Redwood City Council Meeting July 24, 2023: Redwood Life Project, Firearms Ordinance, and Retiree Benefits
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Redwood City Council Meeting July 24, 2023
The Redwood City Council met on July 24, 2023, starting at 6:00 PM and extending past midnight, to consider a range of items including the initiation of environmental review for the proposed Redwood Life redevelopment project, adoption of new firearm and ammunition retail regulations, approval of a retiree health benefit restructuring for police supervisors, and appointment of an interim community development director. The meeting featured extensive public testimony on the two major public hearings, with 51 speakers on the Redwood Life project and several on the firearms ordinance.
Consent Calendar
- Approved items 8A through 8T, including rejection of a liability claim, legal services agreement for the ferry terminal, on-call building services, Roosevelt Avenue quick-build traffic calming contract, multimodal grant application for U.S. 101/Woodside Road interchange, parcel map for 690 Veterans Boulevard, affordable housing preservation program, grant from Get Healthy San Mateo County, CDBG/HOME technical assistance, farmer's market license agreement, crossing guard services, Shape Inc. pump maintenance agreement, housing element implementation ordinances (zoning code amendments), rezone of 505 East Bay Shore Road, June 26, 2023 minutes, and claims/checks.
- Items 8K and 8R (Councilmember Aiken recused) were approved separately.
- Items 8O and 8S required five-sevenths votes: 8O (Arts Commission grants) passed 5-0 with Councilmember Aiken and Mayor G recused; 8S (grant to Casa Circulo Cultural) passed 6-0 with Mayor G recused.
Public Comments & Testimony
- General Public Comment (Item 7): Nine in-person speakers and one Zoom speaker addressed non-agenda matters. Topics included National Night Out celebration at Mezes Park, concerns about Docktown safety (Ted Hannock, Elmer Guerrero, Kathy Harris, Stacey Talamantes alleged city negligence regarding an 11-year-old girl's death), support for City Trees (Philip Kernia-Gorak reported planting 255 trees and over 200 hours of pruning), and complaints about abandoned bird scooters in Bear Island (Jim Crampton).
- Public Hearing on Redwood Life (Item 9A): 51 speakers (18 in-person, 33 via Zoom) provided comments. Supporters (including union representatives, residents, Chamber of Commerce, Build Up San Mateo County, Biocom California) emphasized job creation, affordable housing funds ($85 million), child care investment ($2 million), sea level rise mitigation, and community amenities. Opponents (Redwood Shores residents, Sierra Club, Sequoia Audubon, Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge) raised concerns about project scale (3.31 million sq. ft.), traffic, biosafety levels, unlined landfill contamination, impacts on wetlands and wildlife, construction duration, and inequitable distribution of benefits. Several urged the council to require a scaled-back alternative before CEQA.
- Public Hearing on Firearms Retail Ordinance (Item 9B): One in-person speaker (Katie Getz) and two Zoom speakers (Elizabeth Molina, Clara Jackal) supported strong restrictions, with some advocating for a 1,000-foot distance from sensitive facilities.
Discussion Items
- Redwood Life Project (Item 9A): Staff presented the proposal to initiate proceedings to repeal the Westport Specific Plan and replace it with a new Precise Plan for a 3.31 million sq. ft. research and development/life sciences campus, including a 104-room hotel, 29 acres of public open space, levee improvements, and community benefits ($85 million for affordable housing, $2 million for child care). The applicant (Longfellow) committed to compromise and a community process. Council discussion focused on the need for city-led community engagement, independent data from CEQA, and addressing equity concerns. The council directed staff to initiate the environmental review process with a city-led third-party engagement plan, periodic reports (six-month updates), and a timeline of approximately 18 months. The motion passed unanimously (7-0).
- Firearms and Ammunition Retail Ordinance (Item 9B): Staff recommended two ordinances: a law enforcement permit (annual renewal, security requirements, operating hours 8 AM–8 PM, no unaccompanied minors, signage) and zoning regulations (conditional use permit, prohibitions within 600 feet of schools, child care centers, youth centers, parks, libraries, places of worship, and within 1,000 feet of another gun store). The Planning Commission had recommended a hybrid approach (1,000 feet from schools, 600 feet from others). Council debated equity impacts, with data showing that stricter distances would disproportionately affect low-HPI neighborhoods. Councilmember Howard supported the Planning Commission version, but the majority favored the staff recommendation with amendments: (1) all posted warnings must be translated into the city's top three languages (English, Spanish, Chinese) and (2) annual reporting to council on ordinance enforcement. The motion passed 6-1 (Councilmember Howard dissenting).
- Retiree Health Benefits Restructuring (Item 10A): The council reviewed an actuarial report on proposed changes to post-employment health benefits for the Police Supervisors Association (PSA), which would reduce the city's unfunded liability by limiting family coverage for new hires. The matter was informational; adoption will occur at a future meeting.
- Interim Community Development Director Appointment (Item 10B): The council unanimously approved appointing CalPERS retiree Jeffrey Schwab as interim community development and transportation director from July 25, 2023, to February 5, 2024.
Key Outcomes
- Vote on Item 9A (Initiate CEQA for Redwood Life): 7-0 in favor, with direction for city-led community engagement, six-month progress reports, and a goal to develop an alternative project through data-informed compromise.
- Vote on Item 9B (Firearms Retail Ordinances): 6-1 (Councilmember Howard opposed) to adopt the staff recommendation with amendments requiring translation of signs into top three languages and annual reporting to council.
- Vote on Item 10A (Actuarial Report): Unanimous approval of staff recommendation (informational).
- Vote on Item 10B (Interim Director Appointment): Unanimous approval.
- Other: Council adjourned in memory of Keith Blackie, a longtime resident and international scout advocate.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the July 25th meeting of the University City Council by the caller meeting up for joining this evening. The meeting can still be accessed probably via live stream on the city's website. Zoom cable channel 26 and ATT versus channel 99. Items will be taken in the word that they're listed on the agenda. In-person speakers will be called first in the order in which speaker cards were turned into our interim city clerk. Speaker cards are located at the back table in the council chambers and must be turned into the city clerk at the di at the dais. Please be sure to indicate the agenda item number which you wish to speak on. Virtual attendees who have joined us by Zoom will be called after the in-person comments have been given. Detailed instructions for public comment will be provided on the screen when the time for public comment begins. For in-person attendees, you'll be called to the podium based on the order in which your speaker cards were submitted. For those participating by Zoom, please raise your hand after the agenda item begins. Once the public comment period beg has begun, no additional speakers will be allowed to cue up to speak. This is because of the amount of time allotted to speakers is dependent upon the number of speakers as determined by the number of speaker cards submitted prior to the start of public comment period. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Aguirre. Here. Vice Mayor Espinosa Coronica here. And Mayor G. Present. Thank you. Thank you. Like to now ask our Councilmember Martin Desaballes to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, please rise if you're able to allegiance of the United States of America. Thank you, Councilmember Martinez Bayos. Our next item is to honor any AB twenty-four forty-nine requests, seeing that all council members are present. We will skip that part of the program here. Thank you, Mayor. Now is the time for a public public comment on the two closed session items, anticipated litigation and existing litigation. Please follow the instructions on the screen to be recognized for public comment. As the mayor mentioned, we'll be taking public comment first in person and then by Zoom. With that, we will adjourn for our public session and we'll go into closed session. We hope to be back within fifty-five minutes. Okay, but thank you very much. Okay, now we can resume. If everyone could take a seat, please. Could everyone take a seat, please? We'll look we'll get back to our meeting. Thank you. Well, the council just came back out of closed session. Thank you for your patience. We appreciate it. Uh no action, no reportable action was taken this evening in closed session. And in between when we started and now I've been told that Comcast Channel 27 is back on. So for those that aren't here in chambers and watching on uh one of our meeting channels, Comcast Channel 27 is another option that you have now. Just a quick note before we get into our next section here about presentations and acknowledgments. If you'd like to make a comment on these next two items, you may do so under item seven. General public comment. So we'll go go on with our presentation and acknowledgments. The first item 6A is to honor our assistant city manager, Alex Gujikian.
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