COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Brett Fulgoni, Director of Public Works
DATE: April 7, 2026
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Resolution Declaring Intent to Rename Cesar E.
Chavez Drive or Return with Replacement Name Options and an Implementation Plan or Adopt Resolution Renaming Drive
Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a resolution declaring its intent to rename Cesar E. Chavez Drive or adopt a resolution renaming Cesar E. Chavez Drive.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a Resolution declaring its intent to rename Cesar E. Chavez Drive; and
2. Provide directions for staff to return with recommended replacement name options and an implementation plan; or
3. Adopt a Resolution renaming Cesar E. Chavez Drive.
BACKGROUND:
Cesar E. Chavez Drive is an existing public street within the City of Santa Maria. The street was previously named in honor of César Chávez in recognition of his historic role in the farmworker movement and his significance in California civic history. Recent public reports and resulting community discussion have prompted the City Council to consider whether continued use of the existing street name remains in the public interest.
At present, the City does not have a formally adopted policy or procedure specifically governing requests to rename existing streets. While the City has general authority to name or rename City streets by City Council action, staff has not identified a Santa Maria policy that establishes evaluation criteria, required findings, application materials, notice procedures, or a standard review process for such requests. As a result, the current request is being presented to the City Council on a case-by-case basis.
The City does, however, have an existing Municipal Code provision addressing the naming of new streets as part of the subdivision process. Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 11 -3.05, “Street Naming Procedures,” requires proposed street names to be reviewed by the Community Development, Public Works, Police, and Fire Departments 2 prior to submittal of the tentative map, requires the request to be submitted through the Community Development Department for interdepartmental distribution, and requires alternative names in the event a proposed name is rejected. The section also prohibits duplication of existing or approved street names and imposes formatting limits on street names. While this provision governs the naming of new subdivision streets, it does not establish a process for renaming existing public streets.
DISCUSSION:
The first proposed Resolution does not itself rename the street. Rather, it declares the City Council’s intent to consider a street name change and directs staff to return with the information necessary for final Council action.
This two-step approach allows the City Council to consider whether continued use of the existing street name remains in the public interest without taking immediate final action before replacement name options, public input, and implementation logistics have been evaluated.
If the City Council adopts the first proposed Resolution, staff would return with:
1. Recommended replacement street name options;
2. A summary of public outreach and stakeholder input, including input from affected property owners and occupants, if any; and
3. An implementation plan addressing agency coordination, notification procedures, signage replacement, mapping and records updates, and transition timing.
Alternatively, if the City Council wishes to do so, the Council may choose a replacement name from the Veteran Street Name List at the time of the present hearing, provided the Council is prepared to act on a separate final renaming resolution.
Street renaming will require coordination with affected residents, property owners, businesses, public agencies, emergency service providers, the United States Postal Service, utility providers, and mapping and navigation services. For that reason, staff has structured this item to allow the City Council to first provide policy direction and then, if desired, consider final renaming action based on a more complete administrative record.
Separately, this item also highlights that the City does n ot currently have a formal policy for processing requests to rename existing streets. Staff has therefore included a draft policy for City Council consideration. Under the proposed framework, requests would first be screened by staff using objective criter ia, then reviewed by the Traffic Committee to determine the affected area and outreach requirements, followed by questionnaires or similar public input from affected residents, businesses, and property owners, and ultimately returned to the City Council wi th a staff report, Traffic Committee recommendation, and proposed resolution. This framework is intended to provide a consistent, transparent, and objective process for future street renaming requests while preserving the City Council’s final decision-making authority.
3 The City Council may wish to direct staff to return with modifications to the draft policy, including application requirements, evaluation criteria, noticing and outreach expectations, review by affected departments and outside agencies, con sideration of impacts to residents and businesses, and the form of final City Council action.
Alternative(s)
In addition to direction on the Street Name Policy for future requests:
1. Select a replacement street name at the time of this hearing from the City’s existing approved Veteran Street name list and adopt a R esolution approving the final street name change.
2. Adopt the proposed Resolution declaring intent to rename Cesar E. Chavez Drive and directing staff to return with replacement name options and an implementation plan.
3. Direct staff to return with additional background or outreach before considering a declaration of intent.
4. Decline to adopt the Resolution and retain the existing street name.
5. Provide other direction to staff regarding future consideration of the street name.
Fiscal Considerations
If the City Council approves a street name change, the City would incur one -time costs related to signage replacement, GIS and records updates, interagency notifications, administrative coordination, and staff time. Additional indirect costs may also be incurred by affected residents, property owners, tenants, and businesses in updating mailing addresses and related records.
Impact on the Community
The proposed action may be viewed by many community members as a necessary response to serious recent allegations that have altered public perception of César Chávez and prompted reevaluation of public honors statewide and nationally. At the same time, the matter may be sensitive for residents who continue to associate Chávez’s name with the farmworker movement and broader civil rights history. The action therefore carries both symbolic and practical community impacts.
If the City Coun cil approves a street name change, the renaming would require a transition for affected residents, property owners, and institutions. Those impacts can be reduced through advance notice, clear implementation dates, agency coordination, and public communication.
4 Other Agency Review
If the City Council later approves street name change, staff would coordinate implementation with the following agencies and service providers, as applicable: United States Postal Service; Santa Barbara County Assessor, Recorde r, Elections, and emergency communications stakeholders; utility providers; mapping and navigation providers; school districts; and any other public agencies or institutions using addresses on the affected street.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution Option 1 – Intent to Rename
B. Resolution Option 2 – Rename
C. Location Map
D. Address Inventory/Impacted Parcels List
E. Draft Street Name Change Request Policy
F. Veteran Street Name List