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 5 corridor and the Los Angeles rail corridor and that public meetings raised concerns about a single access point crossing active railroad tracks, creek erosion, and fire risk. "Based on this overwhelming opposition from the public and other government representatives, we are recommending that city council authorize the mayor to send a letter of opposition to the CEC for this project," Kasik Basian said. Council Member Federico moved to send the letter; the motion passed with no member recorded as opposing.

Council members also approved a staff recommendation to submit an application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to be included on the 2026 fire risk reduction community list. Staff said inclusion prioritizes the city for grants administered by the agency and may be considered by insurers when setting rates. The application opens July 1; if accepted the designation would be effective July 1, 2026, and remain in effect for two years before the city would need to reapply. "The city meets the minimum criteria for being included on this list," Kasik Basian said. Council approved the application.

On personnel and compensation, a council subcommittee reported findings from a benchmarking review and the council approved an amendment to the city manager's employment agreement. Council members cited the city's fiscal position and the manager's work in their remarks before the vote. The staff report contained the specific salary and benefit language; the council did not verbalize numeric terms on the public record during the meeting but voted to approve the subcommittee's recommended amendment.

The city attorney reported that during the earlier closed session the council voted unanimously to initiate a receivership action against the property at 34616 Via Catalina. The attorney said the motion to initiate the receivership was made by Council Member Vilar and seconded by Mayor Pagano and that the council approved the motion unanimously. The closed-session agenda referenced Government Code provisions authorizing litigation and personnel evaluations (Government Code A7 54956.9 for litigation items and Government Code A7 54957 for public-employee evaluations), and the city attorney's report named the receivership action as a result of that closed-session discussion.

Votes at a glance

- Strategic Plan Update: Adopted (motion to adopt approved by roll call; no opposition recorded). Motion: adopt staff-recommended strategic plan update; mover not specified on the public record. Notes: update incorporates council comments from June 3 addressing public-safety perception and neighborhood electric vehicles.

- Compass Energy Storage Project (letter of opposition to California Energy Commission): Approved to send letter of opposition (motion moved by Council Member Federico; second not specified on the public record). Notes: staff cited concerns about single access across active railroad corridor, creek/erosion issues, and fire risk; project site located in San Juan Capistrano near I-5 and the Los Angeles rail corridor.

- Fire Risk Reduction Community List application (2026): Approved to submit application to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection/CAL FIRE (motion moved and seconded; no opposition recorded). Notes: Application opens July 1; designation effective July 1, 2026 for two years; being on the list may be considered by insurers in rate structures.

- Amendment to City Manager Employment Agreement: Approved (motion moved and seconded; no opposition recorded). Notes: subcommittee reviewed benchmarking data and recommended an amendment; numeric details were in the staff report.

- Receivership action (closed session outcome): Council voted unanimously to initiate a receivership action against 34616 Via Catalina (motion by Council Member Vilar; seconded by Mayor Pagano; approved unanimously). This action was reported publicly by the city attorney after closed session.

What the council said and next steps

Council members who spoke emphasized safety and regional coordination. Council Member Vilar said residents have spoken "pretty loudly" about the battery project and that he supports sending the letter because he would not want to live near a facility he considered risky. Council Member Federico said battery storage can play a role in grid resilience but said the proposed site "could be in a better place" and that relocating it would increase applicant cost. Mayor Pagano and others praised staff work on the strategic plan and on city operations.

Staff said it will prepare and transmit the opposition letter to the California Energy Commission and will file the application for the CAL FIRE list when the window opens July 1. For the receivership action the city attorney reported the initiation vote and provided the property street address; further legal filings and court dates were not specified during the public report.

Speakers who appeared in the meeting and are quoted or referenced in this article include staff members Jamie To and Riley Kasik Basian, Council Member Federico, Council Member Michael Vilar, Mayor Matt Pagano, and the City Attorney (who reported the closed-session vote).