Sacramento City Council Meeting – August 26, 2025

The Sacramento City Council met on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 5:11 PM at City Hall. The meeting included a special presentation honoring the Sacramento Fire Department, unanimous approval of a 14-item consent calendar, three public hearings on housing and historic preservation, a detailed discussion on the Animal Care Services Division audit, and an update on the Streamline Sacramento development process improvement program. All votes were 8-0, with Councilmember Caity Maple absent.

Special Presentation

• Councilmember Jennings presented the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline® Gold Award to the Sacramento Fire Department for the ninth consecutive year, recognizing world-class cardiac and stroke care. Fire Chief Chris Costamante and EMS team accepted the award.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously passed Motion 2025-0267 approving minutes of four prior meetings.
• Confirmed four board and commission appointments (Motion 2025-0268).
• Received and filed annual reports from the City Clerk and City Treasurer.
• Approved supplemental contracts: printing services (Signature Reprographics, $450,000 NTE), Power Inn Queue Cutter Project (Caltrans $400,000 grant), PlanetBids portal ($380,000 NTE), Waxie Sanitary Supply ($400,000 NTE), S&H Consulting labor compliance ($649,000 total), Rain for Rent liquid handling ($575,000 NTE), Forensiclean LLC critical infrastructure cleanup ($4,000,000 NTE), Wildlife Conservation Board grant application ($332,819), Shaw Law Group legal services ($127,000 NTE), and CHP Cannabis Tax Fund grant ($218,027).
• Received and filed July 2025 Monthly Investment Transactions Report.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Consent Calendar: Henry Harry opposed item 13 (Shaw Law Group contract), arguing lack of transparency on the nature of the investigation and who is involved; he requested public posting of all lawsuit details.
• Item 15 – Birchway at Natomas: Jeffrey Tardi Gia urged the council to ensure ADA compliance and universal design for senior residents in the development.
• Item 16 – New Helvetia Historic District: Seven speakers supported the ordinance, including Chris Lango (filmmaker highlighting civil rights history), L.R. Roberts (personal connection to New Helvetia), Clarence Caesar (Nathaniel Collie Civil Rights Coalition), William Berg (Preservation Sacramento, noting the need for reinvestment), and others. Marchery Smith, a current resident of New Helvetia, expressed concern that renovation plans might displace residents and urged basic repairs instead of major changes.
• Item 17 – Independence in Natomas: Jeffrey Tardi Gia again stressed ADA accessibility and compatibility with the city’s equity goals.
• Item 18 – Animal Care Services Audit: 18 speakers gave emotional testimony. Key points from Paul Hefner (Animal Wellbeing Commission chair) thanked the council for funding but noted the facility is too old and small. Multiple advocates (Elise Mies, Julie Verga, Layla Adoro, Kim Pacini Houch, Millicent Tidwell, Lisa Were, and others) detailed mismanagement, illegal reduced intake, wasted spay/neuter grants, retaliation against volunteers, and a culture of killing healthy animals. They called for leadership change, accountability, and increased spay/neuter. Danny Summers (volunteer) defended shelter staff and noted improvements in adoption rates. Hilary Bagley (former DA) argued Director Zimmerman’s policies are unlawful and part of a statewide movement.
• Item 19 – Streamline Sacramento: John Vignoki supported the initiative, emphasizing its importance for small businesses. Renee and Todd Yonick criticized the lack of transparency and continued bureaucratic hurdles, stating they have not seen improvements despite months of advocacy.

Discussion Items

• Item 18 – Audit of Animal Care Services Division:
  • GPP Analytics presented 10 findings and 31 recommendations, covering overcapacity, employee engagement, policy gaps, veterinary capacity, licensing compliance, partnership conflicts (Friends of Front Street), homelessness program, and volunteer metrics.
  • Councilmembers debated the audit. Mayor Pro Tem Guerra stressed the need to rebuild public trust and called for a clear timeline on policy implementation. Councilmember Dickinson emphasized spay/neuter as the highest priority and proposed a follow-up report in 90–180 days. Councilmember Vang directed the city manager to use the audit for performance evaluation of management. Councilmember Talamantes highlighted the need for a formal MOU with Friends of Front Street. Interim City Manager Milstein committed to developing timelines and exploring off-site spay/neuter locations.
• Item 19 – Streamline Sacramento:
  • Assistant Director Matt Hertel reported 36 potential actions, 17 already instituted (e.g., small business liaison, electronic plan review, address assignment pilot). Upcoming steps include a 72-hour small-project review pilot and extended public counter hours.
  • Councilmembers expressed support. Councilmember Kaplan noted that duplexes on single-family footprints should not require rezone. Councilmember Dickinson urged coordination with outside agencies (e.g., SMUD, health dept.). Councilmember Pluckebaum challenged all departments to find efficiencies.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (8-0).
• Item 15 – Birchway at Natomas: Adopted Resolution 2025-0227 (CEQA addendum), Ordinance 2025-0024 (Development Agreement), Ordinance 2025-0025 (rezone to R-3A-PUD), Resolution 2025-0228 (PUD amendments), and Resolution 2025-0229 (design review and tree permit). Allowed 378 units, 165 park-and-ride spaces on 12.9 acres.
• Item 16 – New Helvetia Historic District: Passed Motion 2025-0275 adopting Ordinance 2025-0026 (listing 12 landmarks and the district) and Ordinance 2025-0027 (Historic District Plan).
• Item 17 – Independence in Natomas: Adopted Resolution 2025-0230 (CEQA addendum), Ordinance 2025-0028 (rezone to R-2A-PUD), and Resolution 2025-0231 (tentative map, deviations, site plan). Allowed 170 units in 85 duplex buildings on 10.8 acres.
• Item 18 – Animal Services Audit: Passed Motion 2025-0276 approving the audit. The council directed staff to prepare a timeline for implementing recommendations (including policies, facility upgrades, spay/neuter expansion, and a formal MOU with Friends of Front Street) and to report back within 90–180 days. The city manager was directed to use the audit for management performance evaluation.
• Item 19 – Streamline Sacramento: Received and filed; staff will continue implementation and report back in December 2025.