City Council Meeting - October 20, 2026

The October 20, 2026 San Clemente City Council meeting focused largely on emergency response and recovery following the Norte fire and recent coastal storms. The Council ratified Resolution 26-174 declaring a local emergency, and later approved 5-0 emergency proclamations related to Tropical Storm Rachel and the continuation of the Hurricane Marie emergency. OCFA reported fire response costs of nearly $8 million to date and said a Fire Management Assistance Grant could reimburse 75% of eligible costs, with additional state reimbursement potentially available. City staff described deploying about 900 sandbags, with more planned, and assessing storm-drain and burn-scar risks. The Council also requested an after-action report on the response. A closed-session discussion concerned negotiations for the Old City Hall property at 100 Avenida Presidio; the City Attorney reported no reportable action, with direction given to staff.

On procurement and spending, the City Manager identified three contracts for approval: Client First Consulting Group LLC for land management system assistance, not to exceed $75,000; Geary Floors Incorporated for historic wood-floor preservation and replacement at the Ole Hanson Beach Club, $73,680; and Zap Pest Management for pest and rodent control, $44,960. The transcript does not capture a separate vote on these contracts. The Council approved a consent-calendar item associated with CDBG-funded sidewalk work, while public comment raised sidewalk maintenance concerns. It also introduced an ordinance for enhanced fireworks enforcement and asked staff to explore a drone-based enforcement approach. A councilmember cited the OCTA Beach Trail opening and its reported $93 million cost, but no related spending action was taken at this meeting.