City Council — February 12, 2026

Meeting Summary

Present: 1-Hornick, 3-Sanchez, 4-Mead, Silva

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The meeting was called to order. A Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Roll call was conducted, and all council members were present: Mayor Silva, Vice Mayor Mead, and Council Members Hornick, Lewis, and Sanchez.

Public comment was opened for non-agendized items. Two members of the public provided comments:
John Roehner: Introduced himself as the new Public Affairs Manager for SoCal Gas, covering San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. He stated that SoCal Gas remains committed to supporting local governments and providing safe, reliable energy delivery.
Kyle Levin: Read a letter regarding concerns about management behavior at the Buellton Community Garden. He outlined a formal complaint filed previously regarding the expulsion of a community gardener and requested the council revoke the garden organization's social license to operate due to alleged ethical and legal violations. Council staff confirmed receipt of the referenced documentation.

The Consent Calendar was reviewed.
Correction: A staff member noted a typo in Attachment 1 of Agenda Item 5 regarding the report period, which should reference December 2025 instead of December 2026.
Removal: Council Member Hornick requested to pull Item 6 (Establishment of City Council Priorities for 2026) from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion.
Approval: A motion was made and seconded to approve the remaining Consent Calendar items (1 through 5 and 7).
Outcome: The motion passed.

Discussion: Following the removal from the Consent Calendar, Council Member Hornick indicated a desire to ask questions of City Manager Scott Wolf. As the City Manager was not present, the item was not proceeded upon.
Outcome: The item was continued to the next meeting.

Council members and staff provided various updates and reports:
Community Events: Updates were provided regarding the Triumph Foundation adaptive sports event, the Polar Plunge (including a $250,000 commitment from the Solvang Tribe for the Aquatic Center), the "Annie" musical auditions, the opening of the Village Senior Apartments, and a Rotary Club cleanup on McMurray Road.
Housing and Legislation: Updates were given regarding a trip to Sacramento to meet with state legislators regarding affordable housing and local resident prioritization.
Public Safety and Wildfire: Discussion occurred regarding unhoused populations in the valley, coordination with the school district regarding emergency services, and the Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP). A $1.7 million grant from the Tribe for the River Trail was discussed, which could fund the Buellton design portion.
Services: Updates on the Boys and Girls Club, Library outreach, Buellton Garden Apartments applications, and the Air Pollution Control District awarding $60,000 in grants to the Union School District and Children's Museum.
Transportation: Updates regarding the Highway 101 widening funding, the Highway 166 corridor study, and population forecasting trends (fertility and mortality rates).
Surveys: Staff reported 300 responses received for the Williamson Green survey, with results to be synthesized for an ad hoc meeting.

Presentation: Staff presented the proposed TIA guidelines to update the interim guidelines. The proposal establishes objective standards for Local Transportation Studies (LTS) and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analyses.
Discussion: Council members and legal counsel discussed the relationship between state CEQA requirements and local control. Questions were raised regarding Level of Service (LOS) thresholds, specifically accepting Level D at certain major intersections, and the discretion the City retains to require studies for projects that do not meet objective thresholds. Clarifications were provided that the guidelines aim to balance developer predictability with the City's ability to mitigate local traffic impacts.
Motion: A motion was made and seconded to adopt the TIA guidelines dated February 2026.
Outcome: The motion passed.

Presentation: Staff presented Resolution 26-02 to adjust the employer health contribution cap due to premium increases. The recommendation was to increase the employer contribution to $2,190 per month (approximately 80% of the lowest family plan) and cap cash-in-lieu payments.
Recusal: Council Member Sanchez recused himself from the vote due to a financial interest as an annuitant.
Discussion: Council Member Hornick indicated a need to discuss particulars with the City Manager and requested to table the item.
Outcome: The item was continued to the next meeting. The meeting was adjourned.