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Council authorizes outside counsel for long-running stormwater consent‑decree matter
Summary
The council authorized retention of Stoll Reeves as outside counsel to represent the city in the San Diego Coastkeeper consent‑decree implementation and approved a requested waiver of potential conflicts; staff said the contract term would not exceed five years and $75,000.
The City Council voted Nov. 12 to authorize retention of Stoll Reeves as outside counsel in the city's matter with San Diego Coastkeeper concerning stormwater discharges and the implementation of an existing consent decree.
Melissa Abels of the City Attorney's office summarized the background: the city retained private counsel in 2018 to negotiate and implement a consent decree resolving stormwater and industrial permit claims, and lead counsel Nicole Grandquist has since moved her practice to Stoll Reeves. Abels said Stoll Reeves' experience with the consent‑decree obligations and the city facilities involved makes the firm suitable to assist the city through compliance milestones the city does not expect to complete until at least December 2026.
As part of the request, Stoll Reeves asked the city to waive a potential conflict of interest: the firm represents the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System in land‑use and transit‑oriented development matters that could be adverse to the city on unrelated land‑use issues. Abels said the requested waiver would be accompanied by ethical screening measures and an internal "ethical wall" between attorneys handling the distinct matters.
Council moved and seconded the authorization; the council approved the retention and conflict waiver in a unanimous roll call vote (7–0, two absent). Staff said the contract submitted to the mayor would specify a not‑to‑exceed term of five years and an amount not to exceed $75,000.
