Good morning.

I'm now called the City Council meeting of Monday, September 29th, 2025 to order.

Clerk, please call the rule.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Councilmember Campbell.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

Council President Lacava.

And Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Also attending the meeting, our city attorney Heather Ferber, Deputy Director in the IBA's office, Gillian Andalina, and myself, your city clerk, Diana Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you.

A quorum is now present.

We'll begin this morning with an invocation by Clerk Fuentes, followed by the land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance by Councilmember Campillo.

Grant those who hold office in this city the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice that with steadfast purpose they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people.

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

We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land, and today they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.

Please face the flag.

Hi.

I'd like to speak on item CS1.

You'll have one minute, please proceed.

Hi.

Thank you, Blair Beacon.

Happy Monday morning to everyone.

I wanted to comment that this was an officer involved shooting at the Santa Fe rail station.

I was really surprised by this in uh January.

And what followed after January was um they started putting LAP cans in the uh waiting area lobby, right next to the benches where you're supposed to sit and wait.

They're really cool.

It's a really beautiful lobby.

Um it's really awkward and uncomfortable, these huge surveillance sitting in the middle of the lobby and these benches.

And I've been trying to comment uh to their staff that they need to ignore.

And there's this they already have a ton of uh big belly dot hands line the lobby.

I hope we can work on surveillance issues like this when these events happen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is one number inning in 8700.

If you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Uh thank you, City Clerk Fuentes.

Uh CS1, two, four, and five.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Uh CS1 uh officer involved shooting at Santa Fe Depot, a 12825.

I remember reading about the details on this.

I don't know the current status of litigation.

Office of city attorney does seek direction from the mayor and the city council from me.

What public direction would I give?

Um, remember that faster than the speed of light, uh the eye blinks.

And it's amazing how fast to do a response.

Uh let's do the letter and the spirit of the law on this.

Thank you so much.

Uh CS2, detention of a minor on May 7, 2019, about five and a half years ago, plaintiff to his guardian uh at Lytum.

Claims he was unlawfully detained and handcuffed by SDPD.

I don't know the current status, yet here is my public comment on direction.

Why so long to resolve?

How did Po Howe unified school district impact what happened?

Ad Lightum focuses on award's best interest.

Can we also do this for the plaintiff if it's appropriate?

Thank you.

A person who was struck by a SD uh San Diego Life Guard jet ski during rescue operations.

I offer my direction in this way.

Lifeguard work is very stressful, often life and death situations, yet their service to the people of San Diego is stellar.

These are human beings.

How fast is a human hand eye coordination needed in a life-death rescue?

How fast is it required to be excellent and life-saving in that effort?

Please look at the human side of this on both sides.

Please, letter of the law and the spirit of the law and CS5, vehicle pedestrian collision.

If it involves serious injury and disability access, and it's been five and a half years, I would be guided by the letter of the law on both sides of this case and resolved without going to trial.

Just think of the attorney fees already accumulated to date.

Is it time to say enough is enough and settle this?

Thank you so much to the Office of the City Attorney for all your work, your work.

Please know that you are valued and appreciated so very, very much.

Love to all.

Thank you.

Next is the original.

If you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Yeah, as many as possible.

And I wish you would have told um Blair that is you couldn't hear him because that was just not very nice.

Um, but yeah, as many as I can get through in the three minutes that you're gonna give me.

So um CS1, um this uh Kona uh Kanoa uh Wilson, uh 16-year-old was shot and killed by um an officer Gold, um, who this 16 year old evidently was running away from um being shot at and then was struck in the chest twice by an officer who opened fire as soon as he saw them.

Um this uh Kona uh Kanoa uh Wilson, uh 16-year-old was shot and killed by um an officer Gold, um, who this 16-year-old evidently was running away from um being shot at and then was struck in the chest twice by an officer who opened fire as soon as he saw him.

So this is very disturbing, and you know, no amount of money is going to bring back the life of the 16-year-old.

I don't know what the um you know punishment has been for this officer, but it's just sad to see the things that you know the people have to pay for for the negligence of officers who you know are more willing to open fire than to assess a situation and make sure that what they're doing is the correct thing.

Um, and you know, someone doesn't lose their life at the cost of them being negligent.

Um, and then with this guardian ad lightum, um, who is um you know, going and saying that this um uh minor was unlawfully detained by an officer at a school.

It's a wonder why this um you know child had this encounter with the officer and why they have a guardian ad lightum because that usually has to do with either family court or CPS.

And so, you know, it's like we need to understand what's happening through CPS and how children are being you know tormented a lot of the time and then they encounter law enforcement people don't even know how to deal with them because they don't understand the situation that the child is in.

And um, so it's just really sad that um who knows what um happened there and that officer if they need to be um you know uh punished for what they did or you know know how to deal with the situations better.

I mean, I feel like we just have they're not protecting and serving, they're you know, wind up killing people and going against what their oath is, and so it's really sad to see um, and then with this lifeguard and the jet ski, hopefully um, you know, that you can get to ascertain why it actually took place and who uh was to blame and um what measures need to be taken by lifeguards if it is because of again their negligence and maybe they're not properly trained and weren't paying attention and didn't see the person.

Um and then with a pedestrian and uh vehicle collision, does that have anything to do with the infrastructure um that you guys are supposed to take care of that you usually don't, and as well as the trip and fall where people are getting injured.

This is a you know, repeat thing a continue on a continual basis.

We're paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars to people um to make up for you know your guys' lack of ability to keep up with the infrastructure because you spend money on so many other things, it's quite ridiculous.

Um, you know, maybe at one point you'll guys will be the ones that have to pay for it.

Zoom user.

I'd like to talk about one, two, four, and five.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Yeah, yeah.

I was a victim of a home invasion robbery, and uh the cops came to my house and uh two crackheads, break into my garage, steal my stuff, assaulted one of my employees.

And the cop came out right when the cop showed up like a minute later in Brain area.

It was a great thing, Matt.

I didn't have a gun and a shotgun.

I I don't have guns or nothing, but uh the cop came out.

He was a young guy.

And he did point a gun at me.

I put my hands up.

I was the good guy.

Just train the cops.

They did a great job in my place.

The guys sped off before the cops got there.

They stole like six of my tools, assaulted one of my employees.

And I I got no problem with that, man.

They did a great job.

Just give them we should give the police a lot of training.

I would never uh the cops are great, man.

I think they're great, man.

They're trying their best.

They got a hard job, man.

They have a hard job.

And we should support them more.

I got actually I got out of jury duty when when you go to the jury and tell them you go to the jury, they go, has anybody had issues with cops?

Everyone's raised their hand.

Yeah, man, I was like 17 years old, and the cops uh got me but buddy.

Did you have the dope on you?

Yeah.

Oh god.

I had a good thing.

I like the cops, man.

They fucked they now, no one ever calls me for jury duty anymore.

Uh no, I never got on one jury.

But when the judge interviewed me, I told him I had a good thing with police.

All the other guys we got.

Yeah, we had some issues.

Cops win o's, whatever.

Hey, man, I think you're cool.

You know, it just I was uh born in here in San Diego when it was a great city.

I was born here in one city San Diego was great, Matt.

It was America's finest city.

I think it's it's made a big turn now, Matt.

If the cops ever showed at my door, my dad, my dad was in the Marines.

He would thank the cops.

He would thank my ass is grass.

He would thank the cops.

He would not take my side of the story, Matt.

One day we might want to get Sandy go back.

And uh your time has concluded.

Uh Mr.

Beekman, you had already had an opportunity to speak.

Um, and we did hear you hearing council chambers.

That does conclude closed session public comment on closed session items today.

Thank you.

We will now recess into closed session and reconvene council today at two o'clock p.m.

or shortly thereafter.

Councilmember Whitburn?

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wolper.

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here councilmember Campia.

Here.

Councilmember Moreno.

Present.

Councilmember Ela Rivera.

Present.

And Council President Lakava.

Present.

For the record, I do see Councilmember Von Wolpert here.

Okay, I see her.

Also attending the meeting are assistant city attorney Michelle Garland, Deputy Director in the IBA's office, Jillian Andalina, Council Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Zizer, and myself, your city clerk, the NFWent is.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Uh quorum is now present.

Now we're gonna turn it over to the mayor's office, city council, city attorney, independent budget analyst, city clerk.

I'll start out by thanking Council President Pro Tem Lee for hosting the meeting uh this morning.

Uh do we have any other comments by our colleagues?

I don't see any, so we'll move right along.

Clerk, please go over how the public can offer their public testimony.

Thank you, Council President.

I'll highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during this afternoon's meeting.

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 in the clear box.

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

Please note that no further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you for that.

And with that, before we continue with our regular business, I understand that item 200, rescinding council policy 100-18 and allocating funds to the transportation department for expedited delivery is being returned to staff to address new information.

Uh, can the mayor's office confirm that?

That is correct, Council President.

All right, thank you for confirming.

Once again, item 200 is now returned to staff and will not be heard this afternoon.

With that, city clerk, please introduce item 201.

Item 201 is to authorize the use of city forces for CIP project sidewalk replacement group 2530 UCNM B 2603 and amend appropriations in the fiscal year 2026 budget for transportation department.

If you'd like to speak on this item, please submit your speaker slip to the clear box at the front of the room, or if you are participating remotely, now's the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, uh staff.

As I see you're setting yourself in.

Please introduce yourselves for the record, and how much time you need for your presentation.

Good afternoon, Council President, Council members.

My name is Philip Lowry.

I'm deputy director with transportation department, and I need 10 minutes for when you're ready.

Okay.

All right.

On this item, we have uh we have two authorizations we're seeking.

The first is to use city forces to complete uh CIP project B 26003.

That's a sidewalk repair project in C D6.

Anytime city forces are going to be used to complete a CIP project and the personnel expenditures will exceed a $500,000 threshold, it requires city council approval per municipal code.

For this, we would like to seek a not to exceed threshold of 1.9 million dollars for one of our sidewalk repair teams to do this CIP project.

Um along with that, we'd like an budget author or a budget appropriation adjustment to both recognize the reven the revenue from the CIP project work and allocate those funds towards overtime for the department to conduct work in a variety of different uh areas of operation to benefit the residents.

So I'll go into some of those details now.

Okay, first off, uh we like to use city forces to do this kind of work uh because our city forces are capable.

They do this type of work every day and they're experts at it.

When we use city forces as opposed to contractors, uh we avoid soft contract or soft costs for administration.

Uh we can mobilize immediately.

So if council authorizes this, we can have our teams pivot the very next day ultimately.

Uh it reduces our engineering workload on the front end of developing the the bid package.

Um, and in this case, by using these uh the city crews to do this work and allocating that revenue uh towards our overtime budget, we'll be able to conduct a significant amount more work uh on behalf of this on behalf of the residents.

This is the sidewalk uh repair project scope.

It's 200 plus locations, again, it's in C D6, and it gives us the same benefits that any sidewalk project really gives us, which is save your safer pedestrian routes.

It reduces our exposure to claims and litigation, um, and it improves just quality of life for the residents by bringing in this 1.9 million dollars in revenue uh by doing the CIP project and allocating that towards our overtime budget, we will be able to fund more mill and pave.

We'll be able to fund more fund more slurry seal, we'll be able to fund more other sidewalk replacements in in other areas of the city, as well as our immediate mitigations for sidewalk issues with ramping and slicing.

We'll be able to fund some streetlight repairs, we'll be able to fund minor traffic signal modifications across the city.

So these are things like think pedestrian push buttons, the the push buttons that have the the uh the auditory signaling, the flashing beacons for people who are crossing streets, and just other minor traffic signal modifications that are uh identified as needed to increase safety.

Um there will be some ancillary costs as well for uh for items for uh like rental vehicles to support some of this work, but that's a small piece of it overall.

So this is my final slide, and our request is that council approve the use of city forces uh to conduct this CIP project and that council approve the appropriation adjustment to recognize that revenue for transportation and allocate that towards transportation's overtime budget to focus on all of the areas of operation listed on this slide, um, including both revenue generating work in that top section and other work that is uh that is focused on reducing our risk uh from claims and litigation.

And that is all I have.

All right, thank you for the presentation.

Clerk, please proceed with public comment.

I do not have any speaker slips for item 201 here in council chambers.

I'm going to those participating remotely, starting with the original.

If you can please unmute, you'll have two minutes.

Wow, it's interesting that you guys talk about these city workers being experts, they do this work every day.

You don't need we're um, you know, no need for contractors.

This reduces claims to litigation, you want to use this to do other work in the city.

I mean, it's a little bit of you know nonsense what you guys speak because it why then why does the city look the way it does?

Why do you guys take money in you?

Even this other item that you just took off the docket, you should have had that be heard um as far as um you know it being taken back because you did that at the last minute, um, and it still should be addressed, but you guys can't be trusted with people's money because you should already be, you know, keeping our streets safe.

You should already be reducing risks of claims and litigation, but I mean, as earlier today, you already had you know litigation that involved trip and falls and things like that that have to do with the infrastructure that you guys don't keep up with.

So, you know, I don't know how you guys, you know, who's who does the work then every day on the streets.

And if they're doing it every day, then why does it look the way that it does?

Where is our money already going?

You know, and do you is is the only reason why you have the litigation coming from these claims because that was contracted work?

No, it's because you guys aren't keeping up with what you need to be doing.

And then you want to take more money.

It's like you just shift money around, you know, as though it's monopoly money.

I mean, you pretend that it is, because it's not your money that you're spending, and it should be.

It should be that you guys spend it, and then we'll we'll reimburse you once we get it back.

Um and we see that the you know, the fruits of your labor have been, you know, uh very well used and whatnot.

So it's just sad, and yeah, you messed up on my timer.

Um, I did time you hearing council china.

I have one five five seconds left.

I'm just saying.

You have 13 seconds left.

I'll give you a 10 second warning.

Uh all right.

Well, thank you.

Um, but yeah, so I mean, when you guys, you know, want to start proving that you can be trusted with our money, then you know, actions like this might actually reduce your risk of litigation.

But until then, you're proving that it doesn't.

Your time has concluded.

My apologies for that.

Going on to phone number 8700.

If you can please unmute, you'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Uh City Clerk Puente.

Uh good to have you back, President Lacava.

Thank you, uh, transportation.

Oh, Joyce and Yata District Three.

Uh, thank you for the two minutes, uh, of course.

Uh, thank you, Transportation Department.

We value and appreciate everything you do for the uh people of San Diego.

So uh sidewalks.

Oh my goodness, am I happy or what?

I I'm I'm happy over the little things now.

We've got to appreciate the little progress we made because takes little steps to make big goals.

So thank you, thank you for the sidewalks, plus more.

And yes, use city forces.

I love the sound of that.

Bring it all in-house.

And uh they're excellent people and they'll do an excellent job in their uh there are people in the city, so great.

Um, this will improve the quality of life for residents.

I believe it's um C D 6, and that sounds wonderful uh for if I'm right on that, underserved community.

So we're happy about that.

Um I wasn't I I didn't really dive really deeply into each uh you know each item word so forth, but I I just thought I needed more clarification on the movement of funds around the place and the timeline of the revenue and the expenditures.

I did appreciate so much the collaboration and cooperation involving changes to budget and appropriations.

Um with the appropriations, if it's appropriate to make them happen, then let's make them happen for the public good.

So I think that covers it.

Thanks for the two minutes.

Thanks for listening well to all.

Thank you.

Next is Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute.

All right, thank you.

Uh Blair Beekman, thanks a lot for this item.

Sorry that item 200 has been uh taken back.

Uh maybe that can be a good thing.

Good luck that we're talking uh openly about item 200, and it's a good conversation, and that we can reduce rapes with all those new parking meters.

Um, this is an item um that uh in and all of its goodness of what uh it can be good for with the um bike community, with the walking community, with um, you know, mobility accessibility community.

Um it's important work in in those fields.

And um I just hope that the ideas of tech accountability in in all that good work with this sort of item uh can be included in that conversation, and that we are really really wanting to develop, as I normally state at this time, um, a more holistic approach to our future of what we consider is sustainability.

It isn't just bridging the digital divide with new technology, it isn't satisfying our bicycle and and mobility accessibility uh concerns.

It's how there's open accountable practices with all the new tech that they're asking for.

How can that be accessible and and open and understandable with good policies?

And that we don't fear talking about the technology and those policies.

We don't know how to do that well enough yet, guys.

I hope you're making the efforts.

We really can be, it's important.

Um, how is um all of this going to relate to the future of the Dairy Lane project things in the San Yosegro area?

Um, that's a going to be a huge project with federal state agencies coming in to have a good accountable process is incredibly important.

The street light issues and their fixed issues.

If we have accountable practices with the streetlight tech in there, that makes fix it issues that much easier in the future, guys.

Thanks a lot for listening.

Thank you.

The five minute timer has concluded.

We have three additional speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken after this.

Marco Espinosa, if you can please unmute.

Hello, good afternoon, Marco Spinoza.

Um Council President, uh, just 25 seconds.

Um first and foremost, wanted to say uh that I second uh what Joyce Neada said, and she was lovely.

Um a personal thank you uh to keeping it um in house um uh and to the city workers um doing the hard work out there in our California sun.

Um so very much thank you and to improving our neighborhoods.

Um and that's all.

I yield back to the chair.

Thank you.

Next is Kathleen Lippett, if you can please unmute.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Um whenever the city has staff already qualified to do its work, it is in the best interest of city finances and in the best interest of taxpayers, limited funds.

Both our state and city governments have become supermajority dominated by one party.

That eliminates the opportunity to hear alternative opinions.

For decades, the city we have that has been heavily supported by public employee unions.

And in turn, they've been lavished, they lavish money and benefits on the city.

When the inevitable budget shortage requires action, we see proposals to increase taxes, impose new fees along with threats to reduce services such as libraries, recreational centers, but never see cutbacks to bureaucrats' pay or their benefits.

The long-term solution to this is to return to a healthy two-party system and the election of officials, not the hold into public unions.

When we see contracts that are single source contracts, union only, where you've closed out the opportunity for small businesses which you claim to want to support, that is highly problematic because they are paid the highest wages.

So thank you for letting me speak.

And our final speaker is ending in 1384.

If you can please unmute.

Oh, I don't like, but yeah, I think your comments are more directed toward non-agenda public comment than this, but how is that we can't really understand?

How's that?

Is that better?

That is better, but the chair has told me that your comments are also more directed towards non-agenda public comment.

This is item 201 related to the authorized the use of city forces for CIP.

Okay, so when do I get a speak?

At the end of the meeting.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on this item.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

And with that, we'll turn it over to my council colleagues for questions, comments, entertain a motion.

We'll start with council president pro tem Lee.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you for the presentation of this item.

Um certainly am always pleased when we have the ability to perform um capital improvement project work in-house uh and would support the prioritization of using city forces um when appropriate.

Um certainly in this case, I think I recognize we have that threshold that uh marks um whether we typically would go outside or not.

But I mean, we've seen a lot of success with the transportation department in recent years, especially with Millen Pave, um, how much we've been able to accomplish uh in targeting some street segments that we have not typically been able to cover.

And so in this particular case, I recognize that the project is in Council District Six, um, but the benefit of this is really citywide because what we're doing is freeing up um some of that CIP revenue to support um overtime needs throughout the city.

Um so with that said, I am happy to move uh today's item.

And uh thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

So we have a motion by Council President Pro Tem Lee, and we'll go next to Councilmember Moreno.

Thank you for the presentation.

I have long been a staunch critic of using contractors to perform everyday work that the city does year in, year in and year out.

And such as um building sidewalks or repairing roads, and and I have been a very big proponent of maximizing the use of our own city employees.

By using city employees, we capitalize on the institutional knowledge they have in doing this type of work throughout all of our communities.

We also avoid additional soft costs related to the contracting process and can deploy city employees to a project more quickly, which means things get done faster.

Additionally, if there's a problem with a city crew, we could fix the problem directly without having to go through an outside contractor's management uh structure.

Um, and by doing so, as you pointed out, um, there's a $500,000 savings, which could be used on any other project.

So regarding this perceiv uh this specific project, which I'm very supportive of, and I'm happy to second the motion on the floor.

Can you please speak to the process by which a sidewalk replacement CIP like this one is created, and what factors go into determining whether to do a large coordinated project like this one, as opposed to fixing sidewalks on a case by case basis.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Um we have our dedicated teams that typically for sidewalk repair uh do not do CIP funded work.

Uh CIP funded projects are developed based upon the pedestrian priority model, um which in essence is looking at at foot traffic on sidewalks, how much they're used.

Um, and then our EAM team takes those and proposes projects around the city based upon the I'm sorry, I'm gonna interrupt.

You used an acronym.

Sorry.

In our engineering and asset management division.

Thank you.

Yeah, you takes the pedestrian priority model and looks at areas around the city to propose for for sidewalk CIP projects, so large scale one area type projects.

Um this year we had just one that was funded.

Um last year we proposed five, um, and the one in CD6 was funded.

In fact, the next highest priority one was in San Yasidro.

Um, so that would be the next likely one up in future years.

Um it's really on the CIP side, a uh a funding limitation as far as how many projects uh we get approved each year.

Wonderful.

Thank you for taking us um through that, which I know a lot of CIPs are tied.

I'm sorry, a lot of sidewalk improvements are tied on tied along with bigger CIP projects that doesn't normally have anything to do with the sidewalk, um and sometimes they get stuck in that process along with the CIP.

So thank you for um showcasing how this is done.

Um I very much would like to coordinate with the department to put together a sidewalk replacement project like this in D8.

Um I think it's been a good four or five years where we in our budget memo have showcased all of our um sidewalks that are in high need.

Um and thank you for mentioning the San Isidro project as well as Nestor and we have other we all have uh uh uh a lot of demand as you are aware of.

Um so look forward to working with the department um and um happy to second the motion, and that concludes my comments.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

So we have a motion by Council President Pro Tem Lee, a second by Council Member Moreno.

I don't see anybody else's lights, so I'll just say thank you for the presentation and good work on bringing this forward.

I echo all the comments of my colleagues.

Uh thank you, Ms.

B Zach and your entire team uh and how you've really repositioned transportation to be more responsive.

Um we just need to get you more resources to do that good work.

Uh but we're grateful for those employees that do that work on the ground.

So again, we have a motion by Council President Pro Tem Lee, a second by Councilmember Moreno to move the staff recommendation.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I've started the voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously eight to zero with council member foster absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

So with that, please introduce item 202.

Item 202 is the public right-of-way vacation for a portion of Beach Street project number PRJ-1090972.

This item is not subject to the mayor's veto.

Or if you're participating remotely, now is the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

And so staff, as you settle in, introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you will need.

Good morning, Council members and Council President McCoba.

My name is Josephista, and I'm just gonna need five minutes, please.

All right, when you're ready.

Good afternoon, Council members, Council President Lakaba.

My name is Jose Bautista Development Project Manager with Development Services Department.

Presenting item number 202 beach street vacation.

The project before you proposes a public right-of-way street vacation of an unimproved portion of Beach Street, which is located west of Parrott Street, in between 1504 Parrott Street and 3698 Cactus View Drive.

The proposed point zero seven acre portion of Beach Street is located within the residential single unit zone in the City Heights neighborhood of the mid-city communities plan.

The project is seeking an approval of a public right-of-way vacation permit number 322, which does require a city council decision.

The project was deemed to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to sequent guidelines section 15332 for in-field development projects.

The arrow view here shows a 60-foot wide portion of Beach Street to be vacated, highlighted in yellow, which is located between two residential units, 1504 Parrott Street to the north and 3698 Cactus View Drive to the south.

And it is designated as residential land use per the mid-city communities plan.

This is highlighted in green.

3698 Cactus View Drive to the south, which is highlighted in blue.

Therefore, the project site currently only serves abutting residential units.

There are no existing or proposed public utilities within the project site.

Once vacated, Beach Street would revert back to the abutting parcels.

On January 8th, 2024, the mid-cities mid-city city heights community planning group voted 14 yes, 20 no's to recommend approval of the project without any conditions.

City staff recommends council adopt the resolution for the categorical CEQA exemption pursuant to CEQ guidelines section one five three three two and to adopt a resolution to vacate a portion of the Beach Street public right-of-way vacation.

This concludes staff's presentation.

Thank you.

All right, thank you for the presentation.

My understanding the applicant does not wish to make a presentation.

So clerk, please proceed with public comment.

I'm sorry, the five-minute time we're hearing council chambers.

I don't see any speaker slips here going to the original.

If you can please unmute, you'll have two minutes.

It's interesting to see the work that has to be done in the city when you guys whatever.

Anyway, I'm just wondering was the city even a city in 1888?

Because in your filing it says that this was filed into the San Diego City whatever, March 24th, 1888.

So was this done before it was a city?

I don't.

I'm just I'm just wondering.

Um, but that's okay.

Maybe you guys need to just um make sure whoever is filing your documents has the correct data so that you can be, you know, transparent with the people and not just put in weird years like 1888.

Um, and then yes, so hopefully this um you know will be beneficial to the people in that community.

It's just interesting.

This um, you know, zone that this is in is a complete communities mobility choices mobility zone number three.

Um feels like you guys repeat a lot of the things that you say, um, and just the way that you name things, complete communities, those are your 15-minute cities that I think you should just be more transparent with the people.

Um, because when you give them words like complete communities, you know, they don't really understand that you're trying to enslave them in that little community by putting everything they need in there so that they can you know have all their socialist programs within a little walk so they don't have to take any public transit.

Um, and the fact that this was the in field development project.

Um, sure more of that's going to come as well.

But yes, please check your dates when you guys are doing things because when you're talking about 1888, pretty sure you don't mean that.

And the fact that somebody didn't catch that and it was very easily catched means that I don't know who's sleeping on the job, but it's what you expect with the city.

So good job, you guys.

Our next speaker is Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute.

All right, thank you, Blair Beekman.

Thanks for this item.

Thanks for the words of DRA, who's uh very nicely described uh it's complete streets ideals and ideas uh that's part of this building, it sounds like and um in those complete street designs by uh considering what is really possible with the future of our tech accountability and its potential and what it can be delivering.

Um it's just uh an important tool to uh more safely talk about our complete street future and what is exactly our tech smart city future going to be about if we have a set of accountable policies and practices and a process that is very specifically geared for community participation and acknowledgement and understanding uh and and dialogue of how to address our tech.

Um that's working participatory democracy and sustainability and and responsibility.

I mean, those are the really good safe things of life, you know, that we really want to be doing.

And we always just give our best intentions and our best practices a half-hearted effort a lot of time.

We don't talk about them enough and really make it of a strong important focus of how we work as a community.

So just again, a reminder and the importance of what tech accountability can be working towards for us and developing for our future.

Uh it's safety, it's trust.

It's it's it's we have a very scary future in front of us.

And I think it's uh talking to each other, having accountable policy and practices of the ways to really help that fear.

Good luck what we can do together.

Um, it's my job here to offer these reminders.

It's hard to do, and I'm not the best at it, and I need help myself.

So um good luck in our efforts together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on this item.

Um thank you, City Clerk.

Um, I don't think we celebrated, but this is the 175th anniversary of the formula city of San Diego in 1850.

So it is not surprising to me that there is subdivisions as old as 1888.

Uh, and I think the public caller was referring to complete communities, not complete streets, and certainly not about tech, but we'll turn to council member Elo Rivera for questions, comments, and entertain a motion.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh no questions here, just uh the thank you to staff, and I will move the staff recommendation.

All right, uh, and we'll turn to Council Member Whitburn.

Happy to second.

All right, so we have a motion by Councilmember Elo Rivera and a second by Council Member Whitburn to move the staff recommendation.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

That does pass unanimously, eight to zero with council member foster absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Thank you to staff for your good work on that item.

We will now take up non-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.

Clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Thank you.

But within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council, each speaker will have two minutes.

Please note if there are eight or more speakers on a single topic.

The maximum time for the topic will be 16 minutes.

If you're in chambers, please submit your speaker slip to the clear box at the front of the room.

If you're joining us virtually, please raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon.

Or if you are calling participants, star nine.

If I give the following individuals, please come up to the front row.

Mary Davis, Scott Chipman, Ron Asklin, Nathan Brenner, Robin Davidoff, and Andre Ebbing.

We'll start with Mary Davis, if you can please come to the mic and proceed when ready.

Hi.

Yes, good afternoon.

Mary Davis here.

I'm here to address the rise of political violence and to remind you of the recent events in this very chamber where you were targeted and you are not immune.

On September 16th, one of your own public commenters stated that one of you or more, one or more of you should be, quote, apprehended and quote, need to be shot in public.

You now know personally what it feels like to be targeted simply for doing your job.

So here I am yet again to call for accountability and remind you that in May, your colleague Sean Elo Rivera publicly labeled ice agents as terrorists, men and women simply carrying out their family, uh their federally mandated duties.

He went so far as to say this isn't safety, it's state sponsored terrorism.

And now his okay, this post is not even just reckless, it is reckless, and it put a target squarely on the backs of federal agents.

Now his rhetoric, chickens have come home to roost.

Last month activists turned militant, followed ice agents home, doxxed him in real time while live streaming it the pursuit.

And days ago, a sniper attacked an ice facility, leaving one detainee dead and two critically wounded.

Both attacks are the direct result of toxic political culture where officials use hyperbole and histrionics, not statesmanship to salve and soothe.

Governing carries a moral imperative.

Elected should strive to calm the tempest, not unleash the whirlwind.

As its peers, you cannot have it both ways, crying foul when you were targeted, then turning around and ignoring the very behavior that it incites.

You must hold him accountable.

If you refuse to hold him accountable, your outrage over being threatened yourselves rings hollows.

Just a sanctimonious shot of crocodile tears washed down with a chaser of hypocrisy crickets.

Thank you, Scott Chipman.

Echo that remark.

Scott Chipman, 50 year resident of Pacific Beach, member of the planning group, recent inductee on the parking committee.

You got to recognize this council, the city, the reputation is declining.

The ADUs, the 23 story tower, the budget 35% increase in the last five years.

Money grabs for the trash, for the parking at Balboa Park, for the zoo, the trash 65 million dollars for trash can replacements.

And now the parking district, you know, this should never been agendized.

I'm glad it's being pulled, but it smacks of let's rush something through and see if nobody notices.

North PB lifeguard tower, about 18 million dollars.

If we just did not do the trash cans, we would have enough for the OB lifeguard tower and the North PB lifeguard towers.

So let's recognize you've got a responsibility to do things right and agendizing this item with three days' notice and no time for the community to meet for the parking districts themselves to issue uh consider a response, no time for the planning group.

So, like I said, our planning group wrote a letter to withdraw this item to postpone it.

I hope you'll postpone it long enough that everyone gets an opportunity to consider what's coming.

And I hope you'll figure out a way that communities can give input to the parking district money and not be just ramroaded uh by the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Ron.

Can you roll the video?

Yes, staff will be sharing your I won't start your time until it's shared.

All right, uh good afternoon, council members.

I'm Dr.

Ronald Asklin, Conservation Chair of the San Diego Sierra Club.

Wanted to thank you for this opportunity to provide non agenda public comment.

What you're seeing takes place at La Jolla Cove every day, all day long.

It is the city's responsibility to keep the public safe and manage the beach.

In April, the city committed to the California Coastal Commission to have Rangers monitor the cove and make announcements on a blowhorn.

This rarely happens.

Had the opportunity to speak with Dr.

Kate Hucklebridge, uh, executive director of the Coastal Commission yesterday at the Environmental Leadership Summit, and she's very concerned about the lack of action by the city.

So let's just watch a little bit more of the video and see what's going on and the danger to uh tourists.

There'll be something especially scary at the end.

I'm sorry the sounds like Morgan.

Look at this.

It's unbelievable.

All right, thank you very much.

I will turn it over to Nathan.

Nathan Brenner, please come forward.

Good afternoon.

I'm Nathan Brenner with the Sierra Club Seal Society.

Uh over the past few months, we've presented videos similar to the one Dr.

Oskel and just showed you to the California Coastal Commission to bring attention to the dire situation at the La Jolla Cove caused by inadequate management, implicating both public safety and wildlife protection concerns.

As part of implementing a management plan for the La Jolla Cove in advance of the May 2025 sea lion pupping season, in April of this year, the city made a commitment to the California Coastal Commission to update the long-term management plan for the Point La Jolla Sea Lion Rookery.

This modification permitted city rangers staffed at Point La Jolla to also monitor the La Jolla Cove and make safety announcements over a bullhorn, asking people to stay back a safe distance away from the sea lions.

Thereafter, in response to the city's apparent lack of compliance in June 2025, CCC Commissioner Matt O'Malley, a San Diego resident, offered to be a liaison at the city.

At the August CCC meeting, the Sierra Club volunteers, who averaged 40 hours a week at the La Jolla Cove during pupping season, showed the commissioners a report documenting the lack of ranger safety announcements in June, July, and August, with less than two safety announcements made per day.

September's documentation is showing a slight improvement, but city ranger announcements and the presence at the cove appears to be woefully inadequate.

Andy Fields, City of San Diego Park and Rec Director, was requested to attend the August California Coastal Commission meeting.

He made a presentation to the commissioners committing to hire more rangers for the code and to get new signage.

While commendable and welcome, this takes time, even months.

With public safety at issue, it's time that we don't have.

Okay, I'll turn the presentation over to Chairperson Robin Davidov with the next slide.

If you could advance the slide uh slides.

Yes, that's good.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Robin Davidoff.

I'm the Sierra Club SEAL Society Chair.

At the September CCC meeting, we reported that the Rangers are rarely visiting the cove and making announcements.

Commissioner Malley said, I have met with the mayor's staff, Council President Joe Lacava, and the city attorney, and I'm dismayed at the progress the city has made.

I would like to see the city give regular updates and the CCC to put further pressure on the city.

Commissioner Jackson said, I'm flabbergasted that nothing's happened since May, except in an announcement here and there.

It's not a big ask to put yellow tape on the stairs or cones and tape to show where visitors should stand.

Public safety is a priority.

Next slide, please.

Let's be let's be clear.

The CR Club Steel Society supports keeping the La Jolla Cove open year-round.

What we need is short-term and immediate management actions.

Require the rangers staffed at Point La Jolla to monitor the cove every 30 minutes at a minimum and make announcements on the bullhorn as they have committed to.

And for public safety, place signage on the beach, informing people to stay a safe distance of at least 20 feet.

Place cones and tape around sea lions, injured sea lions, and those that are difficult to see when they're resting on the beach and they look like rocks.

This happens on other California beaches, including Del Mar, Oceanside, Los Angeles, and Pismo Beach.

Why not La Jolla?

Next slide, please.

Tell Park and Rec to temporarily close the western stairs when sea lions are resting on them to prevent people from descending the stairs and not seeing the animal until they're almost stepping on it.

And for public access on the eastern stairs, the lifeguard stair stairs will remain open year-round for public access.

Again, we support keeping the La Jolla Cove open year-round.

These actions are not difficult to implement and improve public safety.

Thank you.

Next is Andrea Ebbing.

Hi, my name is Andrea Ebbing, and I just wanted to talk about a plan of action that used to take place here in San Diego with the convention and visitors bureau.

I was heavily involved in hospitality.

And uh last week I had the awesome experience of running into one of my former um not necessarily colleagues, but people that I would work with in the city.

Uh I was the marketing director for W Hotels.

He was the director of food and beverage.

Um he owned some restaurants, and we were talking about back in the day when I was fashion director of 944, marketing director for W Hotels.

I owned a small business in Little Italy called Hardcover High Gloss.

We had the 40-foot glass space there on the corner next to the waterfront.

We open fit athletic, Royal Maui Jewelers, uh, Marriott Del Mar.

And Condes was really involved in helping to drive feeder market revenue to San Diego.

Um, so we have a lot of like stress and strife, and everybody's struggling to figure out how to make ends meet and how to meet this budget.

But I don't feel like the lot is being looked at from the revenue perspective.

Like we could be doing collaborations and partnerships with feeder markets, um, doing themed events, doing cross promotions between hotels.

Um I think there's a lot of different ways that we can look at making money for the city without actually taxing the residents and constituents.

This might be an issue.

I have a lot a lot of issues with a couple of people from the county, and then some of it stems from Todd Gloria.

A lot of it feels dishonest, but also I realize he doesn't have a background in business.

He's an assembly member, as far as I know, lawmaker.

So I think if we start running this place like a business and drive revenue, I think a lot of stress just in general from everybody's perspective could be relieved.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Currently have 11 people with their hands raised.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Um, thanks for the meeting today.

Um excited for everybody's words and public comment today.

Um I am I'm concerned about the garbage issues still and the um parking issues and uh a certain um leadership by city government and how as community we can respond to that leadership.

Um I uh you know, uh I hope that that conversation is mellowing.

And and as we meet may need to be taking direction from city government at this time.

I hope that can allow for a really good conversation from community to improve upon what they want to be doing and for our city government to take in that uh you know, criticism and questions.

You know, if we can move the uh trash issues uh another month or two if they need to be moved uh to November or December, can that be okay?

I think council has done great on the parking issues in putting things off six months uh until we really work on the parking issues better.

You know, city government staff was fully ready to implement stuff now, and council wisely felt we needed more time.

And that's the kind of back and forth and give and take.

I hope we can be working on together, and that can be okay, you know, to have those conversations.

Um the technology with the trash issues, man.

Man, I mean, it's really irksome, but if it's gonna be there, how can we have good policies for that tech and not be an open, clear conversation?

How do we fight for that?

That's that's a fight all in and of itself.

The same with parking meters.

You know, how are we gonna have that a clear accountable process for our future?

So there's many ways we may there's small battles people may be losing, but there are larger battles that uh, you know, continual battles that have to be addressed that uh can put a lot of good focus on community experience working together.

So good luck uh in our efforts from everyone to be doing that this fall.

Your time has concluded.

The original, if you can please unmute.

After that, it's Peggy Walker and then 8700.

Please proceed.

It's very sad to see that you guys sit here, and on one hand you say that you care about um preserving wildlife and um things like that, and then you you show by your inactiveness um with the sea lions and seals with different birds with different um things that horses that people bring forward to you of abuses that are going on and things that need to be mitigated, and you guys basically ignore it, you don't do anything about it, and the abuse continues, all while on the other hand, you sit there and say that you want to preserve things like that.

So I mean you need to course correct and change what you're doing so that you know if you actually do care that you would preserve those types of things.

And with all of the technology that's coming in, Blair, you have every right to be concerned.

And um, you know, they start out with our cell phones where we become dependent upon those, and we use our biometrics with that just to get into it.

And it seems like all of this technology is good, but when you have you know, trash cans that you guys put out or wayfinders that collect data, you know, you're putting RFID chips into the um personal used trash cans.

Um, and when you are when Palantir has been in, you know, the county of San Diego for over a decade, um, and they're you know, set to use AI with all of these things and tracking and tracing people.

Um, it's very um, you know, disheartening to see because even with the ALPR and things like that.

I mean, people want to make a complaint about that, but you know, when we have such a um, you know, huge system coming in, and all you have to do is look at China or Israel and see who um our you know nation has been occupied by for a very long time.

It should be concerning with all of this technology coming in, what kind of a life we have to look forward to, where you're not even going to be able to leave your little complete community that you guys are creating.

It's going to stick you guys in that zone, and you're not going to be able to leave without a permit either.

So try with caution.

Time has concluded.

Peggy Walker, if you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you.

Public safety is a big topic.

And today, a Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled Did Pot make the Dallas Ice Shooter Psychotic.

Draws attention to what experts have been trying to tell us for so long that frequent and high potency marijuana use are associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, and violent behavior.

This article reports that Joshua John, the Dallas Ice Shooter, wasn't especially political, but more interested in marijuana and video games.

This raises urgent questions on the coherence of current marijuana policy and need for change, especially regarding potency.

The article stated John posted on a Reddit forum for cannabis users.

He pleaded guilty to felony marijuana traffic and had worked on a part farm.

His manager recalled it was all about the weed and didn't work hard, probably because he was too high.

Robin Westerman, the transgender man who shot up a Minneapolis Catholic Church last month, blamed his pot habit.

Mavs shooters, Nicholas Cruz, Jared Lee Lowner, and Devin Kelly were found to be heavy pot users.

High potency was blamed when a Minnesota man trying to drown his mother and sister and when a California mother stabbed her boyfriend to death.

Correlation may not prove causation, but lab findings, scientific studies and experimental evidence like this suggests marijuana use can trigger psychotic violence.

What we need are responsible policy changes that could prevent that violence.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The five-minute timer has concluded.

There were 11 speakers in the queue when the timer went off.

If you have recently raised your hand, please be sure to submit your public comment to City Clerk at Sandiego.gov.

Next is phone number ending in 8700.

If you can please unmute.

Two topics, uh grocery pricing and the composition of the county of San Diego.

On grocery pricing, uh Councilmember Ilo Rivera, thank you because digital coupons are back and rolling.

Uh I I just feel good about them helping all the people.

And uh it's it's just working now.

And it did seem to pause, but it came right back very soon.

So I want to say this to the public.

Be sure to check the shelf tags for detail about the coupons, and always check the shelf tags for information on all the products you are looking for.

This can be very important and make your grocery store visit much happier.

I've learned the hard way to do that.

So thank you, downtown Ralph.

And once again, thank you, Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

It's working.

I I it's working.

I didn't think it would.

I thought we'd put up something on it.

Anyway, uh, County of uh San Diego.

I'm studying the county a little bit now.

And there are 18 cities on the list of the county of San Diego.

That's 18, and of course, City of San Diego is included on that.

And there are 107 unincorporated cities in the San Diego County.

That shocked me.

I don't know why, but it did.

So here's from Google.

The county is responsible for a significant portion of health and drug issues, i.e.

prevention and intervention, treatment recovery, treatment and recovery, overdose prevention, harm reduction, and task forces.

Every day in the United States, I just found this out a couple of days ago.

Two hundred time has completed.

My apologies.

1384, if you can please unmute.

1384.

After that is Megan Stewart, then Madison.

Please proceed.

Ernie Casco, Lahorea resident, senior pilot at Torrey Pines Gliderport.

San Diego Police Department referred me to the district attorney to stop the illegal commercialization of Torre Pines Gliderport by your out-of-control snapshot flight director.

Turning our freedom into a privilege for a license and fee is completely illegal.

It needs to be stopped.

$400 annually to use the glider port by threat of violence or else is completely unacceptable under any terms.

This is public extortion by city leaseholder and misappropriation of public funding.

Tell me, Todd Gloria, where has all the money gone?

The San Diego recreational waiver ends the dispute by separating the bid from normal public access.

The waiver is a compromise where pilots will still be paying $200 annually for a rating card insurance or equivalent, which keeps the park and school open to all users without discurping discrimination operating as a club.

USHPA provides pilots with insurance and flight rules that exceed FAA legal requirements.

Any other administrative fees, such as an access waiver and pass and question to use a free public park is illegal to collect.

This is misappropriation of public funding.

All funds collected, every penny needs to be accounted for.

Your time has concluded.

Megan Stewart, if you can please unmute.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council members.

My name is Megan Stewart, and as someone with a background in the world of public health and social work, I'd like to share some information on what Colorado's experience is teaching us and what we are already seeing here in California regarding the long-term effects of normalizing and promoting marijuana products, especially among young people.

Colorado is the first state to commercialize marijuana and set a dangerous precedent.

The data is extremely alarming.

Between 2012 and 2016, emergency department visits involving marijuana more than triple at UC Health Hospitals.

Most importantly, the data is showing that youth are especially vulnerable.

Colorado reports that in 2019, just over 20% of high school students use marijuana in the past 30 days.

And among high school seniors who have used it, more than one in three started before age 15.

Over almost a decade of research, we are seeing that medical marijuana cards for younger people are becoming a pathway for peer distribution.

Under current policies, medical patients under the age of 21 can access products more easily than recreationally licensed buyers.

Sometimes opening channels by which young people may share, sell, or supply to peers who do not have legal access.

Here in San Diego, we are already facing similar trends, such as increased marketing of high THC edibles, broad social acceptance, and a perception among youth that obtaining access is relatively easy.

If we do not tighten regulations and oversight, we are risking amplified mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and psychosis, increased emergency room visits, and more cases of unintentional overingestion.

I would like to encourage this council to support policies that would limit medical marijuana access for youth and young adults by adding strict requirements, such as dual certifications, frequent renewals, and limiting daily purchase amounts for younger cardholders, along with policies that would enhance oversight on medical cards issued to 18 to 20 year olds, especially tracking whether these cardholders are purchasing unusually large quantities or patterns suggesting diversion to peers.

By doing so, your time has concluded.

My apologies.

Madison, if you can please unmute.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, City Council members.

I'm a mother of three young children, and so I obviously spend a lot of time thinking about their future.

Um, what kind of world they'll grow up in, and how the choices we make today will shape their teenage years and young adulthood.

A big concern I've had lately is for their mental health and the mental health of all the children in our community as they navigate an increasingly complicated and stressful world.

Many young adults face struggles with anxiety, depression, substance use, and a sense of not knowing where they belong.

Add to this the challenges of finding meaningful work, getting the right education, and staying connected in healthy ways.

And it can be overwhelming.

A UCSD epidemiologist recently warned that we are only at the beginning of a major public health crisis tied to substance use and addiction.

Industries that profit from products like tobacco, marijuana, and CBD are shaping how our kids see relaxation and coping.

The science is clear, regular use during adolescence and young adulthood can interfere with brain development, increase risks of anxiety and depression, and set young people on a difficult path.

When marijuana storefronts are highly visible in our city through advertising, pillboards, and social media, it normalizes use for our kids.

It sends the message that this is a safe, acceptable, or even expected way to cope.

But we know the reality is far more dangerous for young developing minds.

I want my children and all of our children to grow up in a community that protects their mental health, that gives them safe outlets for stress, creativity, and connection, and that doesn't put temptation in their faces before they're even old enough to understand the consequences.

Please shift the focus to investing only in businesses and activities that help our kids thrive.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Francine Maxwell.

After that is Terry Ann Skelly, and then Barbara Gordon, please unmute.

Yes, please proceed.

Oh, great.

Thank you so much.

The IBA's website says that they report to the citizens we come first.

So I'm hoping that there will be a proactive report done relatively quickly by the end of the year for the race and equity that has fallen into being under the IBA.

The city remains committed to achieving equitable outcomes for its residents and ensuring an inclusive, high performance organizational culture where everyone can do their best work and thrive.

We have microaggressions occurring at Choyous Lake within our San Diego police department.

People are told black officers, new officers are told to keep their head down.

City workers who also are residents are told that you can get more honey and then vinegar.

Keep your mouth shut, keep your head down, stay invisible, shrink yourself.

This is coming from our tax dollars that this city council put the uh race inequity in IBA after Charles City didn't want it, couldn't have the capacity.

Who's watching the hen house?

Tomorrow, you are going to charge us up the wazoo for our water bill.

You know what SDGE is doing to us.

You know that my seniors that I have helped and continue to help.

We have not got them all registered for their trash cans, which are due tomorrow.

Beautiful commercial reminder, by the way, but it just wasn't enough time for us to get around to all our seasoned saints that need help to get registered to get something smaller at their homes.

So if there's any way that you could give us an extension so that we can get everyone registered for the trash cans, it sure would be appreciative.

And if there's a council member that will stand up and get us a proactive report on what the race inequity is doing inside the IBA because we're losing people to the city, we're losing officers to suicide.

You have to do something about the microaggressions in the city of San Diego.

Thank you.

If you have raised your hand recently, the five-minute timer had already concluded an announcement was made.

You can definitely send any emails to City Clerk at Sandiego.gov and they will be distributed.

Terry Ann Skelly, please unmute good afternoon, San Diego City Council President Lakaba.

My name is Terry Anskelly.

I'll be planning group member, a parent, and a public health educator.

This afternoon's agenda has a lot to do with our streets here in our city.

Safe roads and driving means a lot to me because I live in an area with lots of teens and young adults who drive sometimes recklessly.

I wanted to express my concern with alcohol and drug impaired driving.

I am reminded that 16 to 25 year olds have the highest rate of drug impaired driving.

As healthychildren.org reminds us, more than 10% of drivers ages 16 to 20 admit to have driven under the influence of marijuana.

Recently, the National Safety Council fact sheet announced that it is unsafe to be under the influence of cannabis because marijuana use slows reaction time, impacts memory, affects coordination, and impairs skills is central to driving.

End quote.

Thanks to the San Diego Police Department for utilizing freeway signboards like Drive High, get a DUI.

I think we would all like to see the city attorney send out messages regarding drug impaired driving.

Perhaps the city attorney would consider working with the county's marijuana youth access work group and create a press conference.

We need these messages to counter the marijuana business's billboards around our city and the aggressive social media and the obnoxious marijuana delivery vehicles driving around.

Thank you for hearing my concerns today.

Barbara Gordon, if you can please unmute after that, we'll be phone number ending in 8813 and then Judy String.

Barbara Gordon.

Thank you.

Um, good afternoon.

Um, I am concerned as a youth advocate that nearly every week a new intoxicating mind-altering product emerges, often unnoticed until reports surface of people being harmed, and the physical and mental health of our youth is in jeopardy.

Products like Kratom, intoxicating THC hemp are dangerously addictive.

Kraton comes from a tropical tree.

Um 70H is a potent opiate compound in Kratom, becoming especially dangerous when it is extracted and concentrated in products like gummies, drinks, powders, capsules, commonly sold in our smoke shops, gas stations, and online.

The FDA warns that 70H is not approved, not lawful, unsafe, with risk including seizures, depression, anxiety, addiction withdrawal, overdose-like symptoms.

Marketed as natural, these products can just be as harmful as synthetic opiates, posing serious danger, and products like intoxicating hemp compounds like Delta 8 THC, THCO, THCP, and more are products that are available also in our convenience stores, vape shops, and online without any federal oversight, and in many places without any age restriction.

As a community, we need to insist that any intoxicating mind-altering substances that are manufactured, packaging, marketed should not be allowed to be sold in our marketplace.

Public safety is the city's primary responsibility.

Thank you for letting me speak.

8813, if you can please unmute after that, Judy Strang, and then Kathleen Lippett.

8813.

Okay, come follow here.

Wow.

Insane.

Okay.

Uh here we go.

Let's see, these digital coupons.

Let's see.

They're yeah, they're being paraded as progress.

But they're not progress, they're crumbs.

From toss to the public to keep people quiet while the system takes more and more of our freedom and money.

Uh this digital, uh, these digital scraps are not generosity, they're tools for control.

And too many status slaves have been conditioned to smile and accept them as though it were a gift.

That's not freedom.

That's compliance.

And while the system distracts us with coupons and credits, it wages war on the people, the people's real solutions.

Let's talk about the marijuana.

Cannabis is not the crisis or the criminal.

It cannabis is a sacred plant.

It heals, it calms, it inspires, it connects.

That is exactly why it has been attacked for decorate for decades by the pharmaceutical industry, and it's chills.

They don't want people empowered with the plant that helps in so many ways.

They want people dependent on their pills, their profits.

People turn marijuana.

People turn to marijuana not because they're broken, because the system is broken.

Marijuana is not the problem.

The system is the problem.

Let's start targeting the system instead of attacking the plant.

And here's the truth.

Todd Gloria has failed the city.

This council has failed them.

Uh it's chosen control over care, illusion over truth, and crumbs over real solutions.

That is why he must be recalled.

And uh a lot of you must be behind bars.

Um, we don't want digital change, we want uh we don't want pharmaceutical lies, and we sure as hell don't want crime.

We want sovereignty.

Judy Strang, if you can please unmute.

After that is Kathleen Lippett, and then our final speaker is Becky Rev.

Judy Streng, please unmute.

Good afternoon, San Diego City Council.

I came to continue the conversation that Joyce Nata began regarding the budget of the county and its responsibility for public health, mental health, social services, regional law enforcement, and fire protection.

And yet the city where I live ends up having to put so much money towards those.

Now, granted, every city has that responsibility to assist.

But when you look at the budgets, it's really not fair that so much has fallen to the city.

From what I observe, the relationship between the county and the city seems to be a little tortured.

And if I were to make a recommendation, it would be can we have an honest look at what's going on and why that's happening?

So who we in the city aren't bearing the cost for those activities that really fall to the county.

As a person who's worked in public health most of my life, I particularly realize the cost that comes with poor public health and have often spoken to smoking issues.

And what's happened, and is probably a good thing is that our cities are the ones that have to adopt public policy because the county is slower to do so.

And once the city adopts our city and other cities adopt public policy, then sometimes the county would follow.

It would lead out to show the county that we recognize the cost of public health, and perhaps that would help the county lead forward also and decrease their costs for public health.

It's a policy that's come.

Smoke-free public places already exist in several cities here in our county.

I think San Diego ought to be next.

Thank you.

Kathleen Lippett, if you can please unmute.

Thank you for letting me speak.

I was not surprised to see the disturbing videos of the public ignorance on display for going down into the code to touch, photograph, or harass seals.

But the city's failure to provide the oversight, it promised to protect both the public and the SEALs is yet another area of responsibility that the city has abandoned.

After years of asserting that the city was concerned for the environment, it offered no opposition to the state's decision to exempt marijuana businesses from CEQA, which it could have done.

It was a red flag that the city would henceforth dismiss any concerns for the public health or safety on behalf or the environment and behalf of marijuana industry interests.

The city has been provided copious research and evidence from the public, especially those who have worked to prevent the problems that they warned would accompany the decision to allow the commercialization of marijuana.

The fact that the collateral damage that was predicted has come to pass should at minimum confer respect to the voices that accurately predicted these problems.

The council has been given a plethora of this evidence.

And it seems as if they are still willing to subvert the health and safety of the public as well as the environment in exchange for turning a blind eye to those problems in favor of collecting tax revenues, no matter how minimal or assured.

If the city truly has any interest in protecting the public or the environment, it will inform itself of these problems.

The Integral Ecology Research Center has been documenting the environmental, human soil, water, native vegetation for since 2013.

The water theft, the water that you claim that the city claims is an essential resource is being squandered and poisoned.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you.

Our final speaker is Becky Rapp.

If you are raising your hand, the five-minute timer had concluded a while ago.

You can definitely submit your speaker or comments through City Clerk at Sandigo.gov, and they will be distributed to the council, or you can call tomorrow during the 10 a.m.

session.

Becky Rapp, your final speaker, please proceed.

Good afternoon, Council President and members.

As September comes to a close and October begins, I'd like to take a moment to recognize October as National Youth Substance Use Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and taking meaning meaningful steps to protect our youth from the growing risks of early substance use and its devastating impacts on mental health.

Today I speak in memory of Parker Scott Coberly, a 22-year-old resident of District 5, who passed away on August 30th after a long and painful battle with severe mental illness brought on by the use of high potency THC marijuana products, which led to drug-induced psychosis.

Parker was addicted musician, a compassionate friend, a devoted brother and son, and who carried a genuine spirit, a kind heart, and a desire to lift others up.

But over the last three and a half years, he and his family struggled with a condition that is deeply stigmatized and wildly misunderstood.

Despite unwavering love of support, Parker's illness ultimately claimed his young life.

Just this past Saturday, September 27th, Parker's friends and family gathered for his celebration of life at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rancho Bernardo.

His loss is still fresh, and his story is one of too many.

In his honor, his family has asked for donations to be made to three organizations doing vital work in prevention and education.

One, Marinon Family Group offering support to families affected by a loved one's marijuana use.

Two, every brain matters, a nonprofit grounded in science and lived experience.

And three, a Johnny's advanced ambassadors, which educates youth and parents about the dangers of today's potent THC products on adolescents' brain development, psychosis, and suicide.

These groups are sounding the alarm about an issue that demands more visibility, the link between marijuana use, particularly high potency THC products, and serious mental health consequences in young people.

Thank you, City Clerk.

With that, does the city attorney have anything to report out from closed session?

There's nothing to report from closed session.

All right, thank you.

We will now adjourn council to the next regular council meeting on Tuesday, September 30th, 2025 at 10 a.m.