OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Belmont City Council Regular Meeting Summary — September 8, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, September 8, 2026
BodyBelmont, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 8, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:55:35

Transcript — Verbatim
0:22

All right.

0:23

Calling to order the city council meeting for the city of Belmont.

0:29

It's City Council regular meeting agenda, September eighth, twenty twenty-six.

0:34

We are currently in the City Council chambers, and we are meeting for closed session.

0:40

Before we do, let's go ahead and have roll call, please.

0:44

Good evening and welcome back.

0:46

Councilmember McHugh.

0:48

Present.

0:49

Councilmember Later Miller.

0:51

Here.

0:51

Councilmango Panganaris.

0:53

Present.

0:54

Vice Mayor Jordan.

0:55

Here.

0:56

Mayor Meads?

0:57

Here.

0:58

All present.

0:59

Thank you very much.

1:00

Item three.

1:01

Items before 7 p.m.

1:03

3A is closed session.

1:05

We have two items on the agenda for our closed session.

1:10

If there are any public comment, please raise your virtual hand or leave comment card for our clerk in chambers.

1:17

Madam Clerk, do we have any public comment at this time on closed agenda items?

1:21

No public comments in house or on Sumat.

1:25

All right, thank you.

1:26

Then we will go ahead and recess to our closed session and come back at 7 p.m.

1:37

I just made it.

4:20

All right.

5:03

Great, thank you.

5:05

Item five, report from closed session.

5:08

Good evening, Madam Mayor.

5:10

Tonight we did have a closed session.

5:11

However, we do not have reportable action at this time.

5:15

All right, thank you for that.

5:16

Item six, special presentations.

5:25

I'll go re-ahead and read portions of our proclamation.

5:30

Whereas the City of Belmont will join the county, state, and country in honoring Suicide Prevention Month, September, National Suicide Prevention Week, September 7th through the 13th, and World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th to spread the message that suicide can be prevented.

5:46

And whereas whereas each September communities across the nation deserve observe Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness, spread hope, and inspire meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health challenges of our time.

6:00

And whereas suicidal thoughts, though common, are never normal and often signal deep emotional pain or underlying mental health concerns that deserve compassion, understanding and support, and whereas too often suicide is met with silence or stigma when in reality open conversations, early recognition of warning signs, and access to care can make the difference between life and death.

6:22

And whereas the City of Belmont joins with NAMI, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness and communities across the country, in encouraging all residents to start a conversation, be the difference, knowing that one compassionate conversation can save a life.

6:37

And now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Julia Mates, the mayor of the City of Belmont, on behalf of the Belmont City Council, do hereby designate September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Month in Belmont and urge all residents to raise awareness, fight stigma, and extend hope and support to those affected by suicide.

6:57

So again, that's September Suicide Prevention Month.

7:02

Moving on to our next special proclamation, which is bittersweet.

7:15

So I have the honor of reading a very long proclamation for to honor our very own Carlos de Mello.

7:25

Carlos, it's up to you if you want to stand here.

7:28

We're more than we want to have you kind of front and center there, but also understand it if you don't want to stand for this long.

7:38

I need my steps too.

7:39

All right.

7:40

So this is a proclamation proclamation honoring Carlos de Mello, Planning and Community Development Director on the occasion of retirement.

7:50

Where the City of Belmont proudly recognizes Carlos de Mello for more than 25 years of dedicated public service, leadership, and commitment to the Belmont community.

8:01

And whereas Carlos began his city career on February 2nd, 2000, as a principal planner, quickly demonstrating exceptional knowledge, professionalism, and dedication to serving the public and advancing Belmont's long-term vision.

8:16

And whereas throughout his distinguished career, Carlos assumed increasing leadership responsibilities, serving as acting planning director, interim planning and community development director, and ultimately community development director, a position he has faithfully held since November 1st, 2005.

8:34

Whereas Carlos repeatedly stepped forward during times of transition, serving as acting public works co-director and acting city manager, providing steady leadership, sound judgment, and operational continuity.

8:46

And whereas as acting public works co-director, Carlos oversaw engineering operations, pavement management, traffic and transportation enact uh initiatives, including the retrofit of the historic manor house and improvements to 6th Avenue to create a safer, more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly corridor.

9:05

And whereas among Carlos's most significant accomplishments was serving as project manager for the 2035 General Plan, Phase 1 zoning Belmont Village Specific Plan, and Associated Zoning and Climate Action Plan adopted in 2017 and establishing a long-range framework for Belmont's growth, mobility, sustainability, and community character.

9:25

And whereas Carlos further shaped Belmont's housing and land use policies through the multiple housing element updates, comprehensive zoning amendments, the South El Camino Real Cannabis Overlay District, signage regulations, and implementation of the Belmont Village Specific Plan.

9:42

And whereas Carlos championed placemaking and community identity through the placemaking improvements program, including public art, streetscape guidelines, signage and wayfinding, and contributed to the development of the Belmont Vision Statement.

10:00

And whereas Carlos demonstrated a deep commitment to preserving Belmont's natural and historic resources, serving as project manager for the acquisition of approximately 35 acres of open space in the San Juan Hills, and as co-project manager for the relocation and preservation of the historic Emmett House.

10:14

And whereas Carlos guided an extraordinary range of public and private development projects, including the Bellamida Library, Fire Station 14, Ross Woods, Belmino, Marriott Spring Hill Suites, Hilton Homewood Suites, the Ashton, Firehouse Square, and the 800 to 803 Belmont Avenue Affordable Housing Development, along with numerous other residential, commercial, institutional, and community projects.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement███████████████████████23%
Personnel Matters███████████████████19%
Transportation Safety███████████████15%
Procedural██████████████14%
Capital Improvement Planning████████████12%
Mental Health Awareness███3%
Active Transportation███3%
Land Use Planning██2%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Belmont City Council Regular Meeting Summary — September 8, 2026

The Belmont City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, beginning with a 6:15 PM closed session and reconvening publicly at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers at City Hall, One Twin Pines Lane, Belmont. All five councilmembers—Mayor Julia Mates, Vice Mayor Cathy Jordan, and Councilmembers Robin Pang-Maganaris, Gina Latimerlo, and Tom McCune—were present. The City Attorney reported no reportable action from closed session. The Council unanimously approved the consent calendar, a resolution supporting El Camino Real complete streets planning, and a resolution authorizing design-build preparation for the Community Center project.

Special Presentations

  • Mayor Mates read a proclamation designating September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Month in Belmont, joining NAMI and communities nationwide in encouraging residents to start conversations and fight stigma.
  • The Council recognized Carlos de Melo, Community Development Director, on his retirement after more than 25 years of service. The proclamation highlighted his roles as project manager for the 2035 General Plan, Belmont Village Specific Plan, open space acquisitions, and numerous housing developments, including 25 extremely low-income homes through the San Mateo Mental Health Association development, 66 affordable homes at Firehouse Square, and 125 affordable homes at 800-803 Belmont Avenue.
  • Councilmembers and public speakers praised de Melo's leadership, knowledge, and calm demeanor. Public comments came from Warren Gibson, another speaker, and Charles Stone; Stone said de Melo helped transform Belmont's culture from asking "figure out why not" to "figure out how can we" and left the city better than he found it. De Melo thanked the city, his colleagues, and his wife Juliana, saying he would not miss the San Mateo Bridge but would miss the people and connections.

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmembers promoted upcoming events including the 42nd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, National Night Out, the Imagine Together Festival, Bay Area Transit Month, and the Belmont centennial celebration on October 24, 2026. The City Manager introduced new Administrative Services Director Anais Martinez Aquino.

Consent Calendar

The Council approved the consent calendar 5-0, including:

  • Approval of the July 14, 2026 meeting minutes.
  • A fuel delivery services agreement with Valley Oil Company for a three-year term with two optional one-year extensions.
  • Acceptance of construction and issuance of Notice of Completion for the 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Contract No. 2025-636.
  • Authorization to purchase one Parks and Recreation passenger van for an amount not to exceed $94,490, with a $94,490 budget appropriation from the Fleet and Equipment Management Fund.
  • A three-year agreement with Central Square Technologies for Community Development software subscription and maintenance not to exceed $269,073.25.
  • Amendment No. 3 with the ADU Resource Center for fiscal year 2026-27 services at $29,800, with renewal options of up to two additional one-year terms and an annual escalator of 3% to 5% based on the Consumer Price Index.

Public Comments & Testimony

Non-agenda public comments included:

  • Lucy Dobson of Crestview Park described fire danger from nighttime activity in the Water Dog open space canyon along Club Drive, including exploded Roman candles near her home, and requested warning signs and collaboration between Belmont and San Carlos.
  • Ben Magnifoli, a Carlmont High School senior, reported leading a 15-student bike ride and urged improvements on arterial roads such as Ralston, Alameda, Old County, and El Camino Real to encourage students to bike to school.
  • A property owner with two Belmont properties asked about roadside improvement requirements for a hillside property on Lower Lock Avenue and about the timeline for a certificate of compliance application.
  • A speaker praised the student-organized bike ride and asked the Council to recognize the student leaders.
  • Karen Shane said the fee for closing her street for Halloween had increased from $100 to $300 and requested an adjustment for community safety events.

During the Central El Camino Real item, two public speakers commented. Ben Magnifoli said the proposed bike lanes would be transformative but urged the city to challenge Caltrans' two-lane minimum so dedicated bus lanes could also be included. A second speaker called for prioritizing buses and bikes, argued that bike lanes may not be the best use of the constrained corridor, and suggested improving a parallel route on Old County and Pacific.

Discussion Items

Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan and Complete Streets Resolution (11A)
SamTrans project manager Cassie Halls and Aaron Ferguson of Fair & Pierce presented the final stages of the Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan. The plan covers El Camino Real/State Route 82 through Belmont, San Carlos, San Mateo, and northern Redwood City. Engagement included three phases from 2025 through 2026, an interactive map with over 800 responses, listening sessions, pop-ups, and a walk audit. Across Belmont, over 50% of respondents favored continuous bicycle facilities; there was also support for safer pedestrian crossings, improved bus stops, and more trees. Because Belmont's right-of-way is constrained, the plan advances one cross-section alternative that includes a wider west-side sidewalk, on-street parking, separated bike lanes, and bus boarding islands. SamTrans estimated the countywide Grand Boulevard Initiative could cost up to $1 billion, with SMCTA sales tax funding up to 50%—potentially $500 million—and the remainder to be sought from federal, state, regional, and local sources. The Council adopted a resolution supporting SamTrans and Caltrans' continued coordination through the Caltrans project development process. Councilmember Jordan noted that in a listening session she attended, 100% of the roughly 20-30 participants did not want any parking removed. Councilmember Latimerlo noted the resolution did not lock in a final project and that further refinement and technical analysis would continue. The resolution passed 5-0.

Community Center Design-Build Procurement and Project Labor Agreement Evaluation (11B)
City Manager Afshin Oskoui presented a preparatory step for the Community Center project. The existing center has deferred maintenance, aging infrastructure, and seismic, electrical, fire/life safety, and accessibility needs. A citizen-led parcel tax, Measure Y, on the November 2026 ballot could fund the project. Staff requested authorization to use a design-build delivery framework under state law, evaluate conventional versus progressive design-build, prepare procurement documents, and begin evaluating a project-specific Project Labor Agreement. No design contract, construction commitment, or final project cost was being authorized. Progressive design-build would bring a team in earlier and could provide a guaranteed maximum price, but requires strong owner-side project management. Staff would return to Council for approval before any procurement strategy or PLA is finalized. Councilmember McCune said his initial concerns about prematurity and design-build had been allayed because only staff time and preparation were being authorized. Councilmember Latimerlo expressed support for progressive design-build and PLA-related apprenticeship and workforce benefits. The resolution passed 5-0.

Verbal Reports

  • One councilmember reported that local policymakers warned Caltrain services would be significantly impacted if its tax measure fails.
  • Two councilmembers reported on a housing subcommittee meeting, and one noted that a new deputy community development director would start the following Monday.
  • A councilmember reported on a meeting with the Sequoia Healthcare District and on Rethink Waste site master planning.
  • A councilmember reported that the San Mateo County Transit Authority received 23 shuttle program applications this year, and due to rising costs the matching requirement was reduced from 25% to 10%, likely funding fewer routes.
  • City Manager Oskoui recognized Laura Russell for stepping in as Community Development Director and announced that a centennial preview would be presented at the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Closed session: no reportable action.
  • Consent calendar approved 5-0.
  • Resolution supporting SamTrans/Caltrans El Camino Real complete streets improvements approved 5-0.
  • Resolution authorizing design-build framework and PLA evaluation for the Community Center project approved 5-0.
  • Staff will continue the El Camino Real plan's advancement into Caltrans project development and will return to Council on the Community Center procurement strategy and any proposed PLA before contractual commitments.
  • The Council will celebrate Belmont's centennial on October 24, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Calling to order the city council meeting for the city of Belmont. It's City Council regular meeting agenda, September eighth, twenty twenty-six. We are currently in the City Council chambers, and we are meeting for closed session. Before we do, let's go ahead and have roll call, please. Good evening and welcome back. Councilmember McHugh. Present. Councilmember Later Miller. Here. Councilmango Panganaris. Present. Vice Mayor Jordan. Here. Mayor Meads? Here. All present. Thank you very much. Item three. Items before 7 p.m. 3A is closed session. We have two items on the agenda for our closed session. If there are any public comment, please raise your virtual hand or leave comment card for our clerk in chambers. Madam Clerk, do we have any public comment at this time on closed agenda items? No public comments in house or on Sumat. All right, thank you. Then we will go ahead and recess to our closed session and come back at 7 p.m. I just made it. All right. Great, thank you. Item five, report from closed session. Good evening, Madam Mayor. Tonight we did have a closed session. However, we do not have reportable action at this time. All right, thank you for that. Item six, special presentations. I'll go re-ahead and read portions of our proclamation. Whereas the City of Belmont will join the county, state, and country in honoring Suicide Prevention Month, September, National Suicide Prevention Week, September 7th through the 13th, and World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th to spread the message that suicide can be prevented. And whereas whereas each September communities across the nation deserve observe Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness, spread hope, and inspire meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health challenges of our time. And whereas suicidal thoughts, though common, are never normal and often signal deep emotional pain or underlying mental health concerns that deserve compassion, understanding and support, and whereas too often suicide is met with silence or stigma when in reality open conversations, early recognition of warning signs, and access to care can make the difference between life and death. And whereas the City of Belmont joins with NAMI, which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness and communities across the country, in encouraging all residents to start a conversation, be the difference, knowing that one compassionate conversation can save a life. And now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Julia Mates, the mayor of the City of Belmont, on behalf of the Belmont City Council, do hereby designate September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Month in Belmont and urge all residents to raise awareness, fight stigma, and extend hope and support to those affected by suicide. So again, that's September Suicide Prevention Month. Moving on to our next special proclamation, which is bittersweet. So I have the honor of reading a very long proclamation for to honor our very own Carlos de Mello. Carlos, it's up to you if you want to stand here. We're more than we want to have you kind of front and center there, but also understand it if you don't want to stand for this long. I need my steps too. All right. So this is a proclamation proclamation honoring Carlos de Mello, Planning and Community Development Director on the occasion of retirement.

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