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2026-07-21 - City Council

Summary

Built from the approved minutes (read from a scanned document), so names and figures were checked against the page text and anything garbled was left out. No video found.

  • Regular meeting; all seven members present for the open session (open session began 6:19 PM, adjourned 10:20 PM). Hernandez left at 9:59 PM, after the votes.
  • Closed session covered existing litigation and labor negotiations with the two SEIU units; no reportable action was announced.
  • Consent calendar (items 5 to 18) passed 7-0 with items 9, 11, 15 and 18 pulled.
  • Directed the City Manager to draft a resolution opposing the proposed Orange County Coordinated Reentry Center at the former Youth Guidance Center site, to communicate opposition to the County, and directed the City Attorney to report on legal remedies. Passed 7-0.
  • Received and filed the comprehensive zoning code update public outreach briefing, 7-0.
  • Approved a Caltrans subrecipient agreement for 25 million dollars in RAISE grant funds for the Santa Ana Boulevard Grade Separation Project, 7-0.
  • Approved the Police Department annual military equipment use report and reaffirmed the ordinance, 5-2.
  • No emergency declaration.

Orange County Coordinated Reentry Center

  • Item 19 (business calendar, heard 9:05 PM onward). Mayor Amezcua opposed the County proposal, citing the County's planning and communication process; every member opposed siting it in Santa Ana without meaningful City collaboration while supporting reentry services in principle. Lopez asked for City representation on the County committee. Phan urged continued dialogue and review of legal and environmental processes; Penaloza urged regional distribution of services. Passed 7-0, moved by Penaloza, seconded by Amezcua. Several public commenters spoke in opposition.

Police Military Equipment Use Report

  • Item 18, annual report for 2025-26 and reaffirmation of Ordinance NS-3020. Hernandez moved to not approve (seconded by Vazquez) and asked about uses during protests; the Police Chief said seven reported incidents involved civil unrest and one litigation matter was pending. Substitute motion by Amezcua, seconded by Bacerra, passed 5-2. YES: Bacerra, Lopez, Phan, Penaloza, Amezcua. NO: Hernandez, Vazquez. Members asked for virtual access to community meetings and a separate report on the drone program.

Santa Ana Zoning Code Update

  • Item 9, public communications and engagement briefing (received and filed, 7-0, moved by Bacerra). Bacerra raised residents' environmental justice concerns. The Executive Director of Planning and Building said the update would implement General Plan land use policies and address compatibility between industrial and residential uses; Lopez clarified it was information only, with further public input before any adoption. Amezcua noted about 800,000 community touchpoints. Several public commenters raised concerns about engagement and the Community Corner Village area.

Santa Ana Boulevard Grade Separation Project

  • Item 15, Designated Subrecipient Agreement with Caltrans for 25,000,000 dollars of RAISE grant funds (Project 26-6718). Passed 7-0, moved by Bacerra, seconded by Hernandez.

Other business

  • Item 11, status report on historic evaluation of public artworks by two muralists (12 properties identified): received and filed 7-0 on Penaloza's motion; Lopez asked to prioritize two murals.
  • Item 10: approved the City response to the Orange County Grand Jury report on California housing mandates (consent). A public commenter thanked the City on housing numbers.
  • Item 12: certified approval of Final Tract Map 2025-01 at 2020 East First Street, 6-0-1 (Bacerra recused over a campaign contribution).
  • Item 14: on-call materials testing and special inspection agreements, up to 800,000 dollars a year and 4,000,000 dollars total, 6-0-1 (Phan recused; a listed firm is a client of her employer).
  • Consent items also approved a Planning Commission Ward 2 appointment (oath administered), a Workforce Development Board appointment, a sodium hypochlorite generation agreement (about 500,000 dollars a year, up to 2,500,000 over five years), insurance brokerage and premium payments (estimated 14,837,440 dollars total, with two appropriation adjustments), and a five-year camera software license (up to 158,957 dollars).
  • Ceremonial presentations: a local business owner, student World Cup tournament participants, a visiting youth band from Taiwan, and a proclamation for 714 Unity Day on July 12.
  • Public comment also raised housing conditions at rental complexes, parking enforcement and street sweeping, and the Washington Square Park purchase.
  • Penaloza requested a memorandum on Council travel policy and eligibility; the City Attorney reminded members of the 90-day pre-election campaign rules.

Agenda

Sources