San Carlos · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in San Carlos public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Sidewalk Vending Regulation Update
State law (SB 635) limits how cities can regulate sidewalk vendors, so San Carlos must update its rules. A resident flagged a real safety problem: vendors on Eucalyptus Avenue during Halloween force pedestrians into the street.
Youth Advisory Council Turnover
Eight new student advisors appointed and sworn in for the coming terms, with four retiring members honored for their service.
Technology Disruption Policy for Public Meetings
New state law requires cities to plan for tech outages during public meetings — if the stream goes down, the council must recess, try to fix it, and can only continue after an hour with formal findings.
PCE rebrand to WestLight Energy
Peninsula Clean Energy is changing its name to WestLight Energy; your bill line item will change but nothing else. The Council approved the JPA amendment on consent.
Bicycle safety on Industrial Road
A resident cyclist asked for protected bike lanes on Industrial Road near Circle Star, citing dangerous conditions and overgrown sidewalk vegetation, and offered to volunteer for cleanup work.
New Chief of Police Services
The mayor introduced Captain Mike Tabak as the city's new chief of police services. He pledged compassionate, transparent leadership after nearly 20 years with the Sheriff's Office, including early-career service in San Carlos.
City Sponsorship of Community Foundation Annual Gala
Councilmember Dugan proposed the city give $5,000 to the Community Foundation's 2026 gala, but other members argued the city already supports the foundation through a $2 million endowment and $40,000 in annual grants. The item was tabled, with members suggesting a broader policy on sponsoring community events.
New Community Events Funding
The city is putting nearly $194,000 over two years into a first-ever city-run Lunar New Year celebration and a bigger Hometown Days with rides, a laser show, and longer hours.
Cultural celebrations expansion — Lunar New Year and Diwali
Mayor Venkatesh wants the city's Lunar New Year and Diwali celebrations moved to weekends and expanded so more families can attend. Staff will proceed with the expanded weekend programming without another council vote.
AED access and CPR awareness
The Bonetti family's rescue of Ryan Connolly highlighted how CPR training and public AEDs save lives. Connolly's company is donating an AED to the taqueria where his cardiac arrest happened.
Recycled water and purple pipe requirements
Layton flagged that the Peninsula Pure Water Program could change how the city thinks about requiring purple pipe in new construction.
11 El Camino Real subdivision parcel map
The council finalized the parcel map for the 11 El Camino Real development, including agreements with Caltrans for work in the state right-of-way.