San Diego City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
San Diego City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
The San Diego City Council convened on November 4, 2025, to approve proclamations recognizing Slow Fashion Day and Youth Homelessness Outreach Prevention and Education Month, extend the Balboa Park Tram Service contract with ACE Parking, adjust valet zone fees to mitigate parking congestion, and formally respond to a Grand Jury report regarding Development Impact Fees. The meeting also featured presentations on the 2025 Annual Report on Homes and public commentary on housing equity, tourism, and community safety.
Consent Calendar
- Proclamation Items (30 and S500): Unanimously approved (8-0). Items included a proclamation for November 9, 2025, as Slow Fashion Day, acknowledging sustainable fashion practices, and a proclamation for November 2025 as Youth Homelessness Outreach Prevention and Education Month, highlighting support for the Central Elementary safe parking lot.
- Appointments: Unanimously approved (9-0) for Ronald Diaz to the Climate Advisory Board and Dr. Lawana Richmond to the Consolidated Plan Advisory Board.
- Contract Extension (Item 50): Approved with public comment noting adherence to on-time contract scheduling practices.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Balboa Park Tram Service: Speakers Deisha Crownover (San Diego Junior Theater), Jillian Reza (Balboa Park Cultural Partnership), and Katie McDonald (Forever Balboa Park) expressed full support for the tram extension, citing essential access for families and staff during the transition to paid parking. Blair Beekman expressed concern that parking fees at Balboa Park were excessively high and advocated for fee reductions.
- Annual Report on Homes: Jeffrey Heater, Yvonne Jones, Dana Givitt, Susan Baldwin, Pam Beagle, Kathleen McLeod, Mary Young, Sally Small, Blair Beekman, Al Del Mastro, and Wesley Morgan raised concerns regarding the concentration of poverty, insufficient affordable housing in high-resource areas, and the lack of data on unsubsidized affordable housing loss. Blair Beekman expressed opposition to the compartmentalization of income levels. Al Del Mastro expressed full opposition to housing density limits and the inability to separate duplexes for sale.
- Valet Zone Fees: Hotel managers (Jeffrey Berr, Kim Avant, Fred Taiko, David Ryan, John Williams, Shane Caru, Jaden Moldown, Ashton Garras, Robert Spicer, Robert Strait, Mark Asuncion, Maria Bonilla, Nicholas Royer, Mark Fitzgerald, Daniel Reeves, Penelope Wright, Bess Miller) and representatives from ACE Parking, Laz Parking, and Safe Co-Parking expressed strong opposition to the proposed fee increases, arguing they exceeded 6,000% and posed critical public safety risks due to insufficient curb space. Michael Tremblay (Gaslamp Quarter Association) expressed concern for public safety and economic viability. El Del Mastro expressed full opposition to parking fees, accusing the city of gouging the public and damaging tourism.
Discussion Items
- Balboa Park Tram Service (Item S502): Staff proposed a two-year contract extension with ACE Parking totaling $6.13 million to ensure uninterrupted service and expanded hours during the transition to paid parking. Council members questioned the on-demand service for staff and the potential for street-legal trams. Councilmember Moreno urged the inclusion of Park Boulevard and Sixth Avenue in the future RFP study. Councilmember Whitburn and Councilmember Campbell expressed support for the expanded service levels and safety benefits.
- Annual Report on Homes (Item 330): Staff presented data showing 8,782 homes permitted in 2024, with 12% deed-restricted affordable. The IBA highlighted a 59% drop in affordable units from 2023. Councilmember Campiano and Councilmember Moreno expressed concern over the lack of affordable housing in high-resource areas and called for policy refinements to the inclusionary housing program and ADU programs. Councilmember Foster expressed concern regarding the inability to stop projects that violate the Baker settlement terms and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
- Valet Zone Fees (Item 331): Transportation Department proposed updating Council Policy 200-15 to allow up to six valet spaces beyond a base of two, charging a "loss of revenue" fee based on full meter utilization ($10,000 to $15,000 per additional space). Councilmember Whitburn moved to amend the proposal to reflect actual meter utilization estimates (approx. 75%), reducing fees to $7,500 for expanded standard zones and $10,000 for expanded special event zones. Councilmember Campbell supported the amended motion, arguing the original fees were excessive and that the city risked losing tourism revenue. Councilmember Ilo Rivera opposed the motion, citing the significant subsidy previously provided to hotels and the need for fair cost recovery from private entities using public space.
Key Outcomes
- Balboa Park Tram Service: The contract extension with ACE Parking was approved unanimously (9-0) after an amendment to clarify the on-demand service protocol for staff and volunteers.
- Annual Report on Homes: The item passed as an informational update with no action vote required, though Councilmember Moreno requested a future report on the inclusionary housing program refinements.
- Valet Zone Fees: Proposed actions Sub-items A and B were approved unanimously (7-1) with Councilmember Ilo Rivera voting no. The motion included amendments reducing the expanded standard metered zone fee to $7,500, the expanded special event meter zone fee to $10,000, and the expanded partial valet zone fee to $7,500, based on projected 75% meter utilization.
- Grand Jury Response (Item 332): The Council unanimously approved (6-0, with 3 absent) the proposed joint response to the Grand Jury report "Never Been Challenged," agreeing to most findings and rejecting others as unwarranted, authorizing the Council President to submit the response to the Presiding Judge by the November 26 deadline.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned in memory of Gordon Brown Sr., a pioneer in golf and community mentorship.
Meeting Transcript
Three, two, one, when we say that we're America's finest city, I want to be explicit and say we are that in part because of our LGBTQ plus uh citizenry. And the fact that we have an exhibit to educate our fellow residents about the contributions of this community, I think are truly important. We are integral to our city and its success, and we're not going anywhere. These are indeed some of the most troubling times for the LGBT community. Trying to erase from history books, schools, museums, and archives, even those in our nation's capital. Exhibits like this are more important than ever. When I joined the Marine Corps in 1983, being gay and serving your country were two things that couldn't coexist. We wore our uniforms with pride. We also carried a quiet fear that at any moment someone could end our careers, our dreams simply for being who we are. We must remain vigilant. We must keep telling these stories. The stories of those who served in silence, those who fought for the right to be seen, and those that are still fighting for that right today. No matter how loud the voices of hate may be, the truth is that we are normal human beings who deserve the same rights as every other person in America. We are coming together to revitalize the Encanto Recreation Center here. In addition to some plants, we're also going to do a little touch up, a little paint here and there to make sure that this great community has a great uh park and recreation space. I want to tell you that this uh effort, particularly with the trees, are a part of something that we call Ready Set Grow San Diego. A 10 million dollar federal grant from our partners in the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowed us to plant 2,249 trees in fiscal year 2025, and we have 2,700 trees planned in fiscal year 26. Urban Forestry Program, our mission is to plant, protect, promote, and like I said, maintain our existing trees for a more livable and sustainable San Diego. Let's grow a green San Diego, everyone. Trees have amazing benefits to you all as neighbors in the community in that they not only help clean the air but also help to address traffic control, provide shade, address the heat island effect, and so forth. So we're all very, very excited to see this happen today in Icanto. The best day to plant a tree was about 30 years ago. Uh the next best day is today. Uh so let's get to work today. Uh let's invest in Encanto. Uh, let's make this neighborhood better, and let's come back tomorrow and do it all over again. I think what we have here today, Pacific Village is another perfect example of what progress on housing looks like. You know, not long ago, as was mentioned, this site was a Ramada Inn, one of the many older motels along this key corridor in our city. It is now a 64 unit project that will provide permanent supportive housing for veterans, transition age youth, and other San Diegans who are previously living on our city's streets. And it's happening in a neighborhood that is rapidly evolving. This is a hotel that has been so valuable for the people of San Diego. It was just early last year that folks who were driven out of their homes by flooding took refuge here. Soon a new group of residents will be able to find longer-term housing at this renovated hotel. Addressing homelessness has been one of my top priorities since I was elected to council seven years ago. And throughout my terms, I've always welcomed shelters, providers of services. The Housing Commission's been an incredible partner with the city. We all work together to make sure the San Diegans of all walks of life can find housing. Pacific Village wouldn't be possible without all of the extensive collaboration that we just shared. State, county, federal, local. We can see why it's hard. But those partnerships make it easy and make it possible. It's proof that when we can think differently, act quickly and deliver meaningful results faster. It's a part of a growing movement here in San Diego. One that says that housing is not a privilege, but a right and a priority. We got some more housing to build, everybody. Today I'm proud that we are able to be here to cut ribbon on phase two of this incredible project, making 228 new affordable homes available to San Diegans. And my friends, this project is not happening in a vacuum. It is the third that we've opened in just the last week on what I've been calling our Build More Housing San Diego Tour. These apartments are within walking distance of grocery stores, schools, parks, restaurants, and they're connected to the rest of the city by some major transit corridors.
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