Pacific Grove City Council Regular Meeting Summary - August 20, 2025

The Pacific Grove City Council convened for a regular meeting on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting featured a memorial presentation, routine council and staff announcements, and significant discussions and actions on board/commission protocols, a citizen-initiated referendum on council salaries, and a concept review for combining city commissions. The council also handled consent calendar items and heard reports on city vacancies and building permit fees.

Presentations & Recognitions

• Memorial for Steve Clatterbuck, Jamie Tabscott, and James Vincent: Council held a presentation and moment of silence for three men who died in an airplane crash. Mayor Pro Tem Emilio proposed a memorial bench near the crash site. Community member Mo Amar, representing families and the diving community, thanked the council and announced that local realtor Nicolette Eason would cover the bench's expenses. Several council members offered condolences. The bench is expected to be installed within a couple of months.
• City Attorney Resignation Announcement: City Attorney Brian Perric announced he would be stepping down effective late 2025 to allow for a recruitment process and smooth transition.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Comments: Speakers announced the Carmel International Film Festival (Oct 2-5), a new online community newspaper (PacificGrove.com), and an update on the Chautauqua Hall restoration fundraiser (including an RFP for an architect).
• Item 9C - Traffic Safety at Lighthouse/Central/Congress: Multiple residents expressed support for improving safety at the intersection, citing confusion, speeding, and pedestrian mobility issues. They urged council to direct staff to consult a traffic engineer for solutions, which could include stop signs, rumble strips, or other traffic calming measures. One speaker emphasized a need for greater traffic enforcement citywide.
• Item 12A - Amended Protocol for BCC Recommendations: Numerous public speakers, including board and commission chairs and residents, opposed proposed amendments to limit boards to two recommendations per year and consolidate an annual review. They argued this would stifle community input, reduce transparency, and create long delays for timely issues. Speakers requested a more open process that values citizen expertise and communication.
• Item 13A - Referendum on Ordinance 25-007 (Council Salary Increase): Multiple residents who helped gather referendum signatures stated their primary goal was to give the public a vote on the council-approved salary increase, not necessarily to oppose it. Some speakers opposed the raise, arguing council service is a volunteer stipend. One speaker supported the raise, citing the workload and need to attract diverse candidates. Many urged the council to place the measure on the ballot for voter decision.
• Item 13B - Concept to Combine ARB and HRC: A strong majority of public speakers, including former board members and historic homeowners, opposed merging the Architectural Review Board (ARB) and Historic Resources Commission (HRC). They argued the boards have distinct missions and expertise, that a merger would dilute historic preservation efforts, lead to overly long meetings, and reduce the quality of review. Several suggested improving recruitment and training for the separate boards instead.

Discussion Items

• Item 9C - Traffic Safety Commission Recommendation (Pulled from Consent): Council discussed a recommendation to assess safety improvements at the Lighthouse Avenue, Central Avenue, and Congress Avenue intersection. Members shared concerns about pedestrian safety, speeding, and confusion at the intersection. The consensus was to direct staff to consult a traffic engineer and return with concept drawings and cost estimates for council consideration.
• Item 11A - AB 2561 Vacancy, Recruitment, and Retention Report: The Human Resources Director presented a mandated report on 2024 city staff vacancies (8% annual rate), recruitment obstacles (lack of awareness of public sector jobs, lengthy process), and retention strategies (promotions, engagement, benefits). The council received the report and discussed challenges like housing costs impacting recruitment.
• Item 11B - Combination Building Permit Fee Increases: Staff reported a typographical error in the FY 2024-25 fee schedule that undercharged for high-value projects. The council approved a correction to reset fees to their intended levels to ensure cost recovery.
• Item 12A - Amended Protocol for BCC Recommendations: Council debated proposed amendments to the process for boards, committees, and commissions (BCCs) to submit recommendations. Discussion centered on balancing project management, staff workload, and meaningful public input. The council approved a revised motion to adopt the amended protocol (with a limit of two recommendations per BCC per year and an annual review), direct BCCs to provide quarterly written reports to council, and review the protocol's effectiveness in January 2026.
• Item 13A - Referendum on Ordinance 25-007 (Council Salary Increase): Following a successful citizen referendum petition that suspended the ordinance, the council discussed three options: repeal the ordinance, proceed to a public vote, or repeal and later discuss a new ballot measure. After extensive debate, the council chose Option 3: to repeal the current ordinance and, at a future date, discuss placing a new, clear ballot measure before voters (likely in 2026). Several council members expressed support for a raise to attract a more diverse candidate pool under the new district elections but emphasized letting the public decide.
• Item 13B - Concept to Combine ARB and HRC: Staff presented the concept of merging the Architectural Review Board and Historic Resources Commission into a single 7-member board to streamline processes, reduce confusion for applicants, and improve staffing efficiency. Council discussion revealed mixed opinions, with concerns about losing specialized historic expertise and creating overly long meetings. The council directed staff to return with more detailed analysis on board composition, training, and operational impacts before drafting any ordinance.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously, with Items 7B (salary classification correction) and 9C (traffic safety) pulled for separate discussion.
• Item 7B - Ordinance Correction: Approved with ministerial corrections to the city manager's salary classification ordinance.
• Item 9C - Traffic Safety at Lighthouse/Central/Congress: Vote 7-0. Directed staff to consult a traffic engineer to assess installing stop signs and reconfiguring the intersection of Lighthouse, Central, and Congress Avenues, and return with concept drawings and cost estimates.
• Item 11A - AB 2561 Report: Received and filed the annual vacancy and recruitment report.
• Item 11B - Building Permit Fees: Vote 7-0. Approved a resolution correcting the master fee schedule for combination building permits.
• Item 12A - Amended BCC Protocol: Vote 6-1 (Walkingstick opposed). Approved the amended protocol with a limit of two recommendations per BCC per year and an annual review process, directed BCCs to provide quarterly reports, and scheduled a review for January 2026.
• Item 13A - Referendum on Council Salaries: Vote 7-0. 1) Adopted a resolution accepting the certificate of sufficiency for the referendum petition. 2) Chose Option 3: Directed staff to return on September 3, 2025, with an ordinance to repeal Ordinance 25-007, and to schedule a future discussion on a potential ballot measure for a public vote in 2026.
• Item 13B - ARB/HRC Merger Concept: Vote 7-0. Directed staff to further analyze the concept of combining the ARB and HRC, including details on board composition, training, and operational impacts, and return for further discussion before drafting an ordinance.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 10:30 PM. Item 13C was continued to the next regular meeting.