Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 1 of 6
CITY OF SOLANA BEACH
SOLANA BEACH CITY COUNCIL, SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY, PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY, & HOUSING AUTHORITY
MINUTES
Joint REGULAR Meeting
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 * 6:00 p.m.
Action Minutes contain formal actions taken at a City Council meeting.
City Hall / Council Chambers, 635 S. Highway 101, Solana Beach, California City Council meetings are video recorded and archived as a permanent record. The video recording captures the complete proceedings of the meeting and is available for viewing on the City's website. Posted Reports & Supplemental Docs contain records up to the cut off time prior to meetings for processing new submittals. Complete records containing meeting handouts, PowerPoints, etc. can be obtained through a Records Request.
CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
Lesa Heebner
Mayor
Kristi Becker
Deputy Mayor / Councilmember District 2
Jill MacDonald
Councilmember District 4
David A. Zito
Councilmember District 1
Jewel Edson
Councilmember District 3
Alyssa Muto
City Manager
Johanna Canlas
City Attorney
Angela Ivey
City Clerk
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL:
Mayor Heebner called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Lesa Heebner, Kristi Becker, Jill MacDonald, David A. Zito, Jewel Edson
Absent: None
Also
Present:
Dan King, Assistant City Manager
Alyssa Muto, City Manager 7:00 p.m.
Johanna Canlas, City Attorney
Angela Ivey, City Clerk
Dan Goldberg, City Engineer
Rachel Jacobs, Finance Dir.
Joseph Lim, Community Development Dir.
FLAG SALUTE:
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Motion: Moved by Deputy Mayor Becker and second by Councilmember Edson to approve and hearing the Staff Reports in reverse order . Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes: None. Motion carried unanimously.
Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 2 of 6 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Comments relating to items on this evening’s agenda are taken at the time the items are heard.
This portion of the agenda provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the City Council on items relating to City business and not appearing on today’s agenda by submitting a speaker slip (located on the back table) to the City Clerk. Pursuant to the Brown Act, no action shall be taken by the City Council on public comment items. Council may refer items to the City Manager for placement on a future agenda. The maximum time allotted for each presentation is THREE MINUTES. No donations of time are permitted (SBMC 2.04.190). Please be aware of the timer light on the Council Dais.
Daisy Dominguez spoke about smoke-free multi-use housing.
Susan Linares spoke about smoke-free multi-use housing.
Diana Kutlow, Senator Blakespear’s office, spoke about her activity and pending bills.
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS - COMMENTARY:
An opportunity for City Council to make brief announcements or report on various activities. These items are not agendized for official City business with no action or substantive discussion.
CITY MANAGER / CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS:
An opportunity for the City Manager and City Attorney to make brief announcements or report on various activities. These items are not agendized for official City business with no action or substantive discussion.
A. CONSENT CALENDAR: (Action Items) (A.1. - A.3.)
Items listed on the Consent Calendar are to be acted in a single action of the City Council unless pulled for discussion. Any member of the public may address the City Council on an item of concern by submitting to the City Clerk a speaker slip (located on the back table) before the Consent Calendar is addressed. Those items removed from the Consent Calendar by a member of the Council will be trailed to the end of the agenda, while Consent Calendar items removed by the public will be heard immediately after approval of the Consent Calendar to hear the public speaker.
All speakers should refer to the public comment section at the beginning of the agenda for details.
Please be aware of the timer light on the Council Dais.
A.1. Minutes of the City Council.
Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Approve the Minutes of the City Council meetings held on March 12, 2025.
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Edson and second by Councilmember Zito to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes:
None. Motion carried unanimously.
A.2. Register Of Demands. (File 0300-30)
Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Ratify the list of demands for February 22, 2025 – March 07, 2025.
Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 3 of 6 Motion: Moved by Councilmember Edson and second by Councilmember Zito to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes:
None. Motion carried unanimously.
A.3. Right of Way Certifications for the Lomas Santa Fe Corridor – East Improvement Project & Other Federally Funded Projects. (File 0820-18) Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Adopt Resolution 2025-024:
a. Authorizing the City Manager to sign the right of way certification that will be submitted to Caltrans for the Lomas Santa Fe – East Improvement Project, which would extend from Santa Helena to Highland Drive. b. Authorizing the City Manager to sign right of way certifications for future federally funded projects.
2. Adopt Resolution 2025-025:
a. Authorizing the City Manager to submit a Smart Growth Incentive Program grant application to the San Diego Association of Governments for the Lomas Santa Fe - West Improvement Project, which would extend from Highway 101 to Solana Hills Drive.
b. If a grant award is made by SANDAG to fund one or more of these projects, the City of Solana Beach commits to providing the matching fund amounts per project as listed in the grant application.
c. If a grant award is made by SANDAG, the City Manager is authorized to accept the grant funds, execute the grant agreement(s) with no exceptions in substantially the same form as provided with the call for projects, and complete the project.
d. The City of Solana Beach understands and agrees that SANDAG shall have no liability for costs that may arise associated with the project, which are not included in the grant agreement, including but not limited to costs stemming from claims, litigation, changes in law, or force majeure events.
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Edson and second by Councilmember Zito to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes:
None. Motion carried unanimously.
B. PUBLIC HEARINGS: (B.1.)
This portion of the agenda provides citizens an opportunity to express their views on a specific issue as required by law after proper noticing by submitting a speaker slip (located on the back table) to the City Clerk. After considering all of the evidence, including written materials and oral testimony, the City Council must make a decision supported by findings and the findings must be supported by substantial evidence in the record. An applicant or designee(s) for a private development/business project, for which the public hearing is being held, is allotted a total of fifteen minutes to speak, as per SBMC 2.04.210. A portion of the fifteen minutes may be saved to respond to those who speak in opposition. All other speakers should refer to the public comment section at the beginning of the agenda for time allotment. Please be aware of the timer light on the Council Dais.
B.1. 701 Valley Ave. Applicant: Witcher/Peterson, Case: DRP22-010, SDP22-008, APN 298-131-14-00. (File 0600-40)
Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 4 of 6 The proposed project meets the minimum objective requirements under the SBMC, is consistent with the General Plan and may be found, as conditioned, to meet the discretionary findings required as discussed in this report to approve a DRP, CUP, SDP and MEC. Therefore, Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Conduct the Public Hearing: Open the public hearing, Report Council disclosures, Receive public testimony, Close the public hearing.
2. Find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15303 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
3. If the City Council makes the requisite findings and approves the project, adopt Resolution 2024-120 conditionally approving a DRP and SDP for a Mixed-Use Development at 701 Valley Avenue, Solana Beach.
Tiffany Wade, Assistant Planner, presented a PowerPoint (on file).
Council disclosures.
Mayor Heebner opened the public hearing.
Jenny An, Applicant representative, spoke about the changes that were made to the project to reduce mass and scale.
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Zito and second by Councilmember Edson to close the public hearing. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito.
Noes: None. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Edson and second by Deputy Mayor Becker to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes: None. Motion carried unanimously.
C. STAFF REPORTS: (C.1. – C.3.)
Submit speaker slips to the City Clerk.
All speakers should refer to the public comment section at the beginning of the agenda for time allotments. Please be aware of the timer light on the Council Dais.
C.3. Mid-Year Budget Adjustments for Fiscal Year 2025. (File 0330-30) Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Adopt Resolution 2025-023:
a. Approving revised appropriations in the FY 2025 Adopted Budget. b. Authorize the City Treasurer to amend the FY 2025 Adopted Budget accordingly.
Rachel Jacobs, Finance Director, presented a PowerPoint (on file).
Motion: Moved by Mayor Heebner and second by Councilmember Zito to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes:
None. Motion carried unanimously.
Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 5 of 6 C.2. Housing Element Annual Progress Report and Housing Successor Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023/24. (File 0630-10)
Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Adopt Resolution 2025-016 approving the 2024 Housing Element Annual Progress Report and the 2023/24 Housing Successor Annual Report as submitted and direct Staff to file the report with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
John Delmer, Assistant Planner, presented a PowerPoint (on file).
Council and Staff discussion.
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Edson and second by Councilmember Zito to approve recommendation. Approved 5/0. Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes:
None. Motion carried unanimously.
C.1. Legislative Priorities. (File 0480-10)
Recommendation: That the City Council
1. Adopt Resolution 2025-026 approving the Legislative Policy.
Alyssa Muto, City Manager, introduced the item.
Kyra Ross, Emanuals Jones, and Associates, presented a PowerPoint (on file).
Motion: Moved by Councilmember Zito and second by Councilmember Edson to approve recommendation and modifying language under 5. General Governance and Fiscal Responsibility referencing employee performance to include “in a manner that still respects the privacy, independence, and capability of these individuals.” Approved 5/0.
Ayes: Heebner, Edson, Becker, MacDonald, Zito. Noes: None. Motion carried unanimously.
WORK PLAN COMMENTS: None
Adopted June 26, 2024
COMPENSATION & REIMBURSEMENT DISCLOSURE: None
GC: Article 2.3. Compensation: 53232.3. (a) Reimbursable expenses shall include, but not be limited to, meals, lodging, and travel. 53232.3 (d) Members of a legislative body shall provide brief reports on meetings attended at the expense of the local agency “City” at the next regular meeting of the legislative body.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS: Council Committees
REGIONAL COMMITTEES: (outside agencies, appointed by this Council) STANDING COMMITTEES: (All Primary Members) (Permanent Committees)
CITIZEN COMMISSION(S)
Solana Beach City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 26, 2025 Page 6 of 6 ADJOURN:
Mayor Heebner adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m.
Approved: April 9, 2025
Angela Ivey, City Clerk