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Council introduces broad zoning, business and parking code updates; second reading set for May 5
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Summary
The council introduced Ordinance No. 25-1086, a package of 'Series D' municipal code amendments covering mobile food vendors, relocation fees, community clinics and care facilities, thrift retail rules, public-notice timelines, parking and EV charging standards, and other zoning refinements; staff said the changes respond to recent state laws and local consistency needs and scheduled a May 5 second reading.
The City Council introduced a comprehensive set of zoning and municipal‑code updates (Ordinance No. 25‑1086) intended to implement a range of technical clarifications and state-mandated changes, and scheduled the ordinance's second reading for May 5, 2026.
City staff said the Series D amendments respond to evolution in state law and to issues flagged by the planning commission and constituents. The proposed changes address mobile food vending (including a recommended 500‑foot relocation requirement each hour and prohibited operating hours of 10 p.m.–6 a.m.), business-license relocation fees, nondiscretionary permitting for community clinics as required by AB 2085, updated handling of community care facilities under state rules, thrift retail definitions and operational standards, increased public-notice windows to 20 days (AB 2904), and delegation of density-bonus approvals to the planning commission with council 'call up' authority.
On mobile vending, staff recommended that trucks relocate at least 500 feet each hour and not operate at the same location more than once per day; staff said licensed vendors would be notified via mailers and enforcement through individual licensing. "We can definitely send out a mailer to them," staff said, and planning staff noted fewer than half a dozen licensed mobile vendors currently operate in the city.
The amendments also clarify parking rules and EV requirements to conform with state law. Staff explained that EV charging spaces may count toward required parking and that ADA‑accessible EV stalls may be treated as equivalent to two standard spaces in some configurations, following state guidance. For community clinics and community care facilities, staff proposed definitions and procedures that reflect state nondiscretionary approval rules and clarified when conditional use permits (CUPs) may be required for larger facilities.
After staff presentation and public comment (including a request about portable restrooms from a resident), councilmember Stark moved to introduce the ordinance by title only; the motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote and the clerk read the ordinance title into the record. The ordinance was introduced for first reading and the council set the second reading date for May 5, 2026.
Why it matters: The amendments pack multiple state‑mandated and locally refined changes into one ordinance, affecting small-business operators (mobile vendors, thrift stores), housing and care providers, parking and EV planning, and the city's permitting processes.
Next steps: The council will hold a second reading and possible final adoption on May 5, 2026, after which staff will mail notice to affected licensees and update fee resolutions where required.
