City of Watsonville
City Council
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 4:30 PM
How to take part
Show up: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 4:30 PM, City Council Chambers, 275 Main Street, Top Floor, Watsonville. California's open-meetings law (the Brown Act) gives you the right to speak on agenda items. Remote-participation links, when offered, are on the agenda.
Write in: citycouncil@watsonville.gov (from the address this meeting's agenda gives for public comment)
Put "Public Comment" in the subject line and give the agenda item number and title in the body.
What's being decided
- Major· Housing, Planning & development· Consent agenda$465,000 city loan for 13 affordable homes at 36 Airport Road
The City would lend Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay $465,000 to help build 13 affordable, owner-occupied single-family homes at 36 Airport Road. The money comes from a state grant the City already received (the Permanent Local Housing Allocation, or PLHA, under Standard Agreement No. 22-PLHA-17794) and would be appropriated out of the City's Affordable Housing Fund (0221). A yes vote approves the loan agreement, promissory note and deed of trust, and authorizes the City Manager to sign the loan and subordination documents. The loan has a 30-year term at zero percent interest, secured by a deed of trust on the property.
- Major· Water & utilities, Taxes, fees & budget, Environment & climateIssue up to $22.5 million in bonds for wastewater plant energy upgrades
The City would borrow money by selling Wastewater Revenue Bonds, Series 2026, in an amount not to exceed $22,500,000, to pay for the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Program at the city's Wastewater Treatment Facility that the Council authorized on September 9, 2026. The project costs $20,849,967; $20 million would come from the bonds and the rest from reserves in the City's Wastewater Enterprise Fund. A yes vote adopts a resolution approving the borrowing documents (Indenture of Trust, Bond Purchase Agreement, Continuing Disclosure Certificate and Official Statement), hires the financing team, and sets limits on the deal. The bonds are expected to be sold the week of October 5th and the money received the week of October 19th.
- Major· Housing, Planning & developmentSet 2026 income, rent and sale price limits for affordable housing
Watsonville's Affordable Housing Ordinance (Chapter 14-46 of the Municipal Code) requires that 15 to 20 percent of units in new residential projects of seven or more units be affordable, and the City Council periodically sets the dollar limits used to run that program. Staff is asking the Council — sitting both as the Council and as the Successor Housing Agency — to adopt updated 2026 maximum income limits, maximum rents, and maximum home sales prices, based on the state income limits released by the California Department of Housing and Community Development on June 29, 2026. The resolution would also set the 'prevailing interest rate' used in the sales-price formula at 7.00 percent, down from the 7.5 percent adopted in June 2024. A yes vote puts the new limits (Exhibit A to the resolution) into effect immediately, until the Council replaces them later.
- Notable· Water & utilities, Taxes, fees & budget· Consent agendaBuy a $620,167 garbage truck for trash collection
The City's Solid Waste Division wants to buy one 2026 Peterbilt automated side loader garbage truck from Arata Equipment Company for an amount not to exceed $620,167.00, plus whatever freight, delivery and taxes come to at final shipment. A yes vote adopts a resolution approving that purchase and lets the City Manager sign the purchase order. The new truck would let the City retire an existing collection vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life.
- Notable· Public safety, Health & social services, Taxes, fees & budget· Consent agenda$135,600 contract to evaluate Prop 64 grant-funded police program
The City Council is asked to approve a contract with Applied Survey Research, Inc., for up to $135,600 to write a Local Evaluation Plan and a Local Evaluation Report for the Watsonville Police Department's Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant. The plan sets out ahead of time what data will be collected to measure the grant project's goals, and the report later documents whether those goals were met — both are required by the state grant. The firm would be hired as a "sole source" vendor, meaning the city selected it directly rather than through competing bids. A yes vote authorizes the City Manager to sign the contract, which staff say is needed before the police department can begin grant-funded activities.
- Minor· Government & transparency· Consent agendaRe-adopt city conflict of interest code and update covered positions
The Council would re-adopt the city's conflict of interest code using the state model code and update the list of employees required to file disclosures.
Everything else on the agenda
- 2.aMAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MARIO ESPINOZA
- 3.aPERSONNEL MATTERS
- 4.aMOTION TO EXCUSE ABSENT COUNCIL MEMBER(S) (If any)
- 6.aREPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
- 6.bMISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS REPORT
- 8.aORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC (2 MINUTES EACH) (not yet analyzed)
- 8.bORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COUNCIL (2 MINUTES EACH)
- 9.aMAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING CHAZ DESIGN
- 9.bMAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MONTEREY BAY WALK & ROLL TO CURE ALS
- 9.cPRESENTATION BY DR. HEATHER CONTRERAS REGARDING THE FUTURE OF PAJARO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (15 Minutes) (not yet analyzed)
- 10.aMOTION APPROVING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
- 10.bFIRST AMENDMENT TO CONSULTANT SERVICES CONTRACT WITH SARGENT TOWN PLANNING, INC. FOR THE 2050 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE (Recommended by Community Development Director Orbach) (not yet analyzed)
- 12.cDISCUSSION REGARDING THE WATSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S USE OF FLOCK SAFETY CAMERAS (not yet analyzed)