HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC_2026-04-28 Regular Meeting Minutes
1
MINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
April 28, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Hall
209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA
Members Present: Mayor Carla Wixom
Council Member Jeff Eckles
Council Member Cyndee Edwards
Council Member Zara Landrum
Council Member Bill Luffee
Staff Present: City Manager John Craig
City Attorney Brian Stack
City Clerk Dana Swanson
Finance Director Emily Conrad
Community Development Director Airlin Singewald
Police Chief Amy Watkins
Harbor Director Chris Munson
_____________________________________________________________________
1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wixom called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. with all members present.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. REPORTS
3.a Closed Session Report
City Attorney Stack announced the Council had not met in closed session since
the last regular meeting.
3.b Mayor and Councilmembers' Reports, Announcements and Presentations
3.c City Manager Reports, Announcements and Presentations
City Manager Craig announced Item 8.b will be moved to the May 12th meeting
due to staff illness.
3.d Subcommittee Reports - Verbal Update of Current Subcommittee Activities
1. Water Reclamation Facility & Morro Bay / Cayucos Sanitary District JPA
2. Morro Bay Power Plant (Vistra)
3. Offshore Wind Energy
4. Morro Elementary School
2
5. Shared Fire Services
4. RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS
None.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Arby Kitzman, Morro Bay, offered to pay for black top mix if the City would
provide the manpower to pave a portion of Little Morro Creek Road past the bike
park.
Linda Winters, Morro Bay, provided an update regarding Monday Night Dinners
and services offered on Mondays at the library parking lot.
Barry Branin, Morro Bay, urged the City to list and actively work to sell excess
properties to fund investments in other City properties.
Nicole Dorfman, Morro Bay, spoke in remembrance of community member and
volunteer, Jean Johnson.
Margaret Carman, Morro Bay, shared the experience of a resident on Monterey
near Pacific Street who was being negatively impacted by the recently installed
Tesla charging stations.
Janice Peters, Morro Bay, announced By the Sea Productions' upcoming
performance of the Neil Simon comedy, California Suite.
Judy Setting, Morro Bay, hoped Public Works would contact Mr. Kitzman
regarding his paving offer.
Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, reminded community members to wait until after the
end of June before trimming or cutting down trees.
End of public comment.
6. CONSENT AGENDA
Unless an item is pulled for separate action by the City Council, the following actions are
approved without discussion. The public will also be provided an opportunity to comment
on consent agenda items.
Mayor Wixom opened public comment on the Consent Agenda; seeing none, the public
comment period was closed.
Motion by Council Member Luffee
Seconded by Council Member Landrum
Approve Consent Agenda Items 6.a through 6.e as submitted.
Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Edwards, Council
Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee
CARRIED (5 to 0)
6.a Approval of Minutes
3
Approve as submitted.
1. April 14, 2026 - Regular Council Meeting
6.b Approval of Proclamations
Approve as submitted.
1. Proclamation Declaring May 2026 as "Bike Month"
6.c Reappointment of Hemant Patel to the Visit SLO CAL Board of Directors
Reappoint Hemant Patel as the City’s representative on the Visit SLO CAL Board
of Directors (Board) for a 3-year term ending June 2029.
6.d Ordinance No. 679, amending Chapter 14.75 of Title 14 (Buildings and
Construction) of the MBMC to incorporate the provisions of Senate Bill
1383, which updated the California Green Building Standards Code, or
CALGreen
Adopt Ordinance No. 679: “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro
Bay, California, amending Chapter 14.75 of Title 14 (Buildings and Construction)
of the Morro Bay Municipal Code (MBMC) to incorporate the provisions of Senate
Bill 1383, which updated the California Green Building Standards Code
(CALGreen).”
6.e Equipment donation from the Friends of the Morro Bay Fire Department
Accept the donated equipment from the Friends of the Morro Bay Fire
Department and authorize the City Manager to execute the Donation Agreement.
7. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
None.
8. BUSINESS ITEMS
The Council took a brief recess at 6:03 p.m. and reconvened at 6:14 p.m. with all
members present.
8.a Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance Infrastructure Study - Morro
Bay
While not directly related to this item, City Manager Craig announced the Federal
Government canceled one of the leases for offshore wind off the coast of Morro
Bay.
Community Development Director Singewald kicked off the item then introduced
Charlie Poole, Mott MacDonald and Derek Lerma, Rincon Consultants, to
present the Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance Infrastructure Study.
They, along with Mark LaRue, San Luis Obispo County Deputy Director of
Planning and Building, responded to Council inquiries.
Mayor Wixom opened public comment for Item 8.a.
Katie Franklin, Los Osos, shared that she enjoys watching otters and is
not in favor of industrialization in this bird and marine sanctuary.
4
Dr. Gene Nelson, Californians for Green Nuclear Power, spoke in
opposition to offshore wind development.
Andrea Lueker, REACT Alliance, commented on the legal principals of
the public trust doctrine and City's responsibility to safeguard these public
trust lands by saying no to offshore wind.
Sheri Hafer commented on constraints that would prevent large support
vessels to enter the Morro Bay harbor and negative impacts on the
estuary and local businesses.
David Yohe, Morro Bay, appreciated the Council taking a stand against
offshore wind and protecting the Morro Bay community.
Judy Setting, Morro Bay, appreciated the report and asked Council firmly
and clearly excuse Morro Bay from consideration as an O&M port.
Rachel Wilson, Cayucos, agreed with the previous speaker and urged the
city to decline future grants and studies related to offshore wind.
Joe Silano, Morro Bay, raised various environmental concerns and
opposed O&M infrastructure in Morro Bay.
Nicole Dorfman, Morro Bay resident and Board Member of REACT
Alliance, appreciated the report does not recommend Morro Bay as an
O&M infrastructure port and looked forward to economic development
opportunities that don't involve industrialization.
Tricia Boaz, REACT Alliance Co-President, expressed concerns about
perceived efforts to divide and conquer the central coast communities.
Steve Schleiblauer commented on the report from a harbor master
perspective, noting such development will change the look of the
waterfront and maintaining the required entrance depth would be difficult.
Sal Garcia commented on the importance of emergency response and
readiness if there's some type of a disaster.
Mandy Davis, REACT Alliance Co-President, commented on the
environmental constraints and opposition to these small harbors being
considered to become industrial ports.
End of public comment.
The Mayor and City Council appreciated the report and provided individual
comments. No action was taken by the City Council.
Receive and file the attached Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
Infrastructure Study.
8.b Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Cannon Corporation for
Design of Phase 1 and Environmental Permitting for all Phases of the North
Morro Bay Water Improvements Project
This item was continued to the May 12, 2026 Regular Meeting.
5
9. COUNCIL DECLARATION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Council Member Landrum requested consideration of a prohibition on data storage
centers, similar to the current pause on BESS projects. There was majority support to
review and discuss expanding the prohibition on BESS projects to include data centers
when the permanent BESS ordinance is brought back later this year.
Council Member Landrum inquired about the City's ability to require companies pursuing
industrial projects to reimburse the cost of staff time. Staff responded reimbursement
agreements can be required once an application is submitted. No further action was
discussed.
Council Member Landrum requested and received the Mayor's support for an update on
increased staff capacity resulting from the transfer of transit services to RTA and
programs approved by Council for the Clerk's office.
10. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Dana Swanson, City Clerk