Benjamin VazquezVoted no
3:51:51Nominated Councilmember Hernandez instead and voted against Councilmember Phan.
16January
2024
2024
Regular City Council Meeting, Special Housing Authority Meeting, and Special Successor Agency Meeting · One key issue
The council elected Councilmember Phan as Mayor Pro Tem for 2024 over a competing nomination, on a four-to-three split.
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5.9 hours
37 agenda items
30 located in video
49% attributed to a named speaker
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What happened
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
- 01
Councilmember Bacerra nominated her, noting she would be the third Asian American to hold the post.
▶3:51:32Explore this issue
Related agenda item 25Open agenda item →Election of Mayor Pro Tem for 2024
Member positions
Jessie LopezVoted no3:53:41As outgoing Mayor Pro Tem, seconded the Hernandez nomination and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Johnathan Ryan HernandezVoted no3:53:17Was the competing nominee and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Thai Viet PhanVoted yes3:53:17Voted for her own nomination, which carried four to three.
Phil BacerraVoted yes3:51:32Nominated Councilmember Phan and framed it around her being the third Asian American to hold the post.
- 02
Councilmember Vazquez nominated Councilmember Hernandez instead, seconded by the outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Lopez, and that nomination fell three votes to four.
▶3:54:03Explore this issue
Related agenda item 25Open agenda item →Election of Mayor Pro Tem for 2024
Member positions
Benjamin VazquezVoted no3:51:51Nominated Councilmember Hernandez instead and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Jessie LopezVoted no3:53:41As outgoing Mayor Pro Tem, seconded the Hernandez nomination and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Johnathan Ryan HernandezVoted no3:53:17Was the competing nominee and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Thai Viet PhanVoted yes3:53:17Voted for her own nomination, which carried four to three.
Phil BacerraVoted yes3:51:32Nominated Councilmember Phan and framed it around her being the third Asian American to hold the post.
- 03
A package of code changes presented as a Sunshine Ordinance update turned out to carry zoning changes on hotels and cell towers as well.
▶3:34:26Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-04 Amending Article II.II of Chapter 2 (Sunshine Ordinance) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC)…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor3:45:51That's it thank you. I don't see a second. We're gonna move on. I don't see a second So we're gonna go with the motion so I'm just gonna make my final comments and then we're gonna vote so Thank you for the presentation men and really appreciate it I know…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember3:40:03and mixed-use housing development so any developer can come in and take a look at those properties and develop as long as they're not exempt from our ordinance so So I just want to make that clear. We're not displacing any housing and we are not actually…
Phil BacerraCouncilmember3:31:39So the hearing's closed? Go ahead. Thank you. First of all, I want to begin my comments by saying I appreciate everybody that came out to speak tonight. MY VOTE IN OPPOSING FURTHER COMMENTS WAS BASED ON OPINION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MAYBE I WAS THE ONLY ONE…
David PenalozaCouncilmember3:34:47Thank you. Councilman Penalosa, please. Thank you, Mayor Mezcua. I just I want to say that I agree with my colleagues that have spoken on this subject and a little disappointed in our city staff when it comes to this item. Interim City Manager Hatch, I sat…
- 04
Hotel workers from Unite Here Local 11 asked the council to take the hotel permitting out of it.
▶3:26:26Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-04 Amending Article II.II of Chapter 2 (Sunshine Ordinance) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC)…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor3:45:51That's it thank you. I don't see a second. We're gonna move on. I don't see a second So we're gonna go with the motion so I'm just gonna make my final comments and then we're gonna vote so Thank you for the presentation men and really appreciate it I know…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember3:40:03and mixed-use housing development so any developer can come in and take a look at those properties and develop as long as they're not exempt from our ordinance so So I just want to make that clear. We're not displacing any housing and we are not actually…
Phil BacerraCouncilmember3:31:39So the hearing's closed? Go ahead. Thank you. First of all, I want to begin my comments by saying I appreciate everybody that came out to speak tonight. MY VOTE IN OPPOSING FURTHER COMMENTS WAS BASED ON OPINION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MAYBE I WAS THE ONLY ONE…
David PenalozaCouncilmember3:34:47Thank you. Councilman Penalosa, please. Thank you, Mayor Mezcua. I just I want to say that I agree with my colleagues that have spoken on this subject and a little disappointed in our city staff when it comes to this item. Interim City Manager Hatch, I sat…
- 05
Councilmember Bacerra moved to do exactly that, striking the wireless facilities section and every hotel provision before approving the rest.
▶3:34:32Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-04 Amending Article II.II of Chapter 2 (Sunshine Ordinance) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC)…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor3:45:51That's it thank you. I don't see a second. We're gonna move on. I don't see a second So we're gonna go with the motion so I'm just gonna make my final comments and then we're gonna vote so Thank you for the presentation men and really appreciate it I know…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember3:40:03and mixed-use housing development so any developer can come in and take a look at those properties and develop as long as they're not exempt from our ordinance so So I just want to make that clear. We're not displacing any housing and we are not actually…
Phil BacerraCouncilmember3:31:39So the hearing's closed? Go ahead. Thank you. First of all, I want to begin my comments by saying I appreciate everybody that came out to speak tonight. MY VOTE IN OPPOSING FURTHER COMMENTS WAS BASED ON OPINION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MAYBE I WAS THE ONLY ONE…
David PenalozaCouncilmember3:34:47Thank you. Councilman Penalosa, please. Thank you, Mayor Mezcua. I just I want to say that I agree with my colleagues that have spoken on this subject and a little disappointed in our city staff when it comes to this item. Interim City Manager Hatch, I sat…
- 06
Councilmember Penaloza said he was disappointed that staff had not disclosed the full scope of the item when he reviewed the agenda with them.
▶3:35:09Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-04 Amending Article II.II of Chapter 2 (Sunshine Ordinance) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC)…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor3:45:51That's it thank you. I don't see a second. We're gonna move on. I don't see a second So we're gonna go with the motion so I'm just gonna make my final comments and then we're gonna vote so Thank you for the presentation men and really appreciate it I know…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember3:40:03and mixed-use housing development so any developer can come in and take a look at those properties and develop as long as they're not exempt from our ordinance so So I just want to make that clear. We're not displacing any housing and we are not actually…
Phil BacerraCouncilmember3:31:39So the hearing's closed? Go ahead. Thank you. First of all, I want to begin my comments by saying I appreciate everybody that came out to speak tonight. MY VOTE IN OPPOSING FURTHER COMMENTS WAS BASED ON OPINION FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MAYBE I WAS THE ONLY ONE…
David PenalozaCouncilmember3:34:47Thank you. Councilman Penalosa, please. Thank you, Mayor Mezcua. I just I want to say that I agree with my colleagues that have spoken on this subject and a little disappointed in our city staff when it comes to this item. Interim City Manager Hatch, I sat…
- 07
Councilmember Hernandez pulled four maintenance contracts to ask whether they took work away from city employees, and they passed seven votes to nothing.
▶4:08:25Explore this issue
Related agenda item 12Open agenda item →Approve an Agreement with Professional Sports Field Maintenance, Inc. for Infield Maintenance Services at City Parks and Facilities…
No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
How this brief was made
The current summaries were prepared during an in-session review of the transcripts. This prototype shows only sentences with a timestamp citation. 0 uncited sentences were withheld from this page.
Focus
Where they differed
Splits in votes or reasoning
The Mayor Pro Tem election split the council four to three along the same line twice. Councilmember Phan was elected; the three who backed Councilmember Hernandez were the outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Lopez and Councilmembers Hernandez and Vazquez.
Nominated Councilmember Hernandez instead and voted against Councilmember Phan.
As outgoing Mayor Pro Tem, seconded the Hernandez nomination and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Was the competing nominee and voted against Councilmember Phan.
Voted for her own nomination, which carried four to three.
Nominated Councilmember Phan and framed it around her being the third Asian American to hold the post.
Councilmember Hernandez was alone in voting against the leased vehicle agreements, part of a wider push that evening against contracting out work he thought city employees could do.
Agenda
Every item
37 items in agenda order
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session conference with legal counsel
- The council met privately on existing litigation over aqueous film-forming foam, the firefighting foam at the centre of nationwide water contamination claims.49:04
Closed Session Items
Not located CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8: Property Address: 849 N. Garnsey St., APN…
- The council met privately with its property negotiator about 849 North Garnsey Street.49:04
Closed Session Items
▶3:58:17 Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately with its labour negotiator, with Ramon Figueroa announced as the city's lead in the room.49:08
Closed Session Items
Not located PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT/APPOINTMENT pursuant to Government Code Section 54957 Title: City Manager
- The council met privately about the employment and appointment of a city manager.49:04
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:22:40 Certificate of Recognition presented by Councilmember Bacerra to the Santa Ana College Football Team for Exceptional Athletic…
- Councilmember Bacerra presented a certificate of recognition to the Santa Ana College football team.2:22:45
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:22:40 Certificates of Recognition presented by Councilmember Hernandez to the Sauvecito Foundation and the Midnite Cruisers for…
- Councilmember Hernandez presented certificates of recognition to the Sauvecito Foundation and the Midnite Cruisers.2:22:45
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:17 Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing members who missed earlier meetings.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Minutes from the Regular Meeting of July 18, 2023
- The council approved the written record of its meeting of 18 July 2023.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Appointments to the Santa Ana Workforce Development Board
- Appointments to the Santa Ana Workforce Development Board.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶5:28:03 Receive and File: Fiscal Year 2022-23 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Related Audit Reports, and Measure X…
- The annual financial report for 2022-23, its audit reports, and the agreed-upon procedures report covering Measure X spending.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Receive and File the Certification of Approval by City Engineer of Final Tract Map 2019-02, County Tract Map No. 19064 For 301 and…
- The city engineer's certification of the final tract map for 301 and 305 North Mountain View.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Award a Purchase Order Contract to Los Angeles Truck Centers for One Rizon e18L EV Truck, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $237,588 (Bid…
- A purchase order of up to $237,588 for a single electric Rizon truck.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve an Appropriation Adjustment and Increase the Agreement Amount by $100,000 for Existing Agreements with AimTD, LLC and…
- An extra $100,000 spread across existing agreements with AimTD and Transportation Studies.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:55:53 Award a Construction Contract to Baker Electric & Renewables LLC in the Amount of $691,335 for the Traffic Signal Installation at…
- A construction contract of $691,335 with Baker Electric to install a traffic signal at Chestnut Avenue.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:58 Cooperative Agreement with the Orange County Transportation Authority for the Operations and Maintenance of the OC Streetcar System…
- A cooperative agreement with the county transportation authority for running and maintaining the OC Streetcar.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶4:01:36 Approve an Agreement with Professional Sports Field Maintenance, Inc. for Infield Maintenance Services at City Parks and Facilities…
- An agreement of $2,759,035 for infield maintenance at city parks and facilities.4:03:16
- Councilmember Hernandez pulled this and three related contracts to ask whether they took jobs away from people the city already employs.4:02:01
- Interim City Manager Hatch said most were continuations of work the city had contracted out for years, but that he could not confirm it for every one of them.4:02:24
- Mayor Amezcua asked whether staff had checked with SEIU on whether city employees could do the work for less.4:01:28
- All four passed seven votes to nothing.4:08:25
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve an Agreement with RPW Services, Inc. for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Pest Control Services at City Parks and…
- An integrated pest management and pest control agreement for city parks and facilities, taken with the group of contracts Councilmember Hernandez pulled.4:08:25
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve a Takeover Agreement with Great American Insurance Group to Take Over the Santa Ana Zoo Giant River Otter and Primate Trails…
- A takeover agreement with Great American Insurance to finish the zoo's giant river otter and primate trails project, taken with the same group.4:08:25
Consent Calendar
▶4:08:35 Approve Aggregate Agreements with DMS Facility Services, Landscape West Management Services, Inc., Mariposa Landscapes, Inc., and…
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 First Amendment to the Density Bonus Housing Agreement for Legacy Square
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve a First Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Memorandum of Understanding with the Santa Ana…
- An amendment to the Emergency Solutions Grant understanding with the police department's homeless engagement team.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve an Agreement with Occupational Health Centers of California, a Medical Corporation dba Concentra Medical Centers…
- An agreement with Concentra to carry out pre-employment medical checks.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Second Amendment to Agreement with A1 Party Rental for Event Equipment Rental Services at City Events to Increase the Annual Amount…
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Second Amendment to Agreement with California Barricade Rentals, Inc. for Traffic Control Equipment and Services at City Events to…
- A second amendment to the traffic control equipment agreement with California Barricade Rentals.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Second Amendment to the Agreement with Matchpoint Tennis Academy LLC (“Matchpoint) for the Management, Operation, and Maintenance of…
- A second amendment to the agreement with Matchpoint Tennis Academy to run and maintain the Cabrillo tennis centre.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Historic Property Preservation Agreements
- Historic property preservation agreements, which cut property tax for owners who keep historic homes in good order.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:20 Approve a First Amendment to Agreement with Data Ticket, Inc. (General Fund)
- A first amendment to the agreement with Data Ticket, which handles the city's parking citations.4:00:47
Consent Calendar
▶4:09:09 Agreements with Enterprise Fleet Management for Leased Vehicles (General Fund)
- Leased vehicle agreements with Enterprise Fleet Management.4:09:05
- Councilmember Penaloza moved to approve them with direction that staff work up a policy on which vehicles are leased and who gets a take-home car.4:09:09
- City Attorney Carvalho said the take-home right sits inside the management officers' agreement, so the point would have to be raised at the next negotiation.4:09:44
- It passed five votes to one, with Councilmember Hernandez against.4:14:19
Business Calendar
▶3:50:28 Election of Mayor Pro Tem for 2024
- The council chose its Mayor Pro Tem for 2024, a nomination made from the dais with no staff report.3:51:17
- Councilmember Bacerra nominated Councilmember Phan, framing it as the second Asian American on the council nominating the third to hold the post.3:51:32
- Councilmember Vazquez nominated Councilmember Hernandez, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lopez.3:51:51
- Nominations were closed seven votes to nothing and the two were put in the order received.3:52:49
- The nomination of Councilmember Phan carried four votes to three, with Mayor Pro Tem Lopez and Councilmembers Hernandez and Vazquez against.3:53:17
- The nomination of Councilmember Hernandez then failed three votes to four on the same split.3:54:03
Public Hearings Public Comments
▶2:39:16 Amendment Application No. 2023-04 and Zoning Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-03 for the expansion of Vista Heritage Charter School…
- A zoning and code amendment allowing Vista Heritage Charter School to expand at 601 North Fairview Street.2:59:21
- Staff said converting the space to administrative offices would lower the parking the site has to provide and would not add traffic at peak hours.2:44:56
- Physical education would be kept to a gated area on the north side of the building during school hours.2:45:26
- The school said it already hosts Artesia Pilar Neighborhood Association meetings on its campuses and would open the new office to them as well.2:49:49
- It passed seven votes to nothing.2:59:21
Public Hearings Public Comments
▶2:59:49 Ordinance Amendment No. 2023-04 Amending Article II.II of Chapter 2 (Sunshine Ordinance) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC)…
- This item was presented as an update to the Sunshine Ordinance, the rules governing how the public gets to weigh in before the council decides things.3:49:22
- It also carried changes to the fireworks rules and a set of zoning amendments covering hotels and wireless communication facilities.3:34:26
- Hotel workers from Unite Here Local 11 asked the council to drop the hotel permitting, saying the city needs housing rather than more luxury hotels.3:26:26
- Councilmember Bacerra moved to approve the community meetings and fireworks ordinances as presented, but to strip the zoning amendment back.3:34:02
- He named the cuts as the section on wireless communication facilities and sections 7 through 20 with their exhibits, which were the hotel provisions.3:34:26
- Councilmember Penaloza said he was disappointed that staff had sat with him for an hour going through the agenda without disclosing how much this item contained.3:35:09
- He said neighbourhoods are sensitive about cell towers and that staff should not be able to extend a ten-year permit administratively once it expires.3:35:57
- The amended package passed seven votes to nothing.3:50:16
Consent Calendar
Not located Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing authority members who missed earlier meetings.4:15:41
Consent Calendar
Not located Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 5, 2023
- The authority approved the written record of its meeting of 5 December 2023.4:15:41
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:17 Housing Successor Annual Report for FY 2022-23 – Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund
- The annual housing successor report on the low and moderate income housing asset fund.4:15:41
Consent Calendar
Not located Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing agency members who missed earlier meetings.4:17:09
Consent Calendar
Not located Minutes of the Special Meetings of September 6, 2022 and January 17, 2023
- The agency approved the written record of its special meetings of 6 September 2022 and 17 January 2023.4:17:09
Consent Calendar
▶3:58:17 Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS) for the Period of July 1, 2024 Through June 30, 2025
- The recognised obligation payment schedule for July 2024 to June 2025, which is the list of old redevelopment debts the state allows the agency to keep paying.4:17:09
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