THERE ARE PEOPLE ON CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVE BEND IT OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE Agenda Item Number 1
THIS WORK FOR THE COMPANY.
THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. SARAH, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
HI. MY NAME'S SARAH, I LIVE IN SEBASTOPOL. I'M A HUGE FAN OF A&M BARBECUE. AND
THE RESPONSE KIND OF FEELS AS IF THEY'RE KIND OF GETTING PUSHED OUT OF TOWN,
AND THERE IS NOT A LOT OF EFFORTS BEING MADE ON THEIR PART TO ALLOW THEIR BUSINESS TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING OR FIND ANOTHER WAY. AND I'M JUST
WONDERING WHY THAT'S OCCURRING, AND I REALLY HOPE THE BUSINESS IS ABLE TO STAY IN SEBASTOPOL. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SARAH FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO PUBLIC CHAMBERS.
MY SISTER, KIM THERE. AGAIN, WE LIVE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF WALKER AND FOR A YEAR, WE'VE BEEN BREATHING IN THE SMOKE. IF ALL OF THESE BIG FANS OF A&M, AND
I'VE HEARD SO MUCH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THEIR FOOD, PUT TOGETHER A GOFUNDME AND GET THESE PEOPLE SOME FILTERS, AND THE ISSUE IS SOLVED. AND IT IS NOT HARD TO FIND THESE FILTERS. GO ONLINE. YOU CAN PURCHASE THEM ONLINE. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BARBECUES USE THEM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE NEW ENGINEERING. YOU CAN BUY THEM ONLINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. ROB, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEAH, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER IN
YEAH.
GREAT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I THINK KIND OF THE CONVERSATIONS PEOPLE ARE HAVING HERE ARE INDICATIVE OF SORT OF THE SEBASTOPOL MENTALITY OF THROWING MONEY AT IT. HEY, THE MONEY'S AVAILABLE. YOU CAN DO A GOFUNDME. YOU CAN GET IT. IT'S SIMPLE, PUT MONEY ON IT.
BUT WHAT -- I GUESS WHAT STRIKES ME THE MOST IS BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN RUNNING PEOPLE OUT OF SEBASTOPOL FOR A LONG TIME. YOU HAVE THE SOCCER GOING ON AT
THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, AND PEOPLE CAN'T BE IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF THE NOISE. THERE'S REAL PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL DAMAGE THAT GOES ON THERE, BUT WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT? IT'S JUST THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE IT. NOW, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WITH SMOKERS, AND PEOPLE ARE BREATHING SMOKE. FACING REAL PHYSICAL HARM. BUT OTHER PEOPLE AREN'T COMING TO THEIR AID. THEY DIDN'T COME TO SOMEBODY ELSE'S AID. THE PROBLEM IS IT'S NOT REALLY IN YOUR BACKYARD, IT'S NOT IN MY BACKYARD, SO I DON'T CARE ABOUT IT. I THINK A&M HAS BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO TRY AND HELP THE SITUATION. IT'S PROBABLY NOT
FAST ENOUGH FOR ANYBODY'S SATISFACTION, BUT IT SEEMS THEY'VE WORKED PRETTY HARD. THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU, ROB FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS? GO AHEAD. DO YOU WANT ME TO JUMP IN? WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT?
I DIDN'T START.
N I KNOW. I'LL JUMP IN WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
SORRY, I MISSED THAT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT I'M OBSERVING IN THIS CONVERSATION. BLAME
IS BEING PLACED ON A BUSINESS FOR FAILURES THAT ARE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND LACK OF RESPONSE TIME. AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE TENSION POINT IS COMING. WHILE THEY CAN ONLY DO SO
MUCH TO ADAPT THEIR BUSINESS TO MANEUVER THE EXPECTATIONS OF MEETING AIR
QUALITY, SMOKE, PRODUCTIVITY, THEY CAN ONLY OPERATE WITH THE CLARITY THEY RECEIVE FOR WHAT THEY ARE PERMITTED TO DO. AND AS EXPLAINED BY THE CITY
ATTORNEY, THE SIZE OF SMALL BARBECUE IS NOT BEEN CLEARLY DEFINED, NOR HAS IT Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
BEEN DEFINED IN THE PROCESS WE HAVE COME BEFORE YOU MULTIPLE TIMES AS A COUNCIL. MANY MONTHS AGO WHEN I CAME BEFORE YOU AS A COUNCIL, I EXPLICITLY
SAID, PLEASE DON'T BACK YOURSELVES INTO A CORNER, WHERE NOW YOU'RE LEFT WITH
LITTLE TO NO OPTIONS, AND YET STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHERE WE'VE LAND TODAY. AT THE END OF
WHERE THIS ALL LANDS, YOU DON'T WANT THE BUSINESS TO FAIL, AND YOU ALSO WANT YOUR RESIDENTS HAPPY. BOTH THINGS CAN BE TRUE IF THERE'S SOME OWNERSHIP AND
DIRECTION PROVIDED BY YOUR BODY TO THE STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND TO MAKE THAT A REALIZED GOAL. YOU'RE GIVEN THREE OPTIONS AT THE HEAD OF THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY. YOU CAN ZONE THE PARCEL AS IT IS, AND AS STATED BY THE BUSINESS OWNER. JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE 95% OF THE WAY WITH ANOTHER ENDEAVOR, DOES NOT MEAN THEY MAY BE MOVING THE VERY NEXT DAY. FOR MANY OF YOU, YOU ARE BUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW THAT YOU MAY GET THE KEYS AND FIND A LEAKY FAUCET.
Agenda Item Number 1
YOU HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THIS DECISION THIS EVENING, REALLY CONSIDER THE WHOLE PIECE. AND I'M REALLY DEEPLY DISTURBED AT THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT RUMORS ARE COMING UP, INSTEAD OF FACTS. SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE ENTITIES INSTEAD OF
LISTENING TO HEARSAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GOT INTO THE CLOUD OF PLUME YOU'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. OLIVER, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEP, I'M UNMUTED AND I CAN SEE THE TIMER.
AWESOME, THANK YOU.
SO I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW HAPPY IT WOULD BE IF I OPENED A DIESEL TRUCK PERFORMANCE CENTER IN AN AREA THAT'S NOT ZONED FOR THAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WOULD HATE THAT. AND THE POINT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO BE SAYING THEY LOVE THE FOOD, WHICH I'M SURE IS VERY GOOD. BUT THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE MATTER
IS THIS BUSINESS OPENED IN AN AREA THAT WAS NOT ZONED FOR WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DOING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY SIMPLE ZENNING ZONING ISSUE AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND THE SOLUTION IS THE BUSINESS
NEEDS TO MOVE TO AN AREA OF THE CITY OR ELSEWHERE, WHICH IS ZONED TO DO THIS TYPE OF THING. SO ALL OF THIS, WE'RE TRYING AS HARD AS WE CAN, AND WE'LL MOVE
OUR DIESEL PERFORMANCE TRUCK ANALOGY, BUSINESS, WHEN WE CAN FIND
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO TUNE TRUCKS AND MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND SO ON, BUT WE ARE A COOL BUSINESS, AND EVERYBODY REALLY LIKES US. IT DOESN'T HOLD WATER. YOU HAVE LAWS IN A CITY FOR A REASON, WHICH IS ZONING FOR A REASON. PEOPLE BOUGHT
A HOUSE IN AN AREA BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE AREA, AND THEY DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE
A BARBECUE BUSINESS OPENING UP NEXT DOOR AND CLOUDS OF SMOKE COMING INTO THEIR HOUSE. SO TO ME, THIS IS A VERY, VERY SIMPLE ISSUE, AND WE'RE BEATING AROUND THE BUSH LIKE CRAZY. I'M NORMALLY REALLY PRO BUSINESS. BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME BARRIERS OR WHATEVER, GUIDELINES OR WHATEVER. BUSINESS CAN'T JUST OPEN UP WHEREVER THEY WANT TO IGNORE THE RULES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU OLIVER FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
I'M LINDA, AND I LIVE ON PETALUMA AVENUE. AND I THINK WE'RE MISSING THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM HERE. WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL THIS TALKING ABOUT ZONING AND PERMITS AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. BUT THE REAL ISSUE IS THAT SMOKE KILLS PEOPLE. SMOKE CAUSES HEALTH PROBLEMS. IT CAUSES ME HEALTH PROBLEMS. AND I
BOUGHT MY HOUSE ENJOYED IT, AND THEN I WAKE UP ONE NIGHT AND THE HOUSE IS FULL OF SMOKE. I'VE INVESTED IN AIR FILTERS. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO TRY TO LIVE HERE. NOW MY REALTOR SAYS, WELL, IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE, YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE THE SMOKE. SO THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE MARKET VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO TELL PERSPECTIVE BUYERS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE. THIS IS NOT NIMBY. I CARE ABOUT EVERYONE. I FOUGHT IN THE TOBACCO WARS, AND I KNOW HOW PEOPLE JUST IGNORED IT INITIALLY. OH, SMOKING IS NOT BAD FOR YOU. BUT WE KNOW IT IS, AND EVENTUALLY WE WON, AND SMOKING IS BAD, AND SMOKE IS BAD. AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE EVEN -- IT'S Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
A RIDICULOUS SUGGESTION TO MOVE TO EL CORONEL, AND I AGREE WITH WHAT DOUG SAID. YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SMOKERS BLOWING ACROSS THE STREET TO APPLE VALLEY WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE? NO. THIS IS A HORRIBLE
SITUATION, AND THE CITY SHOULD STOP CONSIDERING ALL THESE ALTERNATIVES AND JUST ENFORCE THE RULES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. YOU KNOW, I STARTED A BUSINESS. I KNEW WHAT THE RULES WERE, HAD TO BUY INSURANCE PERMITS, LICENSE, AND SO DOES A&M.
Agenda Item Number 1
LINDA, THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. I HAVE SOMEONE WITH iPHONE. CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
HI.
THANK YOU, CAN YOU HEAR THE TIMER?
NO.
I'LL JUMP IN WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
OKAY. MY FAME HAD NAME IS RUBY. I WAS AT THE MEETING EARLIER, BUT I HAD TO LEAVE. I WORK FOR A&M, AND I JUST FIND SOME OF THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS VERY
INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING ALL THAT FINN HAD TO SAY AND ALL THE QUESTIONS HE HAD TO ANSWER. I FEEL LIKE -- WE'VE BEEN MET WITH CERTAIN
COMPLICATIONS, AND I FEEL AS THOUGH PEOPLE THINK WE'RE NOT TRYING, AND WE'RE JUST SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. BUT I CAN TELL YOU
FIRSTHAND, FINN AND CHRIS AND EVERYONE ON THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING THEIR
BUTTS OFF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION, AND I AM VERY OFFENDED BY THE
INSINUATION THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING HARD TO FIND A SOLUTION, AND WE CARE ABOUT MAKING EVERYBODY HAPPY. WE DON'T JUST CARE ABOUT OURSELVES AND OUR BUSINESS. WE CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT PUBLIC SPEAKING IS
HARD, BUT I HOPE PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON THE THINGS THAT FINN HAS TO SAY, AND
GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THINGS AND APPRECIATE THE FACT HE'S
STANDING UP, ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE WITH A LOT OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENTS I'M HEARING, IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH MAYBE YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. AND --
YOU HAVE ABOUT 25 SECONDS.
I REALLY HOPE THAT WHEN FINN HAS MORE TO SAY, YOU ALL REALLY LISTEN AND TRY
TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE YOU MISSED SOME THINGS THAT HE WAS SAYING. BUT I WILL JUST GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT MAYBE YOU WERE JUST FOCUSED ON YOUR OWN SPEECH.
AND YEAH. I HOPE EVERYBODY --
THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS BEN TOWN, AND I LIVE ON ELEANOR AVENUE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM A&M. WE'VE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE
SMOKE, THE HEALTH IMPACTS, THE NUANCE IMPACT, HOW WE'VE HAD TO ADAPT OUR LIVES AROUND IT. I JUST WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE TIMELINE, THE CITY WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE MORE THAN ONE YEAR AGO. A&M WAS FIRST SERVED NOTICE OF VIOLATIONS IN MARCH. MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS UNTIL ENFORCEMENT
ABRUPTLY STOPPED WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE END OF MAY. SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN IN THIS CONTINUATION PERIOD OF DELAYED ENFORCEMENT. WE'VE NEVER BEEN PROVIDED ANY JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT TO THE RESIDENTS. AND IN THE MEANTIME THE BURDEN OF THAT DECISION HAS FALLEN COMPLETELY ON THE RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE BREATHING THE SMOKE. SO I'D LIKE TO MIRROR THE OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE A NEIGHBORHOOD OF PEOPLE WITH HEALTH ISSUES. I HAVE PEOPLE WITH HEALTH ISSUES IN MY HOME. I HAVE NEIGHBORS WITH HEALTH ISSUES. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE WHO CANNOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT LEAVE THEIR HOMES. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION AND ACTUALLY SOLVING A PROBLEM. OUR ISSUE IS THE SMOKE. THE SMOKE NEEDS TO STOP, AND WE ASK FOR ACTION RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM. JUNE, WILL YOU PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? Agenda Item Number 1
YES, HELLO.
WE CAN HEAR YOU. YOU GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY, YEAH, I MEAN, I DO THINK THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION, BUT THE CASE IS
THERE WAS A LAW ON THE BOOKS NOT TO HAVE A COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR IN THIS AREA, AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS, GOOD REASONS TO NOT HAVE IT THERE. BECAUSE OF THE VERY IMPACTS IT WOULD CAUSE TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE RESIDENTS. AND SO IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT A BUSINESS OPENED UP THAT WASN'T PERMITTED. BUT
THEN WHEN THAT BUSINESS WAS FOUND OUT AND TOLD, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T CHANGE THE LAW TO THEN ALLOW IMPACTS THAT THE LAW WAS THERE TO PREVENT.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE TRIED TO WORK ON A SOLUTION, SO THERE WOULDN'T BE HARMFUL FOR THE BUSINESS. BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS IF YOU HAVE A LAW THAT YOU DON'T WANT
TO HAVE CERTAIN KINDS OF ACTIVITIES AND SOMEONE BEGINS THOSE ACTIVITIES, YOU DON'T THEN CHANGE THE LAW TO ALLOW THOSE ACTIVITIES. SO, YOU KNOW, TO ALLOW A WHOLE ZONE TO NOW ALLOW THE KIND OF IMPACTS WE'VE SEEN HERE. AND ALL THE
MONEY THAT WE'RE IN A FISCAL EMERGENCY, AND STAFF TIME IS VERY VALUABLE, AND WE'VE TRIED A LOT TO COME WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION HERE. BUT THE SOLUTION, I
THINK HAS TO BE WE'VE HAD A CERTAIN PROTECTION IN PLACE TO PROTECT ALL THE RESIDENTS. THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF HEALTH IMPACTS,
DIFFERENT KINDS OF REASONS WE WOULDN'T WANT THIS KIND OF OPERATION IN THESE ZONES. AND SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PROTECT ALL THE RESIDENTS WITH
THAT, AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOULD GIVE WHATEVER ASSISTANCE THEY CAN TO THIS
BUSINESS, BUT THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN CHANGING THE LAW TO ALLOW IMPACTS ON OTHERS. SO, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE FOR MOVING AND ASSISTANCE FOR KEEPING THE BUSINESS IN OTHER AREAS, BUT IT IS NOT ZONED FOR THIS AREA. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JUNE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
WHAT I'M GATHERING HERE, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF FRUSTRATED PEOPLE FROM BOTH SIDES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED HELP FROM THE CITY ON BOTH SIDES ON WHAT THE PATH FORWARD IS. YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GIVING CLEARANCES, WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN CLEARANCES. THERE'S A HUGE GRAY AREA NOW. AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF
THE CPU IS TO REMOVE THAT GRAY AREA TO PROTECT THE CITY, TO PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND TO PROTECT THE BUSINESSES. RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM OR A STRUCTURE IN PLACE. IF SOMEBODY OPENS UP ANOTHER RESTAURANT IN SIX MONTHS, ARE THEY GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION? ARE THEY GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION? THE WHOLE REASON TO PROPOSE THIS AND MY SOLUTION IS TO CREATE THAT STRUCTURE, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY IT. JUST BECAUSE
WE'VE CHANGED THE ZONING OR THE CPU, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THERE IS NOT -- IT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I GET THAT. I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE WANT, THAT'S NEVER BEEN ABOUT THAT. I'M SUGGESTING
WE DO THAT, SO WE CAN GET CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE CITY ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO. BECAUSE AGAIN, I'VE BEEN ASKING WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? WHAT DO WE DO? I WOULD LOVE TO INSTALL THE FILTER. PROBLEM IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FILTER
IS ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED, SO I'M GOING TO SPEND MONEY TO BUILD SOMETHING, AND THE CITY SAYS, OH, THAT ONE IS NOT ALLOWED. SO THAT'S A GRAY AREA. WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE GRAY AREA. WE'RE WILLING TO PAY THE FEES. WE'RE WILLING TO
BUILD THINGS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT I JUST NEED TO KNOW PHYSICALLY WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE.
THANK YOU, FINN FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. WOODY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? HAD
YES, I CAN. I JUST DID. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
GREAT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THANKS. OKAY. YEAH. FIRST, WOODY HASTINGS HERE. AND I JUST WANT TO TRY TO
CHIME IN WITH SOME FACTUAL INFORMATION TO BACK UP WHAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THIS JUST BEING REALLY A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. BUT FIRST, I DID
WANT TO SAY I REALLY DO HOPE THE BUSINESS CAN FIND A SUITABLE LOCATION THAT IS Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ZONED CORRECTLY FOR THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS, SO THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO. AND THE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE FOOD. I WORK AT THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN THE LATE 1990s AND EARLY 2000s. IT'S THE LARGEST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT IS IN THE L.A. AND ORANGE COUNTY AREA. AND A LOT OF WHAT I DEALT WITH IS ALL KINDS OF FACILITIES THAT ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH RESIDENTIAL AREAS. CARS, SPRAY PAINTING SHOPS, DRY
CLEANERS, AND ANYTHING THAT PRODUCES SMOKE BECAUSE SMOKE IS HARMFUL TO
OUR HEALTH AS IT HAS BEEN SAID EARLIER, PARTICULATE MATTER, ESPECIALLY
PARTICULATE MATTER, WHICH IS SUPER SMALL, PARTICULATE MATTER THAT BURROWS
DEEP IN THE LUNGS AND CAUSES ALL KINDS OF HEALTH PROBLEMS, EVEN FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE. NEVERMIND PEOPLE WHO ARE CHILDREN. EVERYONE IS SUPPOSE TO BE BREATHING CLEAN AIR. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DESIGNED TO BREATHE. AND PRODUCES ALL KINDS OF DISORDERS, STROKE, RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, AND PREMATURE DEATHS.
THERE IS ALSO THIS THING CALLED PAHs, AND A PAUSE. AND THAT'S A PRODUCT OF
INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OF THE WOOD AND ALSO THE FAT THAT DRIPS INTO THE BURNING COALS AND WHATNOT. THIS IS KNOWN TO BE CARCINOGENIC. THIS IS PRODUCING THE CARCINOGENIC SMOKE AND IT NEEDS TO STOP. THANKS.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, WOODY FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS PUBLIC ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
OKAY, WE'RE BACK -- PARDON ME, WE'RE BACK AT THE DAIS. COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN? I'M SORRY, THERE'S A LATE HAND THAT RAISED. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REOPEN?
SURE.
KATIE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES, I CAN SEE THE TIMER.
OKAY, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
YEAH. I AM ACTUALLY JUST TRYING TO SPEAK UP IN SUPPORT OF A&M BARBECUE. THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT STAPLE TO THIS COMMUNITY. I DO UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE EXPRESSED.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE BODY SHOPS, DRY CLEANERS, AND OTHER BUSINESSES THAT PRODUCE SMOKE IN THE AREA. AND FIRST SOME REASON, A&M HAS BEEN TARGETED.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS AND DISCOMFORT THAT PEOPLE
ARE SAYING THEY HAVE, BUT THIS IS A DESPAIR IMPACT ON A BUSINESS THAT IS ACTUALLY BRINGING IN MONEY TO THIS COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
EFFECTIVELY TOLD OR COUNCILLED ON HOW TO MAKE ANY CHANGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND I SPOKE WITH FINN BACK IN JULY TO TRY TO CONNECT THEM WITH BUSINESS FINANCING. IF YOU GUYS HAD FOLLOWED UP IN A TIMELY MANNER, THEY WOULD HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED ANY KIND OF FILTERS OR ANYTHING NEEDED. BUT BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH LITTLE CAESAR'S BEING OPEN. LITTLE CAESAR'S WASN'T SUPPOSE
TO BE OPEN IN THAT LOCATION, AND NOW IT'S OPEN, AND IT'S DOING GREAT, BUT IT WASN'T SUPPOSE TO BE OPENED THERE. SOMEHOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, BUT A&M IS FACING, NOT ONLY PROBLEMS, BUT A LACK OF INFORMATION COMPLETELY.
I THINK THAT'S VERY UNFAIR. I DO HEAR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMPLAINING, YOU
KNOW, AND THEY HAVE THE HEALTH ISSUES, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGETS AND EVERYTHING EARLIER. BUT THIS IS AN INCOME PRODUCING BUSINESS
THAT IS THRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME. WE HAVE VACANT SPACES, AND THIS BUSINESS IS DOING WELL AND THRIVING. WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, KATIE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS WILL BE LAST CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN THE CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, TO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND Agenda Item Number 1
VIRTUALLY? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
OKAY. NOW IT'S CLOSED. COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS WEIGHED IN ON THE DIFFERENT WAYS.
FOR ME, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. BASED UPON THE HISTORY THAT I ASK THE
QUESTION, THE HISTORY OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT, HOW IT STARTED, HOW IT EVOLVED,
THE LACKING OF PERMITTING, COMBINED BY THE FACT THAT THE NEIGHBORS DID PURCHASE THEIR PROPERTY. THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A PROPERTY RIGHT TO HAVE QUIET ENJOYMENT OF ONE'S PROPERTY. HAVING SMOKE TO THIS DEGREE, WHICH HAS
BEEN VERIFIED BY INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS THAT LIVE CLOSE TO THERE ON PURPLE AIR, THE PARTICULATE MATTER IS TOO HIGH. AND ALSO GIVEN THE FACT WHEN I WAS
ASKING OUR CITY ATTORNEY WHETHER WE COULD ACTUALLY CONDITION CERTAIN THINGS LIKE HAVE THEM COOK OFF PREMISE. WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY WAS THERE'S NO PERMIT TO CONDITION. SO BASED UPON THAT, I'M GOING WITH OPTION THREE, WHICH IS
TO DIRECT STAFF TO TAKE ANY REZONING ACTION, PARTICULAR TO THIS SUBJECT SITE AND TO REINITIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION. BASED UPON WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY SAYS AND OUR CITY MANAGER SAYS. IF WE GO WITH THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEN
THEY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES ABOUT HOW THEY COOK, WHERE THEY COOK, ETC., SO THAT IS WHERE I'M AT.
ANYONE ELSE WITH COMMENTS? OH, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT I WANTED TO BE IN. I THINK MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM MIGHT KNOW THAT I HAVE GIVEN IT MY ALL FOR THIS EVENT NOT TO HAPPEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THERE IS -- AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, I TOTALLY KNOW THE
EXPENSE TO HAVING TO SUDDENLY EITHER MOVE OR GET A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S DAUNTING. I GET IT. AND THEN THERE ARE REAL ZONING ISSUES THAT CANNOT BE OVERCOME BY SIMPLY JUST GETTING A SCRUBBER. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO BE IF THIS POSITION, BUT I HAVE TO BE. THE ZONING ISN'T RIGHT, SO I'VE GOT
TO GO WITH THREE AND JUST TRY MY BEST TO GET Y'ALL INTO THE PLACE THAT YOU NEED TO BE.
OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
SO WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE STAFF REPORT, YOU CAN SEE THAT COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND I BROUGHT THIS BACK IN JULY. AND TO SAY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ON -- TRY TO BE ON EVERYONE'S SIDE, UNDERSTAND THE NEIGHBORS. I DON'T LIVE FAR FROM THE AREA. I'VE WALKED BY IN THE MORNING. I HAVE SMELLED THE SMOKE. I HAVE WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN THE SMOKERS HAVE BEEN GOING. I UNDERSTAND MAYBE
OUR STAFF MADE A MISTAKE ABOUT NOT REPLYING, BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK IT'S A GRAY AREA. I HEAR GRAY AREA. ZONING IS NOT GRAY. THERE IS A RULE. YOU GUYS BROKE IT. AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENTLY TRYING TO GET INTO COMPLIANCE. I
THINK THAT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR WHY YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO SECURE ANOTHER LOCATION, WHICH I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON, I BELIEVE IS ALSO BECAUSE THERE'S RULES WITH OTHER LOCATIONS, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T GO EVERYWHERE. EVERYBODY HAS ZONING RULES. AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT A SMALL BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS. I FOLLOW YOUR INSTAGRAM. I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED. WE HAVE BEEN HERE, AND IT'S TOUGH. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO MOVE. BUT WE -- I DON'T BELIEVE IN SPOT ZONING, AND SPOT ZONING IS WHAT WE
WOULD BE DOING IS SPOT ZONING ONE LOCATION BASED ON ONE BUSINESS THAT IS CURRENTLY BREAKING THE RULES. IT IS REALLY EASY TO SEE THE BARBECUE I HAVE IN MY BACKYARD AND WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE OUTSIDE YOURS. WE CAN TOMATO, TOMATO IT, BUT THE REALITY IS YOU'VE GOT BIG SMOKERS, AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF SMOKE.
AND IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS SINCE MARCH. I CAN'T CONTINUE TO LET THIS GO. SO I'M
GOING TO BE MAKING -- ASKING STAFF FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO GIVE YOU SOME TIME, BUT THAT TIME WILL END. THERE HAS TO BE A DEADLINE. YOU CAN'T JUST SIT HERE WHILE YOU ASK FOR UNLIMITED ADDITIONAL TIME, AND I'M SORRY. SO I WANT TO ASK STAFF IF WE CAN GIVE SOME TIME BEFORE ENFORCEMENT. BUT IT WOULD BE A SET TIME, AND THAT IS MY FEEDBACK TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR?
YES. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE STAFF IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE BEING ACCUSED OF THAT YOU DID NOT RESPOND, THAT YOU WERE NEGLIGENT. BECAUSE I Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THINK IF WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER FACTS ON THE TABLE. I MEAN, IF IT'S TRUE, LET'S HEAR ABOUT IT. BUT MAYBE YOUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A COUNCIL DECISION. I'M NOT SURE. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ADDRESS THOSE ACCUSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LEVELED AGAINST STAFF.
Agenda Item Number 1
SO THE REQUEST FROM THE BUSINESS WAS FOR THE FOLLOWING. A LIST OF SPECIFIC
MUNICIPAL, EXCUSE ME, SPECIFIC MUNICIPAL ZONING, BUILDING, FIRE CODES THAT THEY BELIEVE A&M BARBECUE IS CURRENTLY VIOLATING. THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION -- I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, PLEASE?
A LIST OF THE SPECIFIC MY MISMILLION ZONING, BUILDING, FIRE, OR OTHER CODES THE CITY BELIEVES THAT A&M BARBECUE IS CURRENTLY VIOLATING. AND ANY NOTICES, DETERMINATIONS OR DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THOSE INCLUSIONS. A COPY OF THE
ORIGINAL APPROVED USE PERMIT, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT, CITE APPROVAL, OR ANY
OTHER DOCUMENTATION OUTLINING THE PERMITTED USE AND OPERATIONAL SCOPE OF THE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS. ANY RECORDS OR DOCUMENTATION REFLECTING THE CITY'S HISTORIC GOAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPROVED USE OF THE SITE. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT COLLECTED AND SENT TO THEM.
HOWEVER, THE BUSINESS HAS RECEIVED NOTICES WITH INFORMATION. MARCH 20
NOTICE SAYS WE NEED YOU TO TAKE YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
APPROVED SITE, MEANING REMOVING THE TWO LARGE SMOKERS FROM THE SITE AND GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SMALLER ONE OUT FRONT. THE APRIL 8 LETTER SAYS, IN
ORDER TO APPROVE THE BUSINESS, WE WILL ADD A MINIMUM TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SMALLER BARBECUE, REMOVE THE TWO LARGER UNITS. THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION ON MAY 20. IDENTIFIES THE MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION AS TABLE 17.25-1. SO
IT SOUNDS LIKE A COLLECTION OF THESE DOCUMENTS THAT WAS REQUESTED WAS NOT
PREPARED AND SENT TO THEM, BUT THESE CORE PIECES OF INFORMATION HAD BEEN PROVIDED IN NOTICES PREVIOUSLY.
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DOES OUR BUILDING PERSON WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT?
PROBABLY NOT.
BUT HE'S STANDING UP. OKAY, HE IS SHIFTING IN HIS CHAIR.
WAIT A SECOND. I WANT TO KEEP AN ORDER HERE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, STEVE R WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT?
WELL, I'M NOT SURE. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY FIRST. GIVE ME ONE SECOND HERE. I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP ORDER HERE.
YOU CAN ASK STAFF QUESTIONS, YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO KEEP ORDER.
I WILL START OFF TO SAYING FINN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT WE DELAYED IN SENDING HIM INFORMATION. WE HAD A STAFF MEMBER GO OFF. WE HAD IT PREPARED, AND WE THOUGHT HAD IT BEEN SENT AND IT WAS NOT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE DIDN'T GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION. ALL OF THAT WAS SENT IN SEVERAL LETTERS. ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY PREPARED BY ALEX THAT I SIGNED AND SENT OUT. AND IT DETAILED ALL OF THE VIOLATIONS. THE BIG PROBLEM HERE IS THAT NONE OF THE PEOPLE
ASSOCIATED WITH A&M BARBECUE RIGHT NOW WERE THERE WHEN THE BUSINESS WAS FIRST APPROVED IN 2023. YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE TWO SMOKERS THAT ARE THERE THAT STARTED COMING IT IN JULY OF 24. THEY FILLED THIS ROOM BASICALLY WITH THE SMOKERS WE HAVE NOW. SO A BIG DIFFERENCE, AND THEN LIKE I SAID, WHEN IT WAS
APPROVED, IT WAS MARVIN'S DELI AND BARBECUE, AND TINY LITTLE BARBECUES SMALLER THAN THE TABLE YOU'RE SITTING. THEY ALSO HAVE REGULAR DELI STUFF BESIDES THE BARBECUE, AND THEN THAT CHANGED IN JULY OF 24 WHEN THE CREW THAT'S THERE NOW CAME IN.
GOT IT. CLARIFICATION, YOU SAID YOU DID SEND A DETAILED LETTER OF ALL THE VIOLATIONS. DO YOU HAVE THE DATE ON THAT?
ALEX JUST READ THEM OFF, BUT THERE WERE THREE LETTERS SENT STARTING IN MARCH. THERE WAS ONE IN MARCH, ONE IN APRIL, AND ONE IN MAY, I BELIEVE. THOSE THREE WERE ALL SENT TO -- I BELIEVE THE WHOLE NEW CREW. I THINK THE ORIGINAL OPENER OF THE BUSINESS WAS GONE BY THEN.
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE HAVE FEW HAD QUESTIONS? Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THANK YOU. OKAY. DID YOU HAVE -- DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? Agenda Item Number 1
I GUESS SOME OF MY COMMENTS, THERE'S SENSORS ON MORRIS STREET, AND THAT IS PRETTY FAR FROM ELEANOR, WHERE THE SMOKE IS AFFECTING THE NEIGHBORS. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THE ADDRESS ON MORRIS, BUT IT SEEMS PRETTY FAR AWAY.
MORRIS, WE'RE ON MORRIS RIGHT HERE. SO I DON'T THINK -- I'M NOT COMFORTABLE
CHANGING ANY ZONING FOR A BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THEY ARE 9 95% CLOSE TO SIGNING THE LEASE ANYWHERE ELSE. I WOULD SUPPORT THE RESTAURANT STAYING THERE. I WOULD SUPPORT A RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL SMALL SMOKER. THEY PROBABLY VERY WELL KNOW WHAT SIZE THAT SMALL SMOKER WAS, TO ALLOW THE BUSINESS TO CONTINUE THERE. BUT TO MOVE THE SMOKERS OFF THE PROPERTY. SOY GUESS THAT MEANS STARTING ENFORCEMENT -- SO I GUESS THAT MEANS STARTING ENFORCEMENT ON THE LARGE SMOKERS. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN KEEP THE RESTAURANT GOING UNTIL THEY FINISH THEIR LEASE AND MOVE. AND I JUST
THINK THEY'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL, THE BUSINESS IS VERY WELL LOVED, AND HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND IT IS REALLY OUTGROWN THE LOCATION. I THINK SOMETIMES GROWING PAINS ARE HARD. IN THIS CASE, IT CERTAINLY CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND A LOT OF SUFFERING TO THE NEIGHBORS. AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU ALL WERE CAUGHT IN THAT SITUATION. SO I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE CLARITY ABOUT THE NOTICES BECAUSE AS COUNCILMEMBER HINTON SAID, IT HAS BEEN SEVEN MONTHS.
THEY'VE HAD SEVEN MONTHS NOTICE TO KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM, AND THIS HAS BEEN
DELAYED, AND -- MY PREFERENCE IS TO ALLOW THEM TO KEEP THE BUSINESS BECAUSE OUR ATTORNEY SAID THEY COULD AND MOVE THE SMOKERS IMMEDIATELY.
SO I'M GOING TO WEIGH IN TOO HERE. THIS IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE AND IT IS SUCH A CONUNDRUM. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS AND KUDOS TO THE BUSINESS FOR GROWING THE WAY IT HAS. I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO BE IN THIS POSITION UP HERE SITTING HERE, LISTENING TO THIS. BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW AS A BUSINESS OWNER,
THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE PERMITS, PROCESSES, AND I
SAY THAT AS A BUSINESS OWNER, BUT I ALSO SAY THAT I RUN AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH EMERGING BRANDS, EVERYDAY FOOD BRANDS. THAT'S ALL I DO IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IS WORK WITH FOOD PRODUCERS. AND THAT IS SOME OF THE FIRST THINGS WE TEACH PEOPLE. THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL, THE REGIONAL, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL LAWS. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT REGULATIONS WITH THAT, AND IT IS COMPLICATED. IT IS COMPLICATED. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT. IT REALLY GETS HARD BECAUSE ZONING IS IN PLACE FOR A REASON. IT IS A PLACE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, AND IT IS VERY BLACK AND WHITE. IT IS NOT A GRAY AREA. I'M NOT ONE TO DO SPOT ZONING OR CHANGE ZONING FOR JUST ONE BUSINESS. SO I AM ALSO IN THE OPTION THREE SPACE.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW THE BUSINESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO. BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH CHANGING ZONING EITHER.I BELIEVE
THAT WHATEVER ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS GOING TO TAKE THAT. I'M COMES OPTION THREE FOR NOT CHANGING ANY ZONING AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. IF WE ARE VOTING ON OPTION THREE.WHAT IS THE
TIMELINE THAT WILL IMPACT THE BUSINESS IF WE START ENFORCING -- WE'RE ON A TUESDAY. HOW DOES THIS ROLL? SO WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND AND HAVE THE
PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT RULES TAKE OVER FOR ENFORCEMENT BASED ON THIS OVERNIGHT?
STAFF WILL ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE BUSINESS IF IT CONTINUES TO OPERATE IN THE MANNER NOT PERMITTED BY THE ZONING CODE. GIVE 14 DAYS FOR COMPLIANCE. THEN AFTER THAT, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, THE CITY MIGHT PURSUE A SECOND NOTICE. THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT MAYBE THERE IS STILL SOME OUTSTANDING THINGS THAT ARE IN VIOLATION. IF THERE IS NO PROGRESS, THE CITY MIGHT BEGIN ISSUING FINES. AND STAFF WOULD DECIDE BASED ON THE VIOLATION OF WHERE UP TO $500 THAT IT WOULD BE, AND YOU KNOW, HOW FREQUENTLY THE ISSUE OF THOSE FINES, IF THE COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION TO DELAY ENDING THE PAUSE. THEN
OBVIOUSLY STAFF WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION OR SEND NOTICES UNTIL THAT DELAY WAS LAPSED.
TO CLARIFY THE ACTION, SO NUMBER THREE IS TO DIRECT STAFF FOR NOT TAKING ANY REZONING ACTION, AND I AGREE WITH THAT. AND REINITIATE ENFORCEMENT. SO DOES Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ENFORCEMENT MEAN THEY HAVE TO MOVE THE TWO LARGE SMOKERS? IS THAT CORRECT? AND THEY CAN CONTINUE AS A RESTAURANT THERE?
YES. THE TWO LARGE SMOKERS, THEY CONTINUE BEING IN OPERATION, THAT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE CODE.
SO CAN WE MAKE IT CLEAR WE WANT THE TWO LARGE SMOKERS CLEARED? THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE A RESTAURANT?
Agenda Item Number 1
I THINK THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION HERE, RIGHT? WE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT ZONING,
NOT WHETHER OR NOT THEY COULD BE A BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY COULD MAKE THE DECISION, AND IT ALL FALLS INTO PLACE BASED ON ENFORCEMENT, CORRECT? I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
YEAH. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T HAVE TO STOP BEING A RESTAURANT, BUT HAVING THE SMOKERS MOVED.
WILL CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT?
WE WON'T DO ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ANY BUSINESS THAT IS NOT VIOLATING A CODE, A SECTION OF THE CODE. THERE WILL BE NO ENFORCEMENT.
RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
COULD WE DIRECT TONIGHT'S STAFF TO NOT ENFORCE FINES OR TO GIVE A LOWER LEVEL OF DIRECTION TO STAFF IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME? I JUST WANT TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF EVERYONE, A $500 A DAY FINE IS JUST GOING TO SHUT DOWN SOMEBODY PRETTY QUICKLY. THERE WOULD BE A PENALTY, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS FOR ALL THE FINES AND FINS. IF COUNCIL IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE FINE, YOU COULD CERTAIN LOWER IT. I WOULD SAY THOSE DECISIONS SHOULD BE LEFT TO STAFF. IF YOU WANT TO STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I HEARD YOU MENTION EARLIER. NO ENFORCEMENT OR X DAYS, THAT IS CERTAINLY THE DIRECTION THAT
COUNCIL COULD PROVIDE AS THE TIME FRAME WHERE BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF ANY ENFORCEMENT.
I SORT OF SAID WHAT I WAS LEANING, BUT I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION
THAT WE PURSUE OPTION THREE, WHICH IS TO DIRECT STAFF NOT TO TAKE ANY
REZONING ACTION, PARTICULAR TO THE SUBJECT SITE AND TO REINITIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.
SECOND.
MARY?
WE HAD A FIRST AND A SECOND.
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AS I CALL FOR THE MOTION.
SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER TO DIRECT STAFF TO NOT TAKE ANY REZONING ACTION TO THEIR SUBJECTS
THAT ARE ZONED, AND THIS OPTION WILL RESULT IN THE REINITIATION OF THE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
UNFORTUNATELY, YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MADAM MAYOR, CAN I MAKE A REQUEST? THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT, AND
WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE THAT I KNOW FOR SURE WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR LAST ITEM, NUMBER 13 HERE ALL NIGHT, ONLY BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THEM AND MET WITH THEM. SO SINCE THEY'VE BEEN HERE, AND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE TIME, COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO SWITCH THEM AROUND THE LAST TWO?
YES, AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, I NEED TO TAKE A TWO-MINUTE BIO BREAK BEFORE WE CONTINUE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. TMI. BUT SINCE I'M RUNNING THE MEETING. SO IS EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT TO SWITCH THE ITEMS, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE WE DO THAT? Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
IT IS JUST THAT.
WILL IS THAT OKAY?
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND JUST TAKE A TWO F -MINUTE BREAK.[ MEETING WILL RESUME AFTER A TWO-MINUTE BREAK ]
ARE WE READY TO GET GOING, EVERYONE?
MARY, ALEX.
WILL CAN WE GET GOING? WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME.
RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE. LET'S SEE. IS IT OKAY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE BACK AT THE
DAIS HERE, AND WE ARE SWITCHING OUR -- JUST TO RECAP, WE ARE SWITCHING OUR AGENDA AROUND MOVING ITEM 12 DOWN AND MOVING 13 UP. SO WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS NUMBER 13, CREATION OF AD HOC COMMITTEE OR COUNCIL LIAISON
REGARDING RACISM, SOCIAL BULLYING, AND MOCKERY, AND DIRECTION REGARDING TRAINING AND OTHER OPTIONS.
I'LL TAKE IT, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. SO VERY BRIEF RECAP AS YOU KNOW, THE
COUNCIL HAS TWICE BEFORE DISCUSSED RACIST GRAFFITI AND, YOU KNOW, MOCKERY
INSULTS THAT HAVE INVOLVED OR APPEAR TO INVOLVE KIDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL BEHIND THE SAFEWAY. I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE BACKGROUND BECAUSE THE COUNCIL
HAS DISCUSSED THAT BEFORE, PROVIDING DIRECTION FOR ME TO EXPLORE SOME COMMENTS, SOME OPTIONS AT THE LAST MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. I HEARD A
LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS OR DISCUSSION, AND DIFFERENT
OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING THE UNDERLINING ISSUE, AND WHAT IS A GOOD FORM TO HANDLE THIS IN. BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE,
SEEKING DIRECTION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CREATION OF EITHER, A, AD HOC COMMIT TOE TO ADDRESS RACISM AND SOCIAL BULLYING AND MOCKERY. THAT
COMMITTEE COULD BE EMPOWERED AS PART OF THE MOTION TO ORGANIZE MEETINGS
WITH INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING HIGH SCHOOLS, SCHOOL DISTRICT,
BROOK HAVEN, SAFEWAY, AND NEIGHBORS, ALL OF THOSE, AND TO REVIEW SUGGESTIONS AND REPORT BACK. AND TO WORK WITH THAT COMMITTEE. OPTION TWO IS
THE MORE LIMITED -- IT IS NOT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT APPOINTING THE LIAISON,
AND THAT LIAISON COULD HOLD MEETINGS WITH GROUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT WOULD REALLY BE A ONE PERSON HANDLING THAT. REGARDLESS OF WHICH COUNCIL WILL TAKE -- THERE'S A FEW OTHER OPTIONS THAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION.
ONE, WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO PREPARE A GRAFFITI ORDINANCE REQUIRING GRAFFITI TO BE CLEANED AND REMOVED WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
SECOND, APPROVING THE CITY'S USE OF SIERRA, WHO YOU'RE ALL AWARE. THE CITY'S
RISK PROVIDER, USING SOME OF THEIR RACIAL BIAS AND RELATED COURSES AVAILABLE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO AS A PART OF THE MEMBER. SORT OF OUR EMPLOYMENT COVERAGE. THEY OFFER A COMPLIMENTARY TRAINING TO USE THAT. AND THEY HAVE A GRANT WE CAN APPLY FOR THAT IS $2,500 THAT COULD BE USED FOR THE SIMILAR THING.
COUNCILMEMBER MAURER, LET ME BE CLEAR. THOSE ARE SOLELY INTERIOR AND THOSE TRAININGS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO BE PROVIDED FOR STAFF OR CITY OFFICIALS. AND
ANOTHER OPTION, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE OPTION, YOU KNOW, IS COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER AND ZOLLMAN, I THINK MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING, DEDICATION OF
THEIR UNUSED CONFERENCE IN TRAINING FUNDS TO BE UTILIZED FOR ADDITIONAL TRAININGS, INCLUDING TRAININGS, PERHAPS TO BE OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY EITHER SIERRA OR URMA TRAININGS. SO WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL HAS ABOUT THOSE.
THANK YOU, ALEX. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I RECEIVED RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS THAT'S
LIKE NIFTY THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO LEARN TO BE LESS RACIST, BUT WHAT IS IT
GOING TO DO FOR US AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THESE ACTIONS? ONE OF THE E-MAILS THAT WE RECEIVED LATER THIS AFTERNOON,
SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR AND SAYS I SUPPORT OPTION ONE, ONLY WITH MEANINGFUL RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP. PLEASE AMEND IT TO INCLUDE SIX APPOINTED MEMBERS
ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEN HE HAD OTHER SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, AS FAR AS SCOPE. BUT THEN HE ALSO SAYS, IF COUNCIL CHOOSES OPTION TWO, PLEASE ALSO KEEP THE RESIDENT PARTICIPATION. SO WITH THE TWO OPTIONS THAT STAFF HAS Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
LAID OUT, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? EITHER WITH THE AD HOC, WITH COUNCIL OR ONE LIAISON. COULD THERE BE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND IF THAT IS, CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? WHETHER ENCOMPASSES THE BROWN ACT? Agenda Item Number 1
YES. SO YES, IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE BROWN ACT. SO AN AD HOC COMMITTEE HAS
TO BE A COMMITTEE WHOSE MEMBERS ARE SOLELY MADE UP OF LESS THAN THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THAT MEANS THE ONLY MEMBERS CAN BE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR IT TO BE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. IF INSTEAD, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO HAVE -- AN AD HOC COMMITTEE COULD MEET WITH OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT? THEY CAN INVITE OTHERS TO COME AND GIVE INPUT TO THEIR MEETINGS. THAT'S COMPLETELY FINE. BUT IF OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE
GOING TO BE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, SIMILAR TO THE BUILDING THE COMMONS,
FOR EXAMPLE, THEN THAT WILL BE THE MEETINGS THAT WILL NEED TO BE NOTICED AND POSTED AND HELD IN THAT MANNER.
I WOULD REFER TO THE CITY MANAGER TO ANSWER THAT ONE.
IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A STANDING COMMITTEE, I WOULD RECOMMEND I TAKE OVER THE COMMITTEE, THEN CALL ON STAFF WHEN NEEDED.
GO AHEAD.
OKAY. SO IF IT IS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, CAN IT JUST BE LIKE RANDOM MEETINGS SOMETIMES OR DO WHATEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT NEEDS TO DO? AND THEN ALSO, WHAT
ARE THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THE CITY HAVING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND TO MEMBERS HOLDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR JUST FINDINGS? ARE THEY OBLIGATED TO REPORT ANYTHING SPECIFIC? ARE THEY OBLIGATED TO ANY SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR IS THAT TO BE DECIDED WITH THE CREATION OF THE AD HOC? AND DO WE CREATE LIABILITY SOMEHOW IF WE INADVERTENTLY MAKE PROMISES OR? WE DON'T CREATE A NEW LIABILITY. I THINK AS PART OF CREATING THE AD HOC, THE COUNCIL WOULD DIRECT WHAT THEY WANTED. RETURN WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS THE CITY COULD TAKE. YOU KNOW, DO OUTREACH AND ENGAGE WITH
STAKEHOLDERS AND RETURN, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY TRY NO LATER THAN THIS DATE OR
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY CONCERNS. JUST SO IT'S CLEAR TO AD HOC COMMITTEE WHAT THEIR TASK IS.
I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOGETHER
AN AD HOC AND ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES, DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, I
MEAN, MARY, YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT EXPERTISE DO WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES? I KNOW THE
COUNTY OFTEN HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE TRULY DEDICATED TO THESE TOPICS. AND BE CONSIDERED AN EXPERT IN THAT TO WHERE WE AREN'T MAKING MISTAKES OR, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO THE CITY WOULD NOT BE THE EXPERT. THEY WOULD BE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE OR THE STANDING COMMITTEE, THEY WOULD BE REACHING OUT TO THE EXPERTS. SO WE WOULD BE PULLING THOSE PEOPLE IN TO HELP WITH THE MEETING. SO WHETHER IT IS AN AD HOC OR A STANDING COMMITTEE, WE WOULD BE REACHING OUT TO THE EXPERTS.
AND WE WOULD BE PINNING THESE EXPERTS JUST LIKE WE DID WITH FIRE?
THAT WOULD BE A DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COME BACK
TO IF IT WAS GOING TO BE A CAUSE FOR SOMEONE FROM ONE OF THE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS TO COME IN AND GIVE A TALK.
SO IT WOULD BE STAFF TIME PLUS POSSIBLY PAYING? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD.
SO IF THEY WERE AN AD HOC, MY UNDERSTANDING COULD BE, MAYBE THESE MEETINGS
CONVENE -- YOU FIND RESOURCES OUT THERE, BUT ALSO JUST LISTENING AND HOLDING, YOU KNOW, YOUR OWN PARTICULAR MEETINGS. THIS MAY NOT INCUR ANY HIGH-LEVEL COST NOR STAFF TIME UNLESS, YOU KNOW, OR IT COULD BE MINIMIZED.
YEAH. IF THERE IS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, STAFF, YOU KNOW, THE TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS COULD JUST DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO MEET. THEY
MAY -- THERE WOULD STILL BE SOME STAFF TIME ALWAYS BECAUSE MAYBE YOU WANT
TO ADVERTISE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS MEETING ON THIS DAY AND WANTS TO HEAR FROM WHOMEVER, RATHER THAN JUST INVITING. I'M SURE SOMETIMES YOU WOULD JUST INVITE SPECIFIC STAKEHOLDERS. HEY, WE WANT TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS TODAY.
YOU JUST REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS, BUT THERE MAY BE TIMES YOU NEED STAFF'S Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
HELP IN ORGANIZING. BUT LESS THAN -- YOU KNOW, A STANDING COMMITTEE, AND FOR EITHER ONE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL CAN DIRECT THAT. RIGHT NOW, ALL THAT'S
OCCURRING IS X AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME AND MAYBE A PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME BACK. WE THINK THE CITY SHOULD SPEND, YOU KNOW, X DOLLARS TO DO WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION MIGHT BE, AND SO AND SO. AND WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATIONS MAY BE.
Agenda Item Number 1
SORRY, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.
I HAVE QUESTIONS. SO WE DON'T HAVE A GRAFFITI OR AN ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
NOTHING. WE'RE JUST COUNTING ON PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THAT'S QUESTION ONE. QUESTION TWO, I MEAN, THE TROUBLE HAS BEEN WITH YOUTH, RIGHT? YOUTH, AND THEN HAVING LIVED IN SEBASTOPOL FOR A LOT OF THE TROUBLE IS INVOLVING YOUTH.
IT HAS INVOLVED YOUTH. SO THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT. I
ASSUME WE COULD DIRECT THIS FOR THE LIAISON,
YES.
SIMILAR TO THE FENTANYL.
GO AHEAD.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, OUR OPTIONS ARE A STANDING COMMITTEE LIKE THE COMMONS AND AD HOC THAT WAS LAID OUT.
LIKE YOU HAVE A PLANNING
COMMISSION, THAT IS AN OPTION.
A DIRECTION WE COME BACK
FOR
THAT CREATION OF THAT
WITH
MEMBERSHIP AND SO ON, THAT'S
AN
OPTION IF YOU WANT TO CREATE AN
ADVISORY BODY.
THAT'S SOMETHING --
LIKE AN ADVISORY BODY
WOULD
ONLY LOOK LIKE A
PLANNING
COMMISSION WHERE THERE WOULD
BE
PEOPLE UP HERE THE DAIS, A
LOT
OF STAFF TIME.
THE ADVISORY BODY IS
SUBJECT
TO THE BROWN ACT.
WITH A LIMITED JURISDICTION.
WELL, THREE OF US ARE UP FOR
REELECTION.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I MEAN, TWO OF US ARE
RUNNING,
AND ONE IS LEAVING.
ONE COUNCILMEMBER IS LEAVING.
SO
THESE THINGS TAKE TIME TO
SET
UP AND BUILD.
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST FOR THAT?
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON
WHAT
YOU ARE DOING.
TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE A LIAISON,
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE
AVAILABLE
TONIGHT.
IF YOU WANT A STANDING
COMMUNITY-BASED GROUP THAT
INCLUDES COUNCILMEMBERS AND
RESIDENTS, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE
TO COME BACK WITH A
RESOLUTION
TO CREATE THAT.
EITHER THE COUNCIL
HAS, YOU
KNOW -- THE BILLING THE
COMMONS,
RIGHTS, THERE WAS NO
APPLICATION
PROCESS.
WE DESIGNATE THE GROUPS.
THEY DESIGNATE WHO THEY WANT TO
SERVE.
THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DECIDE.
OR SIMILAR TO BUILDING THE
COMMONS, OR LEAVE IT UP
TO
INDIVIDUALS, STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
TO SEND THEIR APPOINTEES.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
GO AHEAD.
I'D LIKE TO FLIP BACK TO THE
GRAFFITI ORDINANCE WHICH IS ALSO
PART OF THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT
KIND OF
BROADLY COVERS IT?
WE DON'T.
THE WORD GRAFFITI ONLY
APPEARS
NINE TIMES IN OUR CODE.
REALLY, IT'S A RECENT NEWS RACK
ORDINANCE, AND THERE IS
SOME
STUFF ABOUT THE SKATE PARK AND
PARKS, BUT THERE IS NO
GENERAL
PROHIBITION ON THAT.
BUT THERE MAY BE SOME
GENERAL
PROHIBITION ON YOUR BUILDING
BEING A NUISANCE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CLEAR
STAND REMOVE GRAFFITI WITHIN 72
HOURS.
OH, I SEE, IT'S NOT
LIKE DEFACING
DEFACING
SOMETHING.
GRAFFITI, YES, GRAFFITI
IS
STILL A
CRIME.
THIS IS ABOUT THE PROPERTY
OWNER
REMOVING THE GRAFFITI.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
YEAH.
OKAY.
THIS IS A BIT OFFTIME.
I DO WANT TO REQUEST THAT
WE HIT
REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
TONIGHT.
SO I JUST PUT THAT INTO THIS
DISCUSSION.
KEEP THAT IN MIND.
10:30 IS PRETTY CLOSE.
GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR.
SO IF IT WAS ONE
COUNCILMEMBER AS A
LIAISON,
COULD THEY HOLD MEETINGS
WITHOUT
BEING A BROWN ACT?
COULD THEY INVITING
RESIDENTS TO
COME AND CREATE A SCOPE OF WHATWHAT
AD HOC -- THEY COULD
CREATE
A SCOPE, AND IN THAT TIME
YOU
COULD DECIDE WHETHER A
LIAISON
WAS SUFFICIENT, OR WHETHER
YOU
NEEDED A BIGGER BODY TO
DISCUSS
THESE THINGS.
BUT LIKE WHAT I WOULD ASK IS
DO
THEY WANT -- DO THEY WANT IT ON
ZOOM?
DO YOU WANT TO INVOLVE SAVEWAY,
DO YOU WANT TO INVOLVE THE
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
POLICE?
WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS AND WHAT
DO
YOU WANT OUT OF
THIS
COLLABORATION WITH US?
WHAT CAN WE DO TOGETHER TO MOVE
THIS ISSUE FORWARD.
AND SO WE RECEIVED A GOOD
LETTER
FROM SOMEONE TODAY, THIS
AFTERNOON.
HAD SOME IDEAS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S --
THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT
I'M
INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE
FROM
AS THE RESIDENTS, WHAT ARE
THEIR
NEEDS AND, YOU KNOW, KIND
OF
BRAINSTORM AROUND WHAT WE CAN
DO
TO HELP.
MAYBE STARTING THAT PROCESS
TONIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TOTO -- SO
I'M
THE ONE WHO IN THE PAST HAS
MET
WITH SAFEWAY AND ANNA LEE,
AND
SAFEWAY SENT THE LETTER
WITH ALL
THE
REMEDIES, ALL THE DIFFERENT
STEPS THAT THEY'VE TAKEN.
I WANT TO JUST SAY I
DON'T WANT
TO SPEAK FOR EVERYONE, YET
BEING
IN THOSE MEETINGS, THEY
ARE
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
AWARE OF THIS TONIGHT, AND
Agenda Item Number 1
THEY
SAID THEY WANTED A TRIAL OF
THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY
STARTED
ANY KIND
OF MEETINGS OR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT.
I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT
THERE
FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT
THAT
WAS SOMETHING THAT
THEY WANTED
TO WORK THROUGH THESE
DIFFERENT
SOLUTIONS THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT
NOW.
SO WE'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS
THAT
EVERYONE WILL WANT TO COME TO
THE
TABLE.
AND MAYBE THEY WILL.
I'M NOT THEIR -- I'M NOT THEIR
SPOKESPERSON, BUT
JUST SHARING
WITH YOU WHAT I HEARD.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY
SENT THAT
LETTER.
SO JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT.
GO AHEAD.
I'M GOING TO DO A TRIAL
MOTION
TO --
YEAH, I'M JUST ASKING.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING
SINCE
THEN, MARY, AS FAR AS THAT,
I
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
GUESS I SHOULD POSE THAT AS A
Agenda Item Number 1
QUESTION.
BECAUSE KNOWING WHAT I
HEARD,
BUT THAT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO.
NO, I HAVE HEARD NOTHING
FURTHER THAN THE LETTER THAT
WE
RECEIVED FROM SAFEWAY OF THE
OPTIONS OR THE ACTIONS THAT
THEY
WERE PROPOSED TO BE
TAKING.
SORRY, I MEANT OOPS.
IT WAS A QUESTION IN MY
HEAD,
BUT IT WASN'T COMING OUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
OKAY, THEN LET'S GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO THIS IS PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THIS IS A TWO-MINUTE TIME
LIMIT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A
PUBLIC COMMENT, I DO CHAMBERS
FIRST, AND THEN GO OUT
TO ZOOM.
IF THERE IS ANYONE
IN CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WELL, I'LL ADMIT THAT I'M
PRETTY CONFUSED IN TERMS OF
WHAT
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THE CHOICES ARE GOING FORWARD.
Agenda Item Number 1
I CAME TONIGHT, AND I HAD
A
LETTER FOR YOU ADVOCATING FOR AN
AD HOC COMMITTEE.
BUT IN THE LETTER, I WAS
ALSO
ASKING THAT AT
LEAST SIX
COMMUNITY MEMBERS BE PART OF
THAT.
AND IT IS
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
I WANT TO APPRECIATE THE
COUNCIL
FOR EVEN -- FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD, BUT I ALSO WANT TO
SAY
THAT THIS IS A VERY
DEEP
PROBLEM.
IT IS NOT A PROBLEM OF A FEW
KIDS AT A HIGH SCHOOL WHO WROTE
RACIST THINGS ON A
WALL.
IF YOU READ THE NEWSPAPERS,
WHAT
IS GOING ON IN SONOMA COUNTY
REFLECTS WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR
COUNTRY.
THERE IS DEEP-SEATED RACISM
HERE, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT.
AND MANY OF US APPEAR ARE WHITE
PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO OWN WHAT WE HAVE,
AND
WE NEED TO LOOK REALLY DEEP.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
IS A BIG KEY.
I THINK INVOLVING THE
KIDS,
INVOLVING THE SCHOOLS,
INVOLVING
THE SPORTS PROGRAMS IS ALL ABOUT
HOW DO WE REEDUCATE FROM A
VERY
RACIST POINT OF VIEW AND CHANGE
IT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT, AND I
HOPE
THAT WHATEVER YOU DECIDE
IS
GOING TO INVOLVE THE
COMMUNITY
IN THAT BECAUSE I THINK
THE
COMMUNITY HAS LOTS
OF VERY GOOD
ANSWERS, OR SUGGESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
JUNE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
YES.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT OF THIS DISCUSSION
IN
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND IN
TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY
SERIOUS
PROBLEM.
AND I DO THINK AN AD HOC
WOULD
BE GOOD, BECAUSE THOSE
TWO
COUNCILMEMBERS CAN MEET
WITH SIX
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THEY
Agenda Item Number 1
CAN
MEET WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND
THEY
CAN MEET WITH THOSE
SIX
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AGAIN,
AND
THEY CAN DO A LOT.
AND I DO THINK IT'S TOO MUCH
TO
PUT ON ONE PERSON TO BE THE
LIAISON.
I THINK WITH TWO PEOPLE,
THERE
IS A LOT TO BE DONE AND A
LOT
MORE
WOULD HAPPEN.
AND IT WOULD HAVE A LOT
MORE
VALIDITY COMING BACK
AS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAYBE
WHAT
THE CITY COULD DO.
AND I DO AGREE WITH WHAT
CINDY
SAID ABOUT THIS HAS BEEN A BIG
PROBLEM.
I DO NOT SUPPORT A
GRAFFITI
ORDINANCE GOING FORWARD.
IT CAME BEFORE, AND
PEOPLE
LOOKED AT ALL THE CONSTITUTIONAL
ISSUES AND THAT'S NOT -- THAT'S
NOT THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM
HERE.
THE PROBLEM IS RACISM,
AND
THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE NEED
TO
DO OUR FOCUS OF ACTIVITIES
AND
ATTENTION AND SEE WHAT MORE
WE
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
CAN DO.
Agenda Item Number 1
I DO SUPPORT TRAININGS AMONG
STAFF.
ALL OF THAT IS GREAT.
DO THAT.
PLEASE DO AS MUCH OF THAT AS
YOU
CAN.
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED AN AD
HOC, AND WE NEED
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AROUND THIS, AND
WE
NEED ATTENTION ON THIS,
BECAUSE
IT IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IN
OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT
I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK.
I'M GAYLE YAMAMOTO SEYMOUR.
I'M THE CIVIL RIGHTS SOCIAL
JUSTICE COMMITTEE OF
THE
JAPANESE AMERICANS
CITIZENS
LEAGUE OF SONOMA COUNTY.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE
NAACP
AND GENERAL MEMBER OF THE ASIAN
AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COALITION OF THE NORTH BAY.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU
SAID.
EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO BASICALLY, IT'S VERY
CONCERNING THAT OUR YOUTH
ARE
FOLLOWING THE PATH OF RACISM.
AND THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR
TACKLING THIS HEAD-ON.
BUT OF COURSE WE CAN'T
JUST
ADDRESS THE SYMPTOMS WE HAVE
TO
GET TO THE CORE OF THE ISSUE.
AND AS PREVIOUS SPEAKER
SAID,
IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR
COUNTY,
IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR STATE
AND
OUR NATION AND EVERYWHERE,
AND
IT'S REALLY ESCALATING.
AND THE GRAFFITI
ITSELF ISN'T
THE PROBLEM, BUT THE GRAFFITI
IS
A
OPPRESSIVE.
IT'S FRIGHTENING, AND IT
MAKES
ALL OF US COMMUNITY PEOPLE,
ALL
OF YOUR PEOPLE UNSAFE
IN THEIR
OWN COMMUNITIES.
SO IT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT JUST TO
OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE, TO BE A
STAKEHOLDER, TO BE PART OF
THE
AD HOC COMMITTEE.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
MY BOARD HAS GIVEN ME
Agenda Item Number 1
PERMISSION
FOR THAT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT YOUR
PREMIER EXPERT ON THIS ISSUE
IS
KIRSTEN LODGE WHO IS HERE
TONIGHT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, GAYLE, FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
SARAH, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
HI, MY NAME IS SARAH, AND
I'M
ALSO ONE OF THE RESIDENTS
HERE
ON THE PITT STREET.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND SAFEWAY HAS
RESPONDED.
I SAW THE COPY OF
THE LETTER OF
THE RESPONSE, AND I DO WANT
TO
ADDRESS THAT FIRST.
FIRST OF ALL, SAYING THAT
THEY'RE SENDING SOMEONE BY TO
REGULARLY MONITOR THE
AREA IS
ABSOLUTELY FALSE.
I HAVE NOT EVER SEEN ANYONE
FROM
SAFEWAY.
I WILL SAY THE POLICE
HAS UPPED
THEIR MONITORING, BUT
THERE HAS
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
NEVER BEEN ANYONE FROM SAFEWAY
Agenda Item Number 1
THERE.
THE SECURITY CAMERA,
WE'VE
ALREADY BROUGHT THAT UP.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT
THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT
THEY'RE NOW
LOOKING INTO.
BUT GOING FORWARD, I MEAN, IF
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REMOVE
THAT
AREA, THAT BLOCK, I BROUGHT
THIS
UP
BEFORE.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE
IT
FENCED IN.
IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FENCE
IT
IN, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND
WHY
THAT IS.
I MYSELF AM A PROPERTY
MANAGER,
AND I KNOW IF ANY OF MY
TENANTS
WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, I WOULD HAVE HAD IT
REMOVED
IMMEDIATELY.
SO THE LACK OF RESPONSE JUST
SHOWED, YOU KNOW, NOT A
GOOD
TASTE IN OUR MOUTH FOR THEM.
TO DATE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I
SAID,
THE POLICE HAVE BEEN
MONITORING
THE AREA MORE.
THE KIDS HAVE COME BY LESS.
AND THAT'S MORE SO
BEEN LUCKILY
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
A RESULT OF THE
Agenda Item Number 1
COMMUNITY
STEPPING UP AND BEING
A PRESENCE
THERE TO MAKE THEM
UNCOMFORTABLE.
ANOTHER IDEA WE HAD WAS
INSTALLING A PERMANENT
GARBAGE
CAN THERE HOW THEY HAVE
OUTSIDE
OF NORMAL GROCERY STORES.
HAVE ONE IN THE BACK.
THESE KIDS ARE LITTERING
ALL
OVER THE PLACE.
MY 80
SOMETHING-YEAR-OLD
NEIGHBOR WHO IS A VETERAN
IS
WALKING DOWN AND PICKING
UP
AFTER THESE LITTLE
KIDS.
AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S
THE FUTURE PLAN OF RESPONSE
FOR
ALL OF THIS.
HOW -- HOW QUICKLY SHOULD
WE
EXPECT TO HEAR BACK?
AS A RESULT OF THIS WHOLE
THING
COMING OUT, I KNOW ONE OF MY
NEIGHBORS HAS EXPERIENCED
SOME
ATTACK DIRECTLY TOWARDS HER,
TOWARDS HER WORK.
AND HER WORK HAS HAD MORE
ACTION
TOWARDS THIS --
SARAH, THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
COMMENT.
NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
IF THERE IS ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
GOOD EVENING.
KIRSTEN LANDREN,
PRESIDENT OF
THE SONOMA COUNTY BRANCH OF THE
NACP.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THESE
ISSUES HAVE COME UP WITH
THE
YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S WORK THAT I'VE BEEN
DOING
IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR TEN YEARS.
BUT I DON'T DO IT FOR FREE, AND
IT IS NOT WITHIN MY SCOPE AS
THE
ROLE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
NAACP.
I HAVE RUN MY OWN BUSINESS AS
A
CONSULTANT AND SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS DO THIS.
I SAY THAT TO SAY IN THE
SMALL
TOWN OF BELLFLOWER,
CALIFORNIA
WHERE I LIVED FOR TWO YEARS
WHEN
I CALLED MYSELF BANNING MYSELF
AWAY FROM SONOMA COUNTY, THIS
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
ISSUE CAME UP WITH
THE GROCERY
STORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I
CAME
IN.
BELLFLOWER
IS SMALLER THAN THE
CITY OF SEBASTOPOL BY 3,000
PEOPLE, AND WE CAME TOGETHER AS
A COMMUNITY AND PRESSURED
THE
CITY COUNCIL, WHO
THEN PRESSURED
THE PROPERTY OWN THEY'RE
THE
GROCER WAS IN, AND THEY LEFT.
WELL, THEY WERE LEFT OUT
AND
THEY WOULD NOT RENEW
THEIR LEASE
BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT STAND
UP
TO ADDRESS THE
PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT AND
MAINTENANCE OF
THE ISSUES THAT
WERE OCCURRING
IN THAT AREA, WHICH WERE RACIAL
EPITHET, DRUG, AND
GANG VIOLENCE
AND SO ON AND SO
FORTH.
SO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
LEVERAGE SOME WILL POWER WITH
SAFEWAY.
THEY'RE ALSO ONE OF THE
CORPORATIONS THAT ROLLED
BACK
ALL THEIR POLICIES
AND
INITIATIVES AS A RESULT OF
THE
TURN OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO TAKE WHAT THEY SAY IN
THEIR
LETTER WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
FEATHERWEIGHT, IF YOU WILL.
Agenda Item Number 1
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THIS
IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU
TO EXPLORE
HOW SOME OF THE
OTHER CITIES
HAVE CONVENED.
I'VE BEEN CONSULTING
AND
CONTRACT WORK FOR THE CITY
OF
SANTA ROSA, BOTH SRPD AND
THE
CITY PROPER, AND THEY
FORMED
ADVISORY GROUPS THAT WERE
MADE
UP OF FOLKS FROM BOTH BODIES
AND
APPOINTED MEMBERS THROUGH
AN
APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY
HAVE
SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO
EXPLORE
SOME ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
OR
AVENUES TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY
FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
TO
ADHERE TO THE BROWN ACT,
WHICH I
THINK IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 10
SECOND.
THAT THERE AREN'T DEALS
AND
DECISIONS BEING MADE WITHOUT
AN
ADVISORY BODY ALLOWING YOU
TO
MAKE SOME INSIGHTFUL
DECISIONS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
DENA, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
CAN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CANNOT SEE THE TIMER, BUT I
DON'T
THINK I'M GOING TO TAKE A
LOT OF TIME.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
HAVING LEARNED TONIGHT
THAT
THE AD HOC CANNOT
INCLUDE
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I WANT
TO
URGE YOU TO ESTABLISH EITHER
A
STANDING COMMITTEE OR
TO
ESTABLISH SOME KIND OF
ADVISORY
BODY THAT INCLUDES THE
COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY RICH IN
RESOURCES AND INTELLIGENCE THAT
WOULD LIKE TO BRING
THAT
INTELLIGENCE AND RESOURCE TO THE
TABLE.
SO I WOULD NOT LIKE TO
SEE YOU
COME UP WITH A DECISION
THAT
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
EXCLUDES ALL OF THAT
Agenda Item Number 1
EXPERTISE
AND WILLINGNESS AND
URGENT
FEELING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, DENA, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
IF THERE IS ANYONE
IN CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
HELLO, HI.
I SPOKE AT THE LAST CITY
COUNCIL
MEETING AS WELL ON THIS ISSUE.
AND I JUST -- AGAIN, I WANT
TO
ECHO WHAT A LOT OF OTHER
FOLKS
HAVE SAID THAT THE GRAFFITI --
GETTING INTO THE WHOLE
GRAFFITI
THING I THINK
IS DISTRACTING
FROM THE CORE ISSUE HERE, YOU
KNOW.
WHICH IS, AGAIN, ABOUT
THIS
RACISM AND ANTISEMITISM AND
THE
FACT THAT THESE KIDS WOULD
FEEL
SO EMBOLDENED TO GO
OUT IN
PUBLIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
YOU KNOW, SO THERE HAS BEEN
A
LOT OF FRUSTRATION,
ESPECIALLY
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
FROM THE FOLKS THAT LIVED
Agenda Item Number 1
ACROSS, YOU KNOW.
BUT ABOUT NOT BEING INCLUDED IN
THE OTHER MEETINGS.
BUT WE'RE HERE NOW, AND
I'M
SEEING SOME THINGS GO ON.
I JUST HAD A CHANCE TO SCROLL
THROUGH THE PAGES OF STUFF.
AND THE STUFF THAT IS COMING UP
FOR SAFEWAY LOOKS PROMISING,
BUT
I DON'T REALLY TRUST THEM.
THEY'RE A BIG CORPORATION.
THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO
DO
SOMETHING UP TO NOW.
UNLESS THEY PUT SOME ACTUAL THAT, I DON'T
REALLY
HAVE VERY MUCH HOPE WITH THEM.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO THIS
THING
ABOUT TRYING TO COME TOGETHER
AS
A COMMUNITY AND
REALLY, YOU
KNOW -- THIS IS REALLY
SCARY
WHEN KIDS COME OUT AND FEEL
THAT
THEY CAN SAY IT
WAS RIGHT AND
SPRAY PAINT ON THE BACK OF
SAFEWAY.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL
THESE DAYS WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO?
KIDS ARE THIS WAY, BLAH, BLAH,
BLAH.
I THINK ABOUT THE KIDS, I
THINK
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ABOUT THE PARENTS.
Agenda Item Number 1
AND I THINK THE BEST WE CAN
DO
IS BRING THIS STUFF OUT IN THE
LIGHT, YOU KNOW.
SO I GUESS REALLY WHAT
I'M
SAYING IS JUST MAKING SURE
THAT
THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ARE
INVOLVED BECAUSE THIS IS
A
REALLY BIG
ISSUE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING
TO BE FIXED OVERNIGHT.
AND FOLKS SITTING HERE
WAITING
UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE
MEETING JUST TO COME UP AND
SAY
A LITTLE BIT.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE IS
COMMITMENT.
THERE IS INTEREST IN
PARTICIPATION.
SO I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN
MOVE
FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT
THE
COMMUNITY MEMBER AND THE
RESIDENTS ARE INVOLVED AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
OLIVER, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU.
CITY OF SEBASTOPOL IS MUCH TOO
SMALL TO BE TAKING
SOMETHING
LIKE THIS
ON.
THE COUNTY HAS ALL KINDS
OF
BANDWIDTHS TO HANDLE THIS
KIND
OF THING.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY,
COMMISSION
ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SO ON AND SO
FORTH.
WE'RE TINY.
RACISM AND ALL THE OTHER
ISSUES
ARE MASSIVE INTERNATIONAL
PROBLEMS.
AND A TINY LITTLE CITY LIKE
THIS
ISN'T GOING TO HAVE
ANY BANDWIDTHS
TO MAKE ANY
MEANINGFUL IMPACT EXCEPT IN
AN
INFORMAL WAY.
I STRONGLY SUGGEST WE PUSH UP
THIS TO THE COUNTY AND HAVE
THEM
USE THEIR RESOURCES TO DEAL
WITH
THIS RATHER
THAN WASTING A LOT
OF STAFF TIME AND CANCELED
BANDWIDTHS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, OLIVER, FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND
TO
THAT LAST COMMENT
BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IT IS EVEN
MORE
IMPORTANT SINCE WE ARE A SMALL
COMMUNITY THAT WE DEAL WITH
THESE
ISSUES AND PUSH
THEM
FORWARD TO TRY TO.
COULD TOGETHER AS A
COMMUNITY
AND FIGURE THEM OUT INSTEAD
OF
SAYING OH, WELL, THIS IS
A
BIGGER ISSUE.
WE NEED TO GO TO THE NEXT
PERSON, BECAUSE THAT'S
EXACTLY
HOW THESE ISSUES GET IGNORED.
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW PEOPLE END
UP
GETTING HURT.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S
REALLY
IMPORTANT AS A
SMALL COMMUNITY
TO SAY THAT WE DON'T
ACCEPT
RACISM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND FOR IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
AND I ALSO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY IS
INVOLVED IN -- WE ALL
AS
NEIGHBORS ARE BEING TOLD WHAT'S
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
HAPPENING AND WHAT'S GOING TO
Agenda Item Number 1
HAPPEN GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
SP, CAN
YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CANNOT.
OKAY, I'LL JUMP IN WHEN
YOU
HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
GO AHEAD,
POLICE.
HELLO.
IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE
STATE
ATTORNEY THERE ARE LOTS OF
RESOURCES FOR INTERNAL
TRAINING,
BUT I DON'T
THINK THIS IS A
COUNCIL AND INCENTER CITY.
EMPLOYEES ARE AT ISSUE.
I'M SURE YOU DO SOME TRAINING
THERE.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS USUALLY
HAVE
SOME MORE TRAINING,
ESPECIALLY
THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER.
THAT'S USUALLY A GREAT PLACE.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I DON'T THINK THE AD
HOC
COMMITTEE IS THE RIGHT
CHOICE
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE
IT'S
LEAVING WITH JUST A SMALL
GROUP
OF PEOPLE.
I THINK MAKING THIS MORE OF
A
LARGER COMMUNITY-BASED
ISSUE,
BRINGING UP AND
HAVE THE
COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND
HAVING
EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER SOMEHOW
SEEMS MORE THE RIGHT CHOICE
TO
TRY TO PUT PRESSURE ON ANNA
LEE
AND THESE
YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THIS
IS NOT OKAY.
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO
THINGS.
JUST HAVING A SMALL GROUP FROM
THE CITY COUNCIL I DON'T THINK
IS GOING TO HAVE THE EFFECT
THAT
A LARGER GROUP OF THE CITY
OR
THE COMMUNITY SAYING HEY,
NO,
WE'RE
NOT GOING TO PUT UP WITH
THIS ANYMORE.
THAT'S I THINK THE BETTER QUAY
TO
GO.
SO THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SEAN PAUL.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO
Agenda Item Number 1
CHAMBERS.
IF THERE IS ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
I HAVE TO SAY I'M A LITTLE
CONFUSED TOO ABOUT WHAT YOUR
DECISION WAS.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN SINCE I
HAVE
BEEN A PART OF THIS WONDERFULWONDERFUL
GROUP TEACHERS,
COMMUNITY
MEMBERS SHOWING UP BECAUSE
THEY'RE SEEING
RACISM IN THEIR
COMMUNITY AND THEY WANT IT TO
STOP.
AND WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE
IS
THIS CITY COUNCIL WORK WITH THEM
TO PROVIDE WAYS FORWARD THATTHAT
CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER,
BECAUSE
THE WILLINGNESS IS AMAZING.
THE SKILL IS INCREDIBLE.
AND THE WISDOM IS HERE.
AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO USE IT.
HOWEVER YOU'RE GOING
TO DO THAT,
I THINK YOU SHOULD USE IT.
BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN IS
INCREDIBLE.
I'M SO PROUD TO KNOW
THESE
PEOPLE AND TO SEE THEM SHOW
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
UP
Agenda Item Number 1
ON THEIR OWN ACCORD AT
SAFEWAY,
AT TIMES WHEN THE KIDS ARE
GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL.
AND REPORT TO EACH
OTHER,
BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT
THEIR
NEIGHBORS AND EVERYONE ELSE
IN
THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY
DON'T
WANT THEIR NEIGHBORS TO
SUFFER,
AND NEITHER DO I.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU DO EITHER.
SO I THINK THAT HOWEVER
YOU
COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN,
LET'S
WORK TOGETHER AND STOP IT NOW.
BEFORE IT GOES ANY FURTHER.
NADINE BURKE HARRIS, BY THE WAY,
WHO WAS AT ONE.SURGEON
GENERAL
OF CALIFORNIA, HAS TRIED
TO
FIGHT THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST
AND
GOTTEN NOWHERE.
I DON'T WANT TO -- I DO.
I WANT TO SAY LET'S NOT GET
INVOLVED IN THE BUREAUCRATIC
TRAP OF, WELL, WE'LL DO THIS
AND
THEN WE'LL DO THAT.
LET'S GET TOGETHER AND
CONTINUE
TO
WORK TOGETHER ON WAYS TO
MITIGATE THIS PROBLEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
COMMENT.
NEXTLY GO OUT TO ZOOM AND
JUST
AS A REMINDER, IT IS 28.
SO BY 10:30, YOU ALL NEED
TO
MAKE A MOTION MOVING FORWARD
OR
STOPPING THE MEETING AT 10:30.
LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I
CAN.
CAN YOU SEE THE
TIMER?
I CAN.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THIS IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT
ISSUE NOT ONLY HERE, BUT
EVERYWHERE.
AND A DIFFICULT ISSUE.
BUT THE CHALLENGE FOR THIS
GROUP
AS A SMALL CITY TO KNOW WHAT YOU
CAN CONTROL AND WHAT YOU CANNOT.
YOU CAN EASILY DIRECT STAFF TO
CREATE A GRAFFITI ORDINANCE.
THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
IT WILL COME BACK ON A
SCHEDULE.
THAT'S WHAT THE CITY IS GOOD AT.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ASKING STAFF TO WORK WITH
Agenda Item Number 1
SCHOOLS, WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY, REACH OUT TO PEOPLE
IN OTHER CITIES, BUILD
A
COALITION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THE
WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD
AND
IDENTIFY ISSUES AND STEPS
THAT
CAN BE DONE IS NOT IN
ANYONE'S
JOB DESCRIPTION.
I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL.
THE CITY IS NOT STRONG IN
THEIR
HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP
ON THESE
KINDS OF ISSUES BECAUSE
THEY
DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ON STAFF
TRAINED, QUALIFIED AND
WITH
CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
IT'S NOT -- THIS ISN'T AN
ISSUE
THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO SOLVE.
SEVERAL PEOPLE, ROB EARLIER ON A
DIFFERENT ISSUE, A COUPLE
OF
PEOPLE ON THIS ONE HAVE
SAID
THERE IS LOTS OF PEOPLE HERE IN
SEBASTOPOL THAT HAVE THE
EXPERTISE, KNOW WHAT TO DO, WANT
TO DO IT.
IT APPEARS THEY JUST LACK
LEADERSHIP.
AND PERHAPS SOMEBODY ON
THE CITY
COUNCIL WHO IS INTERESTED
IN
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THIS ISSUE CAN TAKE IT ON
Agenda Item Number 1
IN
THEIR CITIZEN ROLE AND
PULL
TOGETHER SOME PEOPLE IN THIS
CITY WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN
DEALING WITH THIS AND GET THE
BALL ROLLING.
AND PERHAPS THEY CAN EVEN GET
ENOUGH OF
A LIFE THAT IT WILL
ROLL BY ITSELF.
THERE IS THE ISSUE OF
THE
GRAFFITI ORDINANCE
WHICH
PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THERE IS ALSO THE
ISSUE I THINK
THAT THERE IS A LOT OF
DISCOMFORT THAT THE MAYOR
AND
THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE
CITY
MANAGER WERE MEETING WITH PEOPLE
PERIODICALLY, THE SCHOOL AND
THE
SAFEWAY ON ISSUES, AND
THE CITY
COUNCIL DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT IT.
MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED.
BUT I THINK THE SOLUTION HERE
IS
SOMEBODY TAKE UP THE BANNER
AND
START THE COMMUNITY MOVING
FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, LEE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
COMMENT.
BEFORE WE GO NEXT,
SPEAKER,
IF WE COULD --
I WAS GOING TO STOP.
I WAS GOING TO SAY WE NEED TO --
SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, AT
10:30, THE MEETING ENDS
UNLESS
EVERYONE UNANIMOUSLY AGREES TO
STAY.
SO WE ALL HAVE TO WEIGH IN
ON
WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.
I'LL STAY.
I'M IN.
I'LL STAY, BUT I WOULD ALSO
LIKE
A CALL FOR -- FOR
THE
REQUEST FOR FUTURE COUNCIL
ITEMS
AFTER THIS ITEM IS STOPPED TO BE
INCLUDED.
I'VE GOT TEN MINUTES BECAUSE
LITERALLY, I NEED TO BE AT WORK.
SO I JUST -- SO.
SO IF WE CAN
FINISH THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO STAY
AND PUT
A --
AND WHAT?
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
ARE WE DONE WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT?
NO, SHE NEEDS TO
FINISH.
WE STILL HAVE MORE.
SO IF WE CAN DO
IT, LET'S DO
IT.
SORRY.
THANK YOU.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT.
ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT?
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
WHO'S PUT ENERGY INTO THIS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY
GREAT THE
IDEA OF GETTING SOME TRAINING
SO
YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO BECOME
EXPERTS, BUT CAN AT LEAST
LEARN
HOW TO TALK ABOUT SUBJECTS
THAT
ARE DIFFICULT TO TALK
ABOUT FOR
A LOT OF PEOPLE AND BE ABLE TO
TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN
YOUR
COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT THAT GOES
THROUGH.
I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT JUST
ONE
CAREER WITH THE 2,500 GRANT.
I HOPE IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I HOPE THE POLICE AND
EVERYONE
HERE CAN GET IT.
I HOPE IT CAN
BE OPENED UP TO
THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO
SEPARATE
THIS ORDINANCE FOR
GRAFFITI.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING THAT ANYONE
HAS TALKED ABOUT.
WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HATE
GRAFFITI.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
CRIMES.
SO IF YOU WANT TO DO A GRAFFITI
THING, SEPARATE IT FROM
THIS
WHOLE SITUATION
BECAUSE THAT'S
NOT WHAT ANYONE'S ASKING FOR.
WE'RE ASKING FOR HATE
GRAFFITI
TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, TO
BE
DEALT WITH FASTLY.
AND FOR OUTREACH TO THE
PEOPLE
THAT WERE AFFECTED BY IT.
AND -- I'M
SORRY, I DIDN'T THINK
I WAS GOING TO TALK.
YEAH, I JUST REALLY -- I
DON'T
THINK A GRAFFITI ORDINANCE
WOULD
HELP AT ALL.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT
TRAININGS
WOULD BE GREAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
START,
Agenda Item Number 1
BUT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY JUST
THIS
INCIDENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE NOT IF
IT
HELPS AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO
BE
WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN, HOW IS
IT
GOING TO BE DEALT WITH.
INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY HAVING
TO
COME TO YOU GUYS,
MAYBE
SOMETHING COULD COME YOU GUYS
THE NEXT TIME THIS
HAPPENS,
BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IT COULD BE WORSE NEXT TIME.
SO I JUST THINK THINKING ABOUT
HOW TO PROCEED IN
FUTURE
INCIDENTS AS WELL AS MAKING SURE
THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS
AFFECTED
GET ANYTHING.
BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW THE PEOPLE
LIVING ACROSS FROM THAT HAVEN'T
REALLY GOTTEN ANYTHING.
AND THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
AND SO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE
ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE
THE
INCIDENT HAPPENED AND
THEN
DECIDE WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN
MOVING FORWARD IS WHAT I WOULD
LIKE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COMMENT.
Agenda Item Number 1
I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
KATIE, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
HI.
HEY, SO I'VE HEARD A LOT
OF
COMMENTS ABOUT HOW, YOU
KNOW,
IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM AND WE CAN
HAVE SONOMA COUNTY KIND OF TAKE
OVER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO OFFER
A
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THIS,
OKAY.
SO LIKE I MOVED OUT HERE IN
2019
BECAUSE MY BROTHER GOT BRAIN
CANCER.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
I
WAS TOLD ABOUT SEBASTOPOL
WAS
THAT I NEEDED TO WORRY
BECAUSE
OF MY SKIN COLOR, THAT I
WAS
GOING TO HAVE ISSUES.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE VERY
FIRST
THINGS I WAS TOLD.
WHEN MY SON STARTED GOING TO
PARKSIDE, HE WAS TEASED
BECAUSE
OF HIS SKIN COLOR.
HE LEARNED THE WORD "NIGGER"
AT
PARKSIDE BECAUSE OF THE OTHER
STUDENTS THERE AS A CHILD, AS A
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
BABY.
MY DAUGHTER WENT TO ANNA LEE.
SHE JUST GRADUATED.
SHE TOO HAS BEEN
PERSISTENTLY
BULLIED THROUGHOUT HER
ENTIRE
CAREER AS A STRAIGHT A
STUDENT,
NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE,
NEVER
DONE ANYTHING.
THIS CHILD IS AMAZING, AND
SHE
TOO HAD TO ENDURE THAT STRESS.
THIS IS NOT JUST
SOMETHING
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN THE
COMMUNITY.
IT IS HAPPENING, AND IT IS
AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN, AND
IT
IS TRAUMATIC.
AND IT IS.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING WHEN
WE
WALK DOWN THE STREET AND
WE WE
MICROAGGRESSIONS,
WHEN WE HAVE TO SEE THE RACIST
GRAFFITI, WHEN WE
SEE, YOU
KNOW -- WHEN WE HAVE TO HEAR
THESE THINGS.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT
DOESN'T
HAPPEN TO ALL OF YOU, YOU KNOW.
MOST -- MOST OF THE PEOPLE
IN
THE ROOM RIGHT NOW ARE NOT
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
Agenda Item Number 1
SO THIS DOESN'T
REALLY AFFECT
YOU.
BUT IT DOES AFFECT ME AND
IT
DOES AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE IN
THIS
COMMUNITY, THE 1% OF THE
COMMUNITY THAT IS OF COLOR.
AND IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
A
COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING DONE TO
MAKE IT STOP.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
THANK YOU, KATIE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
IF THERE IS ANYONE
IN CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SEEING NO ONE, I'LL GO BACK
OUT
TO ZOOM.
WENDY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR US?
WENDY, CAN YOU HEAR US?
WENDY, WE ARE
NOT HEARING YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY?
WENDY -- THERE YOU GO.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
CAN YOU
HEAR US?
YES.
THERE YOU GO.
AND YOU CAN HEAR ME.
VERY GOOD.
CAN YOU SEE THE TWO-MINUTE
TIMER?
NO, I CAN'T.
BUT I'M SURE I WON'T GO THAT
LONG.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE
COUNCIL FIRST FOR ALL
YOU GUYS
HAVE
DONE.
THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A FUN
JOB AT ALL.
BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO
THE
ISSUE AT HAND.
I AGREE WITH DENA.
I THINK YOU SHOULD GO
WITH
OPTION TWO.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS FULL
OF
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE THINGS
Agenda Item Number 1
CHANGE.
I DISAGREE WITH OLIVER.
I THINK WE NEED TO ACT
LOCALLY
AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO
PROTECT ALL OUR NEIGHBORS.
THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
COMMENT?
LY COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS,
IF
THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO
ZOOM.
IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM
THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.
SEEING NONE, WE'RE CLOSED
ON
THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE BACK AT THE DAIS HERE.
IF WE CREATED AN ADVISORY
BOARD,
WOULD THAT BE A BROWN ACT
BOARD.
YES.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
OR --
YES.
AN ADVISORY IS A BROWN ACT
BOARD.
ANYBODY APPOINTED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL IS SUBJECT TO THE BROWN
ACT.
SO COULD WE CREATE -- COULD
WE APPOINT A LIAISON TO
THEN
MEET WITH PEOPLE AND HAVE
A
MEETING WITHOUT HAVING
BROWN
ACT --
YES, YES.
OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT I PROPOSE TO START.
OKAY.
SO I KNOW I HATE TO CUT THINGS,
BUT WE'RE ON A TIMELINE, AND
I
HAVE COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE
DEADLINES.
SO A LIAISON I WOULD BE IN FAVOR
OF.
DOES ANYBODY WANT THE VOLUNTEER?
BECAUSE I CAN'T.
I PERSONALLY HAVE A NEW
JOB.
I CAN'T TAKE IT ON.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
SO THIS IS THE FIRST QUESTION.
I WASN'T SURE IF THERE IS
ALREADY A LIAISON FOR THIS.
I WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN
FAVOR
OF THE AD HOC BECAUSE IT
WOULD
BE A PARTNERSHIP, BUT IT'S
KIND
OF THE SAME THING AND
IT DOESN'T
TAKE UP TOO MUCH STAFF TIME.
I'LL SUPPORT THE LIAISON.
I CAN'T SUPPORT AN AD
HOC
ESPECIALLY WHEN AN
ELECTION --
YEAH, I DENT SUPPORT AN AD
HOC EITHER.
PERHAPS A LIAISON.
VOLUNTEER AS A
LIAISON.
I WANT TO COMMENT I JUST
WANT
TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT
BECAUSE THIS
CAME UP WHEN I HAD MY
MEETINGS,
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
IT
DOESN'T TURN INTO, YOU KNOW,
THE
STAFF TIME WHERE IT GOES
LONG
AND
CRAZY.
SO CAN WE MAKE A MOTION
THAT
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER BE
THE
LIAISON TO AN ADVISORY
GROUP,
THAT IT'S NOT A BROWN ACT
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
GROUP,
Agenda Item Number 1
THAT THEN YOU MEET, YOU'LL
MEET
WITH THEM AND GATHER INFORMATION
AND GATHER IDEAS AND DETAILS
AND
THEN REPORT BACK?
I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW
WE'RE
GOING TO DO THIS IN THIS
TINY
AMOUNT OF
TIME.
I WOULD FULLY AGREE WITH
THAT.
AND I WILL COME UP WITH
SOME
THINGS TO BRING BACK.
BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS
GOING TO BE INVOLVED AND
IS
PROBABLY A MORE
POWERFUL
COMMUNITY IF IT'S OUTSIDE
THE
CITY ANY WAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS
WE
HAVE FORMAL MEETINGS AND THERE
ARE, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO
BRING
BACK
THAT ARE SPECIFIC.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THAT OUT
LATER.
CIRCUMSTANCES YEAH, I'M READY
TO
MAKE THE MOTION TO
APPOINT
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AS
THE
COUNCIL LIAISON TO
LEAD
COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND
REPORT
BACK AS INDICATED IN OPTION TWO
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND INCLUDE
Agenda Item Number 1
STAFF, PROTOCOLS FOR STAFF
TRAINING, AND TO APPLY FOR
THE
GRANT FOR $2500 TO AGREE,
WHICH
IT SOUNDS LIKE HAS ALREADY
BEEN OFFERED
FOR VICE MAYOR
URER
AND COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN TO
USE
THEIR REMAINING TRAINING
FUNDS AS
RECOMMENDED BY OUR COUNCIL
LIAISON, AND I DO -- WOULD
LIKE
TO DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE
A
GRAFFITI ORDINANCE THAT
INCLUDES
HATE GRAFFITI AND BRING IT
BACK.
CAN I ADD ONE THING TO
THATTHAT
ASK YOU?
SURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN
THERE
SOME TYPE OF REPORT BACK.
WAS THAT ON THERE?
REPORTING BACK --
WELL, IT JUST SAID "AS
NEEDED."
I WANT IT MORE LIKE MAYBE
IN
THREE MONTHS REPORT BACK.
I FEEL LIKE AFTER THE
COMMENTS
WITH HOW EVERYTHING KIND OF
IN
MY MIND WENT A LITTLE AWRY,
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME SORT
OF
REPORT BACK.
HOW ABOUT WITH
QUARTERLY
REPORTING AS LONG AS THE
COUNCILCOUNCIL
LIAISON IS IN
PLAY.
I THINK THAT SEEMS
REASONABLE.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
BUT MY ONLY CONCERN NOW IS LIKE
I WOULD LIKE A ORDINANCE
AND
WOULD GRAFFITI BE A PART OF
THAT?
OR CAN WE LOOK AT THAT MOTION?
MY MOTION IS A GRAFFITI
ORDINANCE.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT
A
BLIGHT ORDINANCE.
I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN REJECTED
BY
THIS COUNCIL.
QUESTION.
SO STEPHEN AND MY POSITION IS
AT
RISK.
SO I'M NOT SURE YOU
SHOULD
INCLUDE THE $2500
BECAUSE
SOMEBODY COULD BE REPLACING US
AND THEN THEY WOULD BE
SHORTED
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
OUT AND THAT WOULDN'T BE FAIR.
Agenda Item Number 1
I HAVEN'T USED THE MONEY
FROM
JULY TO NOW, BUT IT MAY NOT BE
AVAILABLE.
SO I THINK YOU -- I'M ASKING IF
YOU WILL OMIT THAT FROM THE
MOTION.
YOU CAN DEFINITELY INCLUDE
MINE.
I'M
NOT GOING TO USE IT.
BUT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO
COME.
BUT IT'S IN YOUR
ROLE.
OH.
YOU'RE LEAVING MID
YEAR.
IT'S A GOOD POINT.
I'LL AMEND THE MOTION TO
JUST
INCLUDE AT THIS POINT TO SUBMIT
PAPERWORK FOR THE IRMA
2500
TRAINING GRANT FOR STAFF.
AND TAKE OUT OPTION B.
OKAY.
WE'RE NOT OUT OF ORDER.
RIGHT?
THIS IS -- SHE MADE THE
MOTION
SO SHE CAN MAKE THE AMENDMENTS.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
I MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
AND I'LL
SECOND THAT.
WELL, THEN CAN WE HAVE A
REITERATION OF WHAT IT ALL IS,
MARY, SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON
THE
SAME
PAGE.
SO COUNCILMEMBER
HINTON
ADMITTED HER MOTION AND
VICE
MAURER SECONDED IT TO APPOINT
LIAISON.
THE COUNCIL LIAISON WILL
LEAD
THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
THEY'RE DIRECTING THE
COUNCIL
LIAISON TO MEETINGS WITH
PARTNERS, SAFEWAY, AND OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS NEEDED
DISCUSSING STAFF REPORT ON
AS
NEEDED BASIS.
AND REPORTING BACK TO THE CITY
COUNCIL WITH QUARTERLY
REPORTING, TO INCLUDE THE CITY
PROTOCOLS FOR THE RACIAL BIAS
RELATED COURSES FROM SIRA AND
TO
WORK WITH IRMA ON THE
ONE
COMPLIMENTARY TRAINING
AND
SUPPORT THE PAPERWORK FOR
THE
IRMA GRANT PREPARING STAFF
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
FOR
Agenda Item Number 1
COUNT TO CONSIDER HATE
GRAFFITI
IN THE ORDINANCE.
OKAY.
CORRECT?
DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
WE HAVE A MOTION.
WE NEED A
SECOND.
WE DID.
OH, I'M SORRY.
I FORGOT YOU DID.
SORRY.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLL LAN IN?
YES.
MAYOR McLEWIS?
YES.
ALL RIGHT.
PASSES
UNANIMOUSLY.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
CAN WE MOVE UP THE REQUEST
FOR FUTURE
CITY COUNCIL ITEMS.
ARE YOU ALL AGREEABLE TO THAT?
WE'LL TAKE ME ONE QUICK
MINUTE.
I WOULD LIKE TO IN
REQUESTING
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, I WOULD
LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE CANCEL
OUR COUNCIL MEETING ON
NOVEMBER
3rd, WHICH IS ELECTION DAY.
AND BRING THAT TO COUNCIL
FOR A
FULL VOTE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
I'LL SECOND
ELECTION DAY.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE THAT FOR TOMORROW.
OKAY.
THEN
MEETING'S ADJOURNED, RIGHT?
I'M SORRY?
DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON IT?
NO, YOU JUST NEEDED A
SECOND IS
MY UNDERSTANDING.
YOU JUST NEED TWO
PEOPLE.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
MEETING ADJOURNED. [Event Concluded]
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026