The Salinas City Council approved a downtown land disposition and development agreement (identified in the meeting as item 5 32) on Dec. 2 after discussing project design features, parking and inclusionary-housing options.

Staff and the project representative said the development's current plans include a subterranean parking garage providing at least one parking stall per unit. Councilmembers asked whether the agreement explicitly binds the developer to the underground parking and whether the development would include on-site inclusionary units or pay an in-lieu fee. City staff said the developer committed on record that the parking would be subterranean but the final land-disposition and development agreement does not yet contain an express contractual requirement to construct the underground garage; the inclusionary-housing obligation could be met on-site or by paying an in-lieu fee under the city's inclusionary housing ordinance and guidelines.

Councilmember Barrera moved the land-disposition item and Mayor Donahue seconded. The item passed on roll call; Councilmember Sandoval voted no. Council and staff agreed to continue negotiating detailed design and financial terms during the due-diligence and entitlement phase and reminded the developer that the council expects inclusionary housing to be addressed consistent with city policy.

No final building permits or construction financing were approved at the meeting; the vote authorized the disposition agreement to proceed to the next stage of approvals and entitlements.