Lafayette City Council Meeting – September 28, 2026

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM with all council members present except Councilmember Witherspoon (excused). A closed session was held with no reportable action. The agenda was adopted, and Item 10E (meeting relocation) was moved to the consent calendar as Item 11E.

Consent Calendar

• Item 11A: Minutes of September 14, 2026 approved.
• Item 11B: Ordinance 704 amending parking meter zones and fees adopted (waived second reading).
• Item 11C: $48,500 approved for Measure H-funded wildfire preparedness projects.
• Item 11D: Authorized the City Manager to issue a letter of support for Contra Costa County's Olympic Boulevard Corridor Trail Connector grant application.
• Item 11E: The November 23, 2026 City Council meeting will be held in the Arts and Science Room instead of the Don Tatzin Community Hall to allow floor refinishing.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rob Lavoy (non-agenda item): Requested audio improvements so the council could be heard more clearly.
• Elliot Hudson (public hearing on Ordinance 703): Opposed 18-square-foot single-pane windows, 40% fenestration, and shed roofs, arguing they undermine Lafayette's semi-rural ambiance. He urged stricter standards and noted that once built, mistakes cannot be undone.
• Rob Lavoy (same hearing): Supported stricter standards, arguing that developers can waive requirements and should have to earn exceptions.
• Shelby (Domestic Violence Awareness Month): Shared personal experiences and offered to help with awareness efforts.

Presentations

• K-9 Elwood Introduction: Officer Daniel Harper and Canine Elwood (2-year-old Belgian Malinois) were introduced. Elwood, funded by community donations, completed patrol training and will soon attend explosive detection training. He will assist with missing persons, evidence searches, safety sweeps, and critical incidents, and will be available countywide when needed.
• New Employees: Assistant City Manager Tracy Robinson introduced Planning Technicians Aamna Lodhi (UCLA graduate) and Sutter Morris (Brown University graduate). Both are Bay Area natives and welcomed by the council.
• Appeals Hearing Board Annual Update: The board held one formal hearing (La Commonita) this year, completed three online training courses, and aims to formalize hearing procedures for consistency. Members thanked staff and expressed hope for a dedicated code enforcement officer.
• E-Rate Funding Program Update: Sarah Blumenfeld, Lafayette's library commission representative, reported that the FCC has proposed eliminating or scaling back the E-Rate program, which provides discounted internet access and equipment to libraries and K-12 schools. Over the past five years, Contra Costa libraries received 60% reimbursement (≈$1.6M); the next five years would bring 80% (≈$2M). The comment period ends October 13, 2026. The council noted that the topic aligns with the city's legislative platform and will consider a letter of support.

Discussion Items

• Item 12A: Services Agreement with All Ages Recreation Downtown (AARD): Parks and Recreation Director Jonathan Katayanagi presented a proposed $30,000 agreement ($12,000 for senior services, $12,000 for youth/teen, $6,000 for community recreation). The funding repurposes previously budgeted matching funds for a downtown park project. All three relevant commissions (Senior Services, Youth Commission, Parks Trails and Recreation) supported the move. Council approved the agreement and the associated fund allocation.
• Item 14A: Ordinance 703 – Objective Design Standards (Phase 2): Consultants Monica Siddlick and Kat Kurtz presented the draft standards, which establish objective criteria for multifamily and mixed-use development. Five sections are reserved for future upzoning. Key discussion points:
  • Shed roofs: Council agreed to limit shed roofs to accessory structures and not allow them as a primary roof form.
  • Fenestration: The council voted to reduce the maximum window area on upper-story elevations from 40% to 35% and to apply this limit to all sides of the building (not just street-facing).
  • Window size: The council chose to keep the maximum single-pane window size at 18 square feet, rejecting a proposal to reduce it to 6 square feet.
  • Fire safety landscaping: Council noted the importance of wildfire-resistant landscaping but deferred action to a future update. The council introduced Ordinance 703, waived first reading, and continued it to October 13, 2026 for second reading and adoption with the changes above. (Vote 4-0.)
• Item 15A: Seventh Amendment to City Manager Employment Agreement: Mayor Anduri and Vice Mayor McCormick recommended a one-year extension with a 5% salary increase effective July 1, 2026. Councilmembers praised City Manager Niroop K. Srivatsa's leadership and expertise. The motion passed unanimously (4-0).
• Item 16A: Proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month: The council approved the proclamation recognizing October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lafayette. (Vote 4-0.)

Council Reports & Written Communications

• Mayor Anduri reported on: meeting with Concord councilmember about e-bikes; discussions with East Bay MUD about displaying tower artifacts; attending a Northern California Nonprofit Housing Association conference; and the Cal Cities resolutions meeting where a resolution on state housing mandates passed overwhelmingly (233-2).
• Vice Mayor McCormick reported on: the inaugural M3 (Mobility, Movement, and More) committee meeting; CTP capital list updates; and the Crime Prevention Commission meeting.
• Councilmember Kendell reported on: attending Senator Grayson's senior scam stopper program; the progress of a downtown mural; and celebrating a resident's 100th birthday.
• Councilmember Summerlin highlighted the strong state-wide support for the Cal Cities resolution and discussed work on e-bike safety and the CTP.

Key Outcomes

• Approved unanimously: Consent calendar, AARD services agreement, City Manager contract amendment, Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation.
• Introduced and continued: Ordinance 703 with modifications (shed roof limitation, fenestration reduced to 35% on all upper-story elevations, window size unchanged at 18 sq ft) – second reading scheduled for October 13, 2026.
• Directive: City Manager authorized to draft a letter supporting the E-Rate funding program, consistent with the legislative platform.
• Next steps: Deferred fire safety landscaping discussion to the second phase of objective design standards. Staff will prepare formal language for the adopted amendments.