Huntington Beach City Council Special Meeting: High Tide Emergency Ratification

The Huntington Beach City Council/Public Financing Authority held a special meeting on Friday, October 30, 2026, to ratify a local emergency proclamation following historic high tides that caused significant flooding in Sunset Beach and Huntington Harbor. The meeting covered a closed session legal report, public testimony, a detailed staff briefing on the response, and a council vote on emergency measures.

Closed Session Report

• The City Attorney reported a 7-0 vote to seek a petition for review in the case Grant Parks (California State Auditor) v. City of Huntington Beach (OCSC Case No. 30-2024-01435113). The report emphasized the city’s commitment to transparency but noted that the state’s audit requests were unreasonable and lacked guardrails, making a settlement unattainable.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kristen Altbom, a Bayview Drive resident, thanked first responders for their presence during the flooding. She requested a public-private partnership to repair and raise seawalls on the island, offering to reimburse the city. She reported that her family built a 125-foot wall that saved their home and requested assistance with a malfunctioning drain valve at 16860 Bayview. Mayor McKeon acknowledged her request and announced a town hall meeting on Thursday, November 5.
• Councilwoman Van Der Mark shared observations from the field, noting that speeding cars and boat wakes were pushing water into damaged homes and urged residents to be mindful of this. She also thanked first responders for helping an elderly couple sandbag their home.

Discussion Items

• Adoption of Resolution No. 2026-41: The Council considered ratifying the local emergency proclamation and adopting emergency orders and regulations.

  • Staff Report: City Manager Travis Hopkins and Division Chief Kyle Kramer presented the city’s response. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated on October 9. The incident ran on 12-hour operational periods from October 25-29. Statistics: 75 personnel assigned daily, 10 fire calls (including one working fire), 32 police calls, 114 homes reported damaged, 18 structures yellow-tagged. The highest tide reached 8.2 feet on October 27. Projections for November 24-25 are 8.5-8.9 feet, with similar or higher levels in December.
  • Proposed Emergency Orders: The resolution provides authority for street closures, evacuations, emergency purchases (up to $500,000 without council sign-off), mutual aid requests, and enforcement of protective measures.

• Council Deliberation and Amendments:

  • Enforcement (Section 4K): A debate arose over making violations of emergency orders a misdemeanor. Councilmember Williams suggested removing fines for those who cannot act, instead having the city install protective measures. Mayor McKeon and Councilmember Kennedy insisted on keeping enforcement teeth for property owners who refuse to act, while seeking a hardship exception and city assistance for seniors and disabled residents. The final consensus maintained enforcement with a focus on outreach and assistance.
  • Flood Help Desk & Fee Waivers: Councilmember Williams presented his HELP framework (Hold fees, Emergency funds, Lend a hand, Pre-cleared permits). The Council directed the city manager to immediately establish a flood protection help desk, waive city permit fees for flood repairs and protection, and coordinate sandbag assistance for vulnerable residents.
  • Drone Program: The Council directed the fire department to establish a drone program funded by the new emergency fund for real-time flood monitoring, as proposed by Councilmember Gruel. A citizen had already offered to donate funds for the drone.
  • Coastal Commission: The Council directed the city manager to request the California Coastal Commission to pre-approve a menu of flood protection measures (e.g., raising seawalls and dock pilings) and to waive or reduce fees.
  • Funding: The Council approved a $1,000,000 appropriation from the city’s reserves (rainy day fund) into a dedicated flood help desk supply fund to cover emergency costs and improve tracking for state/federal reimbursement. Councilmember Burns stressed the importance of meticulous record-keeping for reimbursement.

Key Outcomes

• Resolutions Adopted: Resolution No. 2026-41 ratifying the local emergency was adopted as amended, with a unanimous 7-0 vote.
• Funding Secured: $1,000,000 appropriated from city reserves for flood response.
• Fee Waiver: City permit fees for flood protection and repair were waived.
• New Programs: A flood protection help desk and a fire department drone program were established.
• Coastal Commission: Direction given to seek pre-approved measures and fee waivers from the Coastal Commission.
• Litigation: A 7-0 vote to seek further review in the Grant Parks v. City of Huntington Beach audit case.
• Next Steps: A community town hall is scheduled for November 5. The next regular City Council meeting is November 3, 2026.

Votes: All substantive motions (ratification, appropriations, directives) passed 7-0.