Saratoga City Council Minutes ~ March 4, 2026 ~ Page 1 of 6
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2026
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
At 5:00 p.m., the City Council held interviews for the Planning Commission.
AFTAB/WALIA MOVED TO RE APPOINT PING LI AND CLINTON BROWNLEY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR FULL TERM S. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES:
NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Mayor Page called the Regular Session to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Chuck Page , Vice Mayor Tina Walia, Council Members Belal Aftab, Kookie Fitzsimmons, Yan Zhao
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Leslie Arroyo, Acting City Manager
Richard Taylor, City Attorney
Ryan Hinchman, Administrative Services Director
John Cherbone, Public Works Director
Bryan Swanson, Community Development Director
Britt Avrit, City Clerk
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
The City Clerk reported the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on February 26, 2026.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON- AGENDIZED ITEMS; IN -PERSON
ATTENDEES
None
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Page shared information about the Farmers’ Market Office Hours, Hakone’s Lunar New Year, and St. Paddy’s Party.
CEREMONIAL ITEMS
Proclamation Declaring March 2026 as Youth Art Month
Recommended Action:
Proclaim March 2026 as Youth Art Month.
The City Council proclaimed March 2026 as Youth Art Month.
Mayor Page invited public comment.
No one requested to speak
Saratoga City Council Minutes ~ March 4, 2026 ~ Page 2 of 6
Appointment of Parks & Recreation Commissioner
Recommended Action:
Adopt the Resolution appointing Michael Odenheimer to the Parks & Recreation Commission and direct the City Clerk to administer the Oath of Office.
RESOLUTION 26-007
WALIA/ZHAO MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPOINTING MICHAEL
ODENHEIMER TO THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AND DIRECT THE CITY CLERK TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES:
NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Page invited public comment.
No one requested to speak.
1.1 City Council Meeting Minutes
Recommended Action:
Review and Approve the Minutes f or the February 18, 2026, and February 24, 2026, City Council Meetings.
AFTAB/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE FEBRUARY 18, 2026, AND FEBRUARY 24, 2026, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
1.2 Accounts Payable Check Registers
Recommended Action:
Review and accept the 02/11/2026 and 02/20/2026 accounts payable vendor payment check registers.
AFTAB/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO REVIEW AND ACCEPT THE 02/11/2026 AND 02/20/2026 ACCOUNTS PAYABLE VENDOR PAYMENT CHECK REGISTER.
MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE.
1.3 Treasurer’s Report for the Month Ended January 31, 2026
Recommended Action:
Review and accept the Treasurer’s Report for the month ended January 31, 2026.
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AFTAB/FITZSIMMONS MOVED TO REVIEW AND ACCEPT THE TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDED JANUARY 31, 2026 . MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE.
NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
2. PUBLIC HEARING
Council Member Fitzsimmon stated she needs to recuse herself from this item due to her residence and left the dais at this time.
2.1 APCC26- 0001 – Appeal of Planning Commission approval of a Tentative Parcel Map for a three-lot subdivision located at 13785 Saratoga Avenue Recommended Action:
Conduct a public hearing and de novo review of the application and adopt the R esolution denying appeal APCC26-0001 thereby approving Tentative Parcel Map application SUB23- 0003 and City Arborist recommendation ARB25- 0047 to subdivide an existing 100,972 square foot (2.32 acres) parcel located at 13785 Saratoga Avenue into three par cels, which includes the removal of nine protected trees, and finding the application exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Chris Riordan, Senior Planner, presented the Staff Report.
The Appellant’s representative and the Applicant provided presentations.
Mayor Page invited public comment.
The following individuals spoke at this time: Jerry Bruce, Zizing Zeng, Gay Grant, Julie St.
Gregory, Bharathi Bugata, Ananya Muhlerjee, Raj Bugata, Mira Bugata, Vega Bugata, Hao Tang, Glen Grant, Matt Brading
RESOLUTION 26-008
AFTAB/WALIA MOVED TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND DE NOVO
REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DENYING APPEAL APCC26 -0001 THEREBY APPROVING TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP APPLICATION SUB23 - 0003 AND CITY ARBORIST RECOMMENDATION ARB25-0047 TO SUBDIVIDE AN EXISTING 100,972 SQUARE FOOT (2.32 ACRES) PARCEL LOCATED AT 13785 SARATOGA AVENUE INTO THREE PARCELS,
WHICH INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF NINE PROTECTED TREES, AND
FINDING THE APPLICATION EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) .
MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: FITZSIMMONS. ABSENT: NONE.
Mayor Page requested a recess at this time.
Mayor Page reconvened the meeting at 9:02 p.m.
Saratoga City Council Minutes ~ March 4, 2026 ~ Page 4 of 6
3. GENERAL BUSINESS
3.1 Community Event and Street Closure Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2026/27 and Community Event Grant Program Policy
Recommended Actions:
1. Approve the recommended secured funding recipients, individual allocations, and total program funding amount for Fiscal Year 2026/27.
2. Approve the Competitive Event Grant Program funding allocation for Fiscal Year 2026/27.
3. Approve proposed clarifications to the Community Event and Street Closure Grant Program Policy to improve consistency, transparency, and administrative implementation.
Jocelyn Binn, Administrative Analyst, presented the Staff Report.
Mayor Page invited public comment.
The following individuals spoke at this time: Bill Dalton, Jim Cargill
ZHAO/WALIA MOVED TO APPROVE THE SECURED FUNDING RECIPIENTS, AND ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026/27, MAINTAINING FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AND ADJUSTING THE TOTAL TO $49,000 TO REFLECT THE REMOVAL OF HAKONE FOUNDATION’S $5,200 ALLOCATION; APPROVED A TOTAL OF $8,000 FOR THE F ISCAL YEAR 2026/27 COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY EVENT GRANT PROGRAM ; APPROVED
FUNDING $30,000 FOR THE SECURED STREET CLOSURE GRANT; AND
DIRECTED STAFF TO RETURN AT A FUTURE MEETING WITH PROPOSED
POLICY CLARIFICATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY EVENT AND STREET CLOSURE GRANT PROGRAM POLICY. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE.
ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
3.2 Declaring Dangerous Weeds and Brush to be a Public Nuisance Recommended Action:
Adopt the Resolution declaring weeds and brush a public nuisance, describing properties where such a nuisance exists, ordering the nuisance to be abated, and setting a public hearing on April 15, 2026, to consider all objections to the proposed declaration and abatement.
Nathan Sagastume, Code Enforcement Officer, presented the Staff Report.
Mayor Page invited public comment.
The following individual spoke at this time: Bill Dalton
RESOLUTION 26-009
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AFTAB/WALIA MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DECLARING WEEDS
AND BRUSH A PUBLIC NUISANCE, DESCRIBING PROPERTIES WHERE SUCH
A NUISANCE EXISTS, ORDERING THE NUISANCE TO BE ABATED, AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 15, 2026, TO CONSIDER ALL OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED DECLARATION AND ABATEMENT.
MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE.
3.3 2025 Saratoga Speed Survey Update Report
Recommended Action:
Adopt the Resolution approving the 2025 Speed Survey Update prepared by Fehr and Peers.
Emma Burkhalter, Associate Civil Engineer, presented the Staff Report.
Mayor Page invited public comment.
The following individual spoke at this time: Glenn Hendricks
RESOLUTION 26-010
AFTAB/WALIA MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2025 SPEED SURVEY UPDATE , EXCEPT SEGMENTS 20 AND 21 , PREPARED BY FEHR AND PEERS. MOTION PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: AFTAB, FITZSIMMONS, ZHAO, WALIA, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. RECUSED:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
Mayor Page requested a recess at this time.
Mayor Page reconvened the meeting at 11:05 p.m.
COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS
Council Member Belal Aftab
Saratoga Historical Foundation Board of Directors – stated he attended the meeting with nothing to report.
Saratoga Ministerial Association – stated he attended the meeting with nothing to report.
Council Member Yan Zhao
Nothing to report
Council Member Kookie Fitzsimmons
Nothing to report
Vice Mayor Tina Walia
Emergency Operating Area Council Meeting – stated the Chair and Vice Chair were re -elected, and reports from the Super Bowl and FIFA planning were provided.
Cities Association of Santa Clara County Executive Committee - stated she attended the meeting with nothing to report.
Saratoga City Council Minutes ~ March 4, 2026 ~ Page 6 of 6
Mayor Chuck Page
West Valley Mayors and City Managers Association – stated the homeless report and Sheriff’s contract w ere discussed, and stated some agencies are considering a parcel tax to fund public safety.
Hakone Foundation Board – stated the Board discussed upcoming events.
CITY COUNCIL ITEMS
None
COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
Council Member Aftab recognized and thanked the Mayor and City Manager for the letter in the Mercury News regarding the Sheriff’s Contract.
Mayor Page mentioned the fenced off area in the Heritage Orchard is where the barn is being relocated.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
None
CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT
None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS; VIRTUAL ATTENDEES
None
ADJOURNMENT TO CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Page adjourned the meeting at 11:12 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Britt Avrit, MMC, City Clerk
City of Saratoga