Meetings

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 NOTE: All agenda titles related to numbered agenda items are live web links. Click on the title to be directed to the corresponding Board Report. 

PUBLIC COMMENT: Members of the public may address comments to the Board concerning each agenda item. The timing of public comment shall be at the discretion of the Chair. 

10:30 A.M. - Call to Order 

Roll Call 

Pledge of Allegiance Additions and Corrections by Clerk

The Clerk of the Board will announce agenda corrections and proposed additions, which may be acted on by the Board as provided in Sections 54954.2 of the California Government Code. 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of Agenda and Objectives 

3. State of the County 

4. Monterey County 2025 Policy Priorities 

a. San Lucas Clean Drinking Water 

b. Nacimiento and San Antonio Dams and Reservoirs Safety Projects 

c. Monterey County Veterans Home/Community Living Center 

d. Protecting Monterey County Values 

e. FEMA Reimbursements 

f. Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Facilities 

Attachments: 

Item No. 4 Presentation 

2025 Legislative Workshop - Fact Sheets - FINAL revised 

5. Remarks by State and Federal Legislators on their 2025 Priorities 

a. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla 

b. U.S. Senator Adam Schiff 

c. Congressman Jimmy Panetta 

d. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren 

e. Senator John Laird 

f. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas 

g. Assemblymember Dawn Addis 

6. Remarks by Monterey County Board of Supervisors Regarding 2025 Priorities 

a. Supervisor Luis Alejo - District 1 

b. Supervisor Glenn Church - District 2 

c. Supervisor Chris Lopez - District 3 

d. Supervisor Wendy Root Askew - District 4 

e. Supervisor Kate Daniels - District 5 

7. Roundtable Discussion 

8. Public Comment on Agenda Items 

9. Board Direction to Staff 

Adjournment 

Welcome and Introductions

Review of Agenda and Objectives

State of the County 

Monterey County 2025 Policy Priorities 

a. San Lucas Clean Drinking Water

b. Nacimiento and San Antonio Dams and Reservoirs Safety Projects

c. Monterey County Veterans Home/Community Living Center

d. Protecting Monterey County  Values

e. FEMA Reimbursements

f. Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Facilities

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

3. CONSIDERATION OF LATE ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA; ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS ANNOUNCEMENT BY BOARD MEMBERS OF ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT TO REGULAR AGENDA

4. ANNOUNCEMENT BY BOARD MEMBERS OF ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT TO REGULAR AGENDA

5. PUBLIC COMMENT

6. ACTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA (ITEMS 15-55)

REGULAR AGENDA

Scheduled and Regular Departmental items – 9:00 AM or thereafter

7. Consider oral report on response and recovery activities from Moss Landing Vistra Power Plant Fire (Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience)

8. Consider selection of Justin Francavilla as the public artist for the Floral Park Public Art Project, adopt resolution accepting unanticipated revenue in the amount of $9,000, and take related actions (Parks, Open Spaces, and Cultural Services)

9. Consider adopting a resolution reaffirming Santa Cruz County’s commitment to protect, serve, and support LGBTQ+ individuals and women in their pursuit of health and happiness, and their private exercise of bodily autonomy, and take related actions (Board of Supervisors - Fifth District)

10. Consider implementation update report for the Santa Cruz County Safe Drinking Water, Clean Beaches, Wildfire Risk Reduction and Wildlife Protection Act, and take related actions (Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience)

11. Consider options to allow cannabis consumption at retail locations and potential cannabis business tax revisions related to consumption and non-cannabis goods (County Administrative Office)

12. Consider approving in concept “An Ordinance Amending the Zoning Plan and Map to Add Parcels in Las Cumbres Subdivision to the Open Space Easement Combining District Pursuant to Section 13.10.185 of the Santa Cruz County Code", approve California Environmental Quality Act exemption, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

13. Consider update on County strategic initiatives, including the County Strategic Plan refresh, County Operational Plan, and performance management, and take related actions (County Administrative Office)

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA 

14. SCHEDULE A CLOSED PERSONNEL AND LITIGATION SESSION TO BE HELD AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE BOARD'S CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDA, OR AT ANY OTHER TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING ANNOUNCED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD

A.     CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
         (Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1))

Nesibe Oya Soysal v. County of Santa Cruz, et al; United States District Court, Northern District of California, Case No. 23CV03610-PCP.

B.     CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
         (Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1))

Justin and Tracy Walker v. County of Santa Cruz, et al., Santa Cruz County Superior Court Case No.24CV00556

C.     CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – THREAT TO PUBLIC SERVICES OR FACILITIES
        (Government Code Section 54957(a))

Consultation with: Sheriff-Coroner – Sheriff’s Sergeants 

Report of County Counsel - will be given at the conclusion of the closed session on any reportable action(s) taken in the closed session. 

CONSENT AGENDA

Consent items include routine business that does not call for discussion. One roll call vote is taken for all items. Only a Board Member may pull items from Consent to Regular agenda. Members of the public must request that a Board Member pull an item from the Consent Agenda prior to the start of the meeting. Staff is available to address public concerns Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

General Government

15. Approval of Minutes
December 10, 2024 9:00 AM
December 17, 2024 9:00 AM
December 27, 2024 10:00 AM
January 14, 2025 9:00 AM (Clerk of the Board)

16. Accept claims as approved by the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector (Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax-Collector)

17. Adopt "Ordinance Amending Chapter 7.70 of the Santa Cruz County Code Relating to Wells and Borings" and an "Ordinance Amending Chapter 7.73 of the Santa Cruz County Code Relating to Individual Water Systems" (Approved in Concept December 10, 2024) (Clerk of the Board)

18. Adopt "An Ordinance Amending Section 13.10.650(C) of the Santa Cruz County Code Regarding Non-Retail Commercial Cannabis Operations" and "An Ordinance Amending Section 7.128.110(C)(1) of the Santa Cruz County Code Regarding Non-Retail Commercial Cannabis Operations" (Approved in concept December 10, 2024) (Clerk of the Board)

19. Adopt "Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.82 of the Santa Cruz County Code Related to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Commission" (Approved in Concept January 14, 2025) (Clerk of the Board)

20. Accept and file the Treasurer’s Investment Transaction Report for the month of November 2024 (Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax-Collector)

21. Accept and file the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 (Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax-Collector)

22. Accept and file the first biannual report for Fiscal Year 2024-25 on Cannabis Licensing Office operations, and take related actions (County Administrative Office)

23. Defer to on or before March 25, 2025, a public hearing to consider amendments to Santa Cruz County Code (SCCC) Chapter 13.10.640 and 13.10.372 (County Administrative Office)

24. Approve appointment of Monica Rocha as the Middle Management Association’s representative to the Deferred Compensation Advisory Commission, in accordance with the County Code Chapter 2.88 (County Administrative Office)

25. Adopt resolution approving the updated County Bail Schedule for 2024-25, and take related actions (Clerk of the Board)

26. Approve recommended Board of Supervisors Chambers conceptual layout for the Government Broadcasting Revitalization Project, approve transfer of funds and adopt resolution accepting unanticipated revenue in the amount of $2,310,500 from Digital Infrastructure Video Competitor Act / Public Education Government fees, and take related actions (General Services Department)

27. Approve amendment to design services agreement with 19six Architects, for design services of the Children's Crisis Center, increasing the total amount to $1,347,250, and take related actions (General Services Department)

28. Defer to on or before May 20, 2025, the contract award for the Next Generation P25 Countywide Radio System Request for Proposal (Information Services Dept.)

29. Approve agreement with Abaxent Leasing LLC, in the amount of $604,590, for upgraded Palo Alto Networks cybersecurity infrastructure, and take related actions (Information Services Dept.)

30. Approve appointment of Sandy Brown as the alternate to Supervisor Cummings on the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

31. Approve appointment of Sean McGowen as the Third District appointee to the Arts Commission, for a term to expire April 1, 2027 (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

32. Approve appointment of Celia Barry as the Third District appointee to the Emergency Medical Care Commission, for a term to expire April 1, 2027 (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

33. Approve appointment of Sandy Brown as the Third District alternate member to the Planning Commission, for a term to expire January 4, 2027 (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

34. Approve appointment of James Nakahara as the Third District appointee to the Commission on the Environment, for a term to expire April 1, 2027 (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

35. Adopt resolution in support of Senate Bill 48 - Immigration Enforcement Prohibitions on School Sites, and take related actions (Board of Supervisors - Third District)

36. Approve appointment of Timothy Lydgate as the Fifth District appointee to the Library Advisory Commission, for a term to expire April 19, 2028 (Board of Supervisors - Fifth District)

37. Accept and file the Arts Commission report for calendar years 2023 and 2024, and take related actions (Board of Supervisors)

38. Approve appointment of Rae Spencer-Hill as the Alternate Director representing the County on the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (Board of Supervisors)

39. Approve appointment of Shane Mckeithen as the Alternate Director representing the County on the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Agency (Board of Supervisors)

40. Approve the Board of Supervisors 2025 Agency, Committee, and Commission appointments (Board of Supervisors)

Public Safety & Justice

41.Accept and file report on 2024 wildfire resilience activities funded by 22 CAL FIRE Wildfire County Coordinator-Northern Grant Program (Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience)

Health & Human Services

42.Approve amendment to agreement with Nurse-Family Partnership Organization to implement Nurse-Family Partnership Expansion Initiative services, and take related actions (Health Services Agency)

43.Approve agreement with Central California Alliance for Health in the amount of $50,000 from the Medi-Cal Capacity Healthcare Technology Program grant funding to replace the outdated electronic health record system used by the Medical Therapy Unit, and take related actions (Health Services Agency)

44.Ratify three grant applications to Mental Health Oversight Services and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) for Mental Health Student Services Act Round 4 funding, approve agreements with MHSOAC in the amounts of $500,000, $800,000 and $450,000 to increase navigation and access to behavioral health services for students and families, and take related actions (Health Services Agency)

45.Defer to on or before June 24, 2025, ratification of the Privacy and Security Agreement with the California Department of Social Services (Human Services Department)

Land Use & Community Services

46. Adopt resolution approving panel recommendation of 2025-26 Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate, and take related actions (Parks, Open Spaces, and Cultural Services)

47. Approve revised bylaws of the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission (Parks, Open Spaces, and Cultural Services)

48. Accept and file the Park and Recreation Development Impact Fees - Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (Parks, Open Spaces, and Cultural Services)

49. Ratify contract with Bouthillier's Construction, Inc. for the March 2023 Winter Storm emergency projects, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

50. Appropriate existing Housing fund balances in the amount of $187,917 for Professional and Special Services related to the ADU Incentives Program and reallocate appropriations of existing Housing fund balances in the amount of $75,000 from Affordable Housing Programs and Projects to Professional and Special Services to assist in the cost of the Affordable Housing nexus/impact fee study (Community Development and Infrastructure)\

51. Approve contract agreement with Dokken Engineering in the amount of $518,563.87 for engineering and environmental services related to 2017 Storm Damage, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

52. Approve contract agreement with T.Y. Lin International in the amount of $163,855.70 for engineering and environmental services related to 2017 Storm Damage, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

53. Accept the improvements and final construction cost of $221,447.63 for the Schulties Road Post Mile 0.56 Emergency Project, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

54. Defer status report on the 2016-17 and 2023 Winter Storm projects and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

55. Schedule a public hearing on February 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., or thereafter, to consider Application 221077 for development of APNs 029-391-01, 029-391-02, 029-391-03 and 029-061-19 located at 2450 Mattison Lane, and take related actions (Community Development and Infrastructure)

Written Correspondence Listing

The Written Correspondence Listing is established to act as a report of materials received by the Board as a whole but may also include items requested for inclusion by individual Supervisors. Upon completion of any actions deemed necessary (i.e., acknowledgement, referral, etc.), these items are included in the Written Correspondence Listing under the appropriate heading. While these items are not part of the official record of meetings of the Board of Supervisors, they will be maintained by the Clerk of the Board for a period of two years, after which time they may be destroyed after the County’s Historic Resources Commission has been provided an opportunity for review.

I. The Board of Supervisors has received agendas and minutes from the following County advisory bodies (to be filed):

Civil Service Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Mental Health Advisory Board
Mobile and Manufactured Home Commission
Treasury Oversight Commission
Women’s Commission

II. The Board of Supervisors has received applications from the following persons for appointment to County advisory bodies (to be filed):
James Nakahara – Commission on the Environment
Katherine Louise Lehr – Women’s Commission
Kory Asfour – Parks and Recreation Commission
Kris Hurst – Emergency Management Council
Olesya Kalinowska – Childhood Advisory Council
Sandy Brown – Area Agency on Aging
Sandy Brown – Planning Commission

III. The Board of Supervisors has received the following items of correspondence which require no official action by the Board at this time:

a) Attendance report for the Latino Affairs Commission
b) Attendance report for the Mobile and Manufactured Home Commission
c) Attendance report for the Seniors Commission
d) Attendance report for the Women’s Commission
e) Proclamation issued by Supervisor Hernandez honoring Carol Vanausdal Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors
f) Notice of availability of Draft Subsequent EIR from the City of Santa Cruz regarding the Downtown Plan Expansion
g) Letter of anonymous conveying their concerns relative to the Santa Cruz County General Services Department
h) Letter of AstroQuake conveying their concerns relative to alternative emergency alerts
i) Letter of Becky Steinbruner requesting the County to schedule a Town Hall meeting for public review of Santa Cruz County’s Draft Evacuation Plan Appendix
j) Letter of Casey Carlson conveying his concerns relative to a battery storge facility in Watsonville
k) Letter of Chris Moran conveying his concerns relative to gas powered leaf blowers
l) Letter of Heather Vuchinich conveying her concerns relative to Santa Cruz Social Services
m) Letter of John Benito conveying his concerns relative to backyard burning
n) Letter of Kris Hubby conveying his concerns relative to rural road paving and resurfacing
o) Letter of Priscilla Williams conveying her concerns relative to affordable housing
p) Letter of Robyn McKeen conveying her concerns relative to the termination of Optimal Solutions Consulting contract
q) Letters of constituents conveying their concerns relative to the Moss Landing battery fire

Adjournment

Next meeting date:   

Regular Board Meeting   

9:00 AM 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 

File# 25-047

General Agenda Item

Briefing of the Vistra Energy Fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant

File# 25-048

General Agenda Item

Adopt a resolution to ratify the Proclamation of Local Emergency issued by the County Administrative Officer or designee on January 17, 2025, related to the Vistra Energy fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant that started on January 16, 2025, causing a large fire including burning of lithium batteries, damage to private property, smoke and potential hazardous fumes, and resulting in evacuation and road closures in the Moss Landing area, thereby causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property nearby (4/5ths vote required). 

File# CS 25-006

Closed Session under Government Code section 54950, relating to the following items: 1. Pursuant to Government Code section 54957(a), the Board will confer with County Counsel regarding matters posing a threat to the security of public buildings, essential public services, or the public's right of access to public services or facilities. 

Supervisor Glenn Church Speaks at Prunedale Grange Meeting

Jan. 20, 2025
Prunedale, Calif.

The angriest otter in all of North Monterey County, Supervisor Glenn Church, riled up before he took the microphone on Monday evening. Supervisor Church told residents he was going to fight for North County. Church explained to over 75 in attendance at the grange hall and more than 100 in attendance online via Zoom that the Moss Landing Power Plant Battery Energy Storage System had been pushed through with little resistance or objection more than 5 years ago. Church added that he and many other officials had toured the facility and relied on guarantees from Vistra representatives that the system and suppression systems were safe and functional.

Organizers had also invited Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Vistra representative, Brad Watson, who were unavailable to attend. Brian Roeder, a community organizer and winery owner, facilitated the meeting and took questions from breakaway groups. KSBW was in attendance listening to community members voice their concerns and frustrations.

Concerned citizens and members of the press presented questions ranging from concern over the range of the smoke to why a battery energy storage system was built in a location where the fire department had no equipment to address it, soil testing, the long-term health issues, and preventing the plant from being brought back online.

Future meetings were discussed at the closing of the meeting. Please stay tuned for more.

Community members should be vigilant about scams and law firms reaching out stating they have signed on or are representing over 50 people related to the Moss Landing Power Plant Vistra Fire.

The Vistra BESS in Moss Landing, CA, is currently not on fire, but residents nearby report a strong and persistent chemical odor. Monterey County reports that "no threats to public health have been detected from gases or particulate matter and reported to county health officials."