M 2025-10-13 CC 1
Regular Meeting – 6:30 PM
6:30 PM REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Brown called the Regular meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang, California.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor David Brown, Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona, Councilmembers Mark Infanti, Elizabeth Orona, Louise Smith
Staff: City Manager Randy Murphy, City Attorney Chelsea O’Sullivan, City Clerk Annamarie Porter Community Development Director Rafael Castillo, Assistant to the City Manager Olivia Uribe-Mutal, Public Works Director Bridget Paris
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Michael Daly led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS AND CEREMONIAL ITEMS - None
2. PRESENTATIONS
a. 3CE Presentation
Spencer Brandt, Community Relations Manager, Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), narrated a PowerPoint presentation with the annual update on 3CE’s partnership with the City of Solvang. b. County Assessor Presentation
Michael Daly, Santa Barbara County Chief Deputy Assessor, narrated a PowerPoint presentation
3. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS – NON- AGENDA AND CONSENT ITEMS Mayor Brown invited public comments.
Kathy Mobbs
Denise El-Amin
There were no other public comments.
4. CITY MANAGER REPORT AND ADVANCE CALENDAR
City Manager Murphy announced the community cleanup, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and the Earthquake Brace and Bolt Grant.
5. GC SECTION 53232.3(d) (aka AB 1234) and GC SECTION 84308 (aka SB 1439) REPORT OUT,
COUNCIL COMMENTS, REQUESTS
MINUTES
SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL
Monday, October 13, 2025
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Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona reported on her attendance of the Cal Cities Annual Conference in Long Beach
Councilmember Smith reported attending the Cal Cities Annual Conference and the recent State of the City event.
Councilmember Elizabeth Orona reported attending the Eastern Management Agency JPA meeting and the State the City; and doing a site visit at 1704 Mission.
Mayor Brown reported a City Leadership meeting, a tour at the Aquatic Center in Lompoc, being invited to the Taste of the Valley, attending the United Way Mayor’s Bash, the Senior Center Fundraiser, the Viking Car Show; Cal Cities Conference, and a site visit at 1704 Mission.
6. CONSENT ITEMS
a. Approve Order of Agenda
b. Approve City Council Minutes: September 22, 2025
c. Letters to Governor Newsom re Pending 2025 California State Legislation d. Public Records Requests Update
e. Approve September Warrants
f. Santa Barbara County Fire Department – Quarterly Reports Mayor Brown announced that Item No. 8.a will be tabled to a future meeting to allow for further research by staff.
Motion by Mayor Brown to approve the Consent Calendar, as amended, tabling Item No. 8.a to a future meeting, seconded by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona, and carried 5-0.
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
a. 1704 Mission Appeal
Community Development Director Castillo announced that the applicant has requested that the item be continued to the next City Council meeting of October 27, 2025.
City Attorney O’Sullivan recommended opening the public hearing, allowing the applicant the opportunity to confirm the request.
Applicant Ed St. George confirmed his request to continue.
Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona, to proceed with the hearing, as noticed.
The motion died for lack of a second.
Motion by Mayor Brown to continue the public hearing to the City Council meeting of October 27, 2025 seconded by Councilmember Infanti, and failed 2-3, by roll call vote, with Councilmembers Elizabeth Orona, Smith, Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona, opposed.
Mayor Brown announced the public hearing will proceed.
Community Development Director Castillo narrated a PowerPoint presentation with details of the project and of the appeal of the Planning Commission.
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Applicant St. George shared photos of local buildings as references Mayor Brown invited public comments.
Jim Billington
Jean Seamount
Michael Mendizza
Rod Simmons
Dennis Beebe
Denise El-Amin
Janice Zigler
Kathleen Hawkins
Melissa Bates
Kathleen Campbell
Hans Duus
David Gebauer
Thorn Kinersly
Sierra Falso
Steve Golio
Steven Brown, Zoom
Esther Jacobsen-Bates, Zoom
There were no other public comments and Mayor Brown closed public comments.
City Attorney O’Sullivan explained that the decision on this appeal is whether the two elements at issue are allowed to remain as is or required to be corrected.
Discussions continued regarding the design rules, process, Staff concessions, Advisory Body actions, setting precedence, future liability, existing examples.
City Attorney O’Sullivan suggested Council provide input on whether the two elements of the half timbers and the roof design on appeal meet the design criteria.
Motion by Mayor Brown, to approve the appeal.
Discussion followed regarding the units related to the appeal, adding language to PLN 1, that, “if there are inconsistencies with Exhibit B and C, the project shall go before the DRC for final determination” and for PLN 5, that “The final landscaping plan shall go to the DRC for final approval”.
Amended motion by Mayor Brown, to approve the appeal with the added conditions.
The Amended motion died for lack of a second.
Motion by Councilmember Infanti, to adopt Resolution No. 25-1303 denying the appeal and adopting the Planning Commission decision, seconded by Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona and carried 4-1, Mayor Brown opposed.
8. DISCUSSION ITEMS:
a. (tabled to a future agenda). Focus Point Emergency Management Consulting Services (FPEM) for Comprehensive Emergency Planning Services AGMT. b. Agreement with NBS Government Finance Group dba NBS for Downtown Solvang Business Improvement District (BID) Formation and Implementation Services Assistant to the City Manager Uribe-Mutal introduced the item and presented details of the item.
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Danielle Wood, NBS, Zoom, spoke about the process of defining district boundaries, input from stakeholders, and the approval process.
Mayor Brown invited public comments.
There were no public comments on this item.
Motion by Mayor Brown, to approve Item No. 8.b, seconded by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona and carried 5-0.
Motion by Councilmember Infanti, continue with the meeting beyond 9:30 p.m., seconded by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona and carried 4-1, Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona opposed. c. First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance Amending Advisory Body Terms and Appointment Processes
City Clerk Porter presented details of the report.
There were no public comments on this item.
Motion by Mayor Brown, to introduce for first reading, by title only, Ordinance No. 25-0384 amending certain sections of Chapter 1, Planning Commission, Chapter 4 Design Review Committee and Chapter 6 Revenue Measures Oversight Committee of Title 2 Boards and Commissions of the Solvang Municipal Code adding to that, ratification of appointments by City Council, seconded by Mayor pro tem Claudia Orona, and carried 5-0.
d. Revenue Measures Oversight Committee Vacancy
City Clerk Porter presented details of the report.
Discussion followed regarding mid-term vacancies, resignations and the need to notice vacancies.
There were no public comments on this item.
City Attorney O’Sullivan stated that staff will post a notice for the vacancy. e. Caltrans Mission Drive Traffic Flow Discussion
Public Works Director Paris presented details of the report.
Discussion followed regarding Caltrans’s limited jurisdiction, impacts of traffic on ancillary streets, data tracking and checkpoints, including arterial routes, implementing clear pavement signs, enforcement and the parking lot idea.
There were no public comments on this item.
Staff directed to continue to work with Caltrans to find solutions. f. New City Hall Feasibility Discussion
Motion by Mayor Brown, to table Item No. 8.f to a future meeting, seconded by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona and carried 5-0.
9. COUNCIL CLOSING COMMENTS - None
10. ADJOURNMENT
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The meeting was adjourned at 10:26 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Annamarie Porter, CMC, City Clerk
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