San Francisco pauses data centers; LA council takes up police camera pilot

An ordinance changing how San Francisco handles the California Environmental Quality Act locally. It removes shadow analysis as a specific type of environmental impact, cuts the time to appeal CEQA determinations to the Board of Supervisors from 30 days to 15, removes procedures for environmental documents CEQA doesn't require, and puts recent state-law changes on CEQA timing into effect. The shorter window changes how quickly residents must file if they want to challenge a project's environmental review before the Board. It passed on first reading on a divided roll call. 00:12:15

More on San Francisco's episode

• Pass the ordinance on first reading, by roll call (requested from the dais). Result: passed, 10-1. No: Connie Chan (Supervisor, District 1). 00:12:54

A committee report and urgency ordinance putting a citywide interim zoning moratorium on data centers for 45 days. The Land Use and Transportation Committee heard it October 5 and recommended it as amended. State law required nine votes, and as an urgency ordinance it takes effect immediately once passed on first reading. While it lasts, city approvals of data centers are paused as the Board and the Planning Department study the effects on energy, water, air quality, land use and communities and write permanent rules. Planning must report back within 25 days, with a hearing within 35 days. 00:17:43

More on San Francisco's episode

• Pass the urgency ordinance on first reading, same house, same call. Result: passed, without objection. 00:20:33

• The clerk noted that state law requires a four-fifths vote, nine members, and that the urgency ordinance takes effect immediately if passed 00:17:43
• A speaker described the 45-day moratorium as an interim measure under state law to give the city time to study data centers' impacts 00:18:26
• A speaker listed energy, water, air quality, land use and community impacts as issues to study, along with a clearer definition of data centers 00:18:26
• A speaker said the ordinance pauses city approvals of data centers while the Board and Planning develop long-term rules 00:18:26
• A speaker explained that Planning must report to the Clerk within 25 days, with a hearing on the report within 35 days of the ordinance taking effect 00:19:29
• A speaker thanked co-sponsors Connie Chan (Supervisor, District 1), Jackie Fielder (Supervisor, District 9) and Chyanne Chen (Supervisor, District 11) 00:19:29

An ordinance adding Chapter 11.91 to the Municipal Code to regulate personal delivery devices (delivery robots) in the public right-of-way, along with new fees and fines. The agenda sets a $200-per-device annual permit fee for sidewalk robots and a $250-per-device fee for a pilot permit for robots that use roadways and bike lanes. Three operators, Coco, Serve and DoorDash, approached the city this spring. Coco and Serve already run sidewalk robots in San Jose. DoorDash, whose robot uses bikeways, travels up to 20 mph and stands five feet tall, was waiting on this action. Staff said no state or local law currently regulates these devices, so without the ordinance the city has no authority over them. The proposed rules include a 5 mph limit on sidewalks and in crosswalks, lights that stay on, identification shown in braille and raised letters, removal of a disabled robot within thirty minutes, and fines of $100, $200 and $500 for first, second and third offenses. The Transportation Director could change the rules or suspend operations. 00:36:40

More on San Jose's episode

• A speaker moved approval of the staff recommendation. Result: passed. 01:32:09

• A speaker said three operators approached the city this spring, and with no regulations in place the city let them operate while it developed a framework 00:39:53
• A speaker described the proposed 5 mph limit on sidewalks, pedestrian paths and crosswalks 00:42:57
• A speaker said a disabled robot must be moved within thirty minutes or the operator faces a fine 00:42:57
• A speaker said that on the advice of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, bikeway robots would match the pace of cyclists instead of having a fixed speed limit 00:43:58
• The meeting chair asked what the city is doing to limit its liability exposure in future accidents, noting past lawsuits involving scooters and e-bikes 00:52:12
• City staff said the ordinance has a robust indemnification provision modeled on lessons from the city's micromobility programs 00:52:54
• Pam Foley (Councilmember, District 9; Vice Mayor) said she is very concerned about congestion on sidewalks, and asked whether the companies have the financial strength to back their indemnification 00:53:16
• City staff said the ordinance requires the city to be named as an additional insured, with policy limits to be set in administrative regulations before permits are issued 00:55:04
• Pam Foley (Councilmember, District 9; Vice Mayor) criticized outreach to the disability community as limited to a few organization leaders, and asked how many people with disabilities staff had heard from 00:55:25
• A speaker said staff will work with the Independent Living Center to set up a focus group of San Jose residents with disabilities to give ongoing feedback 00:56:32
• A speaker said more than 50 people attended the outreach webinar, though she did not recall the exact number 00:58:06
• A speaker gave the fines for improperly parked devices as $100, $200 and $500 for first, second and third offenses 00:58:06
• Pam Foley (Councilmember, District 9; Vice Mayor) said the fines did not seem stiff compared with the harm to someone in a wheelchair blocked by a device 00:59:09
• Pam Foley (Councilmember, District 9; Vice Mayor) raised concern about robots sharing sidewalks with electric scooters and said she was not sure she could support the item 01:00:09
• A speaker urged a go-slow-to-go-fast approach and limits on the number of devices, warning that congestion builds quickly when many devices share limited space 01:03:16
• City staff said the regulations reserve the right to limit operators, device numbers and service areas, but staff is not proposing those limits yet 01:04:58
• A councilmember said that downtown has been the testing ground, and that robots replacing car trips and double-parked delivery drivers could be a net safety benefit 01:09:54
• City staff said no state or local law currently regulates these devices, so without the ordinance the city has no direct authority to stop or shape their operation 01:11:07
• A councilmember asked about the process for making property owners whole, citing reports of a dispute over repairing a window broken by a robot on the Paseo 01:11:56
• City staff said a Coco robot cracked the window while under human remote control, and that his understanding is the company quickly agreed with the owner on responsibility and cost 01:12:48
• A speaker asked whether the department has the staff to oversee the program, especially in the pilot phase 01:13:55
• City staff said a paid-for position to oversee the program has been filled, and the hire accepted last week 01:14:31
• City staff said operators are expected to indemnify the city for ordinary sidewalk irregularities, but the city cannot waive liability where it is the sole cause of negligence 01:15:27
• A speaker asked whether data from the robots could be used to find sidewalk trouble spots before they become problems 01:16:21
• City staff said staff will evaluate using operator data during the pilot, weighing liability and accuracy concerns 01:17:03
• A speaker urged the operators to maintain their devices so they do not add to sidewalk clutter and blight, as he said scooters have 01:19:55
• City staff said the plan is nine months of operation followed by about three months of analysis before returning to council, with operations continuing in the meantime 01:21:17
• The meeting chair noted the city has roughly a $2 billion deferred maintenance backlog, while saying the city should still push to fix sidewalk problems quickly 01:21:52
• A speaker argued that human delivery drivers stopping in traffic are a bigger problem than robots 01:23:00
• A speaker described seeing delivery robots move safely through crowds at Oregon State University 01:24:08
• City staff said the regulations can be changed on twenty-four hours' notice to the companies 01:25:32
• City staff said staff could recommend ending the bikeway pilot if it pushes cyclists into traffic, and will do both quantitative and qualitative outreach 01:26:44
• Pamela Campos (Councilmember, District 2) asked what fees Los Angeles and West Hollywood charge, since the staff report describes them as the highest 01:29:29
• A speaker said Los Angeles charges $10,000 for up to 50 devices and a flat $20,000 above that, and West Hollywood works out to about $250 per device 01:29:55
• Pamela Campos (Councilmember, District 2) asked whether the city could raise the fee after a year if warranted 01:30:57
• City staff said fees are reviewed every year for cost recovery and go back to council in the budget cycle 01:31:21

A construction-permanent loan commitment of up to $5,700,000 from the Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Fund to the Santa Clara County Housing Authority to convert the former Comfort Suites hotel at 1510 North 1st Street (District 6) into 57 units for extremely low-income residents at 30% of area median income or below, with services. The item also moves $5,700,000 from the Housing Project Reserve to the Housing Loans and Grants appropriation (agenda). It is a Homekey project dating to 2022. The Housing Authority plans to move residents of the nearby SureStay interim housing site into the converted building. 01:32:18

More on San Jose's episode

• A speaker moved to approve item 8.1; a councilmember seconded. Result: passed, unanimous. 01:40:21

• City staff said the conversion will create 57 units at 30% of area median income and below, with services 01:32:56
• City staff said the city is contributing a total of $5.7 million, and the Housing Authority is developing the site and fully project-basing its vouchers there to cover operating costs 01:34:01
• City staff said the cost per unit, excluding the $10 million acquisition cost, is about $366,000 01:34:56
• City staff said the Housing Authority's plan is to move the roughly 43 participants now living at the SureStay interim site into the converted building 01:35:57
• City staff described the financing as a 9% low-income housing tax credit project, with about $11 million in permanent financing from the Housing Authority and $5.7 million from the city 01:37:01
• A speaker said the area needs a lift and has been a challenge for the surrounding neighborhood, including Rosemary Gardens 01:38:28
• City staff said the official transfer of the neighboring SureStay property to the Housing Authority is expected around the end of October or November 01:39:10
• A speaker noted that a privately owned motel just south of the site, which had been a trouble spot, has been shut down and the owner plans to reinvest 01:39:30

AB 1646, the Hug Act, is a new state law that takes effect January 1, 2027. It gives incarcerated youth a right to physical contact with visitors. Under the law as described on the dais, contact cannot be restricted as discipline, and any restriction for a specific and significant safety concern must be documented. The motion by Janice Hahn (Supervisor, Fourth District) and Holly Mitchell (Supervisor, Second District; Chair Pro Tem), continued from September 15, directs Probation to drop its requirement that contact visits get prior department-head approval, publish materials telling youth and parents their rights, increase contact visits through the rest of 2026, report back in 60 days with a compliance plan, and file reports by July 1, 2027 and January 1, 2028 on participation, family feedback and every restriction. Speakers said youth at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall helped write the bill. 00:44:38

More on LA County's episode

• Janice Hahn (Supervisor, Fourth District) moved, seconded by Lindsey Horvath (Supervisor, Third District), to approve the motion by Janice Hahn (Supervisor, Fourth District) and Holly Mitchell (Supervisor, Second District; Chair Pro Tem). Result: passed, 4-0. 01:40:38

• A supervisor said she has had dinner monthly for two years with incarcerated youth at Los Padrinos who pushed for the right to hug their families. 00:45:11
• A supervisor said Probation does not currently let all youth at every facility hug their visitors on every visiting day. 00:45:11
• A supervisor said she raised the issue with Probation first and met resistance, so the effort went to state legislation instead. 00:46:14
• A supervisor said the bill was signed a little over a week earlier and takes effect January 1, 2027. 00:46:14
• A supervisor said Probation sometimes uses visitation as a reward or punishment. 00:47:15
• A supervisor said the law bars restricting contact visits as discipline and requires every restriction to be documented, and that she expects the report back to spell this out. 00:48:17
• A supervisor said the motion has Probation allow more contact visits for the rest of this year, before the law takes effect. 00:48:17
• A speaker recounted that youth at Los Padrinos told him during a visit that they wished they could hug their mothers, and that this led to the bill. 00:52:08
• A speaker said the law makes California the first state to give incarcerated youth a right to physical contact with loved ones. 00:53:11
• A speaker noted that the county has already started a pilot allowing contact, and said it can do better. 00:53:11
• County staff said Probation already allows hugs on designated holidays, with prior approval from the head of the department. 00:58:34
• County staff said the revised visitation policy will drop the prior-approval requirement and make contact visits a regular form of visitation by January 1, 2027. 00:58:34
• County staff said most remaining visits in 2026 will be allowed as contact visits, as part of a gradual expansion. 01:00:36
• County staff said contact visits will not be restricted or denied as discipline. 01:00:36
• County staff said youth may decline contact at any point without affecting their future visits. 01:00:36
• Janice Hahn (Supervisor, Fourth District) praised the Probation presentation, saying she had never heard the department talk this way in her time as a supervisor. 01:03:50
• Lindsey Horvath (Supervisor, Third District) called the law an example of policy built around the people most affected. 01:04:33
• A supervisor noted that the board had earlier made the bill one of its legislative priorities. 01:06:23
• Hilda Solis (Supervisor, First District; Chair) recalled visiting a juvenile facility early in her tenure where girls lacked basic toiletries and properly fitting clothing, and said such reforms take too long. 01:08:09
• Kathryn Barger (Supervisor, Fifth District) said these youth will be released, and that family contact, especially with mothers, gives them stability. 01:10:18

A contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates to develop a multimodal connectivity plan for the Rose Bowl area and Brookside Park, funded by a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant plus a local match, not to exceed $500,000: a $442,620 base contract and $57,380 contingency (agenda). Pulled from consent after public comment; the debate centered on spending on consultants and plans versus building safety improvements now, including the 35 mph speed limit around the Rose Bowl loop. 00:38:36

More on Pasadena's episode

• Approve the staff recommendation for the Kimley-Horn contract (mover and seconder not identified). Result: passed, 5-2. No: Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2), Tyron Hampton (Councilmember, District 1). 01:06:42

• A councilmember questioned paying another $500,000 for a plan when the area already has multiple multimodal plans 00:45:42
• A councilmember argued lowering speed limits, including the 35 mph limit around the Rose Bowl, is an easy step 00:46:42
• A councilmember said one positive was that the contract goes to what was described as a local firm 00:46:42
• A councilmember asked for an item on speeding at the Municipal Services Committee or the full council 00:47:43
• A speaker said an item on speeding citywide is planned for the Municipal Services Committee 00:48:14
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) noted the city already has safe-streets capital projects on the books 00:48:33
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) objected to hiring outside consultants for community outreach, arguing the city should build that capacity internally or with a nonprofit partner 00:48:33
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) said the outreach subconsultant also worked on the Union Street cycle track, which did not turn out as hoped 00:49:33
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) said they would vote no because of continued spending on consultants, not because they oppose Olympics safety preparations 00:49:33
• A speaker asked staff to explain that the city does not control speed limits everywhere and much is set by the state 00:50:58
• City staff said speed limits follow state rules but staff is bringing a plan to reduce limits on safety corridors to the Municipal Services Committee 00:51:23
• City staff said the department has over 20 outreach meetings this month alone and would need far more staff to do it all in-house 00:51:23
• City staff said the Rose Bowl area is unique because stakeholders include the Rose Bowl Operating Company, the Aquatic Center and Kidspace, so consensus-building is required 00:52:31
• City staff said a completed plan is needed to pursue grants for capital projects, citing $186 million in the capital improvement program 00:53:34
• City staff said he would need to follow up on how many contracts the city has with the outreach firm 00:54:29
• A speaker asked for an analysis of whether bringing outreach and communications in-house would be more efficient than outside contracts 00:54:48
• The meeting chair suggested the in-house outreach question be taken up in budget discussions at the Finance Committee 00:55:58
• A councilmember urged removable speed humps or tables on Rosemont, where there are no homes 00:56:18
• City staff said the city can post any speed sign but cannot enforce it without meeting state requirements 00:58:03
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) warned against waiting until someone is hurt, citing money spent on safety after a golf-ball injury 00:58:50
• Rick Cole (Councilmember, District 2) argued the city keeps relitigating safety project by project instead of carrying out the 1992 general plan goal of getting around without cars 00:59:51
• The meeting chair said speed bumps in the Rose Bowl recreation area could endanger walkers and cyclists, and state warrants limit city action 01:01:39
• The meeting chair said past reviews found a blend of in-house and consultant outreach most cost-effective, but agreed to revisit it at Finance 01:03:41

A motion by Hugo Soto-Martínez (Councilmember, Thirteenth District) and Marqueece Harris-Dawson (Councilmember, Eighth District; President, City Council) (agenda) to assert council jurisdiction under Charter Section 245 over the Board of Police Commissioners' September 22 approval of a memorandum of understanding with Axon Enterprise for the Lightpost Test Pilot Program, and send it to committee. LAPD staff described the MOU as a three-month pilot of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. Taking jurisdiction puts the commission's approval under council review; the deadline to act was October 7 (agenda). Supporters wanted written data-sharing, access and audit policies in place before cameras go up; opponents said the delay holds up cameras communities have asked and paid for. 02:15:24

More on Los Angeles's episode

• Assert jurisdiction under Charter Section 245 over the Police Commission's September 22 approval of the Axon Lightpost MOU and refer it to committee (motion of Hugo Soto-Martínez (Councilmember, Thirteenth District) and Marqueece Harris-Dawson (Councilmember, Eighth District; President, City Council)). Result: passed, 10-4. No: Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore), John Lee (Councilmember, Twelfth District; Assistant President Pro Tempore), Traci Park (Councilmember, Eleventh District), Monica Rodriguez (Councilmember, Seventh District). 02:53:07
• Send item 20 forthwith. Result: passed. 02:59:54

• A councilmember asked to pull the item for a separate vote and to bring LAPD up for questions 02:06:04
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) said his motion over a year ago, with funding the council approved, was meant to get cameras up in his district 02:15:29
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) stressed that what is before the council is a three-month MOU to test the cameras, not the privacy policy 02:16:35
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) offered to support a separate motion to examine the policy in committee instead of slowing the pilot 02:16:35
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) said the commission did what the council asked by dropping the Flock contract over privacy concerns 02:17:41
• City staff said the plate readers capture vehicle images and plate data but no facial recognition, biometrics or audio 02:18:38
• City staff described the three-month pilot as a test of whether the technology meets the department's and communities' needs 02:19:39
• City staff said the MOU sets minimum standards any vendor would have to meet to do business with the city 02:20:42
• A councilmember argued the MOU and the department's policy go hand in hand and can't be separated 02:22:19
• City staff said only a limited, trained pool of officers has access, and the proposed policy would limit searches to ninety days, up to twelve months with command approval 02:23:01
• A councilmember noted the Inspector General recommended this summer that LAPD suspend new ALPR cameras and contracts pending public input 02:24:46
• City staff said the policy changes would be put in place during the pilot and presented to the commission for final approval at its end 02:25:46
• A speaker said the vendor is reworking its back end so LAPD can run inspections and audits, which requires the pilot to proceed 02:27:53
• A councilmember argued the policy should come first and the vendor should then be told what to do 02:28:40
• City staff said the Inspector General recently completed a full audit and that the last internal audit was roughly a year and a half to two years ago 02:29:03
• City staff said LAPD shares with about 15 agencies and proposes limiting access to adjacent counties within a set radius 02:29:33
• A speaker read a list of outside agencies with access, including Torrance, Huntington Park, Hayward, Signal Hill and Madera County 02:31:42
• A speaker said LAPD runs monthly inspections of system use and analyzed 23,000 data points for September 02:32:22
• A councilmember said LAPD staffing has fallen to about 8,500 officers and the chief has asked for technology to make up for it 02:33:43
• A councilmember said the city has spent millions, including $15 million in state funding, on license plate readers 02:34:46
• A councilmember argued any 245 action should have come in July and noted Axon has been a city vendor since 2016 02:35:46
• Eunisses Hernandez (Councilmember, First District) cited more than 200 documented cases of officers and deputies using plate-reader data to stalk people 02:37:17
• Eunisses Hernandez (Councilmember, First District) warned that LAPD pilots have become permanent programs without returning to council, citing the robot dog 02:38:28
• A councilmember objected that the MOU moves forward without new internal safeguards or an independent third-party audit 02:41:28
• A councilmember asked colleagues to bring the issue to the Public Safety Committee for a fuller public discussion 02:41:28
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) said LAPD spent a year and a half and produced a 98-page report with strict limits 02:42:48
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) argued the policy debate would take at least three months anyway, so the pilot should run in the meantime 02:43:50
• City staff said agencies outside the local counties would lose access entirely under the new policy 02:44:38
• Eunisses Hernandez (Councilmember, First District) called it irresponsible to start the pilot before there is a policy on auditing outside agencies 02:44:58
• The presiding councilmember said cameras on part of Figueroa helped rescue 125 trafficking victims this year but admitted he doesn't know what else the cameras do 02:45:44
• The presiding councilmember committed to bring the matter back to council by October 23 if the 245 passed, and said he would support it 02:47:48
• Bob Blumenfield (Councilmember, Third District; President Pro Tempore) said the Figueroa cameras were probably taken down as Flock cameras and can't go back up until the MOU passes 02:48:29
• Eunisses Hernandez (Councilmember, First District) pointed to the speed-camera program, where strong data protections were set first, as the model 02:48:49
• Monica Rodriguez (Councilmember, Seventh District) called for a universal citywide data and privacy policy for all departments' technology instead of singling out LAPD 02:49:33
• A councilmember said she was conflicted, noted her own motion that day on data sharing and street furniture, and challenged the Rules Committee to lead on a citywide approach 02:51:22