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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting – September 23, 2026

Other — Wednesday, September 23, 2026

BodyElkgrove, California

SessionOther

DateWednesday, September 23, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:51:31

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:10

The city council authorized and directed the city attorney's office to defend the case of DeCoro versus Young's transportation LLC and all as identified by the case number on the city council meeting agenda.

0:24

With that, I will adjourn the special meeting at 6.05 p.m.

0:30

And at this time I would like to call to order the Elkgrove City Council regular meeting.

0:34

Today is Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026.

0:38

The time is 6.05 p.m.

0:40

Clerk.

0:42

Thank you, Mayor.

0:43

This meeting the Elk Grove City Councils recorded with closed captioning.

0:46

The recording will be cable cast on Metro Cable Channel 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and Direct TV Uverse Cable Systems.

0:53

Recording will also be video streamed at Metro14Live.

0:58

Tonight's meeting replays will be on Friday, September 25th at 1 p.m.

1:01

and Monday, September 28th at 9 a.m.

1:03

And on Metro Channel 14.

1:05

Once posted, the recordings of this and previous meetings can be viewed on demand at the 3Ws.elkgrove.gov or YouTube.com slash Metro Cable 14.

1:15

For members of the participating audience, it may have personal electronic devices.

1:18

Please place them on silent mode during the meeting or on mute when you are not speaking.

1:21

And that includes for any of our attendees in the digital environment when you are uh speaking through the digital environment.

1:29

You want to make sure you mute any other devices that are around you, even ceiling fans and fun stuff like that.

1:35

Uh the Elkgrove City Council welcomes, appreciates and encourages participation in the city council meeting.

1:40

City Council requests that you limit your presentation to three minutes per person per item so that all present will have time to participate.

1:45

City Council reserves the right to reasonably limit the total time for public comment on any particular notice agenda item as it may deem necessary.

1:51

Pursuant to resolution number 2026-099.

1:55

No individual speaker concerning public comment may address the city council for more than three minutes per item.

2:00

If you wish to address the council during the meeting, please complete a blue speaker card, which 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.

2:09

With that, Mayor, I'll be moving into our roll call.

2:13

And to start off the roll call, I will start with Councilmember Roblis.

2:16

Councilmember Spees.

2:18

Councilmember Brewer.

2:19

Present.

2:20

I'll note Vice Mayor Sewen is absent and Mayor Singh Allen.

2:24

We have a quorum to proceed.

2:27

All right.

2:28

Next up is our land acknowledgement.

2:30

I would like to call Councilmember Robles to help with that.

2:33

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

2:39

There it is.

2:41

We honor, respect, and acknowledge Elk Grove's first inhabitants, the Plain Miwoks, who lived as our caretakers of this land and these waterways since time memorial.

2:50

We commemorate and advocate for their descendants, the Wilton Rancheria tribe, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County who've endured because of the bravery, resilience, determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders.

3:06

Thank you.

3:06

Next up is our Pledge of Allegiance.

3:09

I would like to invite up CSD director, Raina Taronga, to help lead the pledge.

3:14

If you would if you can, please rise.

3:23

Thank you, Mayor.

3:24

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

3:32

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

3:42

At this time, please join us for a brief moment of silence.

3:51

All right, thank you.

3:52

Next up is our approval of the agenda.

3:54

May I get a motion?

3:55

So moved.

3:55

Second.

3:57

And we can we don't need to do roll call this time.

4:00

No roll call this time.

4:01

We just have a member that's absent, but no one participating remotely.

4:04

So awesome.

4:05

Excellent.

4:05

Then all those in favor, please say aye.

4:07

Aye.

4:08

Thank you.

4:08

Next item.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Affordable Housing██████████████████████████████30%

Public Comment███████████████████19%

Historic Preservation█████████████████17%

Procedural████████8%

Youth Development█████5%

Public Engagement████4%

Pending Litigation███3%

Library Services███3%

Land Use Planning███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting – September 23, 2026

The Elk Grove City Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at City Hall (8400 Laguna Palms Way). Vice Mayor Darren Suen was absent. The council presented proclamations, heard public testimony on police license plate reader technology and the city's affordable housing fee, approved the consent calendar, and voted to introduce an ordinance and adopt a resolution on the Affordable Housing Impact Fee program.

Proclamations and Presentations

Presented a proclamation recognizing September 15 – October 15, 2026 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Elk Grove.
Presented a proclamation recognizing October 12, 2026 as Indigenous Peoples Day.
Presented a proclamation recognizing September 20–26, 2026 as Elk Grove History Week, highlighting the city's incorporation on July 1, 2000, and encouraging residents, schools, businesses, and community organizations to participate in educational programs, tours, exhibits, and community events.
Received a presentation from the Historic Preservation Committee on community education to protect historic resources, including outreach to property owners and residents in the historic district.

Consent Calendar

Approved the City Council meeting minutes of September 9, 2026 and September 15, 2026.
Received the report on Requests for Proposals, Qualifications, and related contracts.
Public comment was opened and closed with no speakers; the consent calendar was approved by unanimous motion (Vice Mayor Suen absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

A resident raised concerns about Flock automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and data privacy, asserting that police had made contradictory statements about whether the cameras track vehicle movement. The resident argued it is more important to protect residents from abuse than to shield police misconduct, and expressed concern that ICE could use such data to arrest parents after school drop-off.
The same or another speaker criticized the ALPR administration committee for being internal-only, stated that no mayor or council member had researched alternatives to ALPR systems, and said community members who requested a meeting three times on community audit findings were refused. The speaker also remarked that no one can live on $20 per hour without additional income.
One speaker during the item 8.1 public hearing opposed the proposed affordable housing impact fee, stating it would be 20–30% higher than other jurisdictions and that Elk Grove competes for home buyers with the county, Rancho Cordova, and Folsom.
No written public comments were received before the meeting for item 8.1, and none were submitted online.

Discussion Items

Affordable Housing Impact Fee (Item 8.1): Staff reported that a public notice was published on September 4, 2026, and the 15-day public comment period ran from September 8 through the September 23 public hearing. Staff noted that stakeholder engagement was incorporated at each stage. The consultant's nexus study measures the total affordable housing gap rather than who pays for it, and the proposed options represent different percentages of the maximum justifiable fee: Option 1 would make no change to the current fee, while Option 2 aligns with prior council actions.
Council discussion highlighted a $2 million homeownership assistance program. Staff stated they do not anticipate using the full $2 million for this program alone, and that staff evaluates household income, assets, and investment earnings to verify need and adjust assistance levels. The program grew out of a council retreat discussion on affordable housing.
Councilmember Robles moved to introduce the ordinance and adopt the resolution; Councilmember Brewer seconded. Vice Mayor Suen's emailed statement, read into the record, commended staff for developing program safeguards to ensure qualifying residents benefit while preventing fraudulent behavior.

Key Outcomes

Presented proclamations for Hispanic Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples Day, and Elk Grove History Week, and received the Historic Preservation Committee presentation.
Approved the consent calendar unanimously.
Voted to introduce the ordinance and adopt the resolution for the Elk Grove Affordable Housing Impact Fee program; the motion carried (Vice Mayor Suen absent).
Councilmembers promoted a community meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. at M Coffee House (7440 Laguna Boulevard) and encouraged residents to complete the Creative Spark survey at elkgrove.gov/creativespark.

Meeting Transcript

The city council authorized and directed the city attorney's office to defend the case of DeCoro versus Young's transportation LLC and all as identified by the case number on the city council meeting agenda. With that, I will adjourn the special meeting at 6.05 p.m. And at this time I would like to call to order the Elkgrove City Council regular meeting. Today is Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026. The time is 6.05 p.m. Clerk. Thank you, Mayor. This meeting the Elk Grove City Councils recorded with closed captioning. The recording will be cable cast on Metro Cable Channel 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and Direct TV Uverse Cable Systems. Recording will also be video streamed at Metro14Live. Tonight's meeting replays will be on Friday, September 25th at 1 p.m. and Monday, September 28th at 9 a.m. And on Metro Channel 14. Once posted, the recordings of this and previous meetings can be viewed on demand at the 3Ws.elkgrove.gov or YouTube.com slash Metro Cable 14. For members of the participating audience, it may have personal electronic devices. Please place them on silent mode during the meeting or on mute when you are not speaking. And that includes for any of our attendees in the digital environment when you are uh speaking through the digital environment. You want to make sure you mute any other devices that are around you, even ceiling fans and fun stuff like that. Uh the Elkgrove City Council welcomes, appreciates and encourages participation in the city council meeting. City Council requests that you limit your presentation to three minutes per person per item so that all present will have time to participate. City Council reserves the right to reasonably limit the total time for public comment on any particular notice agenda item as it may deem necessary. Pursuant to resolution number 2026-099. No individual speaker concerning public comment may address the city council for more than three minutes per item. If you wish to address the council during the meeting, please complete a blue speaker card, which 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. With that, Mayor, I'll be moving into our roll call. And to start off the roll call, I will start with Councilmember Roblis. Councilmember Spees. Councilmember Brewer. Present. I'll note Vice Mayor Sewen is absent and Mayor Singh Allen. We have a quorum to proceed. All right. Next up is our land acknowledgement. I would like to call Councilmember Robles to help with that. Thank you, Madam Mayor. There it is. We honor, respect, and acknowledge Elk Grove's first inhabitants, the Plain Miwoks, who lived as our caretakers of this land and these waterways since time memorial. We commemorate and advocate for their descendants, the Wilton Rancheria tribe, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County who've endured because of the bravery, resilience, determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders. Thank you. Next up is our Pledge of Allegiance. I would like to invite up CSD director, Raina Taronga, to help lead the pledge. If you would if you can, please rise. Thank you, Mayor. 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. At this time, please join us for a brief moment of silence. All right, thank you. Next up is our approval of the agenda. May I get a motion? So moved.

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