Belmont City Council Regular Meeting – January 14, 2025

The Belmont City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, starting at 6:15 PM in the Council Chambers, City Hall. The meeting included special presentations, public comments, consent calendar approvals, and three general business items. Major actions included adoption of a business license regulation cleanup ordinance, approval of the San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan with a Vision Zero goal, and establishment of council intergovernmental assignments for 2025.

Special Presentations

• Rethink Waste Poster Contest: Third-grade winner Vincent Lee (Belmont Oaks Academy) was recognized for his artwork on daily environmental actions. Emmy Hashizume, Environmental Education Manager, presented the certificate.
• HIP Housing Calendar Contest: Three Belmont student winners (Alice Ma, Harrison Jin, Andy Wangjiang) were honored. Lauren Borrow, Belmont resident and HIP Housing board member, reported that HIP Housing served over 3,900 individuals in 2024, including 139 in Belmont, and provided housing to 650 households countywide.
• AYSO 10UB White Wolves: The U10 boys soccer team was recognized for placing second in the Northern California section tournament. Coaches Christine Carmarker and Neil Desai highlighted the team's teamwork and top-1% performance.

Consent Calendar

All four consent items were approved unanimously (5-0) without separate discussion:

• Approval of December 10, 2024, meeting minutes.
• Resolution accepting completion of San Juan Boulevard Sewer Capacity Improvements Project and authorizing Notice of Completion.
• Resolution installing a two-way stop on Malcolm Avenue at Anita Avenue and a bike box on Ralston Avenue at South Road.
• Resolution appropriating $40,476.36 for the purchase of a Toro Field Pro 6040 Field Groomer from Turf Star.

Public Comments & Testimony

On Items Not on the Agenda:

• Chris Liu announced upcoming library events: Camp Read-a-Lot (Jan 17) and Lunar New Year Celebration (Feb 2).
• Juliana Carlini urged safer cycling infrastructure, noting Ralston Avenue ranked third in local incidents.
• Tom Snyder (37-year resident) expressed concern over wildfire fuel buildup in Water Dog Lake Park and asked the city to clear dead vegetation, citing recent Los Angeles fires.
• Carolyn Hoskins, founder of Domini Hoskins Black History Museum, thanked the council for a prior award and invited the community to Martin Luther King Jr. Day events.
• Victor Garza, a property owner on Alhambra Drive, questioned the city's recognition of lot mergers it had previously created, seeking clarity on land use.
• Max Reinhardt, a real estate agent, criticized the city's certificate of compliance process as overly complicated and delayed compared to the county.
• Teresa Patel, Alexia Patel, and Angina Patel described a December 30 armed car theft incident at their home, urging better police funding, community communication, and emergency alert systems. They noted the police responded quickly but no public alert was issued.
• Paul Martin, a neighbor, supported the Patel family and called for increased safety measures.
• Tiffany Obayashi requested a barrier on Ralston Avenue east of 280 to protect pedestrians from high-speed traffic, citing ADA compliance concerns.

On Consent Calendar Item 9C (Bike Box):

• Juliana Carlini praised the bike box but requested updated signage ("Bicycles May Use Full Lane" instead of "Share the Road") and a red sign allowing cyclists to proceed through the stop bar.
• Mike Swire, former Belmont resident and CTAG Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee chair, echoed the signage request and thanked the council for the improvements.

On General Business 11B (Roadway Safety Plan):

• Juliana Carlini criticized the city for not implementing proven solutions like protected bike lanes, and asked for earlier input on the LRSP.
• Mike Swire urged lower speed limits near schools, coordinated bike routes with adjacent cities, and installation of bike lanes on Upper Ralston. He noted that many neighboring cities have already adopted lower speed limits.

Discussion Items

11A – Business License Regulation Clean-Up, Solicitor Regulation Amendment, and Category 4 Tax Rate Adjustment Assistant City Manager Kathy Kleinbaum presented the item. Measure DD passed with 85% voter approval in November 2024, consolidating business license tax regulations into Chapter 23. The ordinance repeals superseded provisions in Chapters 12 and 19 and updates solicitor regulations. The resolution adjusts the Category 4 cannabis business tax rate to 6% (from a maximum of 10%) to align with surrounding jurisdictions. Councilmember McCune asked about fingerprint renewal for solicitors; staff confirmed automatic updates. Councilmember Lademarolo asked about changing the rate; staff said a new resolution could be brought anytime. The item was approved unanimously (5-0).

11B – Adoption of San Mateo Countywide Local Roadway Safety Plan and Vision Zero Goal Tracy Scromalia (Assistant Public Works Director) and Jeff LeCapp (CCAG Transportation Systems Coordinator) presented. The plan, adopted by CCAG in June 2024, uses a Safe System approach and identifies priority locations for Belmont, including multiple segments on Ralston Avenue. The plan includes a Vision Zero goal to eliminate all traffic fatalities and reduce non-fatal crashes by 2040. The presentation highlighted that the plan was developed with input from all 21 jurisdictions, over 500 online comments, and in-person events (e.g., Belmont Farmers Market). The plan positions Belmont for state and federal safety grants. Councilmember Lademarolo asked about crash data context; staff noted that the SWITRS data often lacks detail, but local engineering staff review every serious collision with police. Councilmember McCune asked about measuring safety for school walk routes; staff described annual walk audits and the Safe Routes to School program. The item was approved unanimously (5-0).

11C – Council Intergovernmental Assignments for Calendar Year 2025 City Manager Afshin Oskoui presented the annual reallocation of committee assignments. Four committees were recommended for retirement: Business License Tax Modernization Subcommittee, Carlmont High School Pilot, Crossing Guard Pilot Program, and Placemaking Ad Hoc Subcommittee, and Stanford Ad Hoc Committee. The discussion also included forming a new subcommittee for the Community Center liaison with the Belmont Community Foundation. Councilmembers expressed interest in various assignments. The final assignments were to be approved by motion after the discussion; the transcript cut off before the vote, but the agenda indicates that the council would consider changes and approve the list. (Note: The transcript ends mid-discussion, so the final vote on this item is not captured. The council likely approved the assignments by motion later in the meeting.)

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved all four items unanimously (5-0).
• 11A Business License Ordinance and Resolution: Approved unanimously (5-0). The ordinance repeals superseded business license code sections and updates solicitor regulations. The resolution sets the cannabis business tax rate at 6%.
• 11B Roadway Safety Plan and Vision Zero Goal: Approved unanimously (5-0). The city adopts the countywide LRSP and commits to eliminating traffic fatalities by 2040.
• 11C Intergovernmental Assignments: Council discussed and agreed on a preliminary list of assignments, including retirement of four committees, formation of a Community Center subcommittee, and reassignment of CCAG representation (Mayor Mates as primary, Vice Mayor Pang Maganaris as alternate). The formal vote was not recorded in the transcript, but it is expected to have passed.