Jared Brekenfeld

The City of Fullerton's Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework supports the update of the General Plan Safety Element. It identifies and assesses community vulnerabilities to key climate hazards including higher temperatures and extreme heat events, more severe wildfires, frequent and intense droughts, flooding due to extreme precipitation, and increased potential for geologic and seismic hazards. The framework aims to explore strategies for reducing vulnerabilities, increasing adaptive capacity, and building resilience across the community, infrastructure, and natural resources for the long term.

The Housing Element outlines the City of Fullerton's plan to address housing needs from 2021-2029. Key areas of focus include increasing housing availability and affordability, promoting infill development, addressing the needs of special needs groups, and removing governmental constraints. The plan includes policy actions to facilitate housing production, conserve existing housing resources, enhance the quality of the built environment, and improve access to housing opportunities.

The meeting focused on the fiscal year 2022-23 budget. Public comments included concerns about the homeless population and the Fullerton Police Department's role in addressing homelessness. The budget study session covered revenue assumptions, department work plans (including communication strategies, SB 1383 implementation, property tax monitoring, economic development plans, fire station upgrades, class comp studies, IT improvements, library services, park improvements, and police trail patrols), and the city-wide capital improvement plan. Council discussion included questions about parks and recreation services and staffing levels.

The meeting was a budget study session. Presentations included budget highlights, an overview of accomplishments, the proposed general fund budget and five-year forecast, and the capital improvement projects plan. Key discussion points included street improvements (approximately 14.5 million dollars allocated), maintaining a 17% contingency reserve level, and setting aside funds to ensure future M2 funding. The council also discussed the Hunt Library implementation, with a potential placeholder of 195,000 in the budget. Other topics included the city's fiscal condition, sales tax growth, and property tax increases.

The special meeting addressed JP 23's appeal relating to their entertainment permit. Brown Act violation claims were alleged, leading to a discussion of rescinding prior closed-session deliberations and re-conducting them in open session. The council discussed the facts and findings, focusing on evidence presented, including calls, directives given to JP 23, and issues like lighting and timing. A decision was made to limit entertainment hours (11 p.m. on weekdays, midnight on weekends), with a review scheduled for October 2022. The council also addressed the occupancy of the building, deferring to the fire marshal to determine the occupancy limit based on fire codes. The appeal was denied.