Hi, I'm gonna kick it off.

You guys ready?

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Alright, I'd like to call this meeting in order.

I'd like to call this meeting in order at 2 or 3 p.m.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you, Councilmember Kaplan.

Councilmember Dickinson.

Councilmember Plucky Baum will be absent.

Councilmember Maple.

Here.

Mayor Pro Tem Giada will be absent.

Council Member Jennings.

Councilmember Vang.

I'm here.

And Vice Mayor Talamantes.

Here, you have a quorum.

Wonderful.

Councilmember Maple, will you please lead us with only acknowledgement and pledge of allegiance?

Certainly.

Please rise if you are able.

Please rise for the opening acknowledgment in honor of Sacramento's Indigenous People and Tribal Lands.

To the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwok, Patwin Winton peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

May we acknowledge and honor the native people who come before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgment for Sacramento's Indigenous People's History, contributions, and lives.

Remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

We'll salute and pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands: one nation under God and divisible liberty and justice for all.

Thank you so much, Councilmember Maple.

Next step, we have a special presentation recognizing National Park and Recreation Month, led by Councilmember Kaplan and Council Member Bang.

If you'd like to go first.

Yes, I guess I will go first.

I don't have the resolution in front of me.

Do you okay?

Okay, great.

Well, July is Parks and Recreation Month.

Um, and I'm honored to co-sponsor this resolution with Councilwoman Kaplan.

Thank you for inviting me to join you, uh, Councilwoman Kaplan in this effort to actually celebrate not only July as Parks and Recreation Month, but I believe it's also the 40th anniversary of Parks and Recreation Month in our city, formerly known as the Department of Parks and Recreation, now called Yipsey, and for those that don't know what Yipsey stands for, it's youth parks and community engagement.

As many of you know, uh the city department in particular uh is near and dear to so many of us.

Um, and just a personal story.

Uh, as someone who was born and raised uh in South Sacramento, um, mom and dad really couldn't afford uh to take us on summer vacations as we are in the month of July, and so my parents would actually cook rice, some boiled chicken, boil some eggs, pack that up, and they would take my siblings and I to uh William Land Park.

They would actually have to make multiple trips because there were so many of us, maybe uh two or three car rides to get us to William Land Park, but that was how we spent our summer.

And I share that story because our parks are such beautiful gems in our city, and so oftentimes so many of our young people or our families don't get the opportunity to actually even travel outside of Sacramento.

Um, and our parks are a true gem.

Um, and as you all know, it's not just the parks in our city.

If you didn't know, we have over 240 parks in the city of Sacramento and growing.

Uh in district eight in particular, we have 26 parks, uh, two community gardens, um, managed by Yipsey, and I know that it's still growing because of the Delta Shores area.

Um, but they just don't manage just our parks, they manage our community centers, uh, our youth, our seniors, our family programming, and they do so much more.

And so I'm just incredibly honored uh to join Councilwoman Kaplan in honoring uh our department uh of parks and recreation, formerly called Parks and Recreation, now Yipsey.

And so with that, I'll hand it over to Councilwoman Kaplan.

And thank you, Councilmember Vang, because of your advocacy with youth and parks.

Um, we're calling them Ukes now.

Um, it was important that I wanted to partner with you on this.

Um our parks director, Jackie.

You've come on up.

Um, and then also I'd like to, if you're part of our Yipsey family, can you just stand up, please?

Woo!

Thank you.

Well, we are just um honoring you in July as National Parks and Recreation Month.

It really is, as Councilmember Vang said, a year-round um family joy and entertainment that that you bring.

Um, and I know this year's theme is build together, play together, and that really is emblematic of who we are as a city and the over 1,600 Yipsey employees that we have that work with our youth and our neighborhoods and our parks, and do everything that is needed to make our city thrive.

We are the city of trees.

And you know, the we we were able as a city to plant 454 trees last year, and it's because of the partnerships we have with our community and the leadership of Yipsey.

So thank you for all that you do from summer at City Hall to our maintenance workers to Jason who does all the plannings because I want all his time to build parks in District One.

You guys really go above and beyond with our community centers, our aquatic centers, our youth, and and here's the thing that many people don't know because of what Yipsey does and training our youth, our city has been recognized as one of California's top training providers by the American Red Cross in 2024 because of the youth and the generation that we train that are at our aquatic centers with life-saving skills.

So you do truly go above and beyond, and this is just a small recognition for all that you do.

But Jackie, I'd like to invite you up to say a couple words on behalf of your team.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

Thank you, Councilwoman Kaplan and Councilwoman Bang, for bringing the special presentation forward to recognize National Recreation and Park Association's July's Parks and Recreation Month.

I'm joined this afternoon by many of our leadership team that just stood for you all.

And of course, the other, as Councilwoman Kaplan shared, over 1,600 employees are out at our community centers in our parks as we speak, working to keep them safe, keep them green, clean, serving our youth in our summer camp programs, right now.

Our department, formerly known as Parks and Recreation or Youth Parks and Community Enrichment, we call it Yipsey.

So we serve hundreds of thousands of residents of all ages and abilities and backgrounds every day through our parks and recreation system.

Over 230 parks and parkways, trails, and open spaces, 15 community centers, 17 pools, countless recreation programs and classes, specialty bands, child care programs, summer camps, community gardens, and more.

None of this is possible without the hard work of this team, those sitting behind me and those that are outworking right now, and their dedication and their work every single day.

This year's theme again for July's Parks and Recreation Month is build together, play together.

We're celebrating how parks and recreation professionals help to create thriving communities.

So together we develop and maintain and protect our beautiful parks and open spaces for everyone to safely enjoy.

Together, we're creating pathways to youth development and lifelong learning.

Together, we're also delivering high-quality programs that are accessible, that are safe, that are inclusive.

And together, providing opportunities that are building up our communities here in Sacramento through connection and play.

So it's not just this month, as Councilmember Vang said, but every day we want to make sure that we're celebrating the many ways that our special Yipsey team really fosters a sense of community here in Sacramento and belonging, really bringing everyone together.

So thank you again to our vice mayor and to council, both of our councilwomen for bringing this forward.

Thank you all for your continued support of Yipsey and to our team.

Thank you to our Sacramento community for visiting all of our programs, for coming to our parks, and of course, of course, most importantly, thank you to our amazing Yipsey team.

If you want to invite Jackie, if you want and your leadership team on up, we've got a resolution for you.

Everybody.

So let's just make it a lot of your hands.

Okay.

Gotta be in the middle, it's gotta be in the loud.

Oh, I'm gonna need you guys to screen in someone.

All right.

Alright, right here, guys.

On three, I'm gonna take a few one, two, three.

We'll take one more.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

No, thank you for the and I'm looking forward to some of the modulation.

Oh, yeah.

And Vice Mayor, as we move on to the consent calendar, I do have a read to the record.

Item number eleven will be withdrawn and should come back on the 29th.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

So just to repeat, item number 11 has been withdrawn.

We'll be coming back to council at a fruit feature date.

Um seeing if there's any members of the public, not members, I mean, council members, sign up to speak.

Councilmember Maple, what items would like to speak on.

Alright, thank you.

Um, thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

I will be making some comments on item eight, and I know that item 11 is being postponed, but just wanted to say that I have several questions and comments, so that all of those prepared for next week.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you so much.

And council member Bang.

Thanks.

Uh I was gonna pull item 11, and I know I just heard that it's gonna be moved to next week, and just wanted to ask for a point of clarification that since it was scheduled for today on consent.

Um, uh, what is the protocol to like basically move the item to the next meeting?

Like, can anyone do it?

Can the city manager, city clerk, like what's the process?

I just wanted to get clarification on that, knowing that it's moved and what requires it to be moved to the next to like the next meeting.

Well it was it isn't uh like a public hearing which has special requirements, so it's an agenda item for count.

I assume that you were asking me to.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So we can answer the question.

And so this I believe it was this interim city manager that moved it.

I pulled it off the agenda.

Okay, so this interim city manager does have the authority to move the item.

Okay, I just want to clarity on that, and that's in our city code to allow that.

Um, I can probably give you the section, yeah.

It's I can probably give you the section that the city manager has the ability to put things on the agenda.

And they can also just take it off.

Yes, as they're so there's not no other provision that applies, such as if it was a public hearing or something.

Okay, yeah, as long as we have that on record, I just wanted to understand how an item can just be removed.

If council is going to vote on it.

Thank you for that clarification.

Okay.

Is there any other items that you'd like to speak on or no?

Councilmember Vang?

No, that's it.

I just need a clarification on that item.

Thank you so much.

Um Councilmember Dickinson.

I just wanted to make sure that uh, well, let's let's do this.

Why don't we make sure okay?

Go ahead.

Go ahead.

I just want to make a quick comment on on item seven when it's finally.

Um, and then Councilmember Kaplan, what item?

Quick uh comments on item nine.

Nine.

Okay.

So why don't we take um comments on these items and then maybe we can go back to 11?

Because I know we already moved it, but do you need further clarification from our city attorney's office?

No, I think I got clarification.

City attorney said on record that this interim city manager can move an item.

It's in our council procedure.

So as long as I have that on record, I just want to be able to articulate that to the community when they ask me why was this item moved.

Um, just want to be able to make sure that there's transparency on that.

Okay.

And I'll make sure I can send out a a note or memo or something to the city council.

That'd be great.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Okay.

So we'll start with Councilmember Dickinson on item seven, then Councilmember Maple on item eight.

Thanks.

Titles.

I just wanted to note that this is work that is being done to uh improve our our sewer and drainage system uh in the uh Del Paso Boulevard uh area.

And while it's not it's not flashy, uh it's critical because we are trying to work through the various um impediments uh and challenges to making sure that El Paso Boulevard and that surrounding area is ready and able to enjoy the benefits of of both public and and private investment.

Uh this is the kind of work that has to be done as a predicate to uh seeing those things that we'd like to have rise out of the ground and and fill up uh our uh highways and byways and and uh revitalize our commitment.

It's also part of the uh uh green means go uh grant that uh is coming to us uh through uh SACOG, one of the uh few areas that uh has been lucky enough to enjoy the attention of uh Green Means Go in investment.

So that's that's a source of state funding coming to us that we're putting to good use.

Uh and I'm uh I'm very pleased to see this and and uh what it portends for the future as well.

So thanks to all those who've worked on I see Leslie and and I know there are others uh and here um who have worked on this is uh as well.

Uh so I want to extend my thanks for uh getting to this point and looking forward to seeing uh the work.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Maple item eight.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Um I just wanted to make a couple comments on item eight, um, which is pass for publication.

This will be coming back um next week, I believe, for the for the full vote.

So there's still a lot of opportunity for folks to weigh in um when the time comes.

But I'm very excited about this.

It's um a long time in the making.

Want to uplift Sean de Corsi and the entire team behind the African American Experience Project, all the work, the many, many, many many months that went of work that went into doing interviews, talking with with folks um in in the community and really learning about the history of the African American community here in Sacramento and making sure that we incorporate that um into our historical record, but also into what we do as a city.

Um, and so I'm thrilled that several of the properties that are identified on this are in district five, and that they will um hopefully, assuming that we get a positive uh be on our Sacramento Historic Register, and so just wanted to thank thank the staff especially for your work, it means a lot to the communities that I represent.

Thank you.

Wonderful and Councilmember Kaplan, item nine.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Um, I just want to call out.

Well, this is just in an update to the central city specific plan.

I think it's important that we take a look at this is 752,000.

And one of the reasons is when we have a specific area that we've done a uh plan on, they want to update it because a plan was created saying we wanted to add 10,000 units to the central city, and the need to update is to make sure that we streamline CEQA, but also one of the things I want us to look at a potentially differently because we did update our 2040 general plan, and we do have several specific plans for areas in the city.

Of can we just pass that those specific plans must be compliant with the general plan without going and hiring and spending seven, eight hundred thousand dollars to have another specific plan updated to be compliant with with the general plan?

I don't want to hold this, but I'm I'm starting to, as you've noticed, look at things and how we spend money, and is there a way to do things without going for a full study and therefore saving eight hundred thousand dollars as we have budget deficits to look into.

I understand that we have to do this, and by doing it, it streamlines uh and not having certain developments go through CEQA, but I also know state law has handled a lot of that.

And is this a way where we can just look at specific plans and say that now all specific plans must comply with our 2040 and that takes care of the issue.

I don't know.

Um I know I'm a little late to this, I don't want to stop it, but I think these questions sometimes need to be looked at and potentially asked of why do we need to do something specific all over again when we did all the work in the 2040 general plan.

Thank you so much.

And clerk, are there any members of the public sign up to speak?

I have one speaker.

Um, Lambert on item seven.

And item 11 with withdrawn is no longer on the agenda.

Item seven.

Uh the reason why I came is because uh district two, which is where I'm from, uh I've been studying district two, and I was a big stickler for when they awarded money for district two, they always said Del Paso Boulevard and then Mary'sville Boulevard, and I protested that because that to me meant the money would go to Del Paso Boulevard and not Mary's view, and that's the case here.

What I mean by that is three weeks ago I was here talking about money that went to uh Wood Lake Park, and Wood Lake Park is not a park because it doesn't have restrooms, but they receive a lot of money.

That's called the boondoggle where I come from.

Now, this is going to a group, and this is why I'm against no bidding contracts when you suspend bidding.

Now it says bidding, but a company was awarded the contract, and it says local business enterprise.

As a person who owns a business, you want to see what the competition is.

Otherwise, it's what's called bid rigging and bid pedaling, and we're going to prove that down the road.

Now, this says green means go grant.

I've never heard of that being used in Del Paso Heights.

Why not?

And if it has, then prove it.

In this paperwork that I received from my family and the millennials, they showed me something that the whole rostrum should get familiar with.

There's a phrase called ban the box.

You must study that.

If you don't understand what ban the box is in the city manager's office, does because they're in control of it.

This is a uh a recipe for uh bid peddling and bid rigging.

I think a lot of these contracts are being used through the ban the box requirement.

Thank you for your comments.

Thanks.

Uh just a couple of things.

I think it would be helpful to have a little clarification here.

Uh, first of all, this is not a no-bid contract.

This this was a contract, uh, and it's in the staff report shown.

There were there were actually uh three bidders on this contract, and the contract's being awarded to the to the low bidder.

Secondly, uh Green Green Means Go is uh a state initiative through uh SACOG that is concentrated on Del Paso Boulevard.

There are other things we're doing on Marysville Boulevard, but the Green Means Go is for Del Paso Boulevard in particular.

And and thirdly, actually, Lambert, ban the boxes legislation that I authored when I was in the assembly that prevents a government entity from asking on a job employment uh uh application whether someone has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense uh and and then assemblymember McCarty carried legislation that actually expanded it to all employers.

So it really it doesn't have any relationship to this, it's a totally different subject.

So thank you.

Thanks for watching.

Um then council member Kaplan's comments are next.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

My my apologies, I just want to get on the record on item 13 for uh relating to universal design or residential development.

Um I appreciate uh the briefing that I got from staff, but a couple items I just want to call out.

Um, one uh I've got the most development besides probably council member vang of new housing coming in and universal design specifically has to be discussed in one of the models in new housing has to show the options of universal design.

But my question was: is do we have a step to show there's accountability in that?

Just because it might be in the plans and they signed off on it and the developers doing it.

Do we know that those in the models and the staff are actually telling community members there are universal design options?

Currently, we don't have that accountability, which um I appreciate staff to saying that they've reached out to the BIA and are going to be doing some educational trainings on this, but this is of concern because while we've done it here, we don't know if it's actually happening on the ground.

We don't know if homeowners actually know that this is a required option because we don't have um that accountability piece, which I think will help with the trainings, but it's just something that I did want to call out that while we are doing the work on the front end.

Um I have asked AARP if some of their members want to go in and double check if this is happening, but we don't know if what a developer tells us and put in their plans is actually happening when they actually build the model homes and are showing it to community members.

So great on the front end.

Um I know staff is working on this, but also want to see once it's implemented, how the education is rolling out and what questions and concerns um come up.

Okay, thank you so much.

So we are in through council comments on these items.

Do I have a motion and a second?

Although the verbal consent absent item, second.

Wonderful.

Uh clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you.

Councilmember Kaplan.

Councilmember Dickinson.

Councilmember Plucky Baum is absent.

Councilmember Maple.

Mayor Pro Tem Gera is absent.

Council Member Jennings.

Yes.

Council Member Ving.

Yes.

Mayor McCarty is absent.

And Vice Mayor Telemantes.

If you um a motion passes, thank you so much.

Moving on to public hearings.

Item number 17, delinquent utility service charges, special assessment.

Good afternoon, Vice Mayor Telemantes and Council members.

Uh my name is Fadi Jaja.

I am the Billing Services Manager with the Department of Utilities.

I would like to read into record that the total amount to be levied as special assessment as indicated in the staff report has been reduced as a result of payment received.

The total delinquency amount to be levied as a special assessment is 9,916, $787.60.

Exhibit A in the staff report has been revised to reflect these changes.

And the copy is on file in the city clerk office.

I respect the request the vice mayor and council to open and close the public hearing and adopt the resolution.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much.

And we have no speakers signed up for this item, so I'm looking for someone to oh, Councilmember Kaplan.

Thank you, Vice Mayor, and I just want to thank DOU staff as consistency with all reports.

One of the things I asked is that it helps council members understand which ones belong in each district.

So thank you for making that.

I think you'll see it.

I'm gonna start asking that amongst when we when we have this come so that it helps us, I think, understand our communities and how we how we can help.

Also, just it would be good for a little bit more of what is the history, you know, how much are we collecting each year?

Because I it's a conversation I'm having, like with the sewer district and being on the sewer board.

Are we seeing an increase or decrease in delinquency charges?

Um, do we need to educate our community and just a little bit of that background?

But um, thank you for all of that.

I will open and close the public hearing and make that motion.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Dickinson.

I I know this is uh uh a routine uh matter uh, such as anything's routine, but one of the things that caught my eye as I was looking through the list of of delinquent properties is uh uh an unusual number of them uh are related to trusts.

And uh I w uh that made me wonder, although I have no doubt you've done the legally required noticing mailings of the kind.

Uh if if in some form or manner we're not reaching the the people who have the debts, especially associated with with trusts.

Is that something that that has piqued your interest at all either?

No, to be honest with you, we mail every single delinquent notice in April, and we give the community or you know delinquent customers plenty of time, ample of time to reply to the letter, which is identify them as being delinquent, and they need to take some kind of action before they go into the special assessment process.

Well, I appreciate that, the 45-45 days.

But we we really don't dwell into the detail.

This is trust, this is not a trust, because when you're dealing with 152,000 customers, and the list that generated every year is over 10,000 customers.

So it's not easy to scrutinize because it's never been required of us to do something like this.

But we will be more than happy to look into it.

Well, I uh the point is to get the the utility charges paid.

Correct, obviously.

Uh and if this is a phenomena for some reason that suggests the that uh people who have property uh owned uh by trusts are not receiving a notice and therefore not paying, um uh that uh creates an issue worth looking at it, it seems to me.

Uh uh, do you something more to offer on this?

Yes.

Uh thank you, uh Councilman Dickerson.

So the trust is a legal owner in the county of Sacramento, so they receive the same amount of notification with every other business and residential customer.

So we have attempt to contact all of them and we don't exclude any of them.

So uh for example, if you have a a a house and you put it under trust, so the trust usually have a trustee, and that trustee will be represented in the delinquent notice, and therefore they are appropriately uh uh notified.

Well, no, I understand all that.

Yes, I understand all of that, but if there's a heavy heavy number, a disproportionate number of outstanding bills not paid by trust, for some reason, that makes me wonder whether they actually with a trustee is actually getting the notice or or not, or I understand that the the trust is the recorded owner of the property, and so logically with an address, you would you would assume that that mail that you sent is getting to the trustee.

But when you take just when after we approve this, go back to your office and take a look at this list and see how many properties are listed as owned by trusts.

And I think I think you'll say, gee whiz, that's that's curious.

That's a little odd.

So uh I just suggest you think about whether whether as a practical matter, even though you're doing what's legally required, somehow notices aren't getting to the trustees so that they're paying them, paying for them, that's all.

Uh thank you, uh uh Councilman Dickerson.

We'll look into it and we'll report back to you.

But I would like to share with you my personal story.

I'm a trustee of a trust, so I receive the bill from Sacramento County, it's just like the city.

I do receive the notification uh part of a trustee.

So I I will look into it and we'll report back to you, Council.

I I appreciate it.

I mean, I think the as I said, the the point is to get the money paid.

So if if we're missing connection somehow, if we can if we can uh solve that or reduce it, that's to our benefit.

I agree.

And and we will do everything we can to provide more outreach to those uh trustees so they can uh be not only legally notified but as well as properly notified for your direction.

So thank you.

Sure.

Appreciate you.

Can we second?

Sure.

Okay, we have a motion by Councilmember Kaplan, a second by Councilmember Dickinson.

Everybody in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Abstentions?

No's saying, passes unanimously.

Thank you.

And just to clarify, Vice Mayor, um, Councilmember Kaplan, open and close the public hearing, and Council Member Dickinson was a second.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh item number 18.

Ordinance listing 5850 of Free Port Boulevard is landmark.

How do I get it up there?

Okay.

Hi, hello.

There we are.

Okay.

All right.

Well, hello, and thank you for being here.

My name is Whitney Johnson, Assistant Planner for the City of Sacramento, and I will be presenting the landmark nomination for 5850 Freeport Boulevard, known as Land Park Bowl, under file number M24-014.

In May of 2024, the city received a demolition request for the fire damaged building at 5850 Freeport Boulevard.

As required by city code, the preservation director initiated a review to assess the building's eligibility for the Sacramento Register.

Two historic evaluations were submitted.

One by SWCA, which found the building ineligible, but one by Brunswick, which found the building eligible.

Over 50 public comments were received, including one from Preservation Sacramento, highlighting the building's inclusion to the city's LGBTQ historic context and its ties to the Japanese-American developer Gonzo Sakai and the Nissei Bowling Leagues.

After reviewing both reports and the public input, the preservation director determined the building is likely eligible for the Sacramento Register under Criterion 1.

On May 21st, 2025, the Preservation Commission held a hearing and passed unanimous motion recommending City Council adopt an ordinance listing the nominated resource as a land park on the register.

The nominated resource meets criterion one for its listing in the Sacramento Register in its association with the Japanese American and LGBTQ communities.

Land Park Bowl was developed by Gonzo Sakai, a Japanese American immigrant, and served as a popular venue for the Nisi Bowling Leaks here in Sacramento.

The site reflects an important chapter in Sacramento's Japanese American community history, including its contributions to recreational and social integration during and after World War II.

Additionally, the property has been identified in the LGBTQ Plus Historic Experience Project Context Statement as a venue for the River City Bowlers, a prominent LGBTQ bowling league.

The building at 5850 Freeport Boulevard is in its original location.

The design elements at the time of construction are largely intact.

The surrounding setting on Freeport Boulevard has remained intact.

And finally, the building retains the ability to convey its association with the Japanese and LGBTQ communities as the bowling alley.

A notice of public hearing describing the proposed landmark listing was sent to the property owner of 5850 Freeport Boulevard, as well as various neighborhood groups.

Over 50 letters in total were received in response to this nomination.

Staff has met with the representative of the property owner on the potential listing for its um significance on the register.

At this time, the ownership does not oppose this listing.

This concludes my presentation, and we can answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um we will take public comment first on this item and then we'll pass it to Councilman Michael.

Thank you.

I have three speakers.

Greg Lucanville, Joe Pick, and Roy Um Artemoto.

My only comment is thank you for getting us here.

This is going to be a celebratory moment for the future of Sacramento.

Thank you for your comments.

Joe Pick.

I want to thank the city council for their consideration of this.

As a 30-year retired firefighter.

Uh, we swore to protect and uh save property and lives, and that's exactly what the Sacramento City Fire Department did that day.

And it would be a tragedy to tear down the building because it has smoke damage.

I thank you for your time.

Thank you for your comment.

Roy Arrimoto.

And Roy is our final speaker.

Council members, thank you so much for your time today.

I'm Roy Arimoto.

I'm a third-generation Japanese American, born and raised here.

My parents had a gift shop on uh on 10th Street in Japan town, and that was left over from the re the redevelopment of the Capitol Mall.

When the community moved over from Capitol Mall, they settled into parts of South Side Park and Land Park.

There was a lot of uh hatred towards the Japanese Americans at that time after World War II.

My parents were interned.

But the Nisei Bowling League was one place where they could get together and share some fellowship.

I have a shirt on today from the Yorozu, which is uh a Japanese store that would have been around for a hundred years.

It's uh just next to where Target is today.

And uh they were various bowlers back then.

Um I also have a band called East Wind, and we used to do the Japanese dances in the 70s at the um bowling alley.

And so what I will say is that what's left of Japan now, Japan town now is three businesses, and there's a lot of things that happened, and when we talk about heritage and lineage and some of the things that the community went through, land park bowl was a very prominent part of that.

So just uh want to say thank you for your consideration.

Thank you so much.

And that concludes public comment on this item, and I will pass it to Councilman Maple, who I know has been working on this project for quite some time, and looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

I just have a couple questions and then awesome comments.

Well, first I want to I want to thank thank you.

Thank everyone who showed up for your advocacy um and thank the staff for putting together a really thorough report.

Um I read all of it.

Uh, I learned a lot, and that was incredible.

Um, and so just thank you for that.

I think it really helps me and the community members understand the process and the history.

Um what I I've received a lot of questions about this building in particular.

First and foremost from uh community members who were concerned about the incident that happened when it caught on fire several months ago, that was devastating for the community that surrounds it.

Um I received a lot of phone calls, and I actually went to go tour the building the day after it happened and walked through the devastation that's in there.

It looks okay on the outside.

Some people might drive by and say, Oh, that's what's wrong with that building, but unfortunately on the inside it's very badly damaged.

There's by smoke and fire and by water.

Um, and so, you know, I think that that it's just been a real challenge for community members who have relied upon that bowling alley as a place for them to take their families to go, you know, be in fellowship as someone mentioned with their neighbors.

Um, and a fun fact, I actually hosted my election night party there when I um when I got elected in 2022, so it's personal to me as well.

Um my questions are just so that um really for edification of the public about what this means and what it doesn't mean.

Um, and so I get my first question is by it being uh designated as a has historic, what does that what impact does that have on the property and the property owners?

Are there things that they can do or can't do as a result of its designation?

Um, thanks for the question, council member.

Um so it really is gonna depend on um the projects that come in for the um to kind of give a clear answer on what can and can't be done with it.

Um we ultimately do have to comply with CEQA for historic resource if it's listed, so um any demolition activities or um any alteration of the building that's gonna make it lose that association with the historic significance with the LGBT and Japanese-American communities are gonna we're gonna be taking a little bit closer look at so we're talking major alterations or moving the structure or demolishing the structure.

Um we've met extensively with the representative of the property owner to discuss some potential adaptive reuse options.

We've given them examples of um other projects in Sacramento that have done similar projects to repurpose large spaces like that, um like the the for uh former Safeway, which is now sellings on Broadway, uh Marshall Hotel.

So we've kind of given we've we've kind of talked about a few options for buildings that are listed and not listed to give them a good idea of what is possible.

Um but it's like I said, like it's kind of hard to give a clear answer.

We actually met with the property owners representative this morning, and it's situation dependent.

Situation dependent, yeah.

Yeah, but for you know, for clarity, they they did originally submit the owners, did submit an application to demolish the building.

That's correct, and that's what's that started this process.

Okay, that's really helpful.

And so obstenbly at this time, once if it's approved today, then they won't have the ability to demolish it, but they will have the ability to do something else to it, which you've outlined some of those options.

And while the while historic listing um it doesn't prevent buildings from being demolished, it would just make the process a little bit more challenging.

They would have to go through an environmental review process, creating a historic um a um uh environmental impact report to to determine the potential impact on the historic resource.

Okay, that's really helpful.

Um, and the other question I have is this because um, in addition to receiving a lot of um public comments from constituents about one sharing the personal stories um why this building is so important to the community and to them.

I also received questions and concerns from residents about, well, you know, does this if it's deemed you know historical and um now the process is more difficult for the the property owners to move forward?

Is there a possibility that you know this building could stand there burnt out and vacant for many years?

And the reason why that's asked is actually there's several buildings like that on Free Port Boulevard, one that's just down the road that was burned and stayed that way for many, many years.

Um, and so you know, I guess are there requirements that we have, you know, that after this hearing that the property owners are required to do cleanup and to make use of the space, or is it a is it a possibility that it could stay there the way that it is?

It's generally the same process for non-historic buildings versus listed historic buildings on uh minimum maintenance requirements, code enforcement um penalties and whatnot.

There is currently a case on the project on the property right now.

Um so it's there's it doesn't change the process for that regard.

Um, like I said, it does make it a little bit more challenging to demolish the building, but if it's um similar is as a non-historic building, if it's deemed immediately dangerous, then then there's no historic preservation review required for that anymore.

Great.

Okay, that answers a lot of my questions.

Um, you know, I just want to say I'll be supporting this designation today.

I think it's the right thing to do.

Um I think it is very historically significant to our communities, and I think it's a beautiful building personally.

Um I also really want to thank the property owners for um, you know, they could be here today opposing this if they wanted, they're not.

Um, and sounds like they've been very diligent in meeting with staff and trying to figure out what's next.

So I just want to say publicly that my hope is that um whatever is next happens um with haste, uh, because as someone who represents about six different business corridors in the city of Sacramento, um, having you know vacant buildings, vacant lots all over the place is a big big challenge that I personally feel strongly about.

Um, and so really hopeful that that this won't lead to that outcome, and we'll look forward to working with the property owners on on what comes next.

Um, so with that, I'm happy to open and close the public hearing and move the item.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And I'm happy to second it.

And okay, um, I'm happy to second it, and thank you so much to the members of the public for sharing the history about this project.

I've gone bowling there, I'm not good at it, but I like to do it.

Um, and I know how special it is to the community, so thank you so much for your leadership on it, Councilmember Maple.

So we have a motion and a second.

Everyone in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposite no, yes, substantials.

Already said yes.

Okay, moving along.

Thank you so much.

Um, and then we have information items and council comments, ideas, questions, AB one, two, three, four reports.

Councilmember Vake.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I have an A B 1234 report and some announcement.

Um, during Council Reese's, I had the opportunity to attend the annual local progress conference that was held in Chicago this year.

Uh, local progress is an organization made up of local electeds across our country that's advancing racial and economic justice uh throughout all levels of government.

So it's city council, county, and school board.

Um, and it was just really great to collect uh to connect with so many local elected officials across our country to learn about the ways in which they are actually holding the line, given uh what's coming down from the federal administration, uh, the many vital public programs that are being cut, making it just harder for so many of our families in Sacramento.

Um, and at the end of the day, it's really local electeds that are that has to hold the line, and so it was just really great to attend numerous workshops, everything from immigration to how we communicate our work at the city level to to our constituents.

Um, and in particular, how do we actually even strengthen the current sanctuary policies that do we do have?

Um, and I'll be sharing this information with our city attorney as well.

But it was just a really inspiring conference and would definitely encourage my colleagues to look for it uh next year.

And so that is my AB 1234 report.

Um, and then some announcements.

Um, Mondays with my are back at the Pennell Community Center.

So join me every Monday because it's summer, instead of nine o'clock, we start at 8:30 a.m.

And so come join our seniors on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8 30 at the Pennell Community Center.

But I will be there every Monday, so Mondays with my.

Um, and then just also wanted to remind folks that again every Sunday we we have our MetaView certified farmers market opening from 9 to 1.

So please stop by that's at the Medaview Light Rail Station.

And then this Sunday, there is a Unity and Community Summer Party uh hosted by We Trust in Us and Tree Boy Brand uh organization.

That event is happening at Medeview Park uh from 11 to 6 p.m.

It is a free event, so encouraging folks to come out to that.

And then next Wednesday, July 30th at 5 30 at the Pennell Community Center.

SACRT is kicking off a project to study the Medeview Light Rail Station.

Uh, we got funding through SACOG uh to look at transit-oriented locations.

So MetaView was um actually one of the recipients, and so um we have a public workshop happening on July 30th, 5:30.

So encouraging folks to come to that.

Um, and then we have a backpack giveaway happening on August 15th.

If you're watching this council meeting, put that on your calendar from 5 to 7:30.

Uh, this is first come first served, but I know there are numerous backpack giveaway happening in all of our district and throughout the city.

Um, so just wanted to let folks know that we're having a lot more than that because we're sponsoring a lot more events happening in the community.

Um, and then lastly, if folks can save the date for our fifth annual South Sac Festival happening at MetaView Park on Saturday, August 23rd.

I'm really excited about that because our first one was a year ago at Medavie Park, and we're bringing it back to uh the views.

So those are all my updates.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Council Mayor Maple.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Um, I also have AB 1234 1234.

Yes, report.

Um, so this last Thursday and Friday, I was in uh beautiful city of San Jose attending a California League of Cities at Board of Directors meeting.

Um we discussed a lot of great topics.

I learned a lot from um city council members and other other folks from around the state of California.

I really enjoy my service on this board, um, because I get to learn a lot and take it back with me.

Um, but I especially wanted to congratulate uh Councilmember Lisa Kaplan for being appointed as an at-large member and joining the board alongside with me, and I think that will be a great thing for the League of Cities to have that extra representation from the city of Sacramento.

So join me in giving her a round of applause.

Yay.

And um another announcement that I have is that um through law and legislation committee, uh, as folks some folks may know, we are beginning to have conversations again about modernize our city's business operations tax.

And so we have a series of workshops coming up where um focused on issue area, where we're inviting members of the community, folks from the business sector and beyond to come in and share their feedback with us.

I think it's so important that if we are gonna move forward and do another measure that we um build it from the ground up.

That's my commitment and the commitment of our staff here, and that we really do that with the feedback of the folks who will be potentially impacted by the measure.

And so we're looking forward to our very first one coming up on Wednesday, July 23rd.

Um, and that's gonna be uh the business operations tax certificate uh certificate fee um outreach plan.

So um you can also learn more about these different workshops on our website and through our newsletter, and we'll make sure that we post it on the city's website.

So I just wanted to share that with everyone.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Councilmember Jennings.

Thank you very much, Vice Mayor.

Jazz in July is a popular uh event that we do every year, and we just had one on the 18th at Garsha Bend Park with Vivian Lee as the performer.

It was an incredible uh attendance by the community of over 500 people who came out to enjoy a free concert in the park on a very nice day that wasn't too hot in July.

And so then the next one will be Jazz in July with Carrie McCoy on the 25th, and that's gonna take place at Bell Coolidge.

Um they generally happen from five o'clock until eight o'clock, and uh these are free concerts and food trucks will be out there for you to be able to get food if you need to.

You're gonna have to pay for that, but the jazz is free and it's always good.

Uh so just want to let you know about that.

So, Friday the 25th at Bill Coolidge with Carrie McCoy.

And then the final announcement is um our sister city from Matsyama, Japan, is visiting Sacramento next week.

And uh I'll give you more details about that at our next city council meeting.

But I just want to let you know they are coming in town, and uh if you if you want to meet some of them, I'll let you know the place and the location at that at the next week's meeting.

Okay.

Thank you, wonderful.

And uh, Cleric, is there public comment matters not on the agenda?

I guess Vice Mayor I have two speakers, Sherry Dimmerling and Keon Bliss.

Hello, council.

I'm not here to debate Senate Bill 802.

You've done plenty of that, and I know people are coming up on neither side of that, but regardless of which side that you're on, this lack of coordination should be a deal breaker, but it's not.

Instead, you've codified it here.

I became aware about a month ago that through some rangers that there was a possibility of a sweep in July at 22 West Alcamino.

The first thing I did was called district three and left a long, lengthy voicemail about my concerns about it.

Never heard anything back.

There's a group of about 50 to 60 veterans and elderly people that have been there over a decade.

So we needed a good plan if they were going to be swept.

The first call that I made was to hope from Front Street, and they had heard something similar from the Rangers as well, but they didn't have any dates yet.

So we decided we're gonna keep in touch.

It's very critical that they have an idea of when these sweeps are going to happen because if they don't know in advance, then they aren't prepared and they haven't prepared the homeless, and they get a huge deluge of animals that come in that day that they are absolutely unprepared for.

So, needless to say, they swept no notice, 20 minutes to let these tell these people to get their stuff out.

They lost medications, they lost their tents, they lost their IDs.

Some of them lost their pets, some people weren't even there.

I called hope.

Apparently, they reached out to DCR who told them they are no longer sharing information with them.

If they want information, they can start attending their weekly meetings.

The acting chief could.

And by the way, they don't have an acting chief, and they know that.

So why are we doing this?

What are we doing?

Is this what we voted for?

Is this what taxpayers wanted?

Is cruelty the point?

We wasted time and money by not sharing information.

I'd like to think we're better than this.

Thank you for your comments.

Our final speaker is Keon Bliss.

Good one, Laney.

I think I have uh a lot of questions.

I really hope that that memo about whether it is legal, part of city council rules or city code for an unelected employee interim city manager or not to move a legislative item, such as a 2.6 million dollar contract off of the legislative agenda without the direction or consent of our elected representatives.

I mean, if that's part of city council rules, that's something that can be changed by any one of you, making a request uh to the city clerk for that to be agendized and discussed so that the rules can actually change.

Because this is about basic fundamental democracy.

But if that is actually something part of city code, that is profoundly fundamentally undemocratic.

At minimum, it's profoundly problematic.

And I think that the interim city manager already knows that.

I mean, it was already problematic enough that this uh contract, that actually several contracts were put on a new page that uh most folks that I know in the community weren't even aware of uh on the city website that I had to go through at least four pages to find was published during council's recess when uh city employees and many of you uh are well aware have fewer people watching and paying attention.

There should at least be a link to that, and uh it also doesn't seem to be uh applied consistently considering that uh just July 1st uh a proposed ordinance to ban sleep uh sleeping around city hall was published for a 10-day period, but not on that page, at least not that I'm aware of.

So really curious.

I really hope that that uh memo is published out loud, and that you can't for your comments.

Vice Mayor, I have no more speakers.

Thank you for your comments.

Thank you for your comments.

Your time is complete.

Vice Mayor, we do need to adjourn our to a special meeting.

Um we would can adjourn to a special meeting for the purpose of a closed session.

We do have a quorum of council members and chambers.

There's one item on the closed session agenda, conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation per government code section 54956.9 D2.

There's one potential case.

I have no speakers on this item.

Vice Mayor, you may adjourn to closed session.

Thank you so much.