Davis City Council Meeting Summary - August 19, 2025
Davis City Council Meeting - August 19, 2025
The Davis City Council met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers, 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, CA. Councilmember Josh Chapman was absent due to an unexpected death in the family. The meeting agenda was approved 4-0.
Ceremonial Presentations
- The Council proclaimed August 2025 as Breastfeeding Month. Jasmine Marquez accepted and noted that in Yolo County 95.3% of infants born in 2021 were ever breastfed, but only 35.4% were exclusively breastfed through six months, highlighting the need for more lactation support.
- The Council proclaimed September 2025 as National Recovery Month. Zachariah Oquenda accepted, sharing his personal recovery journey and thanking community partners.
City Manager and Council Reports
- Interim City Manager Kelly Stachowicz announced the opening of Natalie's Corner splash pad, the upcoming school year, the Labor Day closure, commission recruitment open until September 12, a bike survey for platinum Bicycle Friendly status, Davis Neighbors Night Out on October 5, and Boo Bash tickets.
- Vice Mayor Donna Neville reported preliminary discussions about making the Yolo Animal Services Joint Powers Authority more independent. Councilmember Gloria Partida asked about Boo Bash fee waivers. No consent calendar items were pulled.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Lois Wolk praised the new splash pad and urged the Council not to move forward with proposals to privatize city trees or abandon sidewalk maintenance.
- Several speakers commented on homelessness-related consent items, including support for Heart of Davis Safe Parking, criticism of the camping ordinance, and calls for better respite facilities and more permanent housing. Barbara Clutter described the five-person safe parking program as not a robust response.
- Commenters on the General Plan included Alan Hirsch (sound, visual, and enforcement concerns), Beth Bourne (opposed the UC Davis partnership), Alan Miller (satirical manifesto), and Katie Casseris (caution about losing dissenting commission views).
- Commenters on trees and sidewalks overwhelmingly opposed transferring tree ownership to residents, including Anya McCann and Greg McPherson, who cited San Francisco's negative experience. Tree Davis representatives Ann Daniel, Don Shore, and William Shon urged continued partnership and increased planting. Yael Franco raised concerns about lion tailing and pruning standards.
Consent Calendar
- The Council approved the entire consent calendar 4-0. This included FTA/Unitrans agreements, PTASP certifications, Caltrans agreements, 2025 Traffic Impact Study Guidelines, acceptance of a California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund grant, LIMS update, Sewer System Management Plan update, reimbursement agreements, legal and accounting services contracts, the FY 2025/26 salary table, the 2025-2026 meeting schedule, the Cross-Connection Control ordinance, the response to the 2025 Yolo Grand Jury report on homelessness, a letter of support for the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, and other routine items.
Discussion Items
City Manager Appointment
- The Council unanimously appointed Daryel R. Dunston as City Manager on a four-year contract. The contract includes a base salary of $288,452, a 3% increase from the prior salary; a total compensation study in August 2026 and every two years; 160 hours of vacation accrual; a $200/month technology and transportation allowance; and up to a 3% performance bonus. Mr. Dunston addressed the Council, emphasizing public service and fiscal responsibility. Public commenters welcomed him.
General Plan Update
- Raimi Associates and UC Davis presented environmental justice work, including SB 1000 requirements, CalEnviroScreen screening maps, focus groups with underrepresented communities, a policy tracker, and a draft environmental justice framework. Councilmembers provided feedback on accessibility, integration into the General Plan, and more geographically specific hazard data. No formal decision was made on the environmental justice framework.
- The Council approved formation of a General Plan Committee with two members from each of six commissions (12 total) plus a 13th at-large member from those commissions. The motion passed 4-0.
Unmet Maintenance Needs for City Trees and Sidewalks
- Assistant City Manager Stan Gryczko presented short-term changes, including a new tree inventory and a sidewalk inspection program, and long-term options such as transferring ownership, increasing revenue, or creating dedicated crews. Public comment was strongly supportive of maintaining public ownership of trees.
- Councilmembers expressed opposition to privatizing existing city trees. Several favored exploring a sidewalk maintenance ordinance consistent with state law, while others supported voluntary tree stewardship or new-development ownership models. The Mayor asked staff to pursue the tree inventory, consider future revenue options such as a special tax, and return with more detailed cost estimates.
AB 1234 and Long Range Calendar
- The Council received AB 1234 reporting and discussed the long-range calendar. Staff will move the homelessness ecosystem update to September 16 and send a summary of that item to the Council.
Key Outcomes
- Agenda approved 4-0.
- Consent calendar approved 4-0.
- Daryel R. Dunston appointed City Manager 4-0.
- General Plan Committee formation approved 4-0.
- Council directed staff to move forward with a tree inventory RFP, prepare a sidewalk maintenance ordinance consistent with state law, return with refined long-term program options and cost estimates, and evaluate revenue measures.
- The meeting adjourned in honor of Millie Bronstein, a longtime community advocate for health care and mental health.
Meeting Transcript
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the City Council meeting here on August 19th. It is 6:30. Councilmember Josh Chapman had an unexpected death in the family, so he had to um leave. So he won't be here with us tonight, but I will say that the rest of my council members are here. And present. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Councilmember Deos, is there a second? Second. Vice Mayor Neville. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Motion passes four to zero. We have an agenda. We'll start with our ceremonial presentations. We have two presentations tonight, and then we'll take a brief recess to do any pictures, and then we'll get back to the meeting. We'll start with August as breastfeeding month, and I'll turn it over to Councilmember Partida. Thank you. Can Jasmine Marquez is she here? Yes, awesome. Great. The American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. The vast majority of new parents want their efforts to receive human milk but face significant barriers in community health care and employment settings. Some people may elect not to breastfeed or are unable to do so. However, all parents can benefit from access to education on infant nutrition and wellness, including information on pasteurized donor human milk. In Yolo County, home to the City of Davis, approximately 95.3% of infants born in 2021 were ever breastfed, with only 35.4% exclusively breastfed through six months, reflecting the need for greater lactation support to sustain breastfeeding outcomes across communities. National Breastfeeding Month and World Breastfeeding Week provide important opportunities to address barriers to human milk feeding faced by families across the United States and around the world. Now, therefore, we the Davis City Council, on behalf of the citizens of Davis, do hereby proclaim August 2025 as breastfeeding month in the City of Davis, and supports the goals of National Breastfeeding Month, which aims to ensure that all pregnant and postpartum people and caregivers in Davis can access a full range of culturally appropriate support from health care providers, community organizations, employers, early care and education centers, researchers, and government entities. Thank you. So thank you, Mayor Vela and the rest of the City Council for this proclamation. I know some folks may be wondering why we even need a national breastfeeding month in YOLO County, as you just read, has over 95% of folks who start off breastfeeding in the community. So the buy-in is there. Yet that number drops pretty significantly when you look at the families who are still breastfeeding at 12 months, and that confirms the systemic challenges and barriers that families are facing and that are keeping them from reaching their infant feeding goal. So my nonprofit, other breastfeeding coalitions across the state and organizations, are working in YOLO County and in Davis to ensure that all families have access to evidence-based lactation support, that families are utilizing paid family leave so that they can stay at home longer and bond and get breastfeeding off to the best start. And that should moms return to work, they're met with accommodation so that they can continue to pump and provide milk to their babies. So I'm grateful that Davis is a lactation supportive environment and that you all see the importance of this work. I want to say thank you to the California WIC Association who is here today, the Necrotizing Intercolida Society, or Neck Society, the California Department of Public Health WIC program, whose leaders like me also call Davis home. Thank you. Thank you for all your work, Jasmine. We'll turn to Vice Mayor Neville for September as National Recovery Month. Great. Thank you, Mayor Vitla. If Zachariah Oquenda, if you'd like to approach, that would be great. This is a proclamation recognizing September as National Recovery Month. In 1989, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration launched National Recovery Month to celebrate the gains made by individuals in recovery from substance use and mental health conditions, and to highlight the importance of evidence-based treatment and recovery practices. Now in its 36th year, National Recovery Month remains a highly anticipated annual event that promotes awareness of recovery, honors the contributions of treatment and support providers, and affirms the strength and resilience of individuals in recovery and their families. Substance use disorder and mental health conditions affect millions of individuals and families across the United States, including many residents of Davis. Recovery is a personal journey supported by accessible services, peer networks, family, and community, and should be recognized with dignity, compassion, and hope. Davis joins communities across the country in reducing stigma, encouraging treatment and support, and celebrating the strength and dignity of people in recovery.
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