OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Davis City Council Meeting Summary - September 2, 2025

City Council & Planning Commission — Tuesday, September 2, 2025
BodyDavis, California
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateTuesday, September 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:53:57

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

Welcome everybody to the meeting of the City Council, City of Davis, Tuesday, September 2nd.

0:16

Time is 6 31, and I see that all of my colleagues are here.

0:20

Is there anyone that would like to approve our agenda?

0:24

So move, Councilmember Dayo.

0:25

Second.

0:26

Second, Councilmember Chapman.

0:28

Is there any discussion?

0:29

All in favor say aye.

0:30

Aye.

0:30

Nay, abstain.

0:31

Motion passes 5-0.

0:33

We have an agenda.

0:34

We'll start with our ceremonial proclamations, our presentations of proclamations.

0:39

Uh, and then we'll take a brief recess for us to take photos with all the folks who have received proclamations.

0:44

We'll start with September Suicide Prevention Month.

0:47

I'll hand it over to Councilmember Chapman.

0:51

Thank you, Mayor Vitla.

0:52

And I'll invite up um Diane Summers, Mary Joe Bryan, and Lynn Pratt to receive this proclamation.

1:00

Uh come on up.

1:03

Suicide Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, discuss this urgently important crisis, and to spread hope and information to people affected by suicide and suicidal ideation.

1:12

Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background.

1:18

While suicidal thoughts are common, they should not be considered normal, and they often indicate more serious issues.

1:24

Locally, suicide prevention of YOLA County began in 1966 as a grassroots organization with a small group of citizens recognizing a need for crisis response services, and later incorporated as a nonprofit in 1980.

1:37

Prior to transitioning to the National Suicide and Crisis Line 988 in 2023, suicide prevention YOLO County responded to over 6,800 calls per year.

1:47

In the U.S., suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults ages 10 to 34.

1:54

SOS, which stands for Science of Suicide, is a school program which provides a one-hour classroom presentation to the secondary schools in YOLO County and reaches over 2,000 middle and high school students each year.

2:05

Suicide Prevention Yolo County has made significant impacts in the lives of thousands of residents of Davis and of YOLO County as a whole.

2:13

Now, therefore, we, the Davis City Council, on behalf of the citizens of Davis to hereby recognize September as Suicide Prevention Month and honor the work of Suicide Prevention Yolo County for their life-saving services.

2:24

Thank you.

2:29

Thank you.

2:30

Thank you.

2:31

My name is Lynn Pratt, and I'm a board member of Suicide Prevention, and I want to thank the city and uh the mayor for this recognition and the good work that we do with the support of the community, particularly our Science of Suicide Prevention or excuse me, signs of or schools program, excuse me.

2:51

Um we've served um several different schools this year.

2:55

Um and as Josh said, um, over 2,000 students.

2:59

I think we'll probably see more this year.

3:02

Um and I just I know that um Josh commented that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people, but um there are some other staggering statistics um that I'd like to share real quickly.

3:15

Um according to the Center for Disease Control, uh 12.2 percent of young adults age 15 uh 18 to 25 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, and 12.3 percent of adolescents age 17, or excuse me, 12 through 17 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.

3:35

Um but I'm proud to say that we've continued on with um our signs of suicide uh schools program.

3:41

Um I think with uh given you know the current events that mental health uh awareness and um the services that we provide um uh are uh obviously very important in in this uh time and um I appreciate the um recognition from all of you.

4:02

So thank you very much.

4:07

I just wanted to, my name is Diane Summers, I'm an executive director, and I just wanted to thank everyone on the council for providing us with this uh proclamation.

4:16

We've been in business over 60 years actually in this county, 40 years doing the school program.

4:22

So the 1200 students that we saw this past year were from um Holmes, Harper, Emerson, Da Vinci, Davis High, and St.

4:31

James.

4:32

So we are continuing to work with the schools throughout the entire county and obviously with the schools here in Davis.

4:39

So thank you very much.

4:46

Thank you all for the work you do, literally saving lives.

4:50

We'll move on to Councilmember Partido for National Hispanic Heritage Month.

4:56

Thank you.

4:57

And I'd like to invite uh Heimen Adias Jackson.

5:02

And please bring folks who are with you up as well.

5:07

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, honoring the contributions and significance of Hispanics and Latinos to the United States, including citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

5:26

This annual observance pays tribute to generations of Hispanic Americans whose contributions have enriched and strengthened our nation and society.

5:35

National Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to honor not only the accomplishments and leadership of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others, but also the cultural richness and diversity brought forth by all individuals of Hispanic Heritage.

5:51

The City of Davis has a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, proclaiming itself a sanctuary city in 1986, reaffirming that status in 2007 and 2014, establishing a sister city relationship with Rutio Grande in 1992, and continuing to evaluate Hispanic Heritage throughout the work of its Human Relations Commission and Arts and Cultural Division.

6:16

Now, therefore, we, the Davis City Council, on behalf of the citizens of Davis, do hereby recognize and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month this year and every year, and strongly encourage Davis public schools, businesses, organizations, and community institutions to honor the month through education, ceremonies, activities, and programs.

7:22

Thank you for the recognition.

7:24

Thank you for inviting us to celebrate the Hispanic Latino Heritage Month.

7:29

We are a community of Latina moms who live in Davis and have children attending Davis schools.

7:35

We share our experiences and knowledge to support new Latino families in the city of Davis.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety███████████████████████23%
Economic Development███████████████████19%
Village Farms█████████████13%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Comment███████7%
Community Engagement██████6%
Public Engagement████4%
Mental Health Awareness███3%
Arts And Culture███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Davis City Council Meeting - September 2, 2025

The Davis City Council met in regular session at 6:31 p.m. on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, in Community Chambers, 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, and approved the agenda 5-0. The council issued ceremonial proclamations, approved the consent calendar, and heard discussion and public comment on the Village Farms schedule options, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council 2025 Market Velocity Report, the Police Department 2024 Annual Report, AB 1234 reporting, and the long-range calendar.

Ceremonial Proclamations

  • Recognized September as Suicide Prevention Month. Recipients said Suicide Prevention Yolo County has served the county for more than 60 years, and its school program reached about 1,200 students in Davis-area schools in the past year. The proclamation noted that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10-34, and recipients cited CDC statistics that 12.2% of young adults ages 18-25 and 12.3% of adolescents ages 12-17 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.
  • Recognized September 15-October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. A group of Latina mothers in Davis accepted the proclamation and noted their family roots in Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Indigenous Pueblo communities. The proclamation noted Davis has been a sanctuary city since 1986.
  • Recognized October as Fire Prevention Month; no recipient was present.
  • Recognized October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the work of Thriving Pink. Speakers noted about one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, that Thriving Pink was established in 2016 and offers services at no charge, and that its community walk is scheduled for October 4 at 10 a.m. at North Star Park.
  • Recognized October as National Bullying Prevention Month. Davis Phoenix Coalition founding member Alexandra Lee Joe said 60% of third and fourth graders in a district survey reported being bullied in school, and described the coalition's Upstander programs in schools.
  • Recognized Dos Coyotes, the Davis Live Music Collective, and Discovery Christian Church for supporting the city's July 4th celebration, which draws more than 10,000 people. Their partnership tenures were 24, 14, and 7 years respectively.

City Manager & Council Announcements

  • Interim City Manager Kelly Stachowicz announced California Rail Safety Month activities on September 3 at the Davis train station, the Davis Chamber Family Fun Fest on September 5 at Nugget Fields, and Downtown at Dusk on G Street on September 11 and every other Thursday through mid-November.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the consent calendar 5-0 on a motion by Councilmember Chapman and second by Vice Mayor Neville, after Councilmember Deos pulled item 4D for separate discussion. Approved items included: A. Amendment #1 with Rainforth Grau Architects for the Anderson Road-Chavez Elementary School improvements project; B. Amendment #2 with UC Davis for fixed-route transit and support services; and C. a budget revision increasing the Mace Overpass Fence Repair project budget to $350,000. Item D, Village Farms Davis schedule options, was instead discussed later in the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • A speaker asked for city records and described personal housing problems at a senior park, alleging altered documents and requesting help.
  • Beth Bourne said 'nobody is transgender,' called transgender identity 'a giant lie,' criticized a UC Davis professor, and referenced a $70,000 First Amendment lawsuit settlement.
  • Dorda Jensen described two incidents reported to the Davis Police Department, including spray-painting outside Bourne's home, and called for adequate police resources and higher priority response.
  • Another commenter criticized anti-trans harassment and said it was 'incredibly normal' for speakers to talk about underage girls, follow teachers onto campus, and occupy city council meetings.
  • A speaker named Don encouraged the General Plan update to maintain a focus on children, youth, and the partnership between the city and the Davis Joint Unified School District, and cited the community's Principles of Community.
  • On Village Farms, many public commenters supported the project and Schedule A, including representatives of the California Association of Realtors and Yolo County Association of Realtors, the Village Farms project manager, and Davis residents who cited the need for affordable housing, younger families, and school enrollment. One commenter questioned converting 495 acres of farmland and said vacancy in Davis is high; another asked for housing assistance. A recorded commenter urged that the affordability plan go to the Social Services Commission and recommended the Measure JRD vote occur in November 2026 rather than June 2026 to maximize turnout and student participation.

Discussion Items

Village Farms Davis Schedule Options

  • Staff described the item as informational and said both Schedule A and Schedule B lead to the same outcome: a June 2026 ballot. Schedule A spaces public meetings and council workshops earlier, allowing more time to incorporate feedback; Schedule B is more compressed. Staff clarified that the affordability plan had already been reviewed by the Social Services Commission on August 18, 2025, which recommended minor modifications. The separate Willow Grove project is targeting November 2026 and was not expected to be affected.
  • Councilmember Deos requested moving the council workshop from November 18 to November 4, 2025. Staff said this would not materially affect workload but emphasized that the overall deadline is extremely tight. Councilmembers voiced consensus support for Schedule A, with one noting the council could pivot to Schedule B if extensive feedback requires more time.

Greater Sacramento Economic Council 2025 Market Velocity Report

  • Economic Development Director Katie Yancey introduced Matt Miller, GSEC chief strategy officer. Miller said GSEC was named the number-one economic development organization in the world by the International Economic Development Council. The report found Davis is highly educated but lags communities in the region in population and job growth, has slightly lower median household income, and has significantly higher housing prices. Recommended target sectors were professional, scientific, and technical services supporting precision manufacturing, life sciences, and agri-food tech.
  • Miller described work in Yuba City, El Dorado County, and Galt, and examples of sustainable-industry programs including Pittsburgh's sustainability scorecard and tax incentives tied to performance milestones.
  • Councilmembers asked about the relationship between jobs and housing, the regional housing needs allocation process, vacant commercial space, barriers to attracting UC Davis spinouts, and the potential use of city-owned land as an economic development tool. Mayor Vaitla requested future research on unconventional incentives for B Corps, cooperatives, and public benefit corporations, especially in partnership with UC Davis. Councilmembers also asked for tangible local outcomes from regional economic development efforts and said the report should feed into the city's upcoming Economic Development Strategy.

Police Department 2024 Annual Report

  • Police Chief Todd Henry presented the department's 2024 annual report in an interactive format. Key statistics included: patrol responded to 41,564 calls for service, issued 3,578 citations, made 1,234 arrests, and took 5,339 cases; calls for service decreased 5%; citations increased nearly 100%, with 93% traffic-related; six community complaints were received with none sustained; five reportable use-of-force incidents occurred; 4,845 satisfaction surveys were sent and, as presented, 86 came back as very satisfactory or above satisfactory; property crime fell 20%, violent crime fell 13%, and shoplifting cases fell 2%.
  • Dispatch handled more than 51,000 total calls, including 17,598 calls to 911, and processed 1,182 warrants. Code enforcement received 1,355 My Davis requests and resolved 1,069; graffiti teams cleared 841 tagged sites; parking enforcement issued 12,222 citations.
  • Chief Henry said staffing improved from about 12 officer vacancies and 50% dispatch staffing in October 2024 to all but two officer vacancies filled and dispatch nearly full, with one officer in the academy. He also highlighted an embedded clinician program and said the department is working to fill a second clinician position; the current clinician responds to about 50-60 calls per month.
  • Investigation highlights included recovery of $80,000 in Lego merchandise, a 35-year prison sentence in a sexual abuse case, arrests in a downtown assault case, an arson case involving six fires, the seizure of 73 firearms and 25,000 rounds of ammunition, and stolen-vehicle arrests.
  • Councilmembers praised the report and the department's community engagement. Councilmember Partida asked about traffic-stop bias and use-of-force reporting; Chief Henry cited implicit-bias training and noted officers generally issue five to eight warnings per citation. Mayor Vaitla suggested future reports include links to police auditor findings, RIPA stop-data visualizations, regional comparisons, and a forward-looking needs section. Public comment included a resident sharing positive experiences with Davis police and a recorded commenter who argued code enforcement, dispatch, investigations, and analysis could be handled outside the police department, while supporting independent crisis-intervention staff, clinicians, community navigators, and affordable housing as public-safety measures.

AB 1234 and Long-Range Calendar

  • Interim City Manager Kelly Stachowicz presented the AB 1234 meeting reporting and the council's long-range calendar. The main calendar adjustment was moving the Village Farms council workshop to November 4, 2025. The next regular meeting was noted as September 16, 2025. Council then adjourned.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the consent calendar 5-0 after removing item 4D.
  • Gave consensus direction to use Village Farms Schedule A and to move the council workshop from November 18 to November 4, 2025.
  • Received the GSEC Market Velocity Report, provided feedback, and directed staff to incorporate council guidance into the city's Economic Development Strategy; GSEC was asked to explore additional research on incentives and local outcomes.
  • Received the Police Department 2024 Annual Report as an informational item and encouraged continued staffing recruitment, community engagement, and future transparency enhancements.
  • Updated the Long-Range Calendar with the November 4 Village Farms workshop and noted the September 16 regular meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome everybody to the meeting of the City Council, City of Davis, Tuesday, September 2nd. Time is 6 31, and I see that all of my colleagues are here. Is there anyone that would like to approve our agenda? So move, Councilmember Dayo. Second. Second, Councilmember Chapman. Is there any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Nay, abstain. Motion passes 5-0. We have an agenda. We'll start with our ceremonial proclamations, our presentations of proclamations. Uh, and then we'll take a brief recess for us to take photos with all the folks who have received proclamations. We'll start with September Suicide Prevention Month. I'll hand it over to Councilmember Chapman. Thank you, Mayor Vitla. And I'll invite up um Diane Summers, Mary Joe Bryan, and Lynn Pratt to receive this proclamation. Uh come on up. Suicide Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, discuss this urgently important crisis, and to spread hope and information to people affected by suicide and suicidal ideation. Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background. While suicidal thoughts are common, they should not be considered normal, and they often indicate more serious issues. Locally, suicide prevention of YOLA County began in 1966 as a grassroots organization with a small group of citizens recognizing a need for crisis response services, and later incorporated as a nonprofit in 1980. Prior to transitioning to the National Suicide and Crisis Line 988 in 2023, suicide prevention YOLO County responded to over 6,800 calls per year. In the U.S., suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults ages 10 to 34. SOS, which stands for Science of Suicide, is a school program which provides a one-hour classroom presentation to the secondary schools in YOLO County and reaches over 2,000 middle and high school students each year. Suicide Prevention Yolo County has made significant impacts in the lives of thousands of residents of Davis and of YOLO County as a whole. Now, therefore, we, the Davis City Council, on behalf of the citizens of Davis to hereby recognize September as Suicide Prevention Month and honor the work of Suicide Prevention Yolo County for their life-saving services. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Lynn Pratt, and I'm a board member of Suicide Prevention, and I want to thank the city and uh the mayor for this recognition and the good work that we do with the support of the community, particularly our Science of Suicide Prevention or excuse me, signs of or schools program, excuse me. Um we've served um several different schools this year. Um and as Josh said, um, over 2,000 students. I think we'll probably see more this year. Um and I just I know that um Josh commented that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people, but um there are some other staggering statistics um that I'd like to share real quickly. Um according to the Center for Disease Control, uh 12.2 percent of young adults age 15 uh 18 to 25 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, and 12.3 percent of adolescents age 17, or excuse me, 12 through 17 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Um but I'm proud to say that we've continued on with um our signs of suicide uh schools program. Um I think with uh given you know the current events that mental health uh awareness and um the services that we provide um uh are uh obviously very important in in this uh time and um I appreciate the um recognition from all of you. So thank you very much. I just wanted to, my name is Diane Summers, I'm an executive director, and I just wanted to thank everyone on the council for providing us with this uh proclamation. We've been in business over 60 years actually in this county, 40 years doing the school program. So the 1200 students that we saw this past year were from um Holmes, Harper, Emerson, Da Vinci, Davis High, and St. James. So we are continuing to work with the schools throughout the entire county and obviously with the schools here in Davis. So thank you very much. Thank you all for the work you do, literally saving lives. We'll move on to Councilmember Partido for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Thank you. And I'd like to invite uh Heimen Adias Jackson.

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