Minutes
Santee City Council
Council Chamber - Building 2
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California
January 24, 2024
This Regular Meeting of the Santee City Council was called to order by Vice Mayor Trotter at 6:30. p.m.
ROLL CALL: Present: Vice Mayor Dustin Trotter and Council Members Ronn Hall, Laura Koval and Rob McNelis - 4. Excused: Mayor John W. Minto - 1.
Officers present: City Manager Marlene Best, City Attorney Shawn Hagerty, and City Clerk Annette Ortiz
INVOCATION was given by Zebulon "Zeb" Hill, The Rock Church PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Dale Hanson
PRESENTATION: Certificates of Recognition for Life-Saving Actions Vice Mayor Trotter and Simone, the daughter of Dave, a heart attack survivor, presented certificates to: Eddie Vandiver, Daniel King, Deputy Crystal Corona, Deputy Rudy Chavarria, and Fire Department first responders Trevin Montgomery, Curtis Wilson, Christian Prince, and Corbin Marion. David Bradford, Norm Young, and Marc Varri could not attend the Council Meeting but were also presented with certificates.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
The City Clerk requested Items 1 and 2 be pulled for discussion. (1) Item Pulled for Discussion.
(2) Item Pulled for Discussion.
(3) Approval of the Expenditure of $78,037.33 for December 2023 Legal Services. (Finance - Jennings)
(4) Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute American Rescue Plan Act ('ARPA") Funded Agreements with the East County Transitional Living Center and People Assisting the Homeless ("PATH") San Diego for Homelessness Services. (City Manager - Best) (Reso 005-2024)
ACTION: Council Member McNelis moved approval of the Consent Calendar and Agenda as Amended.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2024 Page 2 of 5 Council Member Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Vice Mayor Trotter: Aye; and Council Members Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and McNelis: Aye. Ayes:
4. Noes: 0. Absent: Mayor John W. Minto - 1.
Items removed from the Consent Calendar:
(1) Approval of Reading by Title Only and Waiver of Reading in Full of Ordinances and Resolutions on the Agenda. (City Clerk - Ortiz) PUBLIC SPEAKER:
• Truth
ACTION: Council Member McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Council Member Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Vice Mayor Trotter Aye; and Council Members Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and McNelis: Aye. Ayes:
4. Noes: 0. Absent: Mayor John W. Minto - 1.
(2) Approval of Payment of Demands as Presented. (Finance - Jennings) PUBLIC SPEAKER:
• Truth
ACTION: Council Member McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Council Member Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Vice Mayor Trotter Aye; and Council Members Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and McNelis: Aye. Ayes:
4. Noes: 0. Absent: Mayor John W. Minto - 1.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (15 minutes):
(A) Ned Leonard, Sal's Barbershop Santee, spoke about the teenagers in the shopping center and the escalating problems, paraphernalia being sold, and violence occurring at the center.
(B) Adam Paul, Customer of Sal's Barbershop, spoke about the shopping center and the escalating issues around teenagers loitering.
(C) Truth spoke about electric vehicles and lithium batteries and the fire risks associated with them, and the toxic fumes they emit.
(D) Dan Bickford spoke about the escalating issues at the Del Taco shopping center.
CONTINUED BUSINESS:
(5) Cannabis Workshop Related to Manufacturing Uses and Retail Locations in Neighborhood Commercial Zones and Clarification about the Draft Application Process for Retail Business Licenses. (Planning and Building - Sawa)
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2024 Page 3 of 5 Vice Mayor Trotter recused himself from the manufacturing uses discussion due to conflict of interest and left the dais at 7:01 p.m. The Planning and Building Director provided a PowerPoint presentation for manufacturing uses and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC SPEAKER:
• Cameron Pittman
ACTION: Council Member Koval moved to allow stand-alone cannabis manufacturing with staff recommendation of not allowing manufacturing of volatile materials.
Council Member McNelis seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote:
Council Members Koval: Aye; and Hall: Aye and McNelis: Aye. Vice Mayor Trotter - Recused. Ayes: 3. Noes: 0. Abstain: 1. Absent: Mayor John W. Minto - 1.
Vice Mayor Trotter rejoined the meeting at 7:09 p.m.
The Planning and Building Director provided a PowerPoint presentation for retail locations in Neighborhood Commercial zones and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC SPEAKERS:
• Dan Bickford (did not speak)
• Truth
• Luis Ituarte, Wellgreens Dispensary
Matthew Jones, Off The Charts
• Devon Julian, Culture Cannabis Club
• Cameron Pittman
Under discussion, Council provided direction to staff.
NEW BUSINESS:
(6) Pavement Maintenance Workshop FY 2024-25 and Finding the Action is Not a Project Subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). (Engineering - Schmitz)
The Engineering Director provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions, with assistance from the Senior Civil Engineer and the Principal Civil Engineer PUBLIC SPEAKER:
Truth
The Council received the report and provided feedback and direction to staff.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2024 Page 4 of 5 NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (Continued):
(A) Cameron Pittman spoke about protecting youth from businesses like liquor stores and smoke shops; he also advocated for youth regarding the Santee National Little League baseball program.
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS:
Council Member Koval spoke about attending the Sharp Grossmont Hospital Transfer of Care meeting with Council Member Hall, she stated the purpose of the meeting is to find solutions to reduce the patient drop-off time at the emergency room, she also stated the hospitals are overwhelmed with the number of people who need care.
Council Member Hall spoke about emergency calls that may sometimes abuse the ambulance and hospital system.
Vice Mayor Trotter announced his community coffee events beginning Monday, January 29, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the venue next to Pathways Church.
Council Member McNelis spoke about his experience as a Commissioner on the Heartland Fire Training Facility Authority Commission.
CITY MANAGER REPORTS:
The City Manager thanked staff and Council for their work at the Race Walk event and reminded the community about Santee Discovery Day on January 27, 2024, at Walker Trail Preserve.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION:
The City Attorney announced that the Closed Session Items would be heard in reverse order due to Council Member McNelis being recused from Item 7. Council Members recessed at 8:28 p.m. and convened in Closed Session at 8:29 p.m. (7) Conference with Legal Counsel-Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code section 54956.9(d))
Name of Case: Preserve Wild Santee v. City of Santee, Case No. 37-2022- 00041478
(8) Conference with Legal Counsel-Anticipated Litigation (Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(4))
Number of Cases: One case involving 11011 Meadow Terrace Drive Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2024 Page 5 of 5 Council Member McNelis left the meeting at 8:35 p.m. Council reconvened in Open Session at 8:43 p.m. with all members present, except Council Member McNelis and Mayor John W. Minto who were absent, Vice Mayor Trotter reported receiving the report for Item 7 with Council Member McNelis recused; Council authorized, for Item 8, by unanimous decision, the initiation of litigation regarding the conditions at 11011 Meadow Terrace Drive.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:44 p.m.
Date Approved: February 14, 2024
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Annette Fagan Ortiz, CMC, City Clerk