Good evening, everybody.

Thank you all for joining our city council meeting of March twenty-third, twenty twenty six.

Tonight's meeting is a very special event as we'll be delivering our state of the city address.

We hold meetings in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation available.

There will be one opportunity for public comment this evening.

Uh, under item five, the city welcomes public comment on topics within the city's subject matter jurisdiction.

And members of the public may provide comments as follows.

In-person speakers will be called first.

Speaker cards are located at the back table in the council chambers and must be turned in to the city clerk here at the dais.

Please be sure to indicate the agenda item number you wish to speak on.

Attendees who have joined us by Zoom will be called to speak 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.

Before we continue with the meeting, I'd like to introduce a few of Redwood City's former mayors and council members who have joined us tonight.

Starting with former mayor Brent Britsky.

And we have former Mayor Alicia Aguirre.

Thank you all.

And I also see in the back we have Gabby Morales from State Senator Becker's office, and I saw Sarah Phelps from Assemblymember Papin's office, too.

Thank you both.

And with that, we'll now turn it over to the city clerk to call the roll.

Good evening.

I'll start with Councilmember Chu.

Here.

Councilmember G.

Present.

Councilmember Howard.

Here.

Councilmember Padilla.

Present.

Councilmember Sturkin.

Here.

Vice Mayor Aiken.

Here.

Mayor Martina Saballos.

Here.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

And we'll go next to the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Chu.

Thank you, Councilmember Chu.

We'll go to item four next.

And since the full council is here present, item four isn't applicable this evening.

So we'll move on to item number five, which is our public comments of section of the agenda.

We'll now take public comment on items on or off the agenda this evening.

We welcome speakers providing public comment, but please be advised.

This is a limited public forum.

As such, speakers must address matters within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city.

If speakers do not, they'll be warned.

And if they continue to disregard city rules, their opportunity to speak will be limited.

If you're attending in person, please fill out a speaker card and submit it to the city clerk here at the Dais.

If you're attending virtually, feel free to raise your hand on Zoom at this time or press star nine if you've joined by phone.

Once we've gathered all the speaker cards and raised hands and have begun public comment, no additional speakers will be allowed to queue up to speak.

And I'll turn it over to our city clerk.

Thank you, Mayor.

Okay, we'll begin with our in-person speakers.

We have eight cards at this time.

And if you've joined us on Zoom, go ahead and raise your hand to be identified for public comment.

As the mayor mentioned, once we begin public comment, we won't accept any more speaker cards or raised hands on Zoom.

So last call to the audience for any public comment tonight.

Okay, we'll go ahead and get started.

I'll call two names at a time.

Pamela Estes, who will be followed by MJ Palumbo.

And if you're new to public comment, there is a timer on the top of the podium.

The orange blinking light is your 30-second warning, and the red light with the beat means your time is up.

The timer will begin when you start speaking.

Welcome.

Ready?

All right, thank you.

Um good evening, Councilmembers and and Mayor and Vice Mayor.

I'm Pamela Estes.

I'm the executive director of the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation.

And I just wanted to share some of the news about upcoming arts and community events from the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation.

This past Friday, March 20, we hosted our sixth art exhibition at the Chanzarberg Community Space, featuring the work of eight San Mateo County artists, three of whom are Redwood City residents, including one high schooler.

If you miss the opening, there will be additional additional opportunities to experience the exhibition during our upcoming open house events on May 6th, August 5th, and November 4.

We're also excited to be part of Silicon Valley Open Studios during the weekend of May 9 and 10.

With support from the Arts Commission, we're going to host 11 artists at the community activities building where visitors can view and purchase original artwork.

On Sunday, May 10, we're partnering with Art Bias to offer a free art trolley experience.

This fun and accessible ride will circulate between Art Bias, the community activities building, and the Marshall Street Garage.

Looking ahead to May 13, we're launching a new speaker series with author Peter Kagayama, who will present Love Where You Live, Our Relationship with Our City and Why It Matters.

And this will be followed in late June with a community conversation about his book for the Love of Cities Revisited and how we can generate ideas for our own community.

On May 22nd, in collaboration with the Stanford Jazz Workshop, we're welcoming Mads Tolling, a jazz artist and his quartet, the Mads Men for an evening of jazz at the community space.

So tickets for both the speaker event with Peter Kagayama and the music event with Mad Tolling will be available on our website.

So we hope that you'll plan to join us, join us for one or two of these events coming up.

Thank you, Pamela.

Our next speaker is MJ Palumbo, who will be followed by Olivia Austin.

Thank you for your attention.

My name's Mary Jo.

I reside at 1090 Main Street.

My patio faces the park behind the Redwood City Library.

This park has several problems due to the homeless.

A window was broken on our property.

A car was broken into our parking lot, trash, noise, dogs, barking at all hours of the day and night.

A complete removal was done last year, but they all returned.

I have called the police several times, but nothing can be done, I guess, because they didn't do anything.

We want our park back.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mary Joe.

Our next speaker is Olivia Austin, who will be followed by Paul Finkel.

Good evening, Council members, Mayor, Vice Mayor.

My name is Olivia Austin.

I reside at 1090 Main Street.

This past week, I've had to call the Redwood City police twice regarding an individual constantly digging and scattering dirt with a shovel or a long metal pipe, exposing numerous roots on the trees at the Redwood City Library grounds.

The police were called this past Tuesday, and yes, they did show up, spoke to the person, observed their trench or ditch, and apparently asked the person to gather up all the scattered items and move on.

But that was it.

The same situation occurred again last Friday.

Police call, but I did not see them come out again in the library area.

And the last time he was seen by myself was Sunday morning, just for a short time while he was digging and digging in the same area.

This scenario is a constant over and over, and several residents have filmed this on their iPhone.

Contact with the Red City Police was always made, and yet it appears that nothing has really been done to address this issue by the city.

If this situation gets resolved at some point, then only then can the residents of 1090 Main Street say that the library park is safe and secure to enjoy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Paul Finkel, who will be followed by Elizabeth Devaney.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council.

My name is Paul Finkel, and I reside at 1848 Anamore Street.

I'm here to make three requests.

The first is request of the immediate postponement of heritage tree removal permits for 1839 Annamore Street and 1882 Ann More Street.

Under Chapter 35 of the City Code, the city must consider the condition of a tree and the necessity to remove for improvements.

In these cases, the trees are not the problem.

The stewardship is we must stop allowing deferred maintenance to serve as a valid excuse for destruction of our namesake Redwoods.

If a tree is struggling, the solution is better care, not a chainsaw.

So in addition to requesting the postponement of the removal of these trees, I'm also requesting a modernization of Redwood City's ordinances dealing with heritage trees and asking for a mitigation first approach.

Redwood City is currently working to update its tree ordinance.

I urge you to include a mitigation first mandate before removal of a permit is even considered.

Applicants should be required to provide an arborist's report proving they have exhausted modern preservation techniques, such as deep watering, treeth tree growth growth regulators, and structural pruning.

The third request is that align is that the council align housing and canopy goals.

Should excuse me, induce homeowners to scale back building footprints and to save heritage trees.

We should explicitly prohibit ADUs that require the removal of a heritage tree.

An ADU is a discretionary benefit.

A hundred-year-old Redwood is an irreplaceable community asset.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Elizabeth Devani, who will be followed by Marjorie Ruiz.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Thank you so much for giving us residents a moment to speak on topics that matter to us mostly.

What I want to say, as a 20-plus year resident of Redwood City, someone who has been happy and grateful to live in this environment, raise my children here.

Being a longtime resident means that I have enjoyed the environment.

The Redwood City provides specifically around tree growth.

And similar to the previous speaker, I have deep concerns about the loss of our heritage redwood trees.

The city's namesakes provide cooling and environmental boost for animals and plants that live nearby, and also a beautiful landscape that we can enjoy as residents.

As a regular daily pedestrian on Annamore Street, I'm warned the potential loss of these two heritage redwood trees and implore the city to consider everyone's perspectives at the potential of remote tree removal.

And mostly as well, I want to encourage us to protect the large trees that we have across the city as redevelopment occurs in coincidence with heat waves that are becoming more and more prevalent.

We're losing some of the shade that keeps our streets walkable and bikeable.

And so I want to really encourage us all as human beings to consider the landscape that we enjoy, the landscape in the redwoods that brought us here to begin with.

Thank you.

And lastly, before I proceed my time, I just want to give huge props to the public works department.

Every time I call, someone answers the phone.

They're incredibly helpful and I'm so grateful to live in a city that's so well run.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Marjorie Ruiz, who will be followed by Paul Bocanegra.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Council members, and staff.

Hello, Marjorie Ruiz, that I'll go here.

Your friendly senior local government affairs representative for PGE coming to give you a safety message today.

Helping keep our community safe.

So we work hard every day to keep our community safe.

I don't know if you know this, but we use drones, helicopters, cameras, and all sorts of technology to enhance our efforts.

But now we're inviting the public to step in.

Our customers can help us keep our system safe by using the PGE reported program as a valuable part of our safety toolkit.

PGE reported app is available on the Apple store and on Android.

And what it does is it allows the public, members of the public to take pictures of any areas of concern, whether it's a tree, a pole, anything that is of concern, you can take a picture, submit it, and you get to track it all the way to the end, and you will receive PGE findings and conclusions.

Please note this is not meant to replace 911.

If you see a downed power line, stay away, do not come near it.

If you smell gas, call 911.

So this is not meant to replace emergency services, but it is meant to add another layer of interaction and submitting escalations as we use internally from members of the public.

And I presume that city staff could direct members of the public to also direct those pictures and they'll be able to track those to the end.

So this app is called PGE Report It.

It's also available as a test top version, and you will be able to submit pictures and follow it all the way through to conclusion.

I will submit, I will follow up, forgive me, with City Clark to make sure that everyone on staff and city council members have access to this app.

If you have any questions, and one phone call or text or email away from you all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Marjorie.

Our next speaker is Paul Bocanegra, who will be followed by Bill Newell.

Good evening, Honorable Mayor Martinez, Vice Mayor, Council members.

My name is Paul Bocanegra.

I live here in Redwood City.

I'm here to share the fix in San Mateo County Impact Report for 2025.

As you may know, we are a grassroots nonprofit organization working for transparency, accountability from our sheriff's office, community involvement, and community safety is common sense.

The Board of Supervisors took a historic first step by creating the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission, which began meeting in 2024.

Last year, that commission recommended that the board establish a regular ongoing inspector general function.

An inspector general is our goal for this year as well.

It is standard operating procedure and modern government.

Good governance and fiscal accountability will protect residents and taxpayers and reduce legal risk.

This is not about any individual sheriff.

It's about building a structure that both supports and holds accountability for every sheriff, present and future.

With new leadership in the sheriff's office, we have the opportunity to build trust and restore community safety as the county's highest priority.

Thank you so much.

You have a good night.

Thank you.

Our final speaker is Bill Newell.

Hi, thank you.

Honorable uh Mayor Sabalos Martinez and Vice Mayor Kayak and Council members tonight.

Um just to follow what Paul was saying, I want you to take note tonight.

We are um City Clerk should be giving you our impact statement for 2025 and our goals for 2026.

So I want to just highlight real quickly a couple of points as to why that's important and why that's important to Redwood City.

Number one, um, one of our goals for 26 is around education, and we want to continue to reach out and educate our community, including all our local leaders, organizations, and residents to create a unified vision for civilian engagement and community safety.

So when we talk about the kind of things that Fiction San Mateo is working on, we're talking about a broad base throughout the county.

While the Sheriff's Office has responsibilities to certain parts of the uh county, it also overlaps with the with our cities, specifically within Redwood City.

It impacts into North Fair Oaks, it impacts into the train station, Sam Trans, um, and our city our county jails where anybody that's incarcerated ends up in Maple Street um uh uh jail.

Um so we we also have is our concerns for that.

Um a couple of our concerns are number one, we want to restore full religious services to incarcerated people because they haven't had that in the past, and we're also working very hard to defend the absolute right of everyone to vote.

So we're doing a concentrated effort for voter registration within the jail so that every person, regardless of circumstances, deserves a voice, including the people who are incarcerated because once they've served their time and done their service, they can be become an eligible voters.

I just want to call those things to your attention as you look at our report tonight.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Bill.

Uh, we did actually receive one additional public comment card, Mayor.

Would you like to hear the comment?

Yeah, let's say the last comment.

Aaron Coleman, you can approach the speaker podium.

Yeah, welcome.

Thank you very much for hearing me.

Um just to give the council an update on uh Darktown Marina.

Uh my last I was the last floating home.

You're all pretty familiar with my story.

My daughter died in that floating home that I bought from the city.

It was not built to code.

Um the city this week put it up for auction and had special rules stipulated in there that they could bid on it.

So, of course, they outbid me on my own home, and then they proceeded to just demolish it with everything I own inside.

I now own nothing.

I live in the homeless shelter, but I have nothing left in my daughters.

They didn't notify me that they were gonna demolish it with all the contents in it.

You think it an auction they would give me the right to get stuff out?

They gave me a one-hour notice and a four-hour police standby to move three stories of belongings out.

I slipped a fellow, hurt my leg, broke my hand, and uh cracked a bone in my hand, and my heart went in the SVT.

I had to go by ambulance to the hospital.

And that was the last chance I got to get anything out the next day.

They bulls bulldozed the whole thing flat.

So, yeah, there's no more docktown.

There's no more home.

And I own no belongings anymore.

Thank you, Aaron.

And seeing no raised hands on Zoom, that concludes public comment.

Mayor, I'll turn it back to you.

Great.

Thank you to our city clerk, and again, thank you to everyone who made public comment this evening.

We really appreciate you all attending.

And that leads to our next item, item number six, the state of the city address.

And it is my honor to welcome you all to our official address.

Thank you for joining us this evening and for being part of our community, not just tonight, but every night.

And tonight is such a wonderful opportunity to reflect on where we've been, recognizing the progress we've made, and looking ahead to the future that we are shaping together.

So thank you all again for your uh your attendance tonight.

So thank you all again for your uh your attendance tonight's and our theme this year is grounded in history shaping the future, which reflects an important truth about Redwood City.

The decisions we make today are built on generations of work, sacrifice, and vision.

From our earliest neighborhoods to our downtown, our shoreline, and our public spaces.

The story of Redwood City is one of resilience, innovation, and steady progress.

As the oldest city in San Mateo County, Redwood City has grown and evolved in remarkable ways over the past century and a half.

Through each chapter, one thing has remained constant.

Our commitment to building a community where people feel seen, supported, and connected.

A community where opportunity is within reach and neighborhoods are strong, and everyone has a chance to thrive.

Tonight's program is designed as a guided journey through Redwood City's history, with each council member highlighting a meaningful location that connects our past to the work happening today.

You'll hear about the priorities shaping Redwood City and the work underway to strengthen our neighborhood, neighborhoods, excuse me, support residents and businesses, improve mobility, protect our environment, and invest in the future of our city.

To start our tour, we are visiting one of Redwood City's earliest homes, the Offerman House, to share more about this historic home and how we are working to expand housing opportunities and support residents today in Redwood City.

Please join me in hearing from Councilmember Diane Howard.

Hello, Redwood City.

I'm Councilmember Diane Howard, and I'm standing here inside the Offerman House, the oldest surviving building in downtown Redwood City.

This home was originally constructed in 1857 and later enlarged around 1871, during a time when Redwood City was still a small but growing settlement.

It is named for the locally prominent Offerman family who owned the home from 1889 to 1973, and it remains a well-preserved example of the folk Greek revival style, a type of home commonly built by early settlers in California.

John Offerman himself is often described as a California pioneer and a successful local businessman.

He also served as San Mateo County Treasurer for eight years.

What makes this building especially meaningful is that it was saved from demolition and restored in 1974.

The interior remains unusually intact, offering a rare window into the life in a rustic pioneer home.

Today it's home to a thriving local business and serves as a reminder of Redwood City's early beginnings and the people who help shape our city.

When this house was built, Redwood City was just beginning to take form.

Housing in Redwood City today reflects a much more complex community than it did in the 1800s.

Our city now includes single-family homes, apartments, ADUs, and affordable senior and supportive housing developments.

At the same time, housing affordability remains one of the most significant challenges facing our residents.

And for some, that challenge includes homelessness.

I'll share more about how we are working to address housing and homelessness today when we return to the chambers.

Thank you, Councilmember Howard.

We'll pass it over to you.

Housing and homelessness are complex challenges facing communities across California.

And in Redwood City, we are taking clear and deliberate steps to address them.

First, we are planning and building more housing.

Under our state certified housing element, Redwood City issued building permits for 490 homes in 2025, and 1,321 homes to date in the current housing cycle.

Importantly, nearly half of the homes permitted in 2025, 217 units, are deed-restricted affordable housing.

This reflects our commitment to ensuring that new housing includes options for residents across all income levels.

In addition, thousands of new units are approved or in process.

While current market conditions have made housing development more challenging across California, we are working to remove barriers and support projects so approved.

Housing can move toward construction.

Second, we are focused on protecting renters and preventing displacement.

Our new tenant protection ordinance, which took effect on January 1st of this year, promotes housing stability through a minimum lease terms, just cause eviction protections, and relocation assistance when tenants are displaced through no fault of their own.

Housing stability helps families remain connected to their neighborhoods, schools, and community networks.

Third, we are preserving affordability.

In 2025, eight privately owned units were preserved and converted to deed-restricted affordable units through a 1.2 million dollar loan from our housing preservation program.

And finally, we are addressing homelessness with a service-first approach.

In 2025, working with San Mateo County and our regional partners, 126 people experiencing homelessness transitioned into interim and permanent housing in Redwood City.

Our hopeful Horizons Ordinance, also adopted in 2025, will help guide our approach in this coming year.

The new ordinance prioritizes outreach, service connections, and shelter offers before encampment cleanups occur.

And through a partnership with Life Moves, funded through state encampment resolution funding, we've expanded on the ground outreach and case management to help individuals move towards stability.

While housing in Redwood City looks different today, one thing remains the same.

A stable place to call home is foundational to opportunity and community life.

Our work continues to focus on helping more residents find, afford, and keep a place to call home while supporting neighbors who need help getting there.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Howard.

Like you've mentioned today, housing is deeply connected to the health and stability of our community.

When residents have access to safe and stable housing, it creates a foundation for opportunity, economic mobility, and overall well-being.

Addressing these challenges requires partnership, thoughtful policy, and sustained investment.

So thank you, Diane, for highlighting the important work underway in Redwood City.

As Redwood City has grown, another factor shaping daily life in our community is how people move through and connect across the city.

For the next stop on our history tour, we're going to explore how transportation has evolved over time and how those changes continue to shape Redwood City today.

Please join me in hearing from Councilmember Isabella Chu at the Redwood City Caltrain Station.

Hello, I'm Councilmember Isabella Chu, and I'm standing here at the Redwood City Caltrain Station, a place that has connected our community to the region for more than 150 years.

Rail service first arrived in Redwood City in 1863 when our station became one of the original stops on the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad.

The arrival of the railroad helped support Redwood City's growth, making travel faster, connecting residents to new opportunities, and helping local businesses reach markets across the peninsula and beyond.

As Redwood City grew, this station evolved along with it.

A new depot was built near here in 1901, reflecting the city's expansion at the turn of the century.

Over the years, the community continued to invest in this important site.

In 1995, the station area was rebuilt along with architectural elements inspired by the earlier depot, including the Clock Tower behind me, designed as a visual reference to Redwood City's historic rail heritage.

While the design has evolved over time, the modern station sits just south of the original depot location, and this area continues to serve as a central hub for movement and connection in our community.

Today this station is part of the Caltrain system, which provides commuter rail service between Gilroy and San Francisco.

In 2024, Caltrain completed its transition to electric trains, marking a major modernization of the corridor.

The Redwood City Station now has the fourth highest ridership in the Caltrain system, underscoring its continued importance to residents, workers, and visitors alike.

Standing here today, we're reminded that transportation has always been about connection.

For more than 160 years, this rail line has linked Redwood City to opportunity, jobs, education, and community across the region.

But transportation in 2026 is about much more than trains.

It's about how people move safely and comfortably, whether they're walking, biking, taking transit, or driving.

I'll share more about how transportation continues to shape Redwood City in just a moment.

As our city grows, creating a safer, more connected, and more sustainable transportation system is one of our most important priorities.

Here's how we're making that a reality in Redwood City.

First and foremost, we know that safety must be at the center of our transportation work.

Between 2020 and 2025, Redwood City experienced more than 3200 traffic collisions, with a 3.5% resulting in severe or fatal injuries.

Most of these incidents occur on large, complex, higher speed roadways.

That data reinforces why our Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries, remains so critical.

Addressing these challenges requires thoughtful planning and sustained investment, and we have made that commitment as a city.

As part of our capital improvements program, transportation is the largest area of investment we're making.

The plan includes millions of dollars dedicated specifically to roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, traffic signals, and safety improvements.

One of the most significant efforts underway in terms of capital investment is the 84101 in interchange reimagined project.

This $385 million project will transform one of the busiest and most complex transportation corridors in our city to a safer, more efficient gateway for Redwood City.

Three Imagined Interchange will reduce congestion and enhance safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists by creating dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths through the intersection.

It also creates new opportunities for better connections between neighborhoods that have long been divided by highway infrastructure.

This is a generational investment that will improve mobility while supporting economic vitality and quality of life for decades to come.

At the neighborhood level, we're also making targeted improvements that affect daily life.

The Roosevelt Avenue Permanent Traffic Calming Project is a great example.

After years of community input and temporary measures, the city is implementing permanent improvements to calm traffic and improve safety along this residential corridor.

These improvements include enhanced crossings and speed management features that help create a safer environment for everyone who lives, walks, and drives there.

More broadly, we continue to take comprehensive approach to our transportation work through walk, bike, thrive plan, which focuses on making our streets safer and more accessible for all users.

This plan prioritizes transportation improvements at a top Vision Zero locations and sensitive areas such as schools and parks across the city.

As part of that effort, we are continuing to plan, design, and construct improvements such as the implementation of the California Daylighting Law and the final phase of a 15 per mile per mile per hour school speed zones scheduled for this summer.

This work will help protect our youngest residents.

We are also investing in the future of bicycling in Redwood City.

Current and upcoming projects include the Vera Avenue Bicycle Boulevard and the Bay Road Complete Streets Project.

These improvements will expand our network, create safer routes, and give more residents practical alternatives to driving.

Together, these efforts represent a shift in how we've historically approached transportation.

We are focused on designing streets that work for everyone, no matter what mode they're using.

In addition to reducing injuries and fatalities, save streets reduce emissions, support local businesses, and make neighborhoods more livable.

Redwood City has always evolved with the times.

From the railroad era to the modern transportation system we rely on today.

And just as earlier generations invested in the infrastructure that allowed our community to grow, we are making investments now that will support the next generation.

Thank you, Councilmember Chu.

Transportation is ultimately about access, access to opportunity, access to community, and when we build a system that's working for everybody, we're strengthening Redwood City.

But building a strong community also means creating spaces where people can gather, where they can connect, and where they can thrive at every stage of life.

Parks, libraries, community spaces, and neighborhood amenities play a critical role in supporting physical health, mental well-being, and a sense of belonging.

Our next stop on tonight's history tour takes us to one of Redwood City's most cherished public spaces, Messi's Park.

Please join me in hearing from Councilmember Chris Sterkin, who will share more from this historic park and how investments today continue to shape a healthy community for all ages.

Hello, I'm Councilmember Chris Sturkin, and I'm standing here in Mezes Park, one of Redwood City's historic public spaces with roots that go back to the earliest days of our community.

This park is named after Simon Mezes, a lawyer who moved to the area from Puerto Rico and who played a key role in shaping what will become Redwood City.

In the 1850s, the entire area was part of Rancho de las Borgas, granted by the Spanish government to the Aruguello family.

Mezas helped secure the land title for the Aruyo family and later purchased a large portion of the property himself.

He surveyed the town, created a map, and sold lots to early settlers, laying out what would become Mesesville, a name that eventually gave way to Redwood City when the city incorporated in 1867.

Even today, the layout of our downtown streets can be traced back to that early plant.

As part of his contributions, Mezes donated land for public plazas.

One parcel was developed into California Square in 1905.

While this block evolved over time into what we now know as Smez's Park, it's known by many longtime residents as Tank Park because of the World War I memorial tank on site.

Over the decades, the space was landscaped, recreation facilities were added, and playground equipment was installed, exemplifying the city's growing commitment to children and families.

What's remarkable is that from the very beginning, this space was intended for public use, a place where people could gather, learn, play, and connect.

I'll share more about how we're continuing to invest in that tradition and how we're supporting a healthy community for residents of all ages when we return to the chambers.

From parks to libraries to community events, creating shared community spaces has always been part of the story in Redwood City.

Today we're proud to continue that tradition through ongoing investment in our parks and recreation system.

I'm pleased to report that the Jardina Niños Park Expansion Project is nearing completion and will provide enhanced early childhood play spaces designed specifically for younger children and families.

At the same time, we are making one of the most significant investments in our park system in decades at Hoover Park, where we held a groundbreaking just last week.

Originally constructed in 1966, Hoover Park is now undergoing the largest park renovation we've undertaken in 30 years and represents the most substantial investment in the Bayside neighborhood park system since the park was first built.

The 3.5-acre site is being fully transformed with new recreational amenities, including a 4,000 square foot water spray ground, pickleball and turf volleyball courts, multiple playground areas, and a dog play spaces, improved accessibility features, and upgraded community gathering areas.

Looking ahead, outreach will also begin this summer for our future Bayfront Park.

An exciting opportunity to expand recreational space near our shoreline and create new connections between residents in the bay.

These types of spaces matter because health is not only about physical health.

It's about connection, belonging, and access to opportunities throughout life.

The same philosophy guides the work happening in our libraries.

Redwood City Public Library continues to expand programs that support residents across generations and backgrounds.

Bilingual programming continues to grow, ensuring more residents are capable and able to participate in fully in library services.

And utilizing Measure K funding, the library is now offering more programs and that address community needs, including senior social connection programs in Redwood Shores and an educational speaker series supporting neurodiverse youth and families.

Even with funding now frozen, we continue to meet the needs of our community from wherever they are.

Our libraries also serve as critical hubs for community support.

With the recognition that hunger exists year-round, we partner with Second Harvests of Silicon Valley to host weekly distributions, serving 90 to 120 Project Reed families most in need, providing access to essential nutrition.

To learn more about Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and ways to get involved, please visit shfb.org.

Our libraries also help build connection in other ways.

Programs like Kick It with the Cups developed in partnership with our police department, community organizations and youth leaders create meaningful connections between young people and public safety partners.

Community engagement at this level would not be possible without volunteers.

Over the past year, 710 volunteers contributed more than 20,000 hours supporting library services and programs, demonstrating the extraordinary civic spirit that exists here in Redwood City.

All of this work is strengthened through many partnerships like Redwood City Together, which helps connect many of these efforts across our community.

Redwood City Together brings together schools, nonprofits, public agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations that support youth and family success across Redwood City and Northford Oaks.

Through initiatives such as the Community Collaborative for Children's Success, Safe Routes to School Partnerships, Youth Leadership and Outreach Programs like Bromatores, and outreach engagement efforts, including Welcoming Week and United Against Hate.

Redwood City Together strengthens the network of support that surrounds our residents.

Finally, across another essential part of our community health is cultural connection and shared experiences.

I'm proud to relay that this year marks the 20th year anniversary of Redwood City events, which has become a defining part of life in our community.

From music on the square square to hometown holidays to Dio de los Muertos to La Lunar New Year in celebration, these events bring together tens of thousands of residents and visitors each year to support local businesses and create a strong sense of belonging.

These events are truly a cornerstone of community identity here in Redwood City.

Together, parks, libraries, programs, events, and partnerships create the foundation for a healthy community.

They support physical activity, lifelong learning, social connection, and emotional well-being at every stage of life.

Just as community leaders before us invested in spaces like Mesus Park, we are continuing to support the places and programs that make Redwood City thrive today and for the future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Sterkin.

Healthy communities depend on strong neighborhoods, accessible programs, and places where people can connect.

They depend on parks, libraries, community spaces, and the public investments that bring people together across generations.

And on that note, I am proud to share some really exciting news tonight.

News that community, this community has been patiently anticipating for years now.

On May 4th, the new Veterans Memorial Building and Senior Center will officially open to the public.

Yeah, this is such a historic milestone for Redwood City.

While not every amenity will be online, they'll be facing in.

Uh, we are proud to open the doors to this long-awaited community space and invite the public to be part of it.

So this new facility will help serve residents of all ages for years to come and is another example of our commitment to connection, belonging, and community life.

More details to come, and we look forward to seeing you all at our celebration on May 4th.

Of course, protecting quality of life in Redwood City also means preparing for the environmental challenges ahead.

For the next stop on tonight's history tour, we head to the Redwood Shores levy.

Please join me in hearing from Councilmember Jeff G.

Hi, I'm Councilmember Jeff G, and I'm standing here along the Redwood Shores Levee where land, water, and community comes together in a very visible way.

Long before Redwood Shores existed, this area was part of the extensive wetlands that line the San Francisco Bay.

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples lived along nearby waterways and marshlands.

These wetlands were dynamic natural systems that supported life and culture long before industrial development reached the shoreline.

Much of the land surrounding what is now Redwood Shores was converted into salt evaporation ponds.

Basic levees and earthen dikes were constructed near where I stand today to control water levels, allowing bay water to be captured and managed for salt production.

Those early shoreline modifications were part of a broader transformation of the peninsula where natural systems and human engineering became increasingly connected.

By the late 1960s, Redwood Shores began to emerge as a planned residential and business community built on reclaimed bay land.

Because this area sits at a very low elevation along the bay, flood protection infrastructure became essential.

Over time, a levee system was developed and strengthened to help protect homes, schools, businesses, and critical infrastructure from flooding.

The most recent major investment in the levee protection occurred in 2010 when Redwood City and partners undertook a project to strengthen more than three miles of levee surrounding Redwood shores.

That investment improved flood protection for the community and demonstrated the ongoing work required to live safely alongside the bay.

Standing here today, it is clear that this landscape has always been shaped by both natural forces and human decisions.

From wetlands to salt ponds to a thriving neighborhood, Redwood Shores embodies how communities evolve over time in response to the environment around them.

I'll share more about the work now underway to strengthen the shoreline for the future and what climate resilience means for Redwood City today when we return to the Council chambers.

Standing along the Redwood Shores levees, we are reminded that the land around us has changed over time.

What hasn't changed is our responsibility to protect this community and prepare for what comes next.

Today that responsibility includes planning for rising sea levels and more extreme weather associated with climate change.

And that work is already underway.

One of the most important efforts in this regard is the Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project.

This project is focused on raising and strengthening the levy system that protects Redwood Shores not only for today's conditions, but for the decades ahead.

This system protects approximately 11,500 residents along with schools, businesses, and critical regional infrastructure.

By planning improvements now, we are working to reduce long-term flood risk and provide stability for homeowners.

This work will also avoid future impacts like changes to federal flood maps that could affect insurance requirements.

But climate resilience in Redwood Cities is not only a shoreline issue, it also includes how we prepare our neighborhoods and infrastructure citywide.

That's one of the principles behind the greater downtown area plan, a future-focused effort to plan for how downtown and surrounding neighborhoods can continue to grow safely and sustainably in the years to come.

This work includes planning for flooding risks near Redwood Creek and other low-lying areas, upgrading infrastructure, improving mobility, and supporting housing and economic activity in a coordinated way.

Water reliability is another part of the story.

Redwood City's recycled water system delivers treated recycled water for uses like irrigation and landscaping, helping conserve drinking water while building a more sustainable supply.

Expanding and maintaining the system is a practical investment that supports both environmental goals and long-term reliability.

At the same time, we continue working holistically to reduce emissions through our climate action plan, and we track progress publicly through the resilient Redwood City Climate Action Dashboard.

This transparency matters because it helps residents see what we're making progress and where we still need to focus, particularly in transportation and building energy use, which remain the largest sources of emissions in our community.

Residents and businesses are part of this effort too.

Through the city's environmental initiatives rebates, we help community members take practical steps from equipment upgrades to electrification that reduce energy use, lower costs, and contribute to broader climate goals.

These programs put practical tools and financial incentives directly into the hands of our residents.

All of this work reflects a simple idea.

Climate resilience is not one project.

It is a long-term commitment to planning ahead, investing wisely, and working together as a community.

Redwood City has always adapted to changing conditions.

Today we're continuing that tradition, grounded in our history, and focus on protecting our future.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember G.

Preparing for the future means protecting our community in many ways.

It means strengthening infrastructure and planning for environmental change.

It also means making sure our residents feel safe, supported, and able to rely on public safety services when they need them most.

For the next stop on our history tour, we're visiting a symbol of Redwood City's earliest public safety efforts, the historic fire bell outside of Fire Station 9.

Please join me in hearing from Vice Mayor Kaya Aiken.

Hello, I'm Vice Mayor Kaya Aiken, and I'm standing here outside Fire Station 9 next to this historic fire bell, a reminder of Redwood City's earliest public safety efforts.

In the mid-1800s, Redwood City was still a pretty small town, even though it was growing.

Public safety looked very, very different than it does today.

For example, there was no full-time professional department for fire or safety, and residents needed to rely on each other to step up in times of need.

The city's first organized fire company was formed in 1861 by local volunteers who wanted to protect their neighbors and their homes.

A few years later, in 1864, the department purchased this bell for just over a hundred dollars.

When a fire was spotted, people would ring this bell, which would go across the town, alerting people that they needed to mobilize and respond.

Around the same time, early law enforcement in Redwood City began with the first town marshal, an elected position responsible for maintaining order and public safety as the community began to grow.

Over time, that role evolved into a professional police department with trained officers and dedicated facilities serving residents across the city.

And then, as Redwood City continued to expand, so did the need for more reliable and coordinated services.

Fire protection became even more organized, equipment improved, and the city gradually transitioned to a professional fire department.

Additionally, law enforcement evolved right alongside it, creating a more structured approach to all emergency response, and safety became a priority to protect the community.

Over the years, both services have developed into the modern public safety system that we recognize today.

We are grounded in professionalism, training, and strong partnership with the community.

All share more about how we continue strengthening public safety today when we return to council chambers.

The historic fire bell outside Fire Station 9 remain reminds us that public safety in Redwood City began with neighbors answering the call when someone needed help.

Today that spirit is still at the center of our work.

But public safety is no longer only about responding to emergency.

It's also about prevention, preparedness, and building trust within the community.

One example of that shift is the fire department's new community risk reduction division.

This team focuses on preventing emergencies before they happen through safety inspections, education, wildfire preparedness, and outreach that helps residents and businesses reduce risk.

It's a proactive approach that strengthens safety across the entire community.

Preparedness also means planning for unexpected events and disasters.

In coordination with San Mateo County, we are currently updating our local hazard mitigation plan, a regional effort that identifies risks such as earthquakes, floods, and severe weather, and outlines strategies to reduce impacts before disasters happen.

Another important part of our preparedness is empowering residents themselves.

Programs like CERT, the community emergency response team, train community members in basic disaster response skills so that they can help their families and neighbors during emergencies.

These programs echo the same spirit we saw in the early volunteer days.

Neighbors helping neighbors when it matters most.

Public safety also means responding to people's needs in the right way and at the right time.

The Redwood City Police Department participates in the county's community wellness crisis response team.

This program pairs mental health professionals with police officers to respond to behavioral health situations with a focus on care, de-escalation, and support.

The police department also has a full-time crisis response clinician on staff who helps address mental health emergencies and provides follow-up care and resources whenever needed.

These services embody our commitment to providing innovative, dignified, and effective service to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Visibility and accessibility matter too.

The new Sequoia Station Police substation increases police presence in a key commercial area, helping support local businesses, improve response times, and strengthen the sense of safety for all residents and visitors.

Concurrently, both the police and fire departments are investigating modern tools, investing in modern tools that improve response times while prioritizing safety.

The police department's developing drone program used in coordination with the fire department supports search efforts, responses to emergencies, and improves situational awareness.

It also helps reduce risk to both respondents and the republic and the public.

Technology like this allows first responders to make faster, more informed decisions when seconds matter.

Finally, our focus on community partnerships and community engagement fortifies safety for all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Vice Mayor Aiken.

A strong community depends on people feeling safe in their neighborhoods at work and in the places where they gather.

Public safety creates the foundation that allows residents, businesses, and our visitors to thrive.

And really quickly, I wanted to recognize we have both of our chiefs here.

We have Chief Carter and Chief Bill in the very back.

Thank you both for your leadership and the hard work of your teams.

Another essential part of this foundation is economic vitality.

A healthy economy supports jobs, it strengthens neighborhoods and creates opportunities for residents and families.

It also allows us to continue investing in the services and infrastructure that support quality of life across our city.

For our final stop on tonight's history tour, we're visiting a place that has played a significant role in our economic story for generations, the port of Redwood City.

Please join me in hearing from Councilmember Marcella Padilla.

I'm Councilmember Marcella Padilla, and I'm standing here at the Port of Redwood City, a place that has played a central role in our city's economy for more than 150 years.

Redwood City began as a port community.

In the early 1850s, this area became a key shipping point for lumber harvested from the nearby hills.

Logs were transported down Redwood Creek and loaded onto ships headed for San Francisco and the other growing communities throughout the region.

That trade helped fuel development across the Bay Area and supported the early growth of Redwood City itself.

Over time, the port continued to evolve.

Shipbuilding operations emerged here, including the construction of the Faith, America's first cement ship.

Built here in 1917, this milestone brought international attention and reinforced the port's importance as an economic engine.

The modern port of Redwood City was formally established in 1937.

During World War II, the U.S.

Navy temporarily took control of the port to support wartime logistics.

This demonstrated the port's strategic importance to the region.

In the decades that followed, the port handled millions of tons of cargo, supporting construction, manufacturing, and regional growth across the Bay Area.

Today, the port of Redwood City remains the only deep water port in the South San Francisco Bay.

It supports regional commerce and also provides waterfront recreation and public access.

I'll share more about how we're supporting economic growth and opportunity today when we continue the program back inside.

Okay, thank you.

I just want to point out it's very sunny.

I had to take my glasses off, and I just want to know those very bright.

So it's it's hard to film.

I just want to give a shout out uh to our communications manager.

He was very helpful, so thank you, Nick.

Um, let me take you on our economic vitality tour.

The port of Redwood City is a powerful reminder that economic vitality has always been part of Redwood City's history.

What began with lumber, shipping, and trade has grown into a much more diverse economy that includes technology, life sciences, small businesses, retail, and innovation across many sectors.

With that growth also comes new demands.

Like many cities across the region, we've experienced economic challenges in recent years, especially in the office market.

But we are also seeing important signs of momentum and long-term confidence in our community.

A major bright spot in the continu is the continued investment happening in our downtown.

The Elko Yards development represents one of the most significant private investments in our history.

Rising in the South Main District, a neighborhood with a long history of hard work and innovation.

This project reveals how Redwood City continues to evolve.

Today, Elko Yards is emerging as a premier innovation hub on the peninsula.

The project brings together research space, offices, housing, and retail in a walkable transit connected location.

Construction is complete on the commercial portion of the project, and we're already seeing major organizations choose Redwood City as their home.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has signed a major leash lease there to expand its cutting-edge biomedical research work in our city in Oric Harrington and Sutcliffe LLP, a globally recognized law firm has also committed to relocating its Silicon Valley office to Elkoyards.

We are also seeing broader momentum across downtown.

Other major law firms have moved or announced plans to move to the peninsula to their peninsula offices.

People like Redwood City.

They want to come here.

I'm going off script a little bit.

The lawyers want to come to Redwood City, it looks like.

Programs like Boss Meetups, which is business owners sharing stories in the Redwood City Small Business Conference, bring local entrepreneurs together to share to share experiences and support and get expert advice and build connections.

Shout out to Amanda Anthony for this.

And to connect residents with ideas, careers, and industries making their home here.

We have launched a new initiative called Innovate Redwood.

Oh, wait, innovate RWC, a quarterly speaker series that showcases innovative Redwood City-based companies from emerging startups to global leaders.

The first event will take place on April 2nd at Kenyatta College, and we hope everyone in the audience can attend.

Finally, we are focused on ensuring that economic opportunity reaches all our residents.

From our early days as a port community to the diverse industries, industries we see today, our city has always adapted and grown.

Today we continue investing in the partnerships, programs, and opportunities that will shape Redwood City's future.

I'm gonna throw in the people.

Thank you, Councilmember Padilla.

Redwood City's economy has always been shaped by adaptation, innovation, and opportunity.

Thank you for highlighting both the momentum we're seeing, the pressures we're facing, and our work to ensure the opportunity continues to reach every part of our community.

And I'll add my thanks to Nick, our incredible comms team, the city clerk's office, Deanna, all of our staff who helped make today possible.

I want to give a big thanks to you all.

And as we close tonight's state of the city, I want to share a very simple message that the state of Redwood City is strong.

But that does not mean that the road ahead will always be easy.

Across our country and in communities everywhere, we see division, we see uncertainty, and real challenges facing families and local governments alike.

But what gives me confidence is the strength of this community and the people who continue to show up every day to serve it.

That brings me back to our theme of tonight, grounded in history, shaping the future.

History is not something that we look back on, it's something that's being actively created.

The people we talked about tonight did not know they were making history.

And the truth is that same work is happening right now.

The future of Redwood City is shaped in the daily work of public servants across this organization.

And it happens in permit counters and patrol cars, in engineering plans and community development in libraries and parks and community meetings and field operations across this city.

It happens every single day, often quietly, but always with purpose.

And if you're a member of Redwood City staff, past or present, or even if you've joined us online, please stand so we can recognize you.

I see lots of stuff here.

Come on.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Redwood City is so much stronger because of you all, our team.

And Redwood City's story is still being written.

And every day through your work, your partnership, and your commitment to this community, we are continuing to shape the future together.

Thank you all again for being here tonight.

Thank you for being a part of Redwood City's history.

And don't forget May 4th is our next big day, but we hope you'll come to our next city council meeting on April 2nd at 6 o'clock.

Thank you, everyone who are adjourned.

It looked a little pilty.

It was wonderful.

Nick did a good job.

Really good job.