San Diego Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting Summary – July 15, 2020

The Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Under Executive Order N-29-20, the meeting was conducted with some members participating via teleconference and public comment taken by phone. Committee members present included Chair Councilmember Monica Montgomery, Council President Pro Tem (Vice Chair) Barbara Bree, Councilmember Kate, and Councilmember Moreno. Staff present included Deputy City Attorney Paige Fultman, Conrad Ware from the Mayor's Office, and Baku Patel from the Independent Budget Analyst Office. The agenda included a consent item, two proposed surveillance technology ordinances, a comprehensive parks master plan, and a fire-rescue COVID-19 response briefing.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1 – Building 191 Concession Agreement (Naval Training Center Park): The committee unanimously approved a concession agreement with the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to renovate Building 191 as a community bike center. Public commenters Richard Opper and Andy Henshaw (San Diego County Bicycle Coalition) spoke in support. Motion by Councilmember Moreno, seconded by Councilmember Kate; passed 4–0.

Public Comments & Non-Agenda Testimony

• Barbara Gordon expressed concern about proposed changes to marijuana business permitting (process three to process two), stating it would reduce public input and eliminate an appeal level.
• Kathleen Lippett, speaking for concerned community members, criticized municipal code changes adopted by City Council the previous day, saying marijuana businesses were seeking to expand into vulnerable neighborhoods.
• Francine Maxwell, president of the San Diego NAACP branch, requested that the committee send a letter to the Mayor's office to encourage training and appointments for boards and commissions, especially for newly engaged community members.
• Kelly McCormick objected to the 12th update to the Land Development Code, alleging substantive changes were made without public input and would reduce transparency for marijuana businesses.
• Terry Shearson asked the committee to reconsider the third municipal code change regarding distance measurement from marijuana businesses to residential property lines, noting the Planning Commission did not support that change.

Discussion Item: Surveillance Technology and Privacy Commission

• Trust SD Coalition members Lily Irani (UCSD associate professor) and Homaira Yusufi (PANA deputy director) presented two proposed ordinances: a "Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology" ordinance and a "Privacy Advisory Commission" ordinance. They argued the ordinances would create a structured process for evaluating surveillance technology, require community input, minimize fiscal risks, and protect civil liberties.
• Many public speakers, representing organizations including Defund School Police SD, Climate Action Campaign, League of Women Voters of San Diego, San Diego Progressive Democratic Club, PANA, and others, voiced support for both ordinances.
• Deputy City Attorney Paige Fultman noted that legal review would be required and that state labor law might require meet-and-confer with employee organizations if the ordinance affects terms and conditions of employment.
• Councilmember Kate raised questions about definitions, emergency exceptions, and retroactive application. She said she would provide a memo detailing concerns.
• Chair Montgomery made two motions: (1) direct the City Attorney to prepare the surveillance ordinance for full Council consideration (including meet-and-confer if required); and (2) direct the committee consultant, Office of Boards and Commissions, and City Attorney to draft a privacy advisory committee ordinance and forward it to the Rules Committee. Both motions passed unanimously (4–0).

Discussion Item: Complete Communities Play Everywhere – Parks Master Plan

• Planning Department staff (Heidi Von Blum, Jonathan Avila) presented a comprehensive parks master plan proposing a shift from an acreage-based standard (2.8 acres per 1,000 residents) to a "recreational value" standard (12 points per 1,000 residents), a 10-20-30-40 minute access goal (10-minute walk, 20-minute bike, 30-minute transit, with at least 40 minutes of enjoyable use), and a new citywide park development impact fee.
• Staff noted that under the current system, only 5% of park development impact fees have been spent in "communities of concern" (areas identified by the Climate Equity Index as low-access). Existing fees range from $600 to $30,000 per unit depending on community. The proposed citywide fee would pool funds to build parks across the city. Four fee options were presented.
• Public comment was divided: supporters included the Mission Bay Park Committee and Mobility Board chairs; opponents and critics included the Community Planners Committee chair (Wally Wolfeck) and several planning group chairs, who said the plan was being rushed, lacked input from community planning groups, undervalued park acreage, and had unresolved CEQA implications. Several speakers asked for an extended public review period.
• Councilmember Kate made a motion to forward the plan to full City Council without a recommendation, with requests that staff provide a redlined version of changes and further analyze how funds would be allocated, especially in districts with large planned growth. The motion passed unanimously (4–0), though Vice Chair Bree said she voted reluctantly and asked for extended public review.

Discussion Item: Fire-Rescue COVID-19 Response

• Fire Chief Colin Stoll and Deputy Chief Stephen Lozano presented a detailed timeline of SDFD's COVID-19 response, including standing up an Incident Management Team (60 personnel), establishing health screening and designated infection control officer protocols, procuring PPE, and creating a COVID division (9 personnel).
• Key statistics: N95 mask inventory grew from 815 to 22,000 (20,000 more on order); surgical masks ~150,000; gowns from 36 to 5,600. Voluntary asymptomatic testing of 811 personnel found one positive case. The city of San Diego had ~10,000 positive cases, roughly 46–49% of the county's ~20,000 cases. As of the report, fire personnel in isolation: 6, lifeguards: 9, non-sworn: 2.
• Chief Stoll expressed concerns about community spread among off-duty personnel, a recent county change to quarantine definitions, and wildfire season. No formal action was taken; the item was informational. Councilmembers thanked the chiefs and asked about testing, call volume, and academy impacts.

Key Outcomes

• Consent item (Building 191 concession) approved unanimously.
• Motion to forward the surveillance ordinance to full Council approved unanimously.
• Motion to draft and forward the Privacy Advisory Commission ordinance to the Rules Committee approved unanimously.
• Parks Master Plan and related general plan amendment/development fee moved to full City Council without recommendation, approved unanimously.
• Fire-Rescue COVID-19 update received; no motion or vote.