Auburn City Council Meeting Summary – August 25, 2026

The Auburn City Council met at 1225 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA, for its regular meeting beginning at 6 p.m. local time. The agenda and raw transcript list the meeting date as August 24, 2026, while the provided meeting timestamp is 2026-08-25 14:00:00+00:00; the title uses the supplied timestamp date. Mayor Kelly Davis presided, joined by Councilmembers Amara, Dowdin Calvillo, Rodel Harris, and later incoming Councilmember Bridget Powers.

Proclamation and Agenda

• Mayor Davis proclaimed September 2026 as Hunger Action Month. Denise of the Auburn Interfaith Food Closet thanked the council and reported that the all-volunteer food closet has about 220 volunteers, serves about 32,000 people per year (about 3,000 per month), and spends 94 cents of every donated dollar on food; she described local food insecurity at about 12 percent and said 80 to 84 percent of those served are within Auburn city limits.
• The council voted 3-1 to reorder the agenda so the Pacific Avenue bicycle item (item 11) would be heard before the city council vacancy appointment (item 10). Councilmember Dowdin Calvillo voted no, saying the newly appointed member should participate.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent calendar as amended, covering all items except item 5, by a single roll-call vote. Approvals included:
  • Selecting Council Member Dowdin Calvillo as voting delegate to the League of California Cities Annual Conference.
  • Rescinding Resolution 2003-27 and affirming support for the Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council.
  • Receiving and filing the July 2026 monthly investment transactions report and the investment report for the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
  • Authorizing the Economic Development Director to accept a $10,000 Placer Community Foundation grant.
  • Conducting the second reading and adoption of the ordinance amending Auburn Municipal Code Section 159.180 on mobile food vendors.
  • Authorizing the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 8 with Trihydro Corporation for MS4 compliance services.
  • Authorizing a construction agreement with Gabe Mendez, Inc. for the Airport Industrial Park Storm Drain Crossing Improvement Project at a total not-to-exceed amount of $92,400, including 10 percent contingency, and finding the project categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 and 15302.
  • Authorizing the Public Works Director to execute the Notice of Completion for the 2026 ADA Curb Ramp Upgrade Project.
• Councilmember Dowdin Calvillo pulled item 5 to thank the Placer Community Foundation and the Downtown Business Association; the council then approved the grant acceptance by separate motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• In non-agenda public comment, residents spoke about automated license plate readers/Flock cameras. Jared Lovell and others opposed the cameras, calling them an offensive surveillance system and asking the council to turn them off. Spencer Delling called the system unconstitutional and asked the council to cancel contracts, remove cameras, and require transparency and a public vote. Eric Robb warned about data sharing with other agencies and potential misuse. Dory Havilin and retired deputy sheriff Rich Nielsen supported the cameras, saying they help law enforcement catch criminals and made Nielsen feel safer; he credited an LPR with saving his life.
• A member of the public criticized the council for an alleged exception to election filing rules involving Mayor Davis. The mayor and clerk responded that the council took no reportable action in closed session and that the clerk had issued a press release.
• Other non-agenda comments announced the reopening of the Auburn Library, sought volunteers for Placer Repertory Theater, promoted a Chamber/EDC digital search class on September 1, and congratulated the council on a kickball win over the Chamber of Commerce.
• Mayor Davis noted five emailed public comments on Flock/ALPRs: four opposed and one in favor. She also announced a September 21 town hall on automated license plate readers at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room.

Discussion Items

Pacific Avenue Bicycle Facilities

• Public Works Director Mengel Dean said the project approved July 13, 2026 had not properly accounted for existing on-street parking. The original design used 12-foot travel lanes; staff had placed temporary red-curb markings that indicated removal of parking, prompting community concerns. Staff presented two revised options for the Sacramento Street to Gum Lane segment:
  • Option 1: five-foot bike lanes on both sides with parallel parking on one side, leaving about 102 on-street parking spaces.
  • Option 2: both bicycle facilities on one side of the roadway separated by a two-foot buffer, with parallel parking on the residential side, preserving about 122 on-street parking spaces and allowing the bike lane to be temporarily closed for large events.
• Public comment was extensive and split. Soccer club leaders and parents said parking loss and child safety were serious issues. Celeste Low of Auburn Youth Soccer said the club has over 50 teams and 700 players; Sarah Moulton of 49er United said a normal weekend has 10-plus matches and roughly 200 families, and the club was not notified of the parking changes. Railhead-area residents, including Dory Havilin and Brenda Tepfer, described speeding, accidents, overflowing neighborhood parking, and the need for resident and guest parking. One resident, Julie, said she counted 102 pedestrians, 31 dogs, 435 cars, and 100 bikes during 19.5 hours of observation and questioned dedicating a third of the road to bicycle use.
• Many cyclists and active-transportation supporters urged the council to proceed with a bike lane, with most preferring Option 2. Bob Peterson of Sierra Foothills Cycling Club called Option 2 the safest and most flexible. Alex Anderson cited the elimination of door-zone bike lanes; Sean, a deaf parent, said a protected lane would give him peace of mind; Katie Evans cited Davis as an example. Tony Marengo of Bicycle Emporium preferred Option 1 for intersection clarity but said Option 2 would need protective barriers.
• Other speakers suggested a third option or broader changes: sidewalks and traffic calming, a crosswalk near Railhead, extending bike facilities to Gum Lane, more off-street parking at Railhead/overlook/state lots, and painted speed-limit markings. Speaker Steve Hyatt, chair of the Planning Commission, said a do-nothing approach was not reasonable and supported Option 2.
• During council deliberation, staff clarified that green paint, signage, speed-limit markings, and possible rumble strips could be added, and that outreach with ARD and user groups would identify event days when the bike lane could be closed. Staff said ADA-compliant crosswalks were difficult because the existing gravel/dirt walkways do not meet ADA standards but agreed to investigate whether a compliant crossing was feasible and at what cost. The city manager warned that a prolonged delay would increase contractor costs; the council had already incurred costs from pausing the contract.

Appointment to City Council

• The city clerk reported five applications for the vacant council seat; two applicants did not meet the residency requirement and one withdrew, leaving two eligible candidates.
• Felicia Joy-to-Prosper said she loved Auburn's small-town character and was encouraged to apply by a client; she emphasized road maintenance and local business concerns, said she had not researched the budget question, and expressed interest in continuing to serve.
• Bridget Powers, a former Auburn mayor and former Placer County chief of staff, emphasized financial stability, public safety, rebuilding reserves, collaborating with Placer County, preserving historic character, and supporting the arts. She said she was running in the November election.
• Public comment on this item asked the new council member to delay filling the planning commission vacancy until after the general plan and EIR had advanced to council.
• The council appointed Bridget Powers by motion and second. The roll call was 4-0 in favor. City Clerk administered the oath of office.
• After the appointment, the council noted that the new membership made Auburn's council the first all-female council in Auburn and Placer County history, and only the second in the capital region; West Sacramento had the first in 2023.

ARD Annual Park Impact Mitigation Fee Report

• Kale Muscott of the Auburn Recreation and Park District (ARD) presented the annual park impact mitigation fee report for the fiscal year ending March 31. No projects used city mitigation funds last year.
• Upcoming mitigation-funded projects include a new Recreation Park playground and ADA path of travel estimated at $120,000, with $120,000 in city mitigation fees proposed, and an emergency exit from Recreation Park to Auburn Folsom Road with an estimate increased to $80,000.
• Other ARD projects noted were Ashford Park levee and culvert repairs covered by insurance, a Banksfield scoreboard with $7,500 from ARD plus Little League contributions, and replacement of the damaged, not-to-code gazebo funded by insurance. Discovery Club is sold out with a waitlist.
• The council thanked Muscott and received the report without further action.

Reports, Future Agenda, and Closed Session

• City Manager report: August service milestones recognized, including Economic Development Director Jonathan Wright at 5 years, Fire Captain James Murphy at 5 years, Battalion Chief Matt Jelly at 5 years, and Andy Furkin at 20 years.
• Future agenda items: the mayor and city manager will convene stakeholders to discuss high school event parking in the Roby Point area.
• Committee reports: an Economic Development town hall was well attended, with a follow-up in October; SACOG meeting lacked a quorum; the all-female council milestone was noted.
• The scheduled closed session items, including a potential litigation matter and the City Manager appointment, were continued to the next regular council meeting on September 14, 2026. The motion carried; Councilmember Rodel Harris was not in chambers for the vote.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda reordered 3-1 to move the Pacific Avenue item before the council appointment.
• Consent calendar approved; item 5 approved separately.
• Option 2 for the Pacific Avenue bicycle facilities was approved, with directions to staff to:
  • conduct outreach with community, park users, ARD, and other user groups on when to temporarily close the bike lane for parking and events;
  • investigate an ADA-compliant crosswalk location, requirements, costs, and feasibility separate from the striping project;
  • incorporate traffic-calming discussion and possible rumble strips/buffer treatments into the project or related efforts.
• Bridget Powers was appointed to fill the council vacancy by a 4-0 vote and was sworn in.
• The ARD annual park impact mitigation fee report was received and filed.
• Closed session was continued to September 14, 2026.