Davis City Council Meeting: December 3, 2024 – Proclamations, Camping Ordinance, Fire Station, and Commission Reforms
Davis City Council Meeting: December 3, 2024
The Davis City Council met on December 3, 2024, at 6:34 PM, adjourning after 11:35 PM. The meeting featured ceremonial proclamations, a contentious debate on a camping ordinance, direction on Fire Station 31 improvements, approval of a tree permit appeal board, and adoption of a new commission-initiated task review process. The council also extended a pass-through agreement with Yolo County and reviewed the long-range calendar.
Consent Calendar
- Item 4A: Second reading of an ordinance amending sewer regulations (adopted).
- Item 4C: Commission minutes approved.
- Item 4B was pulled for separate discussion (see below).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Camping Ordinance (Item 4B): Over a dozen speakers, including Tracy Olsen (Yolo County Public Defender), representatives from Aggie House, Hope at Davis, and community members, opposed the ordinance, arguing it criminalizes homelessness without adequate shelter alternatives. Several noted that misdemeanor convictions hinder access to housing. A small number of speakers supported the ordinance, citing public health and safety concerns.
- Commission Reforms (Item 6B): Speakers like Alan Hirsch and Elaine Roberts Musser criticized the proposed process as limiting commission autonomy and violating the Brown Act.
- Tree Ordinance (Item 6A): Alan Hirsch opposed the changes, citing lack of public input and potential for reduced tree protections.
- Other: Comments on tree maintenance, bike path hazards, air quality, and sidewalk resources.
Discussion Items
- Item 4B – Camping Regulations Ordinance (Second Reading): Councilmember Neville proposed three amendments: 48-hour notice (except emergencies), informing individuals of available services, and a first-time infraction (escalating to misdemeanor on second violation). Staff noted current 72-hour notice practices and preferred a misdemeanor penalty for officer discretion. The motion to amend failed. A substitute motion to adopt the ordinance as written passed 3-2 (Mayor Chapman, Councilmember Arnold, Councilmember Partida in favor; Vice Mayor Vaitla, Councilmember Neville opposed). The council then directed staff to return with a companion resolution outlining implementation guardrails, passed 5-0.
- Item 5 – Fire Station 31 Improvements: Staff presented three location options: existing Fifth Street site (cost $41.6M), Fifth Street with residential ($126.4M), and Civic Center site ($37M). Council consensus favored eliminating the Civic Center site due to impacts on park space, school routes, and traffic. Staff will proceed with design for the Fifth Street location and explore feasibility of adding residential units, returning with cost estimates and financing options.
- Item 6A – Tree Permit Appeal Board: The council introduced an ordinance establishing a three-member appeal board (city manager, community development director, and outside arborist) to hear appeals on tree removal permits. The board would meet quarterly. The motion passed 5-0.
- Item 6B – Commission-Initiated Task Review Process: After public comment and discussion, the council approved the staff recommendation creating a process for commissions to request council approval before agendizing new tasks requiring significant city resources. The council also formed a subcommittee (Councilmembers Neville and Partida) to evaluate the process for one year. The motion passed 5-0.
- Item 7 – Yolo County/City of Davis Pass Through Agreement Extension MOU: The council authorized the city manager to execute an MOU extending development restrictions to 2037, aligning with tax increment payments. Approved 5-0.
- Item 8 – City Council Long Range Calendar: No action taken; next meeting scheduled for December 17, 2024.
Key Outcomes
- Camping ordinance adopted 3-2; companion resolution to be developed.
- Fire Station 31: directed to design at Fifth Street site; Civic Center site eliminated.
- Tree Permit Appeal Board established (5-0).
- Commission-initiated task process approved (5-0) with a one-year trial and subcommittee review.
- Pass Through Agreement MOU extension approved (5-0).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the December 3rd meeting of the Davis City Council. Uh let the record reflect it's 6 34 p.m. Uh and to my right and left, all of my colleagues are here, so we have a quorum. Uh with that, I will um turn to my c one of my colleagues and entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So moved a second. Oh we have a motion by Vice Mayor Vitla, a second by Councilmember Neville. Any further discussion on the agenda? All right. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Oppose, abstain. Motion carries 5-0. And we have an agenda. Thank you. Um all right. So this evening we have a few ceremonial presentations. Uh I recognize some folks here that are that are for those. Um so to start, we are going to do a proclamation recognizing the history and legacy of the Brasero program. And I'm going to turn to Vice Mayor Vitla uh for that proclamation. Thank you, Mayor Tabman. And uh if Moses Moreno Antonio, if you'd like to come up uh during this proclamation, please please feel free to do so. Anyone really make it. Sure. Come on up. Come on up. Yeah, yeah. Professor Del Vera, you can come up too. The Brasero program was a historical agreement signed on August 4th, 1942. And it ended on December 31st, 1964. It was vital to YOLO County and monumental to our society. When the United States was in need of labor during World War II, it imported over four million Mexican nationals to work to pick agricultural crops and work in other industries. YOLO County received the largest number of brassero workers that resided resided in California. Brasero stimulated technological advancements and growth of the University of California, Berkeley, and Davis, making them world-renowned research institutions. Although the Brasero laborers were contracted seasonally, it created a path for brasseras to eventually relocate to YOLO County with their families and their children to gain educational opportunities. The program provided opportunity, hope, and determination in the face of daily injustice and hardship, and also had shortcomings, inequalities and inequalities. Now, therefore, we, the Davis City Council, on behalf of the residents of Davis, recognize December 31st, 1964 as the 60th anniversary of the end of the Brasero program and encouraged the Davis community to learn and remember the importance of the Brasero program and agricultural workers in our local economy. She's taken down the exhibit of the Brasero history in Yolo County at the county offices, so that's why she couldn't make it. He was a federal deputy, uh, where he was very outspoken on behalf of land reform and the keto system. Um so as many braseros did, he found opportunity back home in Mexico at the end of his of his time. Um so uh just to bring it full circle. My dad is now a professor of mathematics at UC Davis. Uh UC Davis obviously uh has a lot of interrelated history with the Brasero program. It is here that the tomato mechanical harvester was first developed in 1964 as a response to the end of the Brasero program. Farmers looking to mechanize in response to that labor shortage. Uh and I suppose I worked at the U.S. Department of State, which first authorized the Brussero program, and uh now work for the United Farm Workers, which played a very important role in actually ending the Brissero program due to the concerns of the exploitation that it was causing. So I think you know, some proud family history here. Uh we're obviously very proud to live in Davis as well and be part of that community history uh and some nice full circles there in our family, and I think for the whole Mexican American community. So I guess on behalf of many, many, many more important people than me. Thank you for doing this, and we appreciate it.
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