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MINUTES
MARCH 3, 2026
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
BUSINESS SESSION:
Mayor Campbell called the Regular meeting of March 3, 2026, of the City Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano to order at 5:22 p.m. Council Member Hart led the Pledge of Allegiance and Mayor Pro Tem Taylor gave the invocation.
ROLL CALL:
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor John Campbell, Mayor Pro Tem John Taylor and Council Members Troy A. Bourne, Sergio Farias and Howard Hart.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
CITY CLERK ANNOUNCEMENT: Per Assembly Bill 23, Christy Jakl, City Clerk, announced that each Housing Authority Board Member received a $50.00 stipend for conducting the Housing Authority meeting.
Agenda items are presented in the originally agendized format for the benefit of the minutes’ reader but were not necessarily heard in that order.
INTRODUCTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS:
B1. COMMISSIONER INTRODUCTION – MAYOR PRO TEM TAYLOR
INTRODUCED: Ted Rosenfeldt, Planning Commissioner
B2. CAOIMHIN GROTHE-BRINTON RECOGNIZED AS BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF CAPISTRANO VALLEY 2025 YOUTH OF THE YEAR
B3. COX CHARITIES PROGRAM RECOGNIZED RYAN HICKMAN, PROJECT 3R,
AND MAMIE YONG MAYWHORT, HOMEFRONT AMERICAN
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Public Comments: Bethany Nelms, City resident; Damion and Ryan Hickman, City residents; Mark McGuire, San Clemente resident (provided handout); and, Jeff Weaver, City resident (provided handout).
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
D1. FIRST READING AND INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING CODE AMENDMENT 25-003 (“CODE AMENDMENT”), AMENDING THE LOS
RIOS SPECIFIC PLAN TO ADD SEVERAL NEW USES AND REMOVE SOME
EXISTING USES FROM THE LIST OF PRINCIPAL USES ALLOWED IN THE HISTORIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT; AND FINDING THAT SAID ACTION IS
NOT SUBJECT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) BECAUSE THE ACTION DOES NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF A “PROJECT” UNDER CEQA SECTION 15060(C)(3), AND IF IT WERE 2 3/3/2026
CONSIDERED A “PROJECT”, THE ACTION WOULD BE EXEMPT PER
SECTIONS 15061(B)(3) AND 15320 OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES (420.25)
Mayor Pro Tem Taylor recused himself because his son rents from him and is employed by the applicant.
Laurel Reimer, Project Planner, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to questions.
Mayor Campbell opened the public hearing. No public comments were received.
Mayor Campbell closed the public hearing.
Christy Jakl, City Clerk read the title of the ordinance.
Council Action: Moved by Council Member Farias, seconded by Council Member Bourne, and carried 4-0 with Mayor Pro Tem Taylor recused to approve the first reading and introduction of an Ordinance entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CODE AMENDMENT (CA) 25-003 TO AMEND THE LOS RIOS SPECIFIC PLAN (SP 78-01) TO ADD
AND REMOVE USES FROM THE LIST OF PRINCIPAL USES ALLOWED IN THE
HISTORIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, AND A FINDING THAT SAID ACTION IS NOT A “PROJECT” AS DEFINED UNDER STATE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) GUIDELINES SECTION 15060(c)(3),
AND IF IT WERE, IT WOULD BE EXEMPT PER STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15061(b)(3) AND 15320 (APPLICANT: 31791 LOS RIOS STREET LLC).”
ROLL CALL:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBER: Hart, Farias, Bourne and Mayor Campbell NOES: COUNCIL MEMBER: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBER: None
RECUSED: COUNCIL MEMBER: Mayor Pro Tem Taylor
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Council Action: Moved by Council Member Farias, seconded by Council Member Hart, and carried unanimously to approve consent calendar items E1 through E8, as recommended by staff.
E1. MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE BY TITLE ONLY, APPROVED
E2. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES – SPECIAL MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSION) OF FEBRUARY 17, 2026, APPROVED
E3. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 17, 2026,
APPROVED
E4. CHECK REGISTERS FOR THE PERIOD FROM DECEMBER 12, 2025, THROUGH DECEMBER 18, 2025, RECEIVED AND FILED (300.30)
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E5. RESOLUTION 26-03-03-01 ADOPTED ENTITLED, “A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, ADJUSTING THE COST OF LIVING CHANGES RELATED TO THE CITY’S CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS; AND, RESCINDING RESOLUTION 24-01-16-02” (630.10)
E6. HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2025, RECEIVED AND FILED; AND STAFF AUTHROZED TO SUBMIT THE REPORT TO THE STATE BY APRIL 1, 2026 (440.20)
Public Correspondence: Miriam Zúñiga, City resident; and Cesar Covarrubias, The Kennedy Commission.
E7. GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2025, RECEIVED AND FILED; AND STAFF AUTHROZED TO SUBMIT THE REPORT TO THE STATE (420.10)
E8. CITY MANAGER AUTHORIZED TO SUBMIT A HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT
PROGRAM APPLICATION AND LOCAL MATCH COMMITMENT LETTER TO THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION FOR FUNDING TO UPDATE THE CITY’S LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, AND THE CITY
MANGER AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE ANY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
NECESSARY TO SECURE THE GRANT FUNDING; AND, IF AWARDED, THE
CITY MANGER AUTHORIZED TO MODIFY THE BUDGET AS APPROPRIATE,
INCORPORATING GRANT EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES, AND CITY
MATCHING REQUIREMENTS IN THE APPROPRIATE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET (520.10)
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS:
F1a. CODE AMENDMENT (CA) 26-002 INITIATED TO AMEND SECTION 9-3.501.1 (ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS) OF THE CITY’S LAND USE CODE TO MAKE THE CITY’S REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS CONSISTENT WITH NEW STATE REGULATIONS; AND SAID ACTION FOUND
STATUTORILY EXEMPT FROM REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PURSUANT TO PUBLIC RESOURCES
CODE SECTION 21080.17 (STATUTORY EXEMPTION FOR ORDINANCES RELATED TO ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS) (420.25)
Joel Rojas, Development Services Director, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to questions.
Council Action: Moved by Council Member Hart, seconded Council Member Bourne, and carried unanimously to initiate Code Amendment (CA) 26-002 to amend Section 9-3.501.1 (Accessory Dwelling Units) of the City’s Land Use Code to make the City’s regulations that govern Accessory Dwelling Units consistent with new State regulations; and finding the action statutorily exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Public Resources Code 4 3/3/2026
Section 21080.17 (statutory exemption for ordinances related to Accessory Dwelling Units).
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO HOUSING AUTHORITY: (Refer to Housing Authority Minutes)
COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS: None.
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS: None.
CITY MANAGER REPORT: None.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business Mayor Campbell adjourned the meeting at 6:16 p.m. to Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. for an Executive Session, and 5:00 p.m. for the public Business Session, in the City Council Chamber at the Community Center – 25925 Camino Del Avion.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________
CHRISTY JAKL, CITY CLERK
Approved: March 17, 2026
ATTEST:
___________________________
JOHN CAMPBELL, MAYOR