Redwood City Council Meeting – December 22, 2025

The Redwood City Council met on December 22, 2025, to discuss and act on several items including a contract for Bay Road complete streets, amendments to the transient occupancy tax (TOT) enforcement, an appointment to the Mosquito and Vector Control Board, executive compensation changes, and the adoption of the Economic Mobility Action Plan. The meeting also featured public comments honoring retiring City Manager Melissa Stevenson-Diaz and heard public testimony on a proposed micromobility ordinance (continued to a future meeting). All council actions passed unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Consent Calendar Approved with the exception of Item 8F, which was pulled for discussion by Council Member Chu. The remaining items were approved unanimously via roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Diana Reddy (in-person) expressed gratitude to retiring City Manager Melissa Stevenson-Diaz for her leadership during the pandemic and beyond, noting her skill in supporting staff and the community.
• Rona Gundrum (via Zoom), speaking as a resident and Transportation Advisory Committee member, echoed thanks to Melissa Stevenson-Diaz for her dedication, active listening, and kindness.
• Chris Gelrich (in-person) opposed specific restrictions in the proposed micromobility ordinance, urging a focus on public safety behaviors rather than a detailed list of prohibitions, and highlighted the need for safe biking infrastructure.
• Rebecca Ratcliffe (in-person) supported e-bike growth but urged the council to focus on education, speed control, and infrastructure improvements rather than over-regulation, noting inadequate bike racks and blocked bike lanes.
• Taylor Pope (via Zoom) appreciated updates to the code but cautioned that some clarifications were overly restrictive, particularly regarding parking in racks and expanded definitions of pedestrian-only spaces; requested explicit exceptions for low-speed operation of mobility devices.

Discussion Items

• Item 8F (Bay Road Complete Streets Project): Council Member Chu pulled this item from consent to discuss high consultant rates and project limits. Staff explained the high costs reflect extensive outreach and engineering due to lane reconfiguration and parking impacts, and that extending the project limits (from 2nd to 17th Avenue) is possible pending outreach. The council unanimously approved the contract award to Kimley Horn.
• Item 9A (Micromobility Ordinance): The item was continued to a future meeting; public comment was taken but no council action occurred.
• Item 10A (TOT Compliance Improvement): Finance Director Beth Goldberg presented a proposal to grant administrative subpoena authority to improve compliance with the transient occupancy tax. Council supported the effort, with questions about outreach to hotel operators, reporting mechanisms, and applicability to short-term rentals. Council Member Gee requested a reporting component. The council unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance, with a second reading scheduled for January 12, 2026.
• Item 10B (Appointment to Mosquito and Vector Control Board): City Clerk Jessica Castro presented the appointment. By unanimous vote, Catherine Lyon was reappointed to a four-year term.
• Item 10C (Executive Management Compensation): Human Resources Director Michelle Katsuyoshi presented updates to relocation assistance benefits (up to $10,000 for new hires relocating from at least 50 miles away, approved by city manager or designee) and banked holiday hours for executive employees required to work on holidays (maximum 16 hours cashed out if not used by year-end). Council supported local hiring preferences and retention considerations. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
• Item 10D (Economic Mobility Action Plan): Assistant City Manager Michelle Poche Flaherty presented the plan, developed after extensive community engagement and national recognition. The plan defines three community outcomes (reduced financial stress, increased resource access, and community power building) with measurable indicators and city strategies. Council members praised the plan, highlighting the importance of partnerships, paid internships, zoning flexibility, and data disaggregation. The plan was adopted unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar Approved (except 8F) unanimously.
• Item 8F (Bay Road Complete Streets Contract) approved unanimously.
• Item 10A (TOT Subpoena Authority) – First reading approved unanimously; second reading set for January 12, 2026.
• Item 10B (Mosquito & Vector Control Appointment) – Catherine Lyon reappointed for a four-year term unanimously.
• Item 10C (Executive Compensation Changes) – Resolution adopted unanimously.
• Item 10D (Economic Mobility Action Plan) – Plan adopted unanimously.
• Item 9A (Micromobility Ordinance) – Continued to a future meeting.
• Retiring City Manager Melissa Stevenson-Diaz received public accolades and council gratitude; her final meeting concluded with adjournment.