19November
2024

Regular City Council Meeting · One key issue

This meeting ran past two in the morning and carried the heaviest agenda of the year.

8.2 hours 40 agenda items 37 located in video 52% attributed to a named speaker

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Who was thereFilter the record

Benjamin VazquezCouncilmember · Ward 2 · 12 min

What they said

Jessie LopezCouncilmember · Ward 3 · 23 min

What they said

Phil BacerraCouncilmember · Ward 4 · 24 min

What they said

Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember · Ward 5 · 17 min

What they said

David PenalozaCouncilmember · Ward 6 · 11 min

What they said

Valerie AmezcuaMayor · 33 min

What they said

Sonia R. CarvalhoCity Attorney · 4 min

What they said

Alvaro NuñezCity Manager · 26 min

What they said

Jennifer L. HallCity Clerk · 14 min

What they said

Brief

What happened

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

01
The council did not adopt the new ordinance restricting camping, sleeping and storing property on public land that it had been asked to pass, written after the Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v Johnson.
3:42:01
Homelessness Public safety

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Related agenda item 32
Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provision) and Amending Related Sections in…
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Member positions

Benjamin VazquezOpposed
Cast the only vote against holding the item over.
5:13:45
Jessie LopezRaised concerns
Objected that the ordinance would mean jailing a family found sleeping in a car.
4:48:41
David PenalozaSupported
Moved to continue it, saying the council was rewriting the whole ordinance on the dais and staff should produce a clean redline first.
4:53:36
02
Members spent close to two hours rewriting it from the dais before voting six to one to hold it over to 17 December, with Councilmember Vazquez against.
5:13:28
Homelessness Public safety

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Related agenda item 32
Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provision) and Amending Related Sections in…
Open agenda item →

Member positions

Benjamin VazquezOpposed
Cast the only vote against holding the item over.
5:13:45
Jessie LopezRaised concerns
Objected that the ordinance would mean jailing a family found sleeping in a car.
4:48:41
David PenalozaSupported
Moved to continue it, saying the council was rewriting the whole ordinance on the dais and staff should produce a clean redline first.
4:53:36
03
The council then took up the outside investigation into Councilmember Hernandez, which had sustained findings about his conduct towards city staff.
5:33:51
Governance Parks & libraries

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Related agenda item 33
Investigation Regarding Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez (Continued from the Special Meeting of October 28, 2024; Item No. 1)
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Member positions

Jessie LopezVoted no
Said the council picks and chooses when to punish publicly, and that others on the dais had been recorded disrespecting staff.
5:40:51
Phil BacerraRaised concerns
Backed the motion but wanted a formal censure and removal from boards and committees, as the code of ethics prescribes.
5:39:42
Johnathan Ryan HernandezAbstained
Abstained on the findings about his own conduct.
5:42:47
Thai Viet PhanVoted yes
Moved the remedy actually adopted, while stressing that the most serious allegation had not been sustained.
5:41:39
David PenalozaVoted yes
Seconded it and asked the whole council to treat it as a learning experience.
5:31:38
04
It voted to receive the report, require him to take training on working with staff and bar him from serving as Mayor Pro Tem for a year.
5:41:39
Governance Parks & libraries

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Related agenda item 33
Investigation Regarding Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez (Continued from the Special Meeting of October 28, 2024; Item No. 1)
Open agenda item →

Member positions

Jessie LopezVoted no
Said the council picks and chooses when to punish publicly, and that others on the dais had been recorded disrespecting staff.
5:40:51
Phil BacerraRaised concerns
Backed the motion but wanted a formal censure and removal from boards and committees, as the code of ethics prescribes.
5:39:42
Johnathan Ryan HernandezAbstained
Abstained on the findings about his own conduct.
5:42:47
Thai Viet PhanVoted yes
Moved the remedy actually adopted, while stressing that the most serious allegation had not been sustained.
5:41:39
David PenalozaVoted yes
Seconded it and asked the whole council to treat it as a learning experience.
5:31:38
05
That passed four votes to two, with Councilmembers Lopez and Vazquez against and Councilmember Hernandez abstaining.
5:42:39
Governance Parks & libraries

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Related agenda item 33
Investigation Regarding Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez (Continued from the Special Meeting of October 28, 2024; Item No. 1)
Open agenda item →

Member positions

Jessie LopezVoted no
Said the council picks and chooses when to punish publicly, and that others on the dais had been recorded disrespecting staff.
5:40:51
Phil BacerraRaised concerns
Backed the motion but wanted a formal censure and removal from boards and committees, as the code of ethics prescribes.
5:39:42
Johnathan Ryan HernandezAbstained
Abstained on the findings about his own conduct.
5:42:47
Thai Viet PhanVoted yes
Moved the remedy actually adopted, while stressing that the most serious allegation had not been sustained.
5:41:39
David PenalozaVoted yes
Seconded it and asked the whole council to treat it as a learning experience.
5:31:38
06
An appeal against a tall structure in a rear yard on North Heliotrope Drive was denied six votes to one.
7:06:47
Land use Environment & water Arts & culture

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Related agenda item 34
Public hearing: Appeal Application No. 2024-01, Appealing the Decision of the Planning Commission to Approve Conditional Use Permit…
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No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
07
The council re-adopted its ban on short-term rentals six votes to one, after a legal challenge to how the original ordinance was passed.
7:53:14
Housing Environment & water Local business

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Related agenda item 35
Public hearing: Conduct a First Reading and Adopt Ordinance Amendment (OA) No. 2024-04 Repealing and Reenacting in its Entirety…
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No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
08
It also named the new park between Fairview and King Streets La Artista, Artesia Pilar Park.
3:38:18
Parks & libraries Land use

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Related agenda item 15
Approve the Naming of a Park Located Between Fairview Street and King Street
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What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

Valerie AmezcuaMayor
discipline art no there they go everywhere I've had to call the police to say hey this guy's hooking in cars in my neighborhood. He's up to something. They come out, he had a warrant. And I hope that our constituents watching at home and those of you that are…
4:06:27
Alvaro NuñezCity Manager
Thank you, Mayor. So as to the enforcement on page 12 of 17, Section 10-852D, I do obviously I suggested the shall offer resources right but I want to make sure if they're Santa Ana residents so shall offer resources of their Santa Ana residents because when…
4:54:24
Phil BacerraCouncilmember
public areas clean and available for public use and to ensure access by the public to all property both public and private by the disabled, elderly, families, children, and visitors to the city of Santa Ana. I believe that this ordinance will help us achieve…
3:46:22
Jessie LopezCouncilmember
publicly of being told that they do a lot, more than every other city, right? We didn't back down like Irvine when we announced that we were going to build a shelter. We don't bust other people to the county meetings. We don't bust our own residents to try and…
4:45:17
09
The meeting was adjourned in honour of former mayor and congressman Jerry Patterson.
8:12:29
Budget

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Related agenda item 37
Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk to Prepare an Ordinance Prohibiting Contracts with…
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What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

David PenalozaCouncilmember
No, there's nothing wrong with it. I wish I could buy a home one day, hopefully, God willing. But I will say that because of the subject that the county was pertaining to discretionary funds, I know that we don't have a lot of discretionary funds. we get…
8:10:44
Valerie AmezcuaMayor
Mr. City Manager, I also remember I sent you, or I think I just went in your office and asked that we're also, So as a city, looking into all the contracts that we have, nonprofits, and who we're doing business with, so we don't end up on the front page of the…
8:11:49
Jessie LopezCouncilmember
entire page because I expect that everybody here has read it but this item is basically to discuss and consider directing you to come back with the ordinance prohibiting contracts with city officials and their immediate family members I've attached a couple of…
8:08:39
Phil BacerraCouncilmember
All right. Madam Mayor, I'd like to just say one thing. We had a passing recently of our former mayor and former congressman, Jerry Patterson. And I'd like to ask that we adjourn tonight's meeting, or this morning's meeting now, in his honor.
8:12:20

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

Different reasoningon “Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provision) and Amending Related Sections in…”5:13:45

The ordinance restricting sleeping and storing property in public was rewritten from the dais for the best part of two hours and then held over. Councilmember Vazquez was alone in voting against the delay.

Benjamin VazquezOpposed5:13:45

Cast the only vote against holding the item over.

Jessie LopezRaised concerns4:48:41

Objected that the ordinance would mean jailing a family found sleeping in a car.

David PenalozaSupported4:53:36

Moved to continue it, saying the council was rewriting the whole ordinance on the dais and staff should produce a clean redline first.

Split voteon “Investigation Regarding Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez (Continued from the Special Meeting of October 28, 2024; Item No. 1)”5:42:39

The council split three ways on what to do about the sustained findings against Councilmember Hernandez. The majority backed training and a year's ineligibility for Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember Bacerra wanted a censure on top, and Councilmember Lopez objected that the council punishes selectively.

Jessie LopezVoted no5:40:51

Said the council picks and chooses when to punish publicly, and that others on the dais had been recorded disrespecting staff.

Phil BacerraRaised concerns5:39:42

Backed the motion but wanted a formal censure and removal from boards and committees, as the code of ethics prescribes.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezAbstained5:42:47

Abstained on the findings about his own conduct.

Thai Viet PhanVoted yes5:41:39

Moved the remedy actually adopted, while stressing that the most serious allegation had not been sustained.

David PenalozaVoted yes5:31:38

Seconded it and asked the whole council to treat it as a learning experience.

Different reasoningon “Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk to Draft a Resolution Issuing a Formal Apology to the…”8:08:10

Mayor Amezcua broke with colleagues over apologising to the Vargas family, saying the city should stop revisiting the past, while three members argued an apology was not an attack on the police department.

Valerie AmezcuaOpposed8:07:56

Said she would not support it and that the city has to move forward rather than keep going back.

Benjamin VazquezSupported8:04:55

Brought the item and said reflecting on past conduct is how a city and its police department improve.

Jessie LopezSupported8:06:18

Said backing an apology is not the same as attacking the department, and pointed to the mother who spoke in tears.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezSupported7:57:17

Supported it and sent condolences to the family.

Agenda

Every item

40 items in agenda order

Find an agenda itemTopic or issue

Closed Session Items

Closed-session conference with legal counsel

Not located

The council met privately on existing litigation, a federal case brought against the city by Share Our Selves Corporation.4:57
A member announced they would abstain from it because the organisation is a client of their employer.5:07

Closed Session Items

Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations

Not located

Labor & workforce

The council met privately with its labour negotiator about bargaining with Service Employees International Union Local 721, covering part-time staff.4:57

Closed Session Items

Closed-session public employee appointment

Not located

Police oversight

The council met privately about appointing an Independent Oversight Director to the Santa Ana Police Oversight Commission.4:57

Ceremonial Presentations

Proclamation presented by Mayor Amezcua to National Hispanic Business Women Association, in honor of National Women’s Small Business…