HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2025-05-27_08 Supplemental 1
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: Jessica Matson, Director of Legislative & Information Services/
City Clerk
SUBJECT: Supplemental Information
Agenda Item 8. – May 27, 2025 City Council Meeting
Community Comments and Suggestions
DATE: May 27, 2025
Attached is public comment received prior to 2 p.m. for the above referenced item.
cc: City Manager
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
City Attorney
City Website and Public Review Binder
Enc
From:Garry Schmidt
To:Jessica Matson
Subject:FLAG POLE POLICY
Date:Tuesday, May 13, 2025 11:18:14 AM
Attachments:Letter to AGCC Flagpole policy.docx
Hi Jessica,
I am sending the attached letter which is related to what I expect will be on the CC
agenda on May 27, since I will be out of town for the next three weeks. If possible
please put it with the packet that will be prepared for the May 27 meeting.
Thank you,
Garry Schmidt
May 13, 2025
TO: Arroyo Grande City Council
FROM: Garry Schmidt
REGARDING: AG City Flagpole Policy
Perhaps you have read about the debate that was held in Morro Bay regarding their flag pole
policy. Here is a local paper report on that meeting.
https://www.newtimesslo.com/news/morro-bay-wants-to-change-its-flagpole-policy-16678744
As a result of that discussion the Morro Bay City Council took the following action:
The council unanimously directed staff to come back with a flagpole policy that only allows the
city to fly the American flag, the city flag, and the state flag. Those flags represent everyone in
Morro Bay, Eckles said, calling them "neutral and unifying."
Flying special interest flags in Arroyo Grande has generated considerable controversy in recent
years. I have been present at City Council meetings during the past two years where commun-
ity division has been on display regarding flying the Pride flag. I applaud the intent of our City
Council to make all citizens feel welcome and appreciated. I am sure it is not your intent to
make others feel as though they are viewed as an annoyance when their views are shared. I
suggest that AG consider the wisdom of Morra Bay where a neutral stance regarding flag flying
is being adopted.
While it may be thought that flying the Pride flag will result in positive results for that
community, the net effect may well be the opposite. In our country today many members of
the LBGBT+ community are feeling the negative effects of the last election, some even living in
fear. I know of some who are looking for pathways to leave our country. Keeping the AG City
flagpole as a place to fly only neutral flags that unite us will, in my view, reduce the chances of
special interest groups being marginalized.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.
Garry Schmidt, AG resident
From:Emme Landers
To:public comment
Subject:Friday Night Live- Oral Nicotine Letters
Date:Friday, May 23, 2025 2:57:27 PM
Attachments:FNL_Letters.pdf
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Hello, we are members of Arroyo Grande High School’s Friday Night Live Chapter (FNL). FNL is a
statewide organization with chapters throughout California. In our club, we educate about teen
wellness issues and advocate for a healthier lifestyle. This year, our club decided to research oral
nicotine products and the effects they have on youth in our community. The following letters have
been written by concerned club members about what we have seen, learned and observed about oral
nicotine products.
Dear Arroyo Grande City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Brynn Termeer, and I am a resident of Arroyo
Grande living at I am writing to express my concerns and thoughts regarding
banning the usage of Zyn and oral Nicotine products in the city of Arroyo Grande. Because of their recent
rising popularity, unknown long-term health consequences and not being as regulated as other tobacco
products.
I am a teen in this city who sees consistent usage both online and in person. ese products are
so easily accessible not just by adults but by teens as well which is only furthered by their prevalence on
the internet.
I believe that we should be increasing regulations and bans on Zayn and oral nicotine because of
their ever-growing prevalence and diminishing impact on those in our city. It is my understanding that
the City Council plays a crucial role in addressing community concerns, and I am hopeful that my input
will be considered in your decision making process.
Just last town Christmas parade I distinctly remember seeing several discarded Zyn packs
thrown carelessly onto the street. Since then the impacts have continually risen in our town, from seeing
classmates post their daily Zyn's to seeing empty packs in the hallways. ese oral nicotine products have
not only perverse social media but our learning environments as well. With oral nicotine sales reading
305% in the last year, increasing e fects on anxiety and depression, and 11% of Zyn’s ads advertising
lavors for kids, this issue is ever growingevergrowing in our society and in our town.
I kindly request that the City Council take the following action:
Create an ordinance to ban the sale of oral nicotine products in the city of Arroyo Grande
I appreciate your dedication to serving our community and am confident that, with your
thoughtful consideration, we can work toward a positive resolution. If possible, I would be grateful for
the opportunity to speak at an upcoming City Council meeting to further discuss this matter. Please
advise on the procedure for public participation or any other necessary arrangements.
ank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate
your continued service to our community.
Sincerely,
Brynn Termeer
Dear Arroyo Grande City Council,
My name is Emme Landers, I am a resident of Arroyo Grande and a member of Friday Night Live. I am
writing to express my concerns and thoughts regarding the state of oral nicotine products in Arroyo
Grande.
In November 2022, the state of California banned lavored tobacco products, however despite this ban,
products such as Zyn (a popular oral nicotine product) are still in our communities. However, products
like this work as loopholes from the tobacco industry, and are still able to be sold.
In particular, oral nicotine products have grown in popularity because of their advertising which
particularly appeals to youth. eir reward system rewards users with fun and trendy electronics and
merchandise, and online in luencers are promoting the use of these products with extreme e fectiveness.
According to Truth Initiative, oral nicotine pouches are the second most commonly used tobacco
product.
I believe that the city council should adopt a ban on oral nicotine products in the city because of the risk
they pose to youth. I appreciate your dedication to serving our community and am confident that, with
your thoughtful consideration, we can work toward a positive resolution. If possible, our club would be
grateful for the opportunity to speak at an upcoming City Council meeting to further discuss this matter.
ank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate
your continued service to our community.
Sincerely,
Emme Landers
Dear Arroyo Grande City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Albina Konoval, and I am a resident of Arroyo Grande, and a
student at Arroyo Grande High School. I am writing to express my concerns and thoughts regarding banning the
usage of zyn and oral nicotine products in the city of Arroyo Grande. ey have become a big problem not only at
my school, but overall in the whole city, due to their recent rising popularity.
Even though now tobacco products tend to be more controlled and restricted, the companies producing
them still make billions of dollars in revenue every year, destroying the health of others. It’s estimated that there are
around 1 billion tobacco users in the world today. e damage caused by this addiction and its peddlers numbers in
trillions of dollars of health expenses and environmental damages and more e fort has to be made to educate
people, especially teenagers and young adults, about the dangers of smoking. In fact, I am a member of my school’s
Friday Night Live (FNL) Club, and one of our main goals is to teach our peers about the dangers coming from
nicotine and tobacco usage.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and these oral products are no exception. ey are being widely
marketed and sold to individuals, particularly teenagers and young adults, who may not fully understand the
dangers associated with their use. Research has shown that nicotine use, regardless of the delivery method, can
lead to addiction, disrupt brain development in young people, and increase the risk of long-term health problems
such as heart disease, respiratory issues, and gum disease.
Furthermore, oral nicotine products have become increasingly popular due to their discrete nature. Many users
consume these products in public spaces and workplaces without others realizing it, making it more challenging to
regulate and monitor their use. e normalization of these products among young people, in particular, poses a
serious threat to public health, as it can lead to an increase in nicotine dependency and potential gateway use of
other tobacco-related products.
While the sale of tobacco products is regulated, the rise of alternative nicotine products has outpaced
regulation in many regions, leaving local governments with the responsibility to protect the health of their
residents. A ban on oral nicotine products in our city would help reduce the accessibility of these products to
vulnerable populations, particularly minors. It would also demonstrate our city ’s commitment to prioritizing
public health and addressing the growing nicotine epidemic.
I kindly request that the City Council take the following action:
Create an ordinance to ban the sale of oral nicotine products in the city of Arroyo Grande
I understand that this issue is complex, and there may be di ferent perspectives on how best to address it.
However, I strongly believe that a ban on oral nicotine products is a proactive and necessary step to protect the
well-being of our community, especially our youth, from the dangers of nicotine addiction.
ank you for your time and attention to this problem. I sincerely hope that the City Council will take swi t
action to address this issue and work toward a healthier future for all residents of Arroyo Grande. Please take this
matter into consideration. I hope to hear from you and appreciate your continued service to our community.
Sincerely,
Albina Konoval
Dear Arroyo Grande City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Marissa Sabo, and I am a resident of Arroyo Grande. I am the
president of Friday Night Live at Arroyo Grande High School and I am writing to express my concerns and thoughts
regarding oral nicotine products directed at youth.
I believe that they are a real concern regarding youth in Arroyo Grande because oral nicotine can lead to
addiction starting from a young age. I have seen how oral nicotine a fects not just those on social media but real
teenagers around me, it is debilitating. It is my understanding that the City Council plays a crucial role in
addressing community concerns, and I am hopeful that my input will be considered in your decision-making
process.
Studies have shown that 11% of media use ads that promote vape lavor, which draws in a younger audience
of consumers and attracts youth. Additionally, lavored nicotine products are the 2nd most popular among the
youth. Also through 2016-2020 Oral Nicotine Pouches increased by 305%
I kindly request that the City Council take the following action:
Ban the sale of Zyn/Oral Nicotine Products in the city of Arroyo Grande
I appreciate your dedication to serving our community and am confident that, with your thoughtful
consideration, we can work toward a positive resolution. If possible, I would be grateful for the opportunity to
speak at an upcoming City Council meeting to further discuss this matter. Please advise on the procedure for public
participation or any other necessary arrangements.
ank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate
your continued service to our community.
Sincerely,
Marissa Sabo