Council Regular Meeting

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING CITY OF MONTEREY Tuesday, March 17, 2026 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, 580 PACIFIC ST. MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Councilmembers Present: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson Absent: None City Staff Interim City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Finance Present: Director, Community Development Director, Library & Museums Director, Public Works Director, Parks and Recreation Director, City Clerk, Property Manager, Assistant Police Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Planning Manager, Deputy Public Works Director/City Engineer, Recreation Manager, General Services Superintendent, Sustainability Manager, Harbormaster, Harbor Coordinator, Principal Planner, Senior Associate Planner, Housing and Community Development Coordinator, Environmental Regulations Analyst, Recreation Supervisor, Division Chief, Acting Division Chief, Senior Administrative Analyst (Fire), Fire Captains (x4), Fire Engineers (x5), Firefighters (x6) Call to Order Mayor Williamson called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. City Clerk Klein called the roll with the Council present as indicated above. Pledge of Allegiance Councilmember Rasch led the Pledge. AFTERNOON SESSION Presentations (Afternoon) 1. Recognize March 2026 as Women’s History Month (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Recognized March 2026 as Women's History Month Councilmember Rasch read the proclamation, and City Clerk Klein gave a brief presentation. Public comment was solicited but not received. 2. Receive Presentation from Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Received presentation Sustainability Manager Terrasas introduced Sophia Schwirzke, of Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), who gave the presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions. Public comment was received from Bob Faulis, who expressed concern about the safety and environmental impacts of batteries.  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 3. Recognition of March 2026 as American Red Cross Month (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Recognized March 2026 as American Red Cross Month Councilmember Smith read the proclamation. Michele Averill and Patsy Gasca, of American Red Cross, made brief remarks. Fire Chief Moore spoke about the involvement of the American Red Cross, many staff members across multiple City departments, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and non-profit All In Monterey in the response to the recent structure fire emergency at 800 Casanova Avenue, and about the incident generally. The Council thanked everyone who jumped in to assist with the response. Public comment was received from: Esther Malkin, who thanked CERT members, SPCA staff, Monterey County Supervisor Daniels' staff, and Hyatt staff for their assistance to the fire victims. General Public Comments Public comment on non-agendized matters was received from: Tom Rowley, Bob Faulis, Nelson Vega, Daniel Armendariz, and Justin Loza. Councilmember Rasch left the Chamber from 5:15 p.m. to 5:17 p.m. Consent Agenda Public comment on the Consent Items was solicited but not received. On a motion by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, the City Council approved the Consent Agenda: AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None) Consent: Approval of Minutes 4. March 3, 2026 Regular Meeting (Not a Project under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Approved Consent: Resolutions 5. Authorize Purchase of 25 Motorola Solutions Mobile Radios for Police Patrol Vehicle Fleet for $271,323.77 (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-038 C.S. 6. Adopt Guidelines for Mailed Ballot Elections Pursuant to Article XIII D, Section 6, Subdivision (c) of the California Constitution and Authorize the City Manager to Vote Yes on the Ballots for City Owned Parcels (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-039 C.S. 7. Authorize the City to Enter a Memorandum of Understanding to Formalize the Working Relationship for a Monterey Bay Regional Climate Project Working Group (RCPWG) and Authorizing $5,000 from Planning Office Professional Services Budget to Support the Work Effort (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-040 C.S. 2  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 Consent: Other 8. Recognize Monterey Peninsula College’s Dress for Success Program (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Recognized the MPC Dress for Success program End of Consent Agenda Public Hearing (Afternoon) 9. Resolution to Modify the Monterey County Tourism Improvement District (MCTID) Management District Plan to Add the City of Sand City to the District (Not a Project under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-041 C.S. Assistant City Manager Rojanasathira gave a verbal staff presentation. No protests were received. Public comment was solicited but not received. On a motion by Councilmember Rasch, seconded by Councilmember Smith, and carried by the following vote, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 26-041 C.S.: AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None) Public Appearance (Afternoon) 10. Receive Subcommittee Recommendations; Appoint Applicants to Positions on the Appeals Hearing Board, Building and Housing Appeals Board, Measure P & S Oversight Committee; and Authorize the Mayor to Sign a Letter Recommending Appointment of a Representative to the City on the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Appointed Charley Chell as alternate to the Appeals Hearing Board, Michael Baum to the Measure P & S Oversight Committee, and authorized the Mayor to sign a letter to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) recommending Susie Bryan as member, and Katherine Egerton, as alternate, for appointment to the TAMC Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee (3-2, Councilmembers Rasch and Smith voting no) Mayor Williamson and Vice Mayor Smith gave a verbal presentation outlining the interview process and providing their thoughts on the two applicants they had recommended for the one TAMC position, and answered Councilmembers' questions. Public comment was received from Elizabeth Jannasch, who expressed appreciation for the public interview and deliberations process; and Daniel Armendariz, who expressed concern about impartiality, stating that some of the applicants seemed to know Subcommittee members. The Mayor responded to the allegation about impartiality, saying it was mistaken and that there were applicants he knew better who had not received the Subcommittee's nomination. The Council discussed the matter of whom to recommend for the TAMC Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee. Comments were made in favor of recommending Katherine Egerton, citing her experience and knowledge, and noting that she was the recommendation of 3  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 the Council's representative on the TAMC board (Vice Mayor Smith). Comments were made in favor of recommending Susie Bryan, citing her enthusiasm and imaginative approach, and referencing the current composition of the committee. It was noted by the current Council representative to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Advisory Committee (Councilmember Garcia) that the expertise on the committee came from lived experience and that the committee role was intended to help receive community feedback, while technical knowledge was provided by TAMC staff. It was suggested that one of the two applicants could be an alternate, and City Clerk Klein confirmed that the TAMC committee’s bylaws allowed alternates. On a motion by Mayor Williamson, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, the City Council appointed Charley Chell as alternate to the Appeals Hearing Board, Michael Baum to the Measure P & S Oversight Committee, and authorized the Mayor to sign a letter to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) recommending Susie Bryan as member, and Katherine Egerton, as alternate, for appointment to the TAMC Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee: AYES: 3 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Williamson NOES: 2 COUNCILMEMBERS: Rasch, Smith 11. Authorize the City to Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Santa Cruz to Coordinate the Funding and Administration of the Local Government Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Coordination Program, Appoint a Councilmember to Represent the City, and Authorize $1,000 from Planning Office Professional Services Budget to Support the Work Effort (Not a Project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-042 C.S., with Mayor Williamson appointed to represent the City and Councilmember Rasch appointed as alternate Community Development Director Cole gave the staff presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions. Public comment was received from Tom Reeves and Suzanne Worcester, who both stressed the importance of this work and questioned contributing only $1,000. The Council discussed the matter. It was suggested to appoint Mayor Williamson as the representative due to his previous communication with the County of Santa Cruz on the matter. Support was expressed for joining the program. The amount of the contribution was discussed, and it was noted that the amount was consistent with the newness of the program for the City, and that as the program developed the City could decide to provide a higher contribution in the future. On a motion by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 26-052 C.S., with Mayor Williamson appointed to represent the City and Councilmember Rasch appointed as alternate: AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None) The Council recessed at 5:56 p.m. and reconvened at 6:00 p.m. 12. Amend Resolution 25-060 to Include the Vasquez Adobe Repairs and Gordon House Repairs Projects in the FY 25-26 Capital Improvement Program and Authorize the Finance Director to Appropriate Funds from the Facility Reserve Fund to the Capital Projects Fund in the Amount of $1,093,000 (Exempt from CEQA, Article 19, Section 15306, Class 6) Action: Adopted Resolution No. 26-043 C.S. 4  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 General Services Superintendent Dwight gave the staff presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions with additional input provided by Library and Museums Director Edwards, Assistant City Manager Rojanasathira, and City Engineer/Deputy Public Works Director Easterling. Public comment was received from Tom Reeves, who provided thoughts on roofing of the Vasquez Adobe. The Council discussed the matter. It was stated that these City assets would not sell, and could not be counted on long-term for staff office space, in their current condition. It was stressed that the buildings should be repaired due to handicap access and safety access concerns, and that facility conditions, if maintenance and repairs were deferred, would only worsen over time. Regarding recent discussions about the budget, it was stressed that it was difficult to use so many dollars from the facility reserve fund but that the purpose of reserves was for urgent situations like this. On a motion introduced by Councilmember Smith, seconded by Councilmember Rasch, and carried by the following vote, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 26-043 C.S.: AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None) 13. Receive the Rental Inventory Program Annual Report (Not a Project under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Received report Housing and Community Development Coordinator Abbasi gave the staff presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions together with Community Development Director Cole and Housing Manager Wyatt. During the question and answer period, Councilmember Barber left the Chamber from 7:04 p.m. to 7:06 p.m. Public comment was received from: Esther Malkin of Monterey County Renters United, who stressed that it would be vital to use this type of data to move forward before Assembly Bill 1482 ("AB 1482") expired; Tom Reeves, who asked about data collected on military housing allowances and vacation rentals; Lori Mazzuca, who asked about Housing Division staffing, its staff budget, and program enforcement; and Adam Pinterits, who said it was important to convey to stakeholders the differences between the Monterey and Salinas rental inventory programs. City Attorney Davi, Housing and Community Development Coordinator Abbasi, and Community Development Director Cole answered Councilmembers’ questions on City Code provisions regarding the program's sunset date of January 1, 2029 and enforcement mechanisms, available data on military housing and vacation rentals, and Housing Division staffing. The Council discussed the registry's merits. It was requested that staff bring the matter back with next steps for the Council's consideration, such as whether to continue the program, details on the program costs and how to appropriately recover them, and any recommended program changes. 14. Receive the 2025 General Plan Annual Report for Review and Comment (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Received report 5  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 Principal Planner Sabdo gave the staff presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions together with Planning Manager Hill. During the questions period, Councilmember Barber left the Chamber from 8:17 p.m. to 8:19 p.m. Public comment was received from: Laura Davis of LandWatch Monterey County, Diane Coward of RevisionWest, Melodie Chrislock of Public Water Now, and Suzanne Worcester, who all advocated for the City to allocate water to support housing projects and address the housing crisis; Kevin Dayton of Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, who provided comment on the report, calling out the need for more units and praising the City for its efforts regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs); Monique Olsen, who expressed frustration over the difficulty of receiving a water allocation; and Adam Pinterits of Monterey County Association of Realtors, who stressed that there was a need for a desalination plant to address the water supply for housing. During public comment Councilmember Smith left the Chamber from 8:39 p.m. to 8:41 p.m. The Council briefly discussed with City Attorney Davi the governance process by which the Council could agendize the consideration of its prior policy on water allocation. A comment was shared by the Council that the public's concern was understood, and that the Council had to be cautious and not make decisions that would jeopardize the City with more risk and cost. 15. Deny a Request for a License Agreement for the Pecos League of Baseball, LLC at Frank E. Sollecito, Jr. Ballpark for Dates in May through July 2026 (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Denied request for a license agreement Recreation Manager Leon and Recreation Supervisor Cota gave the staff presentation and answered Councilmembers' questions. Public comment was received from: Michael Groves of EMC Planning Group and Monterey High School baseball, who spoke in support of the staff recommendation, citing concerns about cost and wear and tear; and Andrew Dunn of Pecos League, who spoke about game security during the 2025 season. The Council discussed the matter briefly. Sadness was expressed to see the way the years of Pecos League baseball had ended up for Monterey. It was stated that if the future held any significant changes that hopefully the City would be open to reconsidering. It was stressed that such a license agreement would have to be profitable or at least be cost- and effort-neutral for the City. The Council thanked the Parks and Recreation Commission for reviewing the matter carefully and making their decision. On a motion by Mayor Williamson, seconded by Councilmember Barber, and carried by the following vote, the City Council denied the request for a license agreement for the Pecos League of Baseball, LLC at Frank E. Sollecito, Jr. Ballpark for dates in May through July 2026: AYES: 5 COUNCILMEMBERS: Barber, Garcia, Rasch, Smith, Williamson NOES: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: (None) Council Comments Councilmember Smith reported that Principal Planner Sabdo had presented to the Cannery Row Rotary Club on the City's progress with the Housing Element and that her presentation had been well received. 6  City Council Minutes March 17, 2026 Mayor Williamson reported on his recent ride-along with Police Officer Mendoza, and thanked the Police Department staff and City staff generally. City Manager Reports Interim City Manager Bauman shared that the public could learn more about the recent fire incident at 800 Casanova Avenue, and view the annual reports from the Police and Fire Departments, on the City website. He invited all to the upcoming Cutting Day event. He shared that Montage Health had recently published an article about the Police Department's Multidisciplinary Outreach Team (MDOT) and said it was linked on the City website. Adjourn to Closed Session Closed Session (Afternoon) Public comment on the closed session was received from Adam Silverstein regarding Item 16, who shared his plan to open a high-end deli at 601 Wave Street. The Council adjourned to closed session at 9:10 p.m. 16. Closed Session Conference with Real Property Negotiators Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8 Property: 601 Wave Street, Suite 500 Agency Negotiators: Kimberly Cole and Janna Aldrete Negotiating Parties: Adam Silverstein (Silverstein's Deli Delights, LLC) Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment for New Lease Agreement (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: On a unanimous roll-call vote, the Council gave confidential direction to property negotiators 17. Conference with Legal Counsel: Anticipated Litigation, Significant Exposure to Litigation Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(2): One Case - Dispute re: Purchase of City-Owned Affordable Housing Unit at 300 Glenwood Circle #189, Nancy Mello, Applicant (Not a Project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: On a unanimous roll-call vote, the Council gave confidential direction to legal counsel Adjournment The Council adjourned at 9:28 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Clementine Bonner Klein Tyller Williamson City Clerk Mayor 7