Coronado’s municipal staff has recommended a set of legislative priorities for the city in 2026 – a list that focuses on sewage pollution, flood control, affordable housing and E-bike regulations. And the City Council is expected to vote on a revised list of those priorities next month.
A new subcommittee might also be established in the new year that deals specifically with Coronado’s municipal legislative policy guidelines for 2027.
Every year, Coronado City Council members review their legislative policy guidelines, a document that establishes the city’s positions on legislative issues and is used as a framework when contacting members of the U.S. Congress or other agencies about matters affecting the city.
A staff report for the Dec. 16 City Council meeting explains that city “staff is authorized to communicate the city’s position … and prepare correspondence on behalf of the city for the mayor’s or city manager’s signature,” based on the policy instructions.
City staff members also use these instructions to regularly track bills of specific interest to Coronado in order to bring periodic updates to the City Council if needed.
Even though the guidelines exist, Coronado can still have another opportunity to make a position statement on a specific issue if brought to a meeting, according to the staff report.
Coronado Mayor John Duncan suggested a subcommittee to look at 2027’s policy recommendations when city staff comes back in January.
The priority legislative goals for 2026 that council members looked at on Dec. 16 were to:
- Eliminate cross-border water pollution
- Increase infrastructure funding for storm water, wastewater, recycled water and major capital and resiliency projects
- Implement reasonable 7th cycle Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA) projections and policies
- Allow for local establishment of E-bike regulations.
However, there is a much longer list of other legislative goals including city positions on state and federal mandated programs, local educational funding, public protection like crime and air quality.
Sometimes bills move and change very quickly, and so having a sense of council’s direction really provides us that freedom and flexibility to be able to respond quickly as needed.
City Manager Tina Friend
“Sometimes bills move and change very quickly, and so having a sense of council’s direction really provides us that freedom and flexibility to be able to respond quickly as needed,” City Manager Tina Friend explained.
Council members moved through the document and suggested changes, but there was no motion made to accept these changes at the meeting.
Friend suggested that city staff come back in January with all recommendations and edits made to the guidelines, and at that time, council members can decide whether to adopt the proposed priorities.
Council may also decide at that meeting to form a subcommittee to handle the legislative policy guidelines for 2027.
