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Record of Proceedings

San Diego City Council Meeting - February 25, 2025: Proclamations, Consent Items, and Policy Ordinances

City Council — Tuesday, February 25, 2025
BodySan Diego, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 25, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Thank you.

0:01

Clerk, please call the roll.

0:03

Thank you, Council President.

0:04

Councilmember Campbell.

0:06

Councilmember Whitburn.

0:08

Here.

0:08

Councilmember Foster.

0:10

Councilmember Von Wilper.

0:12

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

0:14

Here.

0:15

Councilmember Campillo.

0:16

Here.

0:17

Councilmember Moreno.

0:19

Councilmember Elo Rivera.

0:21

And Council President Lacava.

0:23

Present.

0:23

Also attending the meeting.

0:24

Our city attorney, Heather Ferber, Independent Budget Analyst Charles Matica, Council Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Zeiser, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

0:33

Thank you, Council President.

0:34

Thank you.

0:35

We will begin this morning with the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance led by Councilmember Elo Rivera.

0:44

Thank you, Council President.

0:47

We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumiyai Nation are the original inhabitants of the unceded land now known as San Diego.

0:53

Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the community spirit remains unbroken.

0:59

We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land.

1:03

Today, they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.

1:10

We stand with the community nation connected to our past and committed to a thriving future.

1:16

If you would please remain standing and please begin the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:43

Thank you, Council President.

1:44

I will now highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting.

1:49

Please note the time allocations for proclamations and consent items for meeting management purposes.

1:54

The order can be found on the agenda summary found online or at the table in the back of the room.

2:00

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room to the white uh basket.

2:07

Council ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speaker slips.

2:12

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

2:16

Thank you, Council President.

2:18

All right, thank you.

2:19

A quorum is now present.

2:21

Uh to start things off, we will be returning item 105, which is accepting a 53-acre land donation in the East Elliott area of San Diego from the re Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation and dedicating the land as open space and add the land to the city of San Diego's municipal, excuse me, multiple species conservation program to staff.

2:43

Once again, item 105 is being returned to staff and no longer part of the consent agenda.

2:49

With that, we will now dispense with the approval of the proclamation items.

2:53

Clerk, please proceed with public comment.

2:55

Thank you.

2:55

The public comment period for the proclamation items is now open.

2:58

Each speaker will have one minute per item per person.

3:01

If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.

3:07

The proclamation items being approved are items 30 through 36 and S501.

3:12

We did not receive any comments via our e-comment portal for the proclamation items.

3:17

We do have several speakers here.

3:19

If I can please ask you to come up to the front of the room into the yellow reserve seats, that would be greatly appreciated.

3:26

Carlton Overstreet Jr.

3:29

Michael White, Richard Catlin, and Arman Harvey.

3:35

Please come up to the yellow reserve seats in the front, and Carlton can come up to the microphone.

3:44

And you're speaking to item 33.

3:54

Good morning, City Council.

3:56

Giving glory and honor to God who is ahead of my life.

4:00

Thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of the San Diego Hip Hop Health and Wellness 5 Camp Festival.

4:05

My name is Carlton Overstreet Jr., the president of the organization.

4:10

As shown today, teamwork makes the dream work.

4:13

The flood challenges to our community proved that grassroots organizations and volunteers can be there to assist during a crisis.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety███████████████████19%
Public Comment████████████12%
Seaport Development█████████9%
Procedural███████7%
Community Engagement███████7%
Public Health█████5%
Energy and Sustainability█████5%
Public Engagement█████5%
Affordable Housing████4%
Summary of Proceedings

San Diego City Council Meeting - February 25, 2025

The San Diego City Council convened on February 25, 2025, at 10:15 AM (after a morning session) to address a full agenda including proclamations, consent items, and several policy ordinances. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement by Councilmember Elo Rivera and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council unanimously approved multiple proclamations, a consent calendar with routine items, and adopted ordinances for live event worker safety, underground utility districts, an affordable housing loan, and a property tax exchange agreement.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved items 50–55, 60, 100–104, 106–111, S500, and S504–S507 unanimously (9–0). Key consent items included:
    • Item 52: Second reading of the Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance, aimed at preserving deed-restricted affordable units.
    • Item 103: Relinquishment agreement with Caltrans for 2.3 acres of land for Boston Avenue Linear Park in Barrio Logan.
    • Item 104 & S504–S506: Community Projects, Programs, and Services (CPPS) funding allocations for council districts 5, 8, and 9, totaling over $87,000 for District 8 alone.
    • Item 101: Acceptance of HUD funding for Memorial Park design and construction.
    • Items 109–111: Reappointments of Kenneth Marlborough to the Planning Commission, Stephen Cushman and Eugene Mitchell to the San Diego Housing Commission, and appointment of Venus Molina to the San Diego County Water Authority Board.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Proclamations: Multiple speakers, including Carlton Overstreet Jr., Michael White, and Arman Harvey, expressed support for the Southeastern Disaster Response Team Day proclamation, highlighting grassroots flood response efforts. Speakers also supported proclamations for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, San Diego FC Day, Lincoln High School football champions, and others.
  • Consent Items: Public comment included support for the Boston Avenue Linear Park land transfer (Maritza Garcia of Environmental Health Coalition) and for the affordable housing preservation ordinance. One speaker opposed the reappointment of Venus Molina to the Water Authority, citing her candidacy for City Council District 8.
  • Non-Agenda Public Comment: Several speakers addressed concerns about secondhand marijuana smoke, AI governance, police oversight, and prevention-focused budgeting.

Discussion Items

  • San Diego Community Power Update (Item 330): CEO Karen Burns presented an informational update. Key highlights:
    • Rates: Power On product 3% cheaper than SDG&E; Power Base at 5% discount; Power 100 (100% renewable) only $4–$5/month extra.
    • Programs: Battery storage pilot installed 826 home batteries in San Diego; 3.6 MW of storage added. Regional Energy Network awarded $124 million for energy efficiency and workforce programs.
    • Community engagement: Over 150 events, 67% in communities of concern.
    • Councilmembers praised the progress and reaffirmed support.
  • Port of San Diego Annual Update (Item 331): Chair Danielle Moore, Commissioner Mike Zuquette, and Commissioner Sid Barakera presented. Economic impact: $14 billion injected into county economy, 71,000 jobs (10% increase since 2019). Cruise industry: 531,000 passengers in FY2023, $110 million spending. Projects: Freedom Park (veterans park on West Coast, completion Q1 2028), Seaport San Diego redevelopment (EIR underway), 10th Avenue Marine Terminal modernization (including two new electric cranes). Environmental initiatives: 125+ million committed toward maritime electrification, first all-electric tugboat, shore power installations. Tijuana River Valley pollution crisis highlighted.
  • Live Event Worker Safety Ordinance (Item S502): Councilmember Campillo introduced the ordinance requiring live event vendors at city-owned facilities (e.g., Petco Park, Snapdragon Stadium, convention center) and parks to certify workers have completed OSHA 10 and supervisors OSHA 30 and ETCP certification. Effective July 1, 2025. Public testimony overwhelmingly supportive from IATSE Local 122 and labor council. Unanimously adopted (9–0).
  • Creation of Underground Utility Districts (Item 332): Approved five districts: 6L (Claremont), 4X and 4X1 (District 4), 8H (Barrio Logan), and 3CC1 (Kensington). Public comment highlighted fire safety and streetlight needs. Unanimously adopted (9–0).
  • Affordable Housing CDBG Loan – Grant at Mission Trails (Item S503): Approved a $2.5 million loan to PSCDC for a 47-unit affordable housing project (7 stories, 60% AMI) in Grantville. Leveraged total development cost of ~$36 million with tax credits and other sources. Unanimously adopted (8–0, Councilmember Ilo Rivera absent but later recorded yes).
  • Property Tax Exchange Agreement – Nakana Annexation (Item S508): Approved an ordinance for a property tax exchange between San Diego and Chula Vista for the Nakana project (221 units, 21 affordable) being annexed into San Diego. Annual property tax revenue estimated $20,000–$287,000 for San Diego. Unanimously adopted (9–0).

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamations: All 8 proclamations (items 30–36, S501) approved unanimously (9–0).
  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (9–0).
  • Live Event Worker Safety Ordinance (S502): Adopted unanimously (9–0).
  • Underground Utility Districts (332): Adopted unanimously (9–0).
  • Grant at Mission Trails Loan (S503): Adopted 8–0 (Councilmember Ilo Rivera absent initially, later recorded yes).
  • Property Tax Exchange (S508): Adopted unanimously (9–0).
  • Next Meeting: Scheduled for Monday, March 3, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. Clerk, please call the roll. Thank you, Council President. Councilmember Campbell. Councilmember Whitburn. Here. Councilmember Foster. Councilmember Von Wilper. Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Councilmember Campillo. Here. Councilmember Moreno. Councilmember Elo Rivera. And Council President Lacava. Present. Also attending the meeting. Our city attorney, Heather Ferber, Independent Budget Analyst Charles Matica, Council Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Zeiser, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes. Thank you, Council President. Thank you. We will begin this morning with the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance led by Councilmember Elo Rivera. Thank you, Council President. We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumiyai Nation are the original inhabitants of the unceded land now known as San Diego. Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the community spirit remains unbroken. We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land. Today, they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength. We stand with the community nation connected to our past and committed to a thriving future. If you would please remain standing and please begin the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Council President. I will now highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting. Please note the time allocations for proclamations and consent items for meeting management purposes. The order can be found on the agenda summary found online or at the table in the back of the room. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room to the white uh basket. Council ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speaker slips. No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony. Thank you, Council President. All right, thank you. A quorum is now present. Uh to start things off, we will be returning item 105, which is accepting a 53-acre land donation in the East Elliott area of San Diego from the re Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation and dedicating the land as open space and add the land to the city of San Diego's municipal, excuse me, multiple species conservation program to staff. Once again, item 105 is being returned to staff and no longer part of the consent agenda. With that, we will now dispense with the approval of the proclamation items. Clerk, please proceed with public comment. Thank you. The public comment period for the proclamation items is now open. Each speaker will have one minute per item per person. If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes. The proclamation items being approved are items 30 through 36 and S501. We did not receive any comments via our e-comment portal for the proclamation items. We do have several speakers here. If I can please ask you to come up to the front of the room into the yellow reserve seats, that would be greatly appreciated.

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