San Fernando council refers decorative downtown lighting, maintenance concerns to ad hoc after heated debate

Council members spent an extended portion of the meeting debating San Fernando’s recent downtown decorative-light program, its maintenance needs and whether it produced measurable economic benefits for nearby businesses.

Council Member Marcello Solorio (introduced the item) said the lighting was intended to "enhance the district's visual appeal, pedestrian experience and overall sense of place," but noted no formal evaluation had been conducted to show economic gains. Public Works staff (Bill) described persistent electrical issues that required a comprehensive inventory of parts — "fuses, splice kits, weatherproof connections" — and said he expected an inventory within about a week and subsequent procurement and repairs.

Vice Mayor Victoria Garcia and others described widespread community enthusiasm for the lights and emphasized the program's transparency: "We disclosed exactly how much we spent, who we bought it from, what we bought," she said. Council Member Patty Lopez and others pushed for measurable data on business impacts and for merchant outreach to encourage longer store hours or other ways to benefit from evening activity.

Concerns about safety and traffic were raised; Garcia said police reported drivers slowing to take pictures in the mall area. Council agreed to refer the lighting item to the District B ad hoc for merchant outreach and study without allocating additional funds at this stage. The motion to refer carried in a roll call with one dissenting vote.

Next steps: the District B ad hoc will survey merchants and return with qualitative and quantitative indicators of success, recommendations on maintenance funding and suggestions to minimize public-safety impacts while maximizing benefits for local businesses.