PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 10/20/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER EXTENDING THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT BY ZOOM AND TELEPHONE FOR CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
Body
Compliance statements
This item is not an item in the City Council Priority Workplan but is necessary to conduct orderly public meetings for the City Council and Planning Commission.
BACKGROUND
Public agencies across California, including neighboring cities in the East Bay region, continue to experience a barrage of hate speech through remote public comments during public meetings known as “Zoom Bombing.” The volume of these comments is disruptive and prevents cities and other public agencies from conducting orderly public meetings.
On October 12, 2023, the City Manager temporarily suspended all remote public comments by telephone and Zoom for the City Council and Planning Commission meetings scheduled during the remainder of October 2023. This action was subsequently affirmed by the San Pablo City Council by minute action vote on October 16, 2023, and the Council continued such suspension through the end of April 30, 2024.
First Extension of Temporary Suspension
On April 2, 2024, the City Manager recommended further extension of the temporary suspension of all remote public comments by telephone and Zoom for the City Council and Planning Commission meetings scheduled through October 2024. This action was subsequently approved by the San Pablo City Council by minute action vote on April 15, 2024, and the Council continued such suspension through the end of October 2024.
Second Extension of Temporary Suspension
On October 3, 2024, in an effort to continue to better serve our San Pablo community and ensure that the City continues to conduct orderly public meetings, the City Manager again recommended extending the temporary suspension of participation by members of the public remotely through an online platform (i.e. Zoom) or via telephone through April 30, 2025, for all City Council and Planning Commission meetings. This action was subsequently approved by the San Pablo City Council by minute action vote on October 21, 2024, and the Council continued such suspension through the end of April 2025.
Third Extension of Temporary Suspension
On April 2, 2025, due to the recent occurrence of Zoom bombings at scheduled public meetings during March 2025 within the Contra Costa region, and in an effort to continue to better serve our San Pablo community and ensure that the City continues to conduct orderly public meetings, the City Manager again recommended extending the temporary suspension of participation by members of the public remotely through an online platform (i.e. Zoom) or via telephone through October 31, 2025 for all City Council and Planning Commission meetings. This action was subsequently approved by the San Pablo City Council by minute action vote on April 21, 2025 and the Council continued such suspension through the end of October 2025.
Fourth & Final Extension of Temporary Suspension
Due to frequent Zoom bombings and the recent SB 707 legislation signed into law by the Governor on October 3, 2025, the City Manager recommends extending the suspension of remote public participation for City Council and Planning Commission meetings until June 30, 2026. This is likely the final extension requested by the City Manager due to forthcoming changes in State law under SB 707. SB 707 extensively updates California's open meeting laws to expand teleconferencing requirements and increase regulatory compliance for local governments. The City Manager recommends that the additional extension will provide sufficient time for City staff to develop a compliance plan, allocate necessary budgetary resources, and provide employee training to implement these new regulations, effective July 1, 2026.
Although San Pablo continues to value transparency and accessibility, new State law per SB 707 imposes costly new requirements on local cities to modernize the Ralph M. Brown Act for public meetings. This includes the following new requirements:
• Providing two-way telephonic or audiovisual access for all meetings, halting proceedings during any service disruption.
• Translating agendas into all “applicable languages” spoken by 20% or more of residents with limited English proficiency.
• Designating a public space for community-submitted translations, even if inaccurate or misleading.
• Creating and maintaining multi-language webpages for agendas, instructions, and meeting procedures.
• Expanding outreach efforts and electronic systems for agenda access.
Meanwhile, members of the public would continue to be encouraged to provide public comment at City Council and Planning Commission meetings either in-person in Council Chambers or by email to: cityclerk@sanpabloca.gov <mailto:cityclerk@sanpabloca.gov. Additionally, members of the public will continue to have the ability to view City Council and Planning Commission meetings livestream online.
This proposed action is consistent with the public comment processes many other public agencies throughout the Bay Area are implementing. Furthermore, the proposed action promotes the policy objectives contained in the City’s Diversity Policy adopted by the City Council on June 15, 2020 via Resolution No. 2020-078 (Attached).
Should the City Council extend the temporary suspension of remote public comment by Zoom and telephone as recommended, members of the City Council and Planning Commission will not be able to participate remotely in those meetings based on the existing just cause or emergency circumstances provisions of AB 2449 regulations to the Brown Act.
Members of the City Council and Planning Commission, however, would still be able to participate remotely under the Brown Act’s traditional teleconference provisions which require posting of the remote location on the agenda and in-person public access at the remote location, provided all other statutory requirements are met. Additionally, City Council members and Planning Commission members may continue to participate remotely pursuant to an approved ADA accommodation.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
ATTACHMENT:
Att A - 2020-078 Diversity Policy
Att B - City Manager’s Memorandum issued on October 1, 2025