City Council approves Measure D-20 report in brief meeting

By Michael Chaldu · Thu Apr 16 2026

Second reading of Chick-fil-A project, vegetative growth nuisance designation also part of the Consent Calendar

ATASCADERO — The Atascadero City Council convened for it regular meeting on Tuesday, April 14, although the meeting itself didn't last much longer than a coffee break.

With no public hearings, reports, or business items on the agenda, the City Council completed its business in about 17 minutes.

Councilmembers began by approving the four-item Consent Calendar, although one item was pulled for questions from Councilmember Susan Funk.

Funk pulled item 2, the Sales Tax Measure D-20 Annual Report. Sales Tax Measure D-20 is a General Fund “Essential Services Transaction and Use Tax” approved by Atascadero voters in November 2020. The measure increased the local sales tax rate by one percent, to 8.75%, to fund key community priorities and City Council goals.

Funk sought information on three items: The change in city police personnel and salaries, the debt service that the city will be paying for its two upcoming public safety improvement projects (construction of a new Fire Station #1, and upgrades to Fire Station #2), and the investment in the city's aquatics program.

Director of Administrative Services Jeri Rangel answered each point, reporting that the city was successful on all three counts: the debt service is expected to be a manageable $1.9 million a year; $41,000 was invested last year into the aquatics program, which was a "big hit" according to Rangel; and for the Atascadero Police Department, since 2020, payroll has gone up almost $3.8 million, a 60% increase.

Funk was pleased at the news: "This is telling folks we're honoring our commitments," she said.

During Public Comment on the item, Atascadero resident Geoff Auslin praised the D-20 measure.

"D20 has stabilized our funding in our city," Auslin said. "We don’t have the job turnover as before, especially with police and fire. A few years ago, my security company was handling many shifts the police department couldn’t cover; that's not the case anymore."

Other items on the Consent Calendar were the Draft Minutes from the March 24 City Council Meeting, the Declaration of Vegetative Growth as a Public Nuisance (to necessitate the abatement of such growth), and the Second Reading of the Home Depot Master Plan of Development Amendment.

That last item, discussed in the March 24 meeting, was the proposed Chick-fil-A drive-thru restaurant and a car wash at the intersection of El Camino Real and San Ramon Road just east of Highway 101, across from the Home Depot shopping center.

With her questions out of the way, Funk moved to approved the Consent Calendar with Mayor Pro Tem Mark Dariz seconding, and the motion passed 5-0.

During his Updates from the City Manager segment, City Manager Jim Lewis reminded everyone of two events coming up on Saturday, April 18: the Citywide Yard Sale and the Party for the Plant event at the Central Coast Zoo to celebrate Earth Day.

Lewis also disclosed that future agendas would be scheduled so that general city business item would be heard on the first meeting of the month, and the items and discussion pertaining to the city's General Plan would be scheduled on the second meeting of the month.

Finally, during Council Announcements, Mayor Charles Bourbeau disclosed that Lon Allen, who had been the long-time editor of The Atascadero News, as well as a high-school teacher, had passed away over the weekend.

Bourbeau also said Allen was best known as the community historian, having written many books and assisting in others about the history of Atascadero.

The mayor also remembered the vehicle Allen would drive around town.

"People may remember Lon driving around town in his gray restored Navy Jeep, as he was a Naval officer back in his younger days," Bourbeau said. "He would also take people out of tours of the city in his open air vehicle."

During his time, Dariz also expressed his condolences for Allen's passing, noting that he was a prominent Kiwanis Club member, and had spearheaded the effort to get the bandstand for the city's Music in the Park series rebuilt.

"He'll be missed in our club, and throughout the community," he said.

The City Council will meet next on Tuesday, April 28, at 6 p.m.