Davis City Council Regular Meeting – November 19, 2024

The Davis City Council met on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers, 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, California. Mayor Josh Chapman presided with Vice Mayor Bapu Vaitla and Councilmembers Will Arnold, Donna Neville, and Gloria Partida present; City Manager Mike Webb and City Attorney Inder Khalsa were also present. The Council approved the agenda 5-0. There was no consent calendar. The meeting included retirement and swearing-in ceremonies, a wastewater local limits public hearing, an update on the Village Farms Davis project, and long-range calendar business. The transcript indicates the meeting continued past 9 p.m. after a brief recess.

Ceremonial Presentations

• The Council read and presented a proclamation honoring retiring Police Chief Darren Pytel for 41 years of service. Chief Pytel began as a City of Davis cadet in 1983 at age 14, became a police officer in 1991, and served as Police Chief from December 31, 2015, through retirement. The proclamation noted his leadership during COVID-19, the death of Officer Natalie Corona, and the spring 2023 stabbings and homicides.
• Deputy Director of Police Services Jean Lyon spoke about Chief Pytel's behind-the-scenes leadership and legacy, including the department's 'serve with pride, enforce the law, and guard individual human rights' culture.
• Representatives from Congressman Mike Thompson, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Senator Bill Dodd, and Yolo County Supervisors Frerichs and Provenza presented state, federal, and county recognitions.
• Each Councilmember, former Councilmember Rochelle Swanson, Police Accountability Commission representative Robert Canning, UC Davis Police Chief Joe Farrow, and community member Norby Kumegai spoke in praise of Chief Pytel's compassion and professionalism.
• Chief Pytel then administered the oath of office to incoming Police Chief Todd Henry. Chief Henry thanked Chief Pytel, the Davis community, the police department, City Council, City Manager Mike Webb, and his family, and promised to lead with compassion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General public comment included: Alan Hurst expressed post-election concerns and offered 'love and hope' signs; Alan Miller criticized transportation planning and advocated replacing Measure J with an urban limit; Antonio Delavera Bruce congratulated re-elected Councilmembers and urged continued sanctuary city and affordable housing work; a prerecorded AFSCME 3299 commenter announced a UC system strike at Davis on November 20-21, 2024, and encouraged support for patient care and service workers.
• Public comment on the Village Farms Davis update included broad support from speakers such as Patrick Huber, Norby Kumigai, Mikey, Susanna, Heather Caswell, Douglas Sharp, and Victor Lagunus, who emphasized the need for affordable and 'missing middle' housing, support for the biological resource preservation alternative, and benefits to schools and families.
• Opposition and concerns were raised by Eileen Samitz, Navy McLaughlin, Ron Ortell, Elizabeth Ray, Nancy Price, and Alan Miller, citing risks from building on a 200-acre floodplain, proximity to the old unlined city landfill and PFAS contamination, traffic and dangerous road conditions at Covell and Pole Line, infrastructure costs, wastewater and water capacity, and the need for a new fire station.

Discussion Items

• Wastewater Local Limits Public Hearing: Public Works Utilities and Operations Director Stan Gryczko presented the proposed ordinance amending Section 33.03.080 of the Municipal Code. The existing local limits were developed in 1993 and last modified in 2013. A new study completed in July 2020 and approved by the State Water Resources Control Board on December 28, 2023, supports removing some pollutant limits, adding others, and relaxing several numeric limits to reflect upgraded wastewater treatment and changed source water. The proposed changes include removing hexavalent chromium and several chlorinated/VOC compounds, adding ammonia as N, arsenic, chromium, molybdenum, and cyanide, and relaxing limits on cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, zinc, BOD, and TSS. Staff recommended CEQA exemptions under Guidelines Sections 15263 and 15308. Following public hearing with no public speakers, Councilmember Neville moved and Vice Mayor Vaitla seconded the staff recommendation. The motion passed 5-0, approving introduction of the first reading of the ordinance.
• Village Farms Davis Project Update: Community Development Director Sherri Metzker and Principal Planner Dara Dungworth provided an informational update on the CEQA process and project application. No formal action was taken. The original April 2023 application proposed 1,800 dwelling units on 390.5 acres. The revised proposed project expanded to 497.5 acres after the groundwater recharge area was replaced by an enlarged Urban Agricultural Transition Area. The applicant has requested that the Biological Resources Preservation Alternative (BRPA) be analyzed as an equal weight alternative; it preserves a 47.1-acre alkali playa habitat area, keeps 1,800 units, increases affordable units to 360 (20%), includes 90 down payment assistance homes and 1,040 missing middle/affordable-by-design units, and increases gross density to 8.59 dwelling units per acre from 7.09.
• Staff reported that the Administrative Draft EIR was received that morning, with the Draft EIR planned for a 45-day public review in early 2025, a Final EIR by May 2025, Planning Commission review in late May/early June 2025, City Council hearing on June 17, 2025, and a potential November 2025 ballot measure.
• During Council discussion, applicant consultant Michelle Swanson responded to public comments on stormwater, floodplain, Channel A, water and sewer capacity, and the fire station. City Manager Mike Webb explained that a development agreement, baseline project features, conditions of approval, fiscal analysis, and tax-sharing agreement will be developed in parallel with the EIR. The applicant confirmed that the 360 high-density units are all income-qualified and that the 1,040 missing middle homes are expected to be priced in the $600,000-$700,000 range, with a down payment assistance program equal to 15% of the purchase price, described as 75% of a 20% down payment.
• Councilmember Arnold said he believes Davis needs projects of this size, that Village Farms is the best location for it, and that the project would improve flood protection and fire response times. Councilmember Neville asked about bicycle/pedestrian crossing feasibility; staff responded that negotiations with Union Pacific have stopped, and financial feasibility would become clearer during development agreement negotiations.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved 5-0.
• Proclamation honoring Chief Darren Pytel adopted; Chief Todd Henry sworn in as Davis Police Chief.
• City Council introduced the first reading of Ordinance No. ___ amending Section 33.03.080 and found the action exempt from CEQA; vote was 5-0.
• Village Farms Davis update was received; no formal action taken. Administrative Draft EIR will be reviewed, and Draft EIR public release is expected in early 2025.
• No AB 1234 meeting reports were submitted, and no items were added to the City Council Long Range Calendar.