OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Diego City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026: El Niño Preparedness and Stormwater Update

City Council — Tuesday, September 1, 2026
BodySan Diego, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:50:46

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

We're passing the pilot program that we can have in San Diego County for this.

0:03

And last but not least, I really just want to appreciate the journalists, the media who are here who've covered this for months and months and months.

0:09

It takes it takes so many touches of people to have the message sink through.

0:14

That's the thing I want everyone to understand.

0:16

There's a lot of people who do not know how dangerous e-bikes are.

0:19

They see it here and there, but they haven't experienced it directly.

0:22

The more neighbors can talk to neighbors about the dangers about this new law, we're gonna save the lives of many, many young people.

0:30

We're gonna save the lives of pedestrians who are walking on sidewalks who get hit by people who are riding recklessly.

0:35

So ultimately, this is about protecting public safety and public health with a reasonable, simple regulation.

0:41

And I definitely want to appreciate uh Emma and Blair again for your good work and advocacy at the City Council, and I'm proud to have uh them and their support and their parents' support, of course.

0:50

Uh with that, we can take questions here at the podium.

0:53

We can do one-on-ones.

0:54

Uh Ruben, you you're available to do a Spanish interview as well.

0:58

And with that, uh, thank you very much for joining us this morning.

1:01

I have one question.

1:02

Yes, please.

1:02

Um, when you stop a kid, how do you know for sure how old they are?

1:08

Captain Commander Kelsa.

1:12

We don't know how old they are until we ask them.

1:15

And uh most kids are pretty forthright of how old they are when we contact them.

1:23

We I have community and youth services.

1:25

We interact with kids at schools every single day.

1:28

Uh obviously mostly in non-enforcement sort of contacts.

1:32

And uh with this endeavor, we're going to try to educate the kids first and talk to them about bike safety, and uh the goal is always to make sure that they're safe and they get home safe.

1:45

So this mostly relies on the honor system.

1:47

Mostly.

1:50

And then I have one more clarifier for Lori, just one more thing.

1:53

Um that figure that you gave the 262 from last year compared to the 96 from this year, were those both trauma?

2:00

I want to make sure it happens.

2:02

Yeah, they're both the trauma numbers.

2:03

Um the emergency room numbers are about four times as high, but those are scrapes and broken bones that they can fix.

2:10

Trauma being elevated to trauma is a much serious, much more serious injury.

2:17

Thank you.

2:18

Yes.

2:18

Could you talk about the um the parents, their responsibility and their liability uh when their children are doing things with the e-bikes they shouldn't be, and something that happens.

2:28

So if they're if they're violent, let's start with if they're violating this current ordinance, the young person who's violating the rule will be uh will be cited that ticket, and obviously the parent is uh going to be the one who's going to pay it.

2:40

It's $25.

2:41

Uh the child, of course, is supposed to take the CH free CHP certified e-bike course within 120 days, and then the ticket gets ripped up.

2:49

It's never reported to a court, it never goes on their record.

2:52

Uh, and so there's that.

2:53

Uh the liability as it relates relates to injuries of let's say property or other individuals, uh, that's a case-by-case basis.

3:01

There's uh a lot of uh civil trials that go along with that, and so that's decided by judges and juries in those particular circumstances.

3:08

Of course, liability can attach uh to parents who are negligent or reckless in monitoring their children as they have ultimate responsibility for minors in their family.

3:21

Anything else?

3:22

I'll just quickly flag this, uh noting that 12 years old is roughly the age that most uh children go from elementary school to middle school.

3:30

You know, if we're seeing people riding up to their elementary school in e-bikes, it's a safe assumption that they're almost certainly not 12 years old.

3:38

Whereas if you're at a middle school, you're probably 12 or older.

3:41

So uh if we're looking at how to identify an 11-year-old from a 12-year-old, I know the answer was it's an honor system, like all laws.

3:49

Most laws are enforced on an honor system.

3:51

And so uh if a child has a seventh or eighth grade or even a sixth grade ID, you know, they're probably not 11 years old.

3:57

So with that, we'll go to one-on-ones.

3:59

Thank you.

4:01

It's no secret that e-bike safety has become a growing concern in neighborhoods across our city.

4:06

Now these are clear, enforceable standards, and they were improved by the city council in June.

4:10

They're going to curb dangerous electric bicycle riding and result in safer streets for everyone.

4:16

Our goal is safety, education, and protecting our kids.

4:19

It's not about riding tickets.

4:21

We have over 120,000 students in the San Diego Unified School District.

4:26

Many of those will be coming to school on their e-bikes.

4:30

Local law enforcement and our hospitals are seeing the effects of serious e-bike injuries, and we've even had some fatalities, even most recently.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Emergency Management██████████████████████22%
Stormwater Management██████████████████18%
Public Comment███████████████15%
Public Safety███████7%
Public Engagement███████7%
Disaster Recovery██████6%
Procedural████4%
Public Health███3%
Homelessness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

San Diego City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026: El Niño Preparedness and Stormwater Update

The San Diego City Council met on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, in a session that began with morning proclamations, consent agenda approvals, and non-agenda public comment, followed by an afternoon informational item on El Niño preparations and the annual Stormwater Department update featuring a multi-departmental presentation. The meeting highlighted the city's efforts to prepare for a forecasted strong El Niño event while addressing community concerns regarding past flooding, infrastructure shortcomings, and equity in disaster response.

Consent Calendar

  • Proclamations (Items 30, 31, S500, S501): Recognized the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities' 40th anniversary, Bandar Restaurant's 30th anniversary, the California Waves youth baseball teams (12U, 14U, 16U national champions), and Kevin Matson Day for his leadership at San Ysidro Health. All proclamations were approved unanimously (7-0) with Councilmembers Von Wilpert and Campbell absent.
  • Consent Agenda (Items 100, 101, S502, S504): Included items related to Tijuana River Valley wastewater treatment, stormwater maintenance services, and a resolution on flood risk. Notably, Item S502 repealed the city's municipal code section on bathhouses (MUDI code), described as outdated and offensive to the LGBTQ+ community. All consent items passed unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Proclamations Public Comment: Joyce Signata spoke in support of the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities and the California Waves. Paul Kruger commented on Bandar Restaurant's longevity downtown. Jill Weber thanked the council for the FDD proclamation. Lori Saldania praised the California Waves and Title IX.
  • Consent Agenda Public Comment: Joyce Signata addressed the Tijuana River sewage crisis and stormwater contracts. Laurie Saldania spoke on sea level rise impacts on infrastructure and the Midway project, citing FEMA flood risk maps. Ocean Eddie Ray supported the repeal of the bathhouse code, calling it stigma-driven. Multiple virtual speakers supported Item 101 (Tijuana River emergency) and the bathhouse repeal.
  • Non-Agenda Public Comment: David Lombardi complained about noise enforcement policies and difficulty contacting Councilmember Campbell. Joyce Sanyata criticized the dark money ordinance's vision statement. Joseph Rodriguez requested deeper recognition of indigenous history. Paul Kruger highlighted the Barnes Tennis Center lease as an example of government incompetence. Lori Saldania warned about building in flood-prone areas like the Midway project. Other speakers addressed cannabis enforcement, potholes, and 9/11 conspiracy theories. A speaker (Bob Kaczynski via video) requested a Torrey Pines flight waiver and reinstatement of the advisory board.
  • El Niño/Stormwater Public Comment: Flood survivors and community advocates expressed frustration, fear, and distrust. Lori Saldania again highlighted sea level rise and groundwater issues. Joyce Sanyata praised the city's preparedness efforts. Lori Lipsman criticized budget priorities. Charlotte and Monica Hill demanded mental health support and community inclusion. Gerardo Hernandez and others from Beta Street felt abandoned and demanded action. Fred Sotelo (Southeast Disaster Community) called for a centralized database and diverse vendor inclusion. Multiple Spanish-speaking speakers shared trauma and called for collaboration. Virtual speakers echoed demands for transparency and equity.

Discussion Items

  • Morning Proclamations: Councilmembers recognized recipients. Councilmember Campillo moved approval, with a second by Councilmember Whitburn. Councilmember Moreno highlighted Kevin Matson's legacy. Councilmember Elo Rivera praised the California Waves teams. Council President LaCava congratulated all.
  • Consent Agenda Approval: Council President LaCava spoke on the bathhouse code repeal, noting it was offensive and unnecessary. Councilmember Whitburn praised the allyship. Councilmember Campillo shared a personal connection to the AIDS crisis. Councilmember Elo Rivera thanked staff for cleaning up outdated code.
  • El Niño Preparedness and Stormwater Update (Afternoon): The council received a 40-minute presentation from Chief Infrastructure Officer Chris McFadden, Chief of Emergency Services Rob Rosende, National Weather Service meteorologist Sebastian, and Stormwater Director Todd Snyder. Key points:
    • El Niño Forecast: 90% chance of a strong El Niño, 70% chance of a historic event, with above-average rainfall and atmospheric rivers expected.
    • OES Restructuring: Office of Emergency Services now under Fire-Rescue, with a citywide working group of ~80 participants across nine subworking groups addressing 60 projects (communications, sandbags, evacuations, etc.).
    • Stormwater Infrastructure: Over 32,000 drain inlets cleaned in FY26; 70 miles of channels maintained (11 miles in FY26 vs. 2 miles previously); 50+ emergency CIP projects costing $230M over 5 years; only 17% of channel segments and 7% of pump stations are designed for a 100-year storm; 20 miles of corrugated metal pipe still need replacement.
    • Flood Risk: 15,000 acres of floodplains, 7,000 parcels with structures in high-risk zones. Only 7% of pump stations meet 100-year storm standards. Levees are not fully accredited; $1.9M allocated for re-accreditation.
    • Equity Implications: IBA Division of Race and Equity (Kim Desmond) emphasized tailored outreach, clear resource messaging, and development of emergency response playbooks focusing on Districts 4, 8, and 9 still recovering from 2024 floods.
  • Council Questions and Comments:
    • Councilmember Elo Rivera stressed the need to rebuild trust, asked about community feedback integration, and who is in charge during a disaster (answer: EOC Director under the Mayor as emergency manager).
    • Councilmember Campillo urged coordination with school districts, private sector partners, faith communities, and vulnerable populations; questioned technological monitoring and flood forecasting limitations.
    • Councilmember Foster expressed concern over outdated administrative regulations (ARs) and area-specific plans not yet completed; requested timelines (October for draft plans) and commitment to involve the Office of Race and Equity (given). He demanded schedules and stronger engagement with community organizations like the Harvey Foundation.
    • Councilmember Moreno inquired about the Beta Street Channel CIP (S2401), noting no prior community communication; requested updates on funding and equity focus.
    • Councilmember Whitburn noted the homeless encampments in riverbeds and need for more shelter beds.
    • Council President Pro Tem Lee emphasized the human component and community trauma.
    • Council President LaCava praised the city's aggressiveness and candor, but acknowledged the $5B stormwater deficit and need for long-term solutions.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamations and consent items all passed 7-0.
  • The El Niño/Stormwater update was informational only; no motions were taken.
  • Council directed staff to: finalize area-specific emergency plans by October 2026, improve community engagement in flood-prone districts, update outdated administrative regulations, and coordinate with county, state, and federal partners.
  • Councilmember Foster secured a commitment from the Mayor's office that the Office of Race and Equity will review area plans.
  • Councilmember Moreno requested a verification that the Beta Street CIP is included in legislative funding priorities.
  • Several councilmembers stressed the need for Spanish-language communications, digital equity, and inclusion of community-based organizations in planning.

Meeting Transcript

We're passing the pilot program that we can have in San Diego County for this. And last but not least, I really just want to appreciate the journalists, the media who are here who've covered this for months and months and months. It takes it takes so many touches of people to have the message sink through. That's the thing I want everyone to understand. There's a lot of people who do not know how dangerous e-bikes are. They see it here and there, but they haven't experienced it directly. The more neighbors can talk to neighbors about the dangers about this new law, we're gonna save the lives of many, many young people. We're gonna save the lives of pedestrians who are walking on sidewalks who get hit by people who are riding recklessly. So ultimately, this is about protecting public safety and public health with a reasonable, simple regulation. And I definitely want to appreciate uh Emma and Blair again for your good work and advocacy at the City Council, and I'm proud to have uh them and their support and their parents' support, of course. Uh with that, we can take questions here at the podium. We can do one-on-ones. Uh Ruben, you you're available to do a Spanish interview as well. And with that, uh, thank you very much for joining us this morning. I have one question. Yes, please. Um, when you stop a kid, how do you know for sure how old they are? Captain Commander Kelsa. We don't know how old they are until we ask them. And uh most kids are pretty forthright of how old they are when we contact them. We I have community and youth services. We interact with kids at schools every single day. Uh obviously mostly in non-enforcement sort of contacts. And uh with this endeavor, we're going to try to educate the kids first and talk to them about bike safety, and uh the goal is always to make sure that they're safe and they get home safe. So this mostly relies on the honor system. Mostly. And then I have one more clarifier for Lori, just one more thing. Um that figure that you gave the 262 from last year compared to the 96 from this year, were those both trauma? I want to make sure it happens. Yeah, they're both the trauma numbers. Um the emergency room numbers are about four times as high, but those are scrapes and broken bones that they can fix. Trauma being elevated to trauma is a much serious, much more serious injury. Thank you. Yes. Could you talk about the um the parents, their responsibility and their liability uh when their children are doing things with the e-bikes they shouldn't be, and something that happens. So if they're if they're violent, let's start with if they're violating this current ordinance, the young person who's violating the rule will be uh will be cited that ticket, and obviously the parent is uh going to be the one who's going to pay it. It's $25. Uh the child, of course, is supposed to take the CH free CHP certified e-bike course within 120 days, and then the ticket gets ripped up. It's never reported to a court, it never goes on their record. Uh, and so there's that. Uh the liability as it relates relates to injuries of let's say property or other individuals, uh, that's a case-by-case basis. There's uh a lot of uh civil trials that go along with that, and so that's decided by judges and juries in those particular circumstances. Of course, liability can attach uh to parents who are negligent or reckless in monitoring their children as they have ultimate responsibility for minors in their family. Anything else? I'll just quickly flag this, uh noting that 12 years old is roughly the age that most uh children go from elementary school to middle school. You know, if we're seeing people riding up to their elementary school in e-bikes, it's a safe assumption that they're almost certainly not 12 years old. Whereas if you're at a middle school, you're probably 12 or older. So uh if we're looking at how to identify an 11-year-old from a 12-year-old, I know the answer was it's an honor system, like all laws. Most laws are enforced on an honor system. And so uh if a child has a seventh or eighth grade or even a sixth grade ID, you know, they're probably not 11 years old.

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