OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Davis City Council Meeting – January 21, 2025: Proclamations, Camping Ordinance, Down Payment Assistance

City Council & Planning Commission — Tuesday, January 21, 2025
BodyDavis, California
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateTuesday, January 21, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:46:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Councilmember Neville.

0:08

Any discussion?

0:09

All in favor say aye.

0:10

Aye.

0:11

Nay.

0:11

Abstained.

0:12

We have an agenda passes five to zero.

0:15

We're gonna start by having a ceremonial presentation for our outgoing mayor Josh Chapman.

0:23

Unless Staff wants to start, I'll go ahead and read the proclamation that we put together for Josh.

0:30

Great.

0:34

Where is Josh Chapman was elected to a four-year term on the Davis City Council in November 2020 to represent District 5 and was re-elected in 2024 for a second term?

0:45

And whereas Councilmember Chapman was selected to be the 43rd Mayor of Davis by his council colleagues on December 12th, 2023, and was sworn in by his sons Owen and Quinton on January 9th, 2024.

0:58

Whereas Mayor Chapman was born and raised in Maine and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from New Hampshire College in 2002 before moving to San Francisco in 2005 to pursue his Master of Education degree with a focus on equity and social justice from San Francisco State University.

1:15

And where is Mayor Chapman brought his knowledge and passion for civil rights, equal opportunity, and economic justice to a wide range of topics in 2024, including inclusionary housing, climate change, and development projects.

1:28

And whereas Mayor Chapman played an important role in the discussion and framing of the 2024-2025 city council goals through a consensus building process that will help guide the organization and enrich a thriving community through transparency and targeted action.

1:45

And where is during Mayor Chapman's tenure, the city council authorized funding to further projects to meet a variety of community interests, including enhancements to community park, sports court rehabilitation, and grant funding to contribute to the construction of the South Davis Library.

2:01

And whereas Mayor Chapman was a supporter of local businesses and their role and importance in the economic development and vitality of the community, often as an intermediary between agencies, businesses, and staff, providing astute insights in multiple perspectives.

2:16

And whereas Mayor Chapman reflected the values of the Davis community, stepping up in times of need to advocate for everyone deserving to feel safe and welcome no matter where we come from or how long we've lived in Davis.

2:30

Now, therefore, the Davis City Council on behalf of the citizens of Davis honors Mayor Josh Chapman for his many contributions to the Davis community during his 2024 mayorship.

2:47

Josh, we're gonna give us a proclamation.

3:06

Yeah, Councilmember Porteo.

3:08

I'd like to start because I think I've served the longest uh with Josh, and so I've I think I've seen him in all sorts of different uh situations, and I have to say that I am it's been an honor to serve with you, Josh.

3:24

Um clearly your uh concern and well-being for the community comes out in everything you do and every decision that you've made.

3:34

Um I think that uh it's it's really one of the things that I admire the most about you is that you are very clear when you know something is the right thing to do, regardless of how difficult that decision is and how difficult it is to face the community in that decision, and oftentimes we have to do that work under a lot of pushback from the community.

4:04

Um but I know that you make those decisions in you know taking all of the information and understanding that it is the right choice, and you are have a a very um nothing gets in your path.

4:22

And so uh I've always admired that about you, and I appreciate it.

4:26

And um, and so thank you for your service, and it's as I hope that we continue to do good work here.

4:35

I know we will.

4:38

Thank you, Councilmember Parcita, Vice Mayor Neville.

4:42

Thank you.

4:42

Um, Gloria, I feel as though you you wrote my comments.

4:46

There, those those are perfect, and I I and probably not surprisingly, I have kind of the same um things about you that I really admire, Josh.

4:54

So, first of all, I just want to thank you for making a really hard job look easy.

5:00

It's always looks um a lot easier to people watching the meetings than it really is.

5:04

And I know how much work you put into behind the scenes, getting the agendas set up, making sure the meetings run smoothly.

5:11

You're always really fair to all of us, make sure we all have our voices heard.

5:15

The community members all have their voices heard.

5:17

You're really respectful of differences of opinions, and somehow you you get us to that end game, and I'm so appreciative of that.

5:24

Um but also I I feel the same way that Gloria just described.

5:28

It's always so incredibly clear to me as you're making a decision that you're guided by doing the right thing and how it impacts people.

5:36

You're always bringing that to the forefront.

5:39

Like, how does this really affect that guy and that person and those people in this in this group, and you bring it, you make it human.

5:45

And um, I'm so appreciative of the way you bring that perspective to your work.

5:49

So thank you.

5:50

And I'm so looking forward to the next several years with you here.

5:53

Thank you.

5:55

Council Murdeos.

5:57

Well, I had served with you the least amount of time, not even sure a month yet, but I've had the opportunity of seeing you from the community perspective and watch the work that you've done and what you've done for our community.

6:10

And I say thank you in that how you've run the meetings, how you've have been out in public, and I, of course, second, third, and fourth, everything that everyone else has said here.

6:21

But I'm looking forward to working with you going forward as fellow council members, and again, thank you for the service that you gave the community and look forward to the service together going forward.

6:34

Thanks.

6:35

Council Bluerteos.

6:36

Mike, do you want to uh say a few words?

6:39

Thank you very much.

6:40

Mayor Vitla had I did have a couple of remarks on on behalf of staff.

6:43

So just you know, uh Councilmember Chapman, uh working with you during your tenure as mayor, just uh profound respect for how you approach staff and your professionalism towards staff at all times.

6:54

It means the world to us and to me as a city manager.

6:57

Um and you know, echoing some of the sentiments of your council colleagues, certainly your consensus building skills really shown, you know, during your tenure as mayor.

7:06

Um always striving towards you know those 5-0 votes whenever feasible.

7:11

It's not always possible, but certainly that was you know something uh I know very much on your mind was building towards consensus.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Procedural█████████████████17%
Community Engagement██████████10%
Arts And Culture███████7%
Public Comment█████5%
Homelessness████4%
Public Safety███3%
Public Engagement███3%
Sustainability and Renewable Energy██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Davis City Council Meeting – January 21, 2025

The Davis City Council met on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers. The meeting included ceremonial presentations honoring outgoing Mayor Josh Chapman, the adoption of a consent calendar, a presentation on arts and culture grant outcomes, introduction of a down payment assistance ordinance, and approval of 2025-26 liaison assignments. All votes were unanimous (5-0) unless noted.

Ceremonial Presentations

  • Proclamation Honoring Mayor Josh Chapman: Councilmembers and staff praised Mayor Chapman’s leadership, consensus-building skills, and focus on equity and community well-being during his 2024 term. The proclamation was presented on behalf of the city.
  • Welcome to New Mayor and Vice Mayor: Mayor Bapu Vaitla and Vice Mayor Donna Neville were formally welcomed for 2025.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 4A – Camping Ordinance Implementation Policy: Approved resolution establishing an enforcement policy for the city's camping ordinance (DMC 26.11). Vice Mayor Neville clarified that the resolution does not change the existing ordinance but outlines implementation procedures, including providing notice and offering services.
  • Item 4B – Equipment Procurement for WWTP: Approved contract with Connexus Industries Inc. for concrete resurfacing.
  • Item 4C – Electric Vehicle Fleet Grant: Approved acceptance of SMAQMD grant funds for EV fleet replacement. Councilmember Deos commended staff for securing grant funding.
  • Item 4D – Independent Police Auditor Contract Extension: Approved amendment to extend OIR Group contract.
  • Item 4E – Varsity Theater Lease Amendment: Approved seventh amendment shortening option periods and providing rent relief.
  • Item 4F – DYSA Batting Cage at Community Park: Approved resolution authorizing construction.
  • Item 4G – Revised Position Listing and Salary Table: Approved citywide salary table and authorized positions.
  • Item 4H – UC Davis Active Sensor Evaluation Study: Received as informational.
  • Item 4I – Surveillance Technology Report (ALPR): Received as informational, with public hearing to follow.
  • Item 4J – Fiscal Commission Minutes: Received as informational.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Menorah Lighting (Public Comment Before Consent Calendar): Multiple speakers (including a member of Chabad of Davis) expressed concern that the city refused a request for a public Hanukkah menorah lighting. Speakers cited Supreme Court precedent and argued that the refusal raises questions of religious inclusivity. One speaker linked the refusal to the city’s prior ceasefire resolution timing. Speakers urged the council to reconsider and allow the menorah to be placed near the Christmas tree.
  • Camping Ordinance (Public Comment on Item 4A): Representatives from the Night Market organization expressed concern that the camping ordinance implementation policy would hinder their ability to serve the homeless with tents and tables. Another speaker highlighted the lack of shelter space, noting that a shelter in Woodland had no openings and that a person was forced to seek a 5150 psychiatric hold instead.
  • Arts & Culture (During Item 5): Una Hatton, chair of Arts Alliance Davis, announced a 2025 public comments campaign to share arts success stories at each council meeting.
  • Down Payment Assistance (Public Comment on Item 6): Multiple speakers supported the ordinance, including representatives from Interfaith Housing Justice Davis who urged a $1 million annual allocation. Some speakers raised concerns: Alan Miller argued it would inflate housing prices; Dan Carson recommended sending the proposal to the Fiscal Commission and Social Services Commission for review, citing risks and lack of cost estimates. One speaker, David Thompson, reported previous city-assisted single-family homeownership programs had suffered abuse and administrative costs.

Discussion Items

  • Item 5 – Yolo Community Foundation Arts and Culture Grant Presentation: Executive Director Jessica Hubbard and Program Manager Carolina Valverde presented outcomes of the $500,000 grant funded by the city. Funds supported 20 organizations (5 with facilities, 4 with paid staff, 11 volunteer-run). Nearly 50% of funds went to staff salaries; 33% to programmatic costs. The grant helped organizations pivot to virtual programming and build capacity. Councilmembers expressed appreciation for the partnership.
  • Item 6 – Down Payment Assistance Ordinance: Assistant City Manager Kelly Stachowicz presented a framework ordinance to establish a down payment assistance program for first-time, income-qualified homebuyers (up to 120% AMI). The ordinance sets a framework; program details (funding, loan terms, equity share) would be defined later via resolution. Council discussed risks (foreclosure, administrative costs, silent second mortgages) and the need for detailed guidelines. Councilmember Chapman suggested sending to the Fiscal Commission and Social Services Commission for input on program guidelines. Councilmember Neville requested stronger language requiring that assistance be used solely for home purchase in Davis. Councilmember Deos emphasized not duplicating existing programs and managing risk.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance Introduced (Item 6): The council voted 5-0 to introduce the ordinance (first reading) with an amendment adding language that any assistance shall be used only toward the purchase of a residence within Davis city limits.
  • Subcommittee and Commissions Referral: The council directed the Fiscal Subcommittee (Neville, Vaitla) to work with staff on budget priorities, including funding for affordable housing. The council also referred development of program guidelines to the Fiscal Commission (to minimize financial risk and recommend terms) and to the Social Services Commission (to ensure maximum benefit to applicants). These referrals were approved 5-0.
  • Liaison Assignments (Item 7): Approved 2025-26 council liaison appointments with modifications: Councilmember Chapman replaced Councilmember Partida on the Shriners subcommittee; Councilmember Partida remained on DJUSD 2x2; Vice Mayor Neville remained on the Yolo Animal Services Planning Agency; Councilmember Deos was added as alternate for Yolo County Transit District (subject to confirmation that an alternate is accepted). Motion passed 5-0.
  • Other: City Manager reported upcoming police community conversations (Jan 22, 23, 29, 30) and G Street grand opening (Jan 27). The council noted long-range calendar items, including a request from Councilmember Deos to bring forward Measure JRD exemption options soon.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Councilmember Neville. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Nay. Abstained. We have an agenda passes five to zero. We're gonna start by having a ceremonial presentation for our outgoing mayor Josh Chapman. Unless Staff wants to start, I'll go ahead and read the proclamation that we put together for Josh. Great. Where is Josh Chapman was elected to a four-year term on the Davis City Council in November 2020 to represent District 5 and was re-elected in 2024 for a second term? And whereas Councilmember Chapman was selected to be the 43rd Mayor of Davis by his council colleagues on December 12th, 2023, and was sworn in by his sons Owen and Quinton on January 9th, 2024. Whereas Mayor Chapman was born and raised in Maine and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from New Hampshire College in 2002 before moving to San Francisco in 2005 to pursue his Master of Education degree with a focus on equity and social justice from San Francisco State University. And where is Mayor Chapman brought his knowledge and passion for civil rights, equal opportunity, and economic justice to a wide range of topics in 2024, including inclusionary housing, climate change, and development projects. And whereas Mayor Chapman played an important role in the discussion and framing of the 2024-2025 city council goals through a consensus building process that will help guide the organization and enrich a thriving community through transparency and targeted action. And where is during Mayor Chapman's tenure, the city council authorized funding to further projects to meet a variety of community interests, including enhancements to community park, sports court rehabilitation, and grant funding to contribute to the construction of the South Davis Library. And whereas Mayor Chapman was a supporter of local businesses and their role and importance in the economic development and vitality of the community, often as an intermediary between agencies, businesses, and staff, providing astute insights in multiple perspectives. And whereas Mayor Chapman reflected the values of the Davis community, stepping up in times of need to advocate for everyone deserving to feel safe and welcome no matter where we come from or how long we've lived in Davis. Now, therefore, the Davis City Council on behalf of the citizens of Davis honors Mayor Josh Chapman for his many contributions to the Davis community during his 2024 mayorship. Josh, we're gonna give us a proclamation. Yeah, Councilmember Porteo. I'd like to start because I think I've served the longest uh with Josh, and so I've I think I've seen him in all sorts of different uh situations, and I have to say that I am it's been an honor to serve with you, Josh. Um clearly your uh concern and well-being for the community comes out in everything you do and every decision that you've made. Um I think that uh it's it's really one of the things that I admire the most about you is that you are very clear when you know something is the right thing to do, regardless of how difficult that decision is and how difficult it is to face the community in that decision, and oftentimes we have to do that work under a lot of pushback from the community. Um but I know that you make those decisions in you know taking all of the information and understanding that it is the right choice, and you are have a a very um nothing gets in your path. And so uh I've always admired that about you, and I appreciate it. And um, and so thank you for your service, and it's as I hope that we continue to do good work here. I know we will. Thank you, Councilmember Parcita, Vice Mayor Neville. Thank you. Um, Gloria, I feel as though you you wrote my comments. There, those those are perfect, and I I and probably not surprisingly, I have kind of the same um things about you that I really admire, Josh. So, first of all, I just want to thank you for making a really hard job look easy. It's always looks um a lot easier to people watching the meetings than it really is. And I know how much work you put into behind the scenes, getting the agendas set up, making sure the meetings run smoothly. You're always really fair to all of us, make sure we all have our voices heard. The community members all have their voices heard. You're really respectful of differences of opinions, and somehow you you get us to that end game, and I'm so appreciative of that. Um but also I I feel the same way that Gloria just described. It's always so incredibly clear to me as you're making a decision that you're guided by doing the right thing and how it impacts people. You're always bringing that to the forefront. Like, how does this really affect that guy and that person and those people in this in this group, and you bring it, you make it human. And um, I'm so appreciative of the way you bring that perspective to your work. So thank you. And I'm so looking forward to the next several years with you here. Thank you. Council Murdeos. Well, I had served with you the least amount of time, not even sure a month yet, but I've had the opportunity of seeing you from the community perspective and watch the work that you've done and what you've done for our community. And I say thank you in that how you've run the meetings, how you've have been out in public, and I, of course, second, third, and fourth, everything that everyone else has said here. But I'm looking forward to working with you going forward as fellow council members, and again, thank you for the service that you gave the community and look forward to the service together going forward.

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