City of San Pablo
Meeting Minutes - Draft
City Council
6:00 PM City Council Chambers
Members of the public may view this meeting online by using this URL
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89046076519
Monday, November 17, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Cruz led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Councilmember Patricia Ponce, Councilmember Rita Xavier, Vice Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado, and Mayor Arturo Cruz
Present: 4 -
Councilmember Abel PinedaAbsent: 1 -
Staff Present:
City Manager, Matt Rodriguez
Assistant City Manager, Maria Ojeda
City Attorney, Brian P. Hickey
Police Chief, Brian Bubar
Administrative Services Director, Arturo Castillo
Community Services Director, Greg Dwyer
City Clerk, Dorothy Gantt
Interim Deputy City Clerk, Casey Erlenheim
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
It was moved by Mayor Cruz, seconded by Councilmember Xavier, and approved to reduce Oral Communications time from 3 minutes to 2 minutes per speaker. The motion passed as follows:
Ayes: 3 - Ponce, Xavier, and Cruz
Noes: 1 - Pabon-Alvarado
Absent: 1 - Pineda
Seven Oral Communications were received from the following: Ana Solorzano, Franklin, Jose Baeza, Daniel Rosales, Juana Cano, Linda Jackson and James Anthony
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
City Manager Matt Rodriguez made the following announcements:
City offices and Police Department lobby will be closed to observe Thanksgiving November 26 through 28, 2025.
Community Services will host the Annual Winter Wonderland on December 4, 2025, 5:00 PM at the Community Center.
Mayor Cruz will record a Virtual Tree Lighting ceremony in the coming weeks.
Police Department Officers will participate in a Shop with a Cop event at Target in Pinole on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at noon.
The next Dumpster Day will be on Saturday December 13, 2025.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Vice Mayor Pabon-Alvarado requested to pull item 4, File ID 25-477 for discussion.
MINUTES
1. CONSIDER APPROVING MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 3, 2025
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA 25-478
Approved.
PERIODIC REPORTS
2. TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA. 25-466
Received and Filed.
3. CONSIDER APPROVING VENDOR CHECK REGISTER REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2025
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA. 25-032
Approved.
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION
5. CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION (1) ALLOCATING SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR FY 2025-26 ONE-TIME DISCRETIONARY SPECIAL EVENT SPONSORSHIPS IN THE AMOUNT OF $ 10,000 UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET (FUND: #100-1110-44050); AND (2) FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A NEW POLICY ON CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL EVENT SPONSORSHIP FUNDING BEFORE JUNE 30, 2026
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA. 25-479
Adopted.
Enactment No: RES 2025-140
Approval of the Consent Agenda
No Public Comments were received on the Consent Calendar.
It was moved by Councilmember Ponce, seconded by Mayor Cruz, and approved by vote of those present, to adopt all items in the Consent Calendar. The motion passed as follows:
Aye: 4 - Ponce, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado and Cruz
Absent: 1 - Pineda
* * * * END OF CONSENT CALENDAR * * * *
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION/CONSIDERATION
4. CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL TO REDUCE YOUTH ACCESS TO
ALCOHOL AND INCREASE SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND (2)
ACCEPTING GRANT FUNDING REIMBURSEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $ 30,000 OVER THE DURATION OF THE GRANT PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 1, 2025 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2026, TO FUND
GRANT-APPROVED ALCOHOL SAFETY ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS BY
SAN PABLO POLICE PERSONNEL
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA. 25-477
No Public Comments were received.
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Pabon -Alvarado, seconded by Mayor Cruz, that this Resolution be Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Ponce, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado, and Cruz4 -
Absent: Pineda1 -
Enactment No: RES 2025-139
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
PUBLIC HEARINGS
6. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) ADOPTING AN UPDATED CITY
OF SAN PABLO MASTER FEE SCHEDULE FOR PLANNING, BUILDING,
PUBLIC WORKS, COMMUNITY SERVICES, POLICE, AND OTHER
CITY-WIDE MUNICIPAL SERVICES; AND (2) ADOPTING AN ANNUAL
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX
ADJUSTMENT TO MAINTAIN FEES RELATIVE TO INFLATION AS
RECOMMENDED IN THE WILLDAN FINANCIAL CONSULTING GROUP FEE STUDY TO BE APPLIED EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF EACH FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2026
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA. 25-476
The public hearing opened at 7:05 PM
No Public Comments were received.
The public hearing closed at 7:05 PM
A motion was made by Councilmember Ponce, seconded by Vice Mayor Pabon -Alvarado, that this Resolution be Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Ponce, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado, and Cruz4 -
Absent: Pineda1 -
Enactment No: RES 2025-141
7. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AMENDING THE SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE (TITLE 17 - ZONING ORDINANCE) CHAPTER 17.26, ESTABLISHMENT OF ZONING DISTRICTS; CHAPTER 17.32, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, ALLOWED USES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS; CHAPTER 17.34, COMMERCIAL AND
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, ALLOWED USES, AND DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS; CHAPTER 17.38, OVERLAY AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS; CHAPTER 17.54, PARKING AND LOADING; CHAPTER 17.60, SPECIAL RESIDENTIAL USES; CHAPTER 17.62, SPECIAL NONRESIDENTIAL USES; CHAPTER 17.68, UNIVERSAL TERMS; AND CHAPTER 17.70, USE
CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTIONS, TO IMPLEMENT THIRTEEN PROGRAMS OF THE HOUSING ACTION PLAN OF THE SAN PABLO 2023-31 HOUSING ELEMENT; IMPLEMENT THE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS OF THE
GENERAL PLAN UPDATE 2035; AND UPDATE THE ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNIT DEED RESTRICTION PROVISIONS
CEQA: These amendments to the San Pablo Zoning Code implement the adopted Housing Element and were previously evaluated in the Addenda to the 2030 General Plan EIR (certified on April 18, 2011) prepared for the Housing 25-467
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
Element, Environmental Justice Element and Amendments to the Health and Safety & Noise Elements (adopted on March 18, 2024) and on the General Plan Update 2035 (adopted on July 7, 2025), which found that there would not be any new or additional significant environmental impacts due to adoption of the Housing Element. Further, the amendments would implement programs from the 2023-31 Housing Element and would implement the land use designations identified in the General Plan Update 2035, so they are exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.085 which states that CEQA does not apply to rezonings that implement the schedule of actions contained in an approved housing element. Finally, modifications to the accessory dwelling unit portion of the Zoning Code are statutorily exempt from CEQA, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, which exempts the adoption of ADU ordinances.
The public hearing opened at 7:26 PM
No Public Comments were received.
The public hearing closed at 7:26 PM
A motion was made by Vice Mayor Pabon -Alvarado, seconded by Mayor Cruz, that this ORDINANCE be Waived First Reading and Introduced. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Ponce, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado, and Cruz4 -
Absent: Pineda1 -
Enactment No: ORD 2025-004
Mayor Cruz called a recess at 7:42 PM
Meeting reconvened at 7:49 PM
ROLL CALL
Councilmember Patricia Ponce, Councilmember Rita Xavier, Vice Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado, and Mayor Arturo Cruz
Present: 4 -
Councilmember Abel PinedaAbsent: 1 -
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
8. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AMENDING THE SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE (TITLE 17 - ZONING ORDINANCE), CHAPTER 17.60, SPECIAL RESIDENTIAL USES, SECTION
17.60.070, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, TO ALLOW THE SALE OF
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUS) AS CONDOMINIUMS, AS
AUTHORIZED BY ASSEMBLY BILL 1033 AND PURSUANT TO 2025-2027 CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY WORKPLAN POLICY 301.4
CEQA: This amendment to the ADU portion of the Zoning Ordinance is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, which exempts the adoption of accessory dwelling unit ordinances. Additionally, the ordinance would be categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA, in accordance with Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment because it consists of minor changes to land use regulations that do not, on their own, impact the environment. Any projects proposed pursuant to the changes proposed would be separately evaluated for their environmental impacts. 25-468
The public hearing opened at 8:02 PM
No Public Comments were received.
The public hearing closed at 8:02 PM
A motion was made by Councilmember Xavier, seconded by Vice Mayor Pabon -Alvarado, that this ORDINANCE be Waived First Reading and Introduced. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Ponce, Xavier, Pabon-Alvarado, and Cruz4 -
Absent: Pineda1 -
Enactment No: ORD 2025-005
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS (IF ANY)
9. MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA WILL BE APPENDED AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM
BUT MERELY A MECHANISM FOR MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER
PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA TO BE APPENDED TO THE PUBLISHED
AGENDA AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING
25-359
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTS
(a) Mayor Arturo Cruz
(b) Vice Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado
November 17, 2025City Council Meeting Minutes - Draft
(c) Councilmember Rita Xavier
(d) Councilmember Abel Pineda
(e) Councilmember Patricia Ponce
ADJOURNMENT
Adjourned at 8:20 PM to the Regular City Council meeting of December 1, 2025 in memory of Amalia Valencia Manzo, Grandmother to Melissa Garibay, Administrative Clerk II.
Respectfully Submitted,
____________________________
Casey Erlenheim, Interim Deputy City Clerk