OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Huntington Beach City Council Meeting: October 3, 2023 – Regular Business & Closed Session

City Council — Tuesday, October 3, 2023
BodyHuntington Beach, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 3, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Please call the roll.

0:08

Councilmember Kalmick.

0:09

Here.

0:10

Councilmember Mosier.

0:11

Here.

0:11

Mayor Pro Tim Vandermark.

0:13

Here.

0:13

Mayor Strickland?

0:14

Here.

0:15

Councilmember McKeon.

0:16

Here.

0:16

Councilmember Bolton.

0:18

Here.

0:18

Council Member Burns.

0:19

Here.

0:19

All present.

0:20

Thank you.

0:21

Members going down the agenda.

0:24

Members of the council.

0:25

Would anyone like to make a three-minute uh speech or three comment?

0:30

Sure.

0:30

Please.

0:31

Council.

0:32

Thank you.

0:33

Okay.

0:34

Okay.

0:35

First, uh, it's banned books week for 2023, October 1st to October 7th.

0:41

Uh, booked bans and restrictions are on the rise in classrooms and libraries across the country.

0:48

And Penn America, I'm on their site.

0:50

They invite readers, authors, educators, librarians, and everyone who opposes censorship in America to get involved during Bann Book Week.

0:59

You can learn more about Penn America's groundbreaking research, this year's events, and how you can help hashtag free the books at Penn.org.

1:09

The other item very different is let's see.

1:15

Okay.

1:16

So it's also breast cancer awareness month.

1:20

And as a breast cancer survivor, I feel like it's my honor to be here in person, and it's my obligation to talk a little bit about that.

1:31

Um my former surgeon, uh, Dr.

1:35

Lisa Gera happens to share a bunch of great information every year.

1:40

Um, if you are in Facebook, you can look up Lisa E.

1:42

Guerra, and she shares all a ton of great information.

1:46

I'm gonna try to share those.

1:48

Um, but just briefly, um, I'm just gonna read a little bit from what she has to say.

1:55

It's that time of year again, the start of breast cancer awareness month.

2:00

And um, you know, I'm sure that most of you are already well aware of breast cancer.

2:05

It's hard to find someone who hasn't been touched in one way, shape, or form by this evil illness, but she thought that it would she would try to share a fact today for the month, and I hope that you all read a little bit about that.

2:19

Um, but I think the key thing here is we'll talk a little bit about um really getting mammograms.

2:26

Um, so unfortunately, there is no consensus among all medical groups when it comes to breast surveillance recommendations.

2:33

Personally, as a breast surgical oncologist, I support guidelines of the American College of Radiology, and that's Dr.

2:39

Guerra speaking.

2:41

Um, these organizations recommend annual mammography and annual clinical breast examinations for those at average risk, which is less than 15%, who are born female starting at age 40.

2:53

I was diagnosed personally at age 39, so I highly recommend that.

2:58

Um, sure there are groups that suggest mammograms every other year starting at 40 or 50, but who hasn't stretched out their time between doctors' visits.

3:06

She says, I saw a patient who hadn't had a mammogram in three years.

3:10

She figured she was okay since she had been told every other year and all her other ones had been normal.

3:16

Unfortunately, that was the year that she was found to have cancer in both breasts, with one side demonstrating cancer in a lymph node.

3:22

I wish we would have had the opportunity to see if these could have been picked up a little earlier.

3:26

Transgender woman without a genetic mutation who have been exposed to feminizing hormones for five to ten years should start mammography at age 50 and then every other year.

3:36

Um and I will share this on my Facebook page for city council.

3:40

Um but one other last piece here is um they also advise that all women, especially black women and those of Ashkenazi descent should be evaluated for breast cancer risk no later than age 30, so that those at higher risk can benefit from supplemental screening.

3:54

Thank you.

3:56

Councilman Burns.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Comments█████████████████████████████████████37%
Public Health████████████████16%
Strategic Planning█████████████13%
Procedural█████████9%
Economic Development██████6%
Cannabis Regulation████4%
Public Safety███3%
Elections Administration██2%
Affordable Housing██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Huntington Beach City Council/Public Financing Authority Meeting – October 3, 2023

The Huntington Beach City Council met on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at 5:00 PM for a Closed Session and reconvened at 6:00 PM for the Regular Business Meeting. The agenda included labor negotiations, amicus support, public comments on a range of topics, consent calendar items, a public hearing for the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), adoption of a strategic plan, and a resolution declaring Huntington Beach a "No Mask and No Vaccine Mandate City." Key votes were split along ideological lines, with several items passing by narrow margins.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 were approved as amended by the City Clerk (minutes, BCC updates, public works contracts, etc.).
  • Item 7 (Dissolution of Boards/Commissions): Adopted Ordinances 4296–4301 to dissolve the Jet Noise Commission, Mobile Home Advisory Board, Environmental and Sustainability Board, Youth Board, and to modify the Citizens Infrastructure Advisory Board/Public Works Commission, Fourth of July Executive Board, and Specific Events regulations. The motion passed 4-3 (Vandermark, Strickland, McKeon, Burns in favor; Mosier, Bolton, and Kalmick [partial dissent] opposed).
  • Item 8 (Cannabis Retail Access Grant): Failed 3-4 (Kalmick, Mosier, Bolton in favor; Vandermark, Strickland, McKeon, Burns opposed). The $325,000 state grant for a cannabis retail access program was not accepted.
  • Item 12 (Emergency Bike Regulations): Adopted unanimously 7-0 as an emergency ordinance effective immediately.

Public Comments & Testimony

Over 30 speakers addressed the council. Key positions included:

  • Economic impact of air show: A speaker challenged the accuracy of a brochure claiming $3.7 million in city revenue, arguing the actual figure is closer to $1 million.
  • Dissolution of citizen commissions: Several speakers opposed the removal of boards, citing loss of community input and increased hate crimes (e.g., Orange County hate crimes up 75% over five years).
  • Charter amendments (voter ID, etc.): Many speakers urged rejection, calling the proposals unnecessary, costly, and potentially illegal. Some argued for separate ballot measures rather than bundled items.
  • No Mask/No Vaccine Mandate resolution: Supporters defended individual liberties; opponents called it "virtue signaling" and pointed out that the city has no current mandates and that the resolution contains exemptions for hospitals, schools, and Cal/OSHA.
  • E-bike safety: A resident complained about dangerous behavior on Utica Avenue, asking for removal of the bicycle boulevard.
  • Affordable housing: One speaker criticized the strategic plan for lacking a certified housing element, warning that state intervention could result in larger developments.

Discussion Items

  • Item 7 (Dissolution of Boards/Commissions): Council debated the name change of the Fourth of July parade to Independence Day parade and the structure of the new youth committee. Staff clarified that the youth group would not be Brown Act-bound.
  • Item 8 (Cannabis Grant): Councilmember Kalmick argued the city should first ask voters whether to allow cannabis sales before accepting planning funds. The item failed.
  • Item 12 (Bike Regulations): Staff noted that 53% of bicycle collisions now involve e-bikes, with children under 18 the most injured group. The emergency ordinance was passed to give police immediate enforcement tools.
  • Item 13 (Downtown BID): Staff reported that 21 protests were received (9.1% of total assessment value), well below the 50% threshold. The council approved the annual assessment for FY 2023-2024 by a vote of 5-1 (McKeon opposed, Kalmick absent).
  • Item 14 (Strategic Plan 2023-2027): Consultant Carol Jacobs presented the plan, which includes 8 goals and 23 strategies. Councilmember Mosier noted the omission of a housing element and urged adding it as a "small rock" strategy. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
  • Item 15 (No Mask/No Vaccine Mandate): Mayor Pro Tem Vandermark sponsored the resolution, stating it was a preemptive measure against future mandates. Councilmembers Bolton and Mosier criticized it as inconsistent and politically motivated. The resolution passed 4-3 (Vandermark, Strickland, McKeon, Burns in favor; Mosier, Bolton, and Kalmick opposed).

Key Outcomes

  • Closed Session: The council voted 7-0 to support amicus brief in Ohio House, LLC v. City of Costa Mesa.
  • Consent Calendar: Items 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 approved; Item 7 (board dissolutions) adopted 4-3; Item 8 (cannabis grant) failed 3-4; Item 12 (bike regulations) adopted 7-0.
  • Public Hearing (Item 13): Downtown BID annual assessment approved, 5-1.
  • Strategic Plan (Item 14): Resolution 2023-46 adopted unanimously.
  • No Mask/No Vaccine Mandate (Item 15): Resolution 2023-48 adopted, 4-3.

Next Meetings: Special meeting October 5, 2023, at 6:00 PM; regular meeting October 17, 2023.

Meeting Transcript

Please call the roll. Councilmember Kalmick. Here. Councilmember Mosier. Here. Mayor Pro Tim Vandermark. Here. Mayor Strickland? Here. Councilmember McKeon. Here. Councilmember Bolton. Here. Council Member Burns. Here. All present. Thank you. Members going down the agenda. Members of the council. Would anyone like to make a three-minute uh speech or three comment? Sure. Please. Council. Thank you. Okay. Okay. First, uh, it's banned books week for 2023, October 1st to October 7th. Uh, booked bans and restrictions are on the rise in classrooms and libraries across the country. And Penn America, I'm on their site. They invite readers, authors, educators, librarians, and everyone who opposes censorship in America to get involved during Bann Book Week. You can learn more about Penn America's groundbreaking research, this year's events, and how you can help hashtag free the books at Penn.org. The other item very different is let's see. Okay. So it's also breast cancer awareness month. And as a breast cancer survivor, I feel like it's my honor to be here in person, and it's my obligation to talk a little bit about that. Um my former surgeon, uh, Dr. Lisa Gera happens to share a bunch of great information every year. Um, if you are in Facebook, you can look up Lisa E. Guerra, and she shares all a ton of great information. I'm gonna try to share those. Um, but just briefly, um, I'm just gonna read a little bit from what she has to say. It's that time of year again, the start of breast cancer awareness month. And um, you know, I'm sure that most of you are already well aware of breast cancer. It's hard to find someone who hasn't been touched in one way, shape, or form by this evil illness, but she thought that it would she would try to share a fact today for the month, and I hope that you all read a little bit about that. Um, but I think the key thing here is we'll talk a little bit about um really getting mammograms. Um, so unfortunately, there is no consensus among all medical groups when it comes to breast surveillance recommendations. Personally, as a breast surgical oncologist, I support guidelines of the American College of Radiology, and that's Dr. Guerra speaking. Um, these organizations recommend annual mammography and annual clinical breast examinations for those at average risk, which is less than 15%, who are born female starting at age 40. I was diagnosed personally at age 39, so I highly recommend that.

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