HomeMy WebLinkAbout* September 1, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting PacketSeptember 01, 2026 Dublin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda 1
Regular Meeting of the
This City Council meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast TV channel 28 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
This meeting will also be livestreamed at tv28live.org and on the City’s website at:
https://dublin.ca.gov/watchmeetings
Members of the public have the option of giving public comment in person or via two-way
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service can be found at the end of this agenda.
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CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATIORS
Agency designated representatives: Mayor Hu and Vice Mayor Josey
Unrepresented employee: City Manager
CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
1
September 01, 2026 Dublin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda 2
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
3. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
3.1 Constitution Week Proclamation
The City Council will present the Constitution Week Proclamation.
Present the proclamation.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - Constitution Week Proclamation
The City Council will receive a presentation previewing Splatter 2026, taking place at Emerald
Glen Park on September 12, 2026.
Receive the presentation.
Staff Report
PUBLIC COMMENT
At this time, the public is permitted to address the City Council on non-agendized items.
Please clearly state your name for the record. COMMENTS SHOULD NOT EXCEED THREE (3)
MINUTES. In accordance with State law, no action or discussion may take place on any item
not appearing on the posted agenda. The City Council may respond to statements made or
questions asked or may request Staff to report back at a future meeting concerning the
matter. Any member of the public may contact the City Clerk’s Office regarding the proper
procedure for placing an item on a future City Council agenda. The exceptions under which
the City Council MAY discuss and/or take action on items not appearing on the agenda are
contained in Government Code section 54954.2, subdivisions (b)(1)-(3).
CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent Calendar items are typically non-controversial in nature and are considered for
approval by the City Council with one single action. Members of the audience, Staff or the
City Council who would like an item removed from the Consent Calendar for purposes of
public input may request the Mayor to remove the item.
The City Council will consider approving the minutes of the August 18, 2026 Regular City
Council Meeting.
Approve the minutes of the August 18, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - August 18, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
The City Council will receive a report on the annual review of active Development Agreements
to ensure compliance with the terms and provisions of the Agreements pursuant to the
California Government Code Sections 65864-65869.5 and Chapter 8.56 of the Dublin
Municipal Code.
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September 01, 2026 Dublin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda 3
Adopt the Finding that Developers Having Obligations Under Active Development
Agreements and Supplemental Agreements as Amended, Have Complied in Good Faith With
the Terms and Provisions of the Agreements.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - Resolution Finding that Developers Having Obligations Under Active
Development Agreements and Supplemental Agreements as Amended, Have Complied in
Good Faith with the Terms and Provisions of the Agreements
PUBLIC HEARING – None.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7.1
The City Council will receive a report on potential land use regulations for firearm retailers
and indoor shooting ranges. In January 2026, the City Council adopted an Urgency Interim
Ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on the establishment, expansion, and
relocation of firearm related businesses and indoor shooting ranges. The urgency ordinance
allows time for the City to complete a comprehensive review of the land use and regulatory
frameworks governing such uses. In response, Staff evaluated existing federal and state
regulations, Second Amendment case law, and regulations adopted by other jurisdictions.
The City Council will receive the report and is requested to provide direction to Staff regarding
the future regulation of firearm dealers and indoor shooting ranges.
Receive the report and direct Staff to prepare amendments to the Dublin Municipal Code
establishing a 1,000-foot separation between firearm related uses and public and private K–
12 schools and evaluate the feasibility of requiring documentation of compliance with federal
and state workplace safety and environmental regulations during the building permit review
for indoor shooting ranges.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - Existing Federal and State Regulatory Framework
Attachment 2 - Second Amendment Case Law Relevant to Local Land Use Regulation
Attachment 3 - Firearm Related Use Regulations By Jurisdiction
Attachment 4 - Commercial and Industrial Land Use Acreage Comparison
Attachment 5 - Separation Scenario Maps
At the August 18, 2026 meeting, the City Council reviewed and provided feedback on a draft
Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. The City Council will review
the revised Code and provide feedback to be incorporated into the final version.
Review the revised Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and
provide feedback.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
Attachment 2 - Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials - redline
Attachment 3 - August 18, 2026 Staff Report, without attachments
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September 01, 2026 Dublin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda 4
NEW BUSINESS
8.1
The City Council will consider appointing a voting delegate, and up to two alternates, to
attend and vote on the City’s behalf at the National League of Cities City Summit in November
2026.
Discuss the item and appoint a voting delegate, and up to two alternates, to attend and vote,
on the City’s behalf at the National League of Cities City Summit in November 2026.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - National League of Cities By-Laws
The City Council will receive a report on the City’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) practice
and methodology. The report includes information about the annual escalators provided to
City contractors as well as a look at how other Bay Area cities handle compensation
increases. This information was requested by the City Council, noting that the 1.7 percent
COLA received by employees in 2026 was low, relative to the Consumer Price Index change
from late 2025 through spring 2026.
Receive the report.
Staff Report
Attachment 1 - City of Dublin Employee Benefit Plan
Attachment 2 - 10-Year Look: CPI-W and CPI-U
CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
Brief information only reports from City Council and/or Staff, including committee reports and
reports by City Council related to meetings attended at City expense (AB1234).
ADJOURNMENT
Mission
The City of Dublin promotes and supports a high quality of life, ensures a safe, secure, and
sustainable environment, fosters new opportunities, and champions a culture of equity, diversity,
and inclusion.
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September 01, 2026 Dublin City Council Regular Meeting Agenda 5
Using either of the following two methods, members of the public can indicate that they wish to
make public comment virtually by two-way telephonic service.
The telephonic dial-in (call-in) number and link are published above.
• Dial into the telephonic option or click on the link on this agenda and join the meeting. When
the Mayor announces the beginning of the item, use the raise-hand feature to indicate a
desire to make public comment on that item. Requests must be made before the staff
presentation on an agenda item ends, or before the public comment period on non-
agendized items is closed. To raise a hand on the telephone, press *9; OR
• Fill out an online speaker slip. The speaker slip will be made available here at 10:00 a.m. the
morning of the meeting. Speaker slips will be accepted until the staff presentation on an
agenda item ends, or until the public comment period on non-agendized items is closed.
When the agenda item upon which the individual would like to comment is addressed, the City
Clerk will announce the speaker in the meeting when it is their time to give public comment. In-
person public comment will be taken first, followed by virtual speakers with submitted speaker
slips, then those with hands raised on the two-way telephonic service. The speaker will be unmuted
to give public comment via Zoom. If connected via telephone, press on the phone’s dial pad to
unmute the line when prompted.
This AGENDA is posted in accordance with Government Code section 54954.2, subdivision (a).
If requested, pursuant to Government Code section 54953.2, this agenda shall be made available in
appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by Section 202 of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12132) (ADA), and the federal rules and
regulations adopted in implementation thereof. To make a request for disability-related
modification or accommodation, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (925) 833-6650 at least
72 hours in advance of the meeting. Upon receiving a request, the City will swiftly resolve requests
for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal ADA,
and resolve any doubt in favor of accessibility.
Agenda materials that become available within 72 hours in advance of the meeting, and after
publishing of the agenda, will be available at Civic Center, 100 Civic Plaza, and will be posted on the
City’s website at www.dublin.ca.gov/ccmeetings.
5
Agenda Item 3.1
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 2
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Constitution Week Proclamation
Prepared by: Vanessa Rosales, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will present the Constitution Week proclamation.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Present the proclamation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
DESCRIPTION:
Constitution Week commemorates one of America’s most important founding documents. It is
celebrated annually the week of September 17 -23.
The aims of the Constitution Week celebration are to:
Emphasize citizens’ responsibilities to protect and defend the Constitution.
Inform people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage and the
foundation for our way of life.
Encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the Constitution
in September 1787.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
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Page 2 of 2
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Constitution Week Proclamation
7
Attachment 1
A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA
“Constitution Week”
September 17–23, 2026
WHEREAS, September 17, 2026, marks the 239th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America by delegates
of the Constitutional Convention; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary , and to the
patriotic celebrations which will commemorate the occasion; and
WHEREAS, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) upholds the goals of Constitution Week, supporting
Dublin libraries, schools, and civic organizations in teaching all citizens, especially youth and newly naturalized citizens, about our founding
documents; and
WHEREAS, the local José Maria Amador NSDAR chapter runs an annual Constitution Week Poster Contest to raise awareness and inspire
Dublin’s citizens; and
WHEREAS, Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating
September 17 through September 23 as Constitution Week.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby proclaim September 17 through September
23, 2026, as Constitution Week in the City of Dublin, and encourages its residents to reaffirm the ideals that the framers of the Constitution
had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedom guaranteed through this guardian of liberties, and remembering that lost rights may never
be regained.
DATED: September 1, 2026
8
Agenda Item 3.2
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 3
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Preview of Splatter 2026
Prepared by: Shelby Perry, Recreation Coordinator
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a presentation previewing Splatter 202 6, taking place at Emerald
Glen Park on September 12, 2026.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the presentation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for Splatter is included as part of the City’s annual operating budget.
DESCRIPTION:
Dublin’s annual end-of-summer event returns on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 12:00
noon to 8:30 pm at Emerald Glen Park, continuing its celebration of music, food, art, and
culture with an emphasis on multicultural performances and expressions. The following is an
overview of what attendees can expect to experience.
Entertainment
Splatter will host live performances across three stages, complemented by dynam ic roaming
acts dispersed throughout the event site. The Amphitheater Stage hosts an assorted lineup of
multicultural presentations, while the Side Yard Stage will showcase the community’s artistic
talents in music and dance. Notable acts include Bollywood-inspired dance performances as
well as Kung Fu demonstrations.
During the daytime, the Main Stage will feature Tyler Gene Band (country music) and Woodie
and the Longboards (a Beatles and Beach Boys tribute). As the festival transitions into the
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Page 2 of 3
evening, Good Time Collective will take over, and attendees can expect an enhanced concert
experience with an expanded stage, LED video screens, and increased lighting production.
The celebration will conclude with a grand finale that includes professional dancers and special
stage effects.
Food, Beverage, and Shopping
Attendees will be able to sample various dishes and shop from an assortment of goods from
diverse regions across the globe. In addition, the Rotary Club of Dublin will curate a selection
of local craft beers and wines sourced from the Livermore Valley.
The Prisma Lounge – VIP Experience
From 5:00 to 8:30 pm, the Prisma Lounge will provide attendees with the ultimate VIP
experience. This velvet-roped outdoor lounge will feature interactive food stations, elevated
wine and beer tastings, unique roaming entertainment, picturesque moments, and a front-row
seat to the main stage entertainment. Tickets are $75 when purchased in advance through the
City’s website and $95 at the event.
The Arts
Splatter will continue its tradition of celebrating the arts by offering an array of free art activities
suitable for all attendees, including interactive art pieces. Also, in collaboration with the Dublin
Arts Collective, an art exhibition titled “The High Life” will return to The Wave. This exhibition
will feature an assemblage of fine artworks created by talented artists from local high schools.
Special Event App
The City’s special events application, “DublinCaEvent”, will continue to be utilized for the 2026
Splatter Festival and has been refreshed with updated features and content to enhance the
attendee experience. Available for download on both Apple and Android devices , the app
serves as a centralized source for event information, including festival maps, sponsor and
vendor directories, parking and transportation details, schedules , and entertainment lineups. In
addition to improving communication and providing real-time access to event information, the
app supports the City’s sustainability efforts by reducing the need for printed materials and
paper programs.
New Feature: Color Dash
The festival will kick off with the Color Dash, a non-competitive, family-friendly fun run starting
at 9:00 am. Participants of all ages and fitness levels will walk, jog, or run a 1.2-mile course
consisting of two laps through Emerald Glen Park. Along the route, participants will pass
through five color stations featuring vibrant bursts of color, music , and interactive elements.
Each registered participant will receive a commemorative Color Dash T-shirt. The experience
will conclude with a festive finish-line celebration and photo opportunities. Registration is $25
per participant and is available on the City’s website.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
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Page 3 of 3
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
11
Agenda Item 5.1
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 1
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Approval of August 18, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
Prepared by: Vanessa Rosales, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will consider approving the minutes of the August 18, 2026 Regular City
Council Meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the minutes of the August 18, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
DESCRIPTION:
The City Council will consider approving the minutes of the August 18, 2026 Regular City
Council Meeting.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) August 18, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
12
Attachment 1
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
Regular Meeting: August 18, 2026
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 18, 2026
The following are minutes of the actions taken by the City of Dublin City Council. A full
video recording of the meeting with the agenda items indexed and time stamped is
available on the City’s website at: https://dublin.ca.gov/watchmeetings.
CLOSED SESSION 6:00 PM
I. Public Employee Performance Evaluation
Title: City Manager
REGULAR MEETING 7:00 PM
A Regular Meeting of the Dublin City Council was held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in
the Peter W. Snyder Council Chamber, located at 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, CA 94568. The
meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM by Mayor Hu.
1) CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Attendee Name Status
Dr. Sherry Hu, Mayor Present
Jean Josey, Vice Mayor Present
Michael McCorriston, Councilmember Present
Kashef Qaadri, Councilmember Present
John Morada, Councilmember Present
2) REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Hu reported there was no reportable action out of Closed Session.
3) PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
3.1) Employee Introductions
New City of Dublin employees Luis Martinez, Lieutenant, and Alana Stark, Office Assistant
II, with Police Services; and Stephanie Holton, Administrative Technician, with the City
Clerk’s Office, were introduced.
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DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 18, 2026
4) PUBLIC COMMENT
Phillip Liu provided public comment.
Mike Grant provided public comment.
Andrea provided public comment.
Marty London provided public comment.
Sarah Chen provided public comment.
5) CONSENT CALENDAR
5.1) Approved the July 21, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
5.2) Adopted Resolution No. 78-26 titled, “Confirming City of Dublin Participation in the
California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program .”
5.3) Received the City Treasurer’s Informational Report of Investments for the Quarter
Ending June 30, 2026.
5.4) Adopted Resolution No. 79-26 titled, “Approving a Plan of Finance Including the
Issuance of Exempt Facility Bonds by the California Statewide Communities
Development Authority for the Purpose of Refinancing the Acquisition,
Rehabilitation, Improvement, and Equipping of a Multifamily Rental Housing Project
Known as Dublin Ranch Senior Apartments Located at 3115 Finn ian Way”; and
Resolution No. 80-26 titled, “Approving a Plan of Finance Including the Issuance of
Exempt Facility Bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development
Authority for the Purpose of Refinancing the Acquisition, Rehabilitation,
Improvement, and Equipping of a Multifamily Rental Housing Project Known as
Fairway Family Apartments Located at 4161 Keegan Street.”
5.6) Received the report of payments issued from Ju ly 1, 2026 - July 31, 2026 totaling
$26,000,495.66.
5.7) Adopted Resolution No. 81-26 titled, “Approving the Agreement for Participation in
the Alameda County Operational Area Emergency Management Organization.”
On a motion by Councilmember McCorriston, seconded by Councilmember Qaadri, and by
unanimous vote, the City Council adopted the Consent Calendar, except for item 5.5.
14
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 18, 2026
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVED BY: Michael McCorriston, Councilmember
SECOND: Kashef Qaadri, Councilmember
AYES: Hu, Josey, McCorriston, Qaadri, Morada
5.5) Waived the reading and adopted Ordinance No. 07-26 titled, “Amending Dublin
Municipal Code Sections 2.08.020 and 2.08.040 to Change the Salary for Members
of the City Council and the Additional Salary for the Mayor After New Terms of Office
Start After the November 2026 General Municipal Election.”
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar by Councilmember Morada for separate
roll-call vote.
On a motion by Vice Mayor Josey, seconded by Councilmember Qaadri, and by 3-2 roll-call
vote, the City Council adopted Consent Calendar item 5.5.
RESULT: ADOPTED [3-2]
MOVED BY: Jean Josey, Vice Mayor
SECOND: Kashef Qaadri, Councilmember
AYES: Josey, McCorriston, Qaadri
NOES: Hu, Morada
6) PUBLIC HEARING – None.
7) UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.
8) NEW BUSINESS
8.1) After-Action Report on 2026 Fireworks Activities
The City Council received a presentation on the after-action report on the City’s fireworks
activities on and around July 4, 2026.
8.2) Status of the Transfer of Site D-1 from the County to the City for Affordable
Housing
The City Council received a presentation on the status of the transfer of Site D-1 from
Alameda County to the City of Dublin for an affordable housing project .
By consensus, the City Council directed Staff to continue to pursue execution of the land
transfer agreement and to formally escalate the issue with Alameda County.
15
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 18, 2026
8.3) Draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
The City Council received a presentation on the draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials.
Mike Grant provided public comment.
By consensus, the City Council directed Staff to amend the draft Code to combine
declarations for signature required by City Council policies into one declaration; create a
disciplinary escalation process and procedure; rework the language regarding cross
attendance to strongly discourage it for City commissions and committees; and research
City Council attendance standards to bring back for possible inclusion.
9) CITY MANAGER AND CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
The City Council and Staff provided brief information-only reports, including committee
reports and reports related to meetings attended at City expense (AB 1234).
By consensus, the City Council requested Staff to bring back a report on traffic and
circulation in Dublin, and a discussion item regarding the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)
provided to Staff in 2026.
10) ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hu adjourned the meeting at 9:23 PM.
Mayor
ATTEST:
Deputy City Clerk
16
Agenda Item 5.2
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 2
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
2026 Development Agreement Review
Prepared by: Amy Million, Community Development Director, and
Anastasia Nelson, Administrative Aide
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a report on the annual review of active development agreements
to ensure compliance with the terms and provisions of the agreements pursuant to the
California Government Code, Sections 65864-65869.5 and Chapter 8.56 of the Dublin
Municipal Code.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the Resolution Finding that Developers Having Obligations Under Active Development
Agreements and Supplemental Agreements as Amended, Have Complied in Good Faith With
the Terms and Provisions of the Agreements.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impacts of these projects were addressed as part of a fiscal analysis performed for
each approved project. All financial obligations of the subject developers have been met
pursuant to the terms provided in their respective development agreements.
DESCRIPTION:
Background
An annual review of active development agreements is required by California Government
Code Sections 65864-65869.5 and Chapter 8.56 of the Dublin Municipal Code. During the
review period, occurring in July and August of each year, Staff reviews each active
development agreement to ensure compliance with the terms and provisions of the agreement.
The burden of demonstrating good faith compliance is on the respective developer and/or
property owner. Staff from the Finance, Community Development, Fire Prevention, Parks and
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Page 2 of 2
Community Services, and Public Works departments completed a thorough and detailed
assessment of the developer’s compliance with the requirements contained in the applicable
agreements.
Following the review, Staff presents the findings and recommends to the City Council to either:
(1) determine that the parties are in compliance and conclude the review; or (2) determine that
the parties have not complied in good faith, in which case the City Council must request that
the matter of compliance be considered at a noticed public hearing. At said public hearing, the
City Council may modify or terminate the development agreement upon making certain
findings based on substantial evidence that the developer has not complied in good faith with
the agreement.
Analysis
The following active development agreements, identified in Table 1 below, were subject to the
2026 annual review. Based on Staff’s review, all required public improvements, payments, and
scheduled financial obligations have been satisfied by each of the developers and property
owners. Staff concluded that each of the developers/property owners is proceeding in good
faith with the terms of their development agreement and is therefore recommending that the
report be accepted by the City Council and the annual review be concluded.
Table 1: Active Development Agreements
No. Development Project Expiration Date Compliant
1. Bex Development (Branaugh Property) 04/20/2033 Yes
2. Dublin Crossings (Boulevard) 12/20/2033 Yes
3. Dublin Fallon 580 Project 09/19/2034 Yes
4. Kaiser Dublin Medical Center 11/04/2041 Yes
5. SCS Dublin Project (The DC) 01/05/2028 Yes
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
No public notice is required. However, a formal notification of the 2026 Development
Agreement Annual Review was sent to the parties of the development agreements. The City
Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Resolution Finding that Developers Having Obligations Under Active Development
Agreements and Supplemental Agreements as Amended, Have Complied in Good Faith
With the Terms and Provisions of the Agreements
18
Attachment 1
Reso. No. XX-26, Item X.X, Adopted 09/01/2026 Page 1 of 1
RESOLUTION NO. XX – 26
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
FINDING THAT DEVELOPERS HAVING OBLIGATIONS UNDER ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS AS AMENDED, HAVE COMPLIED IN
GOOD FAITH WITH THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENTS
WHEREAS, as of July 1, 2026, the following projects have active development agreements with
the City of Dublin: Bex Development (Branaugh Property), Dublin Crossings (Boulevard), Dublin Fallon
580 Project, Kaiser Dublin Medical Center, and SCS Dublin Project (The DC); and
WHEREAS, the annual review of active development agreements is required by California
Government Code Sections 65864 – 65869.5, and Chapter 8.56 of the Dublin Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, during the review period, occurring in July and August of each year, Staff reviews
the development agreements to ensure compliance with the terms and provisions of the agreements;
and
WHEREAS, the burden of demonstrating good faith compliance with the agreements rests with
the developers; and
WHEREAS, the appropriate City Departments have reviewed each of the active development
agreements, and confirmed that the developers are in compliance with the terms of the agreements;
and
WHEREAS, Staff recommends that the City Council determine the developers are in compliance
and conclude the review.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin concludes its
review of the above-referenced active development agreements and supplemental agreements as
amended and determines that the developers having obligations under said agreements have complied
in good faith with the terms and provisions of the agreements.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED BY the City Council of the City of Dublin, on this 1st
day of September 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
City Clerk
19
Agenda Item 7.1
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 7
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Regulation of Firearm Retailers and Indoor Shooting Ranges
Prepared by: Jennifer Byous, Planning Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a report on potential land use regulations for firearm retailers and
indoor shooting ranges. In January 2026, the City Council adopted an Urgency Interim
Ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on the establishment, expansion, and
relocation of firearm related businesses and indoor shooting ranges. The urgency ordinance
allows time for the City to complete a comprehensive review of the land use and re gulatory
frameworks governing such uses. In response, Staff evaluated existing federal and state
regulations, Second Amendment case law, and regulations adopted by other jurisdictions. The
City Council will receive the report and is requested to provide direction to Staff regarding the
future regulation of firearm dealers and indoor shooting ranges .
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the report and direct Staff to prepare amendments to the Dublin Municipal Code
establishing a 1,000-foot separation between firearm related uses and public and private K–12
schools and evaluate the feasibility of requiring documentation of compliance with federal and
state workplace safety and environmental regulations during the building permit review for
indoor shooting ranges.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Implementation of any of the recommended changes to the Dublin Municipal Code (DMC) is
anticipated to have minimal fiscal impact. Modifications to the DMC and supportive
administrative work would require Staff and City Attorney time associated with community
outreach, ordinance preparation, Planning Commission review, and City Council consideration.
These activities are expected to be completed within existing departmental resources.
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Page 2 of 7
DESCRIPTION:
Background
The Dublin Municipal Code (DMC) regulates firearm sales related businesses as retail uses
and such uses are permitted in zoning districts where retail uses are allowed. Indoor shooting
ranges are regulated as Recreational Facility/Indoor uses. For purposes of this Staff Report,
firearm retailers and indoor shooting ranges are collectively referred to as “firearm related
uses” unless otherwise specified.
The City received an inquiry regarding a proposed firearm retailer and indoor shooting range
adjacent to BASIS Independent School in Downtown Dublin. Although the proposed use is
permitted under the existing zoning regulations, the inquiry raised questions regarding land
use compatibility and whether additional zoning standards should be considered.
On January 20, 2026, the City Council adopted Urgency Interim Ordinance No. 01-26
establishing a 45-day moratorium on the establishment, expansion, and relocation of firearm
related businesses and indoor shooting ranges. On March 3, 2026, the City Council extended
the moratorium through January 27, 2027 (Ordinance No. 02 -26). The moratorium was
adopted to allow the City time to complete a comprehensive review of land use and regulatory
frameworks governing such uses, and to protect the public health, safety, and welfare during
the review period.
Staff evaluated existing federal and state regulations, Second Amendment case law,
regulations adopted by other jurisdictions, and separation standards. The City Council will
receive the report and is requested to provide direction regarding the future regulation of
firearm dealers and indoor shooting ranges.
Existing Regulatory Framework
Firearm related businesses are regulated through a combination of federal and state laws.
These laws establish licensing requirements, regulate firearm sales and transfers, impose
background checks and recordkeeping requirements, and establish workplace safety and
environmental standards. Local governments retain authority to regulate the location of firearm
related uses through zoning and land use regulations.
Firearm retailers. Firearm dealers are subject to federal and state licensing
requirements administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
and the California Department of Justice (DOJ)1. These agencies regulate dealer licensing,
background checks, waiting periods, recordkeeping, secure firearm storage, inspections, and
enforcement2. Dealers must comply with both federal and state requirements before engaging
in firearm sales.
1 18 U.S.C. § 923; Cal. Penal Code §§ 26700–26915.
2 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44; California dealer licensing (Penal Code §§ 26700–26915)
21
Page 3 of 7
Federal and state law also establishes Gun-Free School Zones that generally prohibit the
possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of schools, subject to specified statutory exemptions3.
While these laws regulate firearm possession rather than land use, they reflect state and
federal policy recognizing schools as sensitive environments. This policy provides context for
local governments when evaluating land use compatibility between firearm related businesses
and schools.
Indoor shooting ranges. Indoor shooting ranges are subject to workplace safety and
environmental regulations administered by federal and state agencies. The Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and California Occupational Safety and Health
(Cal/OSHA) regulate employee exposure to airborne lead, ventilation, respiratory protection,
medical surveillance, and other workplace safety requirements4. The California Department of
Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) regulates the handling, storage, transportation, and disposal
of lead contaminated materials and other hazardous wastes generated by shooting range
operations5. A summary of these regulatory responsibilities is provided in Attachment 1.
Indoor shooting ranges are also subject to a Building Permit in which the City’s applicable
building, mechanical, electrical, fire, accessibility, and other life safety requirements are
reviewed. Specialized components such as ballistic containment and bullet trap systems,
mechanical ventilation and filtration systems may be required to meet federal, state, or local
requirements.
Second Amendment
The Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to keep and bear arms. In District of
Columbia v. Heller (2008), the United States Supreme Court recognized an individual ’s right to
possess firearms for lawful purposes, including self-defense. McDonald v. City of Chicago
(2010) held that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments, and New
York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) and Wolford v. Lopez (2026) establish the
current framework for evaluating firearm regulations under the Second Amendment.
Federal courts have also recognized that the Second Amendment protects the ability to
lawfully acquire firearms. However, this does not prevent local governments from applying land
use regulations to firearm related businesses. Courts consider the practical effect of a
regulation, including whether it meaningfully limits the ability to lawfully acquire firearms or the
ability to learn to use them, in the case of ranges. The exact constitutional test that would be
applied in the event of a challenge is highly uncertain, due to the shifting landscape.
3 Federal Gun-Free School Zones (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)) and California Gun-Free School Zones (Penal Code §
626.9). The restrictions only apply to public property, and, therefore, it is not unlawful to operate a firearms dealer
within 1,000 feet of a school.
4 OSHA/Cal-OSHA lead standards (29 CFR § 1910.1025; 8 CCR § 5198)
5 DTSC hazardous waste authority (Health & Safety Code, Div. 20, Ch. 6.5 / Title 22 CCR)
22
Page 4 of 7
Local Land Use Authority
The Ninth Circuit addressed the issue of local land use authority in Teixeira v. County of
Alameda (2017), which involved a zoning ordinance requiring firearm retailers to be separated
from certain uses, including schools. The court upheld the ordinance and found that the
Second Amendment does not guarantee a firearm retailer the right to operate at a particular
location.
Although Teixeira was decided before Bruen, the Ninth Circuit confirmed in B & L Productions,
Inc. v. Newsom (2024) that restrictions on where firearms may be sold do not necessarily
violate the Second Amendment. The relevant consideration is the practical effect of the
regulation on the ability to acquire firearms. More recent Ninth Circuit decisions, including
Nguyen v. Bonta (2025), further demonstrate that regulations that meaningfully limit firearm
acquisition require additional Second Amendment analysis.
These decisions support evaluating the practical effect of proposed land use regulations to
ensure there is land zoned for commercial and industrial activities outside of separation areas.
A summary of the principal decisions relevant to local land use regulation s is provided in
Attachment 2.
Local Regulatory Approaches
Staff reviewed regulations adopted by 14 California jurisdictions and the City of Chicago to
better understand the range of regulatory approaches used for firearm related businesses.
Chicago was included because its regulations have been the sub ject of significant litigation
and provide an additional example of how firearm related businesses have been regulated
following more recent legal challenges. A detailed comparison of the jurisdictions reviewed is
provided in Attachment 3. Many of the ordinances reviewed were adopted before Bruen and
subsequent federal court decisions. Staff therefore evaluated the se regulatory approaches
through the lens of the current legal framework rather than treating those ordinances as
models for adoption.
The regulatory approach varies by jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions adopted local firearm dealer
licensing programs, discretionary permit requirements such as a Conditional Use Permit
(CUP), operational standards, and/or land use regulations such as separation requirements.
These jurisdictions use licenses and permits to regulate matters such as security,
recordkeeping, employee requirements, and the manner in which firearm sales are conducted.
However, these regulations overlap with activities already regulated through federal and state
licensing and regulatory programs.
Land use related permits such as a CUP allow for case-by-case review. However, this
approach lacks objective zoning standards that establish clear and predictable requirements
that allow the City to directly address compatibility issues. The use of separation standards is a
common zoning tool used to address compatibility between uses. Requirements for a
separation between certain uses deemed relevant for that jurisdiction provide consistent and
objective requirements.
23
Page 5 of 7
Analysis
If the City were to apply additional regulations to the firearm related uses, Staff would
recommend a focused land use approach consisting of an objective separation requirement
from schools. This approach addresses compatibility issues between land uses while not
duplicating existing federal and state regulatory programs for firearm dealer licensing, firearm
sales, security, recordkeeping, and other operational requirements and avoids conflicts with
established case law.
Separation Standards
Separation standards are a common zoning tool used to address compatibility between uses.
According to the Giffords Law Center’s statewide survey of local firearm ordinances, 34
California jurisdictions have adopted objective separation requirements for firearm related
businesses. Staff reviewed a representative subset of these jurisdictions in greater detail to
compare the types of protected uses, separation distances, and measurement methods most
relevant to Dublin as shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Firearm Separation Requirements
Jurisdiction Residential
Zoning/Uses
Educational &
Child-Oriented
Uses
Community & Civic
Uses
Regulated
Commercial
Uses1
Pleasant
Hill 150 ft 1,000 ft 500 ft -
Alameda
County 500 ft 500 ft - 500 ft
Oakland 1,000 ft Varies Varies 1,500 ft
San Carlos 1,000 ft 1,000 ft 1,000 ft 1,000 ft
Chicago, IL -
500 ft – primary
and secondary
school
500 ft – government
owned or leased parks -
1. Regulated commercial uses vary by jurisdiction and may include other firearm dealers, liquor
establishments, adult entertainment businesses, and massage related establishments.
The City currently uses separation standards for the regulation of tobacco retailers, adult
businesses, hazardous waste facilities, and cottage food operations. Of these uses, the
tobacco retailer standard is most similar to the established federal and state 1,000-foot Gun-
Free School Zones around K–12 schools. The City requires tobacco retailers to maintain a
1,000-foot distance between tobacco retailers, a 1,000-foot distance from K–12 schools, and a
500-foot separation to a playground, youth center, city-owned and city-operated recreational
facilities, park, or library.
Staff evaluated three separation scenarios: a) applying a 500-foot separation from schools; b)
applying a 1,000-foot separation from schools; and c) applying the tobacco retailer separation
standards. In the evaluation, Staff considered land use compatibility and whether reasonable
opportunities would remain for firearm related uses to locate within the City as shown in Table
2 below. Attachment 4 provides additional information, and Attachment 5 provides maps
demonstrating the separation under each of the three separation scenarios.
24
Page 6 of 7
Table 2. Separation Alternatives
Scenario
Acreage Outside
Separation
Areas
Percent Outside
Separation Areas
500-foot school separation 1,082 acres 95%
1,000-foot school separation 947 acres 83%
Tobacco retailer separation 758 acres 67%
Policy Options and Recommendation
Based on the existing regulatory framework, current Second Amendment case law, the review
of other jurisdictions, and the separation analysis, Staff identified the following options for the
City Council’s consideration:
Option 1: Maintain existing regulations. Continue to regulate firearm related businesses and
indoor shooting ranges under the existing zoning framework. This means, for example, that the
proposed firearm retailer and indoor shooting range adjacent to BASIS Independent School in
Downtown Dublin would be allowed.
Option 2: Establish a 500-foot separation between firearm related uses and public and private
K–12 schools. While this option provides 95% availability outside the separation areas for
firearm related businesses, Staff believes the separation level would have minimal effect.
Option 3: Mirror the tobacco retailer separation standard. Staff does not recommend this
option because it would significantly reduce available commercial and industrial land for
firearm related businesses. It is important to preserve reasonable opportunity sites within the
City in accordance with the Second Amendment considerations discussed above.
Option 4 (recommended): Establish a 1,000-foot separation between firearm related uses
and public and private K–12 schools. Staff recommends this option, which maintains
consistency with existing firearm possession laws while also recognizing schools as sensitive
environments. Staff also believes this still maintains adequate land zoned for commercial and
industrial activities outside of separation areas.
If directed, Staff could also evaluate the feasibility of adding a local requirement for applicants
to provide documentation demonstrating compliance with applicable federal and state (i.e.,
OSHA, Cal/OSHA, and DTSC) workplace safety and environmental regulations for indoor
shooting ranges as part of the building permit process.
25
Page 7 of 7
Next Steps
Based on the City Council’s direction, Staff will prepare the appropriate regulations and
policies to implement that direction. If amendments to the DMC are proposed, Staff will
prepare the amendments for consideration and a recommendation by the Planning
Commission and final action by the City Council.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Existing Federal and State Regulatory Framework
2) Second Amendment Case Law Relevant to Local Land Use Regulation
3) Firearm Related Use Regulations by Jurisdiction
4) Commercial and Industrial Land Use Acreage Comparison
5) Separation Scenario Maps
26
Attachment 1
FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Firearm Retailers and Indoor Shooting Ranges
Purpose. This attachment summarizes federal, state, regional, and locally administered regulatory programs applicable to firearm
retailers and indoor shooting ranges. The matrix identifies the responsible agency, regulated subject, applicable authority, principal
requirements, inspection and enforcement responsibilities, and relevance to the City's land use review. These programs regula te matters
including firearm dealer licensing and transactions, occupational safety, lead exposure, hazardous waste, building and f ire requirements,
and other operational matters. They are distinct from the City's land use authority, which addresses the location and compati bility of
firearm-related businesses.
Planning Oriented Regulatory Matrix
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
ATF - Federal
Firearms
License
Engaging in the
business of
importing,
manufacturing, or
dealing in
firearms; dealer
records;
transfers;
inventory losses.
18 U.S.C. §§
922, 923; 27
C.F.R. Part 478.
Federal Firearms
License; identity
verification;
transaction and
acquisition/disposition
records; compliance
with transfer
prohibitions; reporting
theft or loss; license
renewal.
ATF industry
operations
investigators conduct
compliance inspections
and may issue warning
letters, warning
conferences,
suspension/revocation
proceedings, or
referrals as authorized
by law.
A City zoning approval
does not authorize firearm
sales. Federal licensing is
a separate prerequisite.
The FFL program does not
determine local land use
compatibility.
FBI / NICS and
California DOJ
point-of-contact
process
Purchaser
eligibility and
background
checks.
18 U.S.C. §
922(t); 27 C.F.R.
§ 478.102; Cal.
Penal Code §§
28220 et seq.
Background check
before transfer;
review of federal and
state prohibitions.
California dealers
submit transactions
through the DOJ
Dealer Record of
Sale system.
FBI and California DOJ
administer records
checks; prohibited
transfers may be
denied or delayed;
violations may be
referred for
enforcement.
Background-check
administration is not a local
zoning function and
generally does not require
a duplicative City process.
California DOJ -
Dealer
Licensing and
Centralized List
Eligibility to
operate as a
California firearm
dealer.
Cal. Penal Code
§§ 26700-
26915; DOJ
dealer
Valid FFL; applicable
local regulatory or
business license;
seller's permit; DOJ
DOJ may inspect
records and dealer
operations as
authorized by statute
State law expressly
anticipates applicable local
licensing but does not
require a local jurisdiction
27
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
regulations and
forms.
Certificate of
Eligibility; placement
on DOJ Centralized
List; employee
Certificates of
Eligibility for
employees handling,
selling, or delivering
firearms.
and may deny,
remove, suspend, or
pursue enforcement
concerning state
eligibility and dealer
compliance.
to create a police-permit
program. Zoning and any
City business-license
requirements remain
distinct.
California DOJ –
Ammunition
Vendor
Regulation
Retail sale and
transfer of
ammunition
Cal. Penal Code
§§ 16151,
30312, 30342–
30365, 30370–
30372, 30385–
30395.
California generally
requires ammunition
sales and transfers to
be conducted by or
processed through a
licensed ammunition
vendor. A California-
licensed firearms
dealer is
automatically deemed
a licensed
ammunition vendor,
subject to applicable
ammunition-sale
requirements. State
law also contains
provisions applicable
to ammunition
purchased or
received at licensed
target facilities.
California DOJ
administers
ammunition-vendor
licensing and
ammunition purchase
authorization
requirements and
maintains ammunition
transaction records as
required by state law.
An indoor shooting range
that sells ammunition may
be subject to California
ammunition-vendor
requirements. If the range
also engages in firearm
sales, the separate federal
and California firearm-
dealer licensing
requirements apply. These
requirements regulate
ammunition and firearm
transactions rather than
land use compatibility.
California DOJ -
Sales, Waiting
Period,
Records,
Storage and
Reporting
Dealer Record of
Sale, purchaser
documentation,
waiting period,
delivery
procedures, safe
handling,
Cal. Penal Code
§§ 26800-
26915, 27540,
28220 and
related
provisions.
DROS submission;
statutory waiting
period; delivery only
after approval and
compliance;
purchaser
identification and
DOJ audits/inspections
and criminal or
administrative
enforcement may
apply.
These requirements
regulate transactions and
dealer conduct. They do
not replace local review of
the location and physical
compatibility of the use.
28
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
storage, notices,
and records.
documentation;
dealer storage and
security
requirements;
employee eligibility;
records and required
notices.
OSHA - Federal
Lead and
Workplace
Safety
Employee
exposure where
federal OSHA
has jurisdiction;
general safety
requirements.
29 C.F.R. §
1910.1025; 29
C.F.R. Part
1910;
Occupational
Safety and
Health Act.
Exposure
assessment;
permissible exposure
limit; engineering and
work-practice
controls; respiratory
protection; protective
clothing; hygiene;
housekeeping;
medical surveillance;
training; records.
OSHA may inspect
workplaces and issue
citations and penalties.
California operates an
approved State Plan,
so most private
workplaces in
California are
principally regulated by
Cal/OSHA.
Federal standards provide
a baseline and may apply
in limited federal-
jurisdiction settings. They
are not land use
entitlements.
Cal/OSHA -
Lead in General
Industry
Employee
exposure to lead
at indoor ranges
and during
cleaning or
maintenance.
8 C.C.R. §§
5198 and 5155;
Cal. Labor
Code; updated
lead standard
effective
January 1, 2025.
10 micrograms per
cubic meter 8-hour
TWA PEL under
§5198; exposure
assessment;
engineering/work-
practice controls;
respiratory protection;
protective clothing;
housekeeping;
hygiene facilities and
practices; medical
surveillance; training;
recordkeeping.
Cal/OSHA consultation
and enforcement;
workplace inspection,
citation, abatement,
and penalty authority.
Ventilation design and
operation may be
necessary to control
exposure, but compliance
is determined through
occupational-safety
standards and exposure
conditions, not by a city-
created technical lead
standard.
DTSC /
California
Hazardous
Waste Control
Law
Discarded
recovered bullets,
fragments, spent
ammunition
constituents, lead
Cal. Health &
Safety Code,
Div. 20, Ch. 6.5
(§§ 25100 et
seq.); 22 C.C.R.,
Waste determination;
generator
identification;
accumulation and
labeling; storage time
DTSC and the local
CUPA inspect and
enforce generator and
hazardous-waste
requirements.
A city may require
evidence of agency
compliance through
ordinary development
review, but creating
29
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
dust, filters,
cleaning
residues,
contaminated
media, and other
wastes.
Div. 4.5; DTSC
Shooting Range
Maintenance
Guidance.
limits; manifests and
authorized
transport/disposal;
employee training
and contingency
requirements as
applicable.
Recovered material
may be managed
differently if
legitimately recycled
and not discarded.
separate local waste
classifications or disposal
rules would risk
duplication.
CalEPA Unified
Program /
Alameda County
Certified Unified
Program
Agency (CUPA)
Hazardous-waste
generator
oversight;
hazardous-
material inventory
and business
plans; local
implementation of
state standards.
Cal. Health &
Safety Code
Chs. 6.5 and
6.95; 19 C.C.R.,
Div. 5; 27 C.C.R.
electronic
reporting
requirements;
CalEPA Unified
Program.
CERS reporting;
Hazardous Materials
Business Plan when
thresholds are met;
chemical inventory;
site map; emergency
response and
employee training
information;
hazardous-waste
generator
permits/identification
as applicable.
Alameda County
Department of
Environmental Health,
as CUPA, administers
permits, inspections,
and enforcement in its
jurisdiction, subject to
program boundaries
and local
arrangements.
Project conditions should
direct applicants to the
CUPA for applicability
determinations rather than
establish a parallel city
technical program.
U.S. EPA -
RCRA /
CERCLA /
EPCRA
Hazardous-waste
requirements and
reportable
releases of lead
or other
hazardous
substances.
Resource
Conservation
and Recovery
Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§ 6901 et seq.;
40 C.F.R. Parts
260-279;
CERCLA §103
and 40 C.F.R.
§302.6; EPCRA,
42 U.S.C. §§
11001 et seq.
Federal generator
requirements may
apply based on waste
classification and
generator status.
Certain releases at or
above reportable
quantities require
notification. EPA
states that lead
particles below
specified size and at
EPA or authorized
state agencies may
inspect and enforce.
California is authorized
to administer its
hazardous-waste
program, which may
be more stringent than
federal requirements.
EPA requirements are
conditional and fact-
specific. Whether an indoor
shooting range is subject to
EPA permitting or other
regulatory requirements
depends on the specific
activities, waste streams,
and potential releases
associated with the facility.
30
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
reportable quantities
may trigger release
notification.
California Fire
Code / Local
Fire Code
Official
Fire and life
safety; hazardous
materials; fire
protection
systems; storage
and handling;
emergency
access.
2025 California
Fire Code, Title
24, Part 9,
including
Chapters 9 and
50; locally
adopted
amendments;
Health & Safety
Code and Title
19 as applicable.
Building and
operational fire
permits as applicable;
hazardous-material
classification and
quantity review;
HMMP/HMIS when
required; storage
safeguards;
ventilation where
code-triggered;
automatic sprinklers
or extinguishing
systems when
required; alarm,
access, and
emergency
provisions.
Local fire code official
reviews plans, permits
construction/operations
as authorized, and
inspects for code
compliance.
Fire-suppression and
hazardous-material
requirements are governed
by generally applicable
building and fire codes and
project-specific review and
inspection. These
requirements are
addressed through existing
regulatory processes rather
than through firearm-
specific local standards.
BAAQMD - Air
District
Permitting
New or modified
sources of air
pollution and
associated
control devices;
toxic-air-
contaminant
review.
BAAQMD
Regulation 2,
Rules 1, 2 and
5; applicable
particulate and
toxic rules;
California Health
& Safety Code
air-district
authority.
Authority to Construct
and Permit to
Operate may be
required for a source
or control device
unless exempt.
Permit review
addresses emissions,
toxic risk, and
applicable control
requirements.
BAAQMD reviews
applications, issues
permits, inspects, and
enforces Air District
rules.
No firearm-range-specific
BAAQMD rule was
identified. Referral is
appropriate for a case-
specific determination
regarding ventilation
exhaust, filtration or other
emission sources.
City of Dublin -
Land Use,
Building and
Development
Review
Location, zoning
classification, site
design, building
permits, and local
Dublin Municipal
Code; California
Planning and
Zoning Law;
locally adopted
Zoning clearance or
entitlement; objective
separation standard if
adopted;
building/mechanical/
City departments
enforce local approvals
and adopted codes.
The City's principal added
value is determining where
the use may locate and
ensuring compliance with
generally applicable
31
Agency /
Program
Regulated
Subject
Primary
Authority
Core Requirements Inspection /
Enforcement
Planning Relevance
fire/building
coordination.
building and fire
codes.
electrical permits;
site-specific
conditions within
lawful authority;
referral to regulatory
agencies.
development standards,
not duplicating dealer
licensing or
occupational/environmental
regulation.
Ongoing Inspection and Enforcement. Regulatory oversight continues after a firearms retailer or indoor shooting range begins
operation. Depending on the facility and its operations, applicable requirements may be enforced through Cal/OSHA workplace
inspections, hazardous waste inspections by DTSC or the local CUPA, fire and life safety inspections, and Air District inspec tions where
applicable. The City would continue to enforce its land use approvals and applicable building and fire code requirements, while other
agencies would administer and enforce requirements within their respective areas of responsibility.
32
Authorities and Primary Sources
1. ATF, Federal Firearms Licenses.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/federal-firearms-licenses
2. ATF, Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/tools-and-services-firearms-industry/current-licensees/federal-
firearms-licensee-quick-reference-and-best-practices-guide
3. ATF, Firearms Compliance Inspections.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/tools-and-services-firearms-industry/current-licensees/compliance-
inspections
4. FBI, National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/nics
5. California DOJ, Becoming a Firearm Dealer and/or Ammunition Vendor.
https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/dealer-vendor
6. California DOJ, Firearms Dealer Frequently Asked Questions.
https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/dlrfaqs
7. California DOJ, Overview of Key California Firearms Laws.
https://oag.ca.gov/ogvp/overview-firearm-law
8. California Legislative Information, Penal Code, Part 6 – Control of Deadly Weapons.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codesTOCSelected.xhtml?tocCode=PEN&tocTitle=+Pen
al+Code+-+PEN
9. California Penal Code § 16151 – Ammunition Vendor.
Defines “ammunition vendor” and provides that a licensed firearms dealer is deemed a licensed
ammunition vendor for purposes of California law.
10. California Penal Code § 30312 – Ammunition Sales and Transfers.
Generally requires ammunition sales and transfers to be conducted by or processed through a
licensed ammunition vendor and contains an exception for ammunition purchased or received at
a licensed target facility when the ammunition remains on the facility premises.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=2.&chapter=1.&division=
10.&lawCode=PEN&part=6.&title=4.
11. California Penal Code §§ 30342–30365 – Ammunition Vendors.
Establishes requirements governing persons and businesses engaged in the sale of
ammunition, including ammunition-vendor licensing and transaction requirements.
12. California Penal Code § 30352 – Ammunition Transaction Records and Target-Facility
Provision.
Requires ammunition vendors to record and electronically submit specified transaction
information and includes provisions applicable to persons purchasing or receiving ammunition at
a licensed target facility when the ammunition remains on the premises.
13. California Penal Code §§ 30370–30372 – Ammunition Purchase Authorizations.
Establishes the California Department of Justice ammunition purchase authorization process.
14. California Penal Code §§ 30385–30395 – Ammunition Vendor Licenses.
Establishes California ammunition-vendor licensing requirements.
15. Cal/OSHA, 8 C.C.R. § 5198 – Lead.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/5198.html
33
16. Cal/OSHA, Occupational Lead Exposure Prevention Guidance.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/lead/
17. Cal/OSHA, 8 C.C.R. § 5155 – Airborne Contaminants.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/5155.html
18. DTSC, Shooting Range Maintenance Guidance.
https://dtsc.ca.gov/shooting-range-maintenance-guidance/
19. CalEPA, Unified Program.
https://calepa.ca.gov/cupa/
20. CalEPA, Unified Program Laws and Regulations.
https://calepa.ca.gov/cupa/lawsregs/
21. Alameda County Environmental Health, Hazardous Materials / CUPA.
https://deh.acgov.org/
22. U.S. EPA, Release Notification for Lead from Ammunition.
https://www.epa.gov/epcra/release-notification-lead-ammunition
23. 2025 California Fire Code, Title 24, Part 9, Chapter 50.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CAFC2025P1/chapter-50-hazardous-materials-general-
provisions
24. BAAQMD, Regulation 2 – Permits.
https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/rules-and-compliance/rules/reg-2-permits
25. BAAQMD, Regulation 2, Rule 1 – General Requirements.
https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/rules-and-compliance/rules/reg-2-rule-1-general-requirements
26. BAAQMD, Regulation 2, Rule 5 – New Source Review of Toxic Air Contaminants.
https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/rules-and-compliance/rules/reg-2-rule-5-new-source-review-of-
toxic-air-contaminants
34
Attachment 2
SECOND AMENDMENT CASE LAW RELEVANT TO LOCAL LAND USE REGULATION
Decision Holding (Plain English) Planning significance Effect on local zoning authority
United States Supreme Court Decisions
District of
Columbia v.
Heller, 554 U.S.
570 (2008)
The Second Amendment protects an
individual right to possess a handgun
for lawful self-defense. The right is
not unlimited. The Court identified
longstanding limits, including laws
concerning sensitive places and
conditions and qualifications on the
commercial sale of arms.
Establishes the protected
individual right and cautions
against treating firearm regulation
as ordinary policy balancing.
Does not decide firearm-retailer
zoning. Local land use rules remain
subject to the Second Amendment
when they burden protected
conduct.
McDonald v. City
of Chicago, 561
U.S. 742 (2010)
The Second Amendment right
recognized in Heller applies to state
and local governments through the
Fourteenth Amendment.
Local ordinances are subject to the
federal constitutional standard.
Cities may exercise land use
authority, but local enactments must
comply with the Second
Amendment.
N.Y. State Rifle &
Pistol Assn. v.
Bruen, 597 U.S. 1
(2022)
When the Second Amendment’s text
covers the regulated conduct, the
government must show that its
regulation is consistent with the
Nation’s historical tradition of firearm
regulation. Courts may not uphold a
firearm law merely by balancing
public benefits against the burden on
the right.
Requires legal analysis based on
constitutional text and historical
tradition rather than policy
balancing alone.
Objective land use standards are
not automatically valid or invalid.
The practical effect of the regulation
and the conduct it regulates remain
important to the constitutional
analysis.
Wolford v. Lopez,
609 U.S. ___
(2026), reversing
116 F.4th 959
(9th Cir. 2024)
The Supreme Court invalidated
Hawaii’s default rule barring licensed
carry on private property open to the
public without the owner’s express
consent. Applying Bruen, the Court
concluded that the State had not
shown a relevant historical tradition
supporting the broad restriction.
Wolford concerns carrying firearms
on private property, not firearm
sales or business location. It
reinforces that modern firearm
restrictions must be analyzed
under Bruen rather than justified
by policy balancing alone.
Does not decide firearm-retailer
zoning or school buffers. It is
relevant as current Supreme Court
guidance on the Bruen framework,
but should not be cited as direct
authority for or against a land use
separation standard.
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Decisions
35
Decision Holding (Plain English) Planning significance Effect on local zoning authority
Teixeira v. County
of Alameda, 873
F.3d 670 (9th Cir.
2017) (en banc)
Alameda County required firearm
retailers to obtain a conditional use
permit and maintain a 500-foot
separation from specified uses,
including schools. The court rejected
the Second Amendment claim
because the plaintiffs did not
plausibly allege that the ordinance
meaningfully impeded prospective
customers’ access to firearms. The
court also held that a dealer has no
freestanding Second Amendment
right to sell firearms at a chosen
location.
Directly addresses local zoning of
firearm retailers. The practical
effect of the ordinance on
customers’ ability to acquire
firearms was central to the court’s
analysis.
Remains important zoning
precedent, but it predates Bruen
and should not be treated as
establishing a stand-alone
“reasonable sites” test or a
numerical safe harbor for local
buffers.
B & L
Productions, Inc.
v. Newsom, 104
F.4th 108 (9th Cir.
2024), cert.
denied (2025)
The Ninth Circuit held that laws
barring firearm sales on state
property did not implicate the Second
Amendment where they did not
meaningfully constrain any
individual’s ability to keep and bear
arms. The court concluded that
Teixeira’s meaningful-constraint
approach is consistent with Bruen.
Provides the key post-Bruen link to
Teixeira. A restriction on the place
of sale does not necessarily
implicate the Second Amendment
when lawful acquisition remains
practically available elsewhere.
Supports examining the real-world
geographic effect of a location rule.
It does not establish that any
particular buffer distance or amount
of remaining land is constitutionally
sufficient.
Nguyen v. Bonta,
140 F.4th 1237
(9th Cir. 2025)
The Ninth Circuit held that
California’s one-firearm-per-30-days
law meaningfully constrained firearm
acquisition and implicated the
Second Amendment. The court then
found the law inconsistent with the
Nation’s historical tradition of firearm
regulation.
Illustrates the other side of the
meaningful-constraint inquiry: a
direct limit on how often an eligible
person may acquire firearms can
burden protected conduct.
Nguyen is not a land use case and
does not independently validate
zoning restrictions. It reinforces the
importance of evaluating the
practical effect of a regulation on
lawful acquisition.
36
Decision Holding (Plain English) Planning significance Effect on local zoning authority
Rhode v. Bonta,
145 F.4th 1180
(9th Cir. 2025)
The Ninth Circuit held that
California’s ammunition background-
check regime meaningfully
constrained the right to keep and
bear arms. In doing so, the court
expressly contrasted that statewide
regime with Teixeira and B & L
Productions, explaining that a minor
constraint on the precise locations
within a geographic area where
firearms may be acquired does not
necessarily meaningfully constrain
the right.
Provides recent post-Bruen Ninth
Circuit guidance tying Teixeira, B &
L Productions, and Nguyen
together. It emphasizes practical
effect, including the costs, delays,
and geographic scope of a
regulation.
Useful support for documenting the
geographic effect of a proposed
separation standard. It does not
establish that a particular buffer or
percentage of remaining commercial
land is constitutional.
37
Attachment 3
FIREARM RELATED USE REGULATIONS BY JURISDICTION
Comparative Jurisdiction Matrix
Jurisdiction Firearm Sales /
Zoning
Separation
Standard
Local Permit /
Operations
Indoor Shooting
Ranges
Current Primary
Citation / History
Planning and Post-
Bruen Observation
Dublin No firearm-
specific use
classification.
Retailers are
treated as retail
uses; indoor
ranges are treated
as Recreational
Facility/Indoor
uses.
None currently. No firearm-specific
local police permit
identified.
Allowance depends
on the zoning
district applicable to
Recreational
Facility/Indoor uses.
DMC §§ 8.08.020
and 8.12.050;
Ordinance No. 01-
26 (temporary
moratorium).
Baseline condition.
Proposed ordinance
would add objective
location standards
without creating a
new police-permit
program.
Pleasanton Firearm sales
require a permit
from the Chief of
Police and must
comply with
zoning and
business-license
requirements.
No firearm-specific
school separation
identified in
Chapter 6.64.
Firearm Sales
Permit; secured
facility and permit
conditions.
No dedicated
firearm-range
chapter identified;
land use
classification must
be confirmed for a
proposed site.
PMC §§ 6.64.030,
6.64.070 and
related provisions.
Nearby example of a
local permit model.
Dublin staff is not
recommending a
parallel local licensing
system.
Livermore No separate
firearm-retailer
land use
classification
identified in the
reviewed current
development
code.
None identified. No firearm-specific
local dealer permit
identified in the
reviewed current
code.
Gun
ranges/shooting
clubs are
addressed under
recreation/cultural
facility
classifications;
zoning allowance
depends on district
and entitlement
requirements.
Livermore
Development Code
Ch. 3-50; Livermore
Municipal Code Ch.
9.78 (discharge-
related provisions).
Nearby comparator,
but not a direct
school-separation
model.
38
Jurisdiction Firearm Sales /
Zoning
Separation
Standard
Local Permit /
Operations
Indoor Shooting
Ranges
Current Primary
Citation / History
Planning and Post-
Bruen Observation
San Ramon No firearm-
specific retailer
classification
identified in the
reviewed current
zoning code.
None identified. No firearm-specific
dealer permit
identified.
No firearm-specific
indoor-range
standard identified;
generally applicable
land use
classifications and
permits would
govern.
San Ramon Zoning
Ordinance, Title D;
municipal code
provisions
concerning
discharge and
weapons.
Not a direct
comparator for the
proposed zoning
standard.
Pleasant Hill Firearm sales are
subject to a police
permit and
firearm-specific
zoning standards.
150 ft from
residential uses;
1,000 ft from
public/private
schools; 500 ft
from parks, other
firearm sales,
massage
establishments,
and adult
entertainment
uses, subject to
code definitions
and exceptions.
Police permit;
security, insurance,
records, and related
operating
requirements.
No dedicated
indoor-range
standard identified
in the firearm-sales
ordinance.
PHMC Ch. 9.35 and
§ 18.25.160; Ord.
876 (2013),
amended by Ord.
896 (2016).
Direct Bay Area
comparator for a
1,000-ft school
separation. Predates
Bruen and should be
used as planning
context, not a
constitutional safe
harbor.
Fremont Firearm dealers
and gunsmiths are
restricted retail
uses requiring a
conditional use
permit where
allowed.
No firearm-specific
school buffer
identified in the
current cited land
use standard.
Chief of Police
firearms-dealer
permit; security
approval, controlled
storage, employee
requirements,
insurance, and
compliance
provisions.
Indoor ranges may
fall within applicable
recreation
classifications; no
dedicated range
standard identified
in the cited dealer
provisions.
FMC Ch. 5.55 and §
18.190.160; code
history includes Ord.
2081 (1994), Ord. 5-
2008, Ord. 23-2018,
Ord. 02-2020, and
later use-table
amendments.
CUP plus police-
permit model. More
discretionary and
operationally detailed
than Dublin’s
proposed approach.
Alameda
County
Firearm sales
require a
conditional use
permit in
applicable
500 ft from
residentially zoned
property, schools,
day care, liquor
stores, and other
County firearm-
dealer license;
compliance with
federal/state
licensing, building,
A CUP is required
where an indoor
range is allowed
under applicable
County
Alameda County
Code §§ 17.54.130-
17.54.141; Teixeira
v. County of
Alameda, 873 F.3d
Principal Ninth Circuit
firearm-retailer zoning
precedent. Teixeira
predates Bruen;
practical access and
39
Jurisdiction Firearm Sales /
Zoning
Separation
Standard
Local Permit /
Operations
Indoor Shooting
Ranges
Current Primary
Citation / History
Planning and Post-
Bruen Observation
unincorporated
zoning districts
and a County
firearm-dealer
license.
firearm sales
businesses,
subject to code
measurement and
findings.
fire, storage, and
security
requirements.
classifications;
project-specific
confirmation is
required.
670 (9th Cir. 2017)
(en banc).
remaining sites
remain important.
Palo Alto Firearm dealers
require a local
permit and, under
the 2023 zoning
amendments, a
conditional use
permit where
permitted.
Firearm-specific
zoning standards
apply under PAMC
§ 18.42.210;
current definitions,
measurements,
and exceptions
should control.
Permit, investigation,
annual renewal,
business/security
rules, inspection
authority, and
insurance
requirements.
No dedicated
indoor-range
chapter identified.
PAMC Ch. 4.57 and
§ 18.42.210; zoning
provisions adopted
in 2023 after Bruen.
Post-Bruen zoning
amendment. Useful
current comparator,
although the local
program includes
licensing and
operational controls
beyond Dublin’s
recommendation.
Oakland Firearm dealers
require a local
permit and
planning/zoning
compliance.
Distances vary by
protected use
under Oakland’s
current planning
regulations.
Police permit,
security, inventory,
records, reporting,
and inspection
provisions.
No dedicated
current range
standard confirmed
in this review.
OMC Ch. 5.26;
Oakland Planning
Code provisions
applicable to
firearms sales
activities.
Broad regulatory
program. Use only
verified current
provisions that directly
support the City’s
planning analysis.
San Carlos Firearm retailers
are limited to a
designated
Firearm
Establishment
Business Area
and require land
use and law-
enforcement
approvals.
1,000 ft from
residential zoning,
schools, day care,
youth/community
centers, places of
worship, parks,
and specified
firearm-related or
commercial uses.
Law Enforcement
Safety Permit;
security/surveillance,
management plan,
annual renewal,
inspections, and
operating-hour
limits.
Expressly
regulated. Indoor
ranges are limited
to designated areas
and require land
use and safety
permits, a range-
safety officer,
management plan,
and operational
controls.
SCMC Chs. 5.13
and 5.14; Title 18,
including §
18.23.300;
Ordinances Nos.
1540 and 1542
(2019).
Most comprehensive
Bay Area comparator.
Broader than Dublin’s
proposed zoning-only
approach and
adopted before
Bruen.
San Marcos Retail firearm
sales may occur
in conjunction with
an approved
indoor shooting
500 ft for indoor
ranges from child
care, K-12 public
schools, public
parks, residential
Local firearm-dealer
license; CUP
conditions may
address operating
issues and law-
Indoor ranges
permitted in the
Industrial Zone with
a CUP and firearm-
specific standards.
SMMC Ch. 5.60 and
§ 20.40.240.
Relevant indoor-range
comparator. Uses a
discretionary CUP
and a 500-ft
separation.
40
Jurisdiction Firearm Sales /
Zoning
Separation
Standard
Local Permit /
Operations
Indoor Shooting
Ranges
Current Primary
Citation / History
Planning and Post-
Bruen Observation
range; local
licensing
provisions apply
to concealable-
firearm sales.
zones,
bars/breweries,
and other indoor
ranges.
enforcement
recommendations.
Santa Clara Firearm retailers
are treated under
generally
applicable
commercial retail
classifications; no
firearm-specific
use standard
identified in the
reviewed current
zoning code.
None identified. No firearm-specific
local police permit
identified.
No firearm-specific
indoor-range
provision identified.
Santa Clara City
Code Title 18
(Zoning).
General-code
comparator rather
than a model for
firearm-specific
standards.
Concord Firearm-related
retail uses are
subject to
applicable retail
classifications and
may require a use
permit where
specified.
None identified. No firearm-specific
local police permit
identified.
A use permit is
required where the
applicable indoor
recreation/range
classification is
conditionally
permitted.
Concord
Development Code,
Title 18; applicable
land use tables and
use-permit
provisions.
General discretionary
land use model; no
verified school buffer.
Danville Firearm retailers
are treated under
generally
applicable
commercial retail
classifications.
None identified. No firearm-specific
local permit
identified.
No firearm-specific
indoor-range
regulation
identified.
Danville Municipal
Code Title 32
(Zoning), applicable
commercial use
tables.
General-code
comparator.
Walnut
Creek
Firearm retailers
are treated under
generally
applicable retail
classifications.
None identified. No firearm-specific
local permit
identified.
No firearm-specific
indoor-range
regulation
identified.
Walnut Creek
Municipal Code Title
10 (Planning and
Zoning), applicable
use tables.
General-code
comparator.
41
Jurisdiction Firearm Sales /
Zoning
Separation
Standard
Local Permit /
Operations
Indoor Shooting
Ranges
Current Primary
Citation / History
Planning and Post-
Bruen Observation
Chicago,
Illinois
Firearms dealers
are a defined use
requiring a City
firearms-dealer
license and
compliance with
zoning.
500 ft from
primary/secondary
schools and
government-
owned or leased
parks under
current cited
provisions.
Firearms-dealer
license with
eligibility, safety-
plan, operating, and
renewal
requirements.
Shooting range
facilities are
classified as
participant
sports/recreation
uses and are
subject to zoning
and licensing
provisions.
Chicago Zoning
Ordinance §§ 17-
17-0106-C and 17-
4-0200; Municipal
Code Ch. 4-144,
including § 4-144-
750.
Included because
Chicago firearm-
business restrictions
have generated
federal litigation. It is
not a California peer
and should be treated
as supplemental
context.
42
Attachment 4
Commercial and Industrial Land Use Acreage Comparison
General Plan and Specific
Plan Land Use Designations
Existing
Acreage
Available
with 500-ft
School
Available with
1,000-ft
School
Available with
Tobacco
Sensitive-Use
Business Park/Industrial 101 101 95 50
Business Park/Industrial and
Outdoor Storage
60 60 60 21
Campus Office 127 127 103 97
Campus Office/High-Density
Residential
14 14 14 14
Downtown Dublin-Retail
District
113 109 88 81
Downtown Dublin -Transit-
Oriented District
87 51 10 10
Downtown Dublin – Village
Parkway District
31 31 31
20
General Commercial 216 211 203 176
General Commercial/Campus
Office
Use 2/Campus Office
Retail/Office
Retail/Office and Automotive
Total commercial and
industrial acreage
1,136 1,082 947 758
*Tobacco sensitive-use comparison applies a 1,000-foot separation form public and private
elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools and a 500-foot separation from playgrounds,
youth centers, City-owned and operated recreational facilities, parks, and libraries, measured
parcel boundary to parcel boundary, consistent with DMC § 8.43.040(B)-(C). The 1,000-foot
Retail Tobacco Shop-to-Retail Tobacco Shop spacing requirement in DMC § 8.43.040(D) is not
included.
Planning-level totals: 500-foot school separation – 1,082 acres (95%); 1,000-foot school
separation – 947 acres (83%); tobacco sensitive-use comparison – 758 acres (66%).
43
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Future BASIS
Independent
School
StratfordSchool
Dublin HighSchool
Future Shamrock
Hills School TK-8
EmeraldHigh SchoolEnlight
Academy
0 1 Mile
580
680
C A M P P A R K S
PROXIMITY DISTANCE STANDARD 500 ft School Buffer
Date Updated: 8/10/2026
PUBLIC WORKS
100 CIVIC PLAZA
CITY OF DUBLIN
General Plan Land Use
Commercial/Industrial
General Commercial
Retail/Office
Retail/Office and Automotive
Neighborhood Commercial
General Commercial/Campus Office
Campus Office
Campus Office / High-Density Residential
Industrial Park
Business Park/Industrial
Business Park/Industrial and Outdoor Storage
Medical Campus
Medical Campus / Commercial
Mixed Use
Mixed Use 2/Campus Office
Medium/High-Density Residential and Retail Office
Public/Semi-Public/Open Space
Regional Park
Parks/ Public Recreation
Open Space
Stream Corridor
Public Lands
Public / Semi-Public
Semi-Public
Residential
Rural Residential/Agriculture (1 Unit per 100 Gross Residential Acres)
Estate Residential (0.01 - 0.8 du/ac)
Low-Density Single Family (0.5 - 3.8 du/ac)
Single Family Residential (0.9 - 6.0 du/ac)
Medium-Density Residential (6.1 - 14.0 du/ac)
Medium/High-Density Residential (14.1 - 25.0 du/ac)
High-Density Residential (25.1+ du/ac)
Specific Plan Districts
Downtown Dublin - Village Parkway District
Downtown Dublin - Transit-Oriented District
Downtown Dublin - Retail District
Dublin Crossing
Only schools that are within 500 feet of
commercial land use zones are included with a buffer.
Attachment 5500 Foot School Buffer
44
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SunsetViewD
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Future BASIS
Independent
School
StratfordSchool
Dublin HighSchool
James DoughertyElementary School
Wells
Middle
School Future Shamrock
Hills School TK-8
Cottonwood
Creek School
EmeraldHigh SchoolEnlight
Academy
0 1 Mile
580
680
C A M P P A R K S
PROXIMITY DISTANCE STANDARD 1000 ft School Buffer
Date Updated: 8/10/2026
PUBLIC WORKS
100 CIVIC PLAZA
CITY OF DUBLIN
General Plan Land Use
Commercial/Industrial
General Commercial
Retail/Office
Retail/Office and Automotive
Neighborhood Commercial
General Commercial/Campus Office
Campus Office
Campus Office / High-Density Residential
Industrial Park
Business Park/Industrial
Business Park/Industrial and Outdoor Storage
Medical Campus
Medical Campus / Commercial
Mixed Use
Mixed Use 2/Campus Office
Medium/High-Density Residential and Retail Office
Public/Semi-Public/Open Space
Regional Park
Parks/ Public Recreation
Open Space
Stream Corridor
Public Lands
Public / Semi-Public
Semi-Public
Residential
Rural Residential/Agriculture (1 Unit per 100 Gross Residential Acres)
Estate Residential (0.01 - 0.8 du/ac)
Low-Density Single Family (0.5 - 3.8 du/ac)
Single Family Residential (0.9 - 6.0 du/ac)
Medium-Density Residential (6.1 - 14.0 du/ac)
Medium/High-Density Residential (14.1 - 25.0 du/ac)
High-Density Residential (25.1+ du/ac)
Specific Plan Districts
Downtown Dublin - Village Parkway District
Downtown Dublin - Transit-Oriented District
Downtown Dublin - Retail District
Dublin Crossing
Only schools that are within 1000 feet of
commercial land use zones are included with a buffer.
1,000 Foot School Buffer
45
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0 1 Mile
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680
C A M P P A R K S
PROXIMITY DISTANCE STANDARD 1000 ft School Buffer 500 ft Buffer *
Date Updated: 7/16/2026
PUBLIC WORKS
100 CIVIC PLAZA
CITY OF DUBLIN
General Plan Land Use
Commercial/Industrial
General Commercial
Retail/Office
Retail/Office and Automotive
Neighborhood Commercial
General Commercial/Campus Office
Campus Office
Campus Office / High-Density Residential
Industrial Park
Business Park/Industrial
Business Park/Industrial and Outdoor Storage
Medical Campus
Medical Campus / Commercial
Mixed Use
Mixed Use 2/Campus Office
Medium/High-Density Residential and Retail Office
Public/Semi-Public/Open Space
Regional Park
Parks/ Public Recreation
Open Space
Stream Corridor
Public Lands
Public / Semi-Public
Semi-Public
Residential
Rural Residential/Agriculture (1 Unit per 100 Gross Residential Acres)
Estate Residential (0.01 - 0.8 du/ac)
Low-Density Single Family (0.5 - 3.8 du/ac)
Single Family Residential (0.9 - 6.0 du/ac)
Medium-Density Residential (6.1 - 14.0 du/ac)
Medium/High-Density Residential (14.1 - 25.0 du/ac)
High-Density Residential (25.1+ du/ac)
Specific Plan Districts
Downtown Dublin - Village Parkway District
Downtown Dublin - Transit-Oriented District
Downtown Dublin - Retail District
Dublin Crossing
Only areas that are within 500 or 1000 feet of
commercial land use zones are included with a buffer.
* 500 ft buffer includes parks, City owned facilities, and day care centers.
1,000 Foot School Buffer and 500 Foot Buffer from Other Sensitive Uses
46
Agenda Item 7.2
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 2
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Second Review of Draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and
Appointed Officials
Prepared by: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
At the August 18, 2026 meeting, the City Council reviewed and provided feedback on a draft
Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. The City Council will review
the revised Code and provide feedback to be incorporated into the final version.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Review the revised Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and
provide feedback.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
DESCRIPTION:
At the August 18, 2026 meeting, the City Council reviewed and provided feedback on a draft
Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. The City Council also
requested that Staff do the following:
1. Incorporate all relevant elected official policies into the Model of Excellence that
requires signature;
2. Evaluate including language in the Code governing councilmember attendance at
meetings;
3. Clarify cross-attendance guidelines for officials attending meetings of other bodies; and
4. Provide a procedure for escalating potential code violations.
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Page 2 of 2
The updated Code includes the changes requested by the City Council and is provided as
Attachment 1 to this report, with Attachment 2 as the redline version. The August 18 Staff
report is provided for reference as Attachment 3. The final version of the Code will be brought
to the City Council for approval via resolution at the next meeting.
A discussion of Staff’s evaluation of potential attendance standards is provided below.
Attendance Standards
Most agencies Staff evaluated rely on state law to govern councilmember attendance at City
Council meetings. Government Code Section 36513 applies automatically to all general law
cities, and provides that a councilmember absent without permission from all regular City
Council meetings for 60 consecutive days (or 70 days, for bodies that meet once monthly)
forfeits the office, which is then filled as any other vacancy would be.
Because the state law baseline already applies, most California cities do not restate it in their
own ethics or conduct codes. It is absent, for example, from both Alameda’s and Sunnyvale’s
codes, the two documents Dublin’s draft is primarily modeled on. Where cities do adopt
something supplemental, it is typically not an attempt to change the state -law threshold, but to
clarify the process by which a councilmember requests, and the council grants, an excused
absence. Section 36513 conditions the vacancy on absence “without permission of the
council,” but does not define how permission is requested, documented, or granted.
Furthermore, Staff did not find any examples of codes of ethics addressing remote attendance.
At this time, Staff has not included Attendance Standards in Dublin’s draft Code that are more
restrictive than state law. Instead, Staff added a “Commitment to Attendance” to the Guiding
Principles section. If the City Council wanted to create a procedure for absence requests and
approvals/denials, it would need to also include a list of valid excuses (e.g., personal or family
illness, a family emergency or bereavement, jury duty or a legal obligation, milita ry service,
unavoidable conflict with official City or intergovernmental business, etc.), and potentially a
method for verification. It should be noted that there would be administrative work associated
with maintaining such a procedure.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
2) Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials (redline version)
3) August 18, 2026 Staff Report, without attachments
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DRAFT – City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct
Page 1 of 11
Attachment 1
City of Dublin
Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials
D R A F T
September 2026
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DRAFT – City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct
Page 2 of 11
A. Policy Purpose
The Dublin City Council has adopted this Code of Ethics and Conduct for its members, and for the
members of the City's committees and commissions, to ensure the integrity of local government and its
effective, fair operation.
B. Ethics
The residents and businesses of Dublin are entitled to a local government that is fair, ethical, and
accountable, and that has earned the public's full confidence in its integrity. The effective function of
democratic government therefore requires that:
▪ public officials, both elected and appointed, comply with both the letter and the spirit of the laws
and policies affecting the operations of government;
▪ public officials be independent, impartial, and fair in their judgment and actions;
▪ public office be used for the public good, not for personal gain; and
▪ public deliberations and processes be conducted openly, unless legally confidential, in an
atmosphere of respect and civility.
1. Guiding Principles
The following principles provide guidance on ethical decision-making for members of the City Council
and appointed members of the City's committees and commissions (collectively referred to as “Officials”
throughout this document).
a) Act in the Public Interest. Recognizing that stewardship of the public interest must be their primary
concern, Officials will work for the common good of the people of Dublin and not for any private or
personal interest, and they will assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and
transactions coming before the City Council, committees, and/or commissions.
b) Comply with Both the Spirit and the Letter of the Law and City Policy. Officials shall comply
with the laws of the United States, the State of California, and the City of Dublin in the performance
of their public duties. These laws include, but are not limited to: the United States and California
constitutions; the Ralph M. Brown Act; the Political Reform Act; the Dublin Municipal Code;
commission and committee bylaws; the City’s Rules of the Conduct of Meetings of the City Council;
the City Council Norms; the City’s Personal Devices, Personal Accounts, and Messages Policy; and
laws pertaining to conflicts of interest, election campaigns, financial disclosures, and open processes
of government.
c) Conduct of Officials. The professional and personal conduct of Officials must be above reproach
and avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Officials shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal
charges, or verbal attacks upon the character or motives of other members of the Council,
committees and commissions, City staff, and/or the public.
d) Respect for Process. Officials shall perform their duties in accordance with the processes and rules
of order established by the City Council and committees and commissions governing the deliberation
of public policy issues, meaningful involvement of the public, and implementation of policy decisions
by City staff.
e) Conduct of Public Meetings. Officials shall prepare themselves for public issues, listen courteously
and attentively to all public discussion before the body, and focus on the business at hand. They
shall refrain from interrupting other speakers, making personal comments not germane to the
business of the body, or otherwise interfering with the orderly conduct of meetings.
f) Decisions Based on Merit. Officials shall base their decisions on the merits and substance of the
matter at hand, rather than on unrelated considerations.
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g) Communication and Disclosure of Outside Contacts. Officials shall publicly disclose substantive
information that is relevant to a matter under consideration by the Council, or by a committee or
commission, which they may have received from sources outside of the public decision-making
process. When serving in a quasi-judicial capacity, Officials shall disclose the nature and substance
of any such ex parte communication before the matter is acted upon, so that other parties have an
opportunity to respond; disclosure alone does not disqualify a member from participating unless the
member cannot remain impartial.
h) Conflict of Interest. In order to assure their independence and impartiality on behalf of the common
good, Officials shall not use their official positions to influence government decisions in which they
have a material financial interest, or where they have an organizational responsibility or personal
relationship which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest. In accordance with the law,
Officials shall disclose investments, interests in real property, sources of income, and gifts, and they
shall abstain from participating in deliberations and decision-making where conflicts may exist.
i) Gifts and Favors. Officials shall not take any special advantage of services or opportunities for
personal gain by virtue of their public office that are not available to the public in general. They shall
refrain from accepting any gifts, favors, or promises of future benefits which might compromise their
independence of judgment or action or give the appearance of being compromised.
j) Confidential Information. Officials shall respect the confidentiality of information concerning the
property, personnel, and/or affairs of the City. They shall neither disclose confidential information
without proper legal authorization, nor use such information to advance their personal, financial,
and/or other private interests.
k) Use of Public Resources. Officials shall not use public resources not available to the public in
general, such as City staff time, equipment, supplies, or facilities, for private gain or personal
purposes.
l) Representation of Private Interests. Members of the Council shall not appear on behalf of the
private interests of third parties before the Council or any committee, commission, or proceeding of
the City, nor shall members of committees and commissions appear before their own bodies or
before the Council on behalf of the private interests of third parties on matters related to the areas of
service of their bodies.
m) Advocacy. Officials shall represent the official policies or positions of the City Council, committee, or
commission to the best of their ability when designated as delegates for this purpose. When
presenting their individual opinions and positions, Officials shall explicitly state that they do not
represent their body or the City of Dublin, nor shall they allow the inference that they do.
Councilmembers and committee and commission members have the right to endorse candidates for
all Council seats or other elected offices; it is inappropriate, however, to mention or display
endorsements during City Council meetings, committee and commission meetings, or other official
City meetings.
n) Policy Role of City Councilmembers. Councilmembers shall respect and adhere to the council-
manager structure of City government as established under the Dublin Municipal Code and
applicable state law. In this structure, the City Council determines the policies of the City with the
advice, information, and analysis provided by the public, committees and commissions, and City
staff. Councilmembers shall not interfere with the administrative functions of the City or the
professional duties of City staff, nor impair the ability of staff to implement Council policy decisions.
o) Independence of Committees and Commissions. Because of the value of the independent advice
of committees and commissions to the public decision-making process, Councilmembers shall
refrain from using their position to influence the deliberations or outcomes of committee and
commission proceedings.
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p) Positive Work Environment. Officials shall support the maintenance of a positive and constructive
work environment for City employees and for residents and businesses dealing with the City.
Officials shall recognize their special role in dealings with City employees so as to in no way create
the perception of inappropriate direction to staff.
q) Commitment to Attendance. Officials recognize that regular attendance at City Council, committee,
and commission meetings is essential to fulfilling their duty to represent the Dublin community and to
the orderly conduct of the public's business. Officials shall make attendance at scheduled meetings
a priority, and where an absence is unavoidable, shall provide timely notice consistent with the City's
attendance and excusal procedures.
C. Conduct
This Section of the Code describes the manner in which Officials should treat one another, City staff,
constituents, and others they come into contact with in representing the City of Dublin.
1. Conduct with One Another
a) In Public Meetings.
i. Practice civility and decorum in discussions and debate. Difficult questions, tough
challenges to a particular point of view, and criticism of ideas and information are legitimate
elements of a free democracy in action. This does not allow, however, Officials to make
belligerent, personal, impertinent, slanderous, threatening, abusive, or disparaging comments.
No shouting or physical actions that could be construed as threatening will be tolerated.
ii. Honor the role of the Mayor or Chair in maintaining order. It is the responsibility of the Mayor
or Chair to keep the comments of Officials on track during public meetings. Officials should
honor efforts by the Mayor or Chair to focus discussion on current agenda items. Disagreement
about the Mayor or Chair's actions should be voiced politely and with reason.
iii. Avoid personal comments that could offend other Officials. If an Official is personally
offended by the remarks of another member, the offended Official should note the actual words
used and call for a “point of personal privilege” that asks the other Official to justify or apologize
for the language used. The chair will maintain control of this discussion.
iv. Demonstrate effective problem-solving approaches. Officials have a public stage to show
how individuals with disparate points of view can find common ground and seek a compromise
that benefits the community overall. Officials should raise concerns about a specific component
and seek amendment before voting against an item as a whole, rather than treating one
disagreement as grounds to reject a complex, significant item.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Continue respectful behavior in private. The same level of respect and consideration of
differing points of view that is expected in public discussions should be maintained in private
conversations.
ii. Be aware of the insecurity of written notes, voicemail messages, email, and texts. Written
notes, voicemail messages, email, texts, and other messages should be treated as potentially
public communication, whether or not they are ultimately disclosable under the Public Records
Act.
2. Conduct with City Staff
Officials are expected to treat all staff as professionals, engaging in clear, honest communication that
respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual staff person.
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a) In Public Meetings.
i. Keep questions related to the matter at hand. Lines of questioning during public meetings
should be limited to the item(s) being considered and should not be used to evaluate or
substantiate an individual staff person’s general knowledge, education, experience, or personal
opinion.
ii. Treat staff as members of your own team. Officials should attempt to communicate questions,
corrections, and/or clarifications about reports requiring official action to staff prior to Council,
committee, or commission meetings. Allowing staff to prepare for a public meeting helps avoid
surprises that can be disruptive to the business of the City.
iii. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be
aware, because of the power dynamic of their roles, that their body language and tone of voice,
as well as the words they use, can appear intimidating or aggressive to staff members.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Direct all communication to the appropriate City staff. All communications (feedback,
requests for information, inquiries, etc.) from Councilmembers must be routed directly to the City
Manager or designee, or to the City Attorney as necessary. Communications between appointed
officials and staff can be directed to the staff assigned to the committee or commission.
ii. Do not disrupt City staff from their jobs. Officials should not disrupt City staff while they are in
meetings, on the phone, or engrossed in performing their job functions.
iii. Do not publicly criticize an individual employee. Officials should never express concerns
about the performance of a City employee in public, to the employee directly, or to the
employee's manager. Comments about staff performance should only be made to the City
Manager, or the City Attorney as appropriate, through private correspondence or conversation.
iv. Do not get involved in certain administrative functions. Officials must not attempt to
influence City staff on the making of appointments, the awarding of contracts, the selection of
consultants, the processing of development applications, or the granting of City licenses and
permits.
v. Limit requests for staff support. Routine secretarial support (e.g., scheduling events for the
City Council as a whole, making travel arrangements, creating certificates of recognition, etc.) is
provided to all Councilmembers. Requests for additional staff support — even in high-priority or
emergency situations — should be made to the City Manager, and/or City Attorney, as
appropriate, who are responsible for allocating City resources to maintain a professional, well-
run City government.
vi. Do not solicit political support from staff. Elected and appointed officials should not solicit
any type of political support (e.g., financial contributions, display of posters or lawn signs, name
on a support list, etc.) from City staff. City staff may, as private residents with constitutional
rights, support political candidates, but all such activities must be conducted away from the
workplace and after working hours.
3. Conduct with the Public
a) In Public Meetings.
i. Be welcoming to speakers and treat them with care. Making the public feel welcome is an
important part of the democratic process. No signs of partiality, prejudice, or disrespect should
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be evident on the part of individual members toward anyone participating in a public forum. While
clarifying questions may be asked, an Official's primary role during public testimony is to listen.
ii. Be fair and equitable in allocating public comment time to individual speakers. The Mayor
or Chair will announce limits on speakers at the start of the public comment process. After the
close of public comment, no more public testimony will be accepted unless the chair reopens the
public comment period for a limited and specific purpose, and with the consensus of the City
Council, committee, or commission.
iii. Maintain an open mind. Members of the public deserve an opportunity to influence the thinking
of elected and appointed officials. Expressing an opinion or passing judgment prior to the close
of public comment casts doubt on a member's ability to conduct a fair review of the issue,
particularly when officials are serving in a quasi-judicial capacity.
iv. Ask for clarification, but avoid debate and argument with the public. Questions by Officials
to public speakers should seek only to clarify or expand information; it is never appropriate to
belligerently challenge or belittle a speaker. Officials' personal opinions or inclinations about
upcoming votes should not be revealed until after the public comment period is closed.
v. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be
aware that their body language and tone of voice, as well as the words they use, can appear
intimidating or aggressive.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Make no promises on behalf of the City Council, committee, commission, or City. Officials
will frequently be asked to explain a Council, committee, commission action, or to give their
opinion about an issue, as they meet and talk with constituents in the community. It is
appropriate to give a brief overview of City policy and to refer constituents to City staff for further
information. It is inappropriate to overtly or implicitly promise City Council, committee, or
commission action, or to promise that City staff will do something specific.
ii. Make no personal comments about other Officials. It is acceptable to publicly disagree about
an issue, but it is unacceptable to make derogatory comments about other Officials, their
opinions, and their actions.
4. Conduct with Other Public Agencies
a) Be clear about representing the governing or advisory body versus personal interests. When
representing the City, a committee, or a commission before another public agency, an Official must
support and advocate the official body’s position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint. Otherwise,
an Official who chooses to comment publicly on a matter must be clear that they are expressing a
personal opinion, not an official City, committee, or commission position.
When representing another organization whose position differs from the City's, the Official should be
clear about which organization they represent and should inform the rest of the City Council (or their
committee and commission) of that involvement. A Councilmember representing an outside
organization should withdraw from voting on a related item if doing so significantly impacts or is
detrimental to the City's interest.
b) Correspondence should also be clear about representation. City letterhead may be used when a
Councilmember is representing the City and the City's official position. City letterhead should not be
used for non-City business, nor for correspondence representing a dissenting point of view from an
official Council position.
5. Conduct Between City Council and Appointed Officials
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a) Limit attendance at committee or commission meetings. Councilmembers should be sensitive to
how their participation — especially on behalf of an individual, business, or developer — could be
viewed as unfairly affecting the process. Individual Councilmembers should not influence
commission and committee members and are discouraged from attending commission and
committee meetings.
b) Limit contact with committee and commission members to questions of clarification. It is
inappropriate for a Councilmember to contact a committee or commission member to lobby on
behalf of an individual, business, or developer, and vice versa.
c) Remember that committees and commissions serve the community, not individual
Councilmembers. Committee and commission members do not report to individual
Councilmembers, nor should Councilmembers feel they have the power or right to threaten
committee or commission members with removal because of disagreement over an issue.
Appointment and re-appointment to a committee or commission should be based on criteria such as
expertise, ability to work with staff and the public, and commitment to fulfilling official duties; a
committee or commission appointment should not be used as a political “reward.”
d) Be respectful of diverse opinions. The primary role of committees and commissions is to
represent many points of view in the community and to provide the City Council with advice based
on a full spectrum of concerns and perspectives. Councilmembers must be fair and respectful of all
residents serving on committees and commissions.
e) Keep political support away from public forums. Committee and commission members may offer
political support to a Councilmember, but not in a public forum while conducting official duties.
Councilmembers may support committee and commission members who are running for office, but
not in an official forum in their capacity as a Councilmember.
6. Conduct with the Media
a) Be clear about whether you are expressing an official or personal opinion. In practice, the
Mayor is the designated representative of the Council to present and speak on an official City
position. However, if an individual Councilmember is contacted by the media, the Councilmember
should be clear about whether their comments represent the official City position or a personal
viewpoint.
b) Never go “off the record.” Most members of the media represent the highest levels of journalistic
integrity and ethics and can be trusted to keep their word. However, one bad experience can be
difficult to undo. Words that are not said cannot be quoted.
D. Compliance and Enforcement
This Code expresses standards of ethical conduct expected of members of the City Council,
committees, and commissions. Officials themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure that ethical
standards are understood and met. The Mayor (or Vice Mayor, as applicable) and the chairs of
committees and commissions have the additional responsibility to intervene when actions that appear to
violate this Code are brought to their attention.
1. Purpose and General Principle
This Section establishes the process for addressing an alleged violation of this Code by an Official.
Officials themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure ethical standards are understood and met.
Nothing in this Section limits the City's separate legal obligations, or the separate rights of any person,
under state law.
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2. Raising a Concern
a) An Official who believes another Official has violated this Code should, where appropriate and safe
to do so, raise the concern directly with that Official first.
b) A City staff member with a concern about an Official's conduct toward them may report it to the City
Manager, or to the City Attorney if the concern involves the City Manager.
c) The City Manager's own reporting path for a concern involving a Councilmember follows Section
3(d), below.
3. Formal Complaint
a) If informal resolution does not resolve the concern, or is not appropriate, a formal complaint may be
submitted in writing to the City Clerk.
b) A complaint against a Councilmember must be jointly submitted by at least two members of the City
Council, or initiated by the Mayor (or Vice Mayor, if the complaint concerns the Mayor).A complaint
against a committee or commission member may be submitted by the Mayor, a Councilmember, the
chair of the member's own body, or the City Manager.
c) A complaint involving the City Manager should be submitted to the Mayor, or the Vice Mayor if the
Mayor is involved, or directly to the City Attorney if the concern involves a majority of the Council or
internal reporting would not be effective.
d) The City Clerk shall provide the Official named in the complaint ("the Responding Official") with
written notice, including a copy of the complaint, within 10 days.
4. Threshold Review
Before a full investigation begins, the City Council (for a complaint against a Councilmember) or the
Mayor (for a complaint against a committee or commission member) shall determine whether the
complaint, if true, would constitute a violation of this Code. A complaint that does not meet this threshold
shall be dismissed without further proceedings, and the outcome documented by the City Clerk. This
review shall occur at a noticed public meeting if it concerns a Councilmember.
5. Investigation
a) If the threshold is met, the matter shall be investigated by an ad hoc committee of Councilmembers
(excluding the Responding Official and any complainant), the City Manager, the City Attorney, or an
independent investigator, as appropriate and free of conflicts.
b) The investigation shall be completed within 90 days and shall result in a written report addressing
whether the evidence supports a finding that this Code was violated, and whether a hearing is
warranted.
6. Hearing
If a hearing is warranted, it shall be scheduled within 30 days of the investigative report, at a noticed
public meeting if the Responding Official is a Councilmember. The Responding Official shall receive
reasonable advance access to the evidence and a meaningful opportunity to respond and be heard
before any determination is made.
7. Findings and Determination
A finding that this Code was violated must be based on written findings supported by substantial
evidence, and requires a majority vote of the members eligible to vote. The Responding Official shall not
vote on their own matter.
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8. Available Sanctions
Upon a sustained finding, the following sanctions are available, calibrated to the severity and nature of
the violation:
a) For a Councilmember: informal counseling; reprimand; formal censure (statement via a resolution);
reassignment or loss of committee, subcommittee, or intergovernmental assignments; restriction of
City-funded travel; restriction of direct communication with staff. Because a Councilmember is an
elected official, removal from office through this Code is not available; removal can occur only
through recall by the voters or, where applicable, through the process described in Government
Code § 36513 (forfeiture for unexcused absence).
b) For a committee or commission member: counseling, verbal reprimand, or written warning (which
may be kept confidential to the extent the law allows); formal censure; suspension; or removal from
office, by majority vote of the Council at a noticed public meeting.
9. Non-Retaliation
No Official shall retaliate against any person for raising a good-faith concern or participating in a
proceeding under this Section. Retaliation is itself a violation of this Code, evaluated under this same
procedure.
10. Public Meeting Requirements
Nothing in this Section alters the City's obligations under the Ralph M. Brown Act. Initial, informal steps
under Section D.2 may remain confidential, but any formal Council determination or sanction concerning
a Councilmember must occur at a noticed public meeting, consistent with Government Code §
54957(b)(4), which excludes elected officials from the Act's closed-session personnel exception.
11. Records
The City Clerk shall maintain a record of each complaint's disposition, redacted as required by the Public
Records Act, sufficient to document that this procedure was followed.
E. Implementation
As an expression of the standards of conduct expected of its members, this Code of Ethics and Conduct
is intended to be self-enforcing. It therefore becomes most effective when Officials are thoroughly
familiar with it and embrace its provisions. For this reason, this document shall be included in the regular
orientation for newly elected Councilmembers and appointed members of committees and commissions.
Members entering office shall sign a statement (Exhibit A) affirming that they have read and understood
the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct as well as other policies related to the position they hold.
The City Council can, by consensus, ask to review this Code annually and consider any
recommendations for updates.
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Exhibit A — Model of Excellence Member Statement
MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
Dublin City Council
MEMBER STATEMENT
As a member of the Dublin City Council, I agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected
and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model of excellence. I will:
▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives,
and contributions;
▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the
public are free to express their ideas and work to their full potential;
▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others;
▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations;
▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for
the public benefit;
▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and
▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated.
I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials.
I also affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin’s Rules of the Conduct of
Meetings of the City Council, City Council Norms, and the Personal Devices, Personal Accounts,
and Messages Policy.
Signature Date
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MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
Committees and Commissions
MEMBER STATEMENT
As a member of a City of Dublin committee or commission, I agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and
Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model of
excellence. I will:
▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives,
and contributions;
▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the
public are free to express their ideas and work to their full potential;
▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others;
▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations;
▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for
the public benefit;
▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and
▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated.
I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials.
I also affirm that I have read and understood the bylaws for the commission or committee on
which I serve.
Signature Date
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Attachment 2
City of Dublin
Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials
D R A F T
SeptemberAugust 2026
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A. Policy Purpose
The Dublin City Council has adopted this Code of Ethics and Conduct for its members, and for the members of the
City's committees and commissions, to ensure the integrity of local government and its effective, fair operation.
B. Ethics
The residents and businesses of Dublin are entitled to a local government that is fair, ethical, and accountable, and
that has earned the public's full confidence in its integrity. The effective function of democratic government
therefore requires that:
▪ public officials, both elected and appointed, comply with both the letter and the spirit of the laws and
policies affecting the operations of government;
▪ public officials be independent, impartial, and fair in their judgment and actions;
▪ public office be used for the public good, not for personal gain; and
▪ public deliberations and processes be conducted openly, unless legally confidential, in an atmosphere of
respect and civility.
1. Guiding Principles
The following principles provide guidance on ethical decision-making for members of the City Council and
appointed members of the City's committees and commissions (collectively referred to as “Officials” throughout
this document).
a) Act in the Public Interest. Recognizing that stewardship of the public interest must be their primary concern,
Officials will work for the common good of the people of Dublin and not for any private or personal interest, and
they will assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and transactions coming before the City
Council, committees, and/or commissions.
b) Comply with Both the Spirit and the Letter of the Law and City Policy. Officials shall comply with the laws of
the United States, the State of California, and the City of Dublin in the performance of their public duties. These
laws include, but are not limited to: the United States and California constitutions; the Ralph M. Brown Act; the
Political Reform Act; the Dublin Municipal Code; commission and committee bylaws; the City’s Rules of the
Conduct of Meetings of the City Council; the City Council Norms; the City’s Personal Devices, Personal
Accounts, and Messages Policy; and laws pertaining to conflicts of interest, election campaigns, financial
disclosures, and open processes of government.
c) Conduct of Officials. The professional and personal conduct of Officials must be above reproach and avoid
even the appearance of impropriety. Officials shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal charges, or verbal
attacks upon the character or motives of other members of the Council, committees and commissions, City
staff, and/or the public.
d) Respect for Process. Officials shall perform their duties in accordance with the processes and rules of order
established by the City Council and committees and commissions governing the deliberation of public policy
issues, meaningful involvement of the public, and implementation of policy decisions by City staff.
e) Conduct of Public Meetings. Officials shall prepare themselves for public issues, listen courteously and
attentively to all public discussion before the body, and focus on the business at hand. They shall refrain from
interrupting other speakers, making personal comments not germane to the business of the body, or otherwise
interfering with the orderly conduct of meetings.
f) Decisions Based on Merit. Officials shall base their decisions on the merits and substance of the matter at
hand, rather than on unrelated considerations.
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g) Communication and Disclosure of Outside Contacts. Officials shall publicly disclose substantive
information that is relevant to a matter under consideration by the Council, or by a committee or commission,
which they may have received from sources outside of the public decision-making process. When serving in a
quasi-judicial capacity, Officials shall disclose the nature and substance of any such ex parte communication
before the matter is acted upon, so that other parties have an opportunity to respond; disclosure alone does not
disqualify a member from participating unless the member cannot remain impartial.
h) Conflict of Interest. In order to assure their independence and impartiality on behalf of the common good,
Officials shall not use their official positions to influence government decisions in which they have a material
financial interest, or where they have an organizational responsibility or personal relationship which may give
the appearance of a conflict of interest. In accordance with the law, Officials shall disclose investments,
interests in real property, sources of income, and gifts, and they shall abstain from participating in deliberations
and decision-making where conflicts may exist.
i) Gifts and Favors. Officials shall not take any special advantage of services or opportunities for personal gain by
virtue of their public office that are not available to the public in general. They shall refrain from accepting any
gifts, favors, or promises of future benefits which might compromise their independence of judgment or action
or give the appearance of being compromised.
j) Confidential Information. Officials shall respect the confidentiality of information concerning the property,
personnel, and/or affairs of the City. They shall neither disclose confidential information without proper legal
authorization, nor use such information to advance their personal, financial, and/or other private interests.
k) Use of Public Resources. Officials shall not use public resources not available to the public in general, such as
City staff time, equipment, supplies, or facilities, for private gain or personal purposes.
l) Representation of Private Interests. Members of the Council shall not appear on behalf of the private
interests of third parties before the Council or any committee, commission, or proceeding of the City, nor shall
members of committees and commissions appear before their own bodies or before the Council on behalf of
the private interests of third parties on matters related to the areas of service of their bodies.
m) Advocacy. Officials shall represent the official policies or positions of the City Council, committee, or
commission to the best of their ability when designated as delegates for this purpose. When presenting their
individual opinions and positions, Officials shall explicitly state that they do not represent their body or the City
of Dublin, nor shall they allow the inference that they do. Councilmembers and committee and commission
members have the right to endorse candidates for all Council seats or other elected offices; it is inappropriate,
however, to mention or display endorsements during City Council meetings, committee and commission
meetings, or other official City meetings.
n) Policy Role of City Councilmembers. Councilmembers shall respect and adhere to the council-manager
structure of City government as established under the Dublin Municipal Code and applicable state law. In this
structure, the City Council determines the policies of the City with the advice, information, and analysis
provided by the public, committees and commissions, and City staff. Councilmembers shall not interfere with
the administrative functions of the City or the professional duties of City staff, nor impair the ability of staff to
implement Council policy decisions.
o) Independence of Committees and Commissions. Because of the value of the independent advice of
committees and commissions to the public decision-making process, Councilmembers shall refrain from using
their position to influence the deliberations or outcomes of committee and commission proceedings.
p) Positive Work Environment. Officials shall support the maintenance of a positive and constructive work
environment for City employees and for residents and businesses dealing with the City. Officials shall
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recognize their special role in dealings with City employees so as to in no way create the perception of
inappropriate direction to staff.
p)q) Commitment to Attendance. Officials recognize that regular attendance at City Council, committee, and
commission meetings is essential to fulfilling their duty to represent the Dublin community and to the orderly
conduct of the public's business. Officials shall make attendance at scheduled meetings a priority, and where
an absence is unavoidable, shall provide timely notice consistent with the City's attendance and excusal
procedures.
C. Conduct
This Section of the Code describes the manner in which Officials should treat one another, City staff, constituents,
and others they come into contact with in representing the City of Dublin.
1. Conduct with One Another
a) In Public Meetings.
i. Practice civility and decorum in discussions and debate. Difficult questions, tough challenges to a
particular point of view, and criticism of ideas and information are legitimate elements of a free democracy
in action. This does not allow, however, Officials to make belligerent, personal, impertinent, slanderous,
threatening, abusive, or disparaging comments. No shouting or physical actions that could be construed as
threatening will be tolerated.
ii. Honor the role of the Mayor or Chair in maintaining order. It is the responsibility of the Mayor or Chair to
keep the comments of Officials on track during public meetings. Officials should honor efforts by the Mayor
or Chair to focus discussion on current agenda items. Disagreement about the Mayor or Chair's actions
should be voiced politely and with reason.
iii. Avoid personal comments that could offend other Officials. If an Official is personally offended by the
remarks of another member, the offended Official should note the actual words used and call for a “point
of personal privilege” that asks the other Official to justify or apologize for the language used. The chair will
maintain control of this discussion.
iv. Demonstrate effective problem-solving approaches. Officials have a public stage to show how
individuals with disparate points of view can find common ground and seek a compromise that benefits the
community overall. Officials should raise concerns about a specific component and seek amendment
before voting against an item as a whole, rather than treating one disagreement as grounds to reject a
complex, significant item.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Continue respectful behavior in private. The same level of respect and consideration of differing points of
view that is expected in public discussions should be maintained in private conversations.
ii. Be aware of the insecurity of written notes, voicemail messages, email, and texts. Written notes,
voicemail messages, email, texts, and other messages should be treated as potentially public
communication, whether or not they are ultimately disclosable under the Public Records Act.
2. Conduct with City Staff
Officials are expected to treat all staff as professionals, engaging in clear, honest communication that respects the
abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual staff person.
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a) In Public Meetings.
i. Keep questions related to the matter at hand. Lines of questioning during public meetings should be
limited to the item(s) being considered and should not be used to evaluate or substantiate an individual
staff person’s general knowledge, education, experience, or personal opinion.
ii. Treat staff as members of your own team. Officials should attempt to communicate questions,
corrections, and/or clarifications about reports requiring official action to staff prior to Council, committee,
or commission meetings. Allowing staff to prepare for a public meeting helps avoid surprises that can be
disruptive to the business of the City.
iii. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be aware,
because of the power dynamic of their roles, that their body language and tone of voice, as well as the
words they use, can appear intimidating or aggressive to staff members.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Direct all communication to the appropriate City staff. All communications (feedback, requests for
information, inquiries, etc.) from Councilmembers must be routed directly to the City Manager or designee,
or to the City Attorney as necessary. Communications between appointed officials and staff can be
directed to the staff assigned to the committee or commission.
ii. Do not disrupt City staff from their jobs. Officials should not disrupt City staff while they are in meetings,
on the phone, or engrossed in performing their job functions.
iii. Do not publicly criticize an individual employee. Officials should never express concerns about the
performance of a City employee in public, to the employee directly, or to the employee's manager.
Comments about staff performance should only be made to the City Manager, or the City Attorney as
appropriate, through private correspondence or conversation.
iv. Do not get involved in certain administrative functions. Officials must not attempt to influence City staff
on the making of appointments, the awarding of contracts, the selection of consultants, the processing of
development applications, or the granting of City licenses and permits.
v. Limit requests for staff support. Routine secretarial support (e.g., scheduling events for the City Council
as a whole, making travel arrangements, creating certificates of recognition, etc.) is provided to all
Councilmembers. Requests for additional staff support — even in high-priority or emergency situations —
should be made to the City Manager, and/or City Attorney, as appropriate, who are responsible for
allocating City resources to maintain a professional, well-run City government.
vi. Do not solicit political support from staff. Elected and appointed officials should not solicit any type of
political support (e.g., financial contributions, display of posters or lawn signs, name on a support list, etc.)
from City staff. City staff may, as private residents with constitutional rights, support political candidates,
but all such activities must be conducted away from the workplace and after working hours.
3. Conduct with the Public
a) In Public Meetings.
i. Be welcoming to speakers and treat them with care. Making the public feel welcome is an important part
of the democratic process. No signs of partiality, prejudice, or disrespect should be evident on the part of
individual members toward anyone participating in a public forum. While clarifying questions may be
asked, an Official's primary role during public testimony is to listen.
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ii. Be fair and equitable in allocating public comment time to individual speakers. The Mayor or Chair will
announce limits on speakers at the start of the public comment process. After the close of public
comment, no more public testimony will be accepted unless the chair reopens the public comment period
for a limited and specific purpose, and with the consensus of the City Council, committee, or commission.
iii. Maintain an open mind. Members of the public deserve an opportunity to influence the thinking of elected
and appointed officials. Expressing an opinion or passing judgment prior to the close of public comment
casts doubt on a member's ability to conduct a fair review of the issue, particularly when officials are
serving in a quasi-judicial capacity.
iv. Ask for clarification, but avoid debate and argument with the public. Questions by Officials to public
speakers should seek only to clarify or expand information; it is never appropriate to belligerently challenge
or belittle a speaker. Officials' personal opinions or inclinations about upcoming votes should not be
revealed until after the public comment period is closed.
v. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be aware that
their body language and tone of voice, as well as the words they use, can appear intimidating or aggressive.
b) Outside of Public Meetings.
i. Make no promises on behalf of the City Council, committee, commission, or City. Officials will
frequently be asked to explain a Council, committee, commission action, or to give their opinion about an
issue, as they meet and talk with constituents in the community. It is appropriate to give a brief overview of
City policy and to refer constituents to City staff for further information. It is inappropriate to overtly or
implicitly promise City Council, committee, or commission action, or to promise that City staff will do
something specific.
ii. Make no personal comments about other Officials. It is acceptable to publicly disagree about an issue,
but it is unacceptable to make derogatory comments about other Officials, their opinions, and their actions.
4. Conduct with Other Public Agencies
a) Be clear about representing the governing or advisory body versus personal interests. When representing
the City, a committee, or a commission before another public agency, an Official must support and advocate
the official body’s position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint. Otherwise, an Official who chooses to
comment publicly on a matter must be clear that they are expressing a personal opinion, not an official City,
committee, or commission position.
When representing another organization whose position differs from the City's, the Official should be clear
about which organization they represent and should inform the rest of the City Council (or their committee and
commission) of that involvement. A Councilmember representing an outside organization should withdraw
from voting on a related item if doing so significantly impacts or is detrimental to the City's interest.
b) Correspondence should also be clear about representation. City letterhead may be used when a
Councilmember is representing the City and the City's official position. City letterhead should not be used for
non-City business, nor for correspondence representing a dissenting point of view from an official Council
position.
5. Conduct Between City Council and Appointed Officials
a) If attendingLimit attendance at a committee or commission meetings., express only personal
opinions. Councilmembers may attend any committee or commission meeting, which is always open to the public.
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However, they should be sensitive to how their participation — especially on behalf of an individual, business, or
developer — could be viewed as unfairly affecting the process. Individual Councilmembers should not influence
commission and committee members and are discouraged from attending commission and committee
meetings.Any public comments by a Councilmember at a committee or commission meeting (or vice versa) should
be clearly identified as an individual opinion, not a representation of the feelings of the full body.
b)a)
c)b) Limit contact with committee and commission members to questions of clarification. It is
inappropriate for a Councilmember to contact a committee or commission member to lobby on behalf of an
individual, business, or developer, and vice versa. It is acceptable for Councilmembers to contact committee or
commission members to clarify a position taken by the committee or commission.
d)c) Remember that committees and commissions serve the community, not individual Councilmembers.
Committee and commission members do not report to individual Councilmembers, nor should
Councilmembers feel they have the power or right to threaten committee or commission members with
removal because of disagreement over an issue. Appointment and re-appointment to a committee or
commission should be based on criteria such as expertise, ability to work with staff and the public, and
commitment to fulfilling official duties; a committee or commission appointment should not be used as a
political “reward.”
e)d) Be respectful of diverse opinions. The primary role of committees and commissions is to represent many
points of view in the community and to provide the City Council with advice based on a full spectrum of
concerns and perspectives. Councilmembers must be fair and respectful of all residents serving on
committees and commissions.
f)e) Keep political support away from public forums. Committee and commission members may offer political
support to a Councilmember, but not in a public forum while conducting official duties. Councilmembers may
support committee and commission members who are running for office, but not in an official forum in their
capacity as a Councilmember.
6. Conduct with the Media
a) Be clear about whether you are expressing an official or personal opinion. In practice, the Mayor is the
designated representative of the Council to present and speak on an official City position. However, if an
individual Councilmember is contacted by the media, the Councilmember should be clear about whether their
comments represent the official City position or a personal viewpoint.
b) Never go “off the record.” Most members of the media represent the highest levels of journalistic integrity and
ethics and can be trusted to keep their word. However, one bad experience can be difficult to undo. Words that
are not said cannot be quoted.
D. Compliance and Enforcement
This Code expresses standards of ethical conduct expected of members of the City Council, committees, and
commissions. Officials themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure that ethical standards are understood
and met. The Mayor (or Vice Mayor, as applicable) and the chairs of committees and commissions have the
additional responsibility to intervene when actions that appear to violate this Code are brought to their attention..
1. Purpose and General Principle
This Section establishes the process for addressing an alleged violation of this Code by an Official. Officials
themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure ethical standards are understood and met. Nothing in
this Section limits the City's separate legal obligations, or the separate rights of any person, under state law.
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2. Raising a Concern
a) An Official who believes another Official has violated this Code should, where appropriate and safe to
do so, raise the concern directly with that Official first.
b) A City staff member with a concern about an Official's conduct toward them may report it to the City
Manager, or to the City Attorney if the concern involves the City Manager.
c) The City Manager's own reporting path for a concern involving a Councilmember follows Section 3(d),
below.
3. Formal Complaint
a) If informal resolution does not resolve the concern, or is not appropriate, a formal complaint may be
submitted in writing to the City Clerk.
b) A complaint against a Councilmember must be jointly submitted by at least two members of the City
Council, or initiated by the Mayor (or Vice Mayor, if the complaint concerns the Mayor).A complaint
against a committee or commission member may be submitted by the Mayor, a Councilmember, the
chair of the member's own body, or the City Manager.
c) A complaint involving the City Manager should be submitted to the Mayor, or the Vice Mayor if the Mayor
is involved, or directly to the City Attorney if the concern involves a majority of the Council or internal
reporting would not be effective.
d) The City Clerk shall provide the Official named in the complaint ("the Responding Official") with written
notice, including a copy of the complaint, within 10 days.
4. Threshold Review
Before a full investigation begins, the City Council (for a complaint against a Councilmember) or the Mayor
(for a complaint against a committee or commission member) shall determine whether the complaint, if
true, would constitute a violation of this Code. A complaint that does not meet this threshold shall be
dismissed without further proceedings, and the outcome documented by the City Clerk. This review shall
occur at a noticed public meeting if it concerns a Councilmember.
5. Investigation
a) If the threshold is met, the matter shall be investigated by an ad hoc committee of Councilmembers
(excluding the Responding Official and any complainant), the City Manager, the City Attorney, or an
independent investigator, as appropriate and free of conflicts.
b) The investigation shall be completed within 90 days and shall result in a written report addressing
whether the evidence supports a finding that this Code was violated, and whether a hearing is
warranted.
6. Hearing
If a hearing is warranted, it shall be scheduled within 30 days of the investigative report, at a noticed public
meeting if the Responding Official is a Councilmember. The Responding Official shall receive reasonable
advance access to the evidence and a meaningful opportunity to respond and be heard before any
determination is made.
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7. Findings and Determination
A finding that this Code was violated must be based on written findings supported by substantial evidence,
and requires a majority vote of the members eligible to vote. The Responding Official shall not vote on their
own matter.
8. Available Sanctions
Upon a sustained finding, the following sanctions are available, calibrated to the severity and nature of the
violation:
a) For a Councilmember: informal counseling; reprimand; formal censure (statement via a resolution);
reassignment or loss of committee, subcommittee, or intergovernmental assignments; restriction of
City-funded travel; restriction of direct communication with staff. Because a Councilmember is an
elected official, removal from office through this Code is not available; removal can occur only through
recall by the voters or, where applicable, through the process described in Government Code § 36513
(forfeiture for unexcused absence).
b) For a committee or commission member: counseling, verbal reprimand, or written warning (which
may be kept confidential to the extent the law allows); formal censure; suspension; or removal from
office, by majority vote of the Council at a noticed public meeting.
9. Non-Retaliation
No Official shall retaliate against any person for raising a good-faith concern or participating in a proceeding
under this Section. Retaliation is itself a violation of this Code, evaluated under this same procedure.
10. Public Meeting Requirements
Nothing in this Section alters the City's obligations under the Ralph M. Brown Act. Initial, informal steps
under Section D.2 may remain confidential, but any formal Council determination or sanction concerning a
Councilmember must occur at a noticed public meeting, consistent with Government Code § 54957(b)(4),
which excludes elected officials from the Act's closed-session personnel exception.
11. Records
The City Clerk shall maintain a record of each complaint's disposition, redacted as required by the Public
Records Act, sufficient to document that this procedure was followed.
1. Reporting Procedures
a) Councilmember-to-Councilmember Concerns. Officials should point out infractions of this Code to the
offending Official directly. If the conduct continues, the matter should be referred privately to the
Mayor/Chair. If the Mayor/Chair is the individual whose actions are being challenged, the matter should be
referred to the Vice Mayor/Vice Chair. It is the responsibility of the Mayor/Chair (or Vice Mayor/Vice Chair,
as applicable) to initiate action if an Official’s behavior may warrant sanction.
b) Reporting Conduct Concerns Involving City Staff. A City staff member who believes an Official’s
conduct toward them violates this Code may report the concern to the City Manager. The City Manager or
City Attorney, as applicable, shall determine appropriate next steps, which may include raising the matter
with the Mayor/Chair consistent with Section D.1.a above.
c) Reporting Conduct Concerns Involving the City Manager. Because the City Manager serves at the
pleasure of the full City Council rather than reporting to any single Councilmember, the City Manager's own
reporting path is as follows:
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i. If the concern involves an individual Councilmember other than the Mayor, the City Manager
shall report the concern privately to the Mayor, consistent with Section D.1.a.
ii. If the concern involves the Mayor, the City Manager shall report the concern privately to the Vice
Mayor.
iii. If the concern involves both the Mayor and the Vice Mayor, involves a majority of the City Council,
or if the City Manager reasonably believes internal reporting through the Mayor or Vice Mayor
would not be effective or appropriate, the City Manager may instead report the concern directly to
the City Attorney. The City Attorney shall independently determine appropriate next steps, which
may include engaging independent outside counsel or an independent investigator to review the
matter and report findings directly to the full City Council.
iv. Regardless of the path used, if any, the City Manager may document the concern in writing and
request that it be retained by the City Attorney's office.
d) Non-Retaliation. No Official shall retaliate, or attempt to retaliate, against another Official, the City
Manager, or other City staff member for reporting a good-faith concern under this Section. Retaliation
against a person for making such a report is itself a violation of this Code and may result in sanction under
Section D.2 below, independent of the outcome of the underlying concern.
e) Public Meeting Requirements. Nothing in this Section is intended to alter the City's obligations under the
Ralph M. Brown Act or the Public Records Act. A report made under Section D.1.b or Section D.1.c may be
handled confidentially in its initial stages, but any formal action by the City Council to sanction a
Councilmember generally must be taken at a noticed public meeting.
2. Sanctions
c) Councilmember Sanctions.
i. Violations of this Code. Depending on the severity and frequency of the conduct at issue,
sanctions available to the City Council may include, without limitation: reprimand or formal
censure; loss of seniority and/or committee or subcommittee assignments; restriction of official
City-funded travel; and restriction of direct communication with certain City staff. A decision to
censure requires City Council action at a public meeting.
ii. Model of Excellence. Officials who do not sign the Model of Excellence Member Statement
(Exhibit A) shall be ineligible for intergovernmental assignments or City Council subcommittees.
iii. Ethics Training for Local Officials. Officials who are out of compliance with state- or City-
mandated requirements for ethics training — including the training required under Government
Code Section 53235 (AB 1234) — shall not represent the City on intergovernmental assignments
or City Council subcommittees and may be subject to other sanctions.
d) Appointed Official Sanctions.
i. For lower-level issues, the Mayor may administer counseling, a verbal reprimand, or a written
warning to a committee or commission member who fails to comply with City policy. These lower-
level sanctions are kept private to the degree allowed by law. Copies of any written reprimand are
distributed to the Chair of the respective committee or commission, the City Clerk, the City
Attorney, the City Manager, and the full City Council. Written reprimands are not included in public
meeting packets, except as required under the Public Records Act.
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ii. For more serious conduct, the Mayor or a majority of the Council may call for a formal
investigation, which the City Manager and/or City Attorney may be asked to conduct or have
conducted. Investigation findings are reported to the full City Council as “Information Only” on the
agenda of a noticed public meeting, subject to any redactions required to protect privacy interests
under the Public Records Act. The Council then determines the next appropriate action at a
noticed public hearing. Options other than “take no further action” must go through this public
hearing process.
The Council may impose sanctions up to and including removal from office, decided by a majority
vote of at least a quorum of the Council at a noticed public meeting. Any such disciplinary vote
must be preceded by a formal report to the Council with supporting documentation. Nothing in this
policy shall limit the City Council’s inherent authority to remove an appointee for any or no reason.
E. Implementation
As an expression of the standards of conduct expected of its members, this Code of Ethics and Conduct is intended
to be self-enforcing. It therefore becomes most effective when Officials are thoroughly familiar with it and embrace
its provisions. For this reason, this document shall be included in the regular orientation for newly elected
Councilmembers and appointed members of committees and commissions.
Members entering office shall sign a statement (Exhibit A) affirming that they have read and understood the City of
Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct as well as other policies related to the position they hold. . The City Council can,
by consensus, ask to review this Code annually and consider any recommendations for updates.
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Exhibit A — Model of Excellence Member Statement
MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
Dublin City Council, Committees, and Commissions
MEMBER STATEMENT
As a member of the Dublin City Council or of a City of Dublin committee or commission, I agree to uphold the Code
of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model
of excellence. I will:
▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives, and
contributions;
▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the public are
free to express their ideas and work to their full potential;
▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others;
▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations;
▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for the public
benefit;
▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and
▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated.
I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and
Appointed Officials.
I also affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin’s Rules of the Conduct of Meetings of the City
Council, City Council Norms, and the Personal Devices, Personal Accounts, and Messages Policy.
Signature Date
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MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
Committees and Commissions
MEMBER STATEMENT
As a member of a City of Dublin committee or commission, I agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model of excellence. I will:
▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives, and
contributions;
▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the public are
free to express their ideas and work to their full potential;
▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others;
▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations;
▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for the public
benefit;
▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and
▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated.
I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and
Appointed Officials.
I also affirm that I have read and understood the bylaws for the commission or committee on which I serve.
Signature Date
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Agenda Item 8.3
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 3
DATE: August 18, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT: Draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
Prepared by: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will review and provide feedback on a draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials (Attachment 1). If so directed by the City Council, Staff will
incorporate the Council's feedback and return with a final version for formal adoption by
resolution at a future meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the draft Code of Ethics and Conduct, and direct Staff to return with the final version
for consideration and adoption at a future meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
DESCRIPTION:
Background
At the May 5, 2026, meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution approving an update to the
City Council Norms. During the discussion, the City Council directed Staff to bring back a code
of ethics for consideration.
A code of ethics, also called a code of conduct, is a governance document that describes the
standards of behavior a local agency expects of its elected and appointed officials: how they
treat one another, staff, and the public; how they handle conflicts of interest, gifts, and
confidential information; and how the agency responds if a concern about an official's conduct
is raised. It is meant to be a practical, day-to-day reference, separate from the legal
requirements already imposed on public officials by state law such as the Political Reform Act
Attachment 3
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Page 2 of 3
and the Ralph M. Brown Act, or an agency’s conflict-of-interest code, all of which continue to
apply independently.
The City of Dublin has never adopted a standalone Code of Ethics and Conduct for the City
Council or for the City’s committees and commissions. Thus far, it has relied on the relatively
simple list of City Council Norms to provide a general framework for conducting business in a
positive, transparent, and respectful manner. The committees and commissions have only
Bylaws and Rules of Procedure.
Draft Code of Ethics and Conduct (Attachment 1)
In preparing the draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Dublin , Staff researched such policies of
a representative sample of California cities, including Alameda, Sunnyvale, San José, Santa
Clara, Belmont, Carlsbad, Irvine, Mountain View, Oceanside, Riverside, Santa Cruz, Torrance,
Ventura, and West Hollywood, among others. Two consistent findings from that research
shaped this draft:
Most California cities with a code of this kind extend it beyond the City Council to cover
members of committees and commissions as well — not the City Council alone. Dublin’s
draft follows that more common approach.
Codes vary widely in depth, from short, values-based statements to detailed, procedural
documents with a defined enforcement process. Alameda’s and Sunnyvale’s codes were
the most comprehensive examples found, and this draft is modeled primarily on those
two, adapted to reflect Dublin's council-manager structure and its own committees and
commissions.
Key Provisions
The draft Code of Ethics and Conduct is organized into the following parts:
Ethics — 16 guiding principles covering the public interest, legal compliance, conflicts of
interest, gifts, confidentiality, use of public resources, and the Council’s policy role under
the council-manager structure.
Conduct — specific, practical guidance on how Officials should interact with one another,
Staff, the public, other agencies, and the media, both during public meetings and outside
of them.
Compliance and Enforcement — a defined, escalating process for addressing conduct
concerns, along with sanctions available for more serious or repeated issues.
Implementation — the Code is intended to be self-enforcing, introduced during orientation
for new Councilmembers and committee/commission members, who would sign a “Model
of Excellence” statement affirming they have read and understood it.
Next Steps
This item is presented tonight for discussion only. Based on the City Council’s feedback, Staff
will refine the draft and return with a final version and a resolution for adoption at a future
meeting.
74
Page 3 of 3
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
75
Agenda Item 8.1
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 2
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Designation of Voting Delegates for the 2026 National League of Cities
City Summit
Prepared by: Vanessa Rosales, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will consider appointing a voting delegate, and up to two alternates, to attend
and vote on the City’s behalf at the National League of Cities City Summit in November 2026.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss the item and appoint a voting delegate, and up to two alternates, to attend and vote on
the City’s behalf at the National League of Cities City Summit in November 202 6.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Sufficient funds have been allocated in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget for councilmembers’
attendance at the November 2026 Conference.
DESCRIPTION:
The National League of Cities (NLC) is an organization through which city officials work
together on a national level to further their common interests and the interests of their
residents.
The NLC City Summit is scheduled to be held November 19-21, 2026, in Nashville,
Tennessee. During this conference, the annual business meeting is held, at which each
member city is afforded the opportunity to shape the NLC’s federal advocacy agenda for the
upcoming year by casting a vote on preferred policy recommendations. In accordance with the
NLC By-Laws, Article IV, Section 2 Member Voting (Attachment 1), the City is allowed only one
voting delegate and two alternates. For Dublin to participate in this meeting, the City Council
needs to appoint a voting delegate, and may appointment up to two alternates, to attend and
76
Page 2 of 2
vote on the City’s behalf at the Summit. Voting delegates must be registered for the
conference and participate in person.
Once City Councilmembers have been appointed, notification of the voting dele gate and
alternate(s) will be forwarded to the NLC.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) National League of Cities By-Laws
77
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86
Agenda Item 8.2
STAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
Page 1 of 4
DATE: September 1, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Report on the Cost-of-Living Adjustment Methodology for City Employee
Compensation
Prepared by: Sarah Monnastes, Human Resources Director/Risk Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a report on the City’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) practice
and methodology. The report includes information about the annual escalators provided to City
contractors as well as a look at how other Bay Area cities handle compensation increases.
This information was requested by the City Council, noting that the 1.7 percent COLA received
by employees in 2026 was low relative to the Consumer Price Index change from late 2025
through spring 2026.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no action contemplated in this report; it is informational only. The 1.7 percent cost-of-
living adjustment (COLA) given to City employees effective July 1, 2026 equates to a total of
$337,375 in salary and benefit costs.
DESCRIPTION:
During Item 9 of the August 18, 2026 meeting, the City Council requested that Staff bring back
an informational item on the most recent annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) received by
City employees, in light of it being low relative to the Consumer Price Index change from late
2025 through spring 2026.
This report provides contextual information about Dublin’s Employee Process that governs
COLAs, describes the City’s COLA methodology, and for reference, discusses annual
87
Page 2 of 4
escalators provided in the City’s agreements with external parties, and looks at how other Bay
Area agencies handle compensation increases.
Dublin’s Employee Process
Every three to five years, the City Manager engages with permanent City employees to review
the City’s compensation and benefits program and establish a framework for salary and
benefits for the coming years. This practice, known as the Employee Process, provides
employees an opportunity to share feedback on the City’s current offerings and identify areas
for potential change or enhancement.
As part of this process, the City also evaluates its compensation structure and market
competitiveness, including through comprehensive salary survey data. Employee feedback,
market data, fiscal considerations, and organizational needs are considered together in
developing recommendations for the City’s future compensation and benefits program. Any
changes agreed to during the Employee Process and approved by the City Council are
reflected in the Employee Benefit Plan, which is the document that describes all benefits
received by employees.
The next Employee Process will begin this fall for adjustments effective July 1, 2027 for a
period of up to five years.
COLA Methodology
Tying COLA to CPI-W
Dublin’s Employee Process has always included a discussion on annual COLAs or “market
rate adjustments” to align compensation with current external economic conditions or industry
standards. Prior to 2012, the City’s COLAs were based on an annual survey of classifications;
while Staff was unable to determine exactly why this practice changed, it is suspected that as
the City grew, the annual classification survey became too labor-intensive to sustain.
Since 2012, the City has tied COLAs to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), specifically the CPI-
W (All Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
region (renamed San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward in 2018). The CPI-W is the older of the two
main indexes published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dating back to 1913. It reflects
the purchasing patterns of a specific slice of the population: households where more than half
of income comes from clerical or hourly wage work, which is roughly 28 percent of the country.
In 1978, BLS added a broader index, the CPI-U (All Urban Consumers), covering closer to 90
percent of the population, including retirees, self-employed people, and professionals. Despite
CPI-U being more widely cited, Dublin has always used CPI-W to set its COLAs. For
reference, a 10-year look at CPI-W and CPI-U is included as Attachment 2.
Floor/Ceiling and Measurement Month
Dublin’s Employee Benefit Plan has also historically provided minimum and maximum limits for
its COLAs that are determined through the Employee Process. The current limits are a floor of
1 percent and a ceiling of 3.5 percent, effective July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027.
88
Page 3 of 4
Furthermore, the Employee Benefit Plan specifies that the COLA will be based on the CPI-W
change from February to February each year. Staff could not determine why that month was
selected but suspects it was a decision based on the timing of the annual budget preparation.
The San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro area CPI is published every other month, in
February, April, June, August, October, and December. An April or later reading may not have
left enough time, in the past, to build the number into the next fiscal year’s budget.
2026 COLA
In line with the February 2026 CPI-W, Dublin employees received a 1.7 percent COLA
effective July 1, 2026. This was an unusually low adjustment compared to prior years, and it is
particularly notable that the CPI changes immediately before and after February came in
significantly higher: 3.1 percent in December, 3.3 percent in April, and 3.4 percent in June.
This suggests February landed on an outlier data point rather than reflecting a genuine,
sustained drop in inflation. In Fiscal Year 2026-27, the COLA equated to $337,375 in salary
and benefit costs (one percentage point equates to $184,115).
Annual Contract Escalators
During the Item 9 request for this report, the City’s contracts were mentioned in the context of
annual escalators as compared to the employee COLA. Dublin engages in many multi -year
agreements, almost all of which have a built-in annual escalator. In the last two years, the
majority of these escalators have been tied to CPI, to a maximum of 3 percent. The CPI month
used varies: it could be December, or it could be the month closest to the beginning of the
contract term. Upon expiration, multi-year contracts are re-bid and new rates are set.
There are some exceptions to this: for example, in a time-and-materials agreement, hourly
rates for certain in-demand positions (e.g., high-level engineering positions) are dictated by the
market for the work. At times, those rates within the City’s contracts have increased much
more than CPI.
Practices of Other Agencies
To provide additional context, Staff looked at how the City’s compensation survey comparator
agencies handle general wage increases for employees outside of police and fire: Brentwood,
Hayward, Livermore, Milpitas, Newark, Pleasanton, San Leandro, San Ramon, Tracy, Union
City, Walnut Creek, and Alameda. All of them use a flat, negotiated percentage rather than a
CPI formula. Alameda is the outlier, using a Base Revenue Index (BRI) rather than a cost -of-
living measure. This method ties compensation increases to the City’s own revenue growth
rather than to any price index. For reference, Table 1 provides the most recent COLAs
received by the City’s comparator agencies.
89
Page 4 of 4
Table 1. Comparator Agency Increases for 2026
Agency Effective Date Increase
Alameda 1 July 1, 2026 TBD
Brentwood July 1, 2026 3.0%
Hayward July 1, 2026 3.0%
Livermore October 5, 2026 3.0%
Milpitas 2 July 1, 2026 3.0%
Newark July 1, 2026 3.5%
Pleasanton April 11, 2026 3.0%
San Leandro July 1, 2026 3.0%
San Ramon July 1, 2026 3.0%
Tracy June 28, 2026 4.0%
Union City January 1, 2026 3.0%
Walnut Creek June 21, 2026 5.0%
Finally, Staff looked at a few other Bay Area agencies outside the City’s formal comparator
survey: Berkeley, San Mateo, Sonoma County, Fremont, South San Francisco, Concord,
Santa Rosa, and Contra Costa County. None currently use CPI to adjust general employee
pay. In summary, a CPI-indexed COLA is the exception, not the rule, and it is becoming even
more of an exception as agencies that previously used it have moved away.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) City of Dublin Employee Benefit Plan
2) 10-Year Look: CPI-W and CPI-U
1 Final adjustments to be decided no later than 9/30/2026 and applied retroactively.
2 Currently in negotiations, 3% is the COLA placeholder for the FY 26 -27 budget.
90
Attachment 1
City of Dublin Benefit Plan
Revision Date: July 1, 2023
City of Dublin
Employee Benefit Plan
Established – July 1, 2023
91
City of Dublin Benefit Plan
Revision Date: July 1, 2023
Table of Contents
Section 1 – Eligible Employees:..............................................................................................................1
Section 2 –Market Rate Adjustments and Consumer Price Index (CPI) Adjustments:..........................1
Section 3 – Merit-Based Salary Adjustments:.........................................................................................2
Section 4 – Performance Pay Adjustments:.............................................................................................2
Section 5 – Medical Insurance:................................................................................................................2
Section 6 – Flexible Benefit Program:.....................................................................................................3
Section 7 – Alternative Benefit:...............................................................................................................4
Section 8 – Dental Insurance:...................................................................................................................5
Section 9 – Vision Insurance:...................................................................................................................5
Section 10 – Trust Fund/Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA):..................................................5
Section 11 – Disability Insurance:...........................................................................................................6
Section 12 – Life Insurance:.....................................................................................................................6
Section 13 – Retirement:..........................................................................................................................6
Section 14 – Retiree Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA):........................................................7
Section 15 – Deferred Compensation Plan:.............................................................................................7
Section 16 – Holidays:.............................................................................................................................7
Section 17 – Education Reimbursement:.................................................................................................8
Section 18 – Wellness Reimbursement Program:....................................................................................8
Section 19 – Employee Service Awards:.................................................................................................8
Section 20 – Employee Commute Alternative Program/Transit Commuter Program:............................9
Section 21 – Car Allowance and Mileage Reimbursement:....................................................................9
Section 21 – Resident Registration Fees:...............................................................................................10
Section 22 – Effective Date:...................................................................................................................10
92
Page 1 of 10
City of Dublin Benefit Plan
Revision Date: July 1, 2023
Section 1 –Eligible Employees:
All benefits shall apply to full-time employees of the City of Dublin, unless otherwise stated. The benefits
outlined in this plan shall not be provided to temporary (part-or full-time), provisional or contract
employees, or to individuals who provide services to the City pursuant to contract unless the contract
explicitly provides for such benefits.
Section 2 – Market Rate Adjustmentsand Consumer Price Index (CPI) Adjustments:
Effective July 1, 2023, salary ranges (top and bottom) shall be adjusted based on the change in Consumer
Price Index (CPI) from February 2022 through February 2023 using the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
region (Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The
maximum adjustment shall be no greater than three and one-half percent (3.5%), the minimum adjustment
will be one percent (1%). Employee salaries will also be adjusted July 1, 2023, based on the CPI results.
Additionally, a total compensation salary survey of benchmark classifications was conducted. Any
classification that was deemed to be under market was brought up to the 65th percentile of the City’s
comparator cities. Individual employees will not be adjusted, unless their current salary falls below the
minimum of an adjusted range.
In recognition of historically high CPI values the last two years, employees will receive a one-time $1,500
stipend the first check paid out in January 2024.
Effective July 1, 2024, salary ranges for most classifications (top and bottom) shall be adjusted based on
the change in Consumer Price Index (CPI) from February 2023 through February 2024 using the San
Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region (Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) as published by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. For those classifications that were over market in July of 2023, a total
compensation survey will be conducted in April of 2024. The maximum adjustment shall be no greater
than three and one-half percent (3.5%), the minimum adjustment will be one percent (1%). Employee
salaries will also be adjusted July 1, 2024, based on the CPI results, but in no event shall any adjustment
provided for in this section result in an employee earning a salary in excess of the top of the range for
their classification.
Effective July 1, 2025, salary ranges for most classifications (top and bottom) shall be adjusted based on
the change in Consumer Price Index (CPI) from February 2024 through February 2025 using the San
Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region (Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) as published by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. For those classifications that continued to be over market in April of 2024, a
total compensation survey will be conducted in April of 2025. The maximum adjustment shall be no
greater than three and one-half percent (3.5%), the minimum adjustment will be one percent (1%).
Employee salaries will also be adjusted July 1, 2025, based on the CPI results, but in no event shall any
adjustment provided for in this section result in an employee earning a salary in excess of the top of the
range for their classification.
Effective July 1, 2026, salary ranges for most classifications (top and bottom) shall be adjusted based on
the change in Consumer Price Index (CPI) from February 2025 through February 2026 using the San
Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region (Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers) as published by the
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Bureau of Labor Statistics. For those classifications that continued to be over market in April of 2025, a
total compensation survey will be conducted in April of 2026. The maximum adjustment shallbe no
greater than three and one-half percent (3.5%), the minimum adjustment will be one percent (1%).
Employee salaries will also be adjusted July 1, 2026, based on the CPI results, but in no event shall any
adjustment provided for in this section resultin an employee earning a salary in excess of the top of the
range for their classification.
Section 3 – Merit-Based Salary Adjustments:
a) Annual adjustments in salary (based on the anniversary of the employee’s date of hire or if
applicable, the anniversary date of the most recent promotion) shall be based upon employee
performance as determined by the performance evaluation. It is the duty of the supervisor and
Department Head to give a fair and unbiased evaluation based on job performance of the
employee.
b) For the period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027, employees will be eligible for an annual
merit increase of up to 2.5%, based on their performance as outlined in their annual review, with
an additional .5% at the discretion of the Department Director with agreement from the City
Manager, for a maximum of 3%.
c) In no event shall any salary adjustment result in an employee earning a salary in excess of the top
of the range of their classification.
Section 4 – Performance Pay Adjustments:
If applicable, performance pay adjustment increases will be consistent with increases outlined in Section 3.
Eligibility criteria is outlined in the City’s Personnel Rules.
Section 5 – Medical Insurance:
All City employees who are members of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
shall be eligible to select from plans administered by the Public Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act
(PEMHCA).
a. The City currently contracts with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System
(CalPERS) for the purpose of providing medical insurance benefits for active employees and
their eligible dependents, eligible retired employees, and eligible survivors ofretired
employees. The eligibility of a dependent to participate in this program shall be in accordance
with the terms of the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA). The
Eligibility of retired employees and survivors of retired employeesto participate in this
program shall be in accordance with those provisions of the PEMHCA providing for
participation by CalPERS annuitants.
b. Effective January 1, 2016, the City’s employer contribution towards medical insurance benefits
for each eligible employee shall be the minimum contribution amount required by Government
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Section 22892. Contributions provided under this Section are required only to the extent
mandated by PEMHCA.
c. In the event CalPERS requires a minimum employer payment in excess of the amount recited
above, the City shall pay such additional amounts as approved by the City Council. Because
CalPERS may change carriers and plans, the City shall not be required to provide a specific
insurance coverage and shall only be required to provide those benefits as described in the
Benefit Plan so long as the city contracts for benefits with CalPERS for medical insurance
benefits. The City shall provide each eligible annuitant, as defined by the PEMHCA, with an
employer contribution towards medical insurance benefits that is equal to any contribution
provided to active employees under the Benefit Plan and in accordance with Government
Code Section 22892.
Section 6 –Flexible Benefit Program:
The City shall make available a flexible benefit program (tax deferred employee contribution) that can be
applied to specific expenses, e.g., health premiums, and medical, dental, and vision expenses not covered
by the insurance plan. The City’s plan is subject to the requirement and availability of Internal Revenue
Code Section 125, allowing employees to use pre-tax compensation for PEMHCA medical premiums,
eligible dependent care expenses, eligible uninsured medical expenses, or a combination thereof. All costs
associated with the enrollment and administration of an eligible employee’s account shall be paid by the
City.
a. The City shall not treat contributions made to the program as compensation subject to
income tax withholding unless the Internal Revenue Service and/or the Franchise Tax Board
indicates that such contributions are taxable income subject to withholding. Each employee
shall be solely and personally responsible for any federal, state, or local tax liability of the
employee that may arise out of the implementation of this Section or any penalty that may be
imposed, therefore.
b. Contributions to the flexible benefit program shall be used only for payment of those benefits
that are available through the City’s program. Any amount remaining after the Employee has
designated the portion of his or her flexible benefit (125 plan) contribution amount for the
purposes described in this Section shall be deemed forfeited.
c. Each eligible employee shall file an election in writing during the month of open enrollment for
medical insurance each year designating how the contributions in his or her flexible benefits
account are to be spent during the ensuing year. Thereafter, no changes to designations shall
be allowed until the enrollment of the following year, except for change for changes due to an
eligible qualifying event.
d. Each employee shall be responsible for providing immediate written notice to the Director of
Human Resources of designee of any changes to the number of his or her dependents which
would affect the amount of the City’s payment into the program.
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e. Beginning with the January 1, 2023, premium, eligible employees shall receive up to $2,030 per
month toward the premium cost for CalPERS health insurance based on the employee’s annual
plan election less the amount of any contribution provided by the City directly to CalPERS
under government Code Section 22892.
f. Beginning with the January 1, 2024, premium, eligible employees shall receive a monthly
allowance up to the amounts listed below. Eligibility is based on the employee’s plan selection
and participation level (e.g., employee only coverage, employee plus 1 dependent or employee
plus two or move), less the amount of any contribution paid under Section 2 above.
Employee only = $1,260/month
Employee and 1 dependent = $2,255/month
Employee and 2 or more dependents = $2,525/month
g. For CalPERS plan years 2025, 2026, and 2027, the City will increase the monthly contribution
outlined in Section 7(f) by half of the percent increase in Kaiser premiums at each level, except
if the newly calculated amount exceeds the actual rate of Kaiser for the given year. If this
situation occurs, the City contribution from the prior year will carry over.
h. The City shall continue to provide a flexible benefit program as provided in this Section unless
amended or repealed by the City Council.
Section 7 –Alternative Benefit:
Effective July 1, 2015, subject to proof of other health coverage and completion of CalPERS Health Form
HBD12 indicating same, eligible City employees who are members of the California Public Employees
Retirement System (CalPERS) and (1) elect to opt-out of receiving City contributions under Government
Code Section 22892; as described in Section 2b; (2) are not enrolled in a City-sponsored health insurance
plan as the dependent of another City employee; and (3) provide proof of medical insurance coverage
from a plan other than a City-sponsored plan shall receive an alternative benefit in the form of a cash
payment.
a. Effective July 1, 2015, the amount of alternative benefit is $350 per month and benefit must be
elected each year during open enrollment or upon a qualifying event.
b. Effective January 1, 2024, the amount of alternative benefit provided to an employee is based
on the level of insurance coverage that the employee could have received if the employee had
enrolled in a City-sponsored health insurance plan, as follows:
Employee only = $250/month
Employee and 1 dependent = $450/month
Employee and 2 or more dependents = $625/month
c. For the purpose of this Section, the term “dependent” shall mean a dependent eligible for
coverage under a CalPERS medical plan.
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d. Any cash payment provided under this Section shall be paid and reported to the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) and the California Franchise Tax Board as compensation subject to
income tax withholding and is considered a non-reportable CalPERS payment/benefit. Each
eligible employee shall be solely and personally responsible for any tax liability that may arise
out of receipt of the alternative benefits provided under this Section.
Section 8 – Dental Insurance:
The City will contribute on behalf of each employee schedule to regularly work at least 30 hours per
week, a maximum of the “full-family premium” per month to a dental insurance plan selected by the City.
The City will contribute on behalf of each regular employee scheduled to work between 20 to 29 hours
per week, a maximum of the “employee only” premium per month to a dental insurance plan selected by
the City.
Effective January 1, 2024, in lieu of enrolling in a City-sponsored dental plan, employees may elect to opt-
out of dental for themselves and eligible dependent(s). The amount of alternative benefit provided to an
employee is based on the level of insurance coverage that the employee could have received if the
employee had enrolled in a City-sponsored dental plan, as follows:
Employee only = $25/month
Employee and 1 dependent = $50/month
Employee and 2 or more dependents = $75/month
For the purpose of this Section, the term “dependent” shall mean a dependent eligible for coverage under
the City-sponsored dental plan.
Any cash payment provided under this Section shall be paid and reported to the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) and the California Franchise Tax Board as compensation subject to income tax withholding and is
considered a non-reportable CalPERS payment/benefit. Each eligible employee shall be solely and
personally responsible for any tax liability that may arise out of receipt of the alternative benefits provided
under this Section.
Section 9 –Vision Insurance:
The City will contribute on behalf of each employee schedule to regularly work at least 20 hours per
week, a maximum of the “employee only premium” per month to a visioninsurance plan selected by the
City.
Section 10 –Trust Fund/Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA):
a. Plan Limits: Beginning on calendar year January 1, 2021, full-time, regular employees will have
a $1,000 limit for eligible reimbursements. Employees regularly scheduled to work between
20 and 30 hours per week shall have a pro-rated share based on hours regularly scheduled.
b. Plan Year: The "Plan Year" shall cover reimbursements for eligible expenses incurred
between January 1 and December 31 of the calendar year.
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c. Third Party Administrator (TPA)/Eligible Claims: Employees eligible for this benefit may
request reimbursement through the third-party administrator selected by the City.
d. Administrative Rules: The reimbursement of any expenses pursuant to this section shall be
contingent upon the fulfillment of requirements pursuant to the provision(s) of the Internal
Revenue Code and the City’s selected third-party administrator.
Section 11 –Disability Insurance:
The City will contribute on behalf of each regular employee scheduled to regularly work at least 20 hours
per week, the total premium cost of a Long-TermDisability Plan selected by the City. In addition, the City
Manager shall be authorized to implement a short-term disability program, which would allow regular
employees scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week, to purchase short-term disability insurance
through payroll deductions, if such a plan is available.
Section 12 –Life Insurance:
The City will contribute on behalf of each full-time employee scheduled to regularly work at least 40
hours per week, the total premium cost of a $50,000 Term Life Insurance Policy selected by the City. In
addition, the City Manager shall be authorized to implement a supplemental life insurance program, which
would allow full-time employees to purchase additional term life insurance through payroll deductions, if
such a plan is available.
Section 13 –Retirement:
For employees who are “Classic” members (as determined by CalPERS), the City will provide the
California Public Employees Retirement System 2.7% at age 55 (Section 21354.5 of the California Public
Employees’ Retirement System plan)retirement plan with the one-year final compensation (Section 20042
of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System plan) benefit option. The City Council shall have
the authority to further amend the plan to include benefit options offered by the Public Employees
Retirement System.Effective July 1, 2011, classic members shall pay 8% of the employees’ contribution
rate.
Effective January 1, 2013, the City shall comply with the California Public Employees' PensionReform Act
of 2013 (PEPRA). Eligible employees who join the City's CalPERS retirementsystem on or after January 1,
2013, and are considered “PEPRA” members (as defined by CalPERS) and shall have a retirement formula
of 2%@ 62; 3-Year final compensation average and shall contribute their portion toward a new CalPERS
retirement tier as defined by law.
Effective July 11, 2015, and pursuant the adoption of City Ordinance 1-2015 (June 2, 2015), employees
shall share in the City’s CalPERS costs by contributing a percentage of the employee’s compensation
reportable to CalPERS (i.e., “compensation earnable”) towards the City’s employer contribution, in
accordance with Government Code section 20516(f). Employees who are Classic CalPERS members will
contribute 7%, and PEPRA CalPERS members will contribute3.05%.
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The City shall apply the provisions of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 414(h) (2) to all eligible payroll
deductions for employee CalPERS contributions so long as such provisions remain available to the City.
Section 14 – Retiree Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA):
The City shall make available a Retiree HRA account to eligible employees who were hired before January
1, 2016, and who retire from the City of Dublin while meeting the eligibility requirements for CalPERS
retiree health insurance as provide under PEMHCA laws.
a. Beginning on January 1, 2016, the City's Retiree HRA Plan Year shall begin January 1 and end
December 31 of each calendar year.
b. Beginning with January 1, 2023, CalPERS premium year, eligible CalPERS annuitants under the City
of Dublin's CalPERS health contract shall receive reimbursement up to $2,030 per month toward
the cost of CalPERS health insurance premiums. Reimbursement is provided in the form of cash to
the eligible CalPERS annuitant on a monthly basis based on the CalPERS annuitant's annual election
less the amount of any contribution provided by the City directly to CalPERS under Government
Code Section 22892. In no event, shall the City's total reimbursement exceed the amount
described in this section.
c. Beginning with January 1, 2024, CalPERS premium year, an annual adjustment, equal to the
difference in the CalPERS Kaiser Family rate, not to exceed $100 per month, shall be provided.
d. Employees hired by the City on or after January 1, 2016, are not eligible for the Retiree HRA as
defined in this section. The City's maximum contribution toward CalPERS retiree health coverage
shall be the PEMCHA minimum contribution as determined by CalPERS under Government Code
Section 22892.
Section 15 – Deferred Compensation Plan:
Participation in a variety of deferred compensation plans is offered. Participation inthe City’s deferred
compensation plan shall be voluntary, but for employees who choose to participate, effective January 1,
2024, the City will match an employee’s contribution to the 457 deferred compensation plan up to a
maximum of $50/month.
Section 16 –Holidays:
The following days shall be deemed holidays in accordance with the Personnel System Rules:
a) New Year's Day January 1
b) Martin Luther King Jr. Day Third Monday in January
c) Washington's Birthday Third Monday in February
d Memorial Day Last Monday in May
e) Independence Day July 4
f) Labor Day First Monday in September
g) Veteran's Day November 11
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h) Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
I) Day following Thanksgiving Day following above
j) Day preceding Christmas December 24
k) Christmas Day December 25
l) Day preceding New Year's Day December 31
In addition to the designated holidays listed above, effective January 1, 2021, employees shallbe provided
two (2)floating holiday per calendar year. Effective January 1, 2024, in recognition of time off for
employees to celebrate their cultural or religious holidays, the City will provide two (2) additional floating
holidays, for a total of four (4).
Civic Service Leave will no longer be provided.
Floating holidays are subject to the following restrictions:
1) Must be used during the calendar year and cannot be carried over; and
2) Requires advance approval of the Department Head and the City Manager.
All holidays will be credited at eight (8) hours each for full-time employees. Part-time employees will
receive a pro-rated number of hours.
Section 17 – Education Reimbursement:
Full-time and regular part-time employees shall be eligible to participate in an education reimbursement
program. The City shall only reimburse the employee for courses undertaken which are job-related or
are part of a job-relatedcourse of study and/or degree program. The employee must obtain prior
authorization from the City Manager and reimbursement will only be provided upon submittal of proof of
satisfactory completion of the courses undertaken with a passing grade when applicable. The City will
reimburse an amount equal to 75% of the employee's tuition and/or fees, (including books). For full-time
employees, the amount reimbursed shall not exceed $2,000 per Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2020;for
employees scheduled to work between 20-39 hours per week, the amount shall be pro-rated based on
regularly scheduled hours. The payment of any reimbursements shall be contingent upon the fulfillment of
reporting requirements established by the City Manager.
Section 18 –Wellness Reimbursement Program:
Beginning July 1, 2020, the City shall provide a wellness reimbursement program of $25.00 per month to
all regular full-time and part-time employees. Eligible wellness expenses may include activities that
promote health, wellbeing and physical movement and/or exercise. Employees shall be reimbursed
biennially in December and June of each fiscal year.
Section 19 – Employee Service Awards:
Beginning July 1, 2020, regular full-time and part-time employees may opt in for a cash service award in
the year in which they complete 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service; cash award amounts are as follows:
10 years $500.00, 15 years $600.00, 20 years $800.00, 25 years $1,000.
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Section 20 – Employee Commute Alternative Program/Transit Commuter Program:
The City established an Employee Commute Alternative Program to help ease traffic congestion, improve
air quality in the Bay Area and work to achieve less stressful commutes. The City supports this program
by encouraging City employees to register with the 511 Regional Rideshare Program through
www.511.org and by participating in the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency - Guaranteed
Ride Home program. The City shall provide a $5.00 per day commute alternative cash incentive to all
eligible employees pursuant to providing proper commute verification information. In addition, the City
offersa pre-taxed Transit Commuter Program administered through third-partyadministrator
(WageWorks) for the cost of public transit. Both Commuter programs comply with SB 1128, which
requires employers with 50 or more to offer at least one commuter benefit option to employees.
Section 21 – Car Allowanceand Mileage Reimbursement:
The following positions shall be eligible to receive the designated monthly allowance. The receipt of the
car allowance pursuant to this section shall be full compensation for all operating costs excluding tolls,
parking fees and out of area travel.
a. Management Positions Receiving Monthly Allowance
Eligible Positions Monthly Allowance
Assistant City Manager $190
Assistant Director of Community Development $190
Assistant Finance Director $190
Assistant Parks and Community Services Director $190
Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer $190
Capital Improvement Program Manager $190
Chief Building Official $190
Chief Information Security Officer $190
Communications Manager $190
Community Development Director $190
Deputy City Manager $190
Economic Development Director $190
Finance Director $190
Human Resources Director $190
Parks & Community Services Director $190
Parks & Community Services Manager $190
Planning Manager $190
Principal Engineer $190
Public Works Director/Assistant City Engineer $190
Public Works Manager $190
Public Works Transportation & Operations Manager $190
b. Miscellaneous Employees Receiving Car Allowance
The following position shall be eligible to receive the designated monthly car allowance.
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Eligible Position Monthly Allowance
Senior Civil Engineer $190
c. Operating Costs
Employees whose services and compensation are provided for under separate agreement
who receive a car allowance shall be eligible to receive 40 percent (rounded up to the nearest
cent) of the amount recognized by the Internal Revenue Service for the use of a private
vehicle as an operating cost.
d. Mileage Reimbursement
For employees not receiving a car allowance, when traveling on City business, the City will
reimburse the amount recognized by the Internal Revenue Service for the use of a private
vehicle.
e. Out of Area Travel Reimbursement
When traveling out of the area on City business, the City will reimburse the amount
recognized by the Internal Revenue Service for the use of a private vehicle, or air
transportation costs, whichever is less.
f. Administrative Requirements
The payment of any mileage reimbursements or car allowance shall be contingent upon the
fulfillment of requirements established by the City's accounting procedures and other rules
and policies.
Section 21 – Resident Registration Fees:
Effective July 1, 2015, non-resident employees shall be granted Dublin resident fees and rates for City Parks
and Community Services classes, trips and facility rentals; priority registration does not apply.
Section 22 –Effective Date:
The provisions of this Benefit Plan shall be administered in accordance with the regulations, policies and
procedures issued by the City Manager or designee which shall include, but not limited to, the method and
frequency of reimbursement to eligible employees for the benefit program(s) selected and appropriate
procedures for the verification of payment made pursuant to the Benefit Plan.
This Benefit Plan shall be effective July 1, 2023, and shall supersede Resolution No. 115-10 and 61-20, all
amendment to,and any previous resolutions adopted by the City Council which are in conflict.
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Attachment 2
10-Year Comparison: CPI-W and CPI-U
CPI-W – San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward
Year Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Annual HALF1 HALF2
2016 2.9 2.6 2.5 2.4 3.1 3.0 2.7 2.6 2.8
2017 3.3 3.7 3.3 2.9 2.7 3.1 3.1 3.4 2.9
2018 3.8 3.4 4.0 4.3 4.4 4.4 3.9 3.6 4.3
2019 3.3 3.7 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.2 3.1 3.5 2.7
2020 2.5 0.7 1.3 1.6 0.9 2.2 1.5 1.6 1.4
2021 1.8 4.1 4.3 4.9 5.2 5.5 4.1 3.1 5.1
2022 6.5 6.5 7.6 6.0 6.4 4.6 6.3 6.7 6.0
2023 4.9 3.6 2.3 3.3 2.5 2.8 3.3 3.8 2.8
2024 2.9 4.0 3.0 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.8 3.2 2.3
2025 2.7 1.6 1.9 2.7 (X) 3.1 2.3 2.0 2.6
2026 1.7 3.3 3.4 2.8
(X): Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations
CPI-U – San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward
Year Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Annual HALF1 HALF2
2016 3.0 2.7 2.7 3.1 3.6 3.5 3.0 2.8 3.2
2017 3.4 3.8 3.5 3.0 2.7 2.9 3.2 3.6 2.9
2018 3.6 3.2 3.9 4.3 4.4 4.5 3.9 3.4 4.3
2019 3.5 4.0 3.2 2.7 3.0 2.5 3.3 3.7 2.9
2020 2.9 1.1 1.6 1.6 1.1 2.0 1.7 2.0 1.4
2021 1.6 3.8 3.2 3.7 3.8 4.2 3.2 2.5 3.9
2022 5.2 5.0 6.8 5.7 6.0 4.9 5.6 5.4 5.8
2023 5.3 4.2 2.9 3.4 2.8 2.6 3.7 4.4 2.9
2024 2.4 3.8 3.2 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.8 3.0 2.5
2025 2.7 1.3 1.5 2.5 (X) 3.0 2.2 1.9 2.5
2026 2.5 3.8 3.8 3.2
(X): Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations
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