Department directors introduced newly promoted staff: Police Chief Rick Scott introduced Deputy Police Chief Aaron Schafer and Public Works & Utilities Director Aaron Floyd introduced Assistant Public Works Director Madeline Kascinta and Assistant Utilities Director Shawna Scott.
City Manager Whitney McDonald then presented a brief report on City programs, projects, and upcoming events.
The City Council then pulled the following two items from the Consent Agenda for discussion:
SLO Rep Theatre Tree Replacement Request The City Council discussed a request to remove a large oak tree to allow construction of the new SLO Repertory Theatre to move forward as designed. While the project originally planned to keep the tree, an arborist determined the tree would not survive the damage caused by the construction. The Council discussed balancing the City’s commitment to protecting its urban forest with moving forward with a long-planned cultural arts facility that supports downtown vitality and community life. Ultimately, the Council approved the request. To offset this loss, the project will replace the tree with one new tree on-site and four additional trees nearby, exceeding City requirements.
Diablo Canyon Legislative Advocacy Letter
The City Council approved sending a letter to state legislators outlining San Luis Obispo’s priorities related to the continued operation of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. The letter does not take a position on extending the plant’s license, but instead focuses on protecting public safety, restoring lost tax revenues for local governments and schools, and conserving coastal lands around the facility. These issues directly affect local services, emergency preparedness, and long-term planning for the community. The letter ensures the City’s perspective is clearly represented as the State makes decisions that impact the region through 2030 and beyond. It also thanks Senator John Laird and Assemblymember Dawn Addis, who represent our region in the State Legislature, and shows the City’s support for the work they are doing on this issue.
The Council approved all other items on the Consent Agenda with one vote, including updating the City’s annual recruitment of Advisory Body members, which will begin this month.
Public Hearings & Council Business
The City Council also held a public hearing and study session. Recaps of these discussions are below.
Campaign Contribution Limits to Increase
The City Council held a public hearing to discuss updating San Luis Obispo’s local election campaign contribution limit from $250 to $500 per person, aligning the City’s rules with recent changes in state law. This update reflects new state requirements under the Political Reform Act that raised the threshold for when campaign donations require officials to step back from certain decisions, helping ensure consistency, clarity, and fairness in how local elections are regulated. The change does not increase overall campaign spending limits or reduce transparency; instead, it modernizes the City’s code to match current state standards while maintaining strong safeguards against conflicts of interest.
Study Session: Laguna Lake Golf Course The City Council held a study session to take a closer look at how the Laguna Lake Golf Course operates, how much it costs to maintain, and what options exist for its future. Staff shared that the public course is a long-standing community asset that supports youth programs, seniors, schools, and affordable recreation, but it also requires ongoing General Fund support and has aging facilities/infrastructure that need investment, especially the closed Pro Shop and the pedestrian/cart bridge. The Council and staff heard from a variety of community members who support the golf course. Ultimately, the Council directed staff to move forward with planned repairs, explore new programming to increase community use and revenue. Discussions of the possibility of future housing at the site will be assessed in future updates to the Housing Element of the City’s General Plan.
Looking Ahead
The City Council will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Attendees of City Council or Advisory Body meetings are eligible for one hour of complimentary parking in designated City garages. Learn more at Parking for Public Meetings.
