Dana Point council adopts strategic plan, opposes nearby battery facility, applies for wildfire-risk listing, approves manager contract and initiates receiversh

Dana Point City Council on June 17 adopted an updated strategic plan, authorized the mayor to send a letter of opposition to the California Energy Commission for a proposed energy storage facility near San Juan Capistrano, approved submitting an application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for inclusion on the 2026 fire risk reduction community list, approved an amendment to the city manager's employment agreement, and voted in closed session to initiate a receivership action for a property on Via Catalina.

The council took the actions during its regular meeting after recessing for a closed session earlier in the evening. The items address the city's policy priorities (a strategic-plan update), regional land-use and safety concerns (a proposed battery storage project), wildfire-preparedness grant eligibility, and city management employment terms.

Council members adopted the strategic plan update by roll-call vote after a staff presentation from Jamie To. The update incorporated prior council comments, including edits addressing public-safety perceptions and neighborhood electric vehicles. "This update incorporates council comments from the June 3 city council meeting addressing goal 1 objective 1.1 of actual and perception of public safety and adding additional language in strategic goal 2 addressing neighborhood electric vehicles or golf cards," staff member Jamie To said during her presentation.

On the Compass Energy Storage Project, staff recommended the council authorize the mayor to send a letter of opposition to the California Energy Commission (CEC). Riley Kasik Basian, who presented the item, said the project site is located in San Juan Capistrano near the Interstate…