Lafayette City Council Meeting - April 8, 2024
Lafayette City Council Meeting - April 8, 2024
The Lafayette City Council met on April 8, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss and act on speed limit reductions, school zone speed limits, council priorities for the next fiscal year, and a growing homeowners' insurance crisis. The meeting also included extensive public comments regarding demonstrations at Lafayette Elementary School and an update on the El Curtola overpass gatherings.
Note: The provided instructions indicated a meeting date of April 9, 2024, but the agenda and transcript consistently show the meeting occurred on April 8, 2024. This summary uses the date from the source materials.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Transgender Youth Demonstrations: Multiple residents, including Nikki Cauger and her husband, reported that individuals holding signs with anti-transgender messages have been present outside Lafayette Elementary School during drop-off and pick-up times. They described the messages as hateful and requested the city implement measures to combat hate speech, provide educational programs, and consider time, place, and manner restrictions to protect children. Another resident, Sarah, expressed a contrary view, stating the protesters are warning parents about what she called harmful effects of gender-affirming care. Robert Lavoy defended the protesters, claiming they are residents seeking balanced perspectives in schools and urged the council not to limit free speech. Councilmembers acknowledged the issue, noting they are working with the school district and police, and that Vice Mayor Quak would meet with residents to discuss potential actions.
- El Curtola Overpass: During the City Manager’s update, staff detailed efforts to engage Caltrans and the CHP regarding safety concerns at the El Curtola overpass, where gatherings have occurred. Caltrans sent a letter confirming its jurisdiction and expressing safety concerns, but enforcement remains unclear. Councilmembers expressed frustration and called for a future agenda item to discuss the matter further.
- Library Hours: Mary Ann Hoysington, Library Commissioner, requested the city continue funding 16 additional library hours per week, as has been done in the past, noting that Sunday hours are not possible due to staffing issues.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Minutes from the March 23 and March 25, 2024 meetings were approved unanimously with no public comment or removal.
Discussion Items
Speed Limit Reductions on Eight Roadway Segments (Ordinance 690)
- Patrick Golier, Transportation Program Manager, reviewed the 2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey, which recommended reducing speed limits by 5 mph on eight segments, including Mount Diablo Boulevard. Councilmember McCormick expressed concern about the Mount Diablo segment, arguing that prevailing speeds are much higher and enforcement would be difficult. She preferred traffic calming measures first. Councilmember Anderson and Vice Mayor Quak supported the reductions as a first step toward a safer, less car-centric community, consistent with Vision Zero goals. The council voted 4-1 (McCormick dissenting) to uphold Ordinance 690 as adopted in November 2023.
School Zone Speed Limits (Ordinance 692)
- Staff presented a follow-up study on school zone speed limits, proposing 15 mph zones at 13 locations meeting AB 321 criteria and 25 mph zones at 6 others. Public comments included concerns about signage proliferation and requests to terminate zones at intersections. Councilmember McCormick asked staff to minimize new signs, particularly for Burton Valley, and requested that zones end at intersections rather than mid-block. Vice Mayor Quak supported implementing all changes at once in summer 2024 to reduce confusion. Ordinance 692 was introduced on first reading with those amendments and continued to April 22, 2024 for second reading and adoption.
City Council Goals Priorities for FY 2024-2025
- Following a special workshop on March 24, 2024, staff recommended confirming three priority areas: fiscal sustainability, downtown Mount Diablo corridor enhancement, and wildfire resilience. Vice Mayor Quak proposed amendments to include “creek pathways” in park planning and to add “work with utility and communication partners” to wildfire priorities. Councilmember Anderson asked for an objective wildfire risk standard for land-use decisions. The council approved the priorities as amended.
Homeowners/Fire Insurance Non-Renewal
- The City Manager reported that State Farm has issued non-renewal notices to about 30% of its policyholders in Lafayette (approximately 956 out of 3,142 policies). Councilmember McCormick emphasized this is a crisis affecting not only homeowners but also apartment building owners and businesses. She urged a strong, urgent letter to the Insurance Commissioner and state legislators, noting the conflict with state housing mandates in high-fire-severity zones. Councilmember Anderson supported adding language about the need for insurance companies to use current risk data. The council authorized the mayor to send a letter, with direction to make it forceful and comprehensive.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 690 upheld by a vote of 4-1, maintaining reduced speed limits on eight roadway segments.
- Ordinance 692 introduced on first reading with amendments to minimize new signage and align school zone start/end points with intersections; second reading set for April 22, 2024.
- Council priorities confirmed for FY 2024-2025 with amendments related to creek pathways and wildfire risk.
- Mayor authorized to send a strong letter to the Insurance Commissioner and state legislators regarding the insurance non-renewal crisis.
- Future agenda items requested for further discussion on the El Curtola overpass and the demonstrations at Lafayette Elementary School.
- Other: The council noted the successful unveiling of land acknowledgement street signs and utility box wrap at Lafayette Circle and Mount Diablo Boulevard, and announced upcoming community events including Earth Day and Wildfire Preparedness Day.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. It is six thirty, so we will start the regular city council meeting today for April eighth. And we will start with a roll call by visual check. We all are here. Um I will name off the roll call, Councilmember McCormick. Councilmember Andory. And I am an aye. And now this is for public comments on the closed session items. See, no one in the room. Is there anyone in the virtual room? City Clerk Robins. For April 4th. And we will start with the Pledge of Allegiance. The United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And as it is the first of the month, I will read the land acknowledgement. We acknowledge that Lafayette is part of the unceded ancestral homeland of the Bay Miwok people. The Bay Miwak and neighboring Ohlone people have lived in and moved to this place for thousands of years. They started and shaped this land for hundreds of generations. We express our appreciation and gratitude for this profound legacy, which enhances and contributes to our lives to this day. We'll strive to honor this land and strengthen our ties with indigenous communities that continue to live and work in our East Bay region as our neighbors and community members. We acknowledge and honor them and their ancestors, elders, and next seven generations. Okay. And we will now move to public agenda items, public comment items, I should say, for items not on the agenda. Are there any public comments for items that you are not listed on this agenda? Mayor Dawson, I have public comments, and we will start with Nikki Cauger. You can go to the podium, make sure no right up here, the podium. Welcome, Nikki, and uh make sure your mic is on. Mayor, before we have public comment, I was just gonna announce there was no reportable action from close session. Thank you, Ma for reminding us. Yes, no reportable action. No, they press it again. Oh. There you go. Does that work? Okay. I'm gonna read from my phone. It's not meant to disrespect that I'm not looking at you. As you're probably aware, once again this year, a group of people has spent much of the school day for the past few weeks outside of Lafayette Elementary holding signs that condemn transgender youth. Their posters and shouted words to passers by are hateful and patently false, intended to spread fear and contempt for vulnerable children and their families. They take photos and videos of our schools and the children, sending those images to other predators, encouraging them to come to our town in order to spread hate. As is already happening in communities all over California, I believe that Lafayette needs to provide more open and public dialogue and understanding among residents of different backgrounds, including transgender children and adults and their families. To do this, I ask that you implement comprehensive measures to combat hate speech through educational programs, community outreach initiatives, and the enactment of time, place, and manner restrictions in the community that prohibit discrimination and harassment of our children. Please help make this a more welcoming and supportive community for us. Thank you, Nikki. I appreciate you coming out. Oh, it turns off every time. Look at that. All right. Lafayette's been attacked. My family has been attacked.
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