City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Good evening. Welcome to the City Council meeting for July 14th. Madam Clerk, will you please call roll?

Council Member Dillard. Here. Council Member Lothian. Here. Council Member Suzuki.

Here.

Vice Mayor Cazares.

Barely here.

Mayor Rapostathis.

Here. Thank you. We begin every meeting with an invocation and flag salute. And tonight's invocation and flag salute will be delivered by Council Member Lothian.

Council Member Lothian.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. For tonight's invocation, I will be wishing the United States of America a happy 250th birthday. The city of La Mesa has celebrated it in style. I also want to remind the public of how lucky we are to live in this country. For the last month, we've had a chance to see our country through the eyes of people from around the globe, and they have been in awe of our beauty and our friendliness. And I just want to say, good job, America. Let's stand up for the flag.

Thank you. Oh, by the way, thank you for saying ready, begin. I know I was do that because I'm a teacher. I know, but it always helps because if you don't say that, you don't, everybody doesn't start at the beginning. So I'm sorry. Uh, city manager comments. I have none. Thank you. Uh, community bulletin reports. I'll start with, um, Before I begin that, actually, I just want to remind everybody there's a new California law that's going into effect today. Before we begin, I want to provide the update on public comment procedures for the city council meetings. Beginning with tonight's meeting, members of the public may participate in remote oral public comment during city council meetings. Public comment will begin with speakers participating via Remotely via zoom followed by speakers attending in person if you wish to speak on the agenda item Please raise your hand in zoom or submit a speaker card before I open public comment on that item Once I open public comment the opportunity to request to speak on that item will be closed Thank you for your cooperation as we implement the new state's mandate community bulletin report Enjoy local bands every Sunday during the Summer Concert Series from 6 to 7, Harry Griffin Park. This Sunday, July 19, Alternative Rock Band Hardcastle will be performing. This is our 25th year. I started these with Yvonne Garrett 25 years ago, and we call them Sundays at 6. And my joke is people still come up and ask me, when is Sundays at 6? And so it's Sundays at 6. So we'd really love you to come out. It's only an hour. It's very fun. It's actually cool in the park. So if you have a chance to come and see us. Also, I'm sure you've already heard La Mesa will be getting a Bass Pro Fishing Shop in Grossmont Center. It's kind of a big deal for us because it's going to be the only one in our county. The nearest one will be in Irvine. Plans will be going through design and whatnot. They'll probably start in 2027 with a completion date sometime in 2028. And for reference, it's gonna be on the southwest side of Grossmont Center from where the parking structure is, where Macy's was. That'll be all renovated and torn down, all the way to what used to be the sports store. For those of you that are older like me, it was a Buffum's. I know. But anyways, it's across from the Choose Fitness and encompassing most of the area that was the food court. So it's gonna be a large center. So we're excited because it's gonna bring business and a lot of people, foot traffic. And Federal, the company that owns Grossmont Center now, is leaning into this and they're obviously doing lots of renovations. In that spirit, the city manager and I are continually trying to bring business to La Mesa. We are also getting, I know this is a smaller thing, but it's a big deal to me, is a nothing bundt cake. And I'm saying Bundt Cake, not because I'm Greek, but actually it's a really cool place. There's one in Santee, it's also a bakery. And so it'll be coming to the center where, currently where the TJ Maxx is. So it's gonna be right over there. So we'll be getting the nothing Bundt Cake. So we are trying to work to bring business. I know it seems trivial, but the two of us are really working hard. Dive and Movies return on Friday, July 14th at the La Mesa Municipal Pool Spa with a showing of Lilo and Stitch. Open swim starts at 6 p.m. The movie starts at sunset. UC San Diego Health invites La Mesa and East County residents to join me for a hosted lunch and community conversation about the newest East Campus Medical Center, which had been Alvarado Hospital. It's now called UC San Diego Health. The event is on Thursday, August 6th from 1130 to 1 at the La Mesa Community Center. Please join us. You'll hear updates on the campus, transformation, expanded specialty services from UCSD, health leadership, including Chief of Health, the Officer Nick Macchione. Okay. We also have a panel with leaders from Heartland Fire and Rescue to discuss emergency response. Transportation and access and care space is limited, so please reserve your spot. Again, that's August 6th at the Community Center from 1130 to 1. All the other information, please check our website, Vice Mayor Casares.

Thank you. I join you in being excited about these new businesses that we're welcoming. I do want to dispel a rumor. There was a rumor that Ceramic Cafe was going to be no more. I reached out to them directly. They'll be moving down a few slots, but Ceramic Cafe will be staying at Grossmont Center. That one means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to our community. Um, also happy San Diego pride week. We celebrate in July, uh, in San Diego. And so I wanted to share a few upcoming events on Wednesday. We have light up the cathedral. It's an interfaith religious service that all are welcome at on Friday is the spirit of Stonewall rally, which is honoring community leaders and volunteers on Saturday. We have the pride parade at 10 AM in Hillcrest, or you can stay close to home and there is a drag story hour at light bulb coffee at 10 AM on La Mesa Boulevard. Happy San Diego pride week to all.

Thank you. Council Member Suzuki.

Yeah, on July 15th, tomorrow, Planet Fitness will finally open. And for those of you who are wondering where it is, it was where Big Lots is on Lake Murray Boulevard. And I have been waiting because I joined for about two months ago. So every week I go by there and look and go like, okay, that was my excuse not to work out. Yeah. So anybody wants to join me, let me know. And on July 19th, on Sunday at 10 a.m., I will be there at Brew Spot, not working out, but sitting there with coffee. So if anyone wants to join me, please come and talk to me. Tell me about what you're thinking. I mean, they're only good things, right? Because Bass Pro Shops and Planet Fitness and Bundt Cakes and ice cream and makeup. I love this city so much. Thank you.

Okay, Council Member Lothian.

Okay, so on the same patriotic bent that I started, I want to thank the City of La Mesa and the LMVA for keeping up the red, white, and blue stripes on the big palm trees and the bunting downtown. That was meant to be just for, you know, Flag Day Parade, but we extended it over 4th of July. And then with the United States doing so well in the World Cup, we kept it up. But it's finally coming down on Monday, so I want to thank again the City and the LMVA. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY CO-CHAIR FOR HELPING ME MAKE IT SO RED, WHITE, AND BLUE. AND ALSO, I WANT TO WISH THE VALLEY MESA GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE A GREAT SEASON. THE MAYOR AND I WERE THERE FOR OPENING DAY ON SATURDAY. IT WAS 200 GIRLS, COACHES, TEAM MOMS, LIVE MUSIC. IT WAS CRAZY. SO I HOPE THEY HAVE A GREAT SEASON.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER DILLARD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ADDITIONS AND OR DELETIONS BY STAFF OR COUNCIL? NONE FROM STAFF. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION I'M GOING TO READ. Whereas Parks and Recreation Month was established to encourage people to explore, enjoy and celebrate parks, trails and open spaces, recreation facilities and programs, while recognizing the essential of parks and recreation agencies and how they play a part in building stronger, healthier and vibrant communities. The 2026 National Recreation and Park Association theme for Park and Recreation Month is the power of parks and recreation, celebrating the power of the connection, the power of play, the power of community, the power of nature, the power of belonging, well-being, highlighting many ways that parks and recreation enrich the lives of people of all ages. Parks and recreation organizations are vital to communities throughout the nation, including the city of La Mesa, by enhancing quality of life, promoting health and wellness, fostering environmental stewardship, and providing safe, welcoming spaces for all residents. The City of La Mesa Parks and Recreation Department supports the local economy by partnering with businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, community groups, and providing accessible, affordable, free programs, events, and recreational opportunities that strengthen and make our community vibrant. Parks and Recreation enhance La Mesa unique identity by preserving and celebrating city's history, culture, and natural beauty, and the neighborhoods while providing exceptional parks, fields, and courts, and community centers, and recreational amenities that enrich the lives of all residents. The people of La Mesa, including children, young adults, seniors, families, businesses, community organization, and visitors benefit from all of these things. Now, therefore, I, Mark Rapistaff, is the 23rd mayor of the city of La Mesa, and the entire city council do hereby proclaim this month, July, as Park and Recreation Month. So please visit one of our parks. Thank you so much. I will be opening public comment, and so I will hand this over to the city clerk for remote public comment, if anyone has their hand up. mayor there are no remote speakers with their hands raised for public comment all right i will move to we'll close that and move to general comment and our first speaker is cindy mina followed by mary ann good evening welcome

Okay, my name is Cindy Maynard and I live adjacent to the Jericho Road project. And I wish to bring up the issue of permitted parking. But before I do so, I wish to share some background info. Since Meritage acquired the property in July, several issues have arisen which include vandalism, standing water, traffic concerns, excess dirt, dust, and recently activity after permitted hours. The intervention of city officials has made a great difference in getting issues addressed. In particular, thanks to City Councilwoman Genevieve Suzuki, private security was installed at the site and no further acts of vandalism occurred. Thank you. The help of city officials has been effective. Therefore, we continue to need your support in the matter of permitted parking. The process is involved and includes a residential parking petition, permitted parking petition. And eventually the matter will come to the city council in order to establish a permit zone. Timing is important. In November, when the neighbors met with Ephraim Jolson, who's a Meritage representative, he said that the first units would be up for sale in January, 2027. Now that date may have been moved back due to delays in permitting. The permit process will not lock out Meritage residents. In fact, permitted parking would be a benefit to those households which have more than two vehicles. What we want to avoid is large number of visitor vehicles, which will easily overwhelm the neighborhood. In addition, some spaces can be reserved for commercial parking for service providers at the Meritage residence. it may be wise to institute permitted parking before the project begins selling units so that the prospective buyers will be aware of future parking issues. And I thank you for your consideration on this matter.

Thank you. Mary Ann? Welcome. Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and council members. I am also here regarding the Jericho Road construction project. Last night, July 13, heavy equipment was being moved, loaded, and removed between approximately 9.15 and 10.30 at night. I documented the activity with eight Ring camera videos, which I provided to Meritage, Lynette Santos, and the city council members. My concern isn't just the noise. It's the lack of accountability. If the work was authorized, I'd like the city to tell the residents that and explain under what permit that was done. If it was not authorized, I would like to know what enforcement action the city intends to take. Residents deserve answers, not silence. Thank you.

Thank you. Any conflict disclosures by council? We're moving on to board and commission interviews. I'll hand this over to the city clerk, Ms. Weigelman.

Honorable Mayor and Council, the interviews being conducted this evening are part of the city's annual board and commission recruitment process. Applicants have been invited to attend this evening's meeting and provide a brief three-minute presentation describing their qualifications and interest in serving. Before we begin, I would like to note that Damian Andrew Jakowski has withdrawn their application for appointment to the Mission Trails Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee. I will call each applicant forward individually, and following each presentation, the mayor and council may ask questions if they wish. Appointments will be considered at the city council meeting on Tuesday, July 28th. I also want to apologize in advance if I mispronounce anyone's name. For those applicants who have applied to serve on more than one board or commission, please identify all of the boards and commission in which you are interested in being appointed to at the beginning of your presentation. You will be called forward only once this evening and will be interviewed during the board or commission for which you indicated your highest preference. We will begin with the Arts and Culture Commission interviews. I'd like to invite Renee Barreno, to the podium, followed by Joanne Bray.

Good evening. Welcome.

Hello. Thank you. My name's Renee Barino. I was born and raised in La Mesa and moved away to study art in the Bay Area, and then I lived in New York. I was gone for 37 years and came back with the intent of elevating the community that I was raised in and exposed to the arts in. I previously did serve on the commission, but resigned my seat due to caretaking responsibilities I had with my parents. And now that that's changed, I am revisiting an opportunity to sit on the commission. I'm a practicing studio artist. I'm also an arts educator and I'm a museum educator at San Diego Museum of Art. I work in the community engagement department and I'm the lead educator of art and empathy programs. I feel really strongly that art is an example of our humanity and encourages all of us to engage in the tenets of 21st century thinking and learning. And that would be communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem solving. When our community comes together in celebration of the arts, we form connections with one another. And we can create opportunities for collaboration and creative expression. And in result, we end up elevating our community. That's all I want to say. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Do you have any questions? None for me. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Joanne Bray. And followed by Rodney Elliott.

Welcome.

Hi. Thank you. Thank you for... creating this opportunity. I really appreciate it and how quickly you scheduled me for an interview. I wish juried art shows were like that. Well, I'm a professional artist. I have been a full-time artist for 12 years, which I'm excited about. Prior to that, I worked in business where I worked primarily with startups in turnaround situations. But fortunately, I'm able to now, I went to college for art. So like many artists, you cannot, it's difficult to get a job or earn a living in it. Anyway, but through that, I'm also a member of the San Diego Watercolor Society. I'm a professional member of the Museum Guild. I'm also an active participant in Foothills Art Gallery. I'm curious to know if any of you have been there. Okay, great. I was take-in manager or chair for three and a half years. During that time, I got to know we have over 160 members that are artists living in La Mesa or the surrounding area. In addition, after COVID, I started up the acrylic and painting group. which meets weekly at Foothills, and no charge. Foothills is a nonprofit. In addition, I started up the Life Drawing Group there, which meets monthly. Now, through that, I also became more engaged in La Mesa. I, through, well, a partner artist and I exhibited at San Pasquale Wine Tasting Room. They just started up a gallery about two years ago. And frankly, we were the reason that it happened. After we were featured artists there, they invited us or invited me to curate the art. So since that time, we've had monthly shows. I usually have them every six to eight weeks. Right now we have a mixed media show, which is really exciting. I hope you'll check it out. In addition, we have collaborated with San Diego ArtReach. We did a fundraiser for them at the wine tasting room. I went to a mixer with the art commission at Space Bar where I really was impressed by the commissioners and the passion and some of the plants. I didn't even know it existed. So after that time, But I realized when I was there, I was one of three artists that were there. And I thought, you need more of us. So I met with Brittany Medina, and I suggested that San Pascual Wine Tasting Room hold an event. They were kind enough to provide food. Park and Recreation provided gift cards for the artists, which they really appreciated. At that reception,

We had- Can I ask you to sum up, because your time is up.

Okay, I'm sorry. That's okay, sorry. Please ask me questions.

Sure.

Is the art show on Center Drive, San Pasqual, or La Mesa Boulevard, San Pasqual? It's on Boulevard. Okay, thank you.

Thank you so much. You're welcome. All right.

Our next applicant is Rodney Elliott, followed by Heidi Frampton.

Welcome.

Hello. Nice to meet everyone. Good to see old friends. Yeah, I'm Rodney Elliott. I'm Art and Culture Commissioner right now, and I'm reapplying for the next version of what that will mean, and look forward to hearing what all of you would like out of that. For me personally, when I joined this many years ago, the word arts and culture are very important to me. I own a production company. I'm also a touring musician, and I really would love to see more arts and culture in La Mesa. Get involved. Make it happen. Don't just talk about it. Don't just be opinionated. Be a part of it. And I was, and I am to this day. Art to me is... Probably the most important because the world would be black and white without art. I think art has something to do with color, flavor, shape. It would be a different world if we didn't have art. Culture, I moved to La Mesa because when we looked at the house with my husband and our next door neighbors, all were different cultures. I said, this fits where I belong. This is what will work for me personally. and La Mesa being open to having an arts and culture commission. I said, let me join that. That's the perfect fit for how I can add any change possible. So that's why I joined. I'm also here to be an advocate for hoping to keep politics out of arts and culture, because I don't find any reason for that to be a part of it all. The other lady took a little more time, so I'm going to cut mine short. But I just appreciate being here, and I appreciate you guys giving me the opportunity to be a part of my city. Thank you so much. Thank you all. Thank you.

Our next applicant is Heidi Frampton. She wasn't able to join us in person, but she is remote. Heidi, you should be able to unmute yourself. And you have three minutes.

Hello, can you hear me? Yes.

Yes, we can.

okay um well good evening mayor and members of city council thank you for allowing me to be remote my name is heidi frampton i'm here as an applicant for arts commission i am a designer and digital arts educator a parent and a third generation lamesa my roots run deep here my grandfather a jazz musician planted our family here in the 1950s. And my husband and I have made the same choice to raise our own two boys here. I mentioned my family because it underscores a fundamental truth about our city. La Mesa has a creative charm that is our greatest economic and community anchor. For generations, our hills have been the muse to opera singers, playwrights, architects, painters, and lovers of the arts, especially in the historic arts colony area. LaMasons are deeply expressive, and our public art should reflect that vitality and diversity. As a volunteer commissioner, I bring a unique perspective to the table. As an artist and designer, I have created branding for nonprofits like Mountain Helix Park Foundation. I briefly lived in Georgia and have done arts festival branding in Georgia. And I understand the creative process and how to collaborate and connect effectively with local creators, organizers, and I value inclusion and diversity, diverse voices. I also have a marketing background. I know how to promote civic arts programs, engage with the community, and elevate La Mesa's profile with its charming and unique cultural hub. As an arts educator, I'm deeply committed to ensuring our public arts initiatives inspire and include the next generation of La Masons. While paying a tribute to its history as a 6th through 12th grade teacher in Coronado I've coordinated many business to school partnerships to highlight student work within the community including like the Coronado Flower Show, Coronado Schools Foundation, and was honored as a teacher of the arts by the city of Coronado. I'm not just looking to fill a seat. I'm eager to do some heavy lifting. I'm ready to support the commission's current goals and advocate for our visual and performing arts and help strengthen our public arts program so that La Mesa remains the vibrant, creative haven for generations to come. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Heidi. Our next applicant is Ryan Kelly followed by Linda Morton. Is Ryan Kelly here? okay so linda morton is also uh joining us via zoom she is out of town i'm going linda you should be able to unmute yourself and you have three minutes i just did can you all hear me now yes we can oh great

Well, hello, everyone. Hello from Colorado. Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you all. It's clear there are many talented applicants that all of us want to contribute. I just thought I'd speak for a moment briefly about the value that I might bring to the Commission. Should I be chosen for the at-large position that I'm applying for? I have experience in, my background is a bit diverse. I was a lawyer, a mediator, conflict resolver, have done strategic planning, facilitation and organization. I've collaborated with others, including doctors and social works to set up legal clinics around San Diego. And in addition to those attributes, the possible skills that you all might want, I've also been deeply involved in the arts since my retirement 10 years ago, especially the arts in La Mesa. I'm also a member of the Foothills Art Gallery and have participated in several shows in addition to setting up a few shows and chaired the committee that organized Foothills Friday that connected to the community through an art booth at the Farmer's Market now every month during the summer. The other value that I might bring is that I've looked online at the website, the meeting minutes and notes from the Arts and Culture Commission, and I'm excited to read more about the master plan, the art meetups, trifold handout that was mentioned. I'd really like to contribute to these projects in addition to having finally some creative ideas myself for the future of the culture and arts in La Mesa. I'd like to focus on things such as inclusivity, including other arts. the historical society. My husband is a musician, gathering local input from the community, creating more art events such as art walks and more collaboration between the local business and La Mesa artists. Currently I'm collaborating with the owner manager of Swami's restaurant to show art in his restaurant there. I'd like to focus also on community arts and education. You know, honestly, in this point in my career, I just want to lend a hand. So here I am. And if it's a good match for you all, let's move forward. Thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you, Linda. Our next applicant is Mickey. Is Mickey here?

Welcome.

Good evening, everybody. All right, so I am the, sorry, I have notes, I will read. Oh, thank you. All right, I have notes, I will read. I'm the co-owner of a dance studio in La Mesa. I'm also the co-founding director of the non-profit professional dance company, Monorath Pal Dance, which is also in La Mesa. I'm interested in continuing my appointment so I can help create, increase, and facilitate more of the arts and culture in La Mesa. So I serve the city of La Mesa and its citizens as the inaugural member of the commission itself, representing the performing arts discipline. During my four-year term, I accomplished the following. I served most of my term as the vice chair. When the chair resigned early this year, my fellow commissioners voluntold me that I should be the chair, so they voted me in. I've also served on the subcommittee that created and launched the arts survey that was open to the La Mesa citizens. Also served on the subcommittee that drafted and launched the initial public arts policy. on the subcommittee that drafted and launched the RFQ for the refresh of the Walkway of the Stars. I also served as part of the decision making and voting for the painting of the murals for the trash enclosures at both the Lemon Avenue parking lot and Collier Park. Sorry, I need to breathe. I also served as part of the decision making for the Artist to Work program and also helped facilitate and vote on the artwork, the samples that was submitted. I was the single commissioner that was selected to participate with the staff liaison as part of the San Diego Arts Matters Local Arts Agency Learning Network Capacity Building Program to help benefit and bring knowledge to the commission itself. Also, I'm working with the committee on the Arts and Culture Master Plan, working with the, sorry, with the consultant that's coming in. So also during my term Outside of the commission, I've also served the city of La Mesa and its citizens in the following. I was invited to serve on the committee for the Arts in the Park event. I worked with Misty Thompson to incorporate and add a performing arts aspect to the event. And then I also served on the EV Charger Master Plan Committee, which the plan was recently approved. And that's it. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next applicant is Katie Shield, followed by Perna Slattery. Is Katie here? Is Perna here, Slattery? OK, we'll go to Cesar Tornell. Is Cesar here? Next, we have Brett Wagner. Is Brett Wagner here? No? Okay, so that concludes Arts and Culture Commission. We're gonna move on to the Community Relations and Veterans Commission. Glenna Bloman, is Glenna Bloman here? Okay, next is Andrea Brittland. Is Andrea here?

Hey, Andrea. Let's see.

Good evening everyone. How are you guys doing this evening?

Good evening. Thank you for being here.

Um, I just, I've been on the committee commission since during COVID when we were all on zoom and we've started to do some really good things, help with the live well, La Mesa project and the master plan. And I just like to give awareness about disabilities and not just talk about disabilities, but actually show up and be the example. saying, hey, we're here, and we can contribute and be part of our communities, just the same as everyone else. I really enjoy La Mesa. I'm a transplant from Connecticut, so I never really thought I had a place to call my own, because everything in Connecticut was so different for me. Like, everybody... like tiptoed around me and stuff like that and they did everything for me and I felt as though I couldn't be a part of the community in a full way because my voice wasn't being heard but it's been a different experience in La Mesa and I really enjoyed that and I've met so many amazing people through volunteering and I just want to continue that process.

All right, thank you so much for showing up tonight. We appreciate it. It's a long way from Connecticut, so we're glad we're here. Yes, well done.

Our next applicant is Megan O'Dowd, followed by Anna Gonzalez-Cita.

Good evening, welcome.

Good evening, Mayor and council members. My name is Megan O'Dowd. Thank you for having me. I have applied to continue my time as an at-large member of the City of La Mesa Community Relations and Veterans Commission. Over the past two years, I've had the opportunity to be an active member of this commission, contributing my skills and talent to the group. I've submitted my application to continue to serve with a focus on addressing the needs and concerns of seniors, persons with disabilities, veterans, and the community at large. As for my background, for the last 20 years through my work at the County of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission, I have served and continue to serve highly vulnerable populations. including but not limited to the persons experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, and families living in deep poverty. Currently, I'm a chief with the County of San Diego Department of Behavioral Health Services. Here, I'm responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of housing and service programs, including capital projects. I am also a resident, obviously, of La Mesa. I live in Vista La Mesa, and my children go to Murdoch and Parkway Middle. And so I have appreciated my time serving with my family. my esteemed colleague over the last two years, and I appreciate the consideration to continue to serve. So I appreciate your time. Thank you.

Thank you for being here tonight.

Thank you. Our next applicant is Anna Gonzalez-Cita. Is Anna here?

Welcome.

Hello. Good evening. Good evening Mayor, Council Members and Commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to be considered for the Community Relations and Veterans Commission. My name is Ana Gonzalez-Seira and I'm honoured to be with you today. For more than 25 years I have dedicated my career in serving older adults, family, caregivers, individuals and people with disabilities and the underserved. My work has taken me through organizations such as the Alzheimer's Associations, Diabetes Associations, the County Medical Society Foundation, and today the managing director for the Braille Institute. It's a long story, so bear with me. Throughout my career, one thing has remained consistent, that I believe that strong communities are built through collaboration, compassion, and connection. In my current role at the Braille Institute, I work every day to express to expand access to individuals who are blind or visually impaired or experiencing low vision by building partnerships, increasing community awareness, and connecting people to resources that promote independence, dignity, and inclusion. I have been firsthand seeing how bringing organizations together can remove barriers and create meaningful opportunities for people to thrive. In addition to my professional experience, I have proudly served for more than six years at the California Department of Public Health Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee, where I worked with alongside leaders across the state to advance health equity and improve outcomes for communities facing disparities. I am also an active member of the downtown San Diego Lions Club. where I continue to serve and support initiatives to improve the lives of individuals with vision loss and strengthen our communities. I believe my experience aligns closely with the mission of the commission. I bring my public health experience, my perspective and intense experience in coalition building and passion for connecting people with resources and opportunities. If selected, I will be committed to increasing awareness for services available to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. I would be honored to contribute my experience, my relationships, and my passion to serve for people to help make La Mesa even stronger. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I appreciate the opportunity to serve.

Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you.

Thank you. That concludes the Community Relations and Veterans Commission applicants. We'll move on to the Design Review Board. Is Chris Langdon here?

Good evening.

Welcome.

Hello. My name is Chris Langdon. I am currently a sitting member of the design review board. I'm just wrapping up my third term with the board, seeking a fourth. I think after three terms, the time has given me good perspective to see how the board has grown. And I think we've seen some very positive growth in the DRB. not only in the quality of the projects that come to us and go through our board, we've also made strides to kind of refine our review process. We're trying to move away from subjective review to more objective review as we're reviewing these projects. And I think that's a good direction for the board. The board has also afforded me some opportunities to sit on some community advisory groups. So I sat on the urban forestry advisory group for the master plan, and then most recently with the EV charging master plan advisory group. I think that plan is still in process. A little bio about myself. I'm currently a managing partner of KTUA. We're a planning and landscape architecture firm. We're based in San Diego. We've been doing business in San Diego County for over 55 years now. You know, I've got almost 30 years of experience in the A&E industry, and I've been very happy and fortunate to offer my experience and my expertise to help shape and guide the development in La Mesa through the design review board. And I would love to have the opportunity to continue doing that. So I would very much appreciate your consideration. Thank you for being here. All right, any questions? Okay.

Is the design review board, are they responsible for, a company will come in and submit their design for an apartment building, for example, and the design review board approves that design or rejects that design? Is that right? Or do you kind of just, or is it just about?

Yeah, there's some nuances. Okay. the board is not tasked with reviewing land use and, and planning issues. Um, so we're looking at actual design issues, you know, I'm asking about, yeah, you know, is, is this big blank wall going to be an issue for visibility to the right of way? You know, then we make recommendations on, you know, how can we, soften the wall. If there's issues with colors, we might comment on those. We do look at compliance with the urban design guidelines and the mixed use planning and zoning guidelines. But mostly, it's design related. It's not planning or land use related.

And that's my question. So we have a lot of new apartments that are coming up around the La Mesa downtown area. Downtown Mesa is famously 114 years old. A lot of these buildings are super cube boxed, modern. There's a ton of criticism from everywhere that the apartment buildings do not blend with the character of La Mesa. And I've always thought to myself, doesn't that come down to the design review board to say, wait a second, this needs to blend better. And I just, I don't know how to answer it when people ask me, why are these buildings such sore thumbs?

Right. So I think the challenge with, am I okay to keep speaking on this? Yeah. So I think the challenge is that those become subjective issues. You know, one person might think a box is attractive, another person may think it's not attractive. So really the board is looking objectively at design standards that are in place in the city of La Mesa. So in order for, I think, in order for the board to start making those kinds of decisions, there would need to be design guidelines in place that would you know, drive those decisions and steer those decisions. Because then it just becomes very subjective if we're saying, oh, we don't like that style compared to that style. So I hope that helps.

We're lacking design guidelines in the city of La Mesa?

I don't know. I don't want to say that we're lacking them. Sometimes there's a benefit to having broad open availability of design so that it's not steered in one direction all the time. There are certainly communities in California that are very guideline driven.

I'm just going to interrupt. I'm sorry. I'm kind of getting off task here because it's turning into a design review board explanation as opposed to an interview for the design review board. So I'm sorry to cut you off, but I just need to bring it back. No problem. Understood. Yeah, but thank you very much for being here. All right. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Chris. That concludes the design review board applicants. We'll move to the Environmental Sustainability Commission. Kathleen Brand, followed by Jeanne Stronach. Kathleen Brand here. Jan Stronach.

Good evening. Welcome.

My name is Jeannie Stronach. And no problem. Thank you for taking the time. And thank you, actually, for being so welcoming. I know it's a little nerve wracking. to get up here and speak, so I appreciate that. So I am applying for the Sustainability and Environmental Commission, but also being considered for the Park and Recreation Commission as well. Why am I qualified? Well, one, for the Sustainability Commission, I am 58, so check that. So, good one, right? Two, I've been in La Mesa for 26 years, raised by two children, graduated from Helix, went on to I graduate from UCLA, which I think is a testament to the La Mesa education. Spent I don't know how many hours at all the parks. My kids learn to swim, play baseball, play soccer, go to the library, summer reading programs. So I am so grateful and thankful for this community because I think my kids turned out wonderful. Thirdly, I work at San Diego State for the last 25 years. This I think in particular is important for any commission, and that is my work has been around data. I actually serve as the lead for the Analytic Studies and Institutional Research Office, which we're charged with all the compliance reporting for the university. So policy, data. So what we do with all that data once we is to turn it into information for all the stakeholders. So analytics, program evaluation, policy evaluation. So I feel like all of these things really will help me inform you about the things that are important. How do we evaluate what we're doing? What policies, what plans we have? How are they working? This is the kind of work that I do for the last 25 years at San Diego State. And then fourthly, In terms of this, I don't have subject matter expertise in the environmental space other than being a person on this earth who wants to protect resources. And so I woke up, I got the city manager update. Thank you. In my email, I saw the commission openings, and I thought, I've been doing a lot to inform my family, my friends, my household on making good decisions about our environment. And I thought, wow, this is an opportunity to expand this into my community and contribute beyond just my family. And I really do think it's so important to contribute and volunteer and give back to what I've gotten from the City of La Mesa. And as far as the parking rec, Councilmember Lothian and I, we play pickleball quite a bit. So not only do my kids play a lot of sports here, but I am a big believer in recreation and the park.

Thank you. Thank you. Two quick questions. Sure. Class of 89, Helix.

My kids? I am not, my neighbors are, my kids graduated from Helix.

Oh, I thought you said you graduated Helix. And just last question really quick, it's kind of pivotal. Aztecs Bruins basketball game, you always pull for the Aztecs, right?

Well, my son played baseball for UCLA, so I got to do that.

My niece is at UCLA orientation right now.

Oh, really? Go Bruins.

Actually, go Aztecs.

Yeah, I know that.

Sorry, I'm an Aztec.

Forgive me.

That won't reflect in my decision. No, no, no. I promise that will not be reflective in my decision. All right.

We'll be moving to the Historic Preservation Commission applicants. David Klein. David Klein here. And then Kurt Sherman did mention that he is not able to attend tonight. So we'll go ahead and move to the La Mesa Community Parking Commission. And I apologize. Scott Favaro also mentioned he's not able to make it tonight. So now we're moving to the Mission Trails Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee. David Harris. Is David Harris here tonight? No. OK. Nancy Clement-Hillman. Is Nancy here?

Yes. I'm here. There you go. Good evening. Welcome.

Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity. I moved to La Mesa in the 1980s, bought my first home in 1985. I live by Lake Murray, my husband and I. And I was so excited when Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center was built. And I took the trail guiding class twice, first in 2002 and then in 2008. There's so much to learn about this region we call home. I participated in a walkability. These words are hard to pronounce, you know? Read easy, but hard to pronounce. OK, task force, and out of that came the La Mesa Walks. walking group. I started a monthly walk at Lake Murray and led 89 walks. They were each well attended, and we would begin with a short talk and then have a walk. My last walk was focused on bats. Did you know that there are 10 to 20 species regularly seen at MTRP? There's 22 to 23 in the county. And you'd want to know an easy way to identify whether you're seeing a bat or a bird. It's really easy. If it's going straight, if it's flying straight, probably a bird. If it's zigzagging, it's a bat because they're looking for insects to eat. COVID hit and no more walks. Then my knees got cranky. So I can no longer lead walks. I've stayed active with MTRP. Last week, I attended a potluck on Wednesday, heard about this volunteer position, picked up the application on Thursday with Megan, and then submitted it on Friday. Also on Friday, I attended an excellent tour of the East County Advanced Water Purification Treatment Center. Studies have shown that once people understand this water treatment system, they're on board with it. Sadly, San Diego County supports over 200 imperiled plants and animals. It is one of the top regions in the US for the most endangered plants and animals, as it is a biodiversity hotspot. This is why MTRP is such a valuable resource for helping people understand and appreciate this beautiful place we call home. To the untrained eye, it looks like just rocks and dirt. But educating people is a part of why I want to be a part of this commission. Because once people understand, they're much more likely to support. That's why I would like to be considered for this position. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you.

Our next applicant is Kevin Kitchen, followed by Brian McNeese. Is Kevin Kitchen here? Brian McNeese.

OK.

So we'll now move on to the Mobility Commission. Is Hollis Voinov here? Hollis? OK. So now we're moving on to Parks and Recreation Commission. Jesse Brown?

Is Jesse Brown here?

And then followed by Sherry Meek.

Good evening. Welcome.

Good evening. Good to see everyone. Thank you for considering my reappointment to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Since joining the commission in 2022, it has been an honor to serve the city of La Mesa. During that time, I've had the privilege of serving as secretary, vice chair, and now chair of the commission. I very much enjoyed working alongside staff, my fellow commissioners, and members of the community to help support and improve our parks programs. And I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve.

Thank you. Excellent. Very pithy. We like that.

Is Sherry Meek here? No. OK. Ada Silva? Is Ada Silva here? Followed by Alisa Spivey.

Good evening. Welcome.

Thank you. Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity. My name is Aida Silva. I am a La Mesa resident and a mother of two middle schoolers, and I'm starting my 20th year as a math and science teacher now in La Mesa Spring Valley. In my career, I've started three school gardens, one at an elementary, at a middle, and at a high school, all turned into outdoor classrooms where I taught an ecology elective for those schools. And there's a lot of representation tonight. I'm also a trail guide at Mission Trails Regional Park. And all of the leading walks that focus on ethnobotany. So all of this really gives a picture that I like helping people develop meaningful connections with our natural environment. I liked protecting open spaces. and really helping people understand why protecting our natural spaces is important. So I saw a social media post that just said, might be time to help. And so it's been 17 years in La Mesa where I have enjoyed the parks, the concerts, the swim. We've even done family karate for two years. So if you need my perspective, I'm here to help. And if there's lots of help, I'd be willing to help later on when it's needed.

Thank you. Where do you teach?

I will be starting at Spring Valley Academy.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Our next applicant is Alicia Spivey.

Welcome. Hi. I'm Alicia Spivey. I have been asked by Grossmont Union High School District to sit on the Parks and Rec board. in their place, but I'm honored to do so if approved. I've been a La Mesa resident for 17 years. I've been with Grossmont Union High School District for about 20 in alternative ed, special ed, and now I went to the dark side, I'm an administrator. I know, please don't. Where at? Valhalla. Yeah, very good.

Well done.

So really, that's kind of me. I know teenagers real well, and I'm happy and honored to do this if selected. The only other thing I'd like to say is that I moved my parents down here to La Mesa, and they bought a house right across the street from one of our beautiful parks. So I've been able to see what happens and what goes on and the problems and the, you know, all the little nuances that there. So that's kind of me.

All right. Well, thank you. Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Our next applicant is Dallin Young. Is Dallin here?

Welcome. Thank you, and I'll apologize in advance. I know you're like concise, but I was hoping to take the full three minutes, if that's okay. That's fine.

Perfectly fine. All right.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Dallin Young, and I've applied for both the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Arts and Culture Commission vacancies. But today I'll be highlighting my experience for the Parks and Recreation Commission. My very first job out of college was with the City of San Diego's Park and Recreation Department as a recreation leader for their therapeutic recreation services and age well services programs. These programs provide recreation opportunities for people with disabilities and for seniors. I worked there for about four years, and it was one of the best jobs of my life. Although I did have to move on from that position, I love the people in the program so much that I joined the board of their affiliated nonprofit, Disabled Services Advisory Council, where we raised funds to provide scholarships and financial support for those programs, and I remained on that board for the past nine years. Currently, I serve as the Director of Policy for County Supervisor Joel Anderson, where I specialize in land use and environment group policy, which includes all policies related to the county's Department of Parks and Recreation. Here, I have firsthand experience in what it takes to site, evaluate, and fund new public parks, like we are doing in Alpine, as well as how to enhance recreation, like we are pursuing at our various county facilities and at the El Capitan Reservoir. Lastly, I am a six-year high school wrestling coach, and between my two daughters and our dog, Mocha, we are very frequent visitors to the city's various parks, especially here at Griffin Park, where they can all be let off leash. Based on this experience, my goals for this position are the following. I would like to explore how we could increase recreation opportunities for our community members with disabilities. There only looks to be a couple programs such as adaptive swimming that currently provide this opportunity, and I would like to see how those could be expanded. As an avid gardener who loves and appreciates the value that native plants bring, I would like to see how we can incorporate more native plants into our parks. Not only are they beautiful unto themselves, but they serve as valuable food source for wildlife, such as birds, whose songs and distinct beauty can enhance our park experiences. Third, with the completion of the parks and recreation master plan soon to come, this is an exciting time to be on the commission and I want to help make sure the master plan or make the master plan a reality. After so much community input engagement guiding this document, it is important that its implementation kicks off to a great start so that all of our community members can have the access and opportunities they deserve. In conclusion, the topics covered by the Parks and Recreation Commission are topics that I am deeply passionate about and have spent my entire adult career pursuing. And with my expertise in land use environmental policy, I believe I can bring a wealth of practical experience to our already talented commission. Thank you all very much for your time and happy to answer the questions you might have. Where do you coach, Arsalan? It was at Canning Crest Academy. Oh, excellent. Wow. Wish it was here at Helix, but they wouldn't have me. Very long drive, but a good school. Excellent. Thank you.

I just want to say congratulations on your newborn.

Oh, thank you very much. She's three months old. We don't leash her, just the other daughter.

And our next board is Personnel Appeals Board, and we have Peter Gregorovic. Is Peter here? Does not look like it. So that concludes our boards and commission interviews. And I just want to remind everyone that appointments will be made at the next council meeting. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, public comment on consent calendar opening for virtuals. Anyone have their hand raised?

Mayor, there are no hands raised for remote public comment on consent calendar.

Any cards for? All right. Council, would you like to put anybody going to pull any items? Yes, Council Member Lothian.

I'd like to pull 10.8 just for a question for Mr. Throne.

Then we will ask Mr. Throne to come up to the microphone. 10.8. Welcome. Hi, Mr. Throne.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Hi, Mr. Throne. The question I have for you is when the temporary speed hump pilot program concludes, I know we're getting ready to implement it in a couple of the streets of La Mesa, and it proves to be the success that I know it's going to be, how are neighborhoods going to petition to be on the temporary speed hump program, and when do you expect this program to become routine, like it's just going to happen?

Well, that's a very excellent question. We're very excited about the temporary program. The first part of it was the temporary speed humps we placed in front of City Hall. and those turned out to be very well. So we have two neighborhoods that are in the queue, the Lois and Dugan neighborhoods. Dugan will be implemented in August and then Lois will come in in September. We're expecting that we have about six or eight more months to go. Once we get those in, we'll be able to evaluate it in a true neighborhood setting instead of like a downtown by city hall setting. After that, we will be compiling it into a draft program that we will bring back to council probably toward the end of the year or beginning of next. We are anticipating that it's going to be something very similar to the neighborhood petition process for the phase one traffic calming. And so that's kind of the direction that we're leading and we're looking at that'll be springtime next year. You're welcome.

Any other? Okay, then I'll move the consent calendar 10 to 10.11. I'll move to approve.

Second.

Thank you.

Motion carries with all council members voting yes.

Item number 11 is a staff report. I don't know who's going to be presenting the staff. Who is it? Oh, hi. Sorry, you snuck up there so quick. You're very stealthy. Excellent. Welcome. Good evening.

Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council. The item before you tonight asks for your consideration to issue the 2026 general obligation refunding bonds. I'll briefly cover Proposition D, explain how refunding works, and focus on the key point, which is the savings this will generate for our residents and businesses. By way of background, Proposition D was approved by voters with an overwhelming 76.7% approval. This measure authorized the issuance of $25 million in general obligation bonds to fund the construction improvement of critical public safety infrastructure. Under Proposition D, the city issued two sets of bonds. In 2004, the city issued $19 million in Series A bonds and later $6 million in Series B bonds with final maturity in August of 2039. In 2016, the city refinanced these bonds through the 2016 refunding bonds, totaling $21.8 million with a final maturity date of 2036. and these bonds become eligible for refunding beginning August 1st, 2026. So let's briefly talk about what refunding means. You might describe refunding as refinancing, and that's basically what it is. Similar to refinancing your home mortgage, when market conditions get better, we can swap out our older, more expensive bonds for new ones that cost less. We're not adding any debt or taking on new debt. We're just paying off what we already owe in a smarter, more efficient way. Because the general obligation bond is funded through ad valorem property taxes, residents and businesses pay for it directly. So when we reduce the cost of these bonds, those savings go straight back to the taxpayer. By shortening the maturity through this refunding, our community will stop paying four years earlier. if the council chooses to move forward tonight, the city will have shortened the bond's original maturity by a total of seven years. And that's a really great outcome for our residents. So the refunding supports our goal of being responsible stewards of public funds. We continually watch the market for chances to cut costs, reduce repayment timelines, and maximize the value of every taxpayer dollar. So preliminary numbers for the 2026 refunding bonds show a principal amount of about $8.2 million with final maturity date of August 1st, 2032 with a true interest cost of 2.87%. What really matters though is the savings, and this refinancing is estimated to generate about $1.73 million in net present value savings, which translates into 2.07 million in actual cash flow savings. That's real money the taxpayers will not have to pay. That is net of any issuance costs and available property tax funds, so this is the bottom line benefit. The resolution before you gives a green light for everything needed to issue these bonds. It approves the key financing documents, sets the not to exceed parameters so that there are clear boundaries as we move forward. City staff has been working on this refunding since March, watching the market, preparing the legal and financial documents, and coordinating with our advisors, bond council, and underwriters to maximize taxpayer savings. We're now in the final stretch. Yesterday, the city received a strong AA2 bond rating, signaling very low credit risk to our investors. if the council approves this item tonight. The preliminary official statement will be released tomorrow and the bonds will be marketed to investors. Over the next few weeks, we'll price the bonds, publish the official statement, close the transaction, and prepay the prior bonds. This will complete months of work and deliver savings directly back to residents and businesses. So staff recommends adopting the resolution, authorizing issuance of the 2026 refunding bonds and all related agreements, and authorizing staff to take all necessary action to complete the refunding and to deliver savings. Our financing team is here today. We have Bess Beston-Krieger, our Bond and Disclosure Council, Urban Futures, our Municipal Advisor, and Oppenheimer, our Underwriter, and all of us are here to answer questions.

Questions, Council? Thank you very much for your report.

Thank you.

Would anyone like to move the item?

Move to adopt the resolution authorizing the issuance of 2026 general obligation refunding bonds. Thank you.

And just to note, we have no public speakers.

I didn't see any. Thank you. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

Council Member Lothian? Motion carries with all council members voting yes.

Thank you. Thank you for the report. Item number 12 is written communication, a letter from the League of California Cities requesting designation of a voting delegate and alternative for the League annual conference held in September 23rd through the 25th. I am actually planning on going if anybody else wants to. I don't have to be the voting delegate, but I am planning on going to the conference. Is anyone else planning on going?

I'm planning on going because I'm a member of the Governance and Transparency Committee. So we have our meeting there, too. All right.

And I'm the new chair of the entire California delegation now. I'm just kidding around. I'm not.

I'm like, wow, on your way out, you're like, I'm going to do everything now.

You're all so funny. I'm sorry. You're like my students. I love us. There's no more school for the rest of the year. No, not really. Sorry. Sorry, everyone. So I'll be your alternate then. No, you can be the voting and I'll be your alternate. All right, fine.

Wonderful.

All right, so I'll make a motion for Arapahstathis and Suzuki to be voting an alternate. Do we need to make a motion or can we consent? Make a motion. I'll make a motion. Thank you. We do what the city attorney says. So I guess I should make a joke that I'm running for governor, right? They wrote me in. Motion carries.

Sorry, it wasn't popping up on my screen. I didn't know where it went. Yes, motion carries with all council members voting yes.

Thank you. Item number 13 is a council-initiated item. I will hand it over to Vice Mayor Casares.

Thank you very much. We have two items. Before you, I'll start with item 13.1, but they are sort of related. So right now, the Mesa has no regulatory framework for short-term vacation rentals like Airbnbs. Perfect, no worries, thank you. We don't require permits or registration, we don't establish operational standards, and we don't collect transient occupancy tax from these accommodations like we would with hotels. As more cities throughout California have adopted thoughtful policies to balance tourism, neighborhood compatibility, housing, public safety, and equitable tax collection, I believe it's past time for La Mesa to evaluate what approach makes the most sense for our community. Over the past several months, we've received an increasing number of complaints from residents about short-term vacation rentals. Whether it's excessive noise, parties, parking impacts, trash, or revolving door visitors, these concerns are becoming more common. The people who choose to make La Mesa their home deserve to know that their neighborhoods won't gradually become overrun by vacationers and weekend party houses. At the same time, I recognize that many short-term rental operators are responsible property owners who contribute positively to our local economy. This item is not about eliminating short-term vacation rentals. It's about ensuring they operate responsibly and in a way that respects the neighbors who live next door every day. This item would direct staff to study the current landscape of short-term rentals in La Mesa, engage stakeholders, review best practices from comparable jurisdictions, evaluate fiscal impacts, and return to the council with policy recommendations. That analysis should include, but not be limited to, operational standards, permitting and registration options, enforcement mechanisms, opportunities to collect transient occupancy tax, and other tools that help ensure short-term vacation rentals are good neighbors rather than sources of ongoing nuisance. Ultimately, our first responsibility is to the people who call La Mesa home. We can welcome visitors while also protecting the quiet enjoyment, safety, and quality of life of the residents who have invested in our community and live here year round. I believe a thoughtful data-driven regulations can accomplish both of these things.

Thank you so much. And thank you for that because I read your report. We have two speakers. So before we start talking, I'm going to ask the speakers. Okay, Brittany Siminski followed by Ann Knox. I hope I pronounced your last name correctly. I'm sorry. Okay, all right.

Thank you. I purchased my home on a quiet private driveway that serves eight single family residences. The driveway is narrow and functions as a single lane of travel that requires neighbors to cooperate and share access to their homes safely and respectfully. For years, our neighborhood has been safe, family oriented community where seven of the eight homes are occupied by families. with young children and pets. This is the type of neighborhood that residential zoning is intended to protect. However, within the past month, a property in the middle of our private driveway began operating as a short-term rental. The home is advertised to accommodate 16 guests and appears to have been modified from a traditional single family residence into a multi-unit lodging operation in which the allotted parking was converted to an additional living space. The impact has been immediate and severe. We have experienced increased traffic, parking congestion, noise, safety concerns, drunk drivers, damaged property, and repeated interference with our access to our homes. Guest maintenance and cleaning crews associated with this property now routinely use the private driveway, creating excess traffic that was never contemplated when the easement was established in the 60s and is wholly inconsistent with the normal residential use. These nuances create significant safety concerns and place an unreasonable burden on the neighboring properties. Short-term rentals fundamentally alter the character of our community by introducing revolving population of transient occupants with little connection to the neighborhood and no long-term investments in its well-being. It is deeply concerning that the burden of managing the consequences of these rentals has fallen almost entirely on homeowners who permanently reside and contribute to this community. It appears the owners have fewer practical protections than the operators of these short-term rental businesses. The California courts have long recognized that local governments have a legitimate interest in protecting residential neighborhoods from transient commercial use. in ewing versus the city of carmel by the sea the california pro the california court of appeals upheld the city's prohibition on short-term rentals in residential zones 30 seconds recognizing that municipalities may restrict transient um sorry properties for stays less than 30 days. I respectfully urge the city of La Mesa to adopt and enforce stronger regulations for short-term rentals, similar to those of Carmel by the Sea, including permitting requirements, occupancy and parking limits, safety code inspections, meaningful notice to adjacent property owners.

Thank you for your comment. Your time is up.

Thank you.

and Knox. Good evening. Welcome.

Hello.

Hi.

Thank you. I am a neighbor of Brittany's, so I will not repeat or I will try not to repeat what she said so well. But as a homeowner, and I've lived in La Mesa for 40 years, I am a homeowner, I ask the city to please develop some type of regulation for short-term rentals because we recently have one and it is completely disruptive to your life when you are living next to a short-term rental And so I went to the city about it and I was surprised that there's no regulation. I could not even believe it. So I have come today. I thought this would be a full I thought I had imagined there would be a great many LaMasons that would be here. And so I'm glad that I have this opportunity, but I just ask that the city please regulate short-term rentals. And I was also on the East County Board for Air Traffic Noise, and I had to work with Point Loma, this was 10 years ago, the communities of Point Loma, Ocean Beach and La Jolla. And they were talking about short-term rental then and it's like, you know, it was a horror for them at the beach community. And I used to hear about it and think, oh, there's none in La Mesa, I don't have to worry. And then we finally got one and what a shock. You know, you actually have to live next to one to understand how it impacts the neighborhood.

so thank you and um hopefully you will regulate short-term rentals thank you for being here thank you both for being here um all right council i will open it up to questions and or comments

Thank you, both Mayor and Vice Chair Cazares. I am glad that you brought this because there are a few of these types of properties just up and down the street that I live on in Mount Nebo. And I have had complaints in the past. And it is hard to describe. I think that the two women that got up and spoke about it is exactly correct. And it's the same thing that people talk about who are impacted. And so I would like to support this. I think that it is a great idea. And obviously, since I've been approached, which was several years ago and then through time, that there are significant There is a significant larger number of these properties that are being utilized like this without saying any names. So I am in support of this motion.

I just want to say, Vice Mayor Casares initiated this and brought me along. So she's done all the legwork and all the research and has looked up You know, there's short-term rentals in La Mesa that aren't listed, by the way. And we're talking to the neighbors that came tonight, and I appreciate them both speaking up. But there's some in everyone's neighborhood, my neighborhood, and it operates, but it's not listed online. And so I'm glad that the Vice Mayor brought this forward. Any other guests? Council Member Lothian, thank you.

I'm also glad that you brought it up. There are some definitely short-term rental abusers. There was a house on Porter Hill that advertised sleeps 32. I just couldn't believe it.

Right around the corner from me.

Yeah, exactly. I sold a house once that had a beautiful swimming pool, and they had the cops called constantly because they like to play beer pong at 1 a.m., So it is obnoxious. I did a post today about, this was on the agenda, 25 comment, there were over 4,000 views, but 25 comments were, please, regulate, please, it's a nightmare. But I do want to read an excerpt from one person that says, please don't kill it. And I know you don't plan on doing it, but I thought it was important to say, something along these lines. So this is from Barb and Gary Lorenz. They have a it's a famous Airbnb. It's called Cottage in the Garden. It's on Bancroft. And they said, My husband and I have operated a small Airbnb cottage in La Mesa for seven years. Hosting visitors has been a positive experience not only for us, but for our community. We welcome people from around the country and world, and we encourage every guest to visit our downtown, dine in local restaurants, shop at local businesses, attend community events and enjoy our parks and attractions. In that way, our guests contribute directly to our local economy. We support reasonable regulations, everybody does, that focus on bad actors and protect neighborhoods. However, we ask that you not adopt regulations that would unintentionally harm responsible owner operated short-term rentals like ours, We take pride in being good neighbors, good hosts, ambassadors for La Mesa. We hope you will consider the positive role that responsible short-term rentals play in supporting local businesses and introducing visitors to our wonderful city. So I thought they needed a little bit of a shout-out as well, but I think this is definitely overdue. We are the Wild West of short-term rentals.

And like anything, when something is abused, something that's intended to be good, anything can be abused, and I think that's where we are. So I appreciate the Vice Mayor bringing this forward.

Absolutely. And I will say I worked for the city of San Diego while they were trying to regulate short-term vacation rentals. And I was also on the airport noise advisory committee. And so I'm very familiar with that. And it's been pretty devastating to hear from constituents who have been experiencing some of these negative impacts. But I also want to thank Councilman Lothian for bringing that comment up. I have multiple friends who are very responsible Airbnb operators, to my knowledge, in the community as well. And I know one specializes specifically in bringing in folks from around the world. And so I think they can be done well. I think, unfortunately, we have enough bad actors in La Mesa that this is a critical

future ordinance so um i will go ahead and oh did you have a i just wanted to add yes if you're going to make a motion did you want to talk about the second one which is is very in alignment probably separately i mean they're in line do we do them separately yeah

Okay, so.

Okay, we'll do them separately. So I will make a motion to direct staff to study short-term vacation rentals, develop policy recommendations, and return to the council with a proposed regulatory policy.

Second that. What time? 90 days, usually.

90 days?

Yeah, maybe longer, okay.

Okay, great, six months.

I did second. I did, thank you for allowing me to do that. All right, yeah, six months, I apologize. Yeah, you're right, there's a lot of law to unravel.

It took about six years in San Diego, so six months I'm happy to live with. Motion carries with all council members voting yes.

Item 13-2.

Thank you. This is related, but it is a little bit different. So I believe that La Mesa's continued growth and the opportunity to welcome new neighbors is of course a good thing. Growth brings new families, new investment, and new opportunities to our community. At the same time, we do have the responsibility to ensure that growth does not come at the expense of quality of life that makes people want to call a Mesa home in the first place. As our city evolves, our neighborhoods and infrastructure should continue to support both existing and future residents. that's what this item is about it's an opportunity to proactively review our neighborhood compatibility regulations to ensure they remain clear effective and responsive as la mesa continues to grow this item is not about placing unnecessary burdens on vacation rentals or multi-family housing instead it's about directing staff to evaluate whether our existing standards continue to strike the right balance between allowing these uses and protecting the neighborhoods that surround them As part of that review, I'm asking staff to evaluate potential enhancements such as stricter quiet hours, stronger parking standards and vehicle limits, reasonable occupancy limits and registered guest requirements, and requiring a local responsible contact who can respond to complaints and arrive at the property within 30 minutes. These are common sense operational standards designed to prevent nuisance issues before they occur and ensure that when problems do arise, they're addressed quickly and responsibly. I'm also excited about exploring a voluntary good neighbor pledge or good neighbor certification program. Rather than focusing solely on enforcement, this program could recognize short term rental operators, multifamily residential communities and other participants who voluntarily exceed minimum legal requirements through responsible stewardship, strict compliance with city ordinances, proactive education and a commitment to preventing nuisance activities and promoting positive neighborhood relationships. We should also explore whether there are appropriate incentives to encourage participation, including potential benefits for residential developers who voluntarily incorporate enhanced neighborhood compatibility measures such as parking into new projects. The goal is to foster a culture of partnership that benefits residents, responsible property owners, and our community as a whole. Ultimately, this is about ensuring that as La Mesa grows, we continue to protect the qualities that make our city such a special place to live. I believe this effort supports our strategic plan by advancing safe community, livability, financial sustainability, and a high-performing organization. I respectfully ask for my colleagues' support, and I look forward to the discussion. And did we, there was another public, no, we're good? You're good?

Oh, there's, we have to open it to on. online sorry is there anybody waiting in online with their hand up okay and Knox had both 13.1 and 13.2 okay did you want to speak separately are you good okay thank you I just want to check you know where we're going with this all right any other council members Suzuki

I just wanted to understand, so what, help me understand, multi-unit residential complexes, that's in the subject, but then we've got multi-family residential communities. Can you explain, are those the same things that you're talking about, or are they different?

They would be the same thing.

Okay, and so what is that?

So multi-unit residential would be large-scale projects and apartment complexes in particular.

So the study would then look at whether apartments are good to, I'm trying to understand how is this study gonna, so it's looking at how the addition of these apartments would be favorable or unfavorable.

So it's, it's existing neighborhood compatibility regulations. So what we allow or don't allow to be, to be built in the city. and also to be operated. And so the goal of it is to ensure that our current regulations that impact really everyone in the city fit with our growing community.

Okay, and then, so then using that, are we going to also be, I'm assuming that staff then are going to measure this against SB 79 and the other regulations that we're living under, correct?

Oh, absolutely. This is not to... This is certainly not to deter any building, and it's not going, I don't believe in going against state law. I don't want to put us in a situation where our city would be sued. So this is just... to enhance our review at the city level. We are severely limited by some of those state laws, like SB 79, but I believe it's important that we do what we can to understand and to make residents aware that are living in these areas.

Thank you.

I will hand it back to you to make a motion. I don't see any other hand up.

I will make a motion to approve item 13.2 for neighborhood compatibility review with direction to also consider a good neighbor certification program. Second.

Motion carries with all council members voting yes.

Thank you. Council Committee reports. Council Member Dillard.

Yeah, I just wanted to report that as a board member of the Metropolitan Transit System, I had the opportunity to attend the event convention event on rail that's put on by ARPA. And long story short, I thought it might be boring and instead it was like one of the best conventions I have ever been to. I guess Sometimes a title can throw you. But I learned so much going to this convention. It took place in Baltimore. It lasted for four days, and I don't regret any day in my attendance. There was so much to learn and I think that the collaboration and the networking are essential and there was such good ideas and it's amazing how other cities are moving so fast and forward towards new rail and it's exciting to see that because there's been a lot of loss in state and government funding. And the group was amazingly positive and just had such good information. So I just wanted to share that because rail sounds boring, but it was the least bit boring. It was awesome. So thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Lothian. Council Member Suzuki? Vice Mayor Casares?

Okay. Anyone travel?

You traveled? And you just gave your report. I'm going to say that's the one, two, three. Right? Okay. City Attorney remarks? All right. We're adjourned until the second meeting. Thank you so much, everyone, for being here.