary new investment is fundamental to maintaining a healthy downtown economy. Community feedback received thus far has emphasized the importance of regular communication with businesses, improving access to resources, and creating an environment where entrepreneurs feel supported throughout the process of opening, expanding, or investing in San Juan Bautista.

Future efforts could include strengthening business outreach, encouraging the formation of a Chamber of Commerce or similar business organization, promoting investment opportunities, supporting storefront improvements, and expanding partnerships with regional economic development organizations. Staff also recognizes the City's designation as a Qualified Opportunity Zone as a potential economic development tool. Because the entire City is located within a federally designated Opportunity Zone, eligible private investors may be able to utilize federal tax incentives for qualifying investments made through a Qualified Opportunity Fund. While the designation does not provide direct funding to the City or alter local development regulations, it presents an opportunity to market San Juan Bautista as an attractive location for private investment, adaptive reuse, business expansion, and redevelopment consistent with the City's vision for Historic Downtown and broader economic development goals.

2. Tourism and Visitor Experience
Tourism is one of San Juan Bautista's primary economic drivers. Increasing the number of visitors and encouraging them to spend more time exploring Historic Downtown supports local businesses, increases sales tax revenue, and reinforces the City's identity as a historic destination.

Community outreach highlighted opportunities to strengthen tourism through coordinated marketing, expanded community events, improved visitor information, wayfinding, walking tours, and partnerships with regional tourism organizations. Together, these initiatives can enhance the visitor experience while supporting local businesses and encouraging repeat visitation.

3. Regulatory Improvements and Business-Friendly Processes A predictable and efficient development process encourages investment and supports business success. The City's Strategic Plan identifies permitting improvements, Municipal Code updates, and process improvements as opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining appropriate standards for public safety and historic preservation.

Building on the work already underway, future efforts may include streamlining permit review, simplifying application materials, improving coordination among City departments, reviewing development standards, and identifying opportunities for administrative approvals where appropriate. These initiatives are intended to improve customer service while maintaining the City's commitment to thoughtful planning and preservation.

4. Downtown Experience and Public Realm
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The success of Historic Downtown depends not only on the businesses that operate there, but also on the overall experience it offers residents and visitors. Community members identified opportunities to enhance Downtown through incremental public improvements that create a more attractive, welcoming, and walkable environment.

Potential future efforts include beautification projects, landscaping, pedestrian amenities, improved parking and wayfinding, storefront activation, public gathering spaces, and continued attention to cleanliness and maintenance. These improvements complement business attraction and tourism efforts by creating an environment where people want to spend time and return frequently.

Lessons from Comparable Communities
Although San Juan Bautista has its own unique history, character, and economic opportunities, staff reviewed economic development approaches used by several California communities with successful historic downtowns, including Winters, Lodi, Solvang, and Healdsburg. The purpose of this review was not to identify a model to replicate, but rather to understand common strategies that have supported downtown revitalization in communities with similar characteristics.

Across these communities, several recurring themes emerged:
• Strong partnerships between local government, businesses, and community organizations. • Predictable and business-friendly development processes that encourage appropriate private investment.
• Investment in tourism promotion, downtown branding, and visitor experiences. • Activation of downtown through recurring events, business recruitment, and storefront revitalization.
• Continued investment in the public realm, including streetscapes, wayfinding, pedestrian amenities, and other improvements that enhance the visitor experience.

These common themes closely align with the feedback received through the City's Downtown Economic Development Survey and discussions with the Downtown business owners and reinforce the importance of establishing clear priorities before developing implementation plans.

Measuring Success
The purpose of establishing economic development priorities is to achieve measurable outcomes that strengthen the City's economy over time. Following Council direction, staff will develop implementation plans that include appropriate performance measures to evaluate progress and inform future policy decisions.

Examples of future performance measures include:
• Growth in taxable sales and local sales tax revenue.
• Reduction in commercial vacancies.
• New business openings and business retention.

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• Expansion of downtown events and visitor activities.
• Improved business engagement and satisfaction.

These measures are intended to help the city evaluate the effectiveness of future economic development focus areas and provide accountability as implementation progresses.

FORMULA BUSINESS REGULATIONS
As part of the City's broader Municipal Code review and the Historic Downtown Revitalization Initiative, staff is seeking policy direction regarding Section 11-04-110 of the San Juan Bautista Municipal Code, which establishes additional review requirements for formula retail, formula restaurants, formula visitor accommodations, and large-scale retail businesses.

Throughout implementation of the City's Strategic Plan and recent budget discussions, the City Council has identified economic development, tourism, business attraction, business retention, and long-term fiscal sustainability as organizational priorities. A strong and diverse local economy supports not only the vitality of Historic Downtown, but also the City's ability to maintain public services through discretionary revenues such as sales tax, property tax, business license revenue, and development-related fees.

Over the past five fiscal years, the City's sales tax revenues have remained relatively flat and have generally declined from their recent peak, illustrating the importance of continuing to evaluate opportunities to strengthen the City's economic base.

Fiscal Year Sales Tax Revenue
FY 2021-22 $747,687
FY 2022-23 $731,918
FY 2023-24 $683,998
FY 2024-25 $668,423
FY 2025-26 $705,334
Although sales tax revenues increased modestly during FY 2025-26, revenues remain below FY 2021-22 levels. This trend highlights the importance of evaluating policies that encourage private investment, support existing businesses, attract new businesses and visitors, increase commercial activity, and expand opportunities for economic growth while preserving the community's unique character. While sales tax represents only one measure of economic health, the City's Qualified Opportunity Zone designation, ongoing regulatory review, business outreach, and Strategic Plan implementation collectively provide an opportunity to evaluate policies that support both longterm fiscal sustainability and preservation of San Juan Bautista's historic character.

The City's existing formula business regulations were adopted to preserve San Juan Bautista's historic character by requiring discretionary review of standardized commercial development.

These objectives remain important and continue to reflect the community's longstanding commitment to protecting Historic Downtown, maintaining a pedestrian-oriented environment, and preserving the distinct identity that makes San Juan Bautista a unique place to live, work, and visit.

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As the City evaluates future economic development priorities, the City Council may also wish to consider whether the current regulations continue to achieve the appropriate balance between preserving the City's historic character and supporting economic opportunity, particularly for Commercial and Mixed-Use properties located outside the Historic Downtown district where development patterns and policy considerations may differ. The purpose of this discussion is not to determine whether formula businesses should be encouraged or discouraged, nor to diminish the City's commitment to historic preservation. Rather, it is intended to provide the City Council with an opportunity to discuss whether the existing ordinance continues to reflect the community's policy objectives or whether staff should further evaluate potential refinements to the City's regulatory framework.

Accordingly, staff is not recommending amendments to Section 11-04-110 at this time. Instead, staff is requesting policy direction regarding whether additional analysis should be undertaken and whether potential ordinance amendments should be prepared for future Planning Commission and City Council consideration. If directed, staff would return with a comprehensive analysis that includes public outreach, economic and fiscal considerations, consistency with the City's Strategic Plan and Historic Downtown Revitalization Initiative, legal and planning analysis, environmental review as required, and draft ordinance alternatives for Planning Commission and City Council consideration before any amendments are proposed for adoption.

I think this version is more balanced because it frames the issue as a policy discussion rather than implying that streamlining is the desired outcome. It also explicitly connects the ordinance review to the Strategic Plan, fiscal sustainability, historic preservation, and the broader Historic Downtown Revitalization Initiative, while leaving the decision entirely with the City Council.

DIRECTION REQUESTED
The initiatives described in this report represent complementary opportunities to strengthen Historic Downtown and support the City's long-term economic vitality. While many of these efforts may ultimately be pursued over time, available resources require a phased and strategic approach. Accordingly, staff is requesting the City Council identify the priorities that should receive the City's initial focus.

The purpose of this discussion is not to approve specific programs or ordinance amendments.

Rather, staff is seeking policy direction regarding the economic development priorities the City Council believes should receive the greatest emphasis over the next one to two years. The priorities identified by the Council will guide future work plans and help staff focus available resources on initiatives that best align with the City's goals.

Staff requests direction on the following questions:

1. Which focus areas should receive the City's highest priority over the next one to two years?

2. Within those focus areas, which initiatives should staff prioritize first?

3. Should staff evaluate potential amendments to the City's formula business regulations for commercial and mixed-use properties outside Historic Downtown? Item No.:5.A
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4. Are there additional economic development opportunities the Council would like staff to explore?
Following Council direction, staff will return with detailed implementation plans for the Council's selected priorities. Future reports will include project scopes, schedules, fiscal analyses, funding opportunities, partnership strategies, and any policy or Municipal Code amendments necessary for implementation.

CONCLUSION
Historic Downtown is one of San Juan Bautista's greatest assets. While the City cannot accomplish every economic development objective at once, establishing clear priorities will allow staff to focus available resources on initiatives that strengthen local businesses, attract investment, increase tourism, and improve the City's long-term fiscal sustainability. Staff looks forward to returning to the City Council with detailed implementation plans based on the direction provided during this discussion.

CEQA REQUIREMENT:

Receiving this report, hearing public input, and providing general policy direction do not approve a project or commit the City to a definite course of action. These activities are administrative and organizational activities that are not projects under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5). Any future ordinance, physical improvement, program, or discretionary approval will be evaluated for CEQA compliance when sufficiently defined and before approval.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no direct fiscal impact associated with receiving this report, hearing public input, and providing general policy direction. Some Strategic Plan priorities may be initiated through existing staff resources, while others would require additional funding, consultant assistance, grants, partnerships, new staffing, capital investment, or a combination of resources. Staff will return with specific fiscal estimates and funding options before any action requiring budget authorization.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. None