OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Redwood City Council Meeting - August 27, 2026: Sea Level Rise Project, Youth Priority Study, and Public Comment

City CouncilThursday, August 27, 2026
BodyRedwood City, California
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, August 27, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 5:24:52

Transcript — Verbatim
6:18

All right.

6:18

Good evening, everyone.

6:20

If everyone can take their seats, we're gonna go ahead and get started.

6:24

Thank you for joining us for our regular city council meeting of August 14th, 2026.

6:30

After a short break, we're back and happy to be back in action.

6:33

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

6:50

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

6:57

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

7:01

Attendees who have joined us by Zoom will be called to speak after the in-person comments have been given.

7:06

Detailed instructions for public comment will be provided on the screen when the time for public comment begins.

7:13

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

7:16

Good evening.

7:17

Councilmember Chu.

7:19

Here.

7:20

Councilmember G.

7:21

Present.

7:21

Councilmember Howard.

7:22

Here.

7:23

Councilmember Padilla.

7:25

Present.

7:25

Councilmember Sturkin.

7:26

Here.

7:27

Vice Mayor Aiken.

7:28

Here.

7:28

Mayor Martina Sabayos.

7:30

Here.

7:30

Thank you.

7:31

Thank you, everyone.

7:32

And with that, we'll move into the Pledge of Allegiance.

7:34

Councilmember Sirkin, could you lead us?

7:37

Please rise if you like for the uh Pledge of Allegiance.

8:12

For our first recognition item this evening, we have the pleasure of swearing in newly appointed members of our city board's commissions and committees, or BCCs.

8:23

On the screen, you'll see all of the names of our newly appointed or reappointed members of the arts commission, the Board of Building Review, Port excuse me, Board of Port Commissioners, Housing and Human Concerns Committee, our library board, the Parks Recreation and Community Services Commission, the Planning Commission, Architectural Advisory Committee, who are appointed by the Planning Commission, the Historical Resources Advisory Committee, also appointed by the Planning Commission, and our senior affairs commission.

8:56

If you are new or returning BCC member, please make your way to the front of the dais for the ceremony, and I'll now turn it over to our city clerk to administer the oath of office.

10:00

And the Constitution of the State of California.

10:06

Against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

10:11

That I will bear true faith and allegiance.

10:15

To the Constitution of the United States.

10:20

And the Constitution of the State of California.

10:25

That I take this obligation freely.

10:29

Without any mental reservation, or purpose of evasion.

10:36

And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter.

10:46

Congratulations.

10:57

One last quick thing.

10:59

If you have not already signed an oath of office certificate, uh, please see Julie in the lobby, and she'll give you a copy.

11:06

Thank you.

11:07

Thank you, Mayor.

11:08

Thank you to our city clerk, and again, thank you to all of our new and re-sworn commissioners who have joined us this evening.

11:15

We really appreciate your time, your passion, and the energy you're giving in service to your community.

11:20

So thank you again, everyone, for being here.

11:22

And with that, we will now move to item 5B.

11:26

Our next recognition item this evening is rooted in the City Council's top priorities of children and youth.

11:44

On behalf of the City Council, I'm pleased to present the following proclamation of which I'll read a few of the whereas.

11:51

Whereas International Youth Day, observed on August 12th of every year and observed by many countries, is recognized and endorsed by the United Nations as a day dedicated to raising awareness of the potential of young people as bringers of peace, shapers of our future, and agents of change.

12:11

Whereas the 2026 theme places particular attention on young people living in least developed countries or LDCs, landlocked developing countries, LLDCs, and small island developing states or SIDS, uh, who have often experienced overlapping challenges linked to poverty, climate change, geographic isolation, limited economic opportunities, and unequal access to digital technologies.

12:39

At the same time, these young people continue to demonstrate resilience, leadership, and innovation in advancing sustainable development within their communities and beyond.

12:50

And whereas the City Council is committed to amplifying endeavors that provide opportunities for young people to ensure that they embody their true potential as bringers of peace and positive change.

13:01

And whereas Redwood City Together employs active youth promotores ages 14 to 18 dedicated to uplifting their community through weekly outreach, local nonprofit tutoring, professional development, and internships.

13:17

These young people gain the skills to become strong civic leaders.

13:21

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Elmer Martina Sabayos, Mayor of Redwood City, on behalf of the City Council and the people of Redwood City, do hereby proclaim August 12th, 2026 as International Youth Day, and express its its sincere appreciation to Revit City Together's Robentores team for actively taking part in the endeavor to focus our younger generation to make meaningful positive change for years to come.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████18%
Youth Services███████████11%
Pending Litigation███████████11%
Public Comment███████7%
Public Works███████7%
Education██████6%
Sea Level Rise█████5%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Water Infrastructure█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Redwood City Council Meeting - August 27, 2026

This regular hybrid city council meeting began with the swearing-in of new and reappointed board/commission members, a proclamation for International Youth Day (August 12, 2026), and public comment. The council then reviewed the consent calendar, conducted a major policy discussion on the Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project, and held a study session on services for children and youth. The meeting concluded with council interest reports and a closed session.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent calendar included routine items. Councilmember Chu recused from Item 7B, and Councilmember G recused from Item 7E.
  • Items 7A, 7i, and 7J were pulled for separate discussion and votes.
  • Item 7A (state legislative bill position change) was amended to delegate authority to the governance committee pending final bill language; passed unanimously.
  • Item 7i (traffic stop signs) passed unanimously.
  • Item 7J (study of billboard design at corporation yard) passed unanimously.
  • Item 7B (approved with Councilmember Chu recused, 6-0).
  • Item 7E (approved with Councilmember G recused, 6-0).
  • The remaining consent items passed unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Flock Surveillance Cameras (ALPRs): Six speakers (Emily, Amber Garza Washburn, Bill Newell, Ginny Krause, Sarah Matland, Liz Van Zyle) urged the council not to renew the Flock contract, to pause the RFP, and to hold town halls in multiple languages. Concerns included ICE access, inadequate guardrails, lack of oversight, and the need for community input. One speaker (Rush Rem) discussed water supply issues from SFPUC and rate impacts.
  • Suicide Prevention: Sylvia Tang invited the community to a county mental health forum for veterans and first responders.
  • Offensive Comment: One virtual speaker made inappropriate and unrelated remarks; the speaker was not interrupted but the comment did not pertain to city business.
  • Redwood Life: A final speaker commented on the Redwood Life project (though it was not on the agenda), expressing concerns about building on a former toxic waste site.

Discussion Items

  • Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project (Item 8A): Tanisha Werner (Engineering Director) presented the 60% design. Two alternatives were considered:
    • Alternative 1 (baseline): 20-foot-wide levee, extensive ground improvement, $440M total / $290M Redwood City share.
    • Alternative 2 (optimized, staff recommendation): 10-12-foot levee with sheet pile walls, targeted improvements, $324M total / $200M city share. Both achieve FEMA+1 elevation (to year 2060). Council debated cost, future adaptability, property impacts, and outreach. The council voted 6-1 (Vice Mayor Aiken opposed) to advance Alternative 2, with direction to explore hybrid widening and amenity opportunities where feasible, and to continue regional cost-sharing and community engagement.
  • Study Session: Children and Youth Strategic Priority (Item 9A): Library and Parks & Recreation directors presented data on youth services, demographics, trends (third-grade reading gaps, mental health, e-bike safety), and funding. Councilmembers emphasized equitable geographic distribution, school partnerships, mental health resources, youth employment, and improved data collection (e.g., zip code analysis). No formal action was taken; staff was asked to consider ways to prioritize youth funding and strengthen collaboration with school districts and nonprofits.

Key Outcomes

  • Sea Level Rise Project: Motion (6-1) to adopt Alternative 2 as the preferred alternative with flexibility for hybrid design; city manager to continue outreach and finance/audit committee review.
  • Study Session: No vote; direction to staff to report back with demographic data, explore internships, and enhance partnerships.
  • Consent/Other Items: All consent items approved; pulled items passed with votes as noted.
  • Closed Session: The council reported no reportable action after closed session on anticipated litigation and property negotiations.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Good evening, everyone. If everyone can take their seats, we're gonna go ahead and get started. Thank you for joining us for our regular city council meeting of August 14th, 2026. After a short break, we're back and happy to be back in action. We hold meetings in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation available. Speaker cards are located at the back table in 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. And with that, I'll now turn it over to our city clerk to call the roll. Good evening. Councilmember Chu. Here. Councilmember G. Present. Councilmember Howard. Here. Councilmember Padilla. Present. Councilmember Sturkin. Here. Vice Mayor Aiken. Here. Mayor Martina Sabayos. Here. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. And with that, we'll move into the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilmember Sirkin, could you lead us? Please rise if you like for the uh Pledge of Allegiance. For our first recognition item this evening, we have the pleasure of swearing in newly appointed members of our city board's commissions and committees, or BCCs. On the screen, you'll see all of the names of our newly appointed or reappointed members of the arts commission, the Board of Building Review, Port excuse me, Board of Port Commissioners, Housing and Human Concerns Committee, our library board, the Parks Recreation and Community Services Commission, the Planning Commission, Architectural Advisory Committee, who are appointed by the Planning Commission, the Historical Resources Advisory Committee, also appointed by the Planning Commission, and our senior affairs commission. If you are new or returning BCC member, please make your way to the front of the dais for the ceremony, and I'll now turn it over to our city clerk to administer the oath of office. And the Constitution of the State of California. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance. To the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the State of California. That I take this obligation freely. Without any mental reservation, or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter. Congratulations. One last quick thing. If you have not already signed an oath of office certificate, uh, please see Julie in the lobby, and she'll give you a copy. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you to our city clerk, and again, thank you to all of our new and re-sworn commissioners who have joined us this evening. We really appreciate your time, your passion, and the energy you're giving in service to your community. So thank you again, everyone, for being here.

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