[00:00:03] IT'S 5:00. I'M CALLING TONIGHT'S MEETING TO ORDER. [CALL TO ORDER] PLEASE TAKE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER LYNN. PRESENT. ONE. YOU CAN CALL ME WHATEVER YOU WANT. [LAUGHS] COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ACOSTA. I'M HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM BHAT-PATEL. HERE. MAYOR BLACKBURN. PRESENT. ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. [ANNOUNCEMENT OF CONCURRENT MEETINGS] ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TONIGHT'S CONCURRENT MEETINGS. THE CITY COUNCIL IS SERVING AS THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER FOUR. NEXT IS THE PLEDGE, CITY MANAGER PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. READY? BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [PRESENTATIONS] NEXT IS PRESENTATIONS. I INVITE MAYOR PRO TEM BHAT-PATEL TO PRESENT TO RHONDA WELSH SKELKO THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROCLAMATION. AND YES, MISS WELCH, IF YOU COULD COME TO THE PODIUM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO BE HERE WITH US AND FOR HONORING THIS MONTH WITH US. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT DOCTOR WELCH IS SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTUALLY INSPIRING OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS HERE. SHE TEACHES AT MIRACOSTA AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. I IT'S IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO SHAPE MINDS. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US TODAY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS DURING NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, THE CITY OF CARLSBAD CELEBRATES THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE PEOPLES PAST AND PRESENT, AND WHEREAS THIS LAND BEARS THE DEEP ROOTS OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE, A HOMELAND LOVED, SUSTAINED, AND COURAGEOUSLY PROTECTED THROUGH GENERATIONS. AND WHEREAS WE HONOR OUR NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO HAVE COURAGEOUSLY SERVED AND CONTINUED TO SERVE IN OUR ARMED FORCES, INCLUDING THE BRAVE NATIVE AMERICAN CODE TALKERS IN WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR TWO, AND WHEREAS, WE THANK NATIVE AMERICANS FOR THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE ARTS, CULTURE, EDUCATION, MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY. AND WHEREAS, DURING NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, WE RECOGNIZE THE KUMEYAAY AND THE LUISEÑO COMMUNITIES AS THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THE LAND. THEREFORE, I, MAYOR PRO TEM PRIYA BHAT-PATEL, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 2025 AS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF CARLSBAD. AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT OFF TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS ON. THERE IT GOES. THANK YOU, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. I ACCEPT IT ON BEHALF OF OUR ANCESTORS, OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, AND ALL NATIVE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRENGTH AND WELL-BEING OF THIS REGION, THIS LAND, OUR LAND HOLDS THE STORIES, THE SONGS, AND THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE KUMEYAAY AND LUISEÑO PEOPLES. OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE CARED FOR THIS PLACE WITH PROFOUND INTENTION, SUSTAINING IT SO FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN THRIVE. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO HONOR OUR NATIVE VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTRY WITH COURAGE AND DEEP RESPONSIBILITY. THEIR SERVICE EMBODIES THE VALUES OUR COMMUNITIES CARRY PROTECTION, SACRIFICE AND LOVE OF THE LAND IN PEOPLE. TODAY'S PROCLAMATION ALSO RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTION NATIVE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MAKE IN ARTS, CULTURE, EDUCATION, MEDICINE, TECHNOLOGY, AND PUBLIC SERVICE. THESE CONTRIBUTIONS CONTINUE TO A LONG STANDING TRADITION OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNITY CARE. AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THIS COMMUNITY, I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL THAT I CAN SHARE OUR HISTORIES AND PERSPECTIVES WITH STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE GROWN UP LEARNING ABOUT THE ORIGINAL CARETAKERS OF THIS LAND. I'M HONORED TO WORK AT MIRACOSTA COLLEGE AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO CARLSBAD'S COMMUNITY THAT VALUES LEARNING, GROWTH, AND INCLUSION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] MA'AM. WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN US UP HERE FOR A QUICK PHOTOGRAPH? [00:05:12] THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE. PERFECT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. NEXT IS THE REPORT OUT FROM ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION. [PUBLIC REPORT OF ANY ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION] CITY ATTORNEY, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS ITEM. THERE WAS NO REPORTABLE ACTION. THE ITEM RELATED TO THE AIRPORT LITIGATION DID NOT OCCUR AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR SOMETIME AT AN UPCOMING MEETING. THANK YOU. NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE TO READ THE FOLLOWING. [PUBLIC COMMENT] THE BROWN ACT IN THE CITY'S MEETING RULES ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, AS LONG AS THE COMMENTS ARE REGARDING MATTERS WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ALSO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS, AS LONG AS THE COMMENTS RELATE TO THE QUESTION OR MATTER UNDER CONSIDERATION. INFORMATION ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING IS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE AGENDA. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. CITY COUNCIL RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE BROWN ACT, NO ACTION MAY OCCUR ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. WHEN MAKING YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE TREAT OTHERS WITH COURTESY, CIVILITY AND RESPECT. WE WELCOME CLAPPING DURING THE CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. HOWEVER, WE ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING DURING THE BUSINESS SECTION OF THE MEETING, STARTING WITH THE NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS. THIS WILL HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS CAN BE CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY, AND THAT THIS CHAMBER IS A PLACE WHERE ALL POINTS OF VIEW ARE WELCOMED AND RESPECTED. THE CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME. PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. AT THE 2.5 MINUTE MARK, THE LIGHT ON THE PODIUM WILL TURN YELLOW, GIVING YOU NOTICE THAT YOU'RE DOWN TO THE LAST 30S. ASK THE CLERK TO TURN OFF THE MICROPHONE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THREE MINUTES. THAT WAY, EVERYBODY HAS EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEAK. PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER, MIKE BORRELLO, FOLLOWED BY GLENN BERNARD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MIKE BORRELLO, AND I'VE COME HERE TO BASICALLY TALK TO RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD. IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, I FILED A PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS ALLEGING CERTAIN ABUSE OF DISCRETION BY THE CITY REGARDING WATER RATES THE USE OF RECLAIMED WASTEWATER FOR IRRIGATION AND THEN CONNECTIONS TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO INVITE ANY RESIDENT WHO'S CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WATER BILL TO SHOW UP AT A HEARING THIS FRIDAY, WHICH IS DEMURRER HEARING. THIS IS THE MAKE OR BREAK OF THE PETITION FOR WRIT, I EITHER GO DOWN IN FLAMES OR WE MOVE ON TO HEARING FOR THE MERITS. SO PLEASE CONSIDER SHOWING UP. IT'S AT THE VISTA COURTHOUSE, IT'S TAKING PLACE THIS FRIDAY AT 1:30 P.M. IN DEPARTMENT N 27. AND AGAIN, MY NAME IS MIKE BORELLO. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION WHILE I'M UP HERE IS I DID UNCOVER ANOTHER PIECE OF EVIDENCE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD. AND THIS WAS ENACTED ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2021. THIS WAS THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION. AND WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED IN THAT IS THAT THIS DECLARATION WAS NOT DECLARED UNDER SECTION, SECTION 8630 OF THE CIVIL CODE. IT WAS DECLARED BASICALLY AS A SYMBOLIC GESTURE BY THE COUNCIL, NOT AN OFFICIAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION. IF IT WERE, YOU HAVE TO RENEW THOSE EVERY 60 DAYS. YOU HAVE TO RATIFY THEM. AND I JUST WONDER WHY IT WAS DONE THAT WAY AND WHY THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN REFERS TO THIS EMERGENCY [00:10:01] DECLARATION AS THOUGH IT WERE AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT, AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION, WHICH IT IS NOT. SO THE CAP DOES DECLARE AN EMERGENCY, BUT WE'RE NOT IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCIENCE, AND THAT REQUIRES GOING OUTSIDE OF WHAT THE STATE DECLARES IN THEIR RHETORIC AND NARRATIVES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRUE SCIENCE, WE ARE NOT IN AN EMERGENCY UNDER ANY OF THE ACCOUNTS. IF YOU READ THE IPCC DOCUMENTS, WE ARE NOT IN A DIRE SITUATION. THIS IS STATE RHETORIC AND I DON'T WANT LIES IN MY CITY. I DON'T WANT THE CITY TO ACT ON LIES BECAUSE YOU'RE SPENDING MY MONEY, MY TAXPAYER MONEY I HAVE STANDING. AND THAT'S WHY I'M IN COURT. WELL, THANKS FOR ALL THE TIME THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS GOOD EFFORT OF YOURS. I HOPE YOU SUCCEED, AND I'LL BE THERE FRIDAY IN COURT SUPPORTING YOU. I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT GOES ON BY THIS VERY ACTIVE CITY COUNCIL. SO I'M GOING TO COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS AND MAYBE YOU'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THEM. SO THIS IS ONLY GOING TO TAKE THREE MINUTES AT THE MOST. AN OVERPASS IS IS CRITICALLY NEEDED. AND I ALSO WANT TO USE THE WORD DIRE. A PEDESTRIAN OVERPASSES CRITICALLY NEEDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF EL CAMINO REAL AND CHESTNUT. AND IT'S IT'S BETTER TO GET IT DONE BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS THERE. I LIVE NEAR THAT INTERSECTION. TONS OF SCHOOL KIDS CROSS THAT INTERSECTION TWICE A DAY, AND I'VE SEEN TOO MANY NEAR MISSES. SPEND THE MONEY ON AN OVERPASS BEFORE THE BAD THING OCCURS. I'M HOLDING HERE NEWSPAPER WHERE A HEADLINE IS DEL MAR OKAYS NEW RULES FOR TREES THAT ARE BLOCKING VIEWS. AND MAYBE YOU'VE ALREADY ACTED SUCH AN ORDINANCE, BUT I HAVE SOME SOME MORE WORDS HERE FROM SOMETHING THAT USED TO BE IN THIS CITY'S LANDSCAPE MANUAL. SECTION D3123 STREET TREES ARE ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN FIVE FEET OF PAVING. NOW, IN TERMS OF TREES, YOU KNOW, BEING WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE, LIKE BLOCKING THE NEIGHBOR'S VIEW. I'M VERY PLEASED THAT DEL MAR IS CONCERNED WITH THAT, BECAUSE PRETTY SOON PEOPLE WILL BE SELLING THEIR HOUSES FOR MORE MONEY, AND THEREFORE THE NEW OWNERS WILL BE PAYING MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT. EVERY CITY SHOULD COPY THAT. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, STREET TREES ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN FIVE FEET OF PAVING. BUT WHILE THIS ORDINANCE WAS IN EFFECT AND IT'S NO LONGER IN EFFECT BECAUSE I ASKED CITY HALL TO ENFORCE IT, THE REASON I ASK CITY HALL TO ENFORCE IT WAS BECAUSE CITY HALL HAS HUNDREDS OF TREES OVER THERE PLANTED WHILE THIS ORDINANCE WAS IN EFFECT, AND I DROVE INTO A BRANCH ON MY FIRST NIGHT OF LIVING THERE. THAT WAS VERY UNPLEASANT. ORNAMENTAL PEAR TREES WITH BRANCHES THAT SPAN 15FT NINE OF THEM ON MY STREET. AND THEY'RE ALL GONE NOW. I DIDN'T REMOVE ANY OF THEM. AND I MUST SAY THAT THE TWO NEIGHBORS UP THE HILL FROM ME ON MY FIRST DAY OF LIVING THERE, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY LOST THEIR VIEWS BECAUSE THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LADY'S DOG, WHO I BOUGHT THE HOME FROM BARKING, TOOK HER TO DOG COURT. SHE HAD TO PAY A $50 FINE. AND IN RETALIATION, SHE PUT UP THREE GIANT TREES TO BLOCK THEIR VIEWS. DON CHRISTIANSEN FOLLOWED BY RUSSELL OWENS. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, STAFF, FELLOW CITIZENS. MY NAME IS DON CHRISTENSEN. I LIVE AT 3715 LONGVIEW DRIVE AND I CONTINUE TO BE A DECENTRALIZED RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVOCATE. LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS TWO MONTHS AGO, WHEN IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPOSED SOLAR FARM AT THE MAERKLE RESERVOIR. AT THAT SAME MEETING, AS I RECALL, ALL OF YOU EXPRESSED INTEREST IN FINDING ANOTHER LOCATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GENERATING [00:15:09] MORE LOCALLY SOURCED ELECTRICITY VIA SOLAR PANELS. AFTER THAT MEETING TWO MONTHS AGO, I DID PUT OUT AN EMAIL TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING ALL OF COUNCIL AND SOME STAFF AND A VARIETY OF OTHER FOLKS. I'D JUST LIKE TO READ A BIT OF THAT AND CARRY ON. I SUGGEST THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED FOCUS ON THE POTENTIAL OF A MICROGRID AT THE ORION SAFETY CENTER LOCATION. THERE IS A LOT OF ROOM THERE FOR SOLAR CANOPIES AND BATTERY STORAGE. IT WILL ALSO BE A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION SITE AS THE ORION CENTER IS BUILT WITH ADVANCED PLANNING. THE ORION SAFETY CENTER WOULD INCORPORATE A STATE OF THE ART MICROGRID THAT COULD SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES. CARLSBAD COUNCIL DISCUSSED THIS SEVEN YEARS AGO AND ALL THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA THEN. IT SHOULD BE AN EVEN BETTER IDEA NOW. HAVE A LOOK AT COUNCIL DISCUSSION FROM THE JUNE 12TH, 2018 MEETING. AGENDA ITEM 15. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS A REQUEST TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO DISCUSS UPDATING THE 2018 MICROGRID STUDY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WOULD YOU PLEASE TALK WITH PAZ GOMEZ? SHE'S RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT ROW. SHARE SOME OF THE INFORMATION WITH HER AND EXCHANGE IDEAS, PLEASE. THANK YOU. USE THE CITY WEBSITE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THREE DIFFERENCES OF GRAFFITI IN CARLSBAD. THIS NEEDS TO STOP. COSTCO, CARLSBAD AND CARLSBAD VILLAGE DRIVE RESTAURANTS HAVE PUBLIC SIGNS. THEY HAVE BEEN MARKED AS GRAFFITI ILLEGAL. THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD IN CARLSBAD. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BREATHE WITHOUT INSULT TO THE COMMUNITY. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS. NEXT IS CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE [CONSENT CALENDAR] THROUGH SEVEN. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN? YES, WE HAVE SPEAKERS ON ITEMS TWO AND FOUR. GLENN BERNARD. STICKING WITH THE IDEA THAT THE AGENDA ITEM SHOULD BE RESPECTED, I'M GOING TO READ THIS ONE SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE CARLSBAD CITY EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION REGARDING CONFINED SPACE, PAY FOR SCADA AND INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN AND SENIOR SCADA AND INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIAN CLASSIFICATIONS. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF CARLSBAD AND THE CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION. AMENDING ARTICLE 57 OF THE CARLSBAD CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RELATING TO CONFINED SPACE, SPACE PAY, HAZARD PAY TO INCLUDE SCADA AND INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIANS AND SENIOR SCADA AND INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICIANS. COUPLE OF STAFF CONTACTS FOLLOW. I HAVE A TEACHING CREDENTIAL AND A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION, AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ONE WORD OF THAT. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT WHOEVER WROTE IT IS A IS A PERSON THAT'S A MEMBER OF THE EMPLOYEES UNION. AND IT MAKES ME EXTREMELY REGRET THAT IN AMERICA, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE UNIONIZED. AND ONE MORE THING. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND THE ENTIRE THREE MINUTES FOR SURE. BUT DURING SEPTEMBER, I SPOKE ON WHAT'S THAT? C-SPAN TWICE. ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS. AND I DID ACTUALLY MENTION CARLSBAD CITY HALL, AND I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE THINGS THAT I SAID ON C-SPAN TWICE DURING SEPTEMBER. I'LL JUST GIVE MY TIME AWAY. BUT, WELL, IT'S JUST LIKE I SAID, IT'S UNIONS ARE FINE, BUT I JUST WISH GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAD NEVER UNIONIZED. ALL OF THEM, WHETHER YOU'RE A DESK JOCKEY, FIREFIGHTER OR A POLICEMAN. AND I CAN'T BLAME FIREFIGHTERS OR POLICEMEN FOR HAVING TO BE IN A UNION. [00:20:03] YOU GROW UP AS A KID, YOU WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER. YOU WANT TO BE A NAVY FIGHTER PILOT. YOU WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER, YOU WANT TO BE A MARINE. AND SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITHOUT HAVING TO BE IN A UNION. AND IT'S A SHAME THAT UNIONS CAUSE PROBLEMS. THEY ALWAYS EVERY UNION IN AMERICA CAUSES PRICES TO INCREASE ALL THE TIME. GLEN. YOU ALSO HAVE A SPEAKER CARD IN FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR. I NEED A MINUTE TO TO REORGANIZE MY NOTES HERE. [INAUDIBLE] BEFORE I GOT IT? START THE CLOCK. BILL MAHER IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ON HBO. HE'S SO GOOD. PEOPLE ARE SUGGESTING THAT HE SHOULD BE A REPUBLICAN. IN FACT, IT'S A SWITCH. WE HAVE A CONGRESSMAN THAT HAD THAT GOT FOR US 4 OR $5 MILLION FOR SOME ROUNDABOUTS, MAYBE FIVE OF THEM. AND QUITE A GIFT. BUT WE CONCLUDED THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE CONCERNED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOSE 17 PARKING SPOTS IN THAT AREA. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND I RESPECT THAT. AND THE CITY ACTED. AND I THINK THE NUMBER WENT DOWN FROM 4 TO 1 OR 5 TO 1 ROUNDABOUTS. THAT'S FINE. I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS OR CRITICISMS OF THAT. BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE, WE'RE ABOUT TO BECOME SAN FRANCISCO LIKE, IN LOSING ANOTHER PHARMACY. AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, OH, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE SACRAMENTO IS IS FORCING HOUSING REQUIREMENTS ON THIS CITY AND EVERY CITY. BUT IF YOU ARE ABLE TO UNDO A RESOLUTION THAT WAS FIRMLY PASSED AND HEADED DOWN THE ROAD TO COMPLETION BECAUSE SOMETHING ELSE CAME UP, LIKE THE LOSS OF 17 PARKING SPOTS. WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE LOSS OF THAT WONDERFUL LITTLE I GUESS I'M POINTING THE WRONG DIRECTION. THERE'S A PHARMACY OVER THERE CALLED THE CARLSBAD VILLAGE PHARMACY. IT'S WONDERFUL. THEY'RE GOING TO CLOSE DOWN BECAUSE SACRAMENTO IS FORCING BUILDING REQUIREMENTS ON THIS CITY. THE RITE AIDS HAVE CLOSED, YOU KNOW, DO WE REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE SAN FRANCISCO AND OTHER BIG CITIES IN AMERICA WHERE RETAIL SPACES ARE CLOSING? I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK IF IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAND TALL AND SAVE 17 PARKING SPACES, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND TALL AND FIGHT SACRAMENTO ON WHAT SACRAMENTO WANTS TO DO TO THIS CUTE LITTLE MALL OVER HERE, WHERE DENOTES IS AND CARLSBAD VILLAGE PHARMACY? FIGHT THEM. JUST FIGHT THEM. NOW, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FIGHT THEM, I THINK SACRAMENTO WANTS TO RUN EVERY CITY IN ITS ENTIRETY. WELL, THEN, IF YOU DON'T FIGHT THEM ON THIS, THEN WHY NOT JUST LET THEM RUN EVERYTHING WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO, WOULDN'T THEY? SO PLEASE, IF YOU CAN FIGHT FOR 17 PARKING SPOTS, PLEASE FIGHT FOR THAT CUTE MALL OVER THERE. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DEPEND ON THAT PHARMACY. PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS. ANYONE ON THE COUNCIL WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE ITEMS? YES, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO REGISTER A NO VOTE ON NUMBER SIX. THIS IS THE ARTIFICIAL TURF ITEM. ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO PULL ANY ITEMS? COMMENTS ON ANY ITEMS? MOTION, PLEASE. SO MOVED. SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ACOSTA'S NO VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER SIX. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION. ITEM NUMBER 9, CITY MANAGER. OH, I'M SORRY I MISSED ONE. [8. MAYORAL APPOINTMENT OF ONE MEMBER TO THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION] NUMBER EIGHT IS MAYORAL APPOINTMENT FOR ONE MEMBER TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM. MY NOMINATION IS FOR TERRY GROVE. ANYBODY ON COUNCIL WISH TO DISCUSS. MISS ACOSTA? YES. THANK YOU. I JUST NOTICED, NOT JUST NOTICE, BUT I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION DOESN'T HAVE ANYONE FROM THE MOST SOUTHERN DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT, DISTRICT FOUR. [00:25:01] AND ALTHOUGH PEOPLE DIDN'T APPLY, I JUST HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM EVERY DISTRICT ON EVERY COMMISSION. SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THIS ONE NOW, BUT FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THAT'S MY MOTION. PLEASE VOTE. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. NOW, ITEM NUMBER NINE IS THE ORDINANCE TO INSTALL [9. ORDINANCE TO INSTALL ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF JEFFERSON STREET AND OAK AVENUE, MADISON STREET AND CHESTNUT AVENUE, ROOSEVELT STREET AND CHESTNUT AVENUE AND MADISON STREET AND MAGNOLIA AVENUE ] ALL WAY STOP CONTROLS. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER NINE IS ORDINANCE TO INSTALL ALL WAY STOP CONTROL AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF JEFFERSON STREET AND OAK AVENUE, MADISON STREET AND CHESTNUT AVENUE, ROOSEVELT STREET AND CHESTNUT AVENUE AND MADISON STREET AND MAGNOLIA AVENUE. AND FOR PRESENTATION IS CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER JOHN KIM. AND THIS ITEM IS LINKED TO THE BARRIO ITEM AND THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS WELL. AND IT'S OF COUNCIL DISCRETION ON A PRESENTATION. DOES ANYBODY ON THE COUNCIL WISH TO HAVE A PRESENTATION? OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, MR. KIM, YOU ARE FAST. I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT ITEM. THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKERS. ALL RIGHT. AND WE DO NEED A VOTE TO INTRODUCE. YES. YEAH. AND MOVE INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDINANCE. SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. CITY ATTORNEY, REMIND ME YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. MAYOR. THANK YOU. NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. [10. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FY 2026-27 FUNDING PLAN AND NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY] ITEM NUMBER 10, CITY MANAGER. ITEM 10 IS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FOR FY 26-27 FUNDING PLAN AND NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY. AND FOR THE PRESENTATION IS SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER NICOLE PIANO-JONES. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION THIS EVENING WHERE I'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS CDBG, AS WELL AS THE FUNDING PLAN FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THE CITY RECEIVES CDBG FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. THE FUNDS ARE USED TO HELP THE CITY PROVIDE DECENT HOUSING, SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOWER INCOME PEOPLE. WE RECEIVE ABOUT 500,000 EVERY YEAR AND WITH THE GRANT COMES MANY REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON FOR THE HEARING TONIGHT. AND AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS TO ENSURE THE FUNDING IS BEING USED FOR ELIGIBLE PURPOSES. ONE SUCH PLAN IS THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN TO IDENTIFY THE CITY'S MOST CRITICAL NEEDS TO ADDRESS FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. THE 2025 2020 2030 CONSOLIDATED PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH SIX PRIORITIES, INCLUDING RETENTION AND CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SERVICES, AND SHELTER RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS. THE PURPOSE OF THE FUNDING PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE TONIGHT, IS TO REAFFIRM THOSE PRIORITIES AND THAT CONSOLIDATED PLAN. WE DO ANTICIPATE AND KICK OFF THE FUNDING CYCLE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AND WE ANTICIPATE FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AN ANNUAL AWARD OF ABOUT 534,000 WHICH IS BASED ON THE CURRENT ALLOCATION FROM THIS YEAR WITH A 5% REDUCTION WE ARE LIMITED IN HOW MUCH WE CAN SPEND IN EACH CATEGORY. SO WE ANTICIPATE ABOUT 80,000 FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, ABOUT 100 FOR ADMIN AND FAIR HOUSING, AND A LITTLE UNDER 350,000 FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FACILITIES. SO THE NEXT STEPS FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL ACTION THIS EVENING WOULD FOR STAFF TO MAKE THE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR NONPROFITS TO APPLY FOR NEW PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS FROM NOVEMBER TO JANUARY, FOLLOWED BY THE HOUSING COMMISSION REVIEW OF THOSE APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATION OF THOSE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS INTO A ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A 30 DAY REVIEW PERIOD, FOLLOWED BY A CITY COUNCIL HEARING IN APRIL. TO CONCLUDE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AND AN AUTHORIZED STAFF TO RELEASE THE NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I'M OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. [00:30:04] COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. MOTION. MOVE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION. SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER 11. [11. BARONS MARKET’S REQUEST FOR SIGN STANDARDS MODIFICATIONS (SDP 2025-0006/DEV2025-0063)] CITY MANAGER NUMBER 11. BARONS MARKET'S REQUEST FOR SIGN STANDARDS MODIFICATIONS AND FOR THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE SENIOR PLANNER EDWARD VALENZUELA AND CITY PLANNER ERIC LARDY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BLACKBURN AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. ITEM 11 ON THE AGENDA IS BARONS MARKET, A REQUEST FOR A SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND STANDARDS MODIFICATION FOR INCREASED SIGNAGE FOR BARONS MARKET GROCERY STORE. I'M GOING TO START THIS PRESENTATION BY QUICKLY GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURE. THESE PROCEDURES ARE ESTABLISHED TO ALLOW FOR ALL PARTIES OPPORTUNITIES FOR DUE PROCESS. FIRST IS STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THEN THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ASK STAFF QUESTIONS. NEXT THE APPLICANT WILL GIVE ITS GIVE A PRESENTATION, THEN THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ASK THE APPLICANT QUESTIONS. NEXT, PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL OPEN. AFTER THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS CLOSED, STAFF AND THE APPLICANT CAN RESPOND. NEXT IS THE CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION FOLLOWED BY THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE. THE PROJECT IS LOCATED ON A 2.46 ACRE LOT AT 2800 ROOSEVELT STREET IN THE VILLAGE BARRIO ZONE AND LAND USE DESIGNATION, AS WELL AS THE VILLAGE CENTER DISTRICT OF THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN. THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN AN EXISTING MULTI-TENANT COMMERCIAL CENTER SURROUNDED BY A MIXTURE OF COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES. THE PROJECT PROPOSES A REQUEST FOR A STANDARDS MODIFICATION FOR FOUR WALL SIGNS AND TWO MONUMENT SIGNS FOR THE BARONS MARKET GROCERY STORE, TO BE LOCATED IN A 14,000 SQUARE FOOT TENANT SPACE ON THE EAST END OF THE PROPERTY. THE TENANT SPACE IS ORIENTED TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT AWAY FROM ROOSEVELT AND MADISON STREET, AND IS APPROXIMATELY 230FT NORTH OF GRAND AVENUE. THE CURRENT VILLAGE AND BARRIO SIGN STANDARDS WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2019 WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN. THE STANDARDS IN THE MASTER PLAN APPLY TO ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN AREA, AND TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE MUNICIPAL CODE SIGN ORDINANCE AND THE SITE'S PREVIOUS SIGN PROGRAM. A MODIFICATION TO A DEVELOPMENT STANDARD MAY BE PERMITTED BY THE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY IN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN AREA TO ENABLE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT, AS DETERMINED BY THE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY. THROUGH DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL, A STANDARDS MODIFICATION MAY INCLUDE SIGN STANDARDS AND MAY INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE STANDARD. THE SIGNS PROPOSED UNDER THE STANDARDS MODIFICATION REQUEST ARE ONE 19 SQUARE FOOT WALL SIGN ORIENTED TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT AWAY FROM ROOSEVELT OR MADISON STREET, FEATURING A WHITE INTERNALLY ILLUMINATED FACE WITH A MAXIMUM OF 18 INCH LETTERS. TO APPROXIMATELY 55 SQUARE FOOT ILLUMINATED WALL SIGNS LOCATED ON AN ARCHITECTURAL TOWER ON THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE BUILDING, ONE FACING MADISON STREET AND THE OTHER FACING GRAND AVENUE. ONE APPROXIMATELY 100 SQUARE FOOT NON-ILLUMINATED BARONS MARKET LOGO SIGN, ALSO ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE BUILDING, WRAPPING AROUND THE TOWER. AND TWO SIX FOOT, SEVEN INCH TALL, 53 SQUARE FOOT MONUMENT SIGNS LOCATED OFF THE ROOSEVELT STREET AND MADISON STREET DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES TO THE SITE. THE MONUMENT SIGNS FEATURE A STONE VENEER BASE MATCHING THE BUILDING, WHITE ACRYLIC HALO LIT CHANNEL LETTERS ON A DARK BRONZE BASE, AND ILLUMINATED WHITE ACRYLIC CENTER WITH BROWN PAINTED PANELS AND A DARK GRAY COMMERCIAL CENTER IDENTIFICATION WITH WHITE ACRYLIC ILLUMINATED LETTERS. STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, AND FINDS THAT THE PROJECT IS CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PREPARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES. SECTION 15311 ONE ACCESSORY STRUCTURES, WHICH EXEMPTS ON PREMISE SIGNS. A DRAFT NOTICE OF EXEMPTION IS INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT FIVE OF THE STAFF REPORT FOR CONSIDERATION. FOR THE REASONS SPECIFIED HERE AND IN THE STAFF REPORT, STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE FINDINGS TO SUPPORT THE STANDARD'S MODIFICATION MODIFICATION CAN BE MADE. IF CITY COUNCIL AGREES, STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CEQA EXEMPTION DETERMINATION AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE MODIFICATION. THANK YOU. IF STAFF HAS, CITY COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT UP SLIDE NUMBER TWO? I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE CHEAT SHEET. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? MR. SHIN? YES. JUST CONFIRMING WITH SOME THINGS IN REGARDS TO THE SIGNAGE. WE CURRENTLY IN THAT ESTABLISHMENT, THERE'S TWO MONUMENT SIGNS THAT ALREADY EXIST, AND THEY JUST WANT TO KIND OF BEEF IT UP. [00:35:03] YES THAT'S CORRECT. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY DOUBLING THE SIZE OF THE MONUMENT SIGNS, BUT THERE'S TWO CURRENTLY EXISTING THERE. OKAY. MR. SHIN. MAY I PLEASE INTERRUPT YOU? YES. I FAILED TO ASK IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY DISCLOSURES THEY NEED TO MAKE REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM. MISS BURKHOLDER, I DID RECEIVE A PHONE CALL AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE FROM BARONS ABOUT SIGNAGE, AND I HAD MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY TALKED TO THE PEOPLE. NOT SURE IF THAT HAPPENED OR NOT. AND THEN JUST SOME RESIDENTS HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS WITH THE SIGNAGE AS WELL. AND THAT'S IT. MISS ACOSTA MR. DISCLOSURES BHAT-PATEL NO DISCLOSURES, AND I DON'T EITHER. THANK YOU, MR. SHIN. PLEASE PROCEED. GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE SIGNAGE RIGHT NOW, JUST WITH THIS PRESENTATION, JUST HOW MUCH LARGER ARE WE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING AGAINST THE STANDARDS OF THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN? SO THEY ARE PROPOSING WALL SIGNS FOR, THEY'RE PROPOSING FOUR WALL SIGNS. ONE PER ESTABLISHMENT IS ALLOWED THERE. AN ADDITIONAL SECOND WALL SIGN IS PERMITTED TO BE FOR ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE ENTRIES SERVING OR FACING THE PARKING LOT. THAT SECONDARY WALL SIGN IS ALLOWED TO BE TEN SQUARE FEET MAXIMUM. THEY ARE PROPOSING APPROXIMATELY 230FT² OF TOTAL WALL SIGN AREA. UNDER THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER {LAN, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT EQUALS 122 SQUARE FOOTAGE BASED ON THE FRONTAGE OF THE TENANT SPACE. SO THERE'S 122 LINEAL FEET FRONTAGE. THEY'RE ALLOWED 122FT² OF WALL SIGN AREA. THEY'RE ALSO PROPOSING TWO WALL SIGNS, AS WE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. ONE I'M SORRY, TWO MONUMENT SIGNS. ONE MONUMENT SIGN IS ALLOWED, AND THE MONUMENT SIGN IS LIMITED TO 24FT². SO THEY'RE PROPOSING 53 SQUARE FOOT MONUMENT SIGNS. THEY ARE ALSO PROPOSING 18 INCH LETTER HEIGHT FOR THE WALL SIGNS OR THAT IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED, AND THEY'RE PROPOSING 31 INCH MAXIMUM WALL WALL SIGNS. OKAY. AND THEN IN REGARDS TO SO THIS ZONE THAT WE'RE IN IS A 25 MILE AN HOUR ZONE. CORRECT. IN TERMS OF THE SPEED, SPEED LIMIT THAT I AM NOT SURE. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. I NOTICED OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM. AND THEN THE, THIS WILL BE THE SECOND GROCERY STORE OR BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING DOWN THE THE LOCATION WITH THE SMART AND FINAL. WILL THIS BE THE ONLY ONE HERE IN VILLAGE AND BARRIO? BASED UPON WHAT WE'VE HEARD IT COULD BE BY MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORE WITHIN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO AREA. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. MISS BURKHOLDER, THANK YOU. I'M JUST GOING OVER WHAT YOU JUST DID. COULD YOU PULL UP SLIDE SIX? I BELIEVE IT IS. RIGHT. SO THAT IS WITHIN OUR STANDARDS IN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN, RIGHT? NO, THAT IS NOT THIS. EITHER. OKAY. THIS WOULD BE ONE WALL SIGN ALLOWED IN THIS AREA BECAUSE THIS FACES THE PARKING LOT. AND THEN THERE COULD BE ONE WALL SIGN ON THE ADJACENT SIDE. OKAY. RIGHT. SO IS THAT WHAT SLIDE SEVEN IS THEN? I THINK I JUST GOT THEM. YEAH. OKAY. THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT RENDERING. DIFFERENT ANGLE ON WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING. WE DO HAVE SOME RENDERINGS WE COULD PULL UP OF WHAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE ALLOWED WITHOUT THE VARIANCE MODIFICATION. YES. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. SO HERE IS WHAT THE WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING AND WHAT THE CURRENT STANDARDS ARE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ON THE RIGHT IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. AND ON THE LEFT IS WHAT THEY'RE WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED, WHICH IS ONE WALL SIGN FACING MADISON STREET, WHICH THE BUILDING IS FRONTING ON. RIGHT. SO IF THIS IS GRANTED, WE WOULD BE SETTING PRECEDENCE IN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO. ARE WE AWARE OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT WANT TO INCREASE THEIR SIGNAGE OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? COUNCIL MEMBER WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY SPECIFICS. HOWEVER, WE MUST NOTE THAT SIGNAGE IN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN IS FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE. IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY AS PART OF A PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS. SO WE DO HAVE OFTEN DISCUSSIONS WITH PROPONENTS OF BUSINESSES TO SEE WHAT CAN THEY DO WITHIN THE CONFINES. WE OFTEN GET REQUESTS THAT ARE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT SUPPORT. THAT SAID, WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER FACILITIES OF THIS SIZE, OF THIS TENANT TYPE OR THIS CONFIGURATION WHERE YOU HAVE A PARKING LOT IN BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE MAIN TRAVEL WAY OF GRAND. [00:40:02] THAT WOULD BE PROPOSING A MODIFICATION SUCH AS THIS, WHICH IS WHY WE THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE TO PRESENT TO THE DECISION MAKERS WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED FROM THE APPLICANT. BUT IT IS SOMETHING, AS THE DECISION MAKERS, THE COUNCILS AND THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE. AND IF YOU'LL INDULGE US JUST FOR ONE SECOND, WE DO HAVE TWO OTHER RENDERINGS THAT SHOW WHAT THE ALLOWED SIGNAGE WOULD BE. UNDER THE CURRENT STANDARDS, FACING GRAND AND THE PARKING LOT. SO THIS WOULD BE WHAT THE CURRENT STANDARDS WOULD ALLOW IN THIS VANTAGE POINT FACING GRAND. CORRECT. OKAY. SO THE THE VARIANCE HERE HAS TO BE DECIDED ON. OR MAYBE IT'S NOT CALLED THAT. HAS TO BE DECIDED ON BASED ON LIKE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT. RIGHT. SO MAYBE WE'LL GET INTO THAT WHEN THE APPLICANT TALKS. BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR HOW THAT IS A BENEFIT BECAUSE WE HAVE VILLAGE OF BARRIO STANDARDS FOR A REASON. AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. SO I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER UNDER COMMENTS. BUT THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. THANK YOU. MISS ACOSTA THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PUBLIC BENEFIT. I DID READ IN THE AGENDA PACKET THAT RELATED TO COUNCIL MEMBER SHIN COMMENTS THAT BARONS MARKET BY 2026 WOULD IS ANTICIPATED TO BE THE THE ONLY GROCERY STORE ANTICIPATED IN THIS AREA. AND I SEE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BARRON'S MARKET WOULD PROVIDE ESSENTIAL DAILY GOODS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE VILLAGE'S VIBRANCY. OVERALL, I'M READING NOW. OVERALL, ENHANCED SIGNAGE ADVANCES THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLANS, POLICIES PROMOTING ACCESSIBILITY, ACTIVE STREETS AND A COHESIVE VILLAGE CENTER. IS THERE, IS THERE? THIS IS ON. SORRY. LET ME LET YOU KNOW. IT'S PAGE THREE OF 28, IN AGENDA ITEM 11 THAT I WAS READING FROM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PAGE. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF THE CONCEPT THAT I'M THINKING OF IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A CENTRAL GOODS GROCERIES, FOOD AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. AND THIS THIS IS THE ONLY TENANT, THE ONLY STORE, THE ONLY RETAIL CENTER THAT IS, IS PROVIDING A GROCERY STORE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS IS ONE REASON I THINK THAT THIS MIGHT BE AN EXCEPTION, BUT I'M LOOKING TO YOU, STAFF TO SEE IF MAYBE THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO ARTICULATE WHAT I JUST DID. I WAS TRYING TO READ, TO USE YOUR WORDS. BUT IS THERE SOME OTHER REASONING THAT WE ARE DOING THIS ESPECIALLY FOR THIS ONE, SO THAT WE AREN'T SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR JUST ANY OLD BUSINESS? THANK YOU. SO THIS THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN DOES HAVE RESTRICTED SIGN STANDARDS. IT ALSO HAS POLICIES THAT RELATE TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITHIN THE VILLAGE CENTER DISTRICT, AND IT INCLUDES REFERENCES TO VITAL USES, OF WHICH A GROCERY STORE IS A VITAL USE THAT THE PLAN WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE. WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THAT. WE'VE ALSO SEEN CHALLENGES CITING GROCERS BOTH WITHIN THE VILLAGE AS WELL AS JUST CITYWIDE. GIVEN THE CURRENT RETAIL MARKET THERE AND WHAT WAS REPORTED TO US BY THE OPERATOR AND CAN BE ASKED OF THEM IS THAT THEY NEED THIS SIGNAGE AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AND MARKETING. WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE SIGNS ABOVE WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE PLAN. AND BUT THERE IS THIS STANDARD OF STANDARDS MODIFICATION AT ANY PUBLIC BENEFIT AS DEFINED BY THE DECISION MAKERS. AND BALANCING THAT, THE COUNCIL HAS MADE IT CLEAR THEY'D LIKE TO FINAL DECISION ON ANY PROJECTS IN THE VILLAGE. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND CERTAINLY I'LL HAVE QUESTIONS LATER FOR THE APPLICANT. BUT JUST RELATED TO GROCERY STORES IN GENERAL IN CARLSBAD OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA THAT HAS A SPECIAL STANDARD, IS THE SIGNAGE HEIGHT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN OTHER PARTS OF, OF CARLSBAD AS RELATING TO GROCERY STORE, LIKE VONS SIGNS OR TRADER JOE'S SIGNS, OR OTHER OTHER GROCERY STORES. ARE THEY ABOUT THIS SIZE? SO OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN AREA, THE SIGNAGE FOR LETTER HEIGHT IS USUALLY BASED ON TENANT SPACE. SO UNDER THE OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN, UNDER THE SIGN ORDINANCE, THEY WOULD ALLOW TO HAVE UP TO 36 INCH LETTERS FOR THIS FOR THIS SIZE TENANT SPACE 14,000FT². AND UNDER THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN, THEY'RE LIMITED TO 18 INCH LETTERS. AND IF I CAN JUST ADD ONTO THAT, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY REQUESTING SIX VARIANCES FROM THE SIGN REQUIREMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN. FOUR OF THOSE WOULD BE ALLOWED. THE ONES THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED OUTSIDE WOULD BE THE THE LARGE LOGO, THE B, BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT 100FT² IN TOTAL. AND THEN THE SIZE OF THE MONUMENT SIGNS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY RESTRICTED TO SIX FEET IN HEIGHT AND IS PROPOSED AT SIX FEET, SEVEN INCHES. THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO, I READ THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO REVIEWED THIS, [00:45:06] AND IT SEEMED THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WAYFINDING AS AS POSITIVE, BUT ALSO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE LOOK OF OF HAVING THIS AND NOT COMPLYING. I'M WONDERING WHAT IS WAYFINDING, IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW. AND HOW IS THAT A POSITIVE THING? YEAH. WAYFINDING TYPICALLY REFERS TO THE PEDESTRIAN, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE FOR AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC AS WELL. FINDING THE LOCATIONS. IT'S SHOWN IN IN VILLAGE SETTINGS. AND IT'S THROUGHOUT OUR VILLAGE AND AREAS WHERE IT'S POINTING TO PUBLIC PARKING, PARKING LOTS OR POINTING TO BUSINESSES THAT'S TYPICALLY REFERRED TO WAYFINDING. AND THESE SIGNS, GIVEN THE HEIGHT OF THE TOWER, COULD HELP SUPPORT THAT. OKAY, SO IF IT'S LARGE, VISIBLE OR MAYBE HIGH UP, PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND THAT PLACE BETTER. AND IF IT'S THE ONLY GROCERY STORE IN TOWN, THEN THEN I CAN SEE HOW THAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. THANK YOU, MISS BHAT-PATEL. YES. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE, AT LEAST FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND CHATTING WITH FOLKS AND OF COURSE WITH OUR STANDARDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE DO HAVE RESTRICTIVE STANDARDS WITH REGARDS TO OUR SIGNAGE. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY QUITE A BIT. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN I YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION ON HOW MUCH IT DEVIATES FROM THE REST OF THE CITY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER. I KNOW ONE THING THAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS, FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE HAD MAYBE A SIMILAR ASK OR OTHER ASKS THAT ARE ON PAR WITH THIS AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF IT MOVING FORWARD AND BEING GRANTED. HAVE WE HAD A SIMILAR ASK IN THE PAST? WE HAVEN'T HAD A SIMILAR ASK SPECIFIC TO THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN. IT'S ALSO RELATIVELY NEW UNDER THE SIGNS STANDARDS AND PROVISIONS, AND WE SORT OF WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT TO TO COME UP WITH THIS PROCESS FOR A DECISION BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM FORMER STAFF. THERE HAVE BEEN CASES OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE AREA THAT HAVE PROCESSED VARIANCES THAT CAN INCREASE THEIR SIGNAGE. WE WERE GRANTED UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY A VARIANCE OF 10% IN SIGNAGE THAT WE DO OFTEN USE. BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH FOR WHAT AN APPLICANT IS PROPOSING. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE OTHER I THINK I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS. ONE WOULD BE AROUND IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY EFFECT FROM YOUR. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, THAT'S FINE TOO. BUT ANY EFFECT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SPACES THERE JUST BASED ON THE LIGHTING, WHATEVER ELSE. I MEAN, IS IT GOING TO BE INFRINGING ON ANYONE'S YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, JUST THEIR SPACES SPECIFICALLY. WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC STUDY ON THAT. AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S THE SITUATION COULD CHANGE AS LOTS AROUND IT BUILD OUT. THE PROJECT WILL BE CONDITIONED TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTING AT THEIR CLOSE, WHICH THEY'VE TOLD US IS YES, THAT'S CORRECT. THEY TOLD US IT'S 10 P.M.. SO THAT WOULD REDUCE SOME OF THE LIGHTING. IT IS ALSO AN URBAN SETTING, AND THERE ARE OTHER LIGHTS, LIGHTED SIGNS WITHIN THE AREA THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT THAT AS WELL. SURE. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE MONUMENT SIGN. IF YOU COULD PULL IT UP. I JUST WANTED TO VISUALLY ASK ABOUT THAT AND ASK IF IT WOULD LOOK AS IT'S PRESENTED. SO WOULD THAT MEAN THAT THEY WOULD HAVE? OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ARE THEY? I MEAN, ARE THEY GOING TO BE RIGHT AT THE TOP AND THEN EVERY OTHER TENANT IS BELOW? AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S STANDARD BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE SIZE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT? I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE EQUALLY DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. SO I JUST AM CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. YES, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COMMON THAT THE ANCHOR TENANT USUALLY HAS THE LARGER SPACE. THE MORE PROMINENT SPACE. PERFECT. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. ON THE BIG MONUMENT OR NOT MONUMENT, BUT THE THE BIG PORTION. YOU SAID THAT THE SIGN IS GOING TO FACE TOWARD MADISON. IF IT FIT IN WITH THE THE REGULAR RULES. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. THAT'S CORRECT. LET ME PULL UP THE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO IN THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE CURRENT STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE THE SIGN THAT IS FACING MADISON STREET THAT IS EXISTING. AND THE, IN WITH THE MODIFICATIONS ARE ALSO PROPOSING ONE THAT IS TOWARDS GRAND AVENUE AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO THE LOGO SIGN THAT YOU CAN SEE I'M LOOKING AT THE PICTURE. MY FIRST THOUGHT RIGHT AWAY IS SAY YES TO ONE. [00:50:01] YOU GOT TO SAY YES TO ALL OF THEM. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M FIGHTING WITH, JUST TO GIVE YOU MY, MY PERSPECTIVE. BUT THEN I'M LOOKING AT THE SIGN OR THIS BIG BOX, AND IT SEEMS LIKE FACING MADISON WOULDN'T GET THE SAME EFFECT OR SAME EFFECTIVENESS AS IF IT WERE FACING GRAND. IS THERE A IS THERE A VILLAGE BARRIO SIGN PLAN THAT SAYS THEY CAN'T FACE GRAND? USUALLY THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN. IT STATES THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO FACE THE STREET FRONTAGE AND IT ALLOWS FOR THAT SECONDARY SIGN TO FACE THE PARKING LOT. SO IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE BUILDING IS ORIENTED. THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A UNIQUE SITUATION AS IT'S ORIENTED TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT AND NOT TOWARDS THE STREET FRONTAGE LIKE MOST OF THE TENANT SPACES IN THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO AREA. SO IF THEY CHOSE TO HAVE IT FACE GRAND, THAT WOULDN'T BE A HUGE DEVIATION FROM OUR VILLAGE. AND PLAN, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER A HUGE DEVIATION. YEAH. I MEAN, THE COUNCIL CERTAINLY COULD INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF A STANDARDS MODIFICATION TO INCLUDE WE CERTAINLY AGREE THAT GRAND IS THE HEAVIER TRAFFIC ROADWAY. IF THIS WAS A BRAND NEW BUILDING OR A TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD, WE WOULD LIKELY REQUIRE THE BUILDING ITSELF FRONT ON GRAND TO ENCOURAGE THAT PEDESTRIAN INTERACTION. AND, AND THEN IT WOULD BE LESS NECESSARY TO HAVE A LARGE SIGN BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT THEY ARE GOING INTO AN EXISTING CENTER AND WE'RE TRYING TO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THAT WITH THEM. AND THAT GOLD B IS CONSIDERED A SIGN. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES. WE DISCUSSED IS THAT AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE. BUT IT'S IT'S MOST CONSISTENT WITH IT'S A SIGN. AND SO THAT IS ABOUT 100FT² OF THE 230 OR SO SQUARE FEET OF SIGNAGE THEY'RE PROPOSING. SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS YOU HAD TO DISCUSS IT. SO IF THE COUNCIL DECIDED THAT WAS MORE OF A DECORATION I'M LOOKING AT THE THE SIGN THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. AND I'M PICTURING THE THE BARONS MARKET FACING GRAND, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY BORING BIG BLOCK OF NOTHING. AND I'M THINKING THE BE WOULD HELP BREAK UP THAT THAT BIG BLACK BOX. IS THERE A WAY THAT THE COUNCIL CAN DETERMINE THAT THAT B IS A I DON'T KNOW, AN ART OR AN ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXTUAL PAINT PORTION OF THIS? OR IS IT DEFINITELY A SIGN? THE REASON WE DECIDED TO RECOMMEND IT BEING A SIGN IS BECAUSE IT IS THE LETTER, AND IT IS THEIR THEIR LOGO ITSELF. AND WE HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS IN THE PAST RELATED TO FOLKS TRYING TO DO EITHER DESIGN OR MURALS THAT ARE MORE ON THE ADVERTISEMENT SIDE. IT IS CERTAINLY WITHIN THE COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE TO REQUEST A REVISED STANDARDS MODIFICATION AND DIRECT US TO APPROVE EITHER PORTION OF THIS OR A REVISED VERSION OF THIS, AND COULD INCLUDE THAT AS SOME OF THE REASONING IN EITHER LEAVING THAT OR TAKING THAT OUT OF THE PROPOSAL. OKAY. AND I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED WITH PEOPLE KNOWING WHERE BARONS IS. IT'S A SMALL DOWNTOWN VILLAGE. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO KNOW IT'S THERE AND IN A WEEK OR TWO. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THE WAYFINDING IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME, BUT THE MONUMENT SIGNS, I THINK, HELP PEOPLE DECIDE WHICH DRIVEWAY THEY'RE GOING TO PULL INTO. DID YOU SAY THE MONUMENT SIGNS ALSO ARE NEEDING TO BE A WAIVER FOR THOSE TOO? YES. SO UNDER THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN, ONLY ONE MONUMENT SIGN IS ALLOWED PER LOT. AND ADDITIONALLY, THEY'RE LIMITED TO 24FT² IN SIZE AND SIX FEET IN HEIGHT. SO THEY'RE PROPOSING TWO MONUMENT SIGNS, ONE AT EACH DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE SIX FOOT, SEVEN INCH TALL MONUMENT SIGN. SO IT'S SEVEN INCHES ABOVE WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE STANDARDS, AS WELL AS IF THEY'RE EACH 53FT², WHICH THE MAXIMUM SIZE IS 24FT² PER MONUMENT SIGN IN THE VILLAGE AND MASTER PLAN STANDARDS. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS DIFFICULT. WOULD YOU PUT UP THE SHEET SHEET AGAIN, PLEASE? THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A PICTURE OF IT SO I WON'T HAVE YOU KEEP IT DOING THAT. THANK YOU. NEXT IS THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION. YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES. PLEASE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, BUT. TEN MINUTES. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS JOE SHEMIRANI. I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE BARONS MARKET. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO THE VILLAGE. IT TOOK US 12 YEARS, THREE TIMES TO NEGOTIATE THIS SITE. SIR, WOULD YOU TALK CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE? OKAY. THANK YOU. TOOK US ABOUT 12 YEARS TO ACTUALLY MAKE A LEASE ON THIS SITE. [00:55:10] CURRENTLY, WE HAVE NINE STORES. FIVE IN SAN DIEGO, FOUR IN RIVERSIDE. THIS WOULD BE OUR 10TH STORE. THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT. USUALLY WE SPEND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 900,000 TO $1 MILLION. THIS WAS ESTIMATED AT 3 MILLION. WE ARE REACHING $6 MILLION. WE JUST APPROACHED THE BANK AND GOT A LINE OF CREDIT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN COVER THIS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIGNAGE. BOTTOM LINE. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT THE BALANCE CONCEPT. WE ARE A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY. MY FAMILY HAS BROUGHT UP IN POWAY. WE ARE LOCAL. OUR PRODUCT LINE, ORGANIC NATURAL FOOD. TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU SEE AT THE GROCERY STORE. WE BELIEVE IN IT. CUSTOMERS ARE BUSY TEN MINUTE SHOPPING IN AND OUT. IF YOU GO TO ONE OF THE BIG SUPERMARKETS, YOU WANT TO GET A PASTA SAUCE. YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO DRIVE 25 TO 30FT OF PASTA SAUCE. WE HAVE IT IN FOUR FEET. WE START FROM 3.99 ORGANIC. NATURAL. GO TO THE RESTAURANT QUALITY AT 6.99. WE ARE PRETTY COMPETITIVE. COSTCO IS BETTER PRICE THAN US, TRADER JOE'S A LITTLE BETTER THAN US, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE OUR QUALITY. WE ARE CHEAPER THAN THE TYPICAL GROCERY STORES. ONE. THE TYPICAL GROCERY STORE HAD ABOUT 50,000 ITEMS. WE CARRY ONLY 9000 ITEMS. WE HAVE A PANEL EVERY WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE ABOUT 30 TO 40 PEOPLE OF OUR MANAGEMENT GET TOGETHER. WE LOOK AT 100 TO 120 ITEMS BEFORE WE SELECT 4 OR 5 ITEMS. EVERY SINGLE ITEM YOU SEE SHELF HAS GONE TO THIS PANEL. AT THIS PANEL WE LOOK AT THE LABEL. WE LOOK AT THE INGREDIENT. WE LOOK AT THE TASTE, OF COURSE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO TASTE AND THEN WE DECIDE THE COST. THE RETAIL ARE THIS COMPETITIVE. IF IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH THAT WE CAN, WE'VE GOT FOUR PEOPLE JUST NEGOTIATING ALL DAY. IF WE DO IT, IF IT'S NOT THE RIGHT PRICE WE PASS OUT OR DON'T HAVE. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN OUR STORES OR NOT? WE HAVE A SOUP BAR THAT NOBODY IN CALIFORNIA CAN COME CLOSE BY. TEN WELLS, MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. WE RUN OUT OF SOUP BAR. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LINE THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH THE RAIN COMING UP. 12 PEOPLE STANDING TRYING TO GET A SOUP BAR. THE TASTE IS UNBELIEVABLE. THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE SOUP FOR US. WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE ACCOUNT IN WEST COAST. WE RECEIVE THEM BY TRUCKLOADS. OUR OLIVE BAR. YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK AND GO TO, LIKE, BALDUCCI'S OR ZABAR'S TO SEE ANYTHING THAT WE CARRY. WE DON'T CARRY COKE. WE DON'T CARRY 7UP. WE DON'T CARRY BUDWEISER. WE DON'T CARRY COORS . EVERY SINGLE THAT WE HAVE IS A SPECIALTY OF. THE SALAD BAR, THE CHICKEN WE HAVE. THE SALAD BAR IS NOT OUT OF THE BOX. THE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN THAT WE MAKE, WE CUT UP JUST THE BREAST AND WE USE THAT SALAD BAR. OUR TEAM, OUR EMPLOYEES, WE USED TO SAY OUR CUSTOMERS ARE NUMBER ONE ASSET. WE CHANGE THAT. OUR EMPLOYEES ARE NUMBER ONE ASSET. WE TAKE CARE OF THEM. THEY TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMERS. WE NEVER ASK THE EMPLOYEES TO SMILE. IT'S VERY EASY TO ASK FOR A SMILE. IT HAS TO BE REAL. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM SO GOOD. THAT SMILE COMES. ANY OF YOU VISITING OUR STORES, YOU CAN SEE HOW OUR EMPLOYEES ARE DIFFERENT. WHETHER THEY ARE FULL TIME OR PART TIME. THEY GET HEALTH BENEFITS IF THEY WANT TO DENTAL, THEY VACATION 401 K MATCHING DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR. PROFIT SHARING. VACATION. YOU NAME IT, AND WE COVER THEM. WE HAVE SOME TURNOVER ON CASHIERS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGEMENT, HARDLY ANY CHANGES, HARDLY ANY TURNING OVER. WE HAVE PROBABLY ABOUT, OH, MAYBE 8 TO 10 STORE DIRECTORS OF ALBERTSONS AND VONS AND TARGET THAT THEY HAVE JOINED US AND THEY LOVE IT. THEY GET A CUT IN PAY. THEY JOIN US, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY MAKE IT. WE. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. LAST YEAR, WE HAVE HELPED 300 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS [01:00:08] OVER $300,000. THAT'S WHAT OUR COST HAS BEEN. IT'S A SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK, FEEDING SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY, RADY CHILDREN'S CHILDREN, HOSPITALS. MEALS FOR MILITARY, ANY MILITARY ORGANIZATION. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE. PART OF THIS AND I CAN GO ON SCHOOLS, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HUNDREDS OF HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DO INSTEAD OF WASTING OUR TIME OF ADVERTISING BECAUSE OUR CONCEPT, THERE'S NO GIMMICK, THERE'S NO PRICE CHANGE, THERE IS NO COUPON, THERE IS NO BUY ONE, GET FREE. WHAT YOU SEE IS THE PRICE. TYPICAL SUPERMARKETS THEY HAVE. I'M NOT EXAGGERATING. CLOSE TO THOUSAND PRICE CHANGES A WEEK. WE DON'T MAYBE 4 OR 5 PRODUCE CHANGES. AND THOSE ARE THE ONES WE CHANGE. WE. COUPLE OF EXAMPLE. I WANT TO SAY INSTEAD OF DOING THE MARKETING WE STARTED 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO, THIS THING CALLED CHILDREN FUN TOUR PEOPLE FROM 6 TO 9 WITH THE PARENTS AND THE TEACHERS GROUP OF 20, 25 PEOPLE COME TO THE STORES. SOURCE. UNBELIEVABLE. THE AMOUNT OF THE ENJOYMENT. THEY COME, THEY COME TO THE STORES, THEY GO TO THE OJ MACHINE. THEY THEY MAKE THEIR OJ'S, THEY GO TO THE PRODUCE, THEY TALK ABOUT THE PRODUCE. DID YOU KNOW THERE'S 750 APPLES IN THE UNITED STATES? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. DID YOU KNOW THAT CHICKEN IS RELATED TO TO DINOSAURS? THE STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN THERE, THEY WALK IN THE BACK, THEY GO IN THE COOLER, THEY GO IN THE FREEZER, THEY THEY TAKE THEM TO THE AREA. THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE SMASHING THE BOX. AND THEY LOVE TO SEE HOW THE BALERS WORK. IT'S REALLY, REALLY JOYFUL FOR THEM. THE AMOUNT OF THE PARENTS THAT APPROACH US, THEY WANT TO COME. EVEN A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WITH THE HOME HOMESCHOOL, THEY STILL COME TO OUR THIS ONE BIT OF ADVERTISING. WE ARE KNOWN AS THE AFTER. DISNEYLAND, THE SECOND HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH. AND I MEAN THAT WE HEAR THAT CONSTANTLY AND DON'T LAUGH. ONE PARENT. ABOUT A WEEK AGO, THE KID HAD TO DECIDE BETWEEN THE DISNEYLAND AND BARON'S. DECIDED ON BARON'S. AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. LET ME TALK ABOUT THE SIGNAGE. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WE NEED THE SIGNAGE. OUR CONSTRUCTION OF $6 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY. WE MUST BE SUCCESSFUL. WE NEED THE VISIBILITY. THAT SIGN GOT TO BE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CLOSE TO GRANT. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ATTRACT THE PEDESTRIAN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET A BICYCLIST. THERE IS A CAR. CAN WE MOVE THAT COUPLE OF INCHES? WOULD THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? I CANNOT TELL YOU THAT. WE HIRED THE BEST ARCHITECTS TO COME FROM MICHIGAN, SPEND THREE DAYS IN HERE, LOOK AT THE AREA, DRIVE AROUND IN HERE. THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM. AND WE HAVE TO GET VISIBILITY. AND THAT'S THE REASON WE CAME UP WITH THIS ONE. AND LET ME GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS. WE HAVE 122FT. AND THAT ALLOWS BASED ON WHAT YOU TOLD US. 122FT OF SQUARE FEET OF SIGNAGE, THE TWO BARON SIGNS WITH THE MARKET RIGHT NOW AND ADDING ANOTHER SIGN IS VERY CLOSE TO 129FT². VERY CLOSE. THE ONE HAS REALLY GOT UP TO 100. IS THAT BE? WHICH IS OUR LOGO. NOW ONE IDEA IS YOU COULD SAY, WHY CAN'T WE GET RID OF THE LOGO? YOU COULD. IT WOULDN'T LOOK THE SAME WHEN YOU CUT IT A LITTLE BIT. YOU COULD. YOU HAD SOME PICTURE SHOWING WITHOUT THE LOGO. IS IT BASICALLY WALL. BY THE WAY, THE SIGN IS SMALLER THAN ALL OF OUR STORES. MAJORITY OF OUR STORES BETWEEN 48 TO 60IN OF LETTERS THAT WE USE. BUT BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTION, AS A MATTER OF FACT, A COUPLE OF THOSE WE CHANGED. THE ONE OVER THE DOORWAY WAS TO BE 28IN. WE REDUCED THAT TO 18 INCH TO COMPLY WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS. SO REALLY THE ONE WHICH IS OUT IS THAT B WHICH IS OUR LOGO MONUMENT SIGN. THERE ARE TWO EXISTING MONUMENT SIGN. THERE WERE FOUR FEET EVEN UP TO SIX FEET, WHICH IS EXTENDED. IT'S ONLY SIX FOOT SEVEN INCHES. AND THIS ACTUALLY THE SIGN ITSELF IS ONLY SIX FEET. BUT THERE'S A SEVEN, SIR, THE TEN MINUTES IS EXPIRED. BUT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCILMEMBERS TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS. BUT BEFORE THEY START, I WANT TO TELL YOU. YOU MADE ME IN THE MOOD FOR SOUP. AND NOW I WANT TO COME WORK AT BARONS. SO. MR. SHIN QUESTIONS, MISS BURKHOLDER. YES, SIR. CAN YOU PLEASE FINISH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE AND THE MONUMENTS? [01:05:07] IT'S. THOSE ARE THE ONES. SO REALLY THE MONUMENT IS ONLY SEVEN INCHES, WHICH IS THE BASE, BUT THE REST OF IT IS AT. AND BY THE WAY, THAT HAS BEEN PART OF OUR APPROVAL WITH THE LANDLORD THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE. BY THE WAY WE MAKE ALL OF THESE, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE. SO THAT'S THAT'S PART OF OUR LEASE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE SIGNAGE. YEAH. YOU'RE SAYING THE LANDLORD IS REQUIRING THE MONUMENTS TO BE REDONE? NO. OH, SAYING WHAT DESIGN THAT YOU SEE WITH THE NAMES. THIS ALL HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH THE LANDLORD. OH, IN OTHER WORDS, THE SAME TEN NAMES THAT YOU SEE FOR OTHER TENANTS ARE EXISTING RIGHT NOW. ON THE OLD ONES, WE ARE JUST REPLACING THE OLD ONE WITH THE NEW ONES. GOT IT. SO I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN, THAT WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT WE LIKE TO MAINTAIN IN THAT AREA OF THE CITY. PARTICULARLY BECAUSE IT PROTECTS THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE VILLAGE AND WHAT THE LEVEL HERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO, TO GRANT A VARIANCE IS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT TO INCREASE THE SIGNAGE SOMETIMES TWICE THE SIZE THAT IS IS IN OUR STANDARD. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BENEFIT TO A TO NOT ONLY JUST LARGER SIGNS, BUT LARGER EVERYTHING RELATIVE TO SIGNAGE. WE ARE INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY IN THIS CITY. IT TOOK US A LOT OF YEARS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. CAN I PROVE EVERY CHANGE THAT WE DO? HOW MANY CUSTOMERS I'M GOING TO LOSE? I CANNOT DO THAT. ALL I CAN TELL YOU, YOU GOT THE BEST DESIGNERS. THEY LOOK AT THE AREA. WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, WE REDUCED THE AMOUNT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE. THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE MONUMENT SIGN WAS EIGHT FEET. AND THEY SAID YOU CANNOT GO OVER SIX FEET. SO WE WENT DOWN TO THE SIX FEET AND WITH THE SEVEN INCHES OF THE BASE. SO IT'S NOT THAT EVERYTHING WE WANTED IT, IT IS. WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH CUSTOMERS SO WE CAN CAN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, TAKE CARE OF THE CITY. AND WE CANNOT TAKE A CHANCE. EVERY SHOPPING CENTER YOU GO, 36 IS A MINIMUM. YOU SEE 48IN, 60IN. MOST OF OUR STORES ARE. OVER 40 TO 60IN ON SIDE. WE REALLY WENT OUT OF OUR WAY AND AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN GREAT TO HELP US TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH. AND AGAIN, THE, THE, THE IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ONE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE LOGO IS ABOUT HALF OF IT. IF YOU TAKE THAT LOGO, I MEAN, NOT THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO TAKE THE LOGO OUT. YOU COULD TAKE THE LOGO OUT, BUT IT'S GOING TO IT'S EMPTY. IT'S NOTHING HAPPENS THERE. BUT WITHOUT THE BY THE WAY, THE LOGO IS NOT ILLUMINATED. AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION. SO IT'S NOT ILLUMINATED. AND IT IS. JUST A LOGO. I DON'T WANT TO COMPARE OURSELVES WITH WITH WITH WITH SOME OF THE BIG COMPANIES. YOU GO TO MCDONALD'S, THERE'S A LOGO YOU CANNOT TOUCH THAT. THAT'S THE LOGO GOES WITH THAT. DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT? IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DESIGN. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT YOU PROBABLY DO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE ISSUE A VARIANCE ON THIS, THAT OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA COULD POTENTIALLY WANT TO CHANGE THEIR SIGNAGE AS WELL. IF THERE'S ANOTHER GROCERY COMING IN THERE, THE 15,000 SQUARE FOOT. I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE FOOTPRINT. AND I THINK THAT I AGREE WITH WITH WHAT THE MAYOR SAID AS WELL, THAT IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES EVERYBODY'S GOING TO KNOW BARONS IS OPEN BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE OF IT. BUT I THINK THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS. LET ME JUST SAY THIS. I'M SURE WE CANNOT SATISFY EVERYBODY. AND ALWAYS SOMEBODY'S GOING TO RAISE A HAND. THEY'RE GOING TO QUESTION THIS. WAIT UNTIL YOU WALK IN THAT STORE AND SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE IT. THIS ALL GOES AWAY. WE'RE SPENDING $6 MILLION ON THIS. YOU HAVE US CONVINCED THAT IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING THE SIGNAGE. MISS ACOSTA QUESTIONS? YES. THANK YOU. YOU'VE ALLUDED TO THIS A FEW TIMES. THIS IS JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ABOUT YOUR OTHER MARKETS IN THE SIGNAGE THERE. IS IT COMPARABLE IN SIZE AT THE OTHER BARONS, MAYBE LIKE IN SAN DIEGO? [01:10:03] JUST. IS THIS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE. PRETTY CLOSE. PRETTY CLOSE. OUR SIZE OF STORE STARTS FROM 12,000FT². MOST OF THEM ARE 15 TO 18. WE HAVE ONE WHICH IS 21,000. BUT THE SIGNAGE, THOUGH, I'M SORRY, THE SIGNAGE. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SQUARE FEET OF THE STORE, RIGHT? YEAH, BUT USUALLY IT'S RELATED. USUALLY THE SIGNAGE IS BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT YOU HAVE. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CITIES, HAVE DIFFERENT FORMULAS. YES. OKAY. I, I THINK I'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT. I THINK I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, BUT IT MIGHT BE FOR STAFF. SHOULD I WAIT OR LET'S WAIT BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE MORE STAFF QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS BHAT-PATEL. ANY QUESTIONS? SIR, ARE YOU AN ALL OR NOTHING ON THIS? ARE YOU OPEN TO SOME COMPROMISES ON THE SIGN? HAVE YOU EVER SPENT OVER $3.5 MILLION ALREADY BEFORE THE 6 MILLION? I'M GOING TO WALK AWAY. WHAT CHOICE DO WE HAVE? OKAY, SO THE ANSWER IS THERE IS SOME WIGGLE ROOM FOR SOME COMPROMISE. OF COURSE. OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR, I APPRECIATE IT. LET ME SEE WHAT'S NEXT. OKAY. NOW IT'S IS THIS A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'M OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? YES. ANNA MACDONALD. HI, THERE. I'M ANNA MACDONALD. I AM A RESIDENT OF CARLSBAD, AND I'M VERY FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ALSO BE AN EMPLOYEE OF BARRON'S MARKET. I'VE BEEN. I'M A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES. I'VE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 12 YEARS. I'VE ONLY EVER HAD ONE JOB. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE EMPLOYED BY THIS FAMILY COMPANY. I STARTED 20 HOURS A WEEK MAKING SANDWICHES IN THE DELI DEPARTMENT. I AM NOW DISTRICT MANAGER AND FLORAL BUYER FOR THE COMPLETE COMPANY. EVERY COMMUNITY NEEDS A BARONS MARKET. EVERY COMMUNITY WILL FLOURISH WITH BARON'S MARKET. WE WE'RE VERY INVESTED IN EVERY COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD WITH CARLSBAD VILLAGE ASSOCIATION. WE ARE MEMBERS OF THEM. WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN EVERY EVENT POSSIBLE. TASTE OF CARLSBAD, THE THE THE HOT CHOCOLATE. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THE FARMERS MARKET AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS THIS STORE NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE JOEL MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE SOME TURNOVER IN CASHIERS. OUR TURNOVER IN CASHIERS IS PREDOMINANTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE STUDENTS AND THEY LEAVE US WHEN THEY GRADUATE. BUT WE FEEL SO VERY PROUD TO HAVE BROUGHT THEM ON IN THEIR CONFIDENCE. WE TEACH THEM, WE WORK WELL WITH THEM, WE WORK HARD WITH THEM, AND WE VALUE EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW VERY LUCKY I AM TO WORK FOR THIS AMAZING COMPANY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. LET'S HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL. I'M SORRY FOR THE STAFF. MAYOR, PLEASE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER. I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING. MISS ACOSTA. YES. THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NUANCE IN THE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT HERE. SO THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED EARLIER WAS ABOUT THE GROCERY STORE BEING AN ESSENTIAL AND KEY TYPE OF BUSINESS. BUT I WAS WONDERING, IS THE PUBLIC BENEFIT ABOUT THE SIGNAGE NEEDING TO HAVE A PUBLIC BENEFIT OR IS ABOUT THE TYPE OF BUSINESS? COULD YOU CLARIFY WHAT PUBLIC BENEFIT WE'RE LOOKING FOR? SURE. THE, MASTER PLAN HAS A STANDARDS MODIFICATION SECTION AND IT IS INTENTIONALLY GENERAL. IT CAN APPLY TO ANY STANDARD. TO DATE IT'S ONLY BEEN USED ON SOME GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL RELATED REQUIREMENTS TO HELP DEVELOPMENTS MOVE FORWARD. GIVEN A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IT LISTS MANY REASONS WHEN SOMEBODY COULD COMPLY WITH THAT. SOME OF THE REASONS STATED ARE TO HELP US ADVANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS, EV OR OTHER CLIMATE ACTION PLAN GOALS. BUT IT DOES INCLUDE THE CATCH ALL OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT A PUBLIC BENEFIT AS DETERMINED BY THE DECISION MAKER. SO THERE'S NOT ANY MORE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THERE, BUT IT COULD APPLY TO ANY STANDARD WHICH INCLUDES THE SIGN STANDARD, AND IT COULD BE ANYTHING RELATED TO PUBLIC BENEFIT AS DETERMINED BY BY THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY. AND THAT'S WHEN WE LOOK AT THE POLICIES, AND THERE ARE POLICIES IN THE PLAN THAT DO SPEAK TO ALLOWING A RANGE OF USES WITHIN THE VILLAGE, INCLUDING GROCERY STORE, SPECIALTY MARKETS, PRODUCE, PHARMACIES, ETC.. [01:15:06] OKAY, SO I THINK WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS THAT WE ARE LEANING ON THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BEING THE USE. YES. THAT THAT WOULD BE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT AN AVENUE THAT YOU COULD HAVE TO USE THE STANDARDS MODIFICATION LANGUAGE. OKAY. BECAUSE IT'S A GROCERY STORE AND IT WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE IN THE AREA AS FAR AS WE WE KNOW. AND THE REASON THAT I'M BRINGING IT UP IS BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THIS WOULD SET A PRECEDENT FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL GROCERY STORES. IF WE'RE IF THE FINDING IS THAT THERE'S A LACK OF GROCERY STORES IN THE AREA AND THIS IS A GROCERY STORE, THEN THAT, THEN THAT ARGUMENT IS INVALID. SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. SO THIS IS ABOUT IT BEING A GROCERY STORE. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT OUR FINDING AND RECOMMENDATION IS, IS BASED UPON. THERE COULD BE OTHER OTHER VITAL USES OR OTHER USES THAT THAT CLAIM TO MAKE A PUBLIC BENEFIT AND ULTIMATELY BE UP TO US AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IF YOU AGREE OR NOT AGREE. AND IT WOULD COME TO US, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS SOME PUBLIC BENEFIT FOR THAT SPECIFIC THING, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE LIST THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE MODIFICATION STANDARD AND THE USES. CORRECT. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS BHAT-PATEL. ANY QUESTIONS? WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT UP THE PICTURE AGAIN OF THE THE BIG SQUARE BOX THAT'S GOING TO FACE MADISON AND GRAND. I'M SORRY. OH, MELANIE PLEASE. YOU GO FIRST AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO MY QUESTION. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. OTHERWISE DO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A REAL LIFE BUILDING TODAY THAT IS BASICALLY LIKE DIMENSIONS LIKE THAT, SO THAT SO THAT WE CAN ALL SEE HOW LARGE THAT ACTUALLY IS? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY? LIKE THE WINDMILL. MAYBE IT'S THAT SIDE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW THAT SAYING IT'S 38FT. WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT THAT DESK? I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, I DEFER OR IF ANYONE ELSE IS ABLE TO HELP OUT AND YOU'RE YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE THE TOWER AND THE BUILDING ITSELF. THE THE LETTERING. MORE LIKE THE LETTERING, THE SIGNAGE IF THAT WHAT WOULD THAT COMPARE TO THAT? IT'S ALREADY BUILT THAT WE SEE EVERY OTHER DAY. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXACT, BUT YEAH, I THINK THE, THE BEST IS TO IS TO COMPARE IT TO OTHER, OTHER ANCHOR STORES, OTHER GROCERY STORES SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THIS IS STILL SMALLER COMPARED TO THAT, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. BUT OTHER THROUGHOUT THE I'VE RESEARCH THAT IN OTHER GROCERY STORES, SUCH AS, I THINK THE VONS OFF TAMARACK AND OTHER STORES AND THEY'RE ALL 36IN UP 48IN AND UP. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ALL BASED ON THE TENANT SPACE, WHICH AGAIN, THIS WOULD OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO, THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE LARGER SIZE LETTERS. YEAH. I'M INTERESTED IN THE MAYOR'S PROPOSALS BECAUSE I'M INCLINED TO FOLLOW THE STANDARDS AND HAVE THEM. MAYBE WE HAVE TO REVISIT IT IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOOT TRAFFIC, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BELIEVE IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THE SLIPPERY SLOPE THING AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE FOR OTHER ENTITIES IN THE VILLAGE. AND IF WE HAVE TO DECIDE THAT EVERY TIME, WOULDN'T THAT HAVE SOME LEGAL. I MEAN, HOW DO WE GET AROUND THAT LEGALLY WITH NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PEOPLE IF WE JUST MAYBE DON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY SPELL THEIR NAME OR SOMETHING? I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME AGAIN, SLIPPERY SLOPE. SO I THINK I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT VISUALIZATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT HELPS PEOPLE IN GENERAL UNDERSTAND, LIKE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SIGN'S SIZE SIZE WISE FOR THE SIGN. THANKS. WE PUT UP THE TWO THE COMPARISON OF THE THE ONE THAT WOULD BE. YEP. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. THE ONE ON THE LEFT. THE CURRENT STANDARDS IS THAT BARON'S MARKET LETTERING SMALLER THAN THE ONE ON THE RIGHT. OR ARE THEY BOTH THE SAME. YES. SO THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS WITH THE 18 INCH MAX LETTER HEIGHT THAT'S ALLOWED BY THE VILLAGE AND BARRIO MASTER PLAN. SO THAT IS SMALLER. THE ONE ON THE RIGHT HAS LETTERS 31IN IS THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT FOR THAT FOR THOSE TWO SIGNS. SO IT IS SHRUNKEN DOWN AS WELL BY HOW MANY? SAY IT AGAIN. BY HOW MANY INCHES. 31IN TO 18IN. SO IT'S ABOUT 13IN SMALLER. OKAY. I'M GOING TO MAKE A DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GOING TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH A MOTION HERE. WHAT MISS BURKHOLDER SAID IS I KIND OF WALK INTO THIS THINKING WHAT WE SAY. [01:20:02] YES, FOR ONE, WE HAVE TO SAY YES FOR ALL. BUT I UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S A PUBLIC BENEFIT WE CAN MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. SO LET'S TAKE IT ITEM BY ITEM. YOU SAID THERE'S THREE DRIVEWAY MONUMENTS. IS THAT CORRECT? OR TWO? THERE'S TWO, TWO, TWO, ONE AT EACH DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE. SO THE THE THE CURRENT STANDARD IS THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SO MY FIRST COMPROMISE IS THAT THEY GET TWO, BUT IT HAS TO MEET OUR SIZE STANDARDS. AND THE SIZE SIDE STANDARD IS SIZE STANDARD IS WHAT. AGAIN IT'S 24FT. AND THEY'RE PROPOSING 53FT PER EACH MONUMENT SIDE. NO I'M THE I'M SORRY, THE MONUMENTS FOR THE DRIVEWAYS. THEY COULD BE SIX FEET IN HEIGHT AND 24FT². OKAY. SAY THAT AGAIN. THEY COULD BE SIX FEET IN HEIGHT AND 24FT² IN SIZE. AND WHAT ARE THEY PROPOSING? 66FT, SEVEN INCHES IN HEIGHT AND 53FT² PER SIGN. OKAY. AND THE NEXT VARIANCE WOULD BE THE SIZE OF THE LETTERS ON THAT BIG CORNER BOX. YES. SO THEY ARE PROPOSING UP TO 31 INCH LETTERS FOR THE WALL SIGNS. AND THE MAXIMUM LETTER HEIGHT FOR WALL SIGNS IS 18IN. OKAY. THAT'S THREE. THE OTHER ONE WAS THE THE LOGO. YES. THE TOTAL SIGN AREA FOR WALL SIGNS, WHICH IS LIMITED TO ONE SQUARE FEET OF WALL SIGN PER LINEAL FOOT OF BUILDING FRONTAGE OR LEASE FRONTAGE. SO THEIR LEASE FRONTAGE IS 122FT LONG. SO THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED 122FT² OF WALL SIGNAGE. THEY'RE PROPOSING APPROXIMATELY 230 OKAY. AND THEN THAT'S FOR VARIANCES. DID YOU SAY THERE'S A TOTAL OF FIVE. WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE. YES. SO THERE'S SIX TOTAL INCLUDING OF COURSE THE TWO MONUMENT SIGNS. ONLY ONE IS IS PROPOSED. THAT'S THE FIFTH ONE. AND THEN THE SIXTH ONE IS NUMBER OF WALL SIGNS. SO THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR TWO WALL SIGNS ON THE TOWER, ONE FACING THE PARKING LOT. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE LOGO SIGN WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A SEPARATE SIGN AS WELL. SO FOR WALL SIGNS, THEY'D BE ALLOWED ONE FACING THE STREET FRONTAGE AND THEN ONE FACING A TEN SQUARE FOOT, ONE FACING THE PARKING LOT. OKAY. KNOWING THAT I'M THIS IS CREATING ME SOME ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE WHAT WE DO. FOR ONE, WE HAVE TO DO FOR ALL. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO MAKING SURE PEOPLE CAN SEE THE THE, THE BUSINESS AND ALSO SEE WHERE TO PULL IN. SO I'M GOING TO MAKE THE SUGGESTION THAT WE ALLOW THE TWO DRIVEWAY MONUMENT SIGNS THAT WE ALLOW THE THAT I'M GOING TO KEEP CALLING IT THE BIG BOX AT THE CORNER, BUT THAT IT FACED GRAND AND NOT FACE MADISON. I THINK IT'LL BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE FACING GRAND. AND I DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER THAT LOGO AS A SIGN, BUT IT BREAKS UP THE MONOTONY OF THAT HUGE BLACK WALL. AND SO I WANT TO ALLOW THE LOGO MAINLY FOR THE THE BREAKING UP THE SIGN, THAT WALL, AND THEN THE WALL AT THE END, THAT RIGHT ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE STORE WHERE THE DOOR IS. I THINK THAT LOOKS CLASSY AND LOOKS NICE. SO I THINK THAT WITH WITH THAT REMOVAL OF THE SIGN THAT FACES MADISON, I THINK IT'LL CLEAN IT UP, NOT MAKE IT LOOK SO GAUDY. AND I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF INPUT FROM RESIDENTS SAYING THAT THEY'D RATHER NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO ALL THESE BIG SIGNS. BUT IN THIS CASE, I THINK THAT IT CAN STILL BE DONE IN A CLASSY MANNER. I JUST THINK THAT THESE TWO SIGNS SIDE BY SIDE IS JUST TOO MUCH. SO MY MOTION WILL BE THAT WE ALLOW ALL OF THE SIGNS EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT FACES ON MADISON. AND I'M GOING TO HANG MY HAT ON PUBLIC BENEFIT, BECAUSE THE MONUMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO PULL IN THE BIG B LOGO, BECAUSE IT'LL BREAK UP THE MONOTONY OF A BIG BLACK WALL AND THE BARONS MARKET SIGN FACING TOWARD GRAND. I WILL SECOND, FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION, BECAUSE I HAVE A QUESTION. GO FOR IT. WHAT SIZE ARE YOU WANTING? THE LETTERING. I'M OPEN. I WOULD TEND TO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE STATING, BECAUSE IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO HAVE THE SIGNAGE ON ON GRAND. WHERE DID I GET JEFFERSON? ON GRAND. THAT IS DEFINITELY A BETTER POSITION FOR THE BUSINESS. I STILL THINK THE STANDARD SHOULD BE FOLLOWED OF WHATEVER THAT CURRENT STANDARD IS. [01:25:06] I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY NOTICEABLE AND PEOPLE WILL SEE IT. AND I AGREE THAT THE B DOES REALLY BREAK THAT UP. AND IT'S THEIR LOGO. SO THAT WOULD BE MY COMPROMISE AS FAR AS SIZE GOES. BUT I DON'T KNOW ARCHITECTURALLY THAT IS NOT MY WHEELHOUSE. IF THAT IS ALL IT TAKES TO GET YOUR AGREEMENT, THEN THAT'S WHAT I'M CHANGING MY MOTION TO. MISS ACOSTA. IT'S A CLARIFYING QUESTION. SO IN THE RENDERING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BASICALLY THE ONE ON THE LEFT. BUT WITH THE B, IS THAT CORRECT? THE ONE ON THE LEFT FOR FOR SIZE. SIZE. BUT IT WILL BE FACING GRAND, NOT MADISON. GOT IT. AND WE'LL HAVE THE THE GOLD BEE. THE GOLD BEE. BUT SIZE WISE, IT'S THE ONE ON THE LEFT. CORRECT. OKAY, GREAT. THANKS. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. THAT'S MY MOTION. MELANIE, DID YOU SECOND THAT WITH THE WITH THE AMENDMENT? YES. NO. I'M SORRY. WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION NOW. YOU HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. OKAY. GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT. MY ATTORNEY IS GOING TO CORRECT ME. I'M NOT GOING TO CORRECT YOU. I JUST WANTED TO TO LET YOU KNOW THE BEFORE YOU COMPLETE YOUR MOTION, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION WOULD LOOK LIKE. IF YOU JUST TAKE A BRIEF RECESS AND ALLOW US TO DO THAT. OH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. WE'RE GOING TO BE IN RECESS UNTIL 25 MINUTES TO SEVEN. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS SLIDE IS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT MOTION ON THE TABLE, WHICH UPDATES THE MONUMENT SIGN, HEIGHT AND NUMBER AND SQUARE FOOTAGE. ALLOWS THE WALL SIGN TO FACE GRAND AND REMOVE THE SIGN FACING MADISON ALLOWED THE LOGO WITH A MAXIMUM OF 100FT², REDUCE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF WALL SIGNS TO THREE, AND TO MODIFY THE LETTERING HEIGHT TO 18IN, WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL CHANGE TO THE RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THE TITLE, AS WELL AS TO CHANGE THE CEQA FINDING IF THIS WERE TO BE THE ADOPTED RESOLUTION. WE DO ALSO HAVE A POTENTIAL REVISED MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT AS WELL. OKAY. YOU WENT THROUGH THAT SO FAST. LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT MY INTENT IS. THE FIRST MOTION THE MOTION I'M GOING TO MAKE IS THAT EVERYTHING REMAINED THE SAME, BUT THE REMOVAL OF THE SIGNAGE THAT FACES MADISON. AFTER CONSIDERING HOW LARGE THAT THAT FACE IS, THAT BUILDING, HOW TALL IT IS THAT THE SMALLER LETTERS THAT SAYS BARON'S MARKET MIGHT BE DWARFED BY THAT HUGE WALL. SO MY WHAT MY MOTION IS GOING TO BE IS THAT EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME WITH THE SIMPLE ELIMINATION OF THE ONE THAT FACES MADISON. THAT'S GOING TO BE MY FIRST MOTION. AND I'LL GIVE AWAY WHAT MY STRATEGY IS. THAT'LL BE MY MOTION. MELANIE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SMALLER LETTERING ON THE ONE THAT FACES GRAND. SO WE'LL DO MY MOTION FIRST. IF IT PASSES, WE'RE FINISHED. IF IT DOESN'T, THEN WE'LL MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS FOR MELANIE'S SUGGESTION. CAN'T YOU JUST DO A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, AND THEN YOU CAN ASK THE SECOND IF SHE'D LIKE TO REMAIN. AND IF NOT, YOU CAN GET A DIFFERENT SECOND. I'D BE HAPPY TO SECOND. OKAY, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE YOU SECOND? AND THIS MOTION IS THAT EVERYTHING REMAINS THE SAME. THE ONLY THING BEING IS THAT THE THE THE SIGN FACING MADISON WILL BE ELIMINATED. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE MOTION. AND THE SECOND PLEASE VOTE. CAN WE WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN? YES, PLEASE. CAN WE JUST CLARIFY? EVERYTHING WILL REMAIN THE SAME. WHEN YOU SAY REMAIN THE SAME, DO YOU MEAN AS THE PROPOSAL BY THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF THE. SO THE SAME GIANT SIZED LETTERS AND EVERYTHING ON THE ONE THAT FACES GRANT. WE'RE REMOVING MADISON. CORRECT. I'M GLAD I CLARIFIED. THANK YOU. AND YOU, YOUR YOUR SUGGESTION BEFORE WE TOOK OUR BREAK WAS TO MAKE THAT FACING GRANT SMALLER LETTERS. SO THE FIRST ONE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. OKAY. THAT FAILED. SO THE NEXT ONE WILL BE THAT IT'LL BE ALL THE SAME. THE REMOVAL OF THE SIGN THAT FACES MADISON. BUT THE SIGN THAT FACES GRAND WILL BE THE SMALLER LETTERING. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE MOTION, THOUGH. WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO MAKE THE MOTION? OKAY, YOU MAKE THE MOTION. OKAY. I WOULD I AM TOTALLY FINE WITH THE NUMBER OF SIGNS AT THIS PROJECT. IT IS THAT I NEED THEM TO BE WITHIN THE STANDARD OF THE LETTERING SIGNAGE, NOT THE MONUMENTS. THE MONUMENTS ARE FINE. JUST MAKE THE THE LETTERING ON THE BUILDING. ON THE TOWER OUR SIZE. THAT IS IN OUR STANDARD AND AND KEEP THE SO YOU'D WANT BOTH SIGNS. [01:30:08] THE ONE THAT FACES MADISON THE ONE AND KEEP THE LOGO THE BE. YES, THAT'S MY COMPROMISE BECAUSE THAT THING IS HUGE. YOU WOULDN'T CONSIDER TAKING OFF MADISON? WELL, IF YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU WANT THAT DONE, MAYBE. YEAH, IT'S TOO GAUDY, TOO MUCH. AND I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH. TOO MUCH. OKAY. MY THOUGHT PROCESS, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, WAS THAT BECAUSE THE LETTERS ARE SMALLER, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. BUT IF THAT'S YOUR YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE, THAT IS ONE THING I HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THAT THE SIGN THAT ON MADISON. SO THAT'S FINE. DROP DROP THIS ITEM MADISON. THEN I WILL SECOND THAT. OKAY. AND I JUST WANT TO BE SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER. SO THAT WAS EVERYTHING AS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT, EXCEPT FOR ELIMINATING THE SIGN ON MADISON AND THE LETTERS BEING 18IN OR WHATEVER THE 18 THE THE CURRENT WHAT OUR CURRENT STANDARD IS. YES. YES. OKAY. THAT'S THE MOTION. THE SECOND PLEASE VOTE. THAT ONE PASSED. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 12 ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL UPDATE. CITY MANAGER THANK YOU. [12. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26, FIRST QUARTER] OUR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2526 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER IS ITEM NUMBER 12. AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RACHEL MALTZ AND FINANCE DIRECTOR ZACH KORACH. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M RACHEL MALTZ, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER. TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2526 QUARTER ONE CARLSBAD'S GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT HAS GROWN TO 18.6 BILLION. WE REMAIN THE SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, BEHIND THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO. ECONOMIC INDICATORS ARE GIVING MIXED SIGNALS. THE US CHAMBER IS TRACKING SMALL BUSINESS SENTIMENT TO BE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. HOWEVER, BUSINESSES LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY ARE CITING INCREASING COSTS AND TARIFFS AS A PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THEIR ONGOING OPERATIONS. UNEMPLOYMENT IS ALSO RISING, AND THERE HAS BEEN A HIGHER THAN EXPECTED WAVE OF LAYOFFS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES CONTEMPLATING THE MATTER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON DATA AVAILABILITY, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY CAPTURE MEASURES LIKE INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT. STAFF HAVE INCORPORATED SOME PRIVATE SECTOR ANALYSIS INTO THIS QUARTER'S REPORT, AND BELIEVE THAT TRENDS REPORTED TO BE SOUND. ONCE DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE, STAFF WILL KNOW ANY CHANGES IN THE NEXT UPDATE. DUE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS DID NOT RELEASE UPDATED CONSUMER PRICE INDEX DATA FOR THE SAN DIEGO REGION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX DATA WAS RELEASED FOR THE WESTERN REGION OF THE UNITED STATES IN AUGUST AND NATIONALLY IN SEPTEMBER. THE LATEST DATA SHOWS THAT NATIONALLY, INFLATION HAS RISEN TO 3% FOR BOTH ALL ITEM INDEXES AND CORE INFLATION INDEX. HISTORICALLY, INFLATION IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION HAS BEEN HIGHER THAN THE NATION AND IS A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION THAT INFLATION FOR SAN DIEGO REGION IS ALSO ABOVE 3%. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN CARLSBAD SHOWS THAT THE CITY REMAINS NEAR FULL EMPLOYMENT, ALTHOUGH MODEST SOFTENING IS EVIDENT AMID COOLING NATIONAL LABOR TRENDS. CARLSBAD UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASED DURING THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE QUARTER, AVERAGING AROUND 5%, REFLECTING SLOWER HIRING ACROSS SEVERAL INDUSTRIES. CARLSBAD HAS HISTORICALLY FARED BETTER THAN THE STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO INDICATORS THAT WOULD SUGGEST SUCH A DRAMATIC CHANGE. IN RECENT MONTHS. JOB POSTINGS HAVE INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS QUARTER, UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. NATIONALLY, JOB OPENINGS WERE ABOUT 7.23 MILLION IN AUGUST 2025, AND AGAIN WITH THE LATEST AVAILABLE DATA DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN, WE ARE SEEING LOWER THAN A YEAR EARLIER INDICATING COOLING AND LABOR DEMAND. ADP, THE WORLD'S LARGEST PAYROLL COMPANY, HAS TRACKED A FLATTENING OF WAGES NATIONALLY, INDICATING THAT SHIFTS IN LABOR SUPPLY AND DEMAND ARE COMING INTO BALANCE. IN SEPTEMBER 2025, CARLSBAD'S MEDIAN HOME PRICE WAS 1.5 MILLION, UP FROM 1.7% YEAR OVER YEAR. IN SEPTEMBER, THE MEDIAN DAYS ON MARKET JUMPED TO 58 DAYS, UP FROM 38 DAYS IN JUNE. WHILE IT'S NORMAL TO SEE SEASONAL CHANGES IN DAYS ON MARKET, THIS IS EARLIER THAN USUAL, WITH MOST PEAKS BEGINNING IN DECEMBER. THIS COULD INDICATE A SLOWING IN THE HOUSING MARKET, A TREND THAT STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 2441 BUSINESS LICENSE ISSUED LAST QUARTER, INCLUDING 995 AND NONRESIDENTIAL, 573 IN RESIDENTIAL AND 873 OUTSIDE OF CITY LICENSES. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CARLSBAD BUSINESS LICENSES REMAINS AT 9920, AND IS ESTIMATED THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 6656 BUSINESSES LOCATED IN [01:35:06] CARLSBAD. THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET IN CARLSBAD REMAINS RELATIVELY STABLE DURING THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2025, WHEN COMPARED TO THE REGION AS A WHOLE. INDUSTRIAL VACANCY INCREASED BY 5%, OFFICE VACANCY DECLINED BY 0.4%, AND RETAIL VACANCY HELD STEADY, INDICATING BALANCED CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL SECTORS. ACCORDING TO COSTAR, CARLSBAD HAS FARED BETTER THAN THE SURROUNDING SAN DIEGO REGION, BUT UNCERTAINTY IS HURTING ABSORPTION. OCCUPANCY AVERAGED 75% IN THE THIRD QUARTER, DOWN FROM 79.3% DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 2024, A YEAR OVER YEAR DROP ATTRIBUTED PRIMARILY TO A POOR SEPTEMBER. SEPTEMBER POSTED NOTICEABLY LOWER OCCUPANCY COMPARED TO JULY AND AUGUST, REFLECTING A LATE SEASON SOFTENING. CARLSBAD'S AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE FOR THE THIRD QUARTER DIPPED TO $252.20, DOWN FROM $257.58 DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 2024. JULY AND AUGUST RATES WERE COMPARABLE TO THE SAME MONTHS IN 2024, BUT A LOWER OCCUPANCY IN SEPTEMBER PUSHED THE AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE DOWN TO A LOWER QUARTERLY AVERAGE. VISIT CARLSBAD HAS INDICATED A BOUNCE BACK IN OCTOBER, HOWEVER, NOTABLY THAT SEPTEMBER WAS AN ABNORMALITY. WHILE CARLSBAD'S ECONOMY REMAINS FUNDAMENTALLY STRONG EXTERNAL FORCES FROM GLOBAL INSTABILITY TO SHIFTING CONSUMER DEMAND CONTINUE TO CREATE A VOLATILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT. WE DID SEE A SOFTENING IN TOURISM ACTIVITY FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, BUT A REBOUND IS ANTICIPATED. THE LABOR MARKET IS REBALANCING IN FAVOR OF EMPLOYERS. WHILE MORE WORKERS CONTINUE TO AVAILABLE FOR JOBS. RISING COSTS REMAIN A DOMINANT CONCERN EXPRESSED BY CARLSBAD BUSINESSES. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ZACK KORACH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION. PERFECT. THANK YOU, MISS MALTS. THE SECOND HALF OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL BE ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE. WE'RE STARTING WITH THE FIRST QUARTER FISCAL YEAR, GENERAL FUND REVENUES. AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES GROUP BY SOURCE. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE WOULD BE THE FIRST QUARTER OF ACTUALS FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. WHAT WE EXPECTED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS CURRENT YEAR AND THEN THIRD, AND FINALLY, WHAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR FOR THE MOST PART, ACROSS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCES, WE REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT OR EXPERIENCED INCREASES IS, WITH THE OBVIOUS EXCEPTION OF SALES TAX, WE CAN SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE COMPARED TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING A BIT OF EXTRA TIME TALKING ABOUT SALES TAX ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE. SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE FIRST THE FIRST QUARTER OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE DATA NUMERICALLY WITH A COMPARISON OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S DATA THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER. STARTING WITH PROPERTY TAX, IT IS RELATIVELY FLAT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. HOWEVER, WE REALLY ARE LOOKING AT A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT THE CITY WILL BE RECEIVING OVER THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER, WE GENERALLY RECEIVE ONLY ABOUT 5%. FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WE'RE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE NEARLY $100 MILLION IN TOTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES. THE REASON FOR THE SMALL AMOUNT IN THE FIRST QUARTER, THE TWO PRIMARY DISTRIBUTIONS ARE ALLOCATIONS ARE RECEIVED DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND APRIL OF EACH RESPECTIVE FISCAL YEAR. WITH THAT SAID, THE COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE HAS PUBLISHED AND RELEASED INFORMATION REGARDING THE ASSESSED VALUES OF PROPERTIES ACROSS THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, WITH YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES OF NEARLY 5%. WE HAVE RECEIVED NO INDICATION THAT WE'LL BE EXPERIENCING ANY ADVERSE OR DECLINES IN OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES FOR THIS YEAR. MOVING TO SALES TAX, THERE IS A DECREASE OF $2.8 MILLION, OR 18%, COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THE LARGEST ECONOMIC SEGMENTS IN THE CITY ARE AUTO DEALERS, CONSUMER GOODS AND RESTAURANTS. TOGETHER, THEY GENERATE NEARLY 80% OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL SALES TAX FOR SALES OCCURRING IN THE SECOND CALENDAR QUARTER OF 2025, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT DATA AVAILABLE. CARLSBAD'S CASH BASIS SALES WERE DOWN 17% WHEN COMPARED TO THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2024. THIS DECREASE WAS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY A ONE TIME TAXPAYER ERROR CORRECTION THAT SPANNED BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH WE ARE NO LONGER RECEIVING. DESPITE THIS ANOMALY, AND ON AN ADJUSTED BASIS, THE CITY'S SALES TAX RECEIPTS WERE STILL DOWN APPROXIMATELY 7% YEAR OVER YEAR. THIS DECREASE WAS DRIVEN MAINLY BY A DECLINE IN CONSUMER DEMAND, LIKELY DUE TO SUSTAINED INFLATIONARY LEVELS. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED DECREASES IN GLOBAL FUEL COSTS. WE OBSERVED DECREASES ACROSS MULTIPLE SEGMENTS THAT COMPRISE OUR SALES TAX BASE, INCLUDING GENERAL CONSUMER GOODS, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS FOOD AND DRUGS. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE YEAR OVER YEAR DECREASE FOR THIS QUARTER WAS A MISSING PAYMENT, NEARLY $250,000 FROM ONE SPECIFIC BUSINESS FILER. [01:40:05] WHICH WE ARE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE THE MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL, IN THE SUBSEQUENT QUARTER OR IN THE CURRENT QUARTER WE'RE IN NOW, I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED BUDGET ASSUMED YEAR OVER YEAR DECREASES IN TOTAL SALES TAX REVENUES, AND AT THIS POINT, BASED ON THE CITY'S TAX CONSULTANTS CURRENT FORECAST DATA, WE BELIEVE WE ARE STILL ON TRACK TO MEET OUR TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX EXPERIENCED A VERY SLIGHT DECREASE, DRIVEN BY DECREASES IN BOTH OCCUPANCY RATES AND AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATES OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. AS FAR AS THE BUDGET IS CONCERNED, WE DID APPLY CONSERVATIVE GROWTH WHEN ESTABLISHING THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR TOT, AND AT THIS POINT ARE STILL ON TRACK TO MEET OUR TARGET. I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON ONE OTHER PARTICULAR REVENUE SOURCE INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS AND PROPERTY THAT IS UP $500,000 OR 25%. THAT WOULD BE THE LARGEST FLUCTUATION FOR ANY REVENUE CATEGORY. THIS IS DRIVEN BY THE CITY'S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO YIELD, INCREASING UPWARDS OF 20%, AS WELL AS CONTINUED STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM THE CITY'S SECTION 115 PENSION TRUST COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. IN TOTAL, GENERAL FUND REVENUES WERE DOWN $2.5 MILLION, OR 5%, AGAIN ALL DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY THE SALES TAX ANOMALY YEAR OVER YEAR. AND LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THE CITY COUNCIL HAD ADOPTED THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN JUNE OF 2025 AT A LEVEL OF $242.4 MILLION. WE CURRENTLY HAD A WORKING BUDGET OF $263.5 MILLION. THIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE CARRYFORWARD ENCUMBRANCES AND CARRYFORWARD BUDGET THAT'S AUTHORIZED BY THE BUDGET RESOLUTION ITSELF, AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, THERE IS A REMAINING BUDGET OF 176 MILLION, OR 67%. AND THIS IS VERY CLOSELY IN LINE WITH WITH PRIOR PERIODS. HERE WE CAN SEE THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES AND ENCUMBRANCES BY SPEND CATEGORY BETWEEN PERSONNEL, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND TRANSFERS OUT. THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE SLIGHT INCREASES ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES FOR PERSONNEL INCREASES, DRIVEN BY NEGOTIATED COMPENSATION AGREEMENTS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS FIXED BENEFIT INCREASES MORE OR LESS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S CONTROL. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IS A COMBINATION BETWEEN, AGAIN, SUSTAINED INFLATIONARY LEVELS, AS WELL AS SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUESTS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL DURING BUDGET ADOPTION IN JUNE. HERE WE HAVE THE BUDGET INFORMATION PRESENTED NUMERICALLY AGAIN, IN SUMMARY, 27% OF ACTUAL BUDGET REMAINING. OR EXCUSE ME, 27% OF THE BUDGET HAS BEEN EXPENDED WITH WITH 63% REMAINING. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OPEN POS OF $16.5 MILLION. WE'RE GOING TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT SOME OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS WATER AND WASTEWATER. COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS PERIOD, WATER REVENUES ARE UP 8% AND EXPENSES ARE UP 12%, DRIVEN BY ANNUAL RATE INCREASES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY 1ST OF 2025. INCREASES IN EXPENSES DRIVEN BY NEGOTIATED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, ALONG WITH A 12% RATE INCREASE IN VARIABLE COST OF WATER PURCHASED FROM THE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, REVENUES ARE UP 7% AND EXPENSES ARE UP 2%. CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE HIGHER THAN IN THE PRIOR YEAR, PRIMARILY DUE AGAIN TO INCREASES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1ST. AND INCREASES IN WASTEWATER EXPENSES ARE DRIVEN ONCE AGAIN BY NEGOTIATED SALARY ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL AS COST INCREASES IMPOSED BY WASTEWATER SERVICES. FOR THE CROSSINGS GOLF COURSE, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS PERIOD, REVENUES ARE UP 7% AND EXPENSES ARE UP 17%. 7% REVENUE INCREASE IS DRIVEN BY MODEST RATE INCREASES, AS WELL AS CONTINUED STRONG PERFORMANCE BY THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR OR OPERATION, AS WELL AS THE PRACTICE CENTER. THE DRIVING RANGE AT THE FACILITY. AS FOR NEXT STEPS, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. WE WILL MAKE AVAILABLE ALL OF THESE REPORTS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND WE WILL NEXT BE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY OR EARLY MARCH OF 2026, TO PRESENT THE MID-YEAR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL UPDATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. MR. SHIN. JUST A COUPLE. THANKS FOR THE REPORT. THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF ONES THAT I JUST WANTED TO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT. SO I SAW THE DECREASE IN RECREATION FEES DUE TO INSTRUCTIONAL CLASS REVENUE. [01:45:05] DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THAT IS? YES. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER. THE MAJORITY OF THE DECREASE YEAR OVER YEAR WAS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY THE RECREATION SPORTS PROGRAMS, LOWER PARTICIPATION. HOWEVER, WITH THAT SAID FOR THE Q2 TO DATE, THE FIRST MONTH AND A HALF WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A BIT OF A REBOUND. WE'RE EXPECTING THE REVENUE FIGURES TO TREND MORE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. BUT THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR RECREATION DECREASES, RECREATION FEE DECREASES WAS RELATED TO THE SPORTS PROGRAM. AND THE SECOND ONE WAS WE HAD AN INCREASE, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FINES AND FORFEITURES DUE TO PARKING VIOLATIONS. IS THIS LIKE A MEANS OF ENFORCEMENT, OR WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE DID POLICY WISE CREATED THIS? A BIT OF A COMBINATION OF OF EVERYTHING. PRIMARILY THE DAYLIGHTING LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT EARLIER IN THE YEAR OBVIOUSLY RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT WAS THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THE INCREASE. GOTCHA. THAT'S ALL. THANKS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. COMMENTS MR. SHIN. ANY COMMENTS? JUST REAL QUICK. IT'S NOTICEABLE THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT SALES TAX DECREASE EVEN THOUGH THE ANOMALY HAD OCCURRED. AND I JUST THINK I JUST APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE BUSINESS SUPPORT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE THAT'S HELPING UNDERSTAND NOT JUST HOW TO HELP, BUT LIKE THE PULSE AND THE BAROMETER OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. MS. BURKHOLDER. THANK YOU. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO APPRECIATE THE ECONOMIC SCAN THAT YOU GUYS PUT OUT EVERY TIME. VERY EASY TO READ, VERY EASY TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION IN THERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. MISS ACOSTA. THANK YOU. LIKEWISE, I WANT TO CALL OUT THE GREAT WORK. AND ALSO I DON'T SEE MR. MATT SANFORD HERE, BUT I WANT TO THANK HIM TOO FOR HIS GREAT WORK ON THIS. THANKS TO EVERYBODY. MS. BHAT-PATEL. I'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT THEY SAID. YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT IS ITEM 13. [13. IMPACT OF RECENT CHANGES IN CRIME CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE CALIFORNIA INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM] CITY MANAGER. ITEM 13 IS IMPACT OF RECENT CHANGES IN CRIME CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE CALIFORNIA INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM. AND FOR THE PRESENTATION, WE HAVE POLICE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER CINDY ANDERSON AND POLICE CHIEF CHRISTY CALDERWOOD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BLACKBURN AND RESPECTIVE COUNCILMEMBERS, POLICE CHIEF CHRISTY CALDERWOOD. AND TONIGHT I HAVE WITH ME OUR POLICE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, CINDY ANDERSON. AND TONIGHT OUR PRESENTATION COMES TO YOU AFTER CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER ON SEPTEMBER 30TH TO BRING BACK AN ITEM TO DISCUSS ANTICIPATED CHANGES TO THE AUTOMATED REGIONAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS CASE CATEGORIZATION. WE WILL DISCUSS WHAT ARJIS IS THE CALIFORNIA INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM, ALSO KNOWN AS CIBRS, AND RECENT CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ON HOW WE REPORT CRIMES TO THE STATE AND ULTIMATELY TO THE FBI. AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO REQUESTED ACTION OR REQUIREMENT FROM COUNCIL, AS THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL REPORT ONLY. THE PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE FOLLOWING. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW THE RECENT CHANGES MADE BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MAY CREATE CHALLENGES TO THE BACK END REPORTING OF OUR CRIME STATISTICS, THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE PUBLIC, AND THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE IN THE REGION WITH OUR JUSTICE TO OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES. ARJIS STANDS FOR THE AUTOMATED REGIONAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM, IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1976 AS A POWERS, AS A JOINT POWERS AGENCY THAT COLLECTS, STANDARDIZES, AND SHARES CRIME DATA FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITHIN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE IMPERIAL COUNTY REGION. ARJIS ALSO CURRENTLY HANDLES THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CRIME DATA FOR OUR REGION TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHICH IS A NATIONWIDE MANDATE. EVERY AGENCY IS ALSO REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A REPORTING ERROR RATE OF 4% OR LESS, WHICH MEANS THAT ALL OF THE REPORTS THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE STATE ARE LESS THAN 4% OF THOSE CASES CAN BE REJECTED BY CALDOJ. THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. BUT AS THE ENTITY WHO TRANSMITS THE DATA FOR US ARJIS HAS TAKEN ON THE TASK OF ENSURING THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE'S MANDATES, AND THEY ASSIST US WITH FIXING ERRORS WHEN WE RECEIVE REJECTIONS FROM THE STATE TO KEEP US UNDER THAT 4% RATE. TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON CALIFORNIA DOJ'S CYBER PROGRAM, IN JANUARY 2021, THE NATIONAL INCIDENT BASED REPORTING SYSTEM, ALSO KNOWN AS NIBRS, BECAME THE FBI'S NATIONAL STANDARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT CRIME DATA REPORTING IN THE UNITED STATES, REPLACING THE SUMMARY REPORTING SYSTEM THAT WAS CREATED IN 1929. BECAUSE CALIFORNIA HAS SEVERAL CRIME CLASSIFICATIONS THAT ARE NOT FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CREATED THE CALIFORNIA INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM, [01:50:05] OR CIBRS, FOR CALIFORNIA AGENCIES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHANGE, IN ADDITION TO REPLACING AN OUTDATED SYSTEM THAT WAS CREATED ALMOST A CENTURY AGO, WAS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CRIME DATA THAT WAS BEING REPORTED TO THE FBI AND GIVE CONTEXT TO THE CRIMES WITH FINITE DETAILS. CIBRS DATA COLLECTION BEGAN IN 2021 FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY, AND ARTISTS SIMULTANEOUSLY GATHERED BOTH SUMMARY REPORTING SYSTEM DATA AND CIBRS DATA TO ALLOW FOR SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON AND ANALYSIS BY 2024. WE TRANSITIONED FULLY TO THE CIBRS REPORTING SYSTEM, DISCONTINUING USE OF THE PREVIOUS SUMMARY REPORTING SYSTEM FORMAT. I'M NOW GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO OUR POLICE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER, CINDY ANDERSON, TO DISCUSS DEACTIVATION OF CHARGES AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT. GOOD EVENING CITY, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. THE ISSUES BEGAN IN JUNE OF 2024, WHEN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DEACTIVATED OVER 175 CRIMINAL CHARGES FROM THE PENAL CODE AND THE VEHICLE CODE, AND REMOVE THEM FROM ITS REPORTING DATABASE. THE 175 PLUS CHARGES ARE STILL BEING USED TODAY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY MAKE ARRESTS OR TAKE CRIME REPORTS, AND THEY'RE STILL BEING USED BY PROSECUTORS AND COURTS TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS. HOWEVER, SINCE THEY'RE DEACTIVATED IN CIBRS, THEY ARE NO LONGER COUNTED. AND OUR AGENCY, ALL AGENCIES RECEIVE A REJECTION FROM CALIFORNIA DOJ BECAUSE CIBRS MARKS THOSE CHARGES AS INVALID. THIS MEANS THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX CRIMES THAT ARE COMMITTED IN THE REGION ARE NOT BEING COUNTED BY THE STATE. THIS IS ALSO RESULTED IN A 15% ERROR RATE FOR REPORTING IN OUR REGION, PUTTING US OUT OF COMPLIANCE FOR CIBRS. THERE ARE MANY LEGAL, THERE ARE MANY CHARGES THAT HAVE A LEGAL IMPACT ON THE PUBLIC AS WELL. FOR INSTANCE, PROP 36, WHICH TOOK EFFECT IN DECEMBER OF 2024. SPECIFICALLY, PROP 36 ALLOWS PROSECUTORS TO CHARGE SOMEONE WITH A FELONY IF THEY HAVE TWO OR MORE PRIOR THEFT CONVICTIONS AND COMMIT ANOTHER THEFT UNDER SPECIFIC PENAL CODES, INCLUDING 488 P.C. SINCE 48 P.C. HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED IN THE REPORTING SYSTEM, CALIFORNIA DOJ HAS ADVISED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO USE 44S TO REPORT PETTY THEFT INSTEAD. THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS 44 A IS NOT ONE OF THE CHARGES LISTED UNDER PROP 36, WHICH IS THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK UNDER 661 P.C., WHICH MEANS THAT IF A CASE IS REPORTED USING 44 A INSTEAD OF 88 P.C., THE OFFENDER MAY NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR FELONY PROSECUTION EVEN IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS. AND THIS ALSO CREATES A POTENTIAL LOOPHOLE WHERE REPEAT OFFENDERS REPEAT THEFT OFFENDERS MAY EVADE HARSHER PENALTIES SIMPLY DUE TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODING. AS MENTIONED, THE ISSUE WITH 488 P.C. PETTY THEFT IS LARGELY AFFECTS PROP 36 AND A DEFENDANT'S PRIOR CONVICTIONS. BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER COMMONLY USED CHARGES THAT HAVE NOW BEEN DEACTIVATED BY CALIFORNIA DOJ. AS AN AGENCY. WE'RE STILL USING THESE CODES SO THAT WHEN THEY REACH THE DA'S OFFICE FOR PROSECUTION, THEY ARE FILED WITH THE CODE THAT CARRIES THE HARSHER PENALTIES. BUT WHEN THESE CHARGES ARE REPORTED TO CALIFORNIA DOJ, BECAUSE THE DOJ HAS DEACTIVATED THEM ON THEIR END, THEY ARE NOT COUNTED IN THE DOJ STATISTICAL DATA. THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE THE UNDERREPORTING OF CRIMES THROUGHOUT THE STATE DUE TO THE DOJ'S REJECTING CERTAIN CRIME CODES THAT HAVE BEEN DEACTIVATED, THE STATISTICS THAT THE STATE HAS DOESN'T MATCH WHAT IS CHARGED IN OUR LEGAL COURT SYSTEM. CHANGES OF CERTAIN CHARGE CODES MAY RESULT IN OFFENDERS FACING LIGHTER PENALTIES DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE DEACTIVATED CRIME CODES CARRY HEFTIER PENALTIES, AND THE CRIME STATISTICS AND TRENDS THAT THAT WE REPORT ON MAY NOT MATCH WHAT THE DOJ'S FINAL REPORT SHOWS. THAT SAID, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE IN THE REGION THANKS TO ARJIS, WHO HAS APPEALED TO THE STATE AND BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. A WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN ABLE TO MEET WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. AND AS A RESULT, THE CALIFORNIA DOJ HAS AGREED TO INCLUDE THREE MEMBERS FROM THE SAN DIEGO REGION IN FUTURE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS. AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE STILL WE INTEND TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH ARJIS AND OUR SELECTED RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO IMPLEMENT A WORKAROUND BY REMAPPING THE EFFECTIVE CODES. THIS APPROACH WOULD INVOLVE MAINTAINING TWO PARALLEL SETS OF DATA OF THE CHARGE CODES, CODE ONE WHICH IS USED FOR ARRESTS AND LEGAL DOCUMENTATION, AND THE OTHER SPECIFICALLY TO REPORT TO THE CALIFORNIA DOJ THROUGH CIBRS. THE INTENTION OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS TO BRING LIGHT TO THE ISSUE AND ADVISE THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC, ON HOW WE ARE WORKING THROUGH IT. [01:55:02] THERE'S NO FORMAL REQUEST FROM CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT EXCEPT TO RECEIVE THIS REPORT. AND AT THIS TIME, WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. KEVIN. MR. SHIN. THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. SO I TEE THIS ONE UP JUST AS THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THROUGH SANDAG AND ARJIS. AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M GOING TO ASK KIND OF WILL HELP BRING LIGHT TO WHY I BROUGHT THIS UP. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A 4% THRESHOLD IN REGARDS TO COMPLIANCE ON ON CREATING THIS DATABASE. CORRECT. CORRECT. AND REPORTING IT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 15% AS AS A REGION WE ARE AT AROUND 15% MEANING WE'RE MISSING 15%. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS 4% THRESHOLD, THEN WHAT TYPICALLY ENDS UP OCCURRING? POTENTIAL RESULTS INCLUDE THE DECERTIFICATION OF OUR CIBRS DATA, WHICH COULD MAKE US INELIGIBLE FOR CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANTS. GOTCHA. OKAY. AND THEN I ALSO BROUGHT THIS UP JUST BECAUSE. SO WHAT WE COULD EXPECT IN FUTURE REPORTING FROM YOU, CHIEF, IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE STATISTICS ABOUT OUR CRIME HERE. IT'S GOING TO ALSO REFLECT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT ARJIS FOR THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT THAN IN THE STATE AND FEDERAL STATISTICS. THERE IS A HIGH POTENTIAL THAT THERE WILL BE TWO CRIME SETS OF DATA. YES, THAT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT. SO I JUST WANTED, LIKE US AS A COUNCIL TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY SEE THESE TWO SETS IN A DISCREPANCY SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO I DON'T I DON'T WANT THE BLAME TO GO ON OUR STAFF OR CHIEF OR ANYTHING. LAST BUT NOT LEAST TELL ME, GRANULARLY IF YOU COULD, WHAT TYPE OF EXTRA WORK? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO NOW ACCOUNT FOR ONE OUT OF SIX ERRORS. THAT'S NOT OUR FAULT NECESSARILY. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR STAFF? IT'S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK ON CITY STAFF AS WELL AS OUR STAFF. FROM OUR CITY, OUR RECORDS PERSONNEL NOW HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND FIND THESE ERRORS AND CORRECT THEM. THEY HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THE ERROR RATE, IF THE ERRORS WE ARE RECEIVING ARE DUE TO THE DEACTIVATION, AND DETERMINE IF WE NEED TO CHANGE THOSE CHARGE CODES SO THAT WE CAN FIX THOSE CORRECTIONS. AND THEN ON THE OTHER END, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR STAFF AND OUR VENDOR TO FIND A WAY TO WORK AROUND IT. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE SINCE WE'RE ON THE WORKING GROUP IN THE REGION, IT TAKES TIME OUT OF OUR DAY TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE, MEET WITH THE DA'S OFFICE, MEET WITH OTHER COUNTERPARTS THAT THAT ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, IT'S ONE OUT OF ABOUT 25 OR MORE OF REPORTED CRIMES THAT WE HAVE TO GO, OH, CRAP, SORRY. OH, WHATEVER. AND WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND RESOLVE IT. WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX REPORTABLE CRIMES THAT YOU HAVE TO YOUR OFFICE HAS TO GO IN THERE AND REMEDY. CORRECT. OKAY. QUESTIONS? MISS BURKHOLDER, ANY QUESTIONS? MISS ACOSTA. MISS BHAT-PATEL. YES. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I KNOW I ASKED A COUPLE OF THESE QUESTIONS DURING BRIEFING, SO I JUST WANT TO REPEAT THOSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SHIN WAS SAYING WITH REGARDS TO TIME. AND I'M ASSUMING WE DON'T NECESSARILY YET KNOW HOW MUCH PERSONNEL TIME AND COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO TRACK THAT. SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR IN 2026, WHILE WE DO THIS AND HAVE THE TWO SETS OF DATA, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY HOW MUCH STAFF TIME HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO TRACK THESE. BUT IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I WONDER YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THINKING OF THIS NOW OUT LOUD, BUT I WONDER IF WE COULD IF WHEN YOU ALL HAVE THAT WORKING GROUP OR WHOEVER IS A PART OF IT COULD SUGGEST IT TO THE OTHER AGENCIES, JUST BECAUSE COLLECTIVELY, IF WE CAN SHOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST IN TERMS OF TIME AND MONEY, HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE AT WHATEVER LEVEL WE NEED TO ADVOCATE. AND THEN THAT'S MY SECOND QUESTION IS WITH REGARDS TO ADVOCACY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP? AND I'M ASSUMING MAYBE THAT'LL BE CLEARER AGAIN NEXT YEAR AT SOME POINT. I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FROM COUNCIL IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY. IT WAS REALLY THE INTENTION AND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SHIN ASKING US TO BRING THIS REPORT WAS TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE BACK END WITH OUR COLLABORATION WITH ARJIS, TO TRY TO KEEP THE MOST ACCURATE STATS ON OUR SIDE. SO IF THERE IS A DIFFERENTIATION, WE CAN COME AND BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC. BUT AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE ARE REQUESTING AND I APPRECIATE THE THE ASK. GREAT. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO BRAG ABOUT CINDY FOR A MOMENT. WHEN I WAS ON SANDAG PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE LITTLE OLD CARLSBAD WAS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE WORK CINDY HAS [02:00:06] DONE. AND IN FACT, DIDN'T THEY STEAL YOU AWAY FROM US FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB? AND THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR STEALING HER BACK. ABSOLUTELY. SO, CINDY, CINDY'S WELL KNOWN IN THE WHOLE COUNTY, AND IN FACT, ALL THE WAY UP INTO. I THINK IT WAS RIVERSIDE. SHE'S DEALT WITH ORGANIZING SOME MAJOR CRIME PUTTING TOGETHER DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND DIFFERENT INFORMATION THINGS THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT HER. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER THAT NONE OF YOU GUYS KNOW. SHE'S WONDERFUL. AND SO ARE YOU, CHIEF. [LAUGHS] THANK YOU SIR. I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT IT'S PEOPLE LIKE HER WHO MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD. 100%. SO IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF OUR MEETING. [COUNCIL COMMENTARY AND REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS] MR. SHIN CLOSING COMMENTS. JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAD A GREAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY EVENTS I WENT TO ON MONDAY, LAST MONDAY, AND THEN TUESDAY BEING VETERANS DAY. OUTSIDE OF THAT, JUST THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU. MS. BURKHOLDER. THANK YOU. YES, MANY OF US DID ENJOY THE ARMY NAVY ACADEMY MILITARY REVIEW, USUALLY ATTENDED BY ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE. CO SPONSORED BY THE CARLSBAD ROTARY. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR IT. ONLY THREE OF THE CADETS PASSED OUT THIS YEAR, BLESS THEIR HEARTS. AND SOME OF US WERE OR I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE NOVARTIS RIBBON CUTTING, WHICH IS RADIO. RADIOLIGAND THERAPY. NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT. RLT THAT'S WHAT IT IS. LOOK THAT R UP. ANYWAY, CANCER THERAPIES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE MANUFACTURING AND DELIVERING RIGHT FROM CARLSBAD TO CANCER PATIENTS. AMAZING TECHNOLOGY. AND WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE THEM. AND THEN SEVERAL OF US WERE AT THE TRI CITY GALA OVER THE WEEKEND, THE TRI CITY FOUNDATION GALA, WHICH WAS LOVELY. AND THEN THIS MORNING WE HAD LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE WHERE WE REVIEWED OUR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM, MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT, AND SCHEDULED A SPECIAL MEETING. SO IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US, IT'LL BE ON DECEMBER 2ND, RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AT 9 A.M.. TOMORROW I'LL BE TRAVELING UP TO DC, DO SOME ADVOCACY WORK, AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING. MISS ACOSTA, THANK YOU. I'LL KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE HAD HERE. IT WAS AN EXTRA LONG ONE BECAUSE WE WENT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM, LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS, FUNDING PROPOSALS, ALL THOSE THINGS WILL BE COMING TO THE FULL COUNCIL IN DECEMBER. AND TOMORROW I WILL BE LEAVING FOR THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SALT LAKE CITY. THANK YOU, MISS BHAT-PATEL. YES. THANK YOU. I TOO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SOME OF THE VETERANS DAY EVENTS. ONE WAS AT AVIARA OAKS ELEMENTARY AND THEN THE ARMY NAVY ACADEMY, THE. I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW OF US THAT ACTUALLY HELPED WITH THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT NORTH COAST CALVARY CHURCH WITH INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR SETTING THAT UP AND FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURING THAT IF SOMEBODY IS HAVING FOOD INSECURITY, THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO STILL ACCESS SOME OF THOSE SERVICES. SO JUST A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SHOWED UP THAT DAY. YES. THE TRI CITY GALA WAS GREAT. I KNOW WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING TO HEAR UPDATES FROM THEM. I'M SURE WE WILL IN THE FUTURE. WITH REGARDS TO THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH SHARP AND HOW EVERYTHING ROLLS OUT THERE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SHIN AND MAYOR BLACKBURN FOR STEPPING IN FOR ME FOR NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT AND CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE THIS THURSDAY. AND THEN JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING, GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR STAFF AND COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. AND JUST THE LAST PLUG FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY. NEXT SATURDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SHOPPING LOCAL HERE WITHIN OUR CITY. THANKS. CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK. I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH LONGTIME COUNCIL MEMBER ANN KOLCHIN, AND I ASKED HER ABOUT WHAT SHE LIKES BEST ABOUT THE CITY, AND SHE SAID SHE THINKS THE CITY IS GREAT AND LAID OUT VERY WELL, BUT SHE BELIEVES THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE WHAT MAKES CARLSBAD GREAT. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE SHORTLY AFTER I WAS INVITED THIS LAST WEEKEND TO TO BE A SMALL PART OF A EXAMPLE OF OUR RESIDENTS MAKING CARLSBAD GREAT. RESPONDING TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND INTERRUPTION OF CBT AND FOOD STAMP PROGRAM THREE OF OUR RESIDENTS ARRANGED FOR FOOD BOXES TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT [02:05:05] CARLSBAD HIGH SCHOOL. BY THE WAY, IN THE POURING RAIN THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE 126 FAMILIES, WHICH EQUATED TO 595 PEOPLE IN CARLSBAD. AND SO PEOPLE LIKE TRACY BARKER, JULIE HARELSON, VICKIE SAGE, AND A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS ARE WHAT ANNE WAS REFERRING TO WHEN SHE SAID, OUR RESIDENTS MAKE CARLSBAD GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE? WE'RE ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.