Redwood City Regular City Council Meeting - January 27, 2025
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Redwood City Regular City Council Meeting - January 27, 2025
On January 27, 2025, the Redwood City Council held a regular meeting covering presentations, public comments, a solid waste rate increase public hearing, and a housing initiatives update. The meeting was adjourned in memory of longtime resident and environmental activist Sandra Cooperman.
Presentations & Acknowledgments
- American Heart Month: The Mayor proclaimed February as American Heart Month and noted the council issued a proclamation to the American Heart Association.
- Water Conservation Poster Contest: Winners from K-5th grade were recognized for the 29th annual contest themed "Follow H2O Joe's Blueprint for Reducing Your Water Footprint." 12 winners were selected from hundreds of entries. The city's mascots H2O Joe and Violet appeared.
- Hip Housing Update: Board Member and former Mayor Ian Bain presented an update. In FY 2023-24, Hip Housing served 605 Redwood City residents, including 112 home sharing applicants, 24 families in self-sufficiency programs, 129 tenants in property management, and 23 individuals in housing readiness.
- Adjournment in Memory of Sandra Cooperman: Vice Mayor Aiken eulogized Sandra Cooperman, who passed away on September 28, 2024. She was a key figure in the preservation of Bair Island (now part of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge) and co-founded the Redwood City Library Foundation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carrie Mitchell (former Senior Affairs Commissioner) asked council permission to explore viability of a million-gallon water tank using private funding.
- Carl Ebessine (Catherine Avenue resident) requested restoration of the slow street on Catherine Avenue, which lost bollards without notice.
- Edward Stanzel expressed concerns about the Docktown buyout program and asked the city to pay a $116,000 judgment.
- Jose Farias (city employee) spoke on behalf of the employee negotiating team, requesting reduction of pension cost-sharing contributions, noting that most cities do not require extra contributions.
- Gail Rob (Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge) honored Sandra Cooperman's environmental legacy and urged continued work to protect Baylands.
- Roni Ben David (District 2 resident) voiced concerns about proliferation of small cell wireless facilities in residential neighborhoods, citing fire hazards and health risks, and asked council to revise the wireless ordinance.
- Faith in Action Bay Area Leaders (multiple speakers) urged council to adopt strong tenant protections, including right to return at same rent after substantial remodel, anti-harassment ordinance, and rent control. They stated they would not participate in further focus groups.
- Roby Lynn Antonio (California Apartment Association) cautioned against over-regulation, noting state laws already provide protections and that excessive local rules could discourage housing investment.
Consent Calendar
- The council approved all consent calendar items (6A through 6I) unanimously, including: final acceptance of Redwood Creek Channel Rehabilitation project, loan forgiveness for Service League's Hope House, grant agreements, pavement overlay contract, and other routine actions.
Discussion Items
Solid Waste Rate Increase (Item 7A)
- Staff presented proposed 2025 maximum solid waste rates to address a $2.45 million shortfall. The recommended increase uses $500,000 from the rate stabilization fund to reduce the monthly increase by $2 per customer. Proposed rates: 20-gallon cart $40.87/month (+$10 increase ~25%), 32-gallon $54.86 (+$9 ~15.3%), 64-gallon $78.68 (+$8 ~8.1%), 96-gallon $107.03 (+$7 ~4.9%). Two written protests were received; no majority protest (50%+1 = 9,829) was filed. Council discussed equity concerns, utility rate assistance program (URAP) eligibility (50% AMI), and future service level adjustments. Councilmember G suggested exploring every-other-week service or bin sharing. The motion to adopt the resolution passed unanimously.
Housing Initiatives & Anti-Displacement Strategy (Item 8A)
- Staff presented updates on housing production (3,600 units in pipeline, 1,000+ affordable) and proposed modifications to the Anti-Displacement Strategy (ADS) work plan. Key recommendations: conduct a focus group on right to return after substantial remodel (not covered by state law SB 567), adjust timeline for mobile home park closure ordinance and repair needs assessment to FY 2026-27, and update preservation goals (renamed from Lincoln Avenue Capital model). Council discussed state laws (AB 1482, SB 567), MTC Transit-Oriented Communities requirements, and Project Sentinel's tenant-landlord mediation program (102 calls in first 6 months, 48 cases, most common issues: evictions, maintenance, quiet enjoyment). Councilmember Stirken initially moved to replace focus group with literature review and direct staff to bring back a strict right-to-return policy, but this motion failed (3-2?). A subsequent motion by Councilmember Stirken, seconded by Vice Mayor Aiken, to approve staff recommendations with a friendly amendment from Councilmember G to move mobile home timeline to FY 2028-29 instead of 2026-27 passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Solid Waste Rates: Resolution approving maximum 2025 rates and adopting franchise fee study passed unanimously. Staff directed to continue promoting URAP.
- Anti-Displacement Strategy Work Plan: Council approved staff recommendations as amended (mobile home items deferred to FY 2028-29). Focus group on right to return retained; no literature review ordered. Tenant protection ordinance draft to proceed.
- 2025 Appointments: Council approved the Mayor's recommended appointments to regional JPAs, subcommittees, and ad hoc committees unanimously.
- City Manager Updates: New Fire Chief Baraka Carter starts February 24; tree ordinance workshops scheduled Jan 30 and Feb 4; Lunar New Year celebration Feb 1.
- Closed Session: Council convened closed session for labor and real property negotiations; no further public session.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you, Vice Mayor. Before we begin our presentations and acknowledgments, I want to announce that February is American Heart Month, a federally recognized event that encourages Americans to focus on their heart health and get their families, their friends, and their community involved. The Redwood City City Council issued a proclamation earlier this month to the American Heart Association, which happens to be celebrating its a hundred years of honoring their mission and working to save lives from heart disease and stroke. We encourage the Road City community to bring awareness to the importance of fighting heart disease. Moving on to item four A, recognition of our winners of water conservation poster contest. So this first presentation is uh a really fun one. Um we're recognizing the winners of our annual water conservation poster contest coordinated by the city's public works water division. It's a really wonderful opportunity to be able to teach our future generations about water conservation and experience it through their creative art. Tonight we present the awards for the twenty-ninth annual water conservation poster contest. Road City has many initiatives and programs that help our community conserve water year after year, making us one of the more water efficient communities in the Bay Area. Rebates for lawn replacement, rain barrels, irrigation equipment, and smart irrigation controller. So lots of equipment available, including the water wise gardening workshops, and of course, the last item here, why we're here tonight. One of our longest running and most successful programs is the poster contest. So I'd like to invite Nate Anderson, our public works utilities field supervisor to present the winners. The theme of this year's contest was follow H2O Joe's blueprint for reducing your water footprint. Our water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use, such as growing food, making our clothes, cars, computers, and providing energy. You may not drink, feel, or see the virtual water, but it actually makes up the majority of your water footprint. Introducing the students to the concept of virtual water, the students can see how their actions will affect their water consumption. In our hope that this awareness will promote students to conserve water directly and indirectly, and will help out our mascot, H2O Joe. Outdoors, capture water and reuse it. Irrigate efficiently and prevent water waste, such as runoff, replace thirsty water lawn and water with water efficient and or native plants. And use less energy. From the hundreds of entries, 12 winners were selected to their exemplary artistic efforts and water conservation messaging. Each of them will receive a personalized certificate from the city council. The certificate says, upon the recommendation of the mayor and council of the city of Redwood City, these students are hereby awarded the certificate for raising community awareness of Redwood City's water. Conservation water conservation poster contest theme. Follow H2O Joe's blueprint for reducing your water footprint. As part of Redwood City's water conservation poster contest, with all the rights, honors, and privileges appartained thereto, and with the congratulations and great appreciation of the City Council of Redwood City on this 12 27th day of January 2025. At this time, I would like to invite Mayor Martinez Sabaios to the front of the dais to present the awards. All right, the winners for the K through first grade category are theme winner, Ethan Griffin, St. Pius School, Miss Brands class. Second first place winner, Keya Nakamori, Roosevelt School, Miss Suchiyama's class. Second place winner, Cruz de Leon, St. Pius School, Miss Brand's class. Third place winner, Lucia Vol Pendesta, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Miss Malaspina's class. All right, the winners for the second through third grade category are theme winner, Sonia Chen, Henry Ford School, Miss Steves and Borg's class. First place winner, Penny Firth Eagle, Roy Cloud School, Miss Johnson's class. Second place winner, Fiona Hartnett, Roy Cloud School, Miss Johnson's class. Third place winner, Julian Scarfo Eero, Roy Cloud, Miss Garnado's class. Thank you. All right, the winners for the fourth through fifth grade are theme winner, Jane Lee, Andrea Lopez Cardona, Hoover School, Miss Michael Borgs, Mr. Michael Borg's class. Not present, but the first place winner, Mariella Guerrero, Hoover School, Miss Michael Borg's class. Second place winner, Alexandra Sadie, Henry Ford School, Miss Toupe's class. To pie, sorry. Not present, but the third place winner, Leah Chavez, Our Lady Martin Carmel School, Ms. Hussey's class. Now, kids, we have two very special guests in attendance. They're making a special appearance here tonight for a very special award ceremony. Please welcome H2O Joe and Violet.
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