Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - November 8, 2023
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Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - November 8, 2023
The Elk Grove City Council held a regular meeting on November 8, 2023, at 6:05 PM. Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and Vice Mayor Kevin Spease were absent, with Councilmember Darren Suen presiding. The meeting included proclamations, presentations, public hearings, and regular agenda items, all approved or received by a 3-0 vote.
Proclamations & Presentations
- Native American Heritage Month: Chairman Jesus Tarango of Wilton Rancheria accepted the proclamation, highlighting the recent installation of a Miwok statue at the State Capitol and the importance of truthful history. He emphasized the tribe's ongoing partnership with the city.
- Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month: Commissioner Gurjitindar Singh Randawa accepted the proclamation, noting the Sikh community's contributions and the need for awareness to combat discrimination.
- Global Entrepreneurship Week/Month: Dr. Brian Gladden (Carlson Center, Sac State) and Ian Huelde (Tiami Networks) accepted, thanking the city for supporting startups. Councilmember Robles praised entrepreneurs for taking risks.
- Diversity and Inclusion Commission Annual Update: Chair Tina LeVote reported the commission's work, including the land acknowledgement adoption, a multicultural festival with 8,000 attendees, and a sensory room used by 450 community members. Councilmembers praised the evolution from the Multicultural Festival Committee.
Consent Calendar
- Items 7.1 through 7.11 were approved unanimously. These included approval of meeting minutes, reports on purchases, contracts, monthly disbursements, treasurer's report, FY 2022-23 budget update, credit reimbursement agreements for Bruceville Meadows and Poppy Keys Southwest, DEI training contract amendment, speed limit ordinance, and Souza Dairy Phase 1A agreement amendment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kelly Lee (Diversity Commissioner): Requested a grant for a Lunar New Year Festival, noting she missed the deadline. Council referred her to the city's grant schedule.
- Nikki Wynne (CPAWs president): Requested a grant for the 7th annual Christmas toy drive, aiming for 500 toys, with an estimated 700–800 attendees. She also noted the event was held at District 56.
Discussion Items
- Public Hearing: Treasure Homes Rezone (Item 8.1): Staff presented a rezone from RD4 to RD7 (increase of 50 residential units) to offset the loss of 39 units from the Stathos Self Storage project, as required by SB 330. The Planning Commission recommended approval 3-0. No public comments. The council approved the ordinance unanimously.
- Public Hearing: Stathos Self Storage Project (Item 8.2): The project includes a General Plan Amendment, rezone, Conditional Use Permit, Major Design Review, and Tree Removal Permit for a 160,000 sq ft storage facility on 7.71 acres. It will facilitate the Elk Grove passenger rail station by relocating an existing storage facility. The Planning Commission recommended approval 3-0, with a request to investigate an access easement (later deemed infeasible). Public Speaker Guadalupe Ramirez (neighbor) requested that the 25-foot landscape setback be gated, with a solid masonry fence, no public access, and secure emergency gates with no crawl space for toddlers. Staff confirmed the design would address these concerns, with landscaping, cameras, and solid gates. The applicant, Ryan Smith, confirmed cameras will be connected to the police department's Real-Time Information Center. Councilmember Robles expressed concern about storage units in residential areas. The council approved the project with conditions including the landscape section and camera integration.
- Tourism Marketing District Annual Report (Item 9.1): Executive Director Aaron Val reported visitor spending of $169.9 million, direct business sales of $4.7 million, 2,300 jobs supported, and $300,000 in local taxes from 36 events. Lodging revenue increased 11% to $29.8 million. The report was received and filed.
- Support Local Elk Grove Campaign (Item 9.2): Economic Development Specialist Sara Rodrigues presented the revamped campaign, now branded "Support Local Elk Grove" with a new URL (supportlocalEG.org) and streamlined e-gift card program. The number of participating businesses increased 35% to 70, with over $3,000 in recent e-gift card sales. The presentation was received.
- Legislation Update (Item 9.3): Community Engagement Manager Christal Love Lazard summarized significant bills passed in 2023, including housing (SB 4, SB 423, AB 1033, AB 1449), surplus land, parking unbundling, human trafficking, fentanyl task force, illegal fireworks, and mental health. She noted the California Business Roundtable's measure could jeopardize Measure E. The update was received.
Key Outcomes
- Treasure Homes Rezone: Ordinance introduced and approved (3-0).
- Stathos Self Storage Project: Resolution and ordinance approved (3-0) with conditions to include the landscape setback section and connect cameras to the police RTIC.
- All consent calendar items: Approved (3-0).
- Remaining reports: Received and filed without vote.
- Next meeting: December 13, 2023 (skipping the second November meeting).
Council Comments
- Councilmember Robles reminded of the Veterans Day parade on November 11 and honored veterans. Councilmember Brewer reported on the Metro Cable Television Commission meeting. Councilmember Suen noted a joint agency meeting on climate change. The meeting adjourned at 8:14 PM.
Meeting Transcript
By a 3 0 vote, the city council authorized and directed the city attorney's office to defend the cases of Kabir versus City of Elk Grove in Sacramento Superior Court. Case number 23 CV 010715 and Hicks versus Kelly, United State uh District Court case number 223 uh CV 02391 as identified on the city council agenda. Okay, with that, um go ahead and adjourn special meeting uh at 6.05 p.m. And call to order the Elkrove City Council regular meeting uh here again November 8th, Wednesday at 6.05 p.m. Uh Mr. Kirk, could you go ahead and re uh read the replay intro? Indeed, Chair Sewan. Uh this meeting of the Elkgrove City Council will be cable cast on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast Consolidated Communications and ATT Uverse Cable Systems. The meeting is closed caption and webcast at Metro14 Live.secCounty.gov. Tonight's meeting replays on Friday, November 10th at 1 p.m. and Sunday, November 12th at 6 p.m. on Channel 14. Previous meetings can be viewed online at www.elkgrove city.org or YouTube.com backslash Metro Cable 14. For members of the participating audience who may have personal electronic devices, please place them on silent mode during the meeting or on mute when you are not speaking. Ilgrove City Council welcomes, appreciates, and encourages participation in the city council meetings. City Council requests that you limit your presentation to three minutes per person, so at all present will have time to participate. City Council reserves the right to reasonably limit the total time for public comment on any particular noticed agenda item as it may deem necessary. Pursuant to resolution number 210-24, no individual speaker concerning public comment may address the city council for more than three minutes. If you wish to address the council during the meeting, please complete a speaker card. There are the blue cards that can be found at the back of the chamber and provide it to assistant city clerk, Brenda Haggard, prior to consideration of the agenda item. And with that, Chair Soon, we will be moving into the roll call. And I will start off that roll call with Councilmember Robles. Present. Councilmember Brewer. Present. Councilmember Sewan. Here. I'll note that Mayor Spees is absent, or Vice Mayor Spees is absent, and Mayor Singh Allen is absent as well. Okay. Thank you very much. Next, we'll proceed with our land acknowledgement. We honor, respect, and acknowledge Elk Grove's first inhabitants, the Plains Miwok, who lived as sovereign caretakers of this land and these waterways since time immemorial. We commemorate and advocate for their descendants, the Wilch and Wilton Ranch Rio tribe, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County, who endure because of the bravery, resiliency, and determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders. Next, I'd like to invite I see uh Raina Tarango in the audience if she'd lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all the questions. Thank you very much. Please join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. I have an agenda before me. I'll look for a motion to approve. So moved. Second. All right. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion carries. Uh for closed session. Um there are no closed session items on the regular agenda. That will advance us to section four of the presentations and announcements.
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