CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Updated September 26, 2025 – Item added to Closed Session Regular Meeting - September 30, 2025
Council Chambers
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz
12:00 P.M. CLOSED SESSION
1:45 P.M. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, CONSENT, AND GENERAL BUSINESS Council meetings are hybrid, and may be viewed remotely, using any of the following sources:
Click on Zoom link (no time delay): https://zoom.us/j/94684401344 Online at http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-council/council-meetings Online at Watch – Community Television of Santa Cruz County Comcast Channel 25
Or: Call any of the numbers below. If one is busy, try the next one. 1-833-548-0276 (Toll Free)
1-833-548-0282 (Toll Free)
1-877-853-5247 (Toll Free)
1-669-900-9128
Enter the meeting ID number: 946 8440 1344
When prompted for a Participant ID, press #.
Press *9 on your phone to “raise your hand” when the Mayor calls for public comment. It will be your turn to speak when the Mayor calls on you. Press *6 to unmute yourself. The timer will then be set.
Correspondence to be included in the agenda packet must be received by 5:00 pm on Monday, September 29th
PLEASE NOTE:
Council may take a break(s) as needed.
Requests for extra speaking time on items other than Oral Communications must be made by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 28th by emailing the Mayor and the City Clerk.
Approval will be confirmed via email.
[email protected] [email protected]
September 30, 2025 City Council 2
The City of Santa Cruz does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. Out of consideration for people with chemical sensitivities we ask that you attend fragrance free. Upon request, the agenda can be provided in a format to accommodate special needs. Additionally, if you wish to attend this public meeting and will require assistance such as an interpreter for American Sign Language, Spanish, or other special equipment, please call the City Clerk’s Department at 420-5030 at least five days in advance so that we can arrange for such special assistance, or email [email protected]. The CalRelay system number: 1-800-735-2922.
Si desea asistir a esta reunión pública y necesita ayuda - como un intérprete de lenguaje de señas americano, español u otro equipo especial - favor de llamar al Departamento de la Secretaría de la Ciudad al 420-5030 al menos cinco días antes para que podamos coordinar dicha asistencia especial o envié un correo electrónico a [email protected]. El número del sistema Cal-Relay es: 1-800-735-2922.
Agenda and Agenda Packet Materials: The City Council agenda and the complete agenda packet containing public records, which are not exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, are available for review on the City’s website:
www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-council-meetings and at the Office of the City Clerk located at 809 Center Street, Room 8, Santa Cruz, California, during normal business hours.
Agenda Materials Submitted after Publication of the Agenda Packet: Pursuant to Government Code §54957.5, public records related to an open session agenda item submitted after distribution of the agenda packet are available at the same time they are distributed or made available to the legislative body on the City’s website at: www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-councilmeetings and are also available for public inspection at the Office of the City Clerk, 809 Center Street Room 8, Santa Cruz, California, during normal business hours, and at the Council meeting.
Need more information? Contact the City Clerk’s office at 831-420-5030.
Closed Session
12:00 PM
Statements of Disqualification
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Liability Claims (Government Code §54956.95)
1) Claimant: Alane Williamson
2) Claimant: David W. Turner
3) Claimant: Habibeh Deyhim
4) Claimant: Sabrina Shewfelt
Claims against the City of Santa Cruz
Agenda updated to add the following item:
2. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Government Code §54956.9(d)(4))
Initiation of litigation (two potential cases to be discussed).
September 30, 2025 City Council 3
Closed Session (continued)
3. Real Property Negotiations (Government Code §54956.8) Property: 1520 K1 Pacific
APN: N/A (Public Right of Way)
Owner: City of Santa Cruz
City Negotiator: Bonnie Lipscomb
Negotiating Parties: City of Santa Cruz and Paul Cocking (dba Gabrielita Tamaleria)
Under Negotiation: Price, terms of payment, or both
4. Conference with Labor Negotiators (Government Code §54957.6) SEIU Temporary Employees
SEIU Service Employees
Mid Managers, OE3
Supervisors, OE3
Fire Management
Fire, IAFF
Police Management
Police Officers Association
Executives
City Negotiator - Sara De Leon
5. Public Employment (Government Code §54957)
City Attorney
September 30, 2025 City Council 4
City Council
1:45 PM
Call to Order
Roll Call
Oral Communications – Members of the public may address Council on matters not on the agenda, but within the jurisdiction of the Council. 30 minutes is allocated for Oral Communications. No extra time for groups will be granted.
Presentations
6. Mayoral Proclamation Declaring October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month
7. Mayoral Proclamation Declaring September 29th - October 5th as Week Without Driving Week
8. Fire Prevention Week: October 5—October 11, 2025
Presiding Officer's Announcements
Statements of Disqualification
Additions and Deletions
City Attorney Report on Closed Session
Council Meeting Calendar
9. The City Council will review the meeting calendar attached to the agenda and revise it as necessary.
September 30, 2025 City Council 5
Consent Agenda
10. Resolution Extending the Emergency Declarations in Connection with the 2022/2023 Winter Storms and 2023/2024 Winter Storms (CA) LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to adopt a resolution extending by sixty days the Local Emergency Declarations in connection with the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 Winter Storms.
11. Resolution Extending the Emergency Declaration in Connection with the December 2024 Municipal Wharf Emergency (CA/CM)
LOCATION: District 4
Motion to adopt a resolution extending by sixty days the Local Emergency Declaration in connection with the December 2024 Municipal Wharf emergency.
12. Minutes of the September 9, 2025 City Council Meeting (CC) LOCATION: None
Motion to approve as submitted.
13. Arts Commission Appointment (CC)
LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to approve Councilmember Brunner’s nomination of Mercedes Lewis to serve on the Arts Commission, with a term ending January 31, 2029.
14. Historic Preservation Commission Appointment (CC)
LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to approve Mayor Keeley's nomination of Stephanie McCormick to serve on the Historic Preservation Commission, with a term ending January 31, 2027.
September 30, 2025 City Council 6
Consent Agenda (continued)
15. Support Efforts to Strengthen Opposition to Offshore Oil Drilling (CN) LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to:
1) Support Santa Cruz County’s commitments to oppose the federal offshore oil drilling proposal by agreeing to join the local coordination effort; and
2) Direct staff to 1) return to City Council with a cooperative agreement or equivalent that defines the scope of work, terms and City involvement and 2) identify a funding source for the County requested Phase 1 contribution of $29,000 and the County requested Phase 2 contribution of $25,000.
16. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager, or Designee, to Grant Waivers to Tenants of City Lease Agreements (EDH)
LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to grant waivers in an amount not to exceed $1,000 per fiscal year per tenant of City lease agreements.
17. Resolution Granting Consent to the County of Santa Cruz to Form the Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Improvement District (SCMWID) (EDH) LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to adopt a resolution granting consent to the County of Santa Cruz to form the SCMWID in the City of Santa Cruz.
18. Liability Claims Filed Against the City of Santa Cruz (FN) Motion to reject the liability claims of 1) Alane Williamson, 2) David W.
Turner, 3) Habibeh Deyhim, and deny application for leave to present late claim 4) Sabrina Shewfelt, based on staff recommendation.
September 30, 2025 City Council 7
Consent Agenda (continued)
19. Resolution Amending the City of Santa Cruz Compensation Plan for the Public Works Department (HR)
LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to adopt a resolution amending the Public Works Department’s Compensation Plan by correcting compensation range for Wastewater Facilities Lead Electrical/Instrumentation Technician classification.
20. Application and Project Management Support for Information Technology Systems (IT)
LOCATION: None
Motion to:
1) Approve a professional services agreement and scope of work with VantagePoint Business Solutions, LLC for application and project management support of critical information technology systems.
Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract in a form approved by the City Attorney. The Information Technology Director is hereby authorized to execute change orders within the approved project budget; and
2) Authorize the Information Technology Director to renew the contract for an additional two years under identical contractual terms and conditions at the end of the first contract term.
21. Contract Renewal with Hope Services, Inc. for the Resource Recovery Facility (PW)
LOCATION: District 6
Motion to authorize and direct the City Manager to renew an agreement with Hope Services, Inc. (Santa Cruz, CA) for recycling and litter control services at the City’s Resource Recovery Facility on Dimeo Lane.
September 30, 2025 City Council 8
Consent Agenda (continued)
22. Transfer within the Water Department’s Capital Investment Program for Fiscal Year 2025 Water Program Administration Expenses – Budget Adjustment (WT)
LOCATION: None
Motion to adopt a resolution to amend the Fiscal Year 2025 budget by transferring funds in the amount of $2,647,751 from the Water Department’s Capital Investment Program (CIP) project c701901, Water Program Administration, to various other Water Department CIP projects for the purpose of allocating actual program administration expenses to active Water Program CIP projects.
23. Resolution of Private Landowner Encroachment on Zayante Watershed Lands (WT)
LOCATION: County
Motion to approve property transfer from Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 093-011-59 to the City Water Department APN 093-011-29 and property transfer from City Water Department APN 093-011-29 to APN 093-011-59 to compensate for private landowner encroachment on City Water Department property.
24. Lockhart-Zayante Vegetation Treatment Project – Zayante Watershed Lands Landowner Agreement (WT)
LOCATION: County
Motion to ratify the Landowner Agreement with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, executed by the City Manager, for the Lockhart-Zayante Vegetation Treatment Project.
September 30, 2025 City Council 9
Consent Agenda (continued)
25. Union/Locust Building Roof Replacement – Approval of Purchase Order, Exemption from Local Employment Requirements and CEQA, and Budget Adjustment (WT/LB)
LOCATION: District 4
Motion to:
1) Approve the issuance of a purchase order in the amount of $289,547 under the existing agreement with Waterproofing Technologies Inc. (Beachwood, OH) for roof restoration of the Union/Locust Building and authorize the Water Director and Library Director or their designee to approve change orders within the project budget;
2) Approve exemption from local employment requirements in Santa Cruz Municipal Code 3.10, Local Hiring – Public Works Contractors; 3) Adopt resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2026 budget in the amount of $116,000 to appropriate $116,000 from Water Enterprise Fund 711 for Capital Investment Program (CIP) project c701907, Facility and Infrastructure Improvements; and
4) Approve the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) determination contained in this Agenda Report. The Council’s action is exempt from CEQA review under the Class 1 categorical exemption of the California Code of Regulations Section 15301 for
repair/rehabilitation of existing facilities.
End Consent Agenda
September 30, 2025 City Council 10
General Business
26. Accept Modifications of San Lorenzo River Water Rights, Dedicate Instream Flows for North Coast Water Sources, Approve the Anadromous Salmonid Habitat Conservation Plan Project, and Authorize the City Manager to Sign Related State and Federal Endangered Species Act Permits (WT)
LOCATION: Citywide and County
Motion to:
1) Accept modifications of the City’s San Lorenzo River water rights, as described in the Santa Cruz Water Rights Project and in the State Water Resources Control Board order # WR 2025-0009 EXEC issued June 6, 2025;
2) Dedicate instream flows for North Coast water sources for the protection of special status aquatic species;
3) Approve the Anadromous Salmonid Habitat Conservation Plan project; and
4) Authorize the City Manager to sign the related federal Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(b) incidental take permit and the pending California Fish and Game Code Section 2081(b) incidental take permit.
27. Ordinance Amending Uncodified Ordinance No. 2020-27 Extending Temporary Use of Certain Adjacent Public Streets and Outdoor Areas for Eligible Businesses for Commercial Use on Private Property from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2029 (EDH)
LOCATION: Citywide
Motion to introduce for publication an ordinance amending uncodified Ordinance No. 2020-27 extending temporary use of certain adjacent public streets and outdoor areas for eligible businesses for commercial use on private property from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2029.
28. City Wildfire Resiliency Plan (FD)
LOCATION: Citywide
Receive a presentation on the City of Santa Cruz Wildfire Resiliency Plan.
Adjournment
September 30, 2025 City Council 11
INFORMATION ITEMS PREVIOUSLY DISTRIBUTED TO CITY COUNCILMEMBERS None issued.
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS
ADDENDUM TO CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
29. Proclaiming Saturday, October 18, 2025 as “Santa Cruz Band Review Day.”
30. Proclaiming the month of September 2025 as “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” and encouraging all citizens to join in honoring Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services for its 27 years of outstanding support to our community and acknowledging its contributions to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
31. Proclaiming September 21, 2025 as “Sun Day” in celebration of the clean, renewable energy revolution that we are helping to bring about.
32. Proclaiming September 20, 2025 as “Wilem Banks Day” and encouraging all citizens to join in congratulating him for his achievement and recognizing his contributions to the sport and our community.
33. Proclaiming September 20, 2025 as “Alo Slebir Day” and encouraging all citizens to join in congratulating him for his achievement and recognizing his contributions to the sport and our community.
September 30, 2025 City Council 12
Advisory Body Appointments
The following positions are either currently vacant or the terms are due to expire.
Council will make appointments at a future meeting.
Board of Building and Fire Appeals One opening – at-large nomination.
County Latino Affairs Commission One opening - at-large nomination.
Transportation and Public Works
Commission
One opening – appointed by
Councilmember Trigueiro.
Public Hearing
If, in the future, you wish to challenge in court any of the matters on this agenda for which a public hearing is to be conducted, you may be limited to raising only those issues which you (or someone else) raised orally at the public hearing or in written correspondence received by the City at or before the hearing.
Any person seeking to challenge a City Council decision made as a result of a proceeding in which, by law, a hearing is required to be given, evidence is required to be taken, and the discretion in the determination of facts is vested in the City Council, shall be required to commence that action either 60 days or 90 days following the date on which the decision becomes final as provided in Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6 Please refer to code of Civil Procedure 1094.6 to determine how to calculate when a decision becomes “final.” The 60-day rule applies to all public hearings conducted pursuant to the City’s Zoning Ordinance, Title 24, Santa Cruz Municipal Code. The 90-day rule applies to all other public hearings.