Minutes
Santee City Council
Council Chamber - Building 2
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California
July 9, 2025
This Regular Meeting of the Santee City Council was called to order by Mayor John W.
Minto at 6:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor John W. Minto and Councilmembers Ronn Hall, Laura Koval, and Dustin Trotter. Absent: Vice Mayor McNelis*
*Vice Mayor McNelis arrived at 6:32 p.m.
Officers present: Interim City Manager Gary Halbert, City Attorney Shawn Hagerty, and City Clerk James Jeffries.
INVOCATION was given by Craig Barnett, Carlton Oaks Baptist Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Garrett Ganas.
PRESENTATION: SANDAG Draft 2025 Regional Plan
Tuere Fa'aola, SANDAG Deputy Director of Sustainable Communities; Mimi Morisaki, SANDAG Senior Regional Planner; and Jake Stelten, Caltrans Project Manager, presented a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Draft 2025 Regional Plan anc responded to Council questions.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
James Jeffries, City Clerk, announced speaker slips were submitted for Items 2 and 4. (1) Approval of Reading by Title Only and Waiver of Reading in Full of Ordinances and Resolutions on the Agenda. (City Clerk - Jeffries) (2) Item Pulled for Discussion.
(3) Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance to Adopt the Santee Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map as Recommended by Cal Fire for Compliance with Government Code Section 51179 and Find that the Action is Not a Project and Therefore Not Subject to the California Environmental Quality Act. (City Clerk - Jeffries) (Ord 626)
(4) Item Pulled for Discussion.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 2 of 7 (5) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2025-26 to Pay the Annual Cost of Municipal Maintenance Services within Community Facilities District No. 2015-1 (Municipal Maintenance Services) of the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 090-2025)
(6) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2025-26 to Pay Costs Related to the Authorized Public Improvements within Community Facilities District No. 2017-1 (Weston Infrastructure) of the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 091- 2025)
(7) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2025-26 to Pay the Annual Cost of Municipal Services within Community Facilities District No. 2017-2 (Weston Municipal Services) of the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 092-2025) (8) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Charges for Fire Suppression Service ("Fire Benefit Fee") for Fiscal Year 2025-26. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 093-2025)
Action: Councilmember Koval moved approval of the Consent Calendar and Agenda as Amended.
Councilmember Hall seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
Items Removed from the Consent Calendar:
(2) Approval of Payment of Demands as Presented. (Finance - Jennings) Public Speaker:
• Truth
Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
(4) Approval of a City Cell Phone and Personal Cell Phone Stipend Policy to Provide Guidance on the Use of City-Issued Cell Phones and Provision of Cell Phone Stipends for City Employees. (City Manager - Halbert) (Reso 089-2025)
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 3 of 7 Public Speaker:
• Truth
Action: Councilmember Trotter moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (15 minutes):
(A) Carl Costantino thanked Community Services staff for providing information on the updates at Shadow Hill Park and requested that staff reconsider adding bells to the renovation.
(B) Brenda Hammond spoke about the County of San Diego Sheriff's Department and her time living in Santee.
(C) Truth spoke about SANDAG's Draft Regional Plan, new traffic controllers in Santee, the June 11, 2025, Special City Council meeting recording, and the City budget.
PUBLIC HEARING:
(9) Continued Public Hearing for Tentative Map TM-2023-0003 and Development Review Permit DR-2023-0007 for a Multi-Family Residential Development Consisting of 42 Units and Related Site Improvements on a
4.65 Gross Acre Parcel Located at 10939 Summit Avenue (APN 378-190- 01-00) in the R-7 (Medium Density Residential) Zone and Finding the Project is Subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Sections 15164 Addendum to an EIR and 15183 Projects Consistent with a Community Plan or Zoning (Applicant: Warmington Residential). (Planning and Building - Sawa) (Resos 094-2025 and 095-2025) The Public Hearing was opened at 7:06 p.m. Christina Rios, Senior Planner, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions with the assistance of Carl Schmitz, Engineering Director; Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney; and Joe Oftelie, Warmington Residential.
Public Speaker:
• Truth
• Melanie Osborn, provided a handout
Action: Councilmember Koval moved approval of staff recommendation with the following additional conditions: prior to the issuance of a Grading Permit, the applicant must submit a Road Maintenance Agreement to the satisfaction of the Director of Engineering; project site access and improvements shall be within the existing easement on Summit Avenue as proposed, or modifications shall be agreeable by the owner of Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 4 of 7 Summit Avenue; and the applicant shall not request the City to use eminent domain authority to acquire rights in addition to the applicants' rights or the rights that are negotiated between the applicant and the owner of Summit Avenue.
Vice Mayor McNelis seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: No; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 4. Noes: 1.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:36 p.m.
(10) Public Hearing on a Resolution Establishing a Special Assessment on Certain Parcels of Land that were Subject to Involuntary Weed Abatement and/or Administrative Fees by the City and for Which Costs have Not been Paid by the Owner(s) of Record of Said Parcels and Determining the Project is Categorically Exempt from Environmental Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c). (Planning and Building - Sawa) (Reso 096- 2025)
The Public Hearing was opened at 7:37 p.m. Karen Maillet, Code Compliance Officer, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
Public Speaker:
• Truth
Action: Councilmember Hall moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:42 p.m.
(11) Public Hearing for the FY 2025-26 Santee Landscape Maintenance District ("SLMD"') Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 097- The Public Hearing was opened at 7:42 p.m.
Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:43 p.m.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 5 of 7 (12) Public Hearing for the FY 2025-26 Town Center Landscape Maintenance District ("TCLMD") Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 098-2025)
The Public Hearing was opened at 7:43 p.m. Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney, responded to Council questions.
Public Speaker:
• Truth
Action: Councilmember Trotter moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Hall seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:47 p.m.
(13) Public Hearing for the FY 2025-26 Santee Roadway Lighting District ("SRLD"') Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 099- 2025)
The Public Hearing was opened at 7:47 p.m. Carl Schmitz, Engineering Director, responded to Council questions.
Public Speaker:
• Carl Costantino
Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:52 p.m.
(14) Resolution Approving the Annual Levy, as a Successor Agency to County Services Area (CSA) 69, a Special Tax within the Santee-Lakeside Emergency Medical Services Authority Boundary for FY 2025-2026 and Collection on the Property Tax Roll. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 100- 2025)
The Public Hearing was opened at 7:52 p.m. Jessica Clark, Senior Management Analyst, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 6 of 7 Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:54 p.m.
NEW BUSINESS:
(15) Initial Presentation of Staff Recommendations for Proposed Organizational Restructuring. (City Manager - Halbert)
Gary Halbert, Interim City Manager, provided a staff report.
Public Speaker:
• Truth
Action: Councilmember Koval moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (Continued):
(A) David Bakker requested additional bicycle parking be located at City Hall.
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS:
Councilmember Hall reported that he attended the Santee Salutes 4th of July event.
Councilmember Koval reported on the MTS meeting she attended.
CITY MANAGER REPORTS:
Gary Halbert, Interim City Manager, stated staff would start working on the Summit Avenue information Council requested during Item 9 on the Agenda.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION:
None.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of July 9, 2025 Page 7 of 7 ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Date Approved: August 13, 2025