and
Councilmember Lee is
council PRESIDENT Personally my
apologies because we check your
mic.
I just have to thank you so
much.
We can hear you loud and clear
.
Mm.
Yeah
.
Good morning.
I will now call the City
council meeting on Monday MARCH
9th 2026 to order Clerk Please
call the roll.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell Council Member
Whitburn here.
Councilmember Foster
Councilmember Von Wilpert
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
here.
Thank you.
Council Member Campo you here?
Councilmember Moreno present
Councilmember Ella Rivera and
Council PRESIDENT LaCava
present Also attending
the meeting our city attorney
Heather Ferber, independent
budget analyst Charles Mollica
and myself your city clerk Dana
Fuentes.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT
Thank you and Council PRESIDENT
Pro Tem Lee, Would you like to
make your statement?
>> Sure.
I'm notifying the council that
I'll be attending today's
meeting remotely due to just
cause relating to family health
care needs pursuant to
the Brown Act I am disclosing
that there are no individuals
18 years of age or older
present in the room with me and
I will update that disclosure
if anything changes during
the course of the meeting.
>> All right.
Thank you, sir.
And I see that council member
Von Wolpert is entering
chambers and I want to give a
hearty welcome back to Council
member Campo.
I know you've bounced in a
couple of times but it's good
to see you back on the dais.
Thank you.
It's good to be back.
A quorum is now present.
We will begin this morning with
an invocation by Clark Fuentes
followed with the land
acknowledgment and the Pledge
of Allegiance led by council
member You grant those who hold
office in this spirit and this
city the spirit of wisdom,
charity and justice that was
steadfast purpose.
They MAY faithfully serve in
their offices to promote
the well-being of our people.
>> We respectfully acknowledge
that the culmination are
the original inhabitants of
the Unceded land now known as
San Diego.
Despite enduring the horrors of
genocide and colonization,
the Kumai spirit remains
unbroken.
We honor the resilience of
their ancestors who fought to
protect their culture and land.
Today they carry their legacy
forward ensuring that their
traditions continue to thrive
and gratitude and strength We
stand with the committed nation
connected to our past and
committed to a thriving future.
Please face the flag and over
your heart Ready Begin with my
duties 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.
All right, MADAM City Clerk,
would you please go over how
the public can offer their
testimony?
>> Thank you.
I'd like to highlight the slide
on the screen that reviews how
the public can offer their
public testimony during today's
meeting.
If you are in person please
complete the speaker slip
located at the entrance of
chambers and bring it to
the front of the room.
No further in-person testimony
will be taken once the council
begins virtual testimony.
For better meeting management
purposes each speaker will have
one minute per item per person
.
Maximum of three minutes of
three or more items.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right.
Thank you.
With that please read
the closed session items into
the record.
Conference with Legal Counsel
Assists in Litigation pursuant
to California Government Code
Section 5495 6.91 Is this one
Edward Fields versus City of
San Diego.
See us to Susan Enriquez versus
City of San Diego c.
S three Mary Brown at all
versus Joe LaCava at all.
Conference with Legal Counsel
Significant exposure to
litigation pursuant to
California Government Code
Section 54956.9 c as far as pre
lit claim San Diego's County
Regional Airport Authority and
c.
S five pre lit claim fireman's
fund as secretary of Park place
on Harbor hoa thank you council
PRESIDENT All right and with
that please proceed with public
comment.
I do not see any public comment
speakers here in council
chambers so I will start
the five minute timer and go to
those participating remotely.
We currently have five speakers
in the queue.
Blair Beckman If you can please
unmute and let me know which
item or items you wish to speak
to after that is 8700 Blair Hi
Blair Beekman.
I wanted to speak to item c us
for okay, you'll have a minute.
Please proceed.
All right.
Thank you.
Blair Beekman.
I hope my zoom is working okay.
Sorry, but we'll cut out I very
much But thank you that for on
this item it appears the words
this claim will involve damages
to the San Diego County
Regional Airport Authority
property caused by
the accidental release
approximately 9.9 million
gallons of wastewater from city
Center's sanitary sewer system
on JULY and JANUARY 16th, 2023
.
This item is called Significant
exposure to litigation pursuant
to California Government Code
section such and such When you
have significant exposure to
litigation items on your closed
session agendas you usually
don't go into explanations and
you do For this one I just
wanted to thank you immensely
that for as great as you guys
can be and explanations at
closed session time you took
the extra time on this sort of
item to give explanations
That's just a lot of good work
from yourselves.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
After that is 8700 if you can
please unmute sorry.
There you go.
Yeah let me know which I'm
sorry I got ahead of you.
>> Go ahead If you can just let
me know which item or items you
wish to speak to please.
>> Yes one, two, three and
four.
>> You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Good morning.
The first thing I wanted to say
is thank you for showing up.
All of you.
It just it makes such a
difference.
I really, really appreciate
that all of you show up and and
just appreciate the entire city
council and everyone So thank
you.
Okay On one long list of risks
for riding a bike, this
litigation is hard to avoid And
my best direction on this is to
the bicycle.
To be your own safety advocate
please.
It really, really helps.
Okay.
And number two, it's really
the thing that's number one
except people are walking and
walking is risky.
I'm I'm a full time walker.
Litigation can be expected on
these trips and falls And again
I'll say to the walkers now
prevention it works I do it
absolutely every single day and
then I'm number three My
direction on this is a prop to
18.
It's such a strong support for
the public and for everyone
that wants their voices to be
heard which the way they want
to sleep on it For me though I
100 years without a fee is a
lot of money in the pocket.
So for me the big picture as a
big family as one family is
it's time to share the money.
Our budget needs it now.
Please help.
Thank you.
And number four I'd be
interested in when you know
Excuse me.
I'd be interested in who and
what caused the accident.
9.9 million gallons of waste
water could it have been
prevented?
I I really appreciate the extra
information on that as Blair
said.
So you have a beautiful day.
A beautiful we thanks for
listening up to all Thank you.
Next is the original If you can
please unmute and let me know
which item or items you wish to
speak to after you as Laurie's
alternate I just for
housekeeping purposes why did
you collect them into consent
and discussion before you've
taken those separately account
them all into one like this I
can definitely email you but
this is all on discussion or
it's not It says consent and
then on my three on discussion
So all I'm saying is when
you're presenting it that way
you guys need to mitigate that
so that you can make sure that
you're doing it correctly
because you should be hearing
each discussion item on your
own not acting like it's all on
consent.
So you've done proceed with
which items you wish to speak
to.
Nothing's changing your time
Them all of them.
You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
So for the first two with
the accidents and the roadways
not being capped, it's you're
still have many roadways that
are not being taken care of and
you seem to be putting in Sure
bike lanes But why don't you
fix the roads first before you
go and add anything Because we
don't need to be continuing to
pay litigation settlements
because you guys are failing to
do so and see us three with
this Proposition 218 This is a
totally unconstitutional act
that takes place because it is
setting the bar so high that
it's never going to be met So
you circumvent the will of
the people all the time
especially when you're doing
things like this And raising
fees.
You're never going to have
enough protest That should be
the reverse that you have
enough people in approval of it
that then you pass it.
But it's you know, it's already
been deemed unconstitutional So
it shouldn't be something that
you guys are even using And
this is going to make us pay
more money because you guys are
doing that.
But what you do is
unconstitutional on a daily
basis and you do circumvent
the will and the voice of
the people by the things you're
doing like this when you're
saying it like everything's on
a Saturday if it whatever when
things are on consent you group
them all together and you
expect everyone to, you know,
talk about a bunch of items at
one time and it's like you're
never going to get what
the people's opinion is because
there's too much to talk about
And then you guys just act like
it's routine, go about your
business And it's just really
sad because on the same hand
you sit there and act like you
care about what the people say
and you don't And it's very
obvious especially the way that
you treat the people.
But this litigation as far as
this waste water sewer spill,
it's like I don't know if you
guys are trying to be like
Mexico or what but it's like
you know, you can't even get
Mexico to do that.
What they need to do you'd
rather engage with business
with them and work with
the county and let's test
the people And you know like
it's just crazy the things that
happen and you know, now we're
going to have to pay a lot more
money just to fix what damage
this did And it's like and we
also have to pay to fix damage
that's done from Mexico And
it's like I mean I just at what
point are things going to start
to change where you guys
actually we don't have all this
kind of litigation all the time
because of the failures of
the city And then you guys you
know all you do is you want
more and more money from
the people.
What Why is that what you have
enough Because it's going into
pockets of people that it
shouldn't be and contracts with
people that you should it
instead of doing what you
should and people suffer
because of it and it's
ridiculous.
People shouldn't have to suffer
because of your mistakes on a
regular daily basis and then
pay for it on the back end your
double dip in it.
Thank you for concluding
comment.
There are two speakers on
the queue No additional
speakers will be taken.
The five minute timer had
concluded Very slow down if you
can please unmute and let me
know which item or items you
wish to speak to.
Good morning.
Yes I'd like to speak to item c
as three c as four and see us
five.
Please proceed And c has three
of the ongoing issues to
effectively implement
the program are what really is
upsetting so many San Diegans
and I've mentioned this before
I believe one of the council
members responded to my
question Where are these people
who are delivering and
switching out the old bins for
the new bins Are they locals
are the employees or
the contractors?
I like many in San Diego have
had to place numerous calls and
filed numerous requests to have
the bins managed as I had
directed months ago.
The most recent delivery came a
few days ago and when I went
outside to thank them for
bringing me the bin I requested
in DECEMBER the truck was from
out of state.
The truck they were driving had
plates from.
I've forgotten if it was Texas
or Oklahoma but this has been a
consistent issue and
the employees there were three
of them sitting in the front
seat I, I didn't ask them but
they appear to be contractors,
not employees.
So the rollout has really been
problematic and I think that's
fueling this outrage over
the cost.
Let me to as far as the as far
as both of these have to do
with the severe flooding that
took place around the midway in
downtown area JANUARY 16th.
This was one year before
the Choice Creek flooding and
this was an early warning to
the city of the scale of
flooding possible with our
changes in climate and storm
intensity.
And looking back I was in
the midway area when the sewage
spill was occurring and you
could smell the raw sewage in
the drains as far as the Midway
rosecrans area this was not
isolated to the downtown area
or the airport.
This was a regional area in
the very low sea level area
around Midway where you want to
build thousands of new homes
and so I really encourage you
to look at both of these
lawsuits as an early warning of
what is to come in the future
and take a lead or take a cue
from the Bay Area and start to
examine shifts and breaks in
infrastructure that's
underground.
What they're finding up in
the San Francisco Bay area is
that there are places that
the sea level rise is pushing
against the groundwater and
shifting underground
infrastructure and that's
pretty much what happened with
this case.
The sewer lines were probably
out of alignment.
The emergency system shut down
and the overflow went into
the bay but also backed up into
other communities.
So as someone who has studied
this who is working on
legislation regarding climate
change, who has worked with
Scripps researchers on
the intensity of these storms
and the changes that's going to
occur in our coastal areas.
I want to encourage the Council
to not just look at this from a
litigation standpoint but from
an infrastructure standpoint
And if you are preparing then
the next storm will be even
worse.
>> Thank you.
Next speaker is John Stump.
This is our final speaker.
If you raise your hand after
the five minute time for you to
definitely submit your
comments.
The city clerk at San Diego dot
gov MR. Somebody can please a
new s There we are.
Good morning everyone And it's
going to be a long day.
No, no, I understand this is
solely on the individual items
or is this public comment also
this is on just the closed
session agenda If you can let
me know which item or items you
wish to speak to on closed
session items.
Okay.
So I get three minutes per
person.
Thank you very much.
All of the items deal with
users on city property or city
easements and in preparation
for an item later in the day
I've been reviewing council
policies concerning such uses
and my concern is that staff
other than the city attorney is
interpreting council policies
or legal requirements and that
council policies are not being
completely enforced for
the requirement When any one
uses any property in the city
on several council policies is
that they have sufficient
liability insurance.
And then the second thing is
that whenever council people
are using city property whether
it's a profit or non profit and
they have a commercial use,
they need to pay the city up to
50% of all of the profit made
off that property.
And third, whenever there's a
proposed capital improvement on
city property these are all
under Council policy existing
council policies They have to
submit the plans in advance and
have them pre-approved.
So perhaps some of these
difficulties in see us one,
two, three and four
particularly four and five
could have been involved could
have been avoided just by
following council policy
Strictly it seems like there's
a management problem at
the city So I urge the council
particularly this committee and
make this committee make a
recommendation to rules that
there be a review of Council
policies concerning lease and
use by either for profit or
nonprofit organizations of city
owned property including
capital improvements on those
properties.
The city seems to not managing
what they need to manage and
council staff who are not
the city attorney are making
legal interpretation outside
being an attorney thank you
very much.
>> Thank you.
That does conclude public
comment on the concession
agenda today I will refrain
from commenting on the comments
of the public but we will now
recess in the closed session
and reconvene Council today at
Good afternoon.
I will now reconvene the city
council meeting of Monday,
MARCH 9th, 2026.
Clerk Please call the roll.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell You're Council
member Whitburn Council Member
Foster Council Member Von
Wilbur Council PRESIDENT Pro
Tem Lee Council Member Campbell
here Council Member Moreno
Present Council member Eli
Rivera and Council PRESIDENT
LaCava also attend the meeting
Our Assistant City Attorney
Michelle Garland Independent
Budget Analyst Charles Mollica
Council Affairs Advisor in
the Mayor's office Code advisor
and myself or City Clerk Diana
Fuentes Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right,
Thank you.
So the quorum is now present.
We'll get started.
First off, do we have any
comments from the mayor's
office and council members at
the turning independent budget
analyst the city clerk Not seen
it.
I'll just put out a brief
reminder that tomorrow City
council will have a evening
session starting at 6 P.M. For
the public to talk about
the budget that will be
the only topic for the 6 P.M.
Session you can do to that of
course in person or participate
remotely.
So with that work out my
apologies for the late and I
did just want to mention that
we did place a public notice on
our website that if anybody
would like to submit a
arguments in opposition it for
any other ballot measure
the ballot measure please be
sure to submit them to my
office by Wednesday, MARCH 11th
The close of Business 5 P.M.
Second Floor of City
Administration Building 202c
Street My apologies.
You should go to the lobby and
we will come down from
the second floor to assist you
.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right.
Thank you, MADAM City Clerk.
And with that please go over
how the public can offer their
testimony.
Thank you.
I'd like to highlight the slide
on the screen that reviews how
the public can offer their
public testimony during this
afternoon's meeting.
The order can be found on
the agenda Summary found online
or at the table in the back of
the room.
If you are in person please
complete The speakers live
located at the entrance of
chambers and bring it to
the front of the room into
the clear box.
Council ambassadors are
available near the entrance and
can assist with questions and
speakers Lips no further in
person Testimony will be taken
once the council begins Virtual
testimony Thank you Council
PRESIDENT All right.
Thank you.
And with that clerk please
introduce item 201 minute
please.
Just somebody with them.
Why not Just popped up.
Informational item item 200 is
the 2025 that is update for
the Climate Action
implementation plan.
If you'd like to submit a
speaker's up on this item
please be sure to submit a
speaker to the front of
the room with the clear boxer
If you're participating in
remotely please press nine or
the raise your hand icon in
order to speak on this item.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right.
Thank you With that staff as
you sell yourselves in
introduce yourselves for
the record and let us know how
much time you need for your
presentation.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT Members of
the City council.
My name is Kelly Stock going to
be director of the Climate
Preservation Public Spaces
Division in the City Planning
Department.
I'm joined here today by our
Chief sustainability officer
Andrew Martin and we will need
about 15 minutes for our
presentation today when you're
ready.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you very much, Kelly.
This status update we have for
you today, it's part of a
larger package of efforts We
take your staff to provide
regular transparent reporting
of the city's progress towards
its climate goals.
Transparency and accountability
are important parts of
the city's climate action plan
and the plan lays out several
transparency and accountability
mechanisms.
These include annual progress
reports which have been
prepared by the city going back
to 2016 emissions inventory
updates which the city also
prepares every year.
We also have built in
implementation flexibility so
the city can adapt as real
world conditions and
circumstances change based on
our evaluation and reporting.
And then the plan also includes
and foresees a need for an
update to the plan after five
years to ensure that it remains
effective and relevant.
The city also reports on
climate action progress through
our Public Facing Climate
Action Plan Dashboard which
includes a lot of
the information from our annual
reporting and our emissions
inventories including
performance indicators and it
also provides department level
updates on implementation
status for all 190 actions
within the Climate Action Plan
.
So it's in this context of
regular transparent reporting
staff has prepared another
document.
It was completed at the end of
last year that also addresses
progress towards Climate Action
Plan goals.
This document is the 2025
status update for the Climate
Action Implementation Plan.
The original implementation
plan prepared in 2023 is a tool
to help clearly define each
City Department's role in
carrying out the climate action
Plan and identify as
responsible city departments.
It has high level estimates of
city implementation costs and
also includes the council
prioritization scores for each
action in the plan.
The purpose of the original
plan or excuse me the original
implementation plan was to help
align the Climate Action Plan
with the city's annual
budgeting process and with
departmental operations.
Now the specific focus of this
status update is to utilize
the best available data We have
to evaluate how the city is
doing on progress towards
the Climate Action Plans 2030
goal and then using that
information to make updated
information in the original
implementation plan.
So when it comes to the best
available data status update
uses the following one We
looked at the most recent data
and trends on the city's annual
emissions and how that compares
to the 2030 goal two We look at
different climate action
performance indicators to help
us understand trends in our
emissions levels and helps give
us a window into the real world
Excuse me the real world
impacts of governmental climate
actions including those of
the city and our local partners
but also takes into account
other factors too such as
changes that result from
federal and state government
actions and also just from
general socio economic
conditions.
And then third, we also provide
an up to date status on each
action in the climate action
Plan and that's to evaluate
the progress on how is the city
doing on carrying out
the actions laid out for itself
when the plan was last updated
in 2022.
So the remainder of this
presentation will review in
brief these elements of
the status update.
I also want to talk about some
challenges we've encountered
during implementation these
last few years and then finally
also address how staff intends
to use what we've learned from
the status update and from our
regular monitoring and
reporting to help inform our
ongoing implementation.
And then also the next update
over the Climate Action Plan.
But first I want to give some
additional context for
the status update in 2020 for
the city entered into a legal
settlement agreement pending
related to pending litigation
on the 2022 Climate Action
Plan.
And along with those annual
progress reports and emissions
inventory updates we already
prepared The settlement
agreement also called for a
2025 implementation plan update
and then have a stakeholder
workshop and a city council
hearing related to that update.
We first completed the draft of
this update in DECEMBER 2025 so
just last year also held a
stakeholder workshop and then
in FEBRUARY we released a
revised 2025 status update.
Wanted to note too that a full
copy of the settlement
agreement is included as an
attachment to the staff report
for this item.
So now let's review
the findings of the updated
implementation plan starting
with data on how we're doing on
progress towards the Climate
Action Plans 2030 goal.
So one way we measure progress
is tracking how emissions
change over time and then
comparing those changes to
climate action Plan goals which
is what we're showing on this
chart.
So just to orient you to
the chart it starts in 2019 and
it starts there because that's
the reference point or
the starting point for
measuring future change in
emissions in the Climate Action
Plan.
And then the green line going
across the top that's showing
that if no action were taken
emissions would actually be a
bit higher in the future and by
2035.
Now if we look down to
the lower right those two
circle excuse me those two
circles are showing 2030 target
2035 target.
Those are the goals of
the Climate Action plan.
And then that to align moving
down into the left from
the order circle of 2019 that's
showing a steady annual pace of
emissions reductions needed
each year to meet the 2030
target which ends up being
about half a million metric
tons of emissions each year.
Just a quick note on that.
This is a straight line
reduction from 2019 to 2030.
That's not something that comes
from the Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Action Plan doesn't
require annual reductions in
emissions.
We provide this information
purely for reference purposes
just trying to provide some
context for how the city's
emissions are doing and how
they're trending.
And then finally in the upper
left, if you look at those blue
circles, those are showing
actual emissions updates We've
prepared each year since 2019.
The most recent year we have is
for 2023 and that's because
that's the most recent year for
which we have complete data.
We will have updated data for
2024 soon and that will be
included in our next annual
progress report which we'll
have released here in the next
few months.
So if you take away from this
slide the first is that
compared to 2019 emissions
levels are down 19%.
So we are seeing a trend in
the right direction.
However second, when we look at
year over year change from 22
to 23, we do see a slight
uptick with emissions being
slightly higher than they were
the year before.
And then third, if you take a
look at the darker blue circle
for 2023 and that's showing
that emissions in 2023 were
about 3.5% higher than what
would be expected if we were on
that straight line, that linear
path straight down from 2019 to
2030.
I also want to point out over
on this slide that it's
important to keep in mind that
for 2023 I was the first full
calendar year after the Climate
Action Plan was last updated.
So the results we're looking at
here show pretty early stages
of plan implementation.
>> Also we can kind of break
down the emissions a little bit
further to understand why we're
seeing those trends that we're
seeing.
There are a lot of different
activities and sources that
contribute to the city's
emissions.
But when we categorize them we
can see that most emissions
come from just a few sources.
So first of all, more than half
of the city's emissions come
from driving vehicles around
the city.
Those people moving around
doing their day to day errands,
the movement of products,
the movement of goods.
So that's more than half.
And then the other the other
big category comes with how we
use energy in our buildings and
homes.
And so that's an additional
about 41% of emissions It's
roughly split between using
natural gas and using
electricity.
So if we add up to those three
sources, that's about 96% of
all emissions.
Now if we take a look at some
of the performance indicators
that can help us understand
some of the trends we just saw
in the previous chart.
So both with respect to seeing
the downward trend from 2019 to
2023 and then a slight uptick
from 22 to 23, the changes have
to do with changes in vehicle
use, driving patterns and
electricity sources and also
how energy is used at home and
in buildings.
So to start off we look at 23
compared to 2019.
We see more use of electric out
of clean vehicles.
We see less driving.
We have cleaner electricity
also more If you use more
efficient use of natural gas
and electricity in homes and
buildings.
Then if we look at 2022 for
some of those indicators, we do
still see trends in
the positive direction.
But for those shown in red we
do see a little bit of an
uptick in the opposite
direction.
So we do see a little bit more
driving.
Electricity remains clean.
It remains more than half
renewable, just a little bit
less so than it was the prior
year.
And then we do see a minor
incremental increase in gas use
as well.
So apart from the data, another
way that we evaluate and
progress towards goals is
looking at how city departments
are doing in carrying out
the work of the Climate Action
Plan.
So overall about 3 in 4 about
75% of the 190 actions in
the plan are either underway or
already complete.
And a quick note about the ones
that are in progress.
For many of those about two
thirds of those, those are
continuous actions.
So that represents just kind of
the regular everyday ongoing
work of city departments.
And then the remainder that's
in progress.
That's sort of an action with
you start it's worked on and
then it's complete.
It's more of a finite action.
So taking a look at this
information on this slide and
the previous ones we have seen
some progress towards our
climate action Plan goals.
We have seen a lot of work
happening the last few years at
the city to implement
the Climate Action Plan.
A lot of work across city
departments and this is
the result of a lot of
coordination and hard work
across city government.
And I think it's worth taking a
moment to acknowledge that.
But at the same time we want to
be clear to meet the Climate
Action Plans goals.
Additional sweeping changes are
needed and not just by the city
.
The scale of climate change is
huge and so is the scale of
changes needed to address this
problem.
And yes, the city needs to do
its part and we have more work
to do.
But to meet our goals our part
needs to happen in coordination
with actions across really
every level of government,
across the economy, across
society.
If we think back to 2022 when
the Climate Action Plan was
last updated, we had some
examples of this type of large
scale action and governmental
coordination starting to take
place.
For example, if we look at
the federal level we had bills
like the bipartisan
Infrastructure Law Inflation
Reduction Act We were seeing
several billions of dollars for
climate action.
And that included grant funding
for cities including ours.
Unfortunately we're in a very
different environment now in
2026 and there are very serious
challenges to overcome to meet
the climate Action Plan goals.
For one, there's been a
significant change in federal
funding priorities.
It's been a strong shift away
from climate action and in many
cases toward activities that
make climate change worse.
At the same time there's been a
major rollback of the Federal
government's legal regulatory
support for climate action.
We've seen the current
administration take steps to
end federal authority to even
address climate emissions at
all.
They moved to weaken standards
for clean cars, reduce support
for clean energy.
And we've had federal court
decisions that favor natural
gas use over efficient clean
electric buildings.
And then apart from what's
happening federally, there are
a couple other factors worth
mentioning.
And both have to do with
the cost of climate action and
who pays for it.
For one, San Diego was already
one of the most expensive
cities in the country.
That includes housing costs,
electricity bills, other costs
of living.
Because many climate actions
have potential to increase
costs for residents, residents
and businesses, we have
the challenge of making
progress towards climate goals
without making San Diego more
unaffordable.
And one way to offset those
costs and pay for climate work
is with public investment.
That can include a lot of
things could be rebates for
the higher costs of purchasing
and using new equipment, new
technologies that could pay for
the new and upgraded
infrastructure.
We need to meet our goals.
However, we're currently in a
period of tight budgets of
limited government funding so
many programs that could pay
for climate action.
Right now they're underfunded,
they're delayed.
They're just not funded at all.
As a result, at least for
the time being, we must look
for other ways to move our
climate work forward so that we
as staff have already doing
that.
And we're starting to look to
potential alternative funding
sources for the Climate Action
Plan.
And we intend to make that a
priority of our work going
forward.
>> And also despite all despite
these challenges doesn't mean
the city isn't doing anything
that the city does continue to
make progress and work on
making progress toward our
climate Action plan.
This is not a complete list
here but a representative
example of some of the good
work that's going on right now.
So we are providing rebates for
low income households to
receive efficient electric
appliances in their homes.
We continue to update our plans
to allow more homes including
affordable ones near public
transit and improve options for
people to walk bike road use
transit so they can get around
with less reliance on a
personal car or in the process
of some updates to city codes
to improve energy efficiency.
But making sure we do so in
ways that are cost effective
and also for the city itself
when it comes to our buildings,
our operations.
>> Okay.
I'll wrap it up in just a
moment here.
I also have examples of city
using innovative financing
tools related to managing our
energy use in our city
properties.
And then on the final slide
here as we look forward,
the city will continue to
implement the Climate Action
plan.
And as I mentioned this spring
we'll have our next annual
progress report released on
the Climate Action Plan.
In addition, with the support
of grant funding we've received
from the San Diego Association
of Governments will be getting
started on the next update of
the climate Action Plan this
spring.
We anticipate completing that
effort in 2027 which is aligned
with the five year mark
envisioned in the current plan
.
And as a final note, we're
we're viewing this update as an
opportunity to revisit
the city's approach and
the Climate Action Plan.
In light of this progress to
date in light of our current
challenges and especially those
related to cost and funding,
this kind of strategic approach
to the update can help the city
continue to make progress
during these challenging times
we're currently in.
And that concludes the staff
presentation.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you very much for
the work in the presentation.
I'll turn it over to the office
of the Independent journalist
Jordan.
Thank you, council PRESIDENT
And good afternoon.
My name is Gordon Moore with
the Office of the aba.
As you just heard staff from
city planning as well as almost
all other city departments have
been making important strides
in implementing the city's
Climate action Plan over
the last several years.
As noted in the staff
presentation, the majority of
actions are either complete or
underway and there have been
notable strides taken in just
the last couple of years such
as improvements to the building
code, the installation of
publicly available ev chargers
and various projects that
decarbonize city facilities
with no upfront cost.
Additionally, staff have also
implemented the cap dashboard
which offers real time
monitoring capabilities for cap
actions and implementation
beyond annual updates.
The fact that these actions
have been done in the city's
current budget environment is a
testament to the hard work city
staff has undertaken to
implement the cap this far.
However, as noted in the last
cap annual update emissions did
increase in 2023 which is
the last year for which
the city has fully available
information.
Some context surrounding this
increase should be recognized
starting with that the most
consequential act actions
mentioned by staff took effect
after 2023 and as such the city
should see emissions decline in
subsequent years particularly
starting when we get annual
updates covering 2026 and
beyond.
>> However, there is this gap
between what indicators are
reported and when we are at
the present day and it does
highlight an issue with
monitoring capital limitation
since only being able to judge
cap effectiveness at almost two
full years in arrears does not
allow for timely oversight over
the cap.
In the next update our office
recommends that staff work on
shortening the reporting window
to provide data in a more
timely fashion or develop
additional indicators that can
more effectively demonstrate in
real time whether the city's
actions are having
the greenhouse gas impact
emission emission impacts that
are desired more timely
indicators than the ability to
see them more quickly.
It could also allow better
decisions on how to prioritize
future cap actions and further
allow the city to see where
emissions are coming from and
if they are truly are
the city's responsibility.
For example, when looking at
the latest update the main
sources of increased emissions
were less renewable energy,
more natural gas usage and more
driving.
However these increased sources
were not equal in their impact
on emissions as increased
emissions from electricity due
to lower renewable content made
up more than half of the total
emissions increase between 2022
and 2023.
The amount of renewable energy
in the electricity supply is a
decision made by either San
Diego Gas and Electric or
increasingly by San Diego
community power.
And it's important to note that
while the city has influence
over the actions of cp it does
not control as dcp.
This is an example where even
if the city takes all emissions
reductions actions within its
direct control, if dcp does not
increase its renewable power
base emissions could go up
despite the city's best efforts
to implement the cap.
Our office therefore also
recommends that in the next cap
update city staff work on more
accurately attributing which
actions are leading to which
emissions reductions by
providing more context on what
the city can and cannot control
in the next cap Update.
That concludes my comments.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Thank you, Jordan With that
clerk please proceed with
public comment.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT We have no
speakers here in council
chambers for item 200 going to
those participating online.
We currently have six speakers
in the queue.
I've started the five minute
timer starting with Laurie
Saldana if you can please
unmute After that will be
Kathleen Lippert.
>> Thank you.
Good afternoon.
My name is Laurie Saldana.
I was coauthor of ab 32 over 20
years ago.
Actually it was 20 years ago
when we created the Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Act that led to
this and other climate plans
climate action plans.
I currently serve on the board
of a local nonprofit
organization.
And I just want to remind
the Council that San Diego
ratepayers are charged
the highest electrical utility
rates in the country.
And we created over $600
million in profits for stg, an
investor owned utility and
subsidiary of Sempra that also
profits from natural gas.
Why does this matter to our
climate action plan?
Because last year our
foundation won a unanimous
decision at the California
Supreme Court.
They determined the latest net
energy metering regulations are
unfair to ratepayers not just
in San Diego but statewide who
installed solar on their homes
and businesses.
And when I look at what you are
proposing in this plan I see no
reported increase in local
electricity production via
solar panels on city buildings
that could offset some of
the costs that residents pay
multiple times in the lobby.
They took those profits from
ratepayers to lobby against our
interests.
And now we not only pay
the highest electrical rates at
our homes, we pay the parking
fees and other fees to help
the city of San Diego balance
their budget which includes
paying more and more for
utility costs in the city.
We pay retailers, grocers and
others who increase their
prices to pay for their
business utility bills that are
increasing because of unfair
policies.
So I'm asking you as part of
this plan where is the increase
in solar power on government
city rooftops in our parks?
You're charging more cars and
yet you're not doing more local
energy generation.
Where is the goal for that?
I read through the report I
glanced over quickly this
morning I see a lot of
admirable goals but I don't see
you actually installing solar
panels on existing buildings
retrofitting standing
buildings.
Please do that.
Thank you for that concluding
comment.
Kathleen Lippert if you can
please unmute.
After that will be John Stump.
>> Kathleen?
Kathleen, I can't I mean for
you you should have a pop up
come up.
>> There you go.
The prize winning effort and
the author.
Good.
Sorry.
Could you come back to me in
just a moment, please?
>> I'm sorry I'm not able to
return to the speakers if
you're unable to speak now.
Not with the format.
Skip your turn.
We cannot return anywhere.
Okay.
Can you hear me?
Yes, we can hear the crowd
noise.
>> There is a lot of background
noise in the lot.
It seems to the.
Okay.
Can you still hear me?
Yes.
Please continue.
No, Take.
We can hear you.
Please proceed.
It.
All right.
Moving on to the next speaker,
John Stump.
If you can please unmute.
>> Hi, Good afternoon.
Climate action.
Do we really believe that there
is a threat and change in
climate action?
The report says yes.
The presentation by staff's I b
a and the climate staff were
nice.
I ask first of all that
the climate staff stop using
visuals which portray
the largest creation of climate
action co2.
Downtown Is that where we're
trying to influence?
That's a that's a loser.
We want to and we want to show
city employees and what they're
doing to reduce climate impacts
and homes not the port
The downtown commuter area.
Now talking about city
departments, we need
specifically to reduce climate
impacts at the city's airports.
And the big item today at
maintenance of zoological
exhibits where the zoological
exhibits department is probably
the third largest producer of
climate change impacts that in
the city.
The 5 million people a year who
fly in or drive in by tourism
is a huge impact and should be
included.
>> So and then finally I agree
with MS..
Saldana Council You're
responsible for the fact that
sd g and e is creating so much
climate impacts.
>> You've got to change that
franchise.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
The five minute timer has
concluded there are six
speakers in the queue.
No additional speakers will be
taken live here if you can
please on mute.
Good afternoon PRESIDENT LaCava
and council members.
My name is Livia Bowden.
I'm an attorney at Comstock
Group and I represent Coastal
Environmental Rights Foundation
or serve one of the litigants
involved in the cap lawsuit and
settlement.
First I'd like to echo
the eib's comments regarding
transparency and granularity in
future reports.
It's disheartening to see
the city failing to take this
as an opportunity to candidly
discuss the status of its
climate actions and challenges.
The trajectory to 2030 goal is
steep but the 2035 goal is even
more ambitious and is only nine
years away.
The fact that the 2025 annual
report came out late last year
and only included 2023 data is
also disappointing.
It doesn't meet the letter or
spirit of the settlement
agreement.
And I would argue there's more
recent available emissions data
especially since the county
released its 2025 report in
JULY and included 2024 data.
By conveying that the vast
majority of strategies are in
progress, the city fails to
detail exactly what that means
in terms of realistically
achieving its goals.
For example achieving de carve
of existing buildings and
mobility goals by 2030 seems
virtually impossible at this
point.
The reliance on the cap is not
that is not likely to be
achieved.
To push through sequel projects
means the city misses out on
project level greenhouse gas
mitigation measures and
approves projects and plans
like the community plan updates
without including additional
greenhouse gas reduction
measures.
Failing to acknowledge our
shortcomings will be mean will
be that much farther behind
when we attempt to correct
course and the Trump
administration wasn't in office
in 2023 or 2024.
We cannot just blame
the federal government.
I urge the city to be more
transparent about what's been
accomplished to use all
available greenhouse gas
emissions data and to stick to
the settlement agreement
deadlines.
Thank you.
Next is Blair Beekman.
If you can please unmute.
>> Thank you.
Beekman Thanks a lot for this
item.
It's important.
Laurie Sodano has offered some
really nice words this
afternoon and this morning you
had a very nice not a nice but
you had a relevant closed
session item on what's going on
at the airport issues right
now.
Is that not sea level rise
issues taking place?
Laurie Saldanha very nicely
talked about.
We need to refer to the San
Francisco Bay area and how
they're working on their
serious issues.
I see in this report not a lot
of mention of sea level rise
things sea level rise things
And I'm wondering what part
does that place in these
climate issues and our coastal
concerns that I think there's a
there's a very strong hefty
group of people who have a
certain way to view coastal
planning and construction and
you know, maintenance that it's
not fully jiving with city
government at this time.
I hope you guys can learn to
get together And I think we
have to really honestly, truly
acknowledge there are sea level
rise issues to be concerned
about.
It's then how to proceed with
that concept and how to provide
maintenance and fixes And
that's the question That should
be the argument and not a sea
level rise.
I think there's been so many
glaciers that have been melting
all around the world It's it
seems undeniable to not say
there's sea level rise
concerns.
It's what to do out of that
process working together out of
that process.
Good luck how we do that.
Lori Saldana again, she offered
very interesting comments about
the Midway Housing Project area
that has sea level rise
concerns about it and you're
not at all talking about that
your future, your current court
things are about subject matter
that MAY pertain to sea level
rise that you please talk about
those If your time has
concluded.
Next is 8700 and then Jay
Powell and then 749 is our last
speaker.
It 700 please unmute star six.
>> Thank you so much Joyce that
53.
First of all Lori Saldana,
thank you for all your work
especially for your work on
this item.
Okay.
Climate Action plan.
I'm not too up on all of this
but I'm going to jump in from
the staff report.
Thank you.
While important find funding
foundational actions have been
completed refer to strategies
123.
Thank you and significant work
continues.
Sweeping changes not just by
the city but at all levels of
government and throughout
the economy and society.
To me that word society is
important are still needed to
meet the ambitious goals of
the Climate Action Plan Now
this is for me the key word
here is society.
Here are eight I thought
systemic economic and
psychological barriers.
Here's my white elephant in
the room.
Is this an evolutionary change
fueled by human society?
This is very important.
I'm appreciating everybody who
is so intensely passionate
about this and really knows
what's happening on it.
Just keep at it.
We don't know where we're
headed on the big picture.
You know, practically
the universe.
But we have to keep trying.
So thank you.
This is tough work.
Thank you to plenty of others
involved.
Thank you for listening.
We are doing our best Love to
all.
Thank you.
7499 if you can please unmute
and then Powell.
>> Bob Kozinski here We need to
be careful about the visibility
that we give to the so called
climate change issues.
It's important to remember that
all of our youth and all of
the new age models are watching
and learning from everything we
say or write about nearly
everything.
The ongoing panic that we
continually exhibit about
climate change will soon be
training our ai models and our
youth that the human race needs
to be exterminated.
Please think about
the consequences of your
ongoing panic.
Thank you.
>> And our final speaker is Jay
Powell.
If you can please unmute.
Good afternoon.
Jay Powell Normal Heights,
California and I want to just
add my appreciation to
the presentation, the idea and
comments.
Laura Saldana and also note
that one of the comments
regarding San Diego community
power the city doesn't control
it but has a powerful
representative there and that
can do a lot more in terms of
creating local renewable power.
Community based microgrids is
one of the things that we can
put on city buildings, city
facilities and city leases such
as the zoo.
So I would encourage that.
And my other question is was
this issue or a report rather
reviewed by the Climate
Advisory Board and
the Resiliency Advisory boards
And did they submit any
particular recommendations?
I think that's important to
take into account.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
>> That does conclude
the public comment on this
item.
We did receive one comment in
favor via our e comment form
which has been distributed to
the Council.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you, City Clerk We'll
turn it over to the council
members.
This is an information item.
No motion is required and we'll
start with the chair of
the Environment Committee,
council member Ella Rivera.
All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
I thank you for
the presentation here And
the briefing ahead of time is
these reports are super
important because they help
give us a clear picture of
progress and where we have work
to do.
I appreciate your joining your
work in pointing out how much
effort it takes to do what has
been done given the context of
that work has been done in It
also is really helpful to see
the breakdown of where
emissions are coming from.
As has been the case,
transportation continues to be
the largest source followed by
natural gas use in buildings
and electricity and this just
reinforces how important it is
that our climate work is
connected to how we're planning
housing, mobility and energy
across the city.
A couple of questions.
One, the report highlights
actions related to reducing
natural gas use in buildings
and electrifying city
facilities.
Can you talk to us about what
barriers financial, regulatory,
technical or otherwise we're
encountering in scaling our
building electrification
citywide?
>> Sure.
Happy to do that.
Just to be clear, I'll speak to
citywide community wide facing
actions Is that what you're
asking about as opposed to like
city operations?
Well, both.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
From the perspective of
community wide and citywide
efforts in the Climate Action
Plan itself, it envisioned to
move towards all electric
buildings making code apps in
that direct code updates in
that direction shortly
following the Climate Action
Plan update.
There were court rulings
involving the it's known as
the Berkeley case involving
efforts in the city of Berkeley
to make similar efforts there.
And I guess to make a long
story short that that has
really, really complicated
local effort, local efforts to
move towards all electric
buildings And the city has
tried to pivot its approach
since that time.
So that's been a big that's
been a big roadblock not just
in San Diego but in other
places and trying to move
towards all electric new
construction.
And then I would say and we
tried to speak to this a little
bit in the presentation and but
when it comes to existing
buildings, we're we have we did
include we have included in
some ongoing code updates, some
items related to improving
energy efficiency of existing
buildings there.
We're trying to be really
focused and sensitive to
the cost, especially
the upfront costs that come
along with using new energy
efficient and renewable
technologies much of the time.
And so and that that's where
our thoughts about really
looking at ways to seek
alternative sources of funding
and really making sure that as
we move in that direction we do
so in a way that is really is
not exacerbating cost of living
and other concerns for our
communities.
And then as far as city
facilities I know we have
Heather with the Department of
General Services on the line
who can speak more to some of
the strategies that we've
implemented for the city
operations and buildings things
really I think more than
strategies deployed I think
barriers to deploying those
strategies would be helpful.
Yeah.
i can add on a little bit that
I mean there is a couple of
barriers.
It doesn't mean it's
impossible, it just means that
there's some additional
challenges.
The number one challenge being
related to cost efficiency and
financial feasibility.
So while we do have the ability
to seek some funding and
the city has made some good
progress with respect to its
existing city buildings, we are
constrained by court cases as
well as new bills that have
come down from the state of
California limiting our ability
to address building codes.
But we also do want to be
sensitive as Andrew said in his
presentation to the cost of
living in San Diego as well.
But I would say the biggest
challenge overall is the lack
of funding that's available at
the Federal level to implement
some of the bigger ticket items
that we have in our Climate
Action Plan.
So that is what we do want to
and plan to focus on more
significantly this year is
identifying alternative funding
strategies.
Thank you.
Appreciate that.
Included in those are
alternative funding strategies
.
You know we have some models
within the city already power
purchase agreements that help
offset or eliminate cost for
the city.
So is there a thought to pivot
toward revenue generating
revenue neutral investments?
Um, while we kind of wait for a
federal environment that's more
helpful on that front?
Yes, absolutely Councilmember.
So we have pivoted to some of
those cost neutral and in some
cases even some some upside
with the energy savings
performance contract that
the council saw recently.
That was the first portfolio in
a much broader strategy that
has been years in the making.
We had to make some adjustments
to our code, hire some experts
to help us move through this
process because it is a model
that is new to the city.
But now we have the first one
inked and underway who are very
excited to see that hopefully
be successful and a model that
we can continue to expand upon.
We did something sort of
similar in terms of a public
private partnership with a
concessions agreement to
basically make use of our city
facilities for that ev Charging
for for the public to utilize.
So definitely see us doubling
down more and more on those
types of models where we can
bring in private financing or
innovative funding models that
don't require a big capital
outlay from the city upfront.
Thank you.
So as we're beginning to
prepare for the next cap
update, what are some key
lessons from this
implementation period that
we're already thinking Will
inform that update especially
those that will have
the biggest impacts on emission
reductions?
>> I think one example was
something that was mentioned by
the aba earlier.
Something we're also looking at
too is we do have a lot of
actions in the plan Right now
we do have 190 and really
focusing in more on and
prioritizing those that are
within more strongly within
the city's jurisdiction, within
its legal authority, within its
influence area.
And then I think also
overlapping that with what our
largest emission sources And
then another element of that
that we do and I think we do a
pretty good job of in
the current plan and perhaps we
can always do better But then
also overlaying that with what
are the other co-benefits as we
get this maybe to the city, to
communities, to communities of
concern etc. That come from
these climate actions and
really having that information
front and center to help inform
good decision making going
forward.
>> Thanks.
Just two more questions.
I think that that very lengthy
list of actions.
Um some of the actions that
haven't started or are in
the planning stage.
Can you give us some examples
of actions that are kind of
within the city's direct
control and not dependent on
federal or state funding but
then can help us understand
what's blocking those actions
from moving forward?
>> I'd be happy to do that.
I think one one really good
example of that is what's
referred to in the existing
Climate Action Plan as an
existing building
decarbonization roadmap which
is another way of saying it's a
plan for how can we reduce
emissions from our existing
buildings, save energy in our
existing buildings.
That effort has not really
moved forward in full since
the Climate Action Plan was
updated.
However, we have been able to
the funding source I mentioned
for the Climate Action Plan
update from sandag we are able
to utilize that to move that
roadmap forward and we're
really excited about that.
We think that's really
important because there we can
really as we I think it was
part of your question existing
buildings and energy use there
that's one of the biggest
sources in the city If we fast
forward to the future.
Most of the buildings that
we'll have in the future are
already here now.
So that's that's a big part.
So being able to move that
effort forward to identify what
are the policy strategies
within the city's control what
how do they break down across
different kinds of buildings,
different age of buildings?
What are the cost implications
of that?
We have a cost effectiveness
study along with that.
So sorry to interrupt.
No problem.
Um I understand like that's an
important one That's not move
moving What I'm trying to get
at have some help with us
understanding why is it staff
capacity was was it an internal
if I can answer your question
it's staff capacity and
internal funding.
So how much more staff would be
needed to make the progress we
want to make on that?
The progress that was called
for in the plan.
Right.
So um, you know I come before
this council a lot and I tell
you that we'll do the best that
we can with the resources that
are available which is what
I'll tell you now you know,
ideal worlds Would we have
unlimited staffing resources?
Yes, we would.
But given given the budgetary
constraints I don't have an
answer for you today on your
particular question.
But what I will say is that
when we are able to at least
have the capacity to strategize
on how to go get the funding,
that's very helpful.
So in the example that Andrew
gave we were able to repurpose
money that we have to achieve
two outcomes.
>> Got it.
Again in terms of like lessons
learned I think making sure
that what we have is a plan
moving forward is a plan that
we either can implement or at
least have a clear
understanding of what is needed
in order to implement is going
to be super, super important.
And the last thing kind of
somewhat along those lines as
we as was mentioned
affordability is incredibly
important.
We want to be very mindful of
anything that increases cost
but there are undoubtedly
actions that would meaningfully
reduce emissions and could
reduce cost of living
especially when as relates to
transportation the less
dependent people are on on gas
powered vehicles to get to and
from where they need to go.
The less they are subject to
the whims of an insane
PRESIDENT Who just spiked
everyone's gas prices the less
and the more that they can they
can save.
And so we've done a lot in that
vein in terms of making
mobility options more
accessible.
We've done a lot to increase
housing density near those
mobility options And I think we
can lean more into like
literally putting people into
those modes of transportation
and mobility And so that's
something that I'm going to be
looking for in the next in
the next cat because again it's
a way of directly reducing
people's cost of living and
meaningfully moving the needle
in terms of emissions
reductions And I don't think it
needs to be done necessarily at
a huge cost to city or even any
cost the city if we're being
creative about opening up
opportunities and looking for
partnerships.
So thank you again for
the update.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
>> Appreciate all the time.
All right.
Thank you.
Council Yellow Rivera I will go
next to Council member Whitburn
Thank you Council PRESIDENT
Thank you very much for
the presentation on this
update.
I will sort of pick off pick up
exactly where Councilmember
Elio Rivera left off which is
elaborating a little bit on
the third strategy of
the climate action into
the implementation plan which
is mobility and land use.
There are a number of
references in the status update
related to the importance of
pairing housing with access to
transit as a means of reducing
emissions from vehicular travel
and reducing cost of living.
So in addition to what has been
already discussed this
afternoon I want to call
attention to the city's support
for transit oriented housing
development councilmembers
Moreno and Isla Rivera and
Foster and I serve on the mta
board of directors and just
last week we celebrated
the grand opening of an
affordable housing project on
its property in Councilmember
Van Gilbert's district up in
Rancho Bernardo.
It's a development called
Skyline.
It's providing 99 units of
affordable housing to
individuals and families
earning between 30% and 50% of
the area.
Median income And it is located
right next to the Rancho
Bernardo Transit Station which
makes it easy for residents to
use transit to get to work or
to school Medical appointments
to commercial centers.
And the city of San Diego has
supported this project rather
significantly.
It has supported the project
through a $5 million loan
through the Bridge to Home
program.
The San Diego Housing
Commission awarded tax exempt
bond revenue to the project as
well as housing vouchers.
So this is just the latest in a
series of transit oriented
development projects that are
not only climate friendly but
they are providing truly
affordable housing that our
region needs.
So I want to thank everybody at
the city and the Housing
Commission and mts who made
those projects possible because
those are exactly the types of
projects that we should be
pursuing that help in so many
different ways from reducing
emissions to reducing the cost
of living.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Thank you,
Councilmember Whitburn We'll go
next to Council member Von
Wolpert.
>> I'm thank you very much for
the work on this and
the presentation I have quite a
few questions because I feel
that the presentation didn't do
justice to all the work
the city has been doing to
actually meet our climate
action goals.
I mean if you read the report
there's a lot more actions
we've done than we saw in
the presentation And you know
we just voted a week and a half
ago two weeks ago to spend
the most money we've ever spent
$125 million to retrofit our
buildings, to have solar on top
of them And that wasn't even
mentioned today.
And so I'm just a little
confused about why we're not
highlighting some of this.
And so my first question is you
know, it's MARCH of 2026 and so
why couldn't we have the 2024
data done and ready to present
by now, especially since
the counties already had theirs
done so primary reasons have to
do with some of the inputs we
get from other agencies and
other places to prepare a
complete emissions inventory.
It's not that we don't have all
the data or parts of
the information we do have a
lot of it and we will we are on
track to have it published this
spring but there are some
inputs from places like
the Energy Commission and
the State Energy Commission
from Caltrans with at least
with the way the city does our
inventory that we simply don't
have that data in a timely
manner And we do need some time
from receipt of the information
to process it and organize it
and review it and prepare, you
know, an inventory update that
we feel good about.
>> So that's that's the case
for our situation.
Okay.
I guess I just have I'm
confused about how the county
would be able to do it but we
wouldn't like we'd be happy to
take a look at the specific
methodologies and data sources
the county is using in their
inventory and do a comparison
and see if there's something
we're missing that we could be
doing better and doing faster.
>> Okay that would be great
because I feel that we're
really missing the ability to
show the public what we're
doing to try and meet our
climate action goals And we're
missing the ability for
the council to see where we are
on each goal.
One question I have is how is
it that emissions from
electricity use rose in 2022
which was four years ago When
we're expanding our community,
aggregate our community energy
aggregate choice providers
through North County through
each county.
So the more and more customers
community power gets to go to
power 100 how is it that we're
not able to reduce the amount
of emissions from our
electricity use?
>> The what I can't say with
the data that we use in our
latest emissions inventory is a
blend of emissions sources.
So for electricity the city
serve primarily by senior
community power but not
exclusively.
There's also electricity from
sending gas and electric There
also is from what are called
direct access providers.
We essentially prepare a blend
of emissions from those sources
to calculate the emissions
serving the entire city as a
whole and I guess what I would
say is it's still very profile
is still very clean overall.
It's still a lot cleaner than
it was when the plan was last
updated or at least from
the starting point of the plan
in 2019.
But the amount of renewables
the around of clean energy and
the mix according to those data
it was a little bit less
renewable in 23 than it was in
2022.
Okay.
I guess we would just have to
go and ask the other entity why
I would need to I don't have
that information for you but
we'd be happy to get that.
Okay.
>> Can you bring up slide
number eight please
?
I'm sorry that's on the go.
>> It's the one with the giant
that won this one.
>> I thought it would be much
more helpful for for me on
the council.
I think for the public to have
a much more detailed
explanation of what the 78% of
actions are either in progress
or complete and 66% are
continuous.
I mean for example we approved
a $60 million contract to make
sure we're installing electric
vehicle chargers in our public
facilities.
How many have been rolled out
and what are we waiting on?
Where are we on this metric I'd
like to be able to monitor that
.
That's money that we spend on
taxpayer funding and we should
be able to see where we are on
this.
I read it in the report.
It just says in progress or
completed in progress it'll be
much more helpful to see a data
set that shows us where we are.
Do we know how many have been
installed and how many are left
to be installed for
the reporting on ev charging
installations I can hand it
over to Heather Werner and
the Department of General
Services team online.
I will just note I think there
is a lot more detailed
information on the climate
dashboard than what is
presented and just kind of
the single status in terms of
the status of each action.
There's more indicators and
more detail on the dashboard
but as far as the ev charging,
let the Department of General
Services chime Minister online
.
I'm here.
Thanks Randy.
Hi Councilmember Thank you for
your question.
So we are doing those
installations in bulk.
We have 53 live reports.
There are about 50 sites which
equal about 300 ports both a
mix of level two and dc fast
charging I'm sorry 600 ports.
There's about 300 of each at 45
sites.
Most of those all of those have
been submitted and are in
process with dsd and all of
them are also in process with
sd Jenny Certain sites will be
able to be installed probably
in the summer and fall because
they don't require utility
upgrades and additional power.
Others will take longer as
Jenny goes through the process
of working with us to get more
power to those sites for those
installations.
I would also remind you that
yes, the 60 million is
the entity for that contract
but for right now we are
actually receiving revenue and
do so throughout the ten years
of that contract and still have
until we purchase the actuals
on the buyout and we do
anticipate an update as part of
the budget process on where we
are with those anticipated
costs and revenues.
Okay.
So when are we going to get a
report This is how many are
installed and how many are left
to install.
>> So we have category one is
all the way through.
That's all the public facing
sites.
We are starting to work to
identify category twos.
Those are our workplace
chargers.
We also have chargers going in
as part of a number of our
cities.
That includes the update to
Brownfield.
There are charging ports that
we're going to be installing
when the East Village Green
Project comes in and a number
of our other kind of required
charge like is now required in
new construction.
And so we're working with those
and those will be obviously
online as we as the projects
come online.
But right now we've got about
600 ish reports in the queue
across 47 excuse me 47
different sites that are all
going through the permitting
and the electrification of
the genie side of the process.
Once we have those through that
everything's been approved and
the work is completed will then
start notifying different sites
on their construction timeline
.
But right now everything that
is we are on track in timeline
for things getting through
permitting and into
construction because we are
just going to offer if it's of
interest we'd be happy to
prepare a written report or
provide a update to council
committee.
I think it would be helpful to
be in the Climate Action annual
report as well because our
Climate Action advocates are
really asking us to forget to
do that.
So I'm happy to receive a
report but it'd be nice for
the public to see it too.
What about our up goals?
I don't see anywhere in this
report how many installations
we've done that have actually
met our zero emissions goals.
I mean we have a library in
Carmel Valley that's fully
electric Now we're building or
maybe we've built the fire
station that's fully electric
And so it's just none of this
is in this report so I can't
track it or see it.
Didn't the city plan over a
thousand trees last year?
This was also not in
the PowerPoint.
Where does that bring us to our
canopy goals?
I just I'm having a hard time
tracking data with what we're
we're seeing here And the city
is doing more and we should be
showing what we're doing.
Councilmember, I would just
note this is not kind of
the regular annual reporting
that we have typically done.
We did provide that to
the Environment Committee I
think in NOVEMBER And as staff
mentioned, we'll have another
more detailed annual report
ready this spring.
So I think we're just maybe not
providing the same level of
detail about each action as as
we would in the annual report.
A lot of that information is
available or can be made
available But I understand that
you're looking for more detail
in terms of the status and
indicators within each
individual action.
So I appreciate that feedback.
Okay.
I think would be much more
helpful going forward.
Thank you for the presentation
.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Councilmember Van Wilpert, not
seeing anybody else on
the lights.
I'll offer a couple of comments
My colleagues asked a number of
the questions that I was going
to touch on but thank you for
the presentation and
the broader presentation.
They actually did an
environment committee and being
sensitive to how busy city
council is that Maybe this
presentation got a little
abbreviated.
I appreciate Councilmember Von
Wolpert actually highlighting
the number of things that we
are doing as a city that we
didn't actually detail out in
today's presentation.
I also once again want to thank
City planning and general
services that absorbed the old
sustainability mobility
department and kept everybody
on the ground running.
So I certainly want to
recognize the work that's been
done on climate across multiple
departments and the integration
of climate action throughout
our city and our budget
processes And these efforts
should be recognized despite
limited city funding and
adverse of federal
administration and court
rulings that are holding us
back, the goals remain
imperative to the welfare of
the city, our quality of life,
the stability of our economy
and of course future
generations.
I do want to just reemphasize
what has been mentioned that
the city has actually been very
aggressive.
I know government never moves
as fast but people actually
want us to go down a little bit
slower so they understand what
we're doing and when we're
doing it.
But the recent asco contract
that we approved I don't even
know what it was that last week
or last month was a huge step
for the city and and hopefully
will be the pioneer that shows
the way for us to do more of
those.
I want to emphasize then that
not only affects city buildings
but it affects buildings that
are on city property which I
had to fight very hard to get
those on for those And just a
while you did a big effort to
try to get those on our city
owned properties And for
the lessees the public spoke a
little bit about the impact of
city Genie but missed something
that I think we've all kind of
seen now.
I mean not only can you talk
about the cost of electricity
but the investor owned
utilities lobby the cpc not
only on net metering but they
also imposed a lot of other
requirements on the case that
increased the cost of doing
business And as the former
chair of Community Power I
thought directly the impact on
what that did in terms of
expanding the renewable
portfolio going forward.
And what we also saw is
the resistance of trying to
build renewable energy within
our own backyard and trying to
figure out how we actually meet
those very, very ambitious
goals.
So there's a lot of things that
come after us that interfere
with our ability But
nevertheless city staff do a
remarkable job.
The folks at Community Power do
a remarkable job.
And for those of you that were
talking about sea level rise
that in resilient city it is
not in the climate action plan
which is why we didn't talk
about it today And I'll close
with joining my colleagues as
well as the aba be very
interested in how we can have a
shorter turnaround in terms of
modern measuring goals and then
reporting on them.
I know we throw a lot at you
and we don't give you
the resources to do that work
but to agree that we can better
understand what's working and
what's not.
I think it would be helpful for
all of us going forward So I'll
close there Again, thank you
for the good work Not seeing
anybody else in lights this was
an information item.
No motion was required so we
will close There And again
thank you to city staff in
the mayor's office for your
good work on this effort.
And so with that Clark please
introduce item s 400 Thank you
Council PRESIDENT Items 400 is
to authorize a Second Amendment
to lease agreement between
the City of San Diego and
the zoological Society of San
Diego for the San Diego Zoo
property located in Balboa
Park.
If you are here and like to
speak on this item please
submit a speaker up to
the front clear box at
the front of the room or if
you're participating virtually
now's the time to raise your
hand by pressing Star nine or
the raise your hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right Thank you And city staff
I understand you're going to be
doing a combined presentation
so please in addition for
record and how much time do you
need for the total presentation
?
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Good
afternoon, Council members I'm
Casey Smith, chief of Housing
and Community Development and I
will need about 13 minutes for
a joint presentation today.
>> All right.
I'm here to present the Second
Amendment of the lease
agreement with the zoo for
the property located within
Balboa Park.
With me today from the city is
Christina Biller, director
Economic Development Department
policy advisor Emily Tennessee
and Deputy city Attorney Julie
Inman.
We also have Adam de treasurer
of the Board of Trustees of
the San Diego Zoo Wildlife
Alliance and other
representatives from the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
With us today the Zoological
Society of San Diego Society is
operated the Zoo and Balboa
Park since 1916.
For today's purposes I'll be
referring to the Zoological
Society as the zoo.
The current lease agreement was
originally executed in JULY of
1979 and has a term of 55 years
expiring in JULY of 2034.
The zoo property is an
important asset of the city and
region and the zoo is a major
contributor to local tourism
generating 3.9 million visits
in 2024 with guests spending
over 571 million in the region
with a total economic impact of
925 million and San Diego
Further, the zoo supports
nearly 6500 jobs in addition to
the zoo within Balboa Park.
They also lease and operate
the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
and City of San Diego Public
Utility Department property in
the San Pasquale Valley Due to
the implementation of paid
parking above all of Park
the Zoo approached the city
last summer and requested a
minor amendment allowing for
the zoo to charge different
rates for users of the zoo
parking lot.
This change was approved by
city council on SEPTEMBER 18th
of last year.
During those initial lease
negotiations for the First
Amendment, the zoo expressed
interest in extending their
current lease and those
negotiations have concluded
The Second Amendment extends
the current lease and allows
for an annual payment to
the city and revenue split of
parking For those listening in
who MAY not be familiar with
the site for today's
conversation on your screen you
will see online and read Is
the zoo lease within Balboa
Park But the parking lot on
the right to highlight
the Second Amendment and
the amendment extends the lease
by 52 years from the current
date to JULY 23rd 2078 making
the entire lease period 99
years or as the eBay pointed
out in their report extends
the lease by 44 years from
the current lease expiration
date of 2034.
There is a $3 million annual
payment as part of this
amendment with a 3% annual
escalator there is a 5050
revenue split minus reasonable
expenses that is capped at
700,000 per year.
It's important to note that
there is no escalator on
the 700,000 that amount of
space for the duration of
the lease.
There are no changes to
the zoo's obligation to
maintain the zoo parking lot
including capital and day to
day maintenance.
The zoo will be required to
provide a new survey and map of
the leasehold based on approval
from City Parks and Rec and 80
d staff which will be completed
within six months of lease
execution.
This amendment adds prevailing
wage and the city's zero
emissions building policy or
Zimbabwe into the lease.
This amendment requires the zoo
to provide at a minimum
$250,000 in complimentary daily
admission tickets annually to
San Diego nonprofits, school
groups and children.
Some important items to note
about this amendment The 3
million annual payment can be
reduced or eliminated if there
are further changes or removal
of paid parking in Balboa Park.
I will have an example in a few
slides to walk you through this
If the zoo charges for parking
at any time the city is
entitled to 50% of the revenue.
The third the 3% annual
escalator will commence in
2030.
The annual payment is due to
the city by APRIL 1st of each
year For this year the current
payment will be due in 30 days
from execution of the lease
the total amount of revenue
the city will receive from
the annual minimum payment is
approximately 330 plus million
assuming there are no changes
to paid parking in Balboa Park,
the 5050 revenue payment is due
to the city by MAY 15th of each
year and is collected based on
the calendar year.
The revenue stays in Balboa
Park and will be deposited into
the Balboa Park paid parking
program Fund which can be used
by Parks and Rec for day to day
operations Capital etc. In
Balboa Park.
This amendment also ensures
that city residents are charged
commensurate rates for parking
in the zoo parking lot in
the event the city does not
charge for parking with in
Balboa Park on five or more
days in any calendar year
including both consecutive and
non consecutive free parking
days but excluding any city
holidays the city's minimum
payment shall be reduced by a
percentage equivalent to
the total number of days in
which no parking fees are
charged.
As an example, if the city does
not charge for parking on 15
days exclusive of city holidays
,the city's minimum payment in
that calendar year would be
reduced by 4.11% such that a
minimum payment otherwise due 3
million would be reduced by
approximately 123,000 for a
total city minimum payment of
roughly 2.8 million before use
an example of parking revenue
breakdown assuming the zoo
parking lot takes in 6 million
in revenue in calendar year
2027 and assuming that there
are no additional changes to
the parking in Balboa Park that
impact the number of days
the city charges for parking if
the day to day operating
expenses are 1.4 million you
would take the 6 million
subtract the 700 k for the cap
on annual operating expenses
which would leave 5.3 million.
You would then split the 5.3
million 5050 leaving 2.65
million because the city
already received the 3 million
annual minimum payment the city
would not receive any
additional revenue from paid
parking in calendar year 2027
Using this example however, as
revenue from paid parking in
the zoo lot increases
the chances of the city
receiving more revenue
increases.
For instance if this amount
were 10 million and the city
would receive 4.65 million or
1.65 million more above the 3
million annual payment amount.
>> The proposed actions before
you today are make a finding
under Council Policy 700 Dash
ten that the Second Amendment
will serve a valid public
purpose and provide public
benefit Adopt a resolution
The way of Part five Section c
six of Council Policy 710
authorizes the cfo to accept
and deposit revenue into
the Balboa Park Paid Parking
Program fund determine that
approval of a Second Amendment
is categorically categorically
exempt from sequel and finally
authorize the execution of
the Second Amendment to
the lease agreement between
the city and zoological Society
of San Diego For the San Diego
Zoo property located in Balboa
Park.
That concludes my portion of
the presentation And at this
time I would like to invite
Adam de Treasurer of the Board
of Trustees of the San Diego
Zoo Wildlife Alliance up to
the dais to say a few words.
Good afternoon Council
PRESIDENT And members of
the City Council.
It's my pleasure to be here On
behalf of my colleagues in
the Board of Trustees I'd like
to recognize my colleague
Trustee Emeritus Wrigley who's
here along with our senior
staff and along with as you see
many of our dedicated and very
special volunteers who join us
as well.
Next slide please.
For over 100 years the San
Diego Zoo and the city of San
Diego have enjoyed a
tremendously positive
relationship I think one that
flows equally in both
directions the zoo and its
property, its world class
collection of plants and
animals all belong to you and
are owned by the city.
It's our honor and privilege to
serve as your stewards for such
a well-respected institution
built by previous generations
of visionary city leadership
and passionate and dedicated
team members and volunteers.
For the past eight months it
has been my honor and privilege
to represent the zoo in
negotiating this lease
amendment with Casey Smith on
behalf of the city and
the mayor and the city
attorney.
I can tell you those
negotiations were certainly
rigorous.
It took us eight months just a
bit of time.
But I do think they were very
thorough.
And it's also been my pleasure
to interact with each of you
and your staffs and I
appreciate your attention to
this important matter.
We MAY be a bit biased but we
start with the proposition that
the San Diego Zoo is the crown
jewel in the entire city and in
fact the entire county.
The proposal before you today
aims to keep itself Your vote
today will allow our successful
relationship to thrive for
generations to come.
And adapt as we prepare for
what the zoo will look like in
the next 50 years.
The action before you honors
the commitment I made to you in
SEPTEMBER and goes even further
both financially as well as
with updated lease provisions
that MR. Smith has identified.
And it allows us an extension
of the lease term so that we
can properly plan and execute
on future projects to ensure we
maintain our legacy of
excellence.
We plan in terms of decades not
years.
And this extension gives us
the ability to work with our
financial institutions to
further invest in deferred
maintenance and new capital
projects.
I believe this represents a
true partnership and successful
negotiation for both parties
while ensuring our legal and
fiduciary obligations.
I thank you for your time.
I hope we've addressed any
concerns and I am hopeful to
earn your positive vote on this
critically important matter.
I would now like to introduce
our present ceo MR. Shawn Dixon
.
Thank you.
>> Good afternoon, Council
PRESIDENT Council members I'm
standing here in a historic
moment for this community.
If you could go to the next
slide for me.
We are the crown jewel of San
Diego.
We produce $2.1 billion in
economic activity in the San
Diego region.
We welcome over 3.9 visitors
and a lot of those visitors
come here just to visit the San
Diego Zoo.
It's incredible.
It's an incredible asset for
this city.
We're a major employer.
I think you heard from Casey We
employ an impact of 6500
employees That's just in San
Diego.
It's much higher if you think
about the region of this
economy.
We're an employer that partners
with labor.
We have an incredibly strong
labor force.
We have jobs for first time
jobs for first time people
coming into the workforce And
we have jobs that are lifelong
career jobs for the city.
The tenure of our organization
runs from you started yesterday
to 4550 year tenure age going
through this organization and
being employed by this
organization.
So we're very proud of
the tenure of this
organization.
You'll hear from Erica on on
community engagement and how we
partner with the community to
provide better access for
school districts and visitors
coming to the San Diego Zoo.
We hope that you consider this
lease extension for the benefit
of this organization for
the benefit of this community.
Every dollar that we make we
put back into the city assets.
On the screen here it says $289
million invested in the city
asset over the last decade.
Investments like Africa rocks a
region within the zoo,
investments like giant pandas,
another region within the zoo
and an investment of the All
Children zoo called Wildlife
Explorers Base Camp.
All investments into this city
.
That's on top of the deferred
maintenance of 110 year old I
call it house 110 year old
house that as you know as
the city has all the deferred
maintenance that goes along
with it.
And so we invest all those
dollars back into the city's
assets.
This does not include the work
that we do at the Safari Park
in the conservation both
locally and our Southwest and
globally around the world that
we do for conservation.
The bottom line is we're asking
you to extend this partnership
and it truly is a partnership
of ourselves and the city and
we provide an economic and
community benefit to this
organization and this city.
Additionally, we provide that
economic benefit that goes
beyond just the doors of
the San Diego Zoo but to
the community that lives here.
Next I'd like to invite up
Erica Koehler, our director,
executive director of the San
Diego Zoo.
Thank you for your time and
attention to this matter.
Good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT And council
members.
Next slide please.
This is a snapshot of the value
that we provided to
the community in 2025 and I'm
really proud to share this with
all of you.
We provide engaging recreation
for San Diego families a
resource for residents not just
tourists.
And while we're recognized
globally, we are the hometown
zoo for San Diego Zoo which
the residents can be proud of.
More than 140,000 students
visit us annually and we offer
free and low cost programs for
school schools, military and
others which we commit to doing
so because that's the core
That's who we are.
Next slide please.
We offer free free field trips
for all San Diego, San Diego
second graders, free programs
and field trips for kinder
through fifth graders from
Title one schools.
We have educational internships
and a youth career program for
underserved youth.
We serve 1000 wounded service
members and their families and
we have unique and educational
offerings for 400,000 members.
We are a living classroom that
connects San Diego of all ages
to the natural world.
We have programs with hands on
opportunities for students and
the community at large.
In addition, we have active
conservation programs
protecting endangered species
at home.
These programs are in our own
backyard.
A few examples include
California condors, desert
tortoise, mountain legged
yellow frog and burrowing owls.
And through our partnership
with the city we help support
San Diego becoming a bee city
to support pollinator work
which is important being an
agricultural state.
Our impact really extends
across the entire community.
And finally I'd like to close
and invite Adam Beck up to
the podium.
Thank you, council members.
In conclusion, we are proud to
be your trusted partner for
the last nine years.
We'd love to continue that
partnership.
We're proud of the work that
we've done and it's been done
by our volunteers and our
dedicated team members.
And working very closely with
the city of San Diego at all
levels.
We want to continue to reinvest
back into the infrastructure,
both the deferred maintenance
as well as new projects that
you've heard about.
And we want to continue to make
resources available to
the broader community on a free
or discounted basis.
With that we are available to
answer any questions and again
I hope to earn your positive
vote on this action.
It's critically important to
the future of the zoo.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you for the combined
presentation.
We'll turn it over to
the Office of the Independent
Budget Analyst.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
On Friday our office released a
report 20 6-07 which contains
an analysis of the proposed
amended lease agreement between
the city and the zoo.
For anyone who wisely decided
not to spend the weekend
reading that report, I'll
provide a brief summary.
Conservatively, we estimate
the lease extension could
generate 347.6 million in
nominal or face value but using
a 4.5% discount rate the net
present value would be closer
to 98.5 million for the entire
52 year length of the lease.
This equates to an average
annual revenue of 1.9 million
in net present value.
These amounts could decrease of
the city pares back its part in
the program in the ballpark but
these amounts could also
increase if the zoo generates
gross revenue higher than
the minimum payment amount.
Council ultimately has three
choices.
One approve the proposed lease
as negotiated at this time to
request the item be returned to
staff to further negotiate
terms and conditions that could
be represented to council at a
future date.
Or three reject the proposed
lease extension and request
staff Negotiate a new lease
amendment closer to the current
lease expiration date in 2034.
As Council considers this lease
proposal you MAY wish to waive
short term and long term costs
in benefits related to
the terms of the lease.
For example, one team
structured only on paid parking
related activity over 52 year
period will be subject to
fluctuations in parking
policies And although the park
evolve over time.
Council MAY wish to consider
alternative or additional
payment economic options such
as the percentage or dollar
amount of tickets, membership
concessions and sales and or
gross rent from Subleases While
the lease provides for review
of payment terms every ten
years to account for current
economic conditions as required
by state law.
The lease assignment on what
terms will be reviewed and
adjusted or how disputes over
adjustments will be mediated
and resolved.
The zoo like planned location
for future zoo exhibit
expansion which also entails
the undergrounding of existing
off the leases silent on how
temporary or ongoing changes to
the amount of onsite or offsite
parking will be resolved.
While the proposed lease
amendment only applies to
the zoo property that is
current lease of the zoo
property in Balboa Park and
the Safari Park property in
the same passable valley have a
concurrent lease term and
expiration date.
Council MAY wish to consider
the benefits and risks of
negotiating these leases
separately instead of
concurrently as a package.
And finally the fy 26 budget
and fy 27 to 31 five year
outlook assume $3 million in
revenue from zoo parking.
Returning this proposal to
staff or requesting staff
negotiate a new lease amendment
closer to the current lease
expiration date in 2034 would
add to the current fiscal year
projected shortfall potentially
requiring use of the general
Fund reserve and add to
the projected budget deficit in
the next future fiscal year.
Thank you very much for
attention and I'll be available
to answer questions you MAY
have for our office.
All right.
Thank you for your and your
officers analysis of
the proposal.
So with that Claude, please
proceed with public comment.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT We do have
quite a number of speakers so
we will be going to one minute
each If I can have
the following individuals
please come out to the front
row Sousa type You can come up
to the podium to the high mike
and then Jennifer Roy Craig
Sanders Kelly Maiden Madden
Marcia Didinger, Phillip
McMullin, Beverly McKinney All
Please come up to the front
row.
And if you could actually use
the other mic because that way
you can actually see the clock
take away that 60s I appreciate
you Please say hello.
I am Susie Tight and I am a
volunteer with San Diego Zoo
Wildlife Alliance.
I'm a San Diego native.
I went to Torrey Pines High
School.
After that I went to the U.S.
Naval Academy.
I did four tours here in San
Diego and after that I bought a
house And I'm very happy to say
I have now paid off
the mortgage.
I choose to spend my time with
the zoo.
I do that.
I spend almost 1500 hours with
them Last year both at the zoo,
at the Safari Park and in our
conservation science building
where we're pulling dna out of
Torrey Pines samples and doing
endocrine studies on endangered
species which we call during
Down pooped for fun and I can
share with you when I go and
travel and I tell people I'm a
zoo volunteer it is universally
greeted with admiration and
respect not just here in San
Diego, not just in the United
States but literally around
the world.
Thank you so much for listening
to us.
>> Thank you.
Jennifer.
Hi there.
My name is Jennifer Roy and I'm
a resident of District two.
>> I am a longtime member of
and more recently a volunteer
for the San Diego Zoo and
the Safari Park where I get to
experience firsthand
the positive impact of this
special place.
It inspires people of all ages
to see and think about a world
bigger than themselves.
People come here because our
zoo is awesome.
I hear it over and over both in
the park and while I'm
traveling.
Our entire city benefits from
the vision, foresight and
proper planning of this
organization.
But we don't get to rest on our
laurels as 400 will allow us
the ability to continue setting
the bar.
Thank you.
Next is Craig.
Good afternoon council members
and thank you for
the opportunity to speak and
share my support for this 400.
As a volunteer at the zoo for
four years I'm grateful that I
have the opportunity to witness
firsthand how dedicated
the staff is out to
the Wildlife Care and Safety
and education afforded benefits
conservation and the San Diego
community.
Our conservation programs exist
for decades.
Our zoo is helping save species
here and around the world.
Community impact Kids Every
October.
Active duty Military programs
Free admission every day of
the year field trips and
education programs.
The importance of successful
passing of s-400 ensures I can
continue our conservation and
allowing for much needed
planning required by welfare
plants in our area.
>> Thank you.
Thank you, Kelly.
Kelly It.
>> Hello City Council members.
My name is Kelly Madden and I'm
here representing the zoo as a
volunteer.
Our world famous San Diego Zoo
is not just an attraction.
It's the heartbeat of our city
and our economy and our pride.
Currently San Diego Zoo is
saving endangered species from
all over the world and
educating generations.
As witnessed by myself when I
was a little child and I'm
still volunteering there.
This work inspires hope and
puts San Diego on the world
stage ensuring long term
stability and world class
wildlife conservation.
I strongly support you and
support the zoo in our city and
have you and ask your support
in supporting f 400.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you Marcia.
After that will be Phillip
McMullen.
Beverly McKinney.
Read the full story at Fuller
if you can all please come up
to the front row.
Those that are already spoken
can definitely go back to their
other seats.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
Good afternoon council members
and thank you for
the opportunity to speak.
My name is Marcia Day and I'm
here to express my support for
item f 400 and the volunteer
for the last five years.
This role has greatly enriched
my life and I've seen firsthand
how this youth commitment to
our community enriches
the lives of both children and
adults.
Programs such as Kids Free
OCTOBER Free Daily Admission
for active duty military field
trips and educational programs
make a meaningful difference
for families across our region.
I've been bringing my children,
my grandchildren and now my
great grandchildren here for
more than five decades.
I truly can't imagine San Diego
without our world class famous
San Diego Zoo.
Thank you for your time and for
listening.
Gil Phillip.
>> Good afternoon.
Council members when he was
still at the mall I live in
Hillcrest and I did a volunteer
at the zoo for four years.
So I spent the last three years
of my career in education So
I'm very passionate about how
important education is to us
having a viable future as we
say where all lives thrive.
So in addition to all
the benefit the zoo brings to
the economy, I believe one of
its most important missions is
educating generations and
generations from all over
the world about well, animal
welfare and in particular
the very thin fragile line
between extinction and
endangered.
So I really hope that you will
support s 400 today and keep
this important mission going.
Thank you.
Thank you, Beverly.
Good afternoon council members
and I live in Rolando so my
council member is right here.
I hope you will seriously
consider s-400 today and agree
to it.
Long term planning is so
important for an organization
like this.
Our work with endangered
species like the Kino Check a
moth butterfly that we put back
into the environment here in
the county.
Those kinds of scientific works
take enormous planning and
there has to be time for that
planning.
So an extended lease is
critically important.
We can all talk about what
the zoo does for kids.
It's amazing and you all know
that.
Thank you for your time.
>> Rodolfo.
Hi, COUNCILMAN.
Thank you for having me Here.
Let me speak.
I want to say that I hope you
will support s 400 because it's
really important.
One of the things that
experience that really is
heartwarming to me is seeing
kids come to the school and
talk about the experience of
being all excited.
There's these kids that get
support by the programs that we
offered them and some of them
come from Calexico in that area
and on the Free Kids in October
and they get up at 4:00 to go
to the meeting place and then
they leave at 430 and they
arrive at the zoo and oh my
GOD, they're so excited about
being able to see the animals
there and to see their their
energy and their happiness.
These are the young minds that
we are forming to help preserve
and the conservation of all
the animals in the future.
So you're supporting this
program.
Your support in the 400 is
really meaningful and
important.
Thank you.
Next is it for your final
speaker here in council
chambers?
Please proceed.
Thank you so much for your
time.
My wife and I both have been
coming to the zoo for over 60
years and we've seen so many
changes It's really gone
forward in and conservation and
building for this community And
I just can't imagine this
community without the zoo.
So I strongly support this
resolution.
Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
I'm sorry The five minute time
we're going to those
participating remotely.
We currently have eight people
with our hands raised.
If we can start with
The Gambler if you can please
unmute.
You'll have one minute.
Please proceed.
I can't hear you.
So let me go ahead and get this
straight.
>> The contract is good until
the 32.
So what are you threatening
them of Removing it If you
don't don't force them to make
it pay parking.
That part I don't really
understand.
There is no risk of the San
Diego Zoo getting moved out and
let's leave.
City council members are that
much of a joke which I believe
that they truly are.
Now I understand it because you
guys don't really belong there.
The elections we have 40
leaders.
I'm suspecting that this is
going to be changing soon.
I'm going I'm trying to work
with Orange County to go in and
fix elections if I can convince
them to go ahead and rebuild
the data.
Then we don't have to really
worry about bad leaders like we
have in the city of San Diego.
And I just hope that we don't
postpone this until after this
year.
See what happens By the time
you heard John Stump, if you
can please unmute.
>> Thank you very much.
I'm urging you to take
recommendation number two from
the debate which is to send
this back to committee.
It's interesting what
the leadership doesn't talk
about.
They don't talk about whether
these are Sandy city of San
Diego employees or are they
regional San Diego employees.
They don't talk about the long
form infection that's
threatening all the agriculture
and health in San Diego in
the region now.
They don't talk about the fact
that this deals with $2 billion
to them.
And I urge you to read by two
memos Don't pass this now Send
it back to committee.
We have eight years before it's
necessary.
Thank you both.
And in the future what where is
the utilization data on
the employees the zoo?
Are they San Diego City of San
Diego And what you're trying to
do?
Next to shame.
Harris, if you can please
unmute.
After that it was all done.
Shame on you.
>> Yes.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon Council.
My name is Shane Harris and I'm
today here today as a public as
a public advocate for
the residents of San Diego.
I want to be clear at
the outset I'm not here to
argue for or against The city
will do this amendment.
The zoo is a treasured
institution in our city and
something many of us take pride
in.
My purpose today is to simply
raise a few concerns that I
believe deserve careful
consideration.
First, this proposal represents
a very long term extension of a
public asset located on one of
the most important public parks
in our city.
When we enter into agreements,
the length and scale of
the public deserves confidence
that the terms fully reflect
the value of that asset and
the long term interests of San
Diego taxpayers.
Second, there are legitimate
questions about the financial
structure of the agreement.
The zoo is a globally
recognized organization with
significant revenue and
resources.
At the same time, the city of
San Diego is facing serious
budget challenges.
It's reasonable for the public
to ask whether the city is
receiving a fair value and
whether the additional
opportunities exist for
the zoo.
>> Time has concluded.
Thank you.
Mary Saldana if you can please
.
I mean after that 8700.
Yes.
Thank you for in San Diego I
visited the zoo also with my
family and as an assembly
member I visited behind
the scenes and learn more about
their operations.
I admire how they support
animals in their care,
especially endangered and
threatened species.
But this important discussion
needs to be more thoroughly
reviewed by the Economic
Development Committee.
This is an economic discussion.
Thanks to all the volunteers
who showed up and testified.
But the economic value of this
is what's at stake and I am
concerned that they have not
installed solar panels over
every square inch of their
massive parking lot in my
lifetime Even as the university
schools and community colleges
in San Diego have done over
the last 20 years.
I encourage the Climate Action
Plan to estimate how much
electricity would be generated
by putting panels on
the parking lot.
And I'd like to know what is
their annual energy bill.
And were their operations
included into the city's
climate action plan?
The original lease takes
the book to the society shall
be open to the city by APRIL
1st of each year.
I look forward to seeing your
utility bills on APRIL first.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment 8700 If you
can please unmute Star six.
>> That also includes a five
minute timer.
There are six people with their
hands raised no additional
speakers will be taken.
Please proceed.
Thank you Joyce.
A big question for you.
What about the assets of
the employees?
I Googled a lot of this and it
didn't look good at time.
So 6500 jobs.
So I want before we sign this
approve this I want you to do a
report to workforce report and
I think you need to return this
your staff and staff.
Actually I would sort of love
having a new a brand new lease
but I would go with the middle
road to the 52 year extension
to 2078 is a major long term
commitment of public land
making it critical to align to
align the 1979 agreement with
current labor and equity
standards.
This is not being looked at
completely and it's very
important $800 million total
asset value.
What about our employees?
I don't get it yet.
Please.
But the time has concluded when
I'm writing an 8813 please
email after that is Andrea I
mean one three.
I can't hear you.
Okay thank you.
So first off, I just kind of
wanted to point out how gosh, I
grew up going to the zoo but I
am entirely against any animals
being in cages including humans
.
And also I wanted to comment
referring to where I just sort
of pull over and speak a little
climate crisis emission
reduction A.K.A. Controlling
the people's movement and
behavior to accommodate goals
for the un's 2030 plan and to
further enslave the people in
the skies above progress.
I mean people really have to
wake up to this and just like
it because name was Bob
Kozinski.
MR. Kozinski had the best
comments of all comments of
the day regarding the previous
item pest control.
And I think if you can please
on mute after you at 749 please
proceed.
I don't I mean I can't I mean
if you're willing to move on if
you can unmute you should have
had a pop up come up We're
willing to move on 7499 if you
can please unmute.
>> Bob do this here.
Let me describe a hypothetical
situation worth considering
with regard to such a long
lease.
Let's imagine that one of
the zookeepers was negligent
and as a result of that
negligence one of the zoo's
elephants got loose and
trampled a young woman who
suffered a broken pelvis.
Let's further imagine that a
regular zoo visitor witnessed
that negligence situation and
had reported similar negligence
in the past.
Imagine that The young woman
sued the zoo and she called on
the regular visitor as an
expert witness And that witness
testified to the negligence
that he had witnessed for years
at the zoo.
His testimony was devastating
and the zoo settled the lawsuit
for a lot of money and then
the zoo began retaliating
against that witness and banned
him from coming to the zoo.
But that said scenario sounds
far fetched.
It shouldn't because that's
what's happened to be in
the long term lease at Torrey
Pines Glider Park.
Despite the claims, a shorter
term lease would not stop
the zoo from doing all of
the great things that it has
done.
Thank you.
Thank you, Jay Powell.
If you can please unmute Drew
Powell please on Mute Star six
or the pop up should have come
up.
>> Well, the pop up didn't come
up immediately.
Yes.
Please proceed.
I'd like the slide that shows
the overall picture of
the general view being pulled
up before my time starts.
And this is not about loading
as you well know my family love
this year.
This is about a huge extension
of a very, very long term.
I'd like you to refer this back
and also to the Climate
Advisory Board, the Resilience
Advisory Board.
We're talking about the Climate
Action Plan earlier
notwithstanding the reporting
requirements and the confusion
about that.
If this is something that
the vast parking lot in that
picture that you can see
the largest single ever massive
black and heat generated that
could become a major energy
pollution and rainwater
contribution if it was properly
designed to accommodate parking
solar panel electric storage
equipment Such a development
conjunction with other
improvement in the zoo
facilities could serve as a
community based microgrid.
>> Your time has concluded
Blair Beekman if you can please
unmute and then Hector is our
final speaker.
Where have you been?
I can read it for you about it.
I knew a pop up should come up
or some sort of instructions.
I will need to move on more
speaker is Hector if you can
please unmute of Thanks for
taking my comments Hector I
would think I can do things for
the city.
Let's have a three hour
question and answer period like
down at the gym down there
double park or double room
where we can just ask everybody
questions for three hours and
get answers like the mayor and
you guys And because it is you
know this is how the city does
it but they kind of circus
things that jam it down
Everyone's throat at the last
minute you know But next time
every big thing that's coming
up all grown up to do And when
I when I grew up there in
the 50s the bus driver would go
at the end of the bus route.
They would point out the most
dangerous animal ever to walk
the earth And where they were
there at the limit over there
at Roosevelt Junior High
School.
The bus driver you say this is
the most dangerous animal And
it's true that we should bring
that back to the bus driver to
say that to the kids.
It's true More than ever.
Day one That concludes with a
comment on this item.
Thank you Council for All
right.
Thank you.
I remember the road is at 163
with that thank you for
everyone that spoke here in
chambers and those who
participated remotely And as
always thank you City clerk for
handling all that.
We'll turn it over to my
council colleagues for
questions, Comments Entertain a
motion and we'll start with
Council member Campbell Thank
you very much Council PRESIDENT
And thank you to staff for
today's presentation and to
everyone who came and called in
with public comment.
I appreciate these two lions
very much.
Thanks for being here.
I'm pleased to support this
amendment to the lease with
the Zoological Society of San
Diego for the continued
operation of the World famous
San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park.
For more than a century the zoo
has been one of ten.
Diego's most treasured
institutions and a major driver
of our regional economy in 2024
alone and welcomed nearly 3.9
million visitors generated
significant economic activity
and supported at least 6500
jobs.
This amendment strengthens
the city's long standing
partnership with the zoo,
providing stability for
continued investment in
the property and creates
meaningful revenue for
the city.
This agreement includes an
annual payment to the city that
will grow over time.
It also ensures continued
community benefits including
complimentary admissions for
local nonprofits, school groups
and children as well as
prevailing wage requirements
for construction and
maintenance work.
Overall, this agreement
protects a key city asset while
supporting one of San Diego's
most iconic institutions.
I'm happy to make the motion to
support staff's recommendation.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
All right.
Thank you, Council member
Campbell.
We have a motion to move
the staff recommendation.
I'll take the Liberty of
jumping in.
I want to thank you can see and
everybody on the team that
worked on this and representing
the city very well There is no
doubt about the love of the zoo
and I'm not going to tell you
that they are jokes I used to
play with my daughters on it
but that's not what's in front
of us but in front of us as a
real estate transaction And I
think that's what was presented
to us was a real estate
transaction and I think my
council colleagues will agree
this is a real estate
transaction.
The action in front of us
includes some waivers of 700
Dash ten But I also want to
remind folks that we also have
another council policy 700 oh
four that talks about what we
do for projects in Balboa Park
and as noted for city
subsidized nonprofit cultural
recreational institutions.
In certain instances it MAY be
necessary to grant an extended
and specific term of occupancy
to assist a tenant in securing
financing for improvements or
modifications to the premises.
In these cases an appropriate
term should be approved that is
commensurate with the those
requirements And I appreciate
the fact that I think we that I
do the math correct 30 million
a year and infrastructure over
the past ten years and I
suspect we'll see that level of
investment and more
particularly to the comments of
the public.
I don't think that parking lot
if they are for the long term
obviously for those with longer
memories there was a very
ambitious plan laid out a
number of years ago about
things life gets in the way but
I think we will see something
which a much better use for
that sea of asphalt that's out
there while preserving the some
3000 parking spaces.
It is also important to me that
I am focused on the $3 million
minimum per year to agree that
to keep it that you were able
to work out accommodations if
revenue should exceed that.
I consider that to be frosting
on the cake something that we
should not plan around budget
conversations on but the 3
million and as a minimum
statement is something that we
can now plan on going forward
And I do want to recognize that
even though pay parking is just
getting started that is who has
agreed to issue with that 3
million for this fiscal fiscal
year That should not go
unnoticed.
I also want to mention for
the adding them up to the lease
agreement which as I mentioned
in the earlier item is
particularly important to me
because I was the one that
fought to get them Bob included
on city land even if it was
leased to private parties and
certainly recognize that that
Bob does have exclusions in it
there has to actually be
feasible methods and there has
to be a financial component.
Prevailing wage is always
important on big capital
projects and then to counteract
a couple of things that I heard
one that I hear over that
somebody said and keeps getting
repeated over and over again
this 3 million will go into
the Balboa Park paid parking
program.
Is that correct?
Casey That is correct.
And all the parking revenue
throughout Balboa Park goes
into this pocket parking
program essentially a lockbox
and can only be used within
Balboa Park.
I think some members of
the public try to confuse
people.
The other thing is for whatever
you think about paid parking
available park I learned quite
a bit about Balboa Park despite
being a native and having
enjoyed Double Park over
the years And one of the things
I learned is that
the leaseholders in double Park
don't pay for water.
The exception is that a number
of years ago and the basic
reason that there's only one
meter for all your all
the water system that goes
throughout Balboa Park again
except for those who put in a
sub meter and they actually pay
for their own water They're one
of many things to be recognized
and I think I mentioned
the parking lot so I think I
covered all the ground that I
wanted to.
So with that I will second
the motion to move a staff
recommendation And with that we
will now go to Councilmember
Moreno.
Thank you and also thank you
for the presentation.
>> I want to thank city staff
and representatives from
the San Diego Zoo for the work
that went into negotiating this
amendment.
The San Diego Zoo is an
important institution in our
city and it has a very long
history in Balboa Park.
It brings visitors from around
the world and it plays an
important role in conservation.
But I think the most important
thing that it does is it keeps
local San Diego and students at
the forefront of their mission
.
The zoo has a commitment to
every second grader in San
Diego so that they have access
to the zoo for free.
36 years ago I was one of those
students.
So to say that the San Diego
Zoo is a good steward of park
land I think is an
understatement.
Currently the zoo houses 12,000
animals that live in a
naturalistic habitat eight
gardens dedicated to native
plant species And as one stated
it generates an economic impact
of about $2 billion.
All of this exists within
the larger area that makes it
possible.
Albert Park is one of the most
important public spaces we have
in the city and it belongs to
the people of San Diego.
Families come here because it's
a place where they get to spend
time together, enjoy
the museums, the gardens and
the cultural institutions
without having to worry so much
about cost.
I voted in the past against
paid parking at Balboa Park to
keep the park accessible to
everyone in San Diego.
My colleagues have voted for
paid parking at Balboa Park and
this is why we are here today.
I wish this was not
the situation.
However, this agreement
continues our commitment to
putting San Diegans first,
supporting the world renowned
wildlife conservation the zoo
has achieved and also in my
opinion ensuring a fair
outcome.
>> So therefore I will be
voting on the motion before us
today and that concludes my
comments.
Thank you.
Thank you Council Member And I
forgot to repeat that we do
have a motion by Council member
Campbell and second by myself
to move The staff
recommendation will go next to
Councilmember Van Wilbert.
Thank you Thank you for
the work in the presentation on
this and thank you to all of
our volunteers here for
The View.
Every time I visit the zoo I am
always incredibly delighted by
every single volunteer who
knows so much about
the exhibits that they are
volunteering for And I have
been blown away by your
dedication and your knowledge
and your stewardship to
the city.
I mean these are volunteer
positions that you're doing and
I can see how deeply you care
about the animals that you see
and how you care about
the public engaging.
So just thank you for your
work.
Thank you for being here.
We need more people in
the world who are like the zoo
volunteers And I just want to
say how much I appreciate you.
Thank you.
To the zoo leadership as well.
It's a wonderful opening of
Elephant Valley last week at
the City of Safari Park.
i mean it made worldwide news.
I was absolutely incredible to
see and I can't wait to go back
just as a regular visitor as
well.
I saw the lion the crowd
waiting to come in and it was
incredible.
So I just want to thank you for
being a world class institution
located right here in the city
of San Diego And I agree with
what councilor or council
PRESIDENT Obama stated We all
are very, very excited about
the zoo growing and being a
part of our community and we
have to do our jobs as council
members review a lease and real
estate transaction that really
is not just about the zoo.
That's why we have a bunch of
questions about our real estate
transactions going forward.
One I do understand and I would
assert that the Safari Park and
the zoo are completely
different negotiations for
their leases.
One of if the operating
agreement is completely
different than the Balboa Park.
So I do think they should be
done separately and we will
have the Safari Park coming up
soon.
It's also peu de limited
regulated by Prop 218 so it's
completely different than
the Buffalo Park.
We also need to do this now
because it was the city that
put the urgency on the zoo to
do this when we were the ones
who instituted parking above
all Park So that's why these
are separate and I think that
they should be second plug.
We need to make sure that
the farmers in the fantastical
valley have their leases done.
I cannot support having a
neighbor next door having their
lease done when our farmers
have in four years.
Mark Hertz who spent his entire
term trying to get our farmers
early to dine in the farmers
cold alley and they're all
partners you wouldn't believe
the amount of work these
farmers do to clear trees,
brush off the roadway, you
know, fire safety.
So please put the same effort
into getting our farmers leases
done as we do the Safari park
because I know they're all
partners up there and we need
to get it done.
So I know you're working on it
but the farmers are going to
come down to City Hall to talk
with us about it because we
need to get their leases done
So I know so I do have a
question here about why this is
under 710 because I believe it
really needs to be controlled
under 700 dash zero four And
with that we don't need to be
waiving anything in the motion
.
For example, the nutrien
reported there's no appraisal
here and we as a city have had
passed real estate transactions
where we've gotten in trouble
for not having an appraisal
such as the one to Ash Village
across the street.
However we do not charge rent
for Bethel Park tenants that
are non profits.
We have decided to say do not
do that.
So the only reason we would
invest in paying for an
appraisal is if we were to set
a price for rent or sale And so
i want to make sure that that
is the understanding.
That's why we do not need an
appraisal here because we're
not charging rent or selling
the property.
That is correct.
Councilmember Okay.
Just solely focused on parking
and we do not charge rent
because it's double park
correct?
704 So then why news whatever
the city attorney why aren't we
just implementing this under
700 dash and four?
I don't think we as a council
have to waive important
provisions of seven dash ten
such as market rate rent
improvements in the property
when 710 doesn't apply to this
situation.
And if you look at Section five
or let a Roman numeral be of
the disposition of city
property if I lease under 700
dash ten it states that if
Section five of this policy
conflicts with the more
specific applicable accountable
policy, the more specific
council policy will control And
that's 700 dash four Deputy
City Attorney Julie Inman So
the specific portions of County
policy 710 that our way of
solely apply to time extensions
of leases and amendments that
extend time and so one is a
waiver of the requirement that
the lease be updated to fair
market value.
And then the other is
the requirement that the tenant
propose capital improvements
that justify the extension and
those aspects weren't addressed
in 700 dashboard and the long
term extension of the lease
wasn't addressed in Council
policy 700 dash for So that's
the reason why the waiver was
included here.
Councilmember If I MAY also
just add for additional context
in terms of this Council's
policy that was updated last
FEBRUARY a long term lease and
disposition really is covered
by 700 Dash ten And then in
addition because it fell apart
because it's the zoo that's
the 704 So ensuring that we're
covering our bases based on
this council's direction we
wouldn't want to run afoul
associated with which one is
governing But that both
technically do apply and that
we're being transparent about
what we're asking you to do.
I appreciate that As as an
attorney I would disagree And
the reason is I don't want
the public to think that we are
skirting our responsibility to
get market rate when as it was
never paying rent in the first
place and that we are not
giving the zoo a special deal
that other city lessees would
take.
They've always been under
the Balboa Park rules which
means that these things don't
have to be waived And I want
the public to know we are
holding them to the same
account that we are holding
every single other person in
the ballpark And that's why I'm
saying you should you
understand how to for I will
die on the field.
But I want folks to know that
this has always been the case.
Plus the zoo has put in some
Stansell revenue into improving
the park, improving our city
assets.
I mean they put in tens of
millions of dollars into
infrastructure upgrades that
they're not going to get credit
for in this lease because they
didn't need to because it
wasn't under 700 said okay, I'm
done being with my legal hat
on.
So my last point is just that
the Teamsters are the ones who
represent the zoo workers here
and their fantastic There was a
question about who are
the workers.
They're wonderful.
I met with the Teamsters
recently and I'm glad to see
they've approved the latest
collective bargaining agreement
which is great because we have
to invest in our workforce as
well and that I'm glad we we're
increasing our then Bob goals
Here are your emissions goals
and that we are putting in
prevailing wage because this is
every property So we're doing
everything that we should be
for the workers in this do in
the park And because of that I
will let it go on which council
policy we need to be in because
we're going to get to the same
result Anyway, I just want to
thank you very much for
the work on this.
I'm very, very excited to see
the growth of the zoo and very
excited for a partnership and I
will support the motion today.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you Councilmember Bond
Wolpert.
We'll go next to council member
Campo Thank you Council
PRESIDENT Thank you to our city
staff for their good work today
and the presentation Do you
have a question very specific
question wasn't addressed in
any of the slides but it's
something that I know the zoo
provides as a service.
If there's someone from the zoo
that's able to answer it I know
that the zoo for roughly eight,
maybe nine years has been
supporting the Wounded Warrior
organization that allows early
access to the zoo for their
physical fitness needs
rehabilitation into their
physical trainers.
My hope is that this program
continues without any
additional impact to those
participating.
I know that now that there's
charging at the parking lot
that might be getting in
the way.
I see MR. Days at the at
the microphone.
MR. De Can you speak to whether
that program is going to
continue on beyond going and
how you plan to continue to
support those folks who've been
wounded serving in our military
?
Thank you, COUNCILMAN And
through the council PRESIDENT
Yes, we're proud of our
partnership with wounded
warriors.
We we have to as you heard
earlier, we provide free
admission to active duty
military roughly 130,000
members per year And such a
substantial benefit that we
want to recognize our military
And we're honored to work with
the wounded warriors and and
the sacrifices that they made.
And so we look forward after
today's action hopefully knock
on wood and we're going to work
very diligently with our with
our donors, with our team
members and with one way or
another veteran groups to make
sure we minimize or eliminate
the impact of this change as
soon as possible.
Understood.
I heard minimize or eliminate
the impact.
So I appreciate that that work.
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
This item is before us Just to
touch on it very briefly, I
know that some members of
the public have mentioned today
about the charge for parking.
Obviously I've been in support
of free parking for all people
and all of our ballparks since
day one And I still support
free parking today though that
we are talking about something
very different.
I'm securing a portion of
the revenue that's already
being collected from visitors
by the zoo is a reasonable step
for the city right now And
the zoo has long been one of
our strongest strategic
partners for our region and
it's long provided enormously
positive economic impact in
terms of tens of thousands of
jobs billions of dollars in
secondary and tertiary impacts.
So I'm confident that we're
going to continue to work well
together with the zoo to
continue to serve the public
And I appreciate that their
mission is something that
should be the mission of all of
San Diego.
So I will be in support of
that.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you.
Council member Campo Not seeing
anybody else in the lights.
Thank you my colleagues for
your questions and comments.
Thank you.
Council member Bong Wolpert a
constant struggle to make sure
all our council policies
actually in a react and maybe
we can do a little bit of
cleanup at the next next
opportunity but given the in
the absence of caution or
abundance of caution that's
what I want to say.
I think I appreciate why you
did it but your points were
well taken.
You do have 700 hours before
that also speaks to that
ballpark in particular.
So with that I don't see
anybody else on the lights.
We have a motion by council
member Campbell and a second by
myself.
Clerk Please call the roll.
Thank you.
Started the voting system.
I will also note that we did
receive six speaker slips in
favor here in council chambers
with no need to speak and this
item also received 20 comments
in favor and two comments in
Opposition via our e comment
form which was distributed to
the Council.
This does pass unanimously 8 to
0 with Council member PRESIDENT
Pro Tem Lee Absent Thank you
Council PRESIDENT All right.
Thank you again thank you to
staff for the very good work in
bringing this forward.
So with that clerk please
introduce item 4a1 animals for
a one is the approval of an
affordable housing cdbg loan
agreement with Community
Revitalization Development
Corporation in an amount not to
exceed $6,650,000 for
the Promenade apartments
Affordable Housing Project.
If you'd like to speak on this
item please be sure to submit a
speaker slip to the front of
the room and place it in
the clear box If you are
joining us virtually and would
like to speak on this item
please be sure to raise your
hand by pressing Star nine or
the raise your hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right Thank you.
I see staff is starting to
settle in and when you are
settled in introduce yourselves
for the record and let us know
how much time you need.
Good afternoon Council
PRESIDENT LaCava and honorable
Council members.
We will need approximately
seven minutes for this
presentation.
All right, when you're ready.
My name is Christine Marcella,
deputy director with
the Economic Development
Department And with me is
Monica Hartman, assistant
director.
And it's our pleasure to
present the affordable housing
cdbg loan agreement with
Community Revitalization
Development Corporation.
Today we are requesting that
the City Council approve
the staff report actions
summarized on this slide
The actions include approval of
the loan agreement with
Community Revitalization
Development Corporation or crtc
authorizing the mayor to
execute, administer and
implement the loan agreement,
authorize the transfer
appropriation and expense of
$6.65 million from
the unobligated cdbg grant to
the Promenade Apartments
Project and authorizing
the $25,000 developer deposit
for city costs and loan
repayments to be deposited to
the low and moderate Income
Housing Asset Fund or lmi f
Before discussing the project
I'll provide a brief summary of
the Bridge to Home program.
>> The Bridge to Home program
has proven to be a valuable
tool in allocating gap
financing to assist in meeting
critical affordable housing
needs.
Since 2021 the Economic
Development Department has
issued seven rounds of its
bridge to Home Notice of
funding availability with
around seven applications due
this APRIL sixth Rounds one
through five have resulted in
22 approved loan agreements.
One pending round for agreement
will be brought for council
consideration in MAY.
There are three pending
agreements from Round six with
this agreement being the first
to be brought before Council as
this project is receiving cdbg
funds that need to be expended
for timeliness altogether these
26 funds will provide a total
of nearly $123 million in
affordable housing funding,
creating 2528 total apartments
including 2499 affordable
rental homes of which 436 are
permanent housing with
supportive services.
An informational presentation
on the Bridge to Home Round six
No.
Four process was provided at
the Economic Development and
Intergovernmental Relations
Committee meeting on DECEMBER
10th, 2025 and loans for four
projects were recommended.
One project has since been
unable to move forward.
The remaining three projects
will create 391 affordable
rental homes including 55
permanent supporting housing
supportive housing units.
The Promenade Apartments is one
of the three round six projects
and the only project moving
forward that was eligible to
receive cdbg funds.
Now we'll take a few moments to
provide a brief description of
the Promenade Apartments
The project will be developed
by the nonprofit Community
Revitalization Development
Corporation partnering with
the Affordable Housing and
Community Development.
Crtc was established in 1991
and has been involved in
the development ownership and
operation of over 10,000
affordable housing units.
>> cerp was established in 2019
and its founders have owned,
developed and managed over 2500
affordable units.
The project site is located at
3972 dash 86 and 3990 Cleveland
Avenue in the uptown
neighborhood within the state's
highest resource area in
Council District three.
The site is located within a
transit priority area and
located in an area near
grocery, retail, school,
medical and park facilities.
The proposed eight story new
construction development will
include 94 affordable one, two
and three bedroom apartments
for families earning between 30
and 70% of the area median
income and one manager's
apartment.
There will be 22 parking spaces
despite the fact that no
parking is required given its
location in a transit priority
area.
The project will meet
California energy standards and
include solar panels and
stormwater bio retention
filtration.
Amenities include a community
space kitchen laundry, bike
parking, a tot lot and play
areas.
>> The loan agreement will
provide a $6.65 million cdbg
loan for acquisition at a 3%
simple interest rate with a 55
year term to be repaid from
residual receipts.
The city will have 55 year
affordability covenants on
the 94 affordable apartments at
70%.
Amy and the developer will be
applying for other sources that
will restrict lower units that
will restrict unit that lower
ami levels.
>> These tables show
the projected sources and uses
the $6.65 million city loan
provides approximately 70,000
per unit and 36,000 per
bedroom.
When leveraged with multiple
financing sources the total
project cost is approximately
60.3 million.
Please note that these sources
and uses of funds are based on
estimates and assumptions and
will be finalized at closing
once all financing sources are
obtained.
Now we will review
the tentative schedule for
the project.
The developer has applied for
tax credits with potential
award in MAY 2026 and if
successful construction could
begin in the fourth quarter of
2026.
The construction period is
anticipated to be approximately
26 months.
Staff recommends approval of
the requested actions
summarized here and
representatives from
the development team as well as
city staff are available to
respond to questions.
This concludes our
presentation.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you for your good work
and the presentation this
afternoon.
Clerk please proceed with
public comment.
There are no speakers here in
council chambers going to those
participating remotely.
There are four speakers who
will have two minutes each
starting with 8700 if you can
please unmute after that is
88138 700.
Thank you.
Thank you Joyce and the other
394 affordable apartment.
30% to 70%.
Am I123 bedroom apartments for
families?
That's great news.
The 29 units are 3% pmi.
47 units are 50%.
That's middle income.
The total cost of the project
is $60,311,000.
Now I finally found this new
per unit subsidy approach
similarly 70,745 per unit.
I'm not used to the word being
put there with the per unit
cost so I need to get clear on
that.
It's probably very clear that I
just didn't get that word
subsidy but that amount of per
unit is pretty darn good.
The developer is awaiting final
decision for an award of tax
credits on MAY in MAY of 2026.
My fingers are crossed.
Also we need to receive a hud
hud's It's already to use
the grant fund.
I was a little afraid of that
but I hope that's going to come
easily in spite of what's
happening with our housing
situation.
So this is a great item.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Just love these projects for
housing Coming through in our
current environment So keep up
the great work and love to all
you.
Yes to Round six allocation of
cdbg funds.
>> Thank you.
8813 If you can please unmute
after that is blurred between
the hi can you hear me?
Yes please proceed.
Okay got it.
Okay console here.
Yeah I just wanted to to
confirm that this too is just
another uh just another.
Come on now.
Another usually.
Sorry, sorry.
I'm grocery shopping.
It's just another plan for
the United Nations agenda for
the 21st century.
Just, you know, living in
the stack packs.
We got these things going up
everywhere.
That's all by design as well.
They know people living in
these little condensed cages.
You don't, uh you don't have
the uh the capacity capacity or
the desire to want to question
anything to want to go up
against anything especially
especially with the local
government is doing and
implementing and yeah all by
design.
So I didn't really get to
listen to everything about this
item but I just want to
encourage the people listening
in Please do your due diligence
and look up the United Nations
agenda for the 21st century
because we are here and living
in a fishbowl is a reality.
You know we're not getting that
to which are too much sugar and
yet that's where we're at.
So um yeah, that's pretty much
all I have.
Thank you.
Next is Blair Beckmann.
If you can please unmute.
Blair Beckmann.
Okay Please unmute Okay and
cannot unmute for you.
We will have to move on to
the next caller as callers.
Andrea mean if you can please
unmute And for Andrea Ebbing I
kind of neutral.
I do believe we need housing.
I wish I knew a bit more on
like the back end and
the developers and like who got
the kickbacks and all that
stuff but I wonder what how
it's going to impact like trash
fees for these multi family
units and what that's going to
look like.
And I also found that on
Transparent California somebody
named Kenneth a Biggers
District refuge collection
supervisor had zero in regular
pay but $146,000 and other pay
and 18,000 in overtime And he
made almost $300,000 with no
salary.
Kenneth, a Biggers district
refused collection supervisor
in 2024.
Thank you.
That's it.
Thank you.
And expose Lori Saldana If you
can please unmute the five
minute timer.
Also concluded there were two
speakers in the queue.
No additional speakers will be
taken.
>> Laurie and John Stump as our
final speaker.
Please proceed.
Yes thank you.
MADAM City Clerk, could you
please confirm what's showing
on the screen for us to speak
to which item it is that we are
addressing?
Sorry it is item as 401
according to the screen that is
the Zoological Society.
My apologies it is items 401 we
will bring it down but if you
can please focus on the timer.
My apologies Items for one is
the approval of an affordable
housing cdbg loan agreement
with the Community Realization
department.
If you can make please make
your comments to that.
I apologize and we'll have that
corrected.
>> All right.
Thank you.
i appreciate any time
Developers are willing to build
affordable housing and take
the step of doing so using tax
credit programs.
It is it is challenging as I
learned when I chaired
the Assembly Housing Committee,
it is difficult to find
developers who are in
the position to do that type of
a development and count on
the credits coming forward and
especially difficult given our
current economic outlook both
long term and short term.
So we desperately need housing.
I would prefer that we free up
housing that is currently being
used for short term rentals.
I think that in addition to
building housing and affordable
housing we also need to make
sure every house that was
approved under my committee and
subsequent committees as part
of our regional housing needs
assessment is being used for
regional housing and not for
temporary re hotel types of
lodging.
So I speak strongly in support.
I appreciate the developer for
taking this position.
I hope that all federal funds
and tax credits continue to
support this type of
development and I encourage
the city to do its part and
make sure that every housing
unit that's been built with
the understanding it would be
affordable or that it would
simply be available for
permanent residential use is in
fact being used for that
purpose because as it stands
now we know that is not
the case and we will never
catch up with our housing need
Despite the good work of
developers such as this one.
If you don't also enforce
permanent housing as you add
more units whether it's a use
or other housing that's being
pushed forward if those are not
inspected regularly to ensure
that they are being used for
full time housing projects like
this are admirable but they
will never close the gap that
we need for addressing
homelessness in San Diego.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Our final speaker is John
Stump.
If you can please unmute again
this is let him ask for a one
approval the affordable
housing.
>> Please proceed.
Like to follow Laurie so danger
because she picks up stuff that
I wanted to say and of course
it's showing the Zoom lease
still and we understand little
mistakes happen So my questions
on this are dealing with
climate change and particularly
symbolic Is this project going
to be a zombie project?
And secondly I hope there's no
parking being provided If this
is a project it should be
transit oriented and the way to
make sure people use transit is
not to provide subsidized
parking.
So I hope this project does not
include subsidized parking is
totally Zumba and the workers
at the housing project you know
the janitors, the manager etc.
All meet or exceed the city's
wage standards.
Thank you.
Thank you again for pointing
that out.
We will be sure to triple check
our slides next time and that
does conclude public comment on
this item.
All right.
Thank you MADAM City Clerk.
And with that we will go to
the council member representing
District three where
the projects located Council
member Whitburn Thank you
Council PRESIDENT Big thank you
to the team for all the work on
this project.
This housing is going to be
close to grocery stores.
It'll be close to schools right
up the street from transit a
block away from the incoming
Pride promenade The project's
going to add to 94 truly
affordable homes and that
includes a great mix of 33 one
bedrooms, 33 two bedrooms, 23
bedrooms that will allow for
families of all sizes with all
kinds of great amenities right
in the area there.
So again, thank you for this
and I will make the motion to
approve the staff
recommendation.
All right.
Thank you, gentlemen.
So we have that motion to move.
The staff recommendation will
go next to council member
Campbell.
Thank you and thank you for
the presentation for all
the hard work on this.
I am really excited about this
project.
It adds a great beautiful
building to an area that is
just alive with promise and
will provide a great deal of a
great deal of cultural and
cultural availability to those
who move in to there And I'm
sure they will add to
the neighborhood as well.
And so I'm quite excited and
happy to second this motion.
Thank you.
>> All right.
Thank you, Council member
Campbell.
So we have a motion by Council
member Whitburn, a second by
Council member Campbell to move
the staff recommendation.
We'll go next to Council member
Eli Rivera.
All right.
Thank you so much Council
PRESIDENT.
Thanks for the presentation and
all the work on this.
I definitely appreciate
the comments made by COUNCILMAN
Whitburn.
The mix of bedrooms I think is
fantastic.
That's a really, really good
sign.
The three bedrooms in
particular we're seen I think a
little bit more often now and I
think that's a product of
asking to see that a little bit
more often.
So thank you for doing the work
to make sure that that happens.
I did want to take a moment to
acknowledge COUNCILMAN Weprin
actually for you know obviously
you've been supportive of
housing since you got here.
I ride through your district on
the way to work on a regular
basis and the amount of housing
that District three is is is
absorbing bringing online in
Hillcrest in particular is
pretty astounding And I know
that doesn't come I know that
the while many neighbors
welcome it others don't and i
appreciate you staying
committed to that effort
because I mean there are
thousands more homes for folks
in in the community as a result
of that And as you said,
transit oriented.
We've invested a lot in making
walking and biking more
accessible in the community as
well And parking fees are twice
the 23 spots.
So some 22 sorry.
So there's some but not one per
unit and folks will know that
as they have the opportunity to
to move in there.
I did have one question and if
I missed this I apologize.
I see the subsidy per unit
which I appreciate We're below
that hundred thousand dollar
guidance threshold Do the cost
per bedroom I know you all
started doing that.
I might have just again missed
it.
The total cost per apartment is
635,000 and the total cost per
bedroom is 326,000.
Thank you.
And again I think that's super
important to to note because so
often in critiquing the way
the city is is subsidizing and
investing in housing, all homes
are treated the same and all
homes are not the same.
Those three bedroom homes are
going to, you know, have 4 or 5
folks living in them.
So when you break that down on
a per person basis, we're
getting an even even more bang
for our buck.
So this is excellent use of
the resources in my estimation.
Again, thank you to staff for
the work on this and thank you
Council member Brant Thank you
Got the resident All right
Thank you Council member Rivera
And we'll go next to Council
member Hemphill Thank you
Council PRESIDENT Thank you
staff for your work on this.
I want to call attention to
the fact that these are these
units will be built within a
state of California designated
highest resource area As folks
have heard me speak on numerous
occasions about affirmatively
furthering fair housing,
getting rent restricted units
that will be guaranteed
affordable with the depth of
affordability that this shows
in our highest resource area is
particularly difficult.
I know that the staff report
doesn't necessarily have a
subheading that says how does
this affirmatively for for
housing maybe in the future
will go in that direction?
I know I've asked for that and
other types of things but I
just wanted to point that out
because that continues to be a
very high priority for me
something that we need to do
and are legally obligated to do
So thank you for putting this
through At the second question
actually the first question I
have for you is is this a
project that received quote
unquote bonus points or extra
consideration for the fact that
it's in highest resource or are
we not yet implementing that
just quite yet?
I know you've said you're going
to but I'm wondering if this is
one of those projects this is
one of those projects Round six
was the start of where we began
to award bonus points for
moderate, high and highest
resourced area projects And
this is one of those projects
understood.
Well thank you very much for
that.
As I look through the rest of
this, I just I do appreciate
that it has a depth of
affordability of 30 to 70%.
Am I that is that is hard to
get in a highest resource area
So thank you for your good work
on this.
I will be in support.
All right.
Thank you Councilmember Campo.
Not see anybody else and lights
off or a couple of comments.
Councilmember Whitburn, you
failed to mention that it is
across the street from the dmv
So that's just a bonus for
those folks.
On a more serious note, I know
we have big plans to revitalize
that property and it's big
parking lots.
Thank you for the presentation.
The good work that you do
consistently in managing this
process, evaluating
the proposals that come in and
and the strict adherence to
the guidelines in picking
the project that come forward.
There were a couple of things
that were mentioned by
the public that I want to touch
on.
One it was not included in
the presentation but I do want
to mention that it is
incorporating sustainable
development features including
rooftop solar energy efficient
lighting and all electric
energy star rating appliances.
Then Bob does not apply to
private projects like this.
It applies to city buildings
and city owned property But
clearly they are actually even
exceeding the standard that we
would be able to impose on them
.
So I want to make note of that.
There was also some sort of
implication that on the arena
numbers I think we're doing
fine with above moderate
housing in meeting our
obligations.
This of course is more of our
below market housing.
If anybody has any idea that
any any property that is under
contract for affordability is
not using it for housing please
like my office?
No, I think all the council
would want to know about that.
So I don't want there to be any
confusion out there above
moderate That's a different
conversation we don't seem to
have again any challenge
meeting arena numbers for above
moderate But that's not what
we're talking about here So I
know it's a complicated
process.
The capital stack is for
something that is so desperate
it continues to be a challenge
but we do our part moving it
forward So I will be in support
as well.
And as a reminder we have a
motion by Councilmember
Whitburn, the second by
Councilmember Campbell.
Clerk Please call the roll I'm
sorry the voting system Please
cast your vote and that passes
unanimously 8 to 0 with Council
PRESIDENT Pro tem be absent.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right
Thank you And again thank you
Everybody ready That brings
these items forward to us.
With that we will now take up
non agenda public comment
Council members respect and
appreciate the public input and
are fully committed to
protecting every participant's
free speech rights at council
and committee meetings.
Clerk Please proceed with
public comment.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Pearl 2.7 On
the agenda Public comment is an
opportunity for members of
the public to comment on items
that are not on the agenda but
within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the City
Council.
Each speaker will have two
minutes.
Please note if there are more
speakers on a single topic
the maximum time for the topic
will be 16 minutes.
If you are in chambers please
email your speakers up to
the front of the room.
If you are joining us virtually
please raise your hand to speak
by tapping the Raise your hand
icon or if you're calling
Participant Star nine If I can
have Mary Soriano please come
forward You will have two
minutes for your non agenda
public comment Mary Serrano,
PRESIDENT Of La Hoya Town
Council trying to get ahead of
tomorrow night La Hoya Town
Council sent out the mayor's
resident budget survey
the response and consistent
response from the community is
that the survey focused on
the city eliminating services
It isn't what people want to
hear.
Maintenance cuts, public
restrooms reduced maintenance
is susceptible to drugs and
homeless youth health and
safety risk disease
transmission, fecal matter
toilet people running out of
essential hygiene supplies with
washing hands, toilet paper
etc..
Next item Infrastructure cip
funding gap of 12.8 billion in
need If the percentage of funds
needed for high priority is met
Clarity is appreciated in some
of these areas.
Storm water Does this take care
of every neighborhood street
and roads Pavement Is this
concrete or slurry feel?
How are the streets selected
bikes Facilities 88.6 million.
I'm sure you all have heard
questioning on the bike lanes
that don't seem to justify
the expense last year to
the amount of users Bike lanes
on Convoy Street has been a
discussion among stranger is in
line for their favorite eatery.
Strangers in line can't
understand why parking spaces
were taken away for bike lanes
in cop in convoy Thank you.
Thank you.
That does conclude our public
knowledge and a public common
hearing Council chambers so I
will be going to those
participating remotely.
Five minute timer has been
placed.
We have 12 speakers in
the queue.
Blair Beckman if you can please
unmute.
>> All right.
Fred Beckman can you hear me
this time?
Yes we can.
Please proceed.
Yeah I had a problem with my
zoom all day today.
I couldn't for public comment.
I'm really sorry.
Thank you for taking my public
comment at this time.
I wish you could have come back
around for me previously but
thank you for the meeting
today.
Informative.
I think it's been a pretty
tough weekend for all of us.
We're learning the events of us
continual war at this time and
how we have to be thinking
around subject matter.
I think it's really important
that the work we be doing at
the local level we continue our
good efforts.
I think we really know how to
talk about peace to create
peace and sustainable liberty
at the local level and those
good examples that you know,
our national and international
level needs from us right now
they need to see best
practices.
They need to see what we do
well and what is our good
thinking and not our fearful
thinking because war is making
it fearful and scared.
We need to be strong and go go
for our best practices and not
cower to questionable war
practices that the National
international level I'm upset
is the work at
the international level is
doing a lot.
It's quite an upheaval but I
just think the overall efforts
of international war is very
aggravating and frustrating and
I like working towards
negotiation to solve our issues
and yet we've got negotiation
and best practices we do here
at the local level that means
we have to coordinate well
between us and that we're on
the same page together.
I think that was the important
lesson with the Climate Report
today We have to better learn
how to be accessible and public
and learning to work together
like that.
The zoological memo itself
actually offers word about how
parking revenue can be used
initially towards general fund
items.
So council person LaCava really
has to rethink his words and
belittling the public.
>> Also we have to work
together not separately.
Thank you.
Your time has concluded.
Barbara Gordon If you can
please unmute after that will
be Lori Saldana Please proceed.
>> Barbara Thank you.
Good afternoon.
I'm a public health advocate
and I urge you to recognize
the commercialization of high
potency thc has produced a rise
in addiction poisoning
cardiovascular disease,
emergency rooms, traffic
fatalities, serious side
psychiatric harms especially
among youth.
In 2000 2426 of 12th graders
and 16% of 10th graders
reported past marijuana use.
5% of those high school seniors
used their drug daily placing
them at a higher risk for
addiction claims that
dispensaries keep marijuana
away from teens rings hollow in
light of the persistent high
level of use If teens can't buy
marijuana legally, how do they
obtain it?
About 65% of 12th graders
reported that marijuana is easy
or very easy to get.
Cannabis use disorder is
neither rare nor benign
according to the National
Survey on Drug Use and help
prevalence of cannabis use
disorder among adolescents and
young adults is almost 60%.
States with marijuana laws have
historically shown higher teen
use reflect reflecting
the normalization and
widespread available in social
networks.
I urge the city to take more
aggressive action to limit
the number of storefronts and
exposure of advertising and
marketing of marijuana by
prohibiting billboards
marijuana images on any signage
and fortunately that numerous
marijuana predators and policy
makers that pursue profits at
the expense of public health
actively undermine any
prevention efforts.
Thank you for letting me speak
.
Thank you.
Lori Saldana.
>> Good afternoon again.
So 40 years ago there was a
public art project that
plastered city busses and
billboards with images and
the text that San Diego is
America's finest tourist
plantation.
And you can imagine city
leaders were outraged that
public money had gone to state
what those of us who have lived
here for decades grew up here,
have known all our lives.
San Diego relies heavily on
hospitality and tourism dollars
and unfortunately it is now to
the detriment of people who
want to buy homes or rent homes
in San Diego.
So when the regional housing
needs assessment is brought up
,it is not looking
prospectively or even currently
it is looking backwards at what
was promised for housing going
back decades And what we have
today.
We have housing for visitors
and we don't have enough
housing for full time
residents.
And the people who are hardest
hit are those who are working
in hospitality service and
other low wage seasonal jobs.
So I wanted to bring that
forward as a reminder that
the committee that should be
looking at this the community
neighborhoods and community
committee has failed completely
in looking at how this
ordinance that was passed a few
years ago is operating.
They've held informational
hearings but have never done an
investigation and it is harming
people all over the city of San
Diego.
So I want to encourage in this
as we approach our summer
season that everyone on
the council look at how many
people come here.
How many people take housing
away from full time residents
in order to enjoy our beautiful
climate And how being America's
finest tourist plantation is
causing us to sink into
financial ruin in cases such as
the recent budget hole that
we're in.
Housing is fundamental.
It's a human right.
It's necessary for basic health
.
And if we don't provide it our
city will be sicker for it.
Thank you.
Your time is concluded.
Ernie Casco if you can please
unmute.
Yes.
Ernie Casco here La Hoya
resident.
Time to stop the crime at
Torrey Pines Glider Park.
I should not be forced to buy
insurance.
Not required by law and sign an
illegal access pass and waiver
to use a free public park when
city liabilities are already
covered by California
recreational laws.
This is an insurance waiver
fraud and misappropriation of
public funding going into
private account.
It is well documented on your
desk and demands a full
transparent city artist that
would end the corruption within
your own administration.
We have a petition Black speech
recreational scandal to stop
the illegal commercialization
and privatization of San Diego
parks with hundreds of
signatures demanding
authorities take action.
We have unanimous letter of
support from the town council
La Hoya Shores Association to
reconvene permanently
the Torrey Pines Advisory Board
as needed for public safety and
oversight at Torrey Pines
Glider Airport.
Tomorrow, MARCH 10th
the University Community
Planning Group is taking an
action item to write a letter
to council members and
the mayor's office and Park
Recreation Department to end
this dispute on the proposed
San Diego recreational waiver
Does that ends the dispute stop
city legal city leasehold
leaseholder illegal collection
of public funding into private
accounts and separating by
separating the business from
free public access to the San
Diego recreational waiver
isolates safety concerns Secure
city liabilities restores
recreational freedoms back to
normal and addresses the victim
and witnesses who have been
damaged and assaulted within a
timely fashion.
It's a win for city council
liabilities, restores
recreational rights and
freedoms for years to come.
It's the best decision City
Council and you could make Joe
LaCava Thank you.
>> Next speaker is 8700 if you
can please unmute after that is
Jonathan Yep.
He's 8700.
But thank you Joyce And now
the cd three here is my short
list of words that stood out to
me recently eight items Council
member Foster The third is
words.
I come from a place of love.
Blair Bateman's words on peace
.
Chief Information Officer
Banksy's words about a I spill
erosion.
He also said must have humans
in the loop.
Councilmember Campbell's words
about how little we get from
property taxes Director Elise
Lowe's Keen words on system
improvements Councilmember Ido
Rivera's words What city are we
trying to be?
Director Tim Desmond's words
All of her words on race and
equity.
More to come in the future and
I'll try to fit this in.
I MAY not.
I googled Is Mexico involved
with the Colorado River water
deal or is it only New Mexico?
And I was shocked.
Google came back and I can't
speak on it thoroughly because
it's huge and it's complicated.
So to be said later the water
deal that was missed on
Valentine's Day that was
the second MISS OCTOBER 26th It
is going to collapse if it's
not signed and the federal
government has a plan waiting
in the wings to take over.
So please keep an eye on this.
But to all.
Thank you.
Next is Jonathan If you can
please unmute.
After that is Kathleen Lippert
.
Hello, my name is Jonathan and
I'm here to talk about a lack
of quality electronic waste
resources for residents in San
Diego.
So due to the prevalence of
planned obsolescence which has
led to major increases in
e-waste, the city I believe has
to do a better job of informing
residents e-waste is growing
five times faster than
documented e-waste recycling
and it's reaching a projected
82 million tons about 2030.
So it is a growing issue.
Currently in San Diego there
are multiple nonprofit and
third party organizations that
offer free e-waste drop off and
pick up services like Urban
Corpse and Waste And there's a
few more.
And then there's companies like
tech companies like Best Buy
that have comprehensive
electronic record cycling
programs and even ucsd and sdc.
You have drop off locations
available but the only facility
that is run through the city of
San Diego is the Miramar
Household Hazardous Waste
Transfer Facility which is by
appointment only and it's only
open on Saturdays with limited
hours.
And even worse it doesn't even
accept waste.
So I think that this is a major
issue.
This is an issue and then
furthermore in the city of San
Diego is what goes where GOD
that is distributed.
There is a lack of information
on the actual harms of improper
disposal of hazardous materials
like e-waste.
And then additionally the only
way that the guide advertises
is to dispose of waste in San
Diego is to take it to that
Miramar h.
H w transfer facility which I
mentioned before.
It does not even accept e-waste
and there's no alternative
option that is offered So I do
suggest that this be worked on.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you.
Next is Kathleen Lippert.
>> If you can please unmute.
>> Thank you.
Good afternoon Council.
My name is Kathleen Lippert.
Wall Street Journal had an
article that highlighted
the challenges high schools are
facing today from the use of
high potency thc vape pens.
They're easy to hide and often
used in bathrooms or during
class.
Legalize ation and surprising
social acceptance has made
marijuana more accessible to
teens overwhelming schools
ability to discipline and
detect.
The administrators say
the problem is growing faster
than they can respond.
And legalization in states like
California have made marijuana
easier for teens to access more
socially acceptable and harder
for schools to police.
>> Students are vaping in
bathrooms, hallways and
sometimes even during class.
They've detectors are being
installed but students often
find ways around them.
>> Administrators report
constant alerts and frequent
bathroom space sweeps.
And students try to avoid
school bathrooms often because
they want they would rather
wait till they leave school to
be able to use a bathroom that
is not filled with marijuana.
Studies that create a
commercial marijuana footprint
resulted in increased
availability and reduced stigma
.
And while schools are doing
their best to protect students,
cities like San Diego are
making the jobs of schools and
parents unnecessarily difficult
.
I like to know what the city of
San Diego is doing to partner
with these with parents and
with schools because it appears
that the city is policies are
doing the opposite.
They wilill continue schools will
continue to lose ground despite
technology and stricter
monitoring and the combination
of legal legalization, high
potency products and discrete
vaping devices.
>> Challenge traditional
schools The very same industry
that claims they do not want to
target students is the same
industry that your concluding
comment.
Next is 8813 and then Madison
plays a new okay console here
and I'm definitely coming from
a place of love.
So let's say I wanted to focus
on how things have been done
incrementally step by step so
people don't slowly so people
slowly submit and consent to
everything being built around
them all presented as if it for
our benefit while quietly
leading to our own demise.
The other agenda for the 21st
century didn't disappear
overnight.
It has been layered and piece
by piece.
From cameras in our skies to
homelessness to in our streets
the decline of human health and
the erosion of the human spirit
from endless wars to inflation
squeezing families every
pressure point pushing people
closer to exhaustion and defeat
And now the climate crisis
narrative They continue using
to influence people for decades
to see shoreline that the lines
have not increased.
Many coastal photos have half a
century from half a century
years ago have shown the exact
same levels.
Yet the fear messaging
continues because when people
are afraid they're easier to
control.
All of that contributes to
the people feeling defeated And
when people feel defeated they
stop resisting.
This is the oldest strategy
there is divide and conquer,
create the crisis, amplify
the chaos and then present
the solution.
Order out of chaos.
And while people are busy
fighting each other, struggling
to survive and just trying to
keep their heads above water,
the system of control quietly
expands.
None of this is random.
The real question is not
whether we can see it.
The real question is what we
choose to do.
Once we know and yeah again
there's a lot of people who are
concerned not being paid.
Call it voluntary call it We
are the volunteers.
>> We are the work of putting
our Mark Madison if you can
please on mute after Madison is
John Stump.
Please proceed.
All right.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Much of the public conversation
about marijuana focuses on
short term intoxication but
emerging research shows that
thc behaves very differently
from substances like alcohol.
Alcohol is processed and
cleared from the body within
hours.
Thc the main psychoactive
compound in cannabis
accumulates in the body's fat
and organs including the brain
and liver and can be slowly
released back into
the bloodstream long after
the immediate high has faded
According to physicians and
toxicology researchers.
Thc spreads quickly into
tissues throughout the body
rather than remaining in
the bloodstream where it can be
easily measured.
This means that even when a
drug test appears negative thc
and its biological effects MAY
still be present in body
tissues.
This matters even more today
because cannabis products
available now are dramatically
stronger than those used in
the past.
Modern oils, vape cartridges
and edibles can contain 10 to
20 times more thc than products
from the 70s and 80s.
At the same time, daily use has
become increasingly common.
As a result, many people are
repeatedly exposing their
bodies to high levels of thc
that do not leave the body
quickly.
Researchers are also learning
that thc can affect the immune
system and inflammation
throughout the body when
the immune system remains
activated for long periods of
time instead of returning to
arresting state it can increase
long term risks for conditions
such as heart disease and
metabolic problems.
These findings remind us that
cannabis is not a harmless
lifestyle product.
As thc potency rises and
frequent use is more normalized
we are only beginning to
understand the long term health
consequences of a substance
that can persist in the body
for weeks or even months.
Thank you.
Thank you, John.
Oh, I don't mean to We're going
to lose quorum here so we'll
take that managing the public
comment at the beginning of
tomorrow morning's session
along with the regular non
agenda public comment at
the end of the morning session
.
My apologies Please keep your
hands raised.
I will make sure to make note
for tomorrow's meeting to give
preference as well.
So real quickly does the city
attorney have anything to
report out from close session?
There is nothing to report.
Thank you.
Okay.
We will now adjourn council to
the regularly scheduled council
meeting on Tuesday MARCH 10th,
2026 at 10 A.M..
Again my apologize to those who