City Council - August 18, 2025

Council approves $2.5 million wildfire mitigation contract

The City Council voted 7-0 to approve a five-year contract with the Santa Clara County Fire Safe Council for on-call fuel-reduction maintenance, wildfire-hazard mitigation and public education. The agreement has a maximum value of $2.5 million.

The approval authorizes the city to execute Contract No. C26195197 with the organization. The item passed without separate discussion as part of the consent calendar.

Council authorizes planning and operating agreements

The council’s 7-0 consent-calendar vote also authorized six on-call planning consulting contracts with combined compensation of up to $2 million through June 2030. Spending under the agreements is subject to funding in adopted city budgets.

Other approvals included a four-year, $404,646 agreement with Securitas Technology Corporation for fire-alarm monitoring, inspection, testing and related services; a $145,180 purchase order for DocuSign software through July 31, 2026; and a three-year professional services contract with Interweave Production Group for up to $280,170.

The council also authorized a 36-month extension of the city’s Development Center lease at 285 Hamilton Avenue. The extension runs from Feb. 1, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2029, with starting base rent of $49,420.45 per month and annual increases of 3%.

Council accepts e-mobility roadmap and corrects electric rates

The council unanimously accepted the E-Mobility Strategic Roadmap and adopted a resolution correcting clerical errors in three electric-rate schedules. Both actions were included in the consent-calendar vote.

The corrected schedules address unmetered electric service, export electricity compensation and net surplus electricity compensation.

Straw poll favors third-Wednesday special meetings

Council members favored using the third Wednesday rather than the fourth Monday when a fourth monthly meeting is needed, according to a nonbinding 4-2-1 straw poll. Four members preferred Wednesday, two preferred Monday and one abstained.

The discussion focused on making agendas more efficient, placing substantive items earlier and limiting an additional meeting to time-sensitive business rather than using a full regular-meeting format. Members also discussed more reliance on committee recommendations and more predictable annual calendar planning.

The City Clerk will review whether the approach could be used during the remainder of 2025 and will present both Wednesday and Monday options when preparing the 2026 council calendar. The council may revisit the approach if it proves unworkable.

Staff schedules rail workshops as residents seek safety measures

City staff announced a Sept. 16 Rail Committee meeting, followed by a Sept. 30 community workshop focused on Churchill Avenue and an Oct. 1 workshop addressing Meadow Drive and Charleston Road. A council update on grade-separation design work is anticipated in November.

During general public comment, several residents urged immediate fencing, monitoring, staff coordination, funding efforts and grade separation to restrict access to railroad tracks in response to youth suicide concerns. Those requests were raised during public comment rather than as an action item.

Staff also said the San Antonio Road Area Plan was entering its public-engagement phase. The announced outreach included an Aug. 19 community advisory group meeting, an online survey and an Oct. 23 community workshop.

Ramona Street proposal and zoning appeal are put off

Staff withdrew a proposal concerning streetscape improvements and outdoor-activation standards for pedestrian-only Ramona Street to allow additional work. The record does not provide a date for the item to return.

Separately, staff recommended postponing an appeal involving a director’s zoning interpretation until Sept. 15, 2025, and reported that the appellant agreed. The issue was not substantively heard, and the supplied transcript does not show a separate council motion or vote formally approving the postponement.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet