Benicia City Council Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Benicia City Council met at 6:00 PM on October 20, 2026, in the Council Chambers at Benicia City Hall. All five council members were present; City Manager Mario Giuliani participated via Zoom. The council adopted the agenda, heard two proclamations, approved consent items, approved a Valero standstill agreement, established a sidewalk vending fee, introduced a data center zoning ordinance, and acted on quarterly policy requests.

Proclamations and Opening Items

• Mayor Steve Young proclaimed October 18-24, 2026 as United Against Hate Week. A representative from the group thanked the city, noted that Benicia was the first Solano County city to sign on for multiple years, and urged other cities to join.
• Mayor Young proclaimed October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, citing statistics that nearly one in three women and one in four men have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner. Bisa French, Executive Director of the Family Justice Center, accepted the proclamation and said an annual vigil would be held Thursday at City Park from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m.
• The agenda was adopted 5-0. No non-agenda public comments were offered.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar included amendments to Valero Benicia Redevelopment (VBR) review support agreements with not-to-exceed amounts of $935,800 for CSG, $1,657,371 for FCS, and $1,674,788 for Good City, all extended through June 30, 2030; an OpenGov, Inc. grants management software agreement not to exceed $307,871.21 through June 30, 2032; acceptance of the 2026 Citywide Curb Ramp Improvements Project; and an ordinance prohibiting fishing from the Benicia Marina boat launch float.
• Items 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14E were approved 5-0. Item 14D was pulled for separate discussion.
• On 14D, Laura Grundman asked to postpone the vote, arguing the fishing community had not been adequately notified and that marina staff had previously posted signs even when fishing was allowed. Scott Trumer, a 26-year slipholder, supported the restriction, saying it stopped damage and disruption and that fishing remains available at other locations. City Manager Giuliani said updated signs would list alternative fishing locations. The council approved 14D 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No non-agenda public comments were made during the general public comment period.
• On the marina fishing restriction, Laura Grundman opposed the item and urged postponement; Scott Trumer supported it as a damage-prevention measure.
• On the Valero standstill agreement, public commenters raised tank and pipeline safety, map transparency, pipe corrosion inspection, and air pollution concerns; one commenter thanked the city for the agreement and asked about the term and checkpoints.
• On data centers, commenters were divided. Kathy Carrige, Steve Gottlob, Shana Deutsch, Jack Colk, and others called for a moratorium or more time; one commenter said data center outcomes elsewhere had been poor. Former Vice Mayor Tom Campbell provided historical water supply context, including Benicia's over 30,000 acre-feet of paper allocation, about 27,000 acre-feet tied to state agreements, and drought-year shortfalls. Courtney Vasek asked whether the city could pass the ordinance and also adopt a moratorium. Kyle Crawl, speaking for the Western Steel Council, supported the ordinance and opposed a moratorium. Brett Nelson of the Citizens Oversight Industrial Safety Commission asked about tax revenue and industrial safety monitoring.
• On quarterly policy requests, Steve Gottlob said the proposals sounded interesting, encouraged the dog park idea, and urged consideration of tourism resources.

Valero Standstill Agreement (15A)

• The council approved a standstill agreement with Valero. City Manager Giuliani explained that the city considers refined fuel importation an unpermitted use after the refinery stopped refining; Valero disagrees, and the agreement preserves both interpretations while the city withholds enforcement in exchange for state funding. Valero is not paying the city; the state funding serves as consideration.
• The state appropriated $5,250,000: AB113 provides $3,750,000 for Fuel Import Operations and $1,500,000 for Community Benefit for Valero Fuel Importation. The agreement covers an initial period through the end of the fiscal year; a second year would require an additional $7 million state allocation. City Attorney staff cited Section 6B, noting the agreement automatically terminates if milestones, including the second payment, are not met by January 15, 2028.
• Fire Chief Josh Chadwick said Valero disbanded its fire brigade but retains two fire stations, an engine, a ladder truck, a foam tender, and a substantial foam supply that the city would be trained to use. Monitoring requirements from the Bay Area Air District remain unchanged, and pre-fire plans are required for each tank.
• Public comment is summarized above. The resolution passed unanimously.

Sidewalk Vending Permit Fee (15B)

• Staff recommended an $88 annual sidewalk vending permit fee to recover administrative costs, effective 30 days after adoption, and noted the fee is lower than neighboring cities including Vallejo and Vacaville. The council also found the fee exempt from CEQA under Guideline 15061(b)(3).
• Mayor Young said he voted against the underlying sidewalk vending ordinance and voted no on the fee. The resolution passed 4-1.

Data Center Zoning Ordinance (15C)

• Assistant City Manager Suzanne Thorson presented an ordinance amending BMC Title 17 to make data centers a conditional use in Benicia's four industrial districts. It would require a use permit and public hearing, cap electrical capacity at 20 megawatts, limit power to renewable or grid energy, prohibit internal combustion equipment including diesel generators, require water conservation, and impose light and noise standards. The ordinance would also eliminate caretaker housing in industrial districts. There is no pending application. The Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0 on September 10, 2026.
• As originally proposed, smaller facilities under 5 megawatts and 50,000 square feet could receive a director-level hearing; the adopted amendment requires all data center use permit applications to go to the Planning Commission.
• Council discussion focused on backup battery fire risk, cumulative impacts, water supply and drought curtailment, the 20-megawatt cap, the generator prohibition, and the short time between first and second reading. The City Attorney said an emergency moratorium would require findings and would be difficult to justify without an application; passing the ordinance now was described as the fastest way to close the by-right loophole. Councilmember Birdseye said early estimates suggest data centers could generate $5 million to $10 million per year in utility user tax revenue and moved approval with the Planning Commission amendment.
• Public comment is summarized above. The council voted 4-1 to waive the first reading, read the ordinance by title only, and introduce it, with Councilmember Scott voting no because he wanted more time for public review. A second reading is scheduled for October 27, 2026, with the ordinance taking effect 30 days after adoption if approved.

Quarterly Policy Issue Requests (15D)

• The council considered seven two-step requests. Councilmember Largaespada submitted four: public access/customer assistance, entertainment zone, residential sidewalk repair partnership, and special event tourism investment. Councilmember Scott submitted two: dog park and one percent for art. Mayor Young submitted one: reducing city manager contract signing authority from $200,000 to $100,000.
• After presentations and public comment, the council advanced five items to future scheduling/goal setting: public access/customer assistance, entertainment zone, residential sidewalk repair partnership, dog park exploration, and one percent for art. The special event tourism investment and the mayor's contracting-authority proposal were not advanced.

ACT Task Force Updates and Committee Reports

• Mayor Young gave brief oral updates on Bay Area Air District matters: a $5 billion opportunity grant was awarded; several nonprofits received seed grants; the board directed staff to review the program within six months; a reimbursement cash-flow issue was being raised; and the gas appliance ban will receive a final vote on November 4, 2026.
• Council members provided committee reports by exception; no other substantive reports were presented.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted agenda 5-0.
• Approved consent items 14A, 14B, 14C, and 14E 5-0 and 14D 5-0.
• Approved the Valero standstill agreement, authorized the City Manager to implement $5.25 million in state funding, and authorized budget adjustments, 5-0.
• Established an $88 sidewalk vending permit fee, 4-1.
• Introduced the data center zoning ordinance with an amendment requiring Planning Commission review for all applications; second reading scheduled for October 27, 2026; passed 4-1.
• Advanced five of seven quarterly policy requests for future council scheduling/goal setting.