ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: City Manager Item No: D2
Prepared by: John Conley, City Manager Meeting Date: October 14, 2025 Approved by: John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion SUBJECT: PROPOSED RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ACTIONS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN LOCAL
DEMOCRACY, AUTHORITY AND CONTROL AS RELATED TO LOCAL ZONING AND
HOUSING ISSUES
RECOMMENDATION: Discuss a proposed resolution supporting actions to further strengthen local democracy, authority and control as related to local zoning and housing issues, and provide direction to staff.
PRIOR ACTION: None.
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: Mayor Franklin requested the City Manager place a discussion item on an upcoming agenda to discuss a proposed resolution supporting actions to further strengthen local democracy, authority and control as related to local zoning and housing issues. Mayor Franklin’s proposed resolution is attached as Exhibit 1.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this discussion item.
EXHIBITS:
1.Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California Expressing Support for Actions to Further Strengthen Local Democracy, Authority and Control as Related to Local Zoning and Housing Issues
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2025-184. Vote: 5-0
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF
VISTA, CALIFORNIA EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ACTIONS TO FURTHER
STRENGTHEN LOCAL DEMOCRACY, AUTHORITY, AND CONTROL AS
RELATED TO LOCAL ZONING AND HOUSING ISSUES
The City Council of the City of Vista does resolve as follows:
1. Findings. The City Council hereby finds and declares the following:
A. The legislature of the State of California each year proposes, passes, and has signed into law a number of bills addressing a range of housing issues; and B. The legislature of the State of California does not allow sufficient time between each legislative cycle to determine if the legislation is successful in bringing about the change for the State of California’s housing issues; and
C. The majority of these bills usurp the authority of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves the land use policies and practices that best suit each city and its residents and instead impose mandates that do not take into account the needs and differences of jurisdictions throughout the State of California; and
D. The ability of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves which projects require review beyond a ministerial approval; what parking requirements are appropriate for various neighborhoods within their jurisdiction; what plans and programs are suitable and practical for each community rather than having these decisions imposed upon cities without regard to the circumstances of each individual city; and what zoning should be allowed for residential properties is a matter of great import to the City of Vista among other items related to local zoning and housing issues; and
E. The City Council of the City of Vista feels strongly that our local government is best able to assess the needs of our community and objects to the proliferation of State legislation that deprives us of that ability.
2. Action.
A. The City of Vista is opposed to the current practice of the legislature of the State of California of continually proposing and passing multitudes of bills that directly impact and interfere with the ability of cities to control their own destiny through use of the zoning authority that has been granted to them.
B. The City of Vista will explore various ways to protect the ability of cities to retain local control over zoning as each individual city within the State of California is best suited to determine how the zoning in their city should be allocated in order to meet the housing needs of the community.
C. The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this resolution and shall cause this resolution and his/her certification to be entered in the Book of Resolution of the Council of this City. 10/14/2025 D2 2 of 3
EXHIBIT 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA
PAGE 2
3. Adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the City of Vista held on October 14, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
WALTER CHUNG, CITY ATTORNEY
By:
JOHN FRANKLIN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KATHY VALDEZ, CITY CLERK
By:
10/14/2025 D2 3 of 3
ADD TO PACKET
From: Nikki Leeds
To: Kathy Valdez
Subject: Re: For the record: Fwd: 10/14125 Council Meeting/Discussion Item D2 Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 2:24:21 PM
Thanks Kathy,
Please add this as well, just sent to all those on the thread as well.
Additionally, your colleagues at the City of Encinitas and throughout the state are endorsers of reclaiming local housing control. This is a wave of policy makers at the local level stepping up to voice their opposition to reckless and unchecked state housing mandates. See here:
https://www.ourneighborhoodvoices.comiendorsers/
https://www.ourneighborhoodvoices.com/draft-initiativel On Oct 14, 2025, at 2:15 PM, Kathy Valdez wrote:
Thanks Nikki. I'll include this as an Add to Packet.
From: Nikki Leeds
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 12:47 PM
To: Kathy Valdez ; Kathy Valdez
Subject: For the record: Fwd: 10/14/25 Council Meeting/Discussion Item D2 Passing along Kathy...
Begin forwarded message:
From: Nikki Leeds >
Subject: 10114125 Council Meeting/Discussion Item D2
Date: October 14, 2025 at 12:34:50 PM PDT
To: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], Jeffrey Fox
Cc: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
Dear Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Council and Community
D2
Development Director,
I am pleased to see that a resolution discussion item (D2) concerning the reclamation of local housing control is on tonight’s council meeting agenda, dated October 14, 2025. In keeping with that spirit, I request that it be noted for the record that I hope you will give full consideration to the concerns expressed previously by the Monte Vista Drive Group when making decisions on re-zoning and approving future projects in sensitive Vista rural areas. This includes includes current developments such as the Palomar Foothill Residential
Subdivision (P22-0387), the Mar Vista Specific Plan Adoption (P24-0354), and others within this historically agricultural region.
The Council and its surrogates must remain mindful that the decisions for land use made today will have everlasting impact on community safety, character and identity. “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."
Sincerely,
Nikki Leeds