OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting - Nov 20, 2025

Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee — Thursday, November 20, 2025
BodySan Diego, California
SessionActive Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
DateThursday, November 20, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:30:31

Transcript — Verbatim
4:32

Well, good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting of November twentieth, twenty twenty-five.

4:38

Our committee liaison, Sarah Jordan will provide information and instructions for the public to participate in today's meeting.

5:00

Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first.

5:11

This will allow for better beating management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business.

5:17

We appreciate the public's cooperation.

5:19

Chair.

5:19

I will now call the Act of Transportation at Infrastructure Committee meeting of November 20th, 2025 to order.

5:25

Sir, please call the roll.

5:26

Vice Chair, Council President Pro Tem Lee.

5:29

Here.

5:29

Councilmember Foster.

5:31

Councilmember Von Wilpert.

5:33

Chair Whitburn.

5:34

Here.

5:34

Also attending the meeting today is City Attorney Representative Dana Fairchild, Mayor Representative Randy Wilde, and IBA representative Donnie Nguyen.

5:43

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room.

5:49

Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management.

5:52

Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage.

5:59

To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252.

6:03

Inputting webinar ID 160-685-1166 pound.

6:07

This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item.

6:13

Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be delay, and please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak.

6:22

If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a calling participant by selecting star nine on your phone.

6:32

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered.

6:35

Chair.

6:35

Thank you, Sarah.

6:36

A quorum is now present.

6:38

As a note to the public, we're going to be hearing our agenda items out of order today.

6:42

After we take up our consent agenda, we'll hear item number six, then item four, followed by item seven, and then item number five.

6:52

So we'll do six, four, seven, and five.

6:55

We'll now take up not agenda public comment.

6:57

The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings.

7:06

Sarah, please proceed with further instructions.

7:08

Thank you, Chair.

7:09

Per rule 2.7 non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of this committee.

7:17

Each speaker will have two minutes.

7:19

And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream online, please dial 1669-2545252 and input webinar 160-685-1166 pound.

7:29

We'll begin testimony here in chambers.

7:31

Blair Beekman, if you would please approach the lectern.

7:34

You will have two minutes, and you will be followed by Paul Kruger.

7:52

Hi, good afternoon.

7:53

Happy Thursday.

8:14

And therefore, a warrant does not apply to current questions of warrants, AOPRs, and data storage.

8:20

But I feel this may be an overly broad legal assumption.

8:23

I feel there may be a more formal, appropriate legal questions and legal arguments to speak more directly to the legal issues of data collection storage and of the warrant process.

8:33

And that is my sincere hope that as it SDPD has already has a very good internal auditing process.

8:46

And what can be best practices to make future auditing questions around AOPR issues more clear and accessible to specific persons of San Diego City government, the PAB and community is needed.

8:57

And even with the strong well-intentioned city council comments at public safety committee meeting last week, and how to continue good San Diego uh neighborhood public safety practices at this time.

9:08

It is still my own strong belief that in the next six to twelve months, we can be starting much more serious, continuing community conversation.

9:16

Uh open public meetings and open dialogue to consider more responsible ALPR vendors and to possibly begin possibly begin to prepare a vetting process.

9:26

And in the next six to twelve months, we can possibly be ending the current contract with the current San Diego ALPR vendor flock.

9:35

I think it is a reasonable and a realistic goal.

9:38

What we can be doing in the next six months, how we will be considering our issues, how we can be planning and uh good luck we can be working towards goals of seriously talking about in the open public process uh a new ALPR vendor for the future of San Diego.

9:53

It is possible at this time.

9:55

It's interesting.

9:56

Thank you.

9:58

Thank you.

9:58

Paul Krueger.

10:06

Thank you very much.

10:08

Um I wanted to just thank the chair and uh I hope members of the committee for acknowledging over the past couple months the reality of uh people's dependence on automobiles and the problems that we have seen in the last five years with promises that have been unfulfilled.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Capital Improvement Planning███████████████████████████27%
Public Comment█████████████████17%
Transportation Safety███████████11%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Parking Management██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Procedural████4%
Budget Equity Analysis███3%
Procurement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting - November 20, 2025

The Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee convened on November 20, 2025, to review consent items, hear an informational presentation from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) regarding fiscal challenges, and deliberate on proposed Sunday parking meter extensions with a residential permit program. The committee concluded the fiscal year with reports on the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) status and budget revisions, unanimously approving the agenda items despite significant public testimony regarding parking costs, MTS funding gaps, and infrastructure spending accountability.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimous Approval (4-0): The committee approved the October 23, 2025 meeting minutes and two construction-related items: the Amici Park contribution agreement for Little Italy improvements and an ordinance authorizing a $2 million contract increase and $1.094 million change order for the La Jolla Roadway Improvements Project with TC Construction Company. All three items passed without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Legal and Data Privacy Concerns: Blair Beekman expressed strong concern regarding legal assumptions about warrants and data storage for Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), suggesting a formal vetting process for vendors. Paul Krueger warned that policies forcing residents without garages or driveways to rely on public transit disproportionately harm lower-income and blue-collar workers.
  • Political Allegations: Andrea Ebbing alleged corruption and RICO enterprise activity within the District Attorney's and City Attorney's offices, specifically criticizing District Attorney Summer Stephan, and stated her belief that Stephan is on the Brady List for multiple violations.
  • Budget Transparency and Subsidies: Catherine Rhodes raised concerns about the City of San Diego subsidizing county jails through an unknown contract (Decentralization Fund), estimating a subsidy potentially up to $18 million, and noted a lack of recent public visibility on this line item.
  • Public Safety and Infrastructure Issues: Kathleen Lippett expressed support for English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers to recover lost federal highway funds and opposed allowing repeat DUI offenders back on the road without stricter measures. Becky Rapp and Madison argued that the visibility of cannabis businesses near transit and the lack of THC testing limits endanger public safety and youth, specifically citing increased car crashes and preventable illnesses.
  • Transit Financial Feasibility: Blair Beekman and Howard (virtual) expressed strong support for free bus service and criticized current MTS leadership and contract practices. Catherine Rhodes proposed a legal solution to the MTS fiscal cliff by utilizing revenue diversion privileges associated with San Diego's status as a "grandfathered" airport.
  • Parking Permits and Fees: Blair Beekman, Paul Krueger, Catherine Rhodes, and Michael Schmidt expressed strong opposition to the proposed Sunday parking meter extensions and the associated $150 annual residential permit fee. Paul Krueger specifically argued that charging anything over the $20 cost recovery fee is unacceptable for working-class residents in areas like Mid-City who lack driveways. Heuristics regarding the fairness of charging for Sunday parking while high-rise residents pay exorbitant monthly fees were also noted.
  • CIP Accountability: Catherine Rhodes criticized the Engineering and Capital Projects Department for hoarding nearly $400 million in the underground surcharge fund balance without spending the budgeted amounts on undergrounding, questioning the lack of local union training for trench digging.

Discussion Items

Item Six: MTS Informational Presentation (Out of Order)

  • Fiscal Challenges: Julia Tour of MTS presented a critical overview of a projected $120 million funding gap for the upcoming years. Tour attributed this to a 40% base pay increase for transit operators, flat local sales tax revenue (Transnet), and a lack of fare increases. Tour noted that MTS is using non-recurring funds (stimulus reserves) to cover operations, which represents a quarter of total operating expenses.
  • Community Priorities: Outreach results indicated that the top public priority for additional funding is frequency (specifically aiming for 10-minute intervals), followed closely by personal safety and extended hours, particularly at night. Riders prioritized lower fares more than non-riders.
  • Council Response: Councilmembers Foster and Von Wilpert praised MTS for recent service improvements (e.g., increased security, new overnight routes) and high customer satisfaction scores. They questioned the impact of federal funding freezes; Tour confirmed federal formula dollars are currently stable. Councilmember Von Wilpert expressed concern that federal grants may not be sufficient to close the looming budget gap.

Item Four: Residential Parking Program for Sundays (Out of Order)

  • Proposal Details: Staff proposed a residential permit program for Sundays in downtown, uptown, and mid-city to mitigate the impact of extending meter hours to previously free Sundays. The proposal includes a permit fee of $150 per year ($2.50/day + $20 cost recovery). The program allows eligible residents (those living within two blocks of a metered street) to park at any meter in the zone without time limits or fees.
  • Financial Impact: The Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) estimated that expanding Sunday meter operations could generate approximately $2.8 million annually, though participation levels in the permit program (which substitutes meter revenue with permit fees) remain uncertain. Enforcement staffing needs were flagged as a potential unknown variable.
  • Council Deliberation: Councilmember Foster supported the motion to provide an optional, cost-effective solution for residents who must park on streets, viewing it as a relief measure against the inconvenience of moving cars or paying hourly. Councilmember Von Wilpert seconded the motion, noting that while he voted against Sunday meters originally, the permit option was a necessary mitigation.

Item Seven: FY2025 CIP Year-End Report (Out of Order)

  • Investment Levels: Karen McGriff reported that FY2025 marked the highest capital investment in city history, totaling $1.2 billion in new funding and $1.145 billion in expenditures. The program achieved 564 lane miles of street improvements, exceeding the goal of 357 lane miles and raising the Citywide Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to an estimated 65.
  • Project Highlights: Key projects mentioned included the Palm Avenue/I-805 interchange (advertising phase), Rolando Improv 2 (ongoing, completion 2028), and Fire Station 48 (design phase, completion 2029).
  • Contracting Environment: Councilmember Foster questioned the claim of a "healthy" bid environment. Staff clarified that most asset types had at least two bidders, though Foster noted concerns about a declining pool of contractors for specific asset types like pipelines and a lack of diversity in reported outreach to Minority Contractors Associations. Councilmember Foster requested a list of specific outreach meetings with the Black Contractors Association.
  • Emergency Spending: Councilmember Foster expressed concern over $50 million in emergency project spending, emphasizing the need for preventative maintenance. Councilmember Von Wilpert highlighted the need for transparency regarding rising construction costs and debt service impacts on the general fund.

Item Five: FY2026 CIP Mid-Year Budget Monitoring Report (Out of Order)

  • Budget Adjustments: The report outlined $37.7 million in appropriations, de-appropriations, and reallocations. The largest appropriations came from the underground surcharge fund and development impact fees.
  • Funding Sources: Staff addressed the use of Transnet funds held at SANDAG, noting the city maintains a lower cash balance than peers. The WIFIA loan spend-down is ongoing, with significant stormwater emergency repairs depleting reserves.
  • Specific Project Transfers: Significant transfers included $4.3 million for the Air and Space Museum roof replacement, $3.2 million for South Choice Yard emergency repairs, and $800,000 for Phase 3 of the Mission Beach Lifeguard Station. Councilmember Von Wilpert expressed concern over transferring funds from the Convoy District project to a new project in District 6, requesting further community engagement on the original funds' intent. Councilmember Von Wilpert inquired about the Miramar Branch Library parking lot costs; staff confirmed additional costs for undocumented materials are being negotiated.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous Approval (4-0): The motion to establish the Sunday Residential Parking Permit Program (Item Four) passed unanimously. The program will roll out in February-March 2026, with permit eligibility for residents within two blocks of metered streets in downtown, uptown, and mid-city.
  • Unanimous Approval (4-0): The motion to adopt the FY2026 CIP Mid-Year Budget Monitoring Report and budget revisions (Item Five) passed unanimously, contingent on Vice Chair Lee's request for staff to engage her office regarding the allocation of surplus funds from the Convoy District project to ensure community intent is met.
  • Adjournment: The committee adjourned the 2025 meeting series, noting the adoption of the city's first Mobility Master Plan and the implementation of new procurement methods as key achievements of the year.
  • Next Meeting: Scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Well, good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting of November twentieth, twenty twenty-five. Our committee liaison, Sarah Jordan will provide information and instructions for the public to participate in today's meeting. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better beating management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. I will now call the Act of Transportation at Infrastructure Committee meeting of November 20th, 2025 to order. Sir, please call the roll. Vice Chair, Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Councilmember Foster. Councilmember Von Wilpert. Chair Whitburn. Here. Also attending the meeting today is City Attorney Representative Dana Fairchild, Mayor Representative Randy Wilde, and IBA representative Donnie Nguyen. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. Inputting webinar ID 160-685-1166 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be delay, and please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a calling participant by selecting star nine on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Sarah. A quorum is now present. As a note to the public, we're going to be hearing our agenda items out of order today. After we take up our consent agenda, we'll hear item number six, then item four, followed by item seven, and then item number five. So we'll do six, four, seven, and five. We'll now take up not agenda public comment. The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. Sarah, please proceed with further instructions. Thank you, Chair. Per rule 2.7 non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of this committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream online, please dial 1669-2545252 and input webinar 160-685-1166 pound. We'll begin testimony here in chambers. Blair Beekman, if you would please approach the lectern. You will have two minutes, and you will be followed by Paul Kruger. Hi, good afternoon. Happy Thursday. And therefore, a warrant does not apply to current questions of warrants, AOPRs, and data storage. But I feel this may be an overly broad legal assumption. I feel there may be a more formal, appropriate legal questions and legal arguments to speak more directly to the legal issues of data collection storage and of the warrant process. And that is my sincere hope that as it SDPD has already has a very good internal auditing process. And what can be best practices to make future auditing questions around AOPR issues more clear and accessible to specific persons of San Diego City government, the PAB and community is needed. And even with the strong well-intentioned city council comments at public safety committee meeting last week, and how to continue good San Diego uh neighborhood public safety practices at this time. It is still my own strong belief that in the next six to twelve months, we can be starting much more serious, continuing community conversation. Uh open public meetings and open dialogue to consider more responsible ALPR vendors and to possibly begin possibly begin to prepare a vetting process.

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