City Council Committee on Ordinances Meeting - December 15, 2025

The City Council Committee on Ordinances convened on December 15, 2025, to consider three major zoning ordinance amendments: Solar Energy Systems, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), and Parking Requirements. The meeting featured presentations from Planning Department staff, extensive debate regarding housing development, economic growth, and neighborhood character, and significant public testimony. While the Solar and ADU ordinances were referred to the full City Council with favorable recommendations, the Parking Ordinance was referred with a clerical correction but failed to adopt a proposed amendment to increase parking minimums for multi-family units.

Consent Calendar

• Letters of apology for absence were read into the record from Councillors Morat, Gomes, Giesta, and Baptiste.
• Councillor Shane Burgo made a motion to receive and place unfiled the presentation title "Parking Ordinance" into the record.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Supporting Housing and Development: Christian Gavush Silvero (South Coast Places for People) stated he had not heard a single person request an ADU for Airbnb purposes among 200+ people, emphasizing the need for permanent housing for down-sizing seniors.
• Supporting Affordability: Oddly Bardin (124 Mount Pleasant Street) expressed full support for ADUs, citing the need to accommodate growing teenagers and the need to alleviate the affordability crisis by utilizing existing space.
• Supporting Parking Reductions: Pereira Gonzalez (227 Union Street) argued that reducing parking mandates decreases the heat island effect, increases green space, and allows for more walkable neighborhoods. He stated he is fully in favor of the environmental and societal benefits.
• Supporting Development: Several speakers (David Silvera, Jay Lannigan, Freddy Estevez, Mark Marco) supported parking reductions as a necessary step to unlock development, reduce construction costs, and lower rents. They argued that excessive parking mandates discourage development and that the market should drive parking supply.
• Concerns about Neighborhood Character and Overflow Parking: Councillor Leo Shokat expressed strong opposition to reducing multi-family parking minimums to one car per unit, stating it would derogate from the character of single-family neighborhoods and cause overflow parking on residential streets. Councillor Joseph Lopes echoed these concerns, specifically citing issues with overflow parking in existing neighborhoods as a primary reason for opposing the reduction, though he suggested a compromise.

Discussion Items

• Solar Energy Systems (Item 1): Planning staff noted the ordinance clarifies standards for ground-mounted and roof-mounted arrays, separating them from accessory structures. Councillor Ryan Pereira suggested adding a specific fine mechanism for non-compliance, which is not currently in the text. Councillor Sean Oliver asked for clarification on small-scale definitions (under 1,750 sq ft). Councillor Naomi Carney inquired about carports, which staff indicated would likely fall under small-scale regulations.
• Accessory Dwelling Units (Item 2): Staff explained the new ordinance aligns with the State's Affordable Homes Act, allowing detached and attached ADUs in multifamily zones and capping at 900 sq ft (with a special permit option for 1,200 sq ft). The ordinance prohibits short-term rentals. Councillor Joseph Lopes expressed concern about the difficulty of enforcing the short-term rental ban, noting the ordinance has "no teeth." Councillor Oliver confirmed the policy allows one ADU per lot. Councillor Shane Burgo criticized the delay in passing the ordinance, noting it has been discussed since 2022, and urged the body to move it to full council.
• Parking Requirements (Item 3): Staff proposed lowering parking minimums (e.g., from 2 to 1 space per unit for multi-family). Councillor Joseph Lopes raised concerns about employee parking for businesses like the Cisco property forcing staff parking on residential streets. Councillor Leo Shokat proposed an amendment to change the parking code for multi-unit dwellings from B (1 unit per space) to A (2 units per space), effectively keeping the 2:1 ratio. Councillor Joseph Lopes suggested a compromise of 1.5 spaces per unit to match city statistics. Councillor Ian Abrew argued for the reduction to increase the tax base and housing supply, calling the NIMBY attitude frustrating.

Key Outcomes

• Solar Energy Systems: Motion to refer the ordinance to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation was made by Councillor Abrew and seconded by Councillor Lopes. The motion passed (Ayes have it). Public hearing closed.
• Accessory Dwelling Units: Motion to refer the ordinance to the full City Council for adoption was made by Councillor Avery and seconded by Councillor Burgo. The motion passed (Ayes have it). Public hearing closed.
• Parking Requirements (Clerical Fix): A motion to amend Section 2 to change the parking code for "Medical Marijuana Treatment Center" from G to E was made by Councillor Burgo and seconded by Councillor Oliver. The amendment passed (Ayes have it).
• Parking Requirements (Amendment on Multi-family): A motion by Councillor Shokat to change the parking code for multi-family/mixed-use from B to A (2 spaces per unit) was seconded by Councillor Oliver. This motion was voted on via roll call: 2 Aye, 5 Nay. The amendment failed.
• Parking Requirements (Referral): Following the failure of the amendment, a motion was made by Councillor Burgo and seconded by Councillor Abrew to refer the parking ordinance item to the full City Council for approval as amended (retaining the proposed 1:1 ratio). The motion passed on a voice vote (Ayes have it).
• Continuance: Items 4 (Dimensional Regulations/Infill) and 5 (Table of Principal Uses) were continued to January 26, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. by motion of Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Abrew.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m.