City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone and welcome to the March 10th, 2026 city council meeting. We have a quorum so we can begin. Roll call please. Council member Maloney present. Vice Mayor Pearson present. Council member Mendoza here. Council member Orleman here. Mayor Meyer here. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I'm going to move item F2, our proclamation, um to uh happen now unless anyone has any objections. So, if we can uh meet up at the podium and also Dylan and JJ We're gonna have you come right over here.

Yep. Right there. So, everyone everyone can see you right here. Let me turn. There you go. Perfect. Are you ready? So, I'm going to I'm going to read something and then we're going to um give you certificate and there will be some pictures involved. You ready? Ready, Dylan?

Okay, good. Okay. Whereas World Down Syndrome Day is observed each year on March 21st to raise awareness and celebrate the lives, contributions, and achievements of people with Down Syndrome in our community and around the world. And whereas the 2026 internationally recognized theme, improve our support systems, highlights the importance of inclusive education, accessible health care, meaningful employment, and strong community networks that empower individuals with Down syndrome to thrive. And whereas people with Down syndrome enrich the city of Brentwood with their talents, kindness, determination, and unique perspectives, reminding us that diversity strengthens our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and civic life. And whereas the city of Brentwood proudly supports families, educators, service providers, and advocates who work every day to build a welcoming and inclusive community where all residents are valued and given opportunities to reach their full potential. Now therefore, it be proclaimed that the city council of the city of Brentwood hereby recognizes March 21st, 2026 as World Down Syndrome Day. So, our team, our wonderful team was uh gracious enough to give me some other information about the two of you so that we could share and introduce you to everyone here. So, we'll start with Dylan. Dylan Stewart. Dylan moved to Brentwood in 2003 and attended Loma Vista, Brentwood Elm, Liberty, Cornerstone Christian, and Gateway. Dylan played for the Cornerstone Cougars and now brings his competitive spirit to his weekly special needs bowling league at Bolero. Dylan is known for his generous heart as he donates his bowling

prizes to local toy drives. Yeah. Dylan stays active with his direct support professional, DSP, whether they are out shopping, walking, or biking. Recently, Dylan and his DSP visited the Brentwood Police Department for a special tour of the station. Dylan also continu continues to grow his skills through the B exceptional program where he particularly enjoys his cooking classes. Dylan and his dad are AMC A-list regulars. My family is too. As Dylan developed a lifelong love for villains from Disney villains to WWE Dirty Dom Mysterio, the bad guys are always his favorite characters. and then we'll move into JJ. JJ recently graduated from the Antioch Police Department's 10-week citizens academy. The Brentwood Police Department met JJ in early 2025 at the streets of Brentwood. JJ was wearing his Antioch Police Department hat and waved over Brentwood Sergeant Dansen. After talking to JJ, Sergeant Dansen personally invited JJ to a private tour of our Brentwood Police Department. During the tour, JJ was given his own Brentwood Police Department hat, a challenge coin, and other police department swag. JJ attends the Working Wonders program in Brentwood. It's a great program that provides work training and opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities. JJ also helps his dad whenever he can at the family business church and Sons Painting. A few years back, JJ got to meet the Warriors and participate in a pregame shootout. He met Steph Curry, Nick Young, and the rest of the team. JJ left with great memories and an autographed team ball.

Wow, that was wonderful. Right.

So, we would like to give you each a certificate and this has everything in there that we just talked about. So, that one is for you, Dylan. And then this one is for JJ. Here you go. There you go. And staff has also found some Brentwood pins for you. You can have your uh families or friends put them on your shirt if you'd like to do that. There's one of those for each of you. And we thank you so much for joining us today. And if your families would like to come up and take a group photo,

One more thing because I make a big deal about downtime awareness. Uh the thing with Down syndrome is Down syndrome is a chromosome disorder. Okay? It's a chromosome disorder. You and I, we all we all have 46 chromosomes. We have 23 from mom. We have 23 from dad. People with Down syndrome have 47 chromosomes. They have 47 chromosomes. If you look at the graph the chromosomes and you see two pairs pair number one pair number two on pair number three pair number 21 they have three chromosomes that makes some difference and that's why uh down syndrome awareness day is c celebrated on March 21st because of 321 okay the other the other kind of cool thing is there's three types of down syndrome uh uh the folks who have 321s then there's uh the folks who have a transllocation type. JJ, it's transllocation type. So, his extra 21st, his extra 21st swam over and buried itself on number 14. So, he does have uh 23 pairs, but it's it buried itself on number 14. So, number 14 is a little bit longer. He's transllocation type. And then the third type is mosaic type, and that's a that's a bless type where you can hardly tell they have Down syndrome. So, but uh but most of them are are like JJ. They're absolute sweethearts. So, we're lucky for that. Yes.

Can I get a picture of J with the cops? Moving into public comments. The public comment for tonight's items will be two minutes each for for each speaker. In order to ensure that all speakers feel welcome to share their views, members of the audience are kindly requested to refrain from applauding or speaking to the council from the audience without being called

upon first. In addition, in order to maintain decorum and ensure that no one's sight is obstructed, public commenters are reminded to remain behind the podium while addressing the council and not to approach the dis.

At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on items that are not on listed on the agenda. Items that are listed underformational reports are on the consent calendar. Requests for future agenda items. New requests. Comments for the meeting's detailed agenda items or business items should be made when that those items are called. Please limit your remarks to two minutes per person. The microphone will be muted when the m when the timer expires. First speaker I have is uh Dietmar followed by Tracy followed by Paul. Good evening. Thank you for letting me speak. I come to this city nine years ago. I didn't know where it was until I bought a house. So, but I've been very happy. I have one particular issue I'd like to address and it is a group of rogue bicyclists that ride my neighborhood at 30 to 40 miles an hour down our hill. I've been to the police department three times to file a complaint. I was able to get one cop out one time for an hour, but I feel I need to speak up and let it know be known because I think somebody's going to get hurt or killed and I cannot have it on my conscience that I didn't fight even more. I'm not going to go back to the police department even though the individual cops have been very nice and responsive, even kind, there is something not working. I live on in Shadow Lakes on Prescidio and West Country Club. I have two videos that I'd like to share. I don't know how that shows them riding. I don't know if you know the neighborhood is a very steep hill on two sides. They come down on a group of four in the middle of the road riding through the stop sign at 40 miles an hour. I ride a bicycle in those speeds. And uh one time witnessed them coming down with another car coming down. They came down from West Country

Club, East Country Club in that case. A car came from Presidio. They turned the corner without stopping. The car split the riders basically two to the right, two to the left. I don't know how they made it. It's happened to me. I I am scared for what's going to happen. So, I have had no luck with the police department. That's why I'm here. So, thanks for listening. And um this is really the only thing I really dislike about the place where I live. And it's quite a big issue. Thank you. And I apologize. And if somebody can tell me if I can submit that video or show it to you right now. It's uh 10 seconds long.

Yes. If if actually if you can um speak with Amanda, she can explain how to reach out to us with that video. Yeah. Thank you. The next speaker is Tracy.

Hello. Um, actually, it's interesting that he just spoke about the the police, right? Uh, where is the fifth beat? We restart when we figure out what's going on. Thank you. They're trying to silence me.

Is it okay? Oh, so going back to the gentleman's issue about the police and having, you know, help with traffic or whatever, I still want to know what's going on with the fifth beat. I mean, hasn't that been an issue for a while? Anyway, I'm curious about that. And then the other thing is is I want to bring up I want to know if the county has submitted their corrected version of their negative mitigated or mitigated negative declaration. Like when do we expect it? Are they just going to ignore us? Like does anybody have any information regarding that? And also I just noticed that there's an item F6 about tourism when I know two people who are living next to criminal activity and have been trying to get help and apparently not much has happened. So I'm a little concerned. It's not my problem, thank God. But why are we talking about tourism when there's neighbors that are needing help, needing police? I I I don't understand it. But I am curious about the the county because I don't trust them to do anything correctly. So anyway, that's all I have to say.

The next speaker is Paul. I do have three polls in my list. The first Paul is Paul J. Thank you. Let's talk money. Always a fun topic. Uh with respect to the sensitivities in the room, could you tell us how much money has been spent on the Mar on the Maria's case? decisions were made to delay the roll out of information um leading straight to what we have today, anger and frustration. Fortunately, the good people of Brentwood have resisted violent protests and rejecting our institutions despite early efforts by agitators to do otherwise. We now have a federal civil lawsuit against Brentwood. Where will the money come from to pay for legal defense and any settlements, insurance, our reserve funds taking from other programs, additional taxes? Please tell us. Policies enacted by politicians in Sacramento have resulted in the highest gasoline prices in the nation and a system that cannot absorb supply shocks. Yet, they don't care. Would it be possible for the uh the council or mayor to join other jurisdictions and pressure Sacramento politicians to end the crushing fuel cost burden they are willfully imposing on California residents and especially those people of Brentwood. As reported in the Brentwood press, the council talks about providing city services to visitors, meaning undocumented or illegal migrants. Does the council have detailed vetting on the information on these visitors? Are they

members of gangs, cartels, insurgents, criminals, indigents, peaceful people? How many visitors are now in Brenwood? How much of our tax dollars are spent on these services? What other services are being curtailed because of it? Please tell us. Thank you. The next speakers are David, followed by Mike, followed by Dedree, David Best.

I'm sorry. That should be for the um I apologize. That is for the consent. Mike Although

okay thanks Amanda this um Yolanda Ramirez tragedy tragedy it's important I think for the public to understand there are two people who have authority to advise the police chief and guide the council on how to proceed in a situation like that um that's the previous interimm city manager and former Former city attorney Katie Wisinski and I'm sure she's watching tonight. Katie, you're an embarrassment and you put this community through a lot of pain. Nothing's going to light up these chambers more than you leaving them. But dragging this situation out long enough so that the footage is released to the community and the family after you've resigned is disgusting. It's a calculative exit. At the last council meeting, Vice Mayor Pearson, you were surprisingly critical of the performance of the previous city manager, Ogden, and our past traffic engineer. You got to be kidding. Um, it's evident to all of us, staff and residents alike, that no one has thrown more flowers and kissed more ass of those two officials and Katie Katie than you have. And I'm not saying that to be offensive. I just don't want to hear you or any of the other council people politicize this tragedy tragedy further by jumping on the Katie out bandwagon that all of us have been on for years. Um, this could all have been avoided. I think we all need to go back and remember the meeting where we actually um made Katie our city attorney. I want to read a couple comments and statements from the two council people that um promoted her. I just want to thank you Katie for everything you do for this city and I'm looking forward to having you as my next city attorney. That was Pearson. Katie, we appreciate everything you've done up to this point and we expect it to continue. You're an amazing attorney. We value your opinion. That was Orleans. And the public should know how everyone voted for it. Everyone on this council voted yes for it except for Council Member Mendoza. Chief Agnik, I'm sorry you had to go through all this. This was not your fault. I hope you don't let this deter you from becoming our next permanent chief of police. And I thank

you. The residents, thousands of thousands of us are behind you. and I'll call Mr. Best up again. This would be the time to speak on items on the consent calendar.

Uh thank you uh members of the council. Uh Mayor Meyer, appreciate the opportunity to speak. My name is David Best. Uh I'm representing Shay Holmes. Uh you have on your consent calendar tonight an affordable housing agreement. Um and I just wanted to briefly remind the council that uh this agreement is consistent with the conditions of approval for the project and it's also consistent with the city's ordinance for affordable housing. Um and in fact the the number of units that we're going to supply uh is four and the ordinance requires two mods uh one low and one very low. Uh we're providing two mods and two very low. So we're actually exceeding the requirements of your ordinance. Um, and so I urge you to uh adopt this um agreement um tonight uh to help keep this project on track so that we can deliver the four units um that we're obligated to under our conditions um in a timely manner. If you got any questions, I'll be here for you. Thank you.

Next speaker is Drei, followed by Gabe, followed by Rich. Uh, honorable member, mayor, respected council members, and distinguished guests. Namaste. My name is Di Ray, a proud resident of the city of Bwood and a volunteer of the SA Diwali food drive. Today I am here to give information on last year's SAVA Diwali food drive. The months of October and November are special and meaningful for Hindus across the world. As this is when we celebrate Diwali, the f festival of light. Diwali is more than just a celebration. It is a time to reflect on how light triumphs over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. It encourages us to uphold our values, act with honesty, and promote peace within our families and communities. SA or selfless service is at the heart of our celebrations and daily life. During Diwali we are we focus on this special national project called Sava Diwali. Sava Dvali is a collective initiative by Dharmic organizations including yoga and spiritual organizations Hindu Buddha Jane and Sikh organizations linguistic and Indian socioultural organizations. These organizations uphold the SA dharma which is service to humanity is service to divinity and believe that society's well-being is a responsibility which we all share and its fruits are only as nourishing as the care we put into it. Our goal is to give back to the society in which we live during the festival of Diwali. Starting from the year 2018 in New Jersey where 25 plus organizations collected 18,000 pounds of

food, the SA Dvali food drive has grown significantly. By 2025, we successfully ran the SA Dvali food drive across 38 plus states in the USA around 250 plus townships with 555 plus termic linguistic and culture. The speaker's timer has expired. Tuesday, March 3rd, kind of passed by without much mention in the media or incident. For those that don't remember, that was the anniversary of the Rodney King beating. where four LAPDs viciously and brutally beat Rodney King. Despite a 9-minute video that captured this, the uh officers were not found criminally liable. They eventually were found liable in federal civil court. And I mentioned this to show that then, as today, it's extremely difficult to get police accountable for their actions. We've all seen the tape. Well, maybe we all have. Uh, and we've seen the two autopsies come out. There's a big disparity in the two. You have one that says homicide and one that says natural causes. The disparities do not get any greater than that. We would like to have an corner inquest. There's only two people, as we heard in this room up here at any rate, that have the authority to uh request that. Luckily, the city council has the authority from the municipal code to

order the city attorney to request the um the corner's inquest. So, what I would like to see, I would urge the city council to vote on whether they should order the city attorney to request a corner's inquest. This is what a corner's inquest is made for. It's been part of the county's protocol up until last year when they made a change. It's part of the state code's recommendation to conduct one when there's an in custody death, which this was. So, um, that's what I'd like to see if the city council could vote on whether to order the city attorney to request a corner's inquest. Thank you. So, we have a interim city attorney. The your predecessor left you a mess. She took an assistant city attorney position at Pleasanton. We called Pleasanton to find out when that position was made public. It was in November. So we can all know that she left Brentwood with this mess. Her and interim chief are the only common denominators during my mom's incident that have been handled wrong. It's a cover up. It's a cover up. It took 30 days until media got a hold of the story for public comment. The statement that was released was full of lies. The city council didn't even know this until the media got a hold of it.

Neighbors were not interviewed until a month and a half later after we appeared for the first city council meeting in November. Five months later, they produced edited with context to fit their narrative was released. That was disgusting. Make it seem like my mom deserved that and that they did everything right, but they didn't. They cut it off at the end. They didn't show the paramedics and the transfer of care because they did not disclose that my mom had a head injury. And in that video, you could see her head hit twice initially. The first time with Aaron Peachman forcing her into the car and then propelling her once she was inside the car. They did not disclose the head injury. The next speakers are Paul R, followed by Becky, followed I have two for Paul R. I'm not sure not sure if someone filled it out for you as well.

Four minutes, right? I just heard the main player is gone, the city attorney Gazinski. Her disrespect and callous treatment of a noble family in the city of Brentwood is horrendous and disgraceful. Every one of you city council members throughout that time where she tortured the family. This is the form the months that we've been here where she stayed not looking or respecting the family as we talked since November, always looking at her phone and her iPad and she was called out more than once. Right. But I blame you because not any of you told her in the closed session saying, "Hey, cut that [ __ ] out. Put it down. You're antagonizing this suffering family." Did you, Tony? Did anybody think about that? That's a lack of leadership. It's a lack of human being a human of understanding the horrific experience that this family is going through. But she left it. She got her last dig in after five months waiting for that video. You know where she sent it to be shown? Not at the Brenwood City Department, the police department or the the city hall, but out by the water treatment plant, the sewage treatment plant, and said, "Here, this is Brentwood. This is how we treat Mexican-Americans. Is it racism? Probably. But you are all at fault for refusing to

be human beings. Becky followed by Francisco followed by Maria. Empathy, compassion, and common sense are attributes that many people lack these days. I've noticed from reading the comments on that video from my mom. Everyone is taught the difference between right and wrong at some point in their life. And when what happened to my mom was wrong, her actions that day did not warrant the way she was treated. I don't understand the people who think otherwise because imagining what happened to her versus watching what happened to her was worse than anything I could have imagined. And my dad said it right when he said it was damaging to our souls. I'm now filled with such a profound sadness deep in my core that I don't know I could get out of it. I'm not the same as I was six months ago. Her cries of pain and the images of her in distress are forever imprinted in my mind. And even though I only saw the video one time, it's on constant repeat in my head. Just imagine your mom, your wife, your daughter or sister in that situation. Would you be okay with that treatment? What happens uh when that happens to one of your family members? Would you be as patient as us waiting for answers? Wouldn't you also seek justice for what happened to your loved one? You sit there and think it could never happen to you, but so did we. The thought never crossed our minds because it seemed utterly ridiculous that this would happen to one of us. To protect and enhance the quality of life in our community through uncompromised dedication, professionalism, integrity, and innovative police services. That's the mission statement of the Brentwood

Police Department. The police department failed my mom by not protecting her quality of life. They did not use uncompromised professionalism or integrity that day. If I don't trust the police to keep me or my family safe, how do I tell my kids to trust them? My mom shaped who I am, the mom that I've become, and I'm heartbroken that I was not there to protect her that day. It's hard for me to stay strong when I feel so defeated defeated.

The speaker's timer has expired. Members of the uh council, my name is Francisco. I'm Yolana's son. I'm here today to demand a formal coroner's inquest into the death of my mother. My mother did not die of natural causes. She died because She died because of an encounter with Officer Peachman and Tia Chia. An encounter that never should have happened. The video of that day is deeply troubling. My mother was fine until these officers arrived. There was no crime committed. She was not combative and she did not try to run. Yet, the footage shows her crying out in pain after hitting her head only to be dragged across the seat. She was left face down on her stomach, hands cuffed behind her back. Officer Peachman then slammed the door on her feet, causing her head to strike the armrest the second time. She was left in a position known to be life-threatening. The only reason she didn't suffocate then and there was because she managed to sit herself up. You claim these officers followed protocol. I'm here to tell you that if protocol involves slamming doors on an innocent woman's limbs and ignoring signs of head trauma, then the protocol itself is a death sentence. If they had actually followed safe policing standards, my mother would still be here today. Why wasn't she just allowed to leave? I'm asking this council to stop accepting the natural causes narrative and push for a full transparent coroner's inquest. My mother deserves the truth and the city deserves to know why a woman who committed no crime lost her life. Thank you.

She was denied water, too. The next speaker is Maria, followed by Bridget Dominguez. My name is Maria Dominguez. I'm a resident of Contraosta County. I'm also an attorney. They meet it past president of the California Larasa Lawyers Association and the East Bay Larasa Lawyers Association representing Alama County in this county, Contraosta County. What I saw and heard on the video is elder abuse. Elder abuse. as a daughter of a Latina woman who's also in her 70s. What overcame me are statistics numbers. The Latinos, while we're 39% of the state population, yet we are over represented in the amount of deaths resulting from police encounters. We represent 45% of deaths. 45%. And women, right, with all the attention right now of Women's History Month, women, we're a growing demographic of victims of police brutality with studies showing that that we have accounted for 31% of incidents involving the threat or use of force. And the use of force against women has more than quadrupled since 1999. I work for Contra Costa Health.

The A3 anyone, anywhere, anytime Miles Hall crisis call center was created was created for specific incidents like these. In honor of Miles Hall and the hundreds of other Contraostins who have faced the challenge of a mental health incident as well as the added jeopardy of getting the wrong help or no help at all. What can you do? City council agenda something. This is a liability for all of the residents and visitors to the Brentwood.

The speaker's timer has expired. Give me a minute. Good evening, council. I'm here to talk about Yolanda. I'm here to talk about the person Yolanda was. She was a daughter. She was a wife. She was a mother. She was a grandmother. She was a retired person. She was a blood donor. Now she is an organ donor. She was a victim of lies. She was a victim of and still is a victim of a cover up. She was a victim of neglect. and she was a victim of two police officers who not only need to be put on the list for descertification, but they also they didn't I I don't think it's protocol anywhere in the state of California to leave someone in prone position. She was left that way. She was denied, as her daughter tried to say before you cut her microphone off, she

was denied water. Um, she was denied the they they didn't tell the EMTs what had happened to her. That's criminal. And if they would have told the EMTs, then the EMTs could have told the hospital. And when they were doing brain surgery on her that day, they might have known a little bit more of how to help her and she might still be alive even though she might not be in the same position she was in. But this is your responsibility and we need a corner's inquest.

I have two speaker cards remaining. Sylvia followed by Rudy. Miss is Sylvia. I'm a sister to Rudy, the husband of Yolanda, and I'm one of her sister-in-laws. in viewing that body the footage of that body camera that has been kept from us for five months and had been edited. The thing that struck me the most was her will to survive. She was not being belligerent. She was not being disrespectful. She kept asking why are we doing this? Why? Why is this going on? And to think that Peachman did not know how to deescalate a situation where she was arrested and handcuffed over a broken $12 coffee mug. Where was the training? Where was his his knowledge, his training to deescalate this domestic dispute between two elderly women? When I viewed her in that body camera, I'm sorry. The first thing, the thing that hurt me the most, in addition to everything, the thing that hurt me the most was she, even though her brain and her body was already shutting down, she asked for water. She asked for a damn sip of water and they denied that to her. And when she was lying prone in the back seat handcuffed, her will to survive was so strong that she somehow managed. She somehow managed handcuffed to get herself in a sitting

position. She was already starting to shut down and you could see that. But she wasn't ready to leave her husband, wasn't ready to leave her children, wasn't ready to leave her grandchildren. And when Peachman and that other person finally realized this lady was having a medical emergency, they didn't panic. They didn't get excited. It's like they were looking at a bug under a microscope.

The speaker's timer has expired. over a $12 coffee cup. You could see on the video Peachman and her sister Sylvia discussing what they were going to charge her with. Initially, it was vandalism. impeachment showed my sister-in-law where there's nothing wrong with your screen door. Oh, well uh uh uh well, what else can we uh uh oh, how about a broken coffee cup? Oh, yeah, that'll work. So, my wife died because of a broken coffee cup. we're all doing without because your police department is out of control and you guys don't seem to care. I feel sorry for you, Mr. Smith, and I feel sorry for you, Mr. Breen, for being dumped into this mess that's been created by Duffy, by the city council, by that man over there. This is what you've been dumped into. Hopefully, you'll see the anguish from this family. They don't seem to. And he just sits there smiling. I hope that you guys saw the video. I hope that you make make a clear

judgment in making sure that there is an inquest so we find out was it natural causes or was it homicide? This is on your guys' shoulder now. This is up to you guys to do the right thing. Hopefully you will. I don't have much faith in it but hopefully you will. I don't see how you guys can go home to your wives, your husbands, your kids, look them in the eye, hugging, kissing, knowing what happened to my wife.

The last speaker I card I have is Jane. Hi uh Jane Sheen, board member. Together we stand national social justice organization uh with many affiliates. Uh we demand a coroner's inquest on behalf of everybody uh from our group, on behalf of this family. Let them move on. Let them heal. Help them out. Thank you.

I have no additional speakers. Amanda, can you announce that we uh public comments are not available on Zoom? Yes, due to the presence of all council members in the council chamber, we are not accepting Zoom comments for general public comment. We will have Zoom participation for all other agenda items. We're going to take a fivem minute recess.

I'd like to get started if we could please everyone sit down please. We're ready to get started. If everyone can sit down, please. Before we move into the consent calendar, I'm going to move item E, theformational reports portion of the agenda to just before the consideration of future agenda requests. If there are no objections, I'm going to go ahead and move that. What is going on? Moving into consent calendar. Any motion or anything pulled?

Can we pull 53, please? I mean F3, sorry. Yes. The staff have a presentation available for that item. I made a point to make eye contact with everyone who speaks because of that respect. I'm sorry if I'm not doing more than that. That's what I'm able to do right now. Thank you for coming and thank you for speaking. So, a motion to approve the consent calendar minus F3.

I'll second. All in favor? I I

consent calendar minus F3 is approved to move forward. Who's going to be making the presentation? Thank you, Sylvia.

Are you ready? Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and council members. Tonight, I'd like to provide a brief presentation on the affordable housing obligation for the Orchard Grove North project. At its February 23rd, 2026 meeting, the land use and development committee recommended that the city council review the affordable housing obligation and its income allocations for the project. After the presentation, staff would like to ask the city council's direction regarding the affordable housing agreement for the project. The Orchard Grove North subdivision 9649, a 34 unit single family residential project developed by Shea Holmes. The project is located in the vicinity east of Adams Lane, south of the Rock Church and Vineyard Academy with an address of 1901 Lon Oak Road. On August 13, 2024, the city council approved the developer application for a vesting tenative subdivision map, including a density bonus and associated waiverss under the state density bonus law. The project site is within the general plan residential very low density land use designation, which allows for a density range from 1.1 to 3.0 0 dwelling units per acre. The base density for the project is three units per acre on 9.6 acres, which would allow for a total of 29 units. Here, the applicant is providing 6% of the units for very lowincome households, which meets the state's density bonus law threshold for a density bonus, which requires a

minimum of 5% very lowincome units. The state sliding scale allows for a 22.5% density bonus for projects that offer 6% very low income units, which would allow the project to construct a total of 36 units. However, the applicant did not seek the full bonus allowed by law and proposed a 17.2% density bonus, which is 3.54 units per acre for a total of 34 units as illustrated in the table. The project is under the previous affordable housing ordinance 1041 which requires a 13% affordable housing obligation. The ordinance codifies the requirement that developers of residential developments of 27 to 34 lots or dwelling units shall contain one low-income unit, two moderate income units, and one very low income unit to fulfill an affordable housing obligation of 13% of the total number of dwelling units. However, to satisfy this requirement, the developer will provide two moderate income units and two very lowincome units. Due to the way lowincome household is defined in state law and in the ordinance 1041, providing two very low-income units rather than one very low-income unit and one low-income unit also meets the requirements of ordinance 1041 and state law. The definitions in the affordable housing ordinance were since updated by council to ensure that units will be provided provided in each income category going forward. The approximate timeline for construction of the affordable units at the Orchard Grove North project is early 2027. The developer will notify housing staff

approximately 3 months before the construction of an affordable unit. An applicant will random will be randomly selected from the applicable weight list. Meet with staff to review the guidelines of the program and purchase process. The affordable housing agreement is intended to implement the affordability commitments reflected in the approved project entitlements. The execution of the agreement is required before the approval of the project's final map. At its February 23rd, 2026 meeting, the land use and development committee reviewed the affordable housing obligation and affordable housing agreement for the Orchard Grove North project. The developer requested a number of changes to the affordable housing agreement standard provisions. The committee recommended that the city council reject the requested changes to the agreement and adopt the agreement that reflects the city's standard template with modification specific to the project. The agreement also includes the density bonus provisions. Upon further review, the LED or LUDC requested that staff research the possibility of changing one moderate income unit to a low-income unit in order to have units in each income category, research its legal permissions, and take the findings to the city council for review with the affordable housing agreement. After review of the conditions of approval and density bonus provision as it pertains to the Orchard Grove North project, it was found that the project's affordability mix of two very low-income units and two moderate income units formed the basis for the approved density bonus and vesting tentative subdivision map and is consistent with

the city's inclusionary zoning ordinance in effect at the time the application was submitted. in part exhibit A to city council resolution number 2024-90 conditions of approval for vesting tentative subdivision map 9649 the orchard grove north project condition number eight states permittee shall construct two housing units that shall be made available to very low-income households and two housing units that shall be made available to moderate income households modifying the approved affordability mix at this stage would alter the underlying density bonus calculation and could implicate the developers vested rights under the subdivision map act. Modification to the approved affordability mix would require the applicant's consent and would likely necessitate amendment to previously granted project entitlements, including reconsideration of the density bonus calculation under government code section 65915 and potential review under the California Environmental Quality Act to determine whether additional analysis is required. This concludes the presentation. Thank you.

Yeah, I guess um you know uh Pattonia and I were on L and we had some questions on this and I um I have we've talked about this before about making sure when projects like this come to us, it has it in a grid because I think it was lost on council. We just assumed that we were going to get one per like we were going to get housings per each tier and I'm not sure why that wasn't done in this case. It should have been. Um so I'm a little disappointed that there's the two moderate. I wish we would have gotten at least one low, but going forward I and I know we've asked us for for this in the past. We we really need data to be taken out of narratives and put into tables whenever possible. It makes it clearer for us. it makes it clearer for the public and when things are in narrative it just feels like things are getting um hidden a little bit because they're hard to decipher. So that's um I'm disappointed that we can't do more based on the conditions of approval in the in the low tier. But um hopefully going forward we can take care of that um that miss on communication. Thank you.

Any other comments or questions? You know, and one other thing, if we are on LUD and we have questions, can we not put those in consent and and if because if we ask those questions, we probably want to discuss it. So, if we could just no longer put any when we have additional questions in consent or if you want to put them in consent, let us know because um I just thought this was going to come and we're going to talk about it. So, like going forward, let's let's try not to put those in consent if we have questions. Thank you. With that, do we have a motion for consent for that item? I'll make a motion to approve item F3. I'll second. All in favor? I

I

F3 passes. Moving into business items. Ricardo Nggera, economic development manager, will present the next item regarding reimbursement agreements with harvest time in Brentwood and Contraosta County Wine Growers Association. Can you see it? Are we all there? It's Jo slideshow. I thought I passed that test. Oh, here we go. Good evening. So before you this evening, we have reimbursement agreements with both Harvest Time and the Contra Costa County Wine Growers Association. They're both in the audience this evening. We're asking council to adopt a resolution approving and authorizing the city manager's designate to execute reimbursement agreements one with harvest time for 25,000 to support marketing efforts for their 50th anniversary celebration and two with Contra Costa County Wine Growers Association for 27,000

to support wine growing and tasting. These marketing funds are derived from the agricultural um land fund. Give you a little background. In 2010, the city established the agricultural land fund to support collection of mitigation fees from development. These funds are reserved to support agricultural preservation and promote activities in and around the Brentwood area. Last month, February 11th, the harvest time in Contra Costa County Wine Growers Association requested funds to support the 50th year anniversary celebration and expansion of wine growing and tasting in the county. Both agencies requested funding. However, it was not an on the calendar as an action item. Therefore, the agriculture enterprise committee was unable to take a vote due to time constraints and and the um pick company before us. Um we're taking the this request to the full council rather than returning to the agricultural enterprise committee um for a recommendation. From a fiscal standpoint, there are sufficient funds in the existing budget, the strategic initiative of approximately 165,000 for the cost of these reimbursement agreements. In terms of funding, I'm breaking it out for you. The harvest time, the total of 25,000 includes 50 short vid videos, social media of 20,000, coloring pages 3,000, and website update and meta ads, another 2,000.

As it relates to the Contra Costa County Wine Growers Association, they're seeking 12,000 for a marketing and advertising consultant, another 12,000 for media promotions, ads, and photography, and a 3,000 for printed maps and hard copies. The rationale to support the request. Harvest Times request of 25,000, sorry for the typo, will go to support the 50th anniversary celebration where more than 600,000 visitors flock to Brentwood on an on a seasonal basis. and the Contra Costa County Wine Growers Association request for 27,000 will go to support wine growing and tasting in the county with a goal of becoming similar to what we see in the Tri Valley area between Pleasanton and Liverour. Again, the recommendation Harvard Time um is seeking 25,000 and Contra Costa Wine Growers is seeking 27,000. These funds would be derived from the agricultural land fund. Both um um agency reps are in the audience and are here to answer any other questions and their presentations from February 11th or in your packets. Thank you.

Thank you, Ricardo. Questions for staff. Yeah, Christine, I have a question. Would it be possible, and it you didn't put it in your presentation, Ricardo, but um on page 209 of the PDF, it's there's also going to be an ask for 10,000 for the maps. Would it be okay? And they're going to ask for that out of Econ Dev grant. Can we move that to this and just get it done today since they probably need the maps also? And I don't know what timing the the grants are going to come back. Um, of of course council can add whatever action you'd like, but in the current year 2526, there already is $10,000 uh set aside in the economic development grants for the MAPS for 2526 available for reimbursement right now

um under under the existing economic development priority projects that were set up in this two-year budget. So that funding is available um for reimbursement right now in this fiscal year. So the funds, so we could just do all of that tonight and they we don't have to wait until the next grant cycle is what you're saying. Uh yes, there there's funding available right now of $10,000 in the 2526 priority project budget out of the economic development grant funds. Okay. So do we need to is there an action item for that or no? We could just I think that that was justformational only in the staff report, I believe.

Okay. So they automatically get that. We don't have to wait for the next grant cycle. Council council by resolution adopted that in 2024. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Any other questions?

I have a few. Um, so understanding there was some uh changes in the staffing of this committee. And so some of our processes moving into this particular agenda item were a little clunkier and we're going to smooth those out as we uh kind of become more familiar with working together on this. Um, I know that as a member of the committee that the process to require the funds was a little confusing, maybe uncertain, and so I I'm I would like to find out if we're going to have a more established formal process so everyone knows exactly what to do if they would like to request the funds.

So So currently we do not have a process in place. If you'd like, staff could return at a future meeting or we could go back to the A um enterprise committee with some recommendations on a process to review these funds. And I would say it's open-ended unlike the economic development grant program which takes place every spring. Thank you, Ricardo. And and this is not meant to be punitive in any way. It's really just a matter of uh making it clear for everyone because I know someone was able to ask that day. someone else had to email the next day. I would just like it to be a more clear process and I think it would be appropriate to bring it back to the committee. Thank you.

Thank you. Um the approval of this item has been delayed. Uh the meeting itself was delayed. So I'm I'm curious and I don't know if this means maybe someone can come up and speak on this. We were talking about the 50 videos, one a week, and clearly we're almost through with the first quarter. So, how do we um navigate that? How do we maneuver? And can I invite them to uh come and speak if someone has an answer to that? Hi. Um, yeah, we've actually already went ahead and started with the videos and some have already gone out.

I have missed them. Sorry about that. Okay, that's good to hear. Thank you. um question around so the wine growers when they proposed for their presentation had um kind of a follow up an impact of the marketing outcome and I'm wondering if that's uh again is that kind of an established thing or is that something they just decided to do is there is there a I mean I know we get reports from harvest time on a regular basis and now the wine growers being part of this process I would like to make sure there's some consistency between the the process for everyone and the followup. Sure.

Maybe that's something I can also come back to the committee. Okay. Uh let me just double check here. I guess this is an appropriate question for both of you. We are and it's sort of I'm I'm going to try and keep it to the agenda item as much as possible. We're about to do our state of the city. Last year we did the harvest time video. It was a huge hit. It was wonderful. So, um I don't know if there's something that you've got that could be appropriate to um launch the state of the city again. Maybe the wine growers video, something along those lines. And I guess um I'm doubting that the 50 one of the 50 videos would be good for that. But trying to keep this as much to the agenda item as possible. Um because we're talking about videos, I thought I'd bring that up. Um, I actually probably do have one of the 50 videos that could that would be good and we can go back and look and see sort of what else we what else we have. We can probably look at something, but I'm just off the top of my head, there's one video I know that we have that I think would probably be good.

Thank you. Okay, mayor, are you thinking that we would encompass both Harvest Time and Contraostto Wine Growers Association? Well, I know and again this is trying to keep it to the agenda item, but uh because we've been talking about videos and I know that uh Contracasta Wine Growers is going to be working on some specific marketing too, but they also had a video. Is that part of what you'll be marketing that video that you created already? Um regarding Hello, nice to meet all of you.

Um regarding that documentary that we did, that's that's been sent to all of you and you're happy to edit it and use it or if you'd like the filmmaker to actually edit it. But we actually have a few short videos that we're doing right now to promote um the trolley event that's in April. So that's already out there. So I could definitely get that sent to you if that's appropriate for your use. Is that a little I think the state of the city might actually happen after that. So we can maybe um staff can connect with both parties after this to see if there's something appropriate we can state of the city. It's not the date's not official yet. We're talking about like the very beginning of May perhaps. Okay. The trolley event is Oh, okay. It's April 19th.

So, we'll have um we can reach out to you following this meeting just to clarify if there's something we can incorporate. We can figure out something. Thank you. Okay. Okay. If there aren't any other questions, we can move into public comment.

At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted if you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired. We've received zero written public comments in advance of this item. The two speaker cards I have in person are our applicants in front of us. If you have additional information you'd like to share, please. We'll start with Jessica. Um, in addition, we can we're looking at continuing the 50 videos maybe beyond what would be the actual calendar year. So that way then we'll keep moving through with those. Um, but I just wanted to come and introduce myself. My name is Jessica Enis. I'm the president of Harvest Time in Brentwood. and I thank you very much for allowing us to come and present on our Harvest Times 50th anniversary. For five decades, Harvest Time has helped connect residents and visitors with the farms that define Brentwood. Today, the organization has grown to more than 60 members and helps bring over 600,000 vi visitors to our city each year, supporting family farms and showcasing Brentwood as the UPIC capital. This anniversary is an opportunity to expand that impact. The funding will support a series of 50 short videos highlighting local farms, crops, and share the stories of the farmers who built this community while promoting agurism during peakup seasons. It will also support a new family and youth engagement program through monthly coloring pages designed for children highlighting our unique agricultural community. These activities help younger generations understand where their food comes from and build a stronger connection to our farms.

Another important element is the 50th anniversary magazine and map, which will feature farm profiles, agricultural history, and stories that celebrate the people who have built Brentwood's farming legacy. It will also give information on local parks and restaurants. This publication will help educate residents and visitors alike while strengthening community pride in our agricultural roots. This is not simply about marketing. This is celebrating our 50th anniversary and supporting local farms, strengthening agurism, educating our community, and continuing the legacy of agriculture that defines Brentwood. That's a hard one to follow. So, I'm Becky. Um, I am the president of the Wangor Association. I also am a local farmer. Our family's been farming in the Brentwood area since 1940. Um, we also are members of Harvest Time. So, just um I know you received the packet, but um the uh Wanker Association has been in existence since the early 2000s. Our goal is to uh strengthen and identify this area as a grape growing region. We recently received our AVA which is an accredited viticulture area from the federal government which was a four-year process. So we are now our own AVA which includes Central Coast and San Francisco. So it's a pretty big deal. Um it's a big deal for signifying where our grapes come from on a bottle of wine. It also adds value to people who grow grapes such as myself for uh fair marketing uh fair market value. So, um I'm just ready to ask and answer any questions. I really have a hard time following what she just said, but we are in a big campaign right now ahead of what our funds have with the funding that we've asked for. We just participated in the San Francisco uh public wine tasting event this Saturday.

We had a 24 by 24 booth. Three of our wineries were represented at that event. Uh we touched uh hundreds of people, talked to people about you know Contraosta Wangers and um it was awesome. We had a beautiful booth. We spent a lot of money on tangibles. Uh we had um banners and anyways it was gorgeous and I'd love to send you guys some pictures. But um that's the kind of uh campaigns that we're looking to do and to continue to do with the funding.

Any questions? No. That's it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I do have two hands raised in Zoom. Frank, go ahead. Actually, I think um I'm in the wrong spot like you said. Did you guys already do the uh E item E because that's where I was raising my hand, but I don't know if you skipped it or passed it or moved something ahead forformational report. Yeah. Did you guys do that because I raised my hand after you came back from break but no one called on me.

Uhformational reports would have been during our general public comment and we are not accepting Zoom public comment on the general public comment this evening. Oh, now I get it. I thought that might be something separate. I heard what you said. Okay. Thank you. Have a good night. The next speaker I have is Sinciana. Cyniana, go ahead.

Hi, good evening. Uh, I am very happy to see that um our Ava Ava is represented by people like Becky, Sean and their teams. Um, definitely they are great ambassadors uh for our wine growing region. And um talking about wine growing uh really um that's what our um I don't even know uh Ricardo's title but uh definitely he doesn't understand that wine is not grown, vines are grown and wine is made. So maybe Becky, Sean, and their teams uh can uh provide an educational moment for uh Ricardo to u fairly represent our um this particular item. So um uh please uh approve the funds for this particular program. I think it's great to see over 6,000 visitors. That's great statistics. um you know being um interested in our wine region and um uh definitely if Ricardo presents and represents us uh as he represented our um wine region for PA1, it makes sense why we do not have a PA1/innovation center to this day. So please send him to an educational program and uh please approve the uh funds for um this particular item. Thank you so much.

I have no additional addition hands raised. Hands raised. Any council discussion on this? Yes. Um I just want to say thank you to harvest time and the wine the Contraosta wine growers association for everything that you all have been doing. Um, just seeing everything that you guys are bringing to us on the agriculture enterprise committee has been amazing. So, I can't wait for our community to see all the fruits of your labor. Thank you. Pun. Anyone else?

I just say thanks for all you do. I know it's a lot of work. I know you guys um put a lot of effort into all you do. So, thank you and thank you for always being creative and driving warm bodies into Brentwood that then benefit everyone else. So, thank you. I just think the strategic marketing strengthens our aggro uh agricultural tourism and I'm just grateful for the opportunity to take a vote on this. Thank you.

And I'll just ditto everything everybody else has said. We truly appreciate harvest time uh especially during the upic uh time of the year but year round. the things you bring to the downtown, the things you bring to farmers market and and the events downtown are amazing along with our phenomenal wine growers here in town. Uh we truly appreciate the business you bring into town, but also the community you develop around the town. Thank you.

And I'd like to also add to this. I think um having watched this develop year by year and every year you come up with something new and innovative to bring more people in to bring more attention to our agricultural community and it it is just a beautiful thing to see and I I'm so impressed by the creativity has been mentioned but the partnerships as well and I think every year we're also seeing new ways for us to work together and crosspromote and that is absolutely fantastic for the city for the surrounding farms all of it. So thank you so much for that and with that we'll take a motion. As set forth in the staff report, I move to adopt a resolution approving the reimbursement agreement in the amount of 25,000 with harvest time in Brentwood and authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement and adopt a resolution approving the reimbursement agreement with Contraosta County Wine Growers in the amount of 27,000 to be expended from the aggro uh agricultural land fund and authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement.

And I'll second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Congratulations. Moving into item G2, the focus zoning code update direction on alcohol sales. Jennifer Hagen, principal planner, will present the next item regarding the focus zoning code as it relates to alcohol sales.

Thank you, mayor, and members of the city council. Um, tonight we are here to discuss the city's focus zoning code update, specifically regulations related to the sale of alcohol for on-remise consumption related to restaurants. Uh, this item was last discussed with council a little over a year ago. For tonight's presentation, I'm going to pass things off to our consultant, Perry Banner with Denovo Planning Group, who's joining us tonight via Zoom. Um, Perry along with staff will be available to discuss and answer any questions at the end of the presentation. Um, so go ahead, Perry. You can go ahead and share your screen.

Good evening, Mayor Meyer, members of the city council. It's great to see you again. Um, I hope you have a little lighter agenda this evening. As Jennifer indicated, this is uh the item that you have before you tonight is part of the focus zoning code updates related to onremise alcohol sales. As somewhat of a reminder, this project that we have before you tonight is really one task of a larger project that involves a number of focused uh zoning code updates. Um some that are related to state law requirements and the housing elements and in a few weeks time we should be presenting the city council with a set of objective design standards for your consideration. Looking forward to that. Back to tonight's topic though. Um the city council did in fact provide staff with some guidance on this item related to alcohol sales uh more towards the end of 2024. During that period, we've been addressing some of the other focus zoning code updates and the objective design standards. Um we've had a number of meetings related to that both with the planning commission with LUD. Um but we wanted to come back to the city council tonight. uh we have an ordinance that's sort of in the waiting getting ready to take to the planning commission but we just wanted to make sure that we were on the right path and that's why we wanted to bring this back to the city council just to receive any further direction before we u wrap up the ordinance and present to the planning commission. So with the city council how the city council directed staff rather when this item was last presented there were a few areas of concern as it related to alcohol sales. First, the city council really was interested in having a consistent set of standards that could be applied throughout the city with the exception of a couple of car carrots in particular the downtown the innovation center and PD6 where you might uh

Perry were you going to share your screen for our PowerPoint? Sorry to interrupt. Oh. Oh my yes. Yes, I am. Sorry. Okay. Thank you. Sorry. Let me just uh if I could just go from the Is that better? Yes, thank you.

Okay, let me just advance to where I was. Here we go. Just as a reminder of the uh the direction that the city council provided to staff um a little while ago. Again, the city council, there was um a desire to have kind of a consistent set of regulations that related to alcohol stales that would apply across the city with some exceptions like the downtown and the innovation center where you might want say a restaurant row or a kind of a a um an accumulation of of restaurant uh type uses that were serving alcohol. There was also some sensitivity to um sensitive uses like schools, residential zones where you wanted some distance um from those sensitive uses from uh establishments that sell alcohol. You also wanted us to look at some of the signage requirements that were related to alcohol sales and to think about some kind of um kind of a graduated system for when a conditional use permit might be required and or might not be required. So, we took that information and we presented it in the staff report that um that came with the uh uh the agenda item. And as I mentioned, we do have a an ordinance that's kind of waiting to take to the to the planning commission. But based on that information, we're proposing uh a few things. First, uh as far as that consistency is concerned, we have established a um a set of regulations that would be applied citywide with those exceptions. the the downtown innovation center in PD6. But we also are making a recommendation as it applies to a distance requirements u from schools uh recommending that um no on sale alcohol sales would be permitted if the establishment was located within 500 ft from a K through2 private or public school.

Uh the same or something similar would apply to a restaurant um that served alcohol. If they were within 100 ft of a u of a residential zone, they would require a cup. For restaurants that were between 100 feet and 300 feet from a residentially zoned property, they would require a conditional use permit only if they were open after 10 p.m. And then for restaurants that sold alcohol that were beyond 300 ft from a residential property, those restaurants could uh move forward and sell alcohol in conjunction with the restaurant. No CUP required. We also had a look at um specifically window signage that was related to alcohol sales. the requirements that the city has in place right now as far as signage are concerned where the city is allowed to regulate with regard to time, manner, and location, but has to be neut uh content neutral when it's applying these regulations. So, what the city can say is that you're allowed x amount of square footage on your storefront for signage. Um, of course, nothing can be looted and lascivious, but um as far as controlling that content, the city is not allowed to do so. So we think that the what you have on the book currently as far as signage is concerned where no more than 25% of a window can be covered in signage that that is adequate and that um that there's no real need to to do anything with regard to signage as it relates to alcohol sales. So, with those few tweaks that we're going to make um on this focus zoning code update as it relates to on- premise alcohol sales, I think that unless the city council has anything else to add that we're ready to move forward with an ordinance and present that to the planning commission and eventually to city council. I'll end the presentation there and take any questions that you may have.

Thank you, Perry. Any questions? Just for the community's awareness, what is the process now in comparison to the recommendations that the city is trying to make?

The current process varies greatly. Um right now the city has approximately 72 plan development zones um which all have unique um zoning regulations. So, while one shopping center might require a CUP across the board, another shopping center might automatically permit it while another might prohibit it completely. Um, and we have found that there are shopping centers that are literally biseected by a drive aisle that can have two different regulations. Um, and so trying to explain that to a restaurant who knows that they want to be in a general area, but if they go into this building, it requires a conditional use permit, and if they go into this building, they can't, or if they go into another, they're automatically permitted has been very difficult and isn't as businessfriendly as we would like. Trying to explain it. We require a specific address in order to provide this information to businesses on where they can go and what the requirements are. So it right now it does vary greatly um across the majority of the city.

So this would streamline the process. Definitely. Got it. Thank you. Um just a quick question. Uh existing businesses, how are they going to be affected by the ordinance when it takes place?

So any modification to our zoning code does have the potential to impact existing businesses. Um, in this case, the greatest impact would be um properties within 500 feet of a school, which would be prohibited. Currently, there is only that that would impact one shopping center within the city. That shopping center has uh currently two restaurants that serve alcohol. So, both of those restaurants would kind of be frozen in time. They would become legal non-conforming. They could carry on. they could sell their restaurant to a different restaurant and continue to have those licenses under their existing conditional use permits, but they couldn't expand. Um, the same thing if a new restaurant wanted to come into that center, they wouldn't be able to. Um, outside of that one shopping center, um, for the most part, it would actually be less restrictive for the majority of the city. Um those of you who who are residents here know that outside of the downtown, most businesses and restaurants within the city don't stay open past 10. Um and so really the conditional use permit um requirement past 10 is not going to impact the majority of our existing businesses because the majority of them aren't open past 10 currently. um if it was an automatically permitted use that is currently there and in the future they want to go past 10 then at that point they would have to get a conditional use permit where if they apply to go past 10 today they might not. Um but overall I think the majority of the businesses would be positively impacted um or at least we would have more businesses that would be positively impacted than negatively.

Thank you. If we have a business in a shopping complex that is that is is legal conforming and then a school moves in, will there be a restrictions against the school or would that school's presence presence now create a legal non-conforming business just by the nature of a school moving in? It would create a legal non-conforming business. So, should we put something structural in this agreement that that it would be applied to the school that if there's already an existing business there that a school can't come within 500 ft of it to now protect those businesses?

While the the city does not have the ability to regulate public schools, um we would have the ability to um regulate private schools. Typically in in all of our zones, private schools do require a conditional use permit. Um and so as part of that review, um we would look at the the surrounding areas if a private school were to go in. Um so that would be something that the planning commission or the city council could consider upon review of that conditional use permit, but we would not be able to do so. Um in terms of a public school,

um I know we had talked about Walnut Creek. They um add time as you perform well because they don't want things to go crazy. I know we were going to look into that. Did we look and it was all I think it was the spoon tonics and then Kevin Wilk and I had a big discussion about it. So, um, is that something we were still looking at or not? It was something we explored as part of that tiered system. Um, but just based on the current businesses that we have and what appears to be uh the likely businesses that come to the city, um, it doesn't appear likely that we're going to get many businesses outside of the downtown that even want to be open past 10. Um, okay.

As part of this, we are not including PA1, the downtown or um, PD6. And so at those locations, if we do end up having problems, those are the the locations that we may consider in the future. But in terms of the other areas of the city, staff didn't feel that um that would be appropriate at this time. So that's something we could write into the cups, like if something happens, just like Walnut Creek did, they moved back an hour of their clos time. And downtown automatically does 10 unless a cup happens. Correct. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Um, can you clarify why staff does not recommend implementing separation requirements for a child daycare center?

So, that was one of the original um topics that we brought up a year ago based on the fluidity of child care centers. They can come and they can go. Um, some locations they're required a conditional use permit, some they're not. um that it would make it difficult for shopping centers to have restaurants that also could potentially have childcare centers. Um shopping centers typically allow both types of uses. And so you could have a whole shopping center that has very successful restaurants and you get one child care center that comes in and would make all of them legal non-conforming and prohibited if they were in that vicinity. Um and so at that time the last council direction um it was directed to staff to only require it from private and public schools which are really more stable in their location and don't tend to move.

Thank you. And then was there um a page that that outlined where the schools were that were that were being considered for all of this? Yeah. From the staff report, I have a map. Um I don't know. I trying to recall if it was an attachment, but I Jennifer, I can I can share it if you Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Second. Oh, yes. It was in the packet on 284. And those were not noted by name, at least on here. No.

Um, the reason I'm bringing it up, somebody reached out to me to ask about two schools that they didn't see noted here. And so I thought I'd double check to see if they are in fact noted. And one of them was the Brentwood Montasauri School on Balffor and the other is Goddard School on Technology Way. I would have to check to see if those are licensed actual schools or if those are licensed child care facilities. Um but I can check um prior to moving forward those two potentially if they are licensed private schools versus licensed private child care centers and they would be included in this per the our draft language in our definitions.

That would help those. Okay, no other questions. We can move into public comment. Sorry, one more. would tasting rooms and breweries, we just talked about like agro uh agricultural tourism and I wanted to know if the tasting rooms and breweries will be treated the same as bars under this framework. Um typically in our code tasting rooms and breweries are are considered bars. Um, so those would not be under this same framework. And typically chasing rooms, breweries, and bars, if it's not in conjunction with a full service restaurant, requires a conditional use permit across the board. Okay. Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, we can move into public comment, please. At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted if you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired. We receive zero written public comments in advance of tonight's meeting. We don't have any in-person speaker cards or hands raised in Zoom. Thank you, Amanda. Moving into council discussion.

I think I'm fine with as staff presented with the one caveat that I am a little concerned about. um businesses who are already um would be fine and then a daycare comes into I mean a private school may come into this complex. I know we can't protect against public schools but for private schools and so I would like some type of language that um would protect those entities that are already pre-existing in some of the shopping complexes. I think that if someone invests a substantial amount of money in creating a business and has expectations in the creation of that business, um that that those expectations should not grossly change it, especially if they're not offenders of violating or a nuisance nuisance type activity. Um I don't see why we would penalize them by allowing the schools to move in and and I loosely use schools because I know we have several different versions of how we've designed schools. Could it be considered like a grandfathering of those locations?

Yeah. Yeah, we can definitely have some pre-existing condition um clauses in there um that references the the ordinance date um and existing licenses on file um in terms of private schools that move in. We can and definitely add something in. Wonderful. Any um response yet on the other the two schools I mentioned because I think we're ready for a motion. It sounds like um we'll have to verify for the final one because we'll have to look up their licenses. Um but we'll certainly make sure they're identified one way or the whether they're on this map or in the staff report. Thank you. Okay. Do we have a motion on this item?

I move to um to approve the focus zoning code update um alcohol sales with the one um call out that grant uh business is already in place. when this is final are grandfathered in. I'll second. All in favor? I. This item moves forward. Thank you. Thanks for Okay, moving into item G3. Casey Wert, director of public works, will present the next item regarding a policy prohibiting the city from providing utility services outside of city limits.

Thank you. Good evening, mayor and council. This item is a follow-up from an item that staff brought before you last month. At that meeting, staff introduced uh a request for guidance relative to whether or not council would like a policy formally uh directing staff how to handle requests for city provided services outside of the city limits. Council's direction at that time was to not allow services outside of the city limits. Staff has prepared that into a draft policy for your consideration tonight. I will point out that in the staff report, we do have one existing contract that provides recycled water for services outside of the city limits. That agreement is in effect and will remain in effect through 2029. And unless it's terminated, that that contract will not be affected by this policy unless council has some specific recommendations outside of what's in the draft policy. And with that, I'll take any of your questions.

Any questions for staff? No. Thank you, Casey. Moving into public comments. At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand to speak. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted. If you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired, we receive zero written public comments in advance of tonight's meeting. I have no speaker cards in person. I do have one hand raised. Carolina, go ahead.

Good evening, city council. Um, I just have a question. Um, not sure if it's relevant or not, but I just thought I'd ask it because it popped in my head. Um, when we say city limits, does that include county land? So, for example, we have that project on Brentwood Boulevard by Sand Creek on county land. Are we obligated to provide utilities to that building or does this preclude that? Thank you.

I have no additional hands raised. Thank you. Casey, would you like to answer that question? That's an excellent question. I don't know. Um I would have to consult with our uh city attorney to see if there are some obligations to provide services within city limits just because it is u county owned land. That land is within the city limits. So uh we would have to do some research and get back to you on that. I don't have a good answer for that. Thank you. Uh moving into council discussion or a motion as set forth in the staff report. I move to

Actually, I'm sorry. I just have one thing to say. um the existing business. Is it possible that we um maintain services with them so that they're not affected? They are. I think they're already grandfathered. They're already grandfa and then he said that the contract expires in 2029. The terms of the contract are set up so that it automatically renews unless the city terminates the contract for some reason. So that contract will not be affected unless council wishes to take some action to make that happen. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Yeah. So, mayor and council members, just for the record, Gerald Duffy, city manager, that's called an evergreen contract. It will continue to to renew itself until you take an action to cancel. Thank you.

Thanks. Okay. So, um I'll just start from the beginning. As set forth in the staff report, I move to adopt a resolution approving a policy prohibiting the city from entering into new any new agreements to provide utility service outside of the city limits. Second. All in favor? Motion passes. At this time, we're going to circle back around to item E, which wasformational reports, and we will start with Council Member Mendoza. What's the date today? Sorry, my dates are all crazy.

Do you need me to move on to No. So, let's see. um attended um a Cal City's um uh dinner where we had um our our state representatives come and um speak about the policies they're working on. Uh attended the veterans um building craft feed. Uh had a call with the center for the bio center for diver bio diversity. Sorry, it's a long it's a science name. Uh let's see. attended a there was a premiere for a show of a local woman who is an interior decorated decorator. So attended that at the yard, attended the Liberty Lions booster craft feed and I think that's it.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Thank you for the opportunity. Um I attended the diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion meeting, attended the LUD meeting, um land use and development committee meeting. I presented with the mayor and council member um um Maloney a certificate to the new owners of the Willies, their 30th year anniversary Willies in the downtown area. Um attended uh visited Isaac R. Montinees Elementary with the mayor where we read to some super adorable second graders. Um I wanted to personally thank Kristen Mingus for organizing this activity. The police were there. Um, fire was there and it was an awesome activity. Attended the chamber of commerce gayla and award ceremony and attended a special presentation of fifth graders at Mary Casey Black Elementary where they actually chose me to be their honore for making history here in Brentwood. Um, they made this council this diarama and I they want to be famous. So I told them that their diarama would be on YouTube. So they're they're gonna tune in in class. So, shout out to the fifth graders at Mary Casey Black. Um, and uh, they were super uber excited um, to meet me and they were super excited. I think they were requesting the mayor. So, just shout out. They they were like, "We can't wait to touch a one kid said, "I can't wait to touch a mayor."

Oh, wow. Yeah. So, that's just just pass that on to you. This is the first I've heard of that, by the way. Yeah. All right. Well, other than that, that is my report. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Orlemens. Uh since the last meeting I attended the Tri Delta Transit board meeting um as a um I attended the egg committee or enterprise committee meeting um where the presentations for harvest time and the wine growers was great presentation. Uh attended the PAL board meeting. Uh PAL uh the crab fees coming up next Saturday. Um, I had a meeting with the parks and recck director uh regarding the John Mars Trust Board. And part of that discussion is that the board is looking at putting together an 8-week class to reorganize the board or 8 hour, I'm sorry, an 8 hour block. And I'm not going to be able to attend all of it. So, making sure that one of us was there uh either him or or me to to attend and make sure we're moving in the right directions. Um the swearing in the of the new lateral dispatcher, and I'm going to murder her last name, so I'm just going to call her Gina. Um teaching a class with the new Brentwood police officers. We have two brand new officers that start the academy in a couple of months and they're brought on a little bit early uh where they start getting classes here at the uh police department in preparation of the academy and I've been teaching it for a little while. So they asked me to come back and teach it one more time. Um and the agenda review prior to this meeting that's it.

Council member Maloney. Um, since the last time we met, I visited Dutch Bros on the day that um I visited Dutch Bros on Saturday along with the mayor. And um I'm sorry, I visited Dutch Bros on the day that they had their grand opening. Congratulations to Courtney and Brian on opening their third location in our city and it's our fourth in our region. So, thank you all. Um this location specifically is at 6870 Lone Tree um in Brentwood. So uh please visit. Uh I also attended the caregiver one call gala which was a celebration of caregivers and people who advocate and support to uh for our vulnerable population. Nikki Lopez did an amazing phenomenal job as well as the rest of the board and they raised money for an amazing cause. So thank you to all of them. Um I also had our check-in meeting with our city manager. Uh the mayor, vice mayor and I presented Willies on Second Street with their 30th year certificate of appreciation. Uh the family was not able to attend the day we presented the proclamation here. So we were happy to go over there and present it for them. I also attended the Maktangan holy celebration at Ron Nunan School as well as the United Association holy celebration with the mayor. For those that don't know, Holi is a Hindu festival known as the festival of colors. And it celebrates the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. And people gather around with friends. They eat, they dance, and um they also throw colorful uh powder, which is called gulal in celebration, which was a lot of fun. Um I also visited some businesses at the streets of Brentwood and the shops at S Creek to just check in. And I also attended the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala. Congratulations to their award winners. Um, Lynn Gerski, she got citizen of the year. Dutch Bros got business of the year. Helping one woman. Discovery Bay got nonprofit of the year.

Brentwood Ice Cream Co. got startup of the year. Rebecca Ross got volunteer of the year. Giovana Peralta got young professional of the year. Emma Hines got employee of the year from Dutch Bros. And Lisa Goens director of the year. Curtis Alo ambassador of the year. So, congratulations to all of them. Um, I also attended Star Night Studios third annual student gallery, had the streets of Brentwood. What an awesome event event to showcase all the amazing work done by everybody. Um, thank you to Susan Knight, Susan Wallace, and Wendy and everyone else that teaches those young artists to actually bring the art into our community and have their talents be shown. And lastly, March 8th is International Women's Day. So, happy International Women's Day to all the amazing women in our community. This day means the world to me, especially since as a child, my rights were stripped from me as a young woman and when my father parentally abducted me internationally. So today, I'm grateful for all the accomplishments our country has achieved and I'm proud for the work we continue to do because there's always room for improvement. So, thank you.

Thank you everyone. Since we last met, I uh went to the Tri Delta Transit meeting, the board meeting. I I went to a swearing in uh for the new parks and recck commissioners. I did a presentation uh which actually I was asked in this role but ended up being a combination of both of my positions. Um the nonprofit front porch has a program called wellconnected where older adults from across the country can call in or zoom in and engage on certain u topics. So my topic was um aging enga engagement and how to advocate at the city, county, state and federal level. uh attended the choice and aging fundraising event, the Chinese Culture Club of Heritage High School Lunar New Year Festival, did a podcast interview with the Youth Table Talk at the Lunar Lunar New Year Festival, the American Legion Post 202 fundraiser, had a meeting with a council member in Antioch to discuss working together on a uh business development and business promotion event um in Antioch. a meeting with the Center for Biological Diversity regarding oil and gas drilling, the East Bay Women's Conference, downtown Business Coalition meeting, a planning meeting for Community Day of Service, the House of Espironza event at the yard. Um, congratulations to them for their success, and also to the nonprofit that they um supported with one of through one of their shows, the ReadAcross America event with kindergarters at Isaac Montanaz. Uh, that's been mentioned. The mayor's conference was held in Hercules and there was a presentation by healthcare association that was discussing the uh what the impact on contraosta of uh HR1 funding cuts. Um had a meeting with a board member of the Delta Community Services nonprofit to discuss different ideas about how to fund um school related student related uh nonprofits and uh community um associations. attended two holy events, one um

muktangen and one United Indian Association, the Willy's 30th year anniversary presentation to the Second Street Owners as was mentioned before. Uh a meet and greet with Senator Kabalden, talked a lot about lo local control, talked about housing, um talked about uh how he could help support our efforts in Brentwood to kind of try and retain some of our own control over our own planning. Um, and it kind of went nowhere. Uh, the National Alliance for Mental Illness fundraiser, which ended up being my seventh crab dinner of the year. And with that, I'm handing it over to Harold. Thank you, Mayor. Um, since we last met, I uh toured the Windsor Way basketball courts with um, Council Member um, Mendoza along with the assistant city manager and the director of engineering. It's one of the park and recreation's top 10 projects to bring lights to to two basketball courts within the city. I also attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for not Dutch Brothers. You know, if you say Dutch Brothers, you're not really a Dutch bro drinker. So, I learned that had my first cup there. Uh during the event also uh met with Townsen and Associates. uh they are federal and state lobbyist and we worked on submitting a earmark into the federal budget for next year. Um also met with owners of the uh uh tech innovation center uh and uh developed sort of a an outline to create a new product to try to push forward to help jumpstart that. Then uh the assistant city manager and I met with East met at the East Country Historical Society where we learned a lot about Brentwood's

history and we saw uh a great uh headline that said Brentwood has 884 phones. So imagine what a big deal that was back then. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Harold. Okay, moving into

Sorry. Oh, go ahead, Donna. Let's Okay, I've got this one. So, um I wanted to for council's consideration recommend uh a motion to reconsider if you want to um reconsider item G3. the question that was raised about whether or not it would apply to the county. Um, a way I think a way to handle that because the wording in the policy um is inclusive of everything and it says uh it is the policy of the city to deny any request uh for city utility services outside the city limits that is submitted to the city after the date of adoption. It doesn't make any exceptions. I think a way to handle that is to just include an exception which is a carveout and say except for any county properties that might fall outside of city limits and then it retains the ability to still deal with that property. Um if you want to make that change then what you would do is uh one of the members all of you voted uh in favor any one of you could make a motion to reconsider. You'd need to have a second and then you take the vote on that. you could reopen the matter and then you could approve that policy but with an exception that would not apply to county uh to county property if if that's what the council would like to do.

Thank you. Thomas, did you want to can I ask a quick question? So, I guess I'm a little confused. So, right now what we're saying is if you're outside of the city limits, you don't get any of our services is the motion we make. But you we're saying that if So, for example, if it's a county property within the city limits, right? Do we want an exception? That's I don't know if we want I I don't know if council wants that exception or not. I mean, if the county opens a building, I think they can use I don't have a problem with them using our services inside the city. I don't know how everyone else feels.

If you want to discuss the matter, you could still make a motion to reconsider and then you could choose to have that discussion and open it. Or if you're satisfied with the motion that you've already made, you can, you know, move forward with it as it is. I'm satisfied. I'm satisfied. Done. Yeah. Yeah. But thank you for looking that up. I appreciate it. Thank you. And I' I'd like to take a quick moment to um introduce Thomas Lloyd Smith. And I'm sorry we haven't done that yet. Uh or getting started a little differently. Um we would like to welcome Thomas Lloyd Smith as our interim city attorney. uh he comes highly recommended and highly respected in the area and we are very happy to for him to join us in this capacity.

Thank you. Okay, thank you for that. Moving into request for future agenda items. Does anyone have a new item? Okay. And then uh moving into requested future agenda items. This is a an item from council member Mendoza requesting a um a traffic task force.

Yeah, I think that's traffic is one of the biggest issues that we hear around our city and I know that we can't be everywhere at all times. So, I'm thinking that maybe we can bring certain people from the city from different areas that we're seeing the most issues and seeing if there's any way we can find solutions. it, you know, because I know people want speed bumps, people want stop signs, people want more police, but not only understanding that there's an issue, but also understanding what the ramifications are of a stop sign and a speed bump and all of that and understanding also the um the budget request. So, I just want to get our hands around this traffic issue because it's only going to get worse the bigger we get as a city. So, that's kind of my item.

Thank you. Any questions for Council Member Mendoza? And if not, moving into uh public comments, please.

At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted if you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired. We receive zero written public comments in advance of this item. I do have one speaker in person. Sue Good evening. Um, right, we had do have a traffic crisis. Um, the proposal of a traffic task force represents an important investment of staff time and community um, engagement. While it is it will require staff commitment, the time spent directly supports the quality of life of residents. Proactively addressing traffic issues through a dedicated task force will likely reduce the amount of time currently spent managing individual complaints or reacting to problems as they arrive. Traffic challenges are complex and interconnected, not isolated incidents. A collaborative structure will make the best use of the staff and community resources. Appointing a coordinator to streamline communications and priorities would ensure that the efforts of various partners are aligned and efficient. Major participants should include city engineering department, police department, planning department, school districts and individual schools, developers and residents. Each have valuable insight and responsibilities depending on the issue or project under consideration. We have existing problems and upcoming development problems. Future growth zones where proactive planning can help

prevent traffic issues before they emerge. Establishing this task force can also help ease public frustration and reduce misinformation on social media by demonstrating that the city is aware and actively working on solutions. Encouraging residents to contribute ideas not only strengthens the outcomes but fosters sense of shared responsibility and trust. Several residents have already proposed creative and practical ideas that could inform the task force's decision. Overall, the creation of a task force is a forwardthinking step toward move improving safety, redu reducing congestion, and strengthening communication between the city and its residents. The speaker's timer has expired. I have no additional speaker cards in person. I do have two hands raised in Zoom. First speaker is Frank. Frank, go ahead.

Okay, before you start my time, give me a second to ask, is this on this one future agenda item? because I raised my hand on age and no one called on me so I didn't know if that was Could I Is this in general here or do I have to talk about the traffic? Uh it would be for this specific agenda item item H again for new agenda item requests that was included in the general public comment period. Um which again it did not have a minute but H was way down here. I waited for H to come.

Correct. The public the general public comment period includesformational reports and requests for new agenda items, new requests, which is public comment that's taken uh under the general public comment portion of the meeting. Okay. So, can I comment on this? You may comment on the future agenda item we're discussing at this time. I one. Okay. I'll pass on that. Is this my only opportunity to speak anymore or should I just, you know, not wait around? But I was trying to comment on on the future agenda items

for you can speak on any item that's specifically listed on the agenda at those agenda item times. Any general items are the public comment period for that would be the general public comment which is at the beginning of the meeting and when we have all members of the council present in the council chambers those comments must be made in person. Okay, that's what I missed in the beginning but I heard it but I didn't know that before the night. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you. The next speaker The next speaker I have is Karolina Carolina, go ahead.

Thank you. Yeah, this this one is uh this item I think is extremely important. Um I live by pioneer and I know you've heard me talk about this before, so I want to thank Allan. Um we love our flashy stop signs. um over the winter and especially late December and the entire month of January, the intersection that now has the flashing stop signs, you could not see your hand in front of your face. I cannot tell you how dangerous that intersection became in the morning when people were trying to cross Empire um on Amber trying to get to Pioneer from where I live. It it was it was treacherous. And the only thing the only thing that guided people were those flashing stop signs. Um this traffic committee is really important because this is not the only intersection that needs help. There are other areas in other parts of town. So I think the the other important part is that you have representation from all the different districts um to make sure that you get the insight not just from schools and everything else the previous speaker mentioned but also from the residents that have to navigate our city. Thank you.

I have no additional hands raised.

Thank you Amanda. Any discussion on this item? I'd like to say one of the complaints, concerns we hear about most is traffic and public safety. So, I do I support this item and I think um some of the best decisions we've made over the years as a council have been based on community engagement and input and I always go back to the um the soccer fields and the sports complex because the the chance for the community to come together and provide input on that it I hear about it all the time from people how much it meant to them to be able to give their input and to be heard. So, I think for an item of this importance and the fact that we hear about it so significantly and repeatedly, this would be something worthy of um considering how to move forward with.

Thank you, Sue, for this idea. I think it's great. Now,

I think for uh me, I would support just like u Miss Fiska said, so having somebody from each district representing that area so that way the whole city's represented. So, um, given that, I I think I can make a motion to spend staff time and money, uh, reviewing how what this committee is going to look like. How do we involve the community in it? I do like the idea of also invite inviting developers to be in it when they're coming up with their developments because sometimes residents are upset after the fact. So, if we can get ahead of that, that would be great also. So, um, and I think at this moment it could just be a resident and staff committee. I don't necessarily know that council needs to be on it unless someone thinks it needs to be some kind of ad hoc subcommittee, but I think just residents kind of like we used to have the B was it called B the Brentwood B was it BN something neighborhood

Brentwood neighborhood? Yeah. Yeah. So, we used to have something similar was which was the Brentwood neighborhood group which dissolved but I think this can kind of be something along those lines. I think that if we do, we don't have to be on it, but that we get updated quarterly or whatever the monthly after the meetings with what exactly the problems are and the solutions that are being presented. Yeah. Perfect. So, and then staff could figure out how we're going to recruit people and what departments take part and all of that. We'll leave that up to staff. Is that your motion? Yeah, I'll second. All in favor? I. Any opposition?

Okay. The item moves. The next item is um the request from council member Mendoza regarding the encroachment permit process. I guess I was surprised that um an applicant can call this for review or you know protest it. And I think that council should have the same ability to do so. So, it's just I just want to update the municipal code that um anyone on council can do the same thing if they feel the need just like we do on um when we call for review any projects from planning commission. Any questions from staff?

What is the what is the legality of that? How does that work? So if you so what we would do is I'd work with the city manager to develop an approach which mirrors some of the similar approaches that you've seen in the uh municipal code so that staff uh so that uh the council could actually make that review. we could um come back with the parameters of it um once we've had an opportunity to have dialogue around it to make sure that what we put in front of you is something that's acceptable to council but then also aligned with what the requirements are for staff.

Okay, if no other questions moving into public comment. So we would come I'm sorry Harold we would come back to the council with a I think the first request was to kind of understand the process in place and so we would we would give you basically information is an encroachment permit is allowing someone to work in the public right of way and we have a number of utilities that do it on a regular basis sometimes we submit just one uh encroachment per permit for utilities for the entire year sometimes we have an individual encryion permit so we'll explain that proc process with the council has a clear understanding in terms of uh what it looks like and how you want to modify it or address it.

Thank you, Harold. Now we can move into public comment. At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted if you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired. We receive zero written public comments in advance of this item. I do not have any speaker cards in person or hands raised in Zoom. Thank you. Any further discussion or a motion

to spend staff time and money where staff will come and explain the encroachment permit process and then if we decide to what it would look like if we were to call it for review. I'll second that. All in favor? I I I Any opposition? No. The item moves. The next item is consider a request from Council Member Mendoza regarding city sponsored event attendance. Council member Mendoza.

Yeah. I just think we need a policy around what taxpayer funds we're going to use for what events. Um I don't think we should be paying for fundraisers and um I think those should be coming from us from the council. And that's kind of it. Any questions from staff or fellow council members? Is there already a policy for this for staff? Yes, there's existing policy. We should have attached that to the to the staff report. Could you bring it up in the screen, please? for someone.

Sorry, I was not prepared to share my screen. Give me just one moment. Thank you. Are there questions related to this or should we move into public comment? No. Okay. So, what let's go through the policy. So, what exactly will the city pay for and not pay for currently? Do that in discussion or

the policy. I'm asking the question. So, right now, what does um Sorry, it's over to the side. I can answer the question 3.2 3.2.14 2.14 the t the city can provide tickets to events promoting business activity and development within the city community or city resources and programs city facilities city tourism on local state national or worldwide scale city recognition visibility and our profile open government by a city official appearances participation or availability at the community event attendance at an event sponsored by another government agency a a business group a nonprofit organization to meet and confer regarding issues of interest of the city. Encouraging or rewarding significant academic, athletic, per public service achievements by city students, residents, and business. Recognizing contributions made by made to the city by former current city council members or city employees. Support general employee morale retentions or to reward public service. There are several other things listed in this, but specifically as it pertains to that, that that's what we provide tickets.

Yeah. So, I would like to delete the fundraiser portion of it. I think if we're going to do fundraisers, we should be paying for those ourselves. So, we can certainly bring the item back if that's the direction of the council. And that that sounds like a discussion item. So, well, I I think it got refined. I think I did after I mean, when I talked about it, it was about fundraisers. We talked about fundraisers and like things like crowdf. Can I ask too for the tickets that this policy is allowing for? Are those tickets that would have to be included on form 700s?

That would have to be the legal department's interpretation of that. I don't I don't I can't I can't say. Thomas would have to I believe that's addressed in the policy and if it's for the purpose of representing the city in your official capacity then it wouldn't be it's not necessarily a gift in that terms. Um so the 700 form is not as long as you're participating in your official capacity I think that's where the line is. Thank you. All right. If there aren't any more questions and moving into public comments.

At this time, the public is permitted to address the city council on this agenda item. If you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you're in person, please file a speaker card. Your microphone will be muted if you speak on items that do not pertain to this agenda item or after the timer has expired. We receive zero written public comments in advance of tonight's meeting. I don't have any written or I'm sorry speaker cards in person. Go ahead. I am extremely confused over what you just read so quick. My ears couldn't hear it or understand it. I just want to make sure I just want to confirm that when you when you guys go to an event, you're not asking to be reimbursed for your meals, right? Or are you? So, like say if you're going to do a meet and greet or you're going to some kind of, you know, gathering where you're mingling with your constituents and say like a crab feed or what have you. If you go to represent what you're doing in in your capacity, do you get reimbursed for your dinner? Like, are we paying for your dinner to go out and to mingle with your constituents? That I mean, that's all I'm I'm curious about. I'm not saying you're doing it, but I'm I am curious because

I think that'll come up in discussion. Oh,

but please feel free to share what your opinion is on that. Oh. Um, I just think y'all don't look broke, so I don't think we should be paying for your food if you're going to do it. That's all I That that would be my point. If you guys do get paid for doing that, I do have hands raised in Zoom. Go ahead. Hi, good evening. Um, there are a lot of arguments to ban expense reimbursement for elected officials from taxpayer funded bud city budgets. Arguments are focused on accountability, ethics, and incentives in public office. I trust Mr. Smith, by the way, welcome to Brentwood to advise this policy. he's already making a difference on how our city meetings are conducted. So I would like to uh list couple of reasons for banning expense reimbursement for elected officials, conflict of interest with taxpayer funds, risk of abuse or excessive spending, public trust and perception. officials already receive money that can cover uh cheap wine and yellow cheese at whatever events are going uh around the city. And then let's talk about simpler, more transparent budgeting and also fiscal discipline. you all all of you run on platforms

uh claiming um you are committed to fiscal discipline. So let's be more careful about spending and that aligns with expectations that leaders manage taxpayer money responsibly. Show us you do that by not requesting reimbursements for wine and dine and events that have nothing nothing to do with uh city business. In short, I'm against reimbursement that can create conflict of interest, increase of risk of misused taxpayer.

The speaker's timer has expired. The next speaker I have is Carolina. Carolina, go ahead.

Hi, good evening. I think more clarification is needed here. Um because you know with every fundraiser that I've ever attended, one of the things that is offered is please buy a table, right? And when you buy a table, you can decide who sits at that table. And I think it's really important for uh transparency and clarification that reimbursement would be by the person, not by the table. And maybe that needs to be looked at. Um, for example, if the city would like to buy a table at the crab feed for the downtown Brent Brentwood coalition, then every person that lives in Brentwood should be available to sit at that table. You could do a randomizer, pick 10 names um from the city of Brentwood and then those folks get the seats at the table. But I think if one city council member buys a table and invites uh people that can help them, let's say in their reelection, that would be a conflict of interest and they should not be reimbursed for that uh for that expenditure. So, I think there needs to be some nuance and a little more detail than what was read because that detail that was read leaves it open for what Susiana said, you know, misuse and um lack of transparency. Thank you.

The next speaker is Medis Soul. Medis Soul, go ahead.

Hi, thank you. Um, this is interesting. So, um, I don't believe that the city should be purchasing fundraiser tickets or fundraiser events for anyone on city council. That is not what we would like our tax dollars to be used for. If you need to go to a learning conference, like I know you guys always talk about Cal Cities or something of that effect, great. Um, if there is if you're there on city representing the city, then I think it needs to be trans transparent. I think it needs to be an agenda item. If every time you want to go and have the city pay for you to be at an entertainment event where you think you're representing your district or your city, then I think it needs to be out in the public so we know where that money is going. Um, I understand learning events are a little different, but fundraisers, entertainment, food, and that type of mingling, like how do you choose? How do you choose? There's so many nonprofits in Brentwood. How are you going to pick and choose which nonprofit event you're going to support as a city? And how do you know that aligns with the residents? So, if I I prefer it not to happen, but if it is, then make it public and make it known to everybody. Thank you. I have no additional hands raised.

Thank you. Moving into um council discussion. Would anyone like you want to go first?

Yeah. I just want to take out the fundraiser. I just um you know I just read the policy and says for you and another person. So I think the mayor and I both went to seven crab feeds. So let's say it's $75 times two times the se um the seven that we went to. That's $1,50. I think I that's just not appropriate. And um and I and and I let's say this, I was in this chamber before I was elected laying into the previous councils about the same exact thing. I think it's unethical. I don't like it. I think if you want to go to these events, you can go and just pay for them yourself. Um I've been doing that. My husband and I have been going to these things for over 20 years here in Brentwood. I always say the first craft feed I went to before I had kids, we met um Ron Nun. Like little did I know what was going to happen with measure L, right? But um that's how you do it as a person. I don't think taxpayers should be paying for a crab. That feels very Maria and Twinette like let them eat cake. And it just grosses me out.

Well, first I want to clarify that the policy does not say a ticket for you or another person. It says you may not transfer or sell a ticket or pass it to another person. So when the city provides tickets, it only provides it to city staff or to the elected official. If an elected official wants to bring someone, they would need to have that person pay for themselves. So, in no capacity do I see that it says you are allowed to buy a ticket for another person in that portion of the policy. Now, uh looks can be deceiving and it is assumption to look at a person. It's called bias to look at a person and assumed to know how much they have in their pocketbook. Um and I think if we put systems in place uh that you have we I assume you have so much money then we create an elitist system that a person who sits on this dis can only participate in community activities if they have a certain income level. That being said there is a policy already in place. A lot of these events in this year since I've been here in four years I've gone to two events that the the city has paid for and other people have been there city staff. What happens those the crab feed that created this event, we're talking about $82 um of which someone who does not eat crab who sat there who sat there to make sure that I engaged with an organization. So this is a me during an election campaign. So get ready for it. You'll see more attacks on me as a council member. This is what this is about. So this came during this year. It's never been brought up in four years. So and there's already a policy in place about this. And so it's a little disturbing, but we'll we'll just go there with it. Um, that being said, I just think this is is ridiculous. Um, additionally, we all have to register gifts over a certain amount. And this is engaging. We talk about engaging. We make our city staff, we want you to engage with the public. We want you to be there for our groups. We give money a

substantial amount more than $82 to these groups in the five figures to these groups and then we're expected not to go to their celebratory events for award ceremonies where they're honoring city staff, city uh public officials where they're honor not public officials where they're honoring our employees of the month for various businesses in our city. Our students are there. Our students we were asked at the last gayla to stand there. We were asked by the chamber to stand to award a student who has worked her ass off to receive $1,000. Those are the things that matter. Those that student, it meant the world to her to have us standing there to engage with her for $82. This is the thing that So, we're all here. And let's go back to how much we make and how much time we spent because that keeps being brought up. So, I'm gonna bring it up. We make a a insignificant less than minimum wage amount to be here still being dedicated public service and because a very minimal amount is spent not for us to sit and dine and haha but to engage in the public during times where we may want to be at home with our children where we had a hard day at work but we still want to make sure we engage with the public. That to me is a problem. It is a big problem to me that we're we're here talking about small insignificant amounts when we've been very wasteful on other amounts.

So, uh to start off with the comment about you all look like you could afford it. Looks can be deceiving. You have no idea what kind of money we have or what we make. You do know what I get paid from the city of Brentwood, which doesn't even come close to covering the events that I attend and the gas that I use just to get to and from the events. We have a policy in place that's been in place. When was the policy first acted? So for since 2018 and um I if we're going to change the policy then let's make that be the agenda item not a new policy regarding uh city sponsored events. Let's go back to some of the other public comments that talked about going to uh Cal Cities. Cal Cities is an event where we do get some education. We do get some classes that we're required to attend. Um, but we are reimbursed for our food when we're at Cal Cities. And that's regardless of where we eat. So, we don't have to be at a Cal's event to be reimbursed. We could be out with our friends that happen to live in Anaheim, but we're going to get reimbursed for that money because we're down in Anaheim and not up here in Brentwood. So, I'm not sure how that would be different than the item the vice mayor was just discussing. So, um I think we have a policy in place. I don't see any problems with the policy. We've been dealing with this since 2018. Um, I'm I'm good with where we're at.

And I And nothing in this policy is about a council member getting a table and being reimbursed. This is not about a reimbursement. This is about a ticket a city purchasing a ticket to an event, not a table for a council member to seat their friends at for an election year. Fake news. Once again, fake news.

I'm sorry. Did you want you have comments? Um, so I was recently elected last year and we get paid 14,400 and I elected to forego my money and put it back into the general fund. Uh, which is my choice. I've always volunteered for nonprofits or whatnot. So that is my choice. Um, but with that in mind, that is my capability, my ability to do that. And if I want I pay for my fundraiser dinners, but let's say there is the Brentwood Chamber Gala. That is a city where a city event where we're representing our community and the businesses. I do expect my ticket to be paid for that. Um I also if I'm going to Cal Cities um I do expect to be uh reimbursed for my travel there. that is just government pdeium and your um your expenses to go to an event where you're representing the city. So for me, if you're representing your city in an official capacity, I am okay with the uh reimbursement of money. But if you're just going for fun for fun, then I am not. But if you're actually doing business there and you're representing your city and you're acting as an elected official to represent your community or your businesses, which is what's already in place, I'm okay with that. So, uh, a lot of a lot of points here to address. I would say, um, excuse me. When I when I started and I, uh, started receiving pay for being on council, I immediately turned around and started donating some of that money to nonprofits that I chose to support. And I think that's kind of one of the keys here is that we're we're getting tickets or some people are getting tickets to some events but not all nonprofit events. There are a lot of service groups that support our city and that do really great things for our city. We've got the the Lions and the Rotary and the

SRO Optimists and others that do that. And I I what I don't see is how the there can be a choice by the city to say we're supporting this nonprofit, not that one. Um, I also want to say that I was at a mayor's conference the other day and I decided to ask around all the cities that I was sitting with and cities from other tables and none of them um paid for their council members to go to events. Um, and when I say that, they all pay for uh Cal City's events. And again, that's anything that has to do with the the training. Um, specifically, even if we're if we are going out to dinner with colleagues there, we're still doing the networking and building relationships and sometimes regional planning, that sort of thing. So, I do think Cal Cities is completely worth it. But I my concern around the nonprofits is again, how do you figure out which nonprofits to support? As an individual, I can make that decision. So, I I mentioned in myformational that I'd attended uh seven crab dinners. Um, Council Member Mendoza and I and the rest of us who have attended crab dinners are not always attending the same ones. My most expensive one, I think, was 200. Yeah, thank you, John. Um, and then the one I just attended on Sunday was 110. Um, and those come out of my pocket, whether it's just me, whether it's myself and my husband, I donated, sorry I didn't tell you this before, in a funded $250 to NAMI on Sunday. Thanks, honey. Um, and that kind of thing happens in those events, too. There is an expectation when you go that you're going to support the nonprofit, that there's some connection to you, that there's some reason that you want to be a part of that. And so, I really feel like just being clear on this because one of the things I feel like we're seeing is inconsistency for staff to have to make decisions. And that's where I feel like we're not we're not being fair to staff on this. I recognize, Council Member Maloney, that you choose to not take a salary. I think that's lovely of you. Um, and of course, again, agree that we don't all look maybe necessarily like uh the money we either have or don't have. And I will

also say that being mayor, I'm um a lot more busy than I was on city council. Um, and there are cities where mayors make more than city council members. I don't need that. I don't want that. I mean, it would be nice to make a full-time salary and I would quit my other job, but that's not reality either. So, the decisions we're all making as we're sitting here are because we ran to support the city. We ran to be a part of the city and to do things that are good for the city budget-wise, community-wise, resident wise. Um, our mayor's conference, we pay for two tickets for that. We pay the whole year in advance. And so, we should always make sure we've got two people going to that. So, it's it's that's another responsibility thing that we need to make sure that when we are spending the money that we are in fact getting something from it. We are showing up. Um, I I mean, I think all of this is to say that I I think we need to get a little more clarification because there is, especially with the fundraisers, um, it it isn't clear to me that we're supporting everyone equally. Um, and if we're going to support one, I feel like we should support all of them. For the Downtown Business Coalition, I did buy my ticket. We ended up moving, but I did buy my ticket, my husband's ticket as well. So, I I don't think we're clear enough in the policy. I think there's too much nuance. I think some people want tickets paid for and some don't. And that puts staff in the position of having to advise on that or make decisions on that. And I think that's where we've got a bigger issue right now, too.

And I want to clarify something. This again, I brought this up with Joel Claudette, Johnny Rodriguez, Bob Taylor, and Karen Rar. So this is not because it's your election season. This is because this has always been my sentiment. And it's not until this it's not until this year that you exercised wanting a ticket. It had never been I feel abused before and I do feel like it's abuse. I don't like tax dollars paying for fundraisers whether it's in the policy or not. And so I find it offensive that you continue this is the second time you've mentioned that I brought up something for because it's campaign season. That's that is not true. And you know that's not true. And if you want I will go look for the video where I said it before I was even elected. It's where my ethics stand. I do not feel like taxpayers should be paying for our meals. I just don't. And um and I think if we're going to do this, then we should talk about it. I mean, you're a member of the chamber, so I don't know if we should be paying I mean I don't know if we should be paying for dinners when you're a member of an organization. I think there's some kind of comp.

I'm I'm a personal member of the Chamber of Commerce. Your employer my business is not a chamber member right now. It's not. No, it's not. Check the regist. Well, it was. And so I think that's a conflict of interest as well. So I I don't know. I just I don't think we should be paying for these dinners. I think it's very disgusting. I If we're going to spend $150 on a ticket on a dinner or $100, please let's get gift cards for food and take those gift cards instead. And I I think it's very I wasn't done talking. I didn't finish. Go ahead. I didn't interrupt you. So you can finish now. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. And yeah, back to you.

I just I don't think we should be doing it. I just think it's highly inappropriate. Um I think that again like the mayor was saying, people pick and choose and I don't think we should be paying for uh you know you know I got an email saying do we need to reimburse you for the chamber gala. The chamber gala is the Brentwood chamber but it happened in Antioch with Antioch vendors. So the people who made money off of that event were Antioch. It was not Brentwood. Brentwood didn't make any money from that. their their members sat there, but the cooks didn't make money. The you know, the event didn't make money. And I understand there's a seating capacity, but I would rather you have a smaller event and make it do it in Brentwood so Brentwood makes money instead of the city of Brentwood paying tax dollars to spend it in another city. I just I don't I don't like that when it comes to a fundraiser. And I'd like to say I think it's disgusting that council members represent that they go to the League of California Cities and they get funded for that and they get reimbursements, but they sit there and they get drunk and they don't go to all of the sessions at the League of California.

You're the one who went to Disneyland when I was there Friday after League of Cities. That League of Cities on my on my on my own money. Excuse me. Yeah, let's let's make sure we're taking turns. Yeah, because I was just cut off, but that was okay. Yep. That was okay. Okay. Okay. Are we done with this discussion or no? I don't think we have three votes either. Can we get a motion, please? There's no motion because three people want their fundraisers paid for by tax dollar by tax dollars. I would I would say that I'm not I've never said that and I did not say that. So, don't put words in my mouth and don't tell me. I did not say that. Okay, hold on. Hold on.

Hold on. This is obviously Excuse me. Hold on just a moment. Just a moment. Council member Orleans, can I just say this is obviously something people are feeling very heated about. The two of you are speaking at the same time. I want to make sure you each get a chance to say what you need to say. I did that. I apologize for that outburst.

I have never been to a fundraiser that was paid for by the city, nor do I intend to. My wife's company buys tables at fundraisers all the time and we use those and I go as a counsel as uh her husband. I represent her business with her. Please don't make it look like I'm accepting gratuitities. I'm accepting money on the side. None of that is true. If one of us chooses to, then according to the policy, we're allowed to. And I don't have a problem with that. If it is a benefit to the city, that's all I'm saying. I have not had the city pay for any crab feed for myself, so I don't want that being stated out there. And I also

I meant fundraisers. I'm sorry. I didn't mean just crab feeds. I meant fundraisers in general. Okay. And did you go to the gala on the city?

Yes. And I went to the gala and we both presented at the gala. We stood there and presented and I went to a crab feed in two years. I went to a craft fee. I sat with residents and talked to residents that they sat to get to know us at a craft fee. When I was at said crab feed, how much did I spend to on auction items? Over $200 buying tickets to support the organizations. So, I want to make it very clear. I'm not sitting here taking crab. I didn't eat crab. I don't eat se crab at events. So, would we consider as a council there to be some clear guidelines as far as like limits? Do we um do we look at number of tickets? Do we look at a budget for attendance for the year? Do we have any considerations of that? I think there's a policy and I think if we're going to bring this back, if if we ever did bring it back, there should be a look at the entire policy. But my vote and if I had to take a vote right now, I would make a motion not to move further with this agenda item because I don't feel like it's been flushed out, nor do I feel like the agenda was properly brought as to a specific item. And if someone wants to make a future agenda item at the next meeting to look at a policy, then I would consider that, but not the way that it was brought. I also want to add that me going to the chamber gala was to represent my community and the businesses. I had so many other family events that I could have gone to and I chose to go represent the businesses. So some people choose otherwise. That's okay. I want to support all the businesses here.

And I want to be clear that every time I go to a nonprofit fundraiser, I could be home with my family, too. I don't think that's the issue that's being questioned here. I think we all are dedicated to going to events and representing our cities. At this point, the question is who's paying for it, not whether we're dedicated. I think we all are. So, if we're not, if there's no motion at this point, um, we can move on to the next item. I'll yield my item to April. All right. Then, do I have a motion for adjournment? So, moved. Second. All in favor? I. You're return.