The City Council as part of Tuesday’s consent calendar authorized the use of a $512,200 state traffic safety grant to support impaired-driving enforcement, checkpoints and programs aimed at reducing traffic deaths and injuries.
The City Council authorized the city manager to execute documents for the California Office of Traffic Safety award and amend the department’s fiscal year 2027 operating budget to recognize and appropriate the funding.
The grant supplements existing police resources, supporting targeted enforcement and public education efforts, according to a staff report prepared for the Oct. 20 meeting.
“Grant funds supplement existing resources and enable the Department to deploy targeted enforcement and outreach efforts that would not otherwise be possible under the general fund alone,” the report states.
The California Office of Traffic Safety administers federal funding through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Its grant program supports education, enforcement and engineering initiatives addressing impaired and distracted driving, speeding, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Pasadena police have historically applied for and received annual funding through the program, according to the report. The money supports driving-under-the-influence enforcement operations, DUI and driver’s license checkpoints, saturation patrols and traffic safety education campaigns.
The grant also allows police to conduct operations targeting collision factors in Pasadena, including red-light violations, failures to yield to pedestrians and bicycle safety issues.
The department said the award would help improve roadway safety for residents, workers and visitors without requiring additional city general fund support. The proposed budget amendment would record the grant revenue and corresponding spending authority in the general fund.
Staff also recommends that the council find the grant-funded activities exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under its “common sense” exemption, which applies when an activity has no possibility of causing a significant environmental effect.
Here are the remaining items on Monday’s consent calendar.
Electricity Reliability Plan With 15% Reserve Margin
The plan Tuesday requires Pasadena Water and Power to maintain dependable electricity capacity at least 15% above expected peak demand to help meet customers’ needs during extreme heat, unexpected outages and other grid emergencies.
The proposed Resource Adequacy Program will formalize the utility’s existing procurement and operational planning practices, establishing reserve requirements, standards for evaluating power resources and reporting procedures.
Approval has no immediate fiscal impact or effect on the general fund, according to a staff report.
“For Pasadena residents and businesses, the Resource Adequacy Program helps ensure reliable electric service during periods of high demand and emergency conditions while supporting the City’s transition to a carbon-free electric supply,” the report states.
The program establishes a 15% planning reserve margin, a measure of the additional capacity a utility maintains above forecast peak demand. It also calls for a mix of resources capable of supplying electricity during peak demand, periods of greatest demand remaining after renewable generation is accounted for, and extended periods of need.
The framework applies to city-managed or city-procured energy resources, including power supply contracts, distributed energy resources, backup generation and critical facility power systems.
Under the proposal, the utility will inventory and evaluate generation, storage and demand response resources, assessing their availability, reliability and performance. Demand response programs help manage electricity use during periods of strain on the grid.
The city also will examine power import constraints, interconnection limits and local distribution capacity to identify vulnerabilities associated with heat waves, wildfire-related outages and supply shortages.
Annual demand forecasts will account for electricity-use trends, economic growth, electric vehicles, building electrification and climate impacts. Planning will include peak demand projections over one-, five- and 10-year periods, incorporating extreme weather scenarios.
Regular reports, generally issued annually or monthly, would summarize demand forecasts, resource sufficiency, battery storage performance and emerging risks. They also would recommend power purchases or infrastructure improvements.
The California Independent System Operator requires utilities within its balancing area to demonstrate sufficient resources and transmission capacity. Those requirements address overall supply, resources needed in areas with transmission constraints and resources that can respond quickly to changing grid conditions.
Municipal utilities have flexibility to establish their own resource adequacy requirements, according to the report.
The proposed program also identifies local resilience measures, including microgrids and battery storage, among its goals. Staff said the framework supports Pasadena’s goal of obtaining 100% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by the end of 2030.
$25,000 Grant to Curb Underage Alcohol Sales
The grant will help Pasadena police prevent underage drinking, target adults who provide alcohol to minors and enforce laws at businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.
The award, through the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s ABC-OTS Grant Program, will fund personnel costs associated with enforcement efforts, including overtime, benefits, travel and training reimbursements. No matching funds are required.
The grant period runs from Oct. 1 through Aug. 31 according to a Police Department report.
The city has approximately 380 active retail alcohol licenses, the report states. Police said alcohol-related incidents in several areas affect residents, business owners and visitors, while establishments selling alcohol generate patrol calls involving public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
The program seeks to reduce alcohol sales to minors, target adults who furnish them alcohol and conduct inspections stressing education for licensed businesses.
Pasadena police have received similar grants previously to help prevent fatal and injury collisions involving young people, increase public awareness and reduce alcohol-related crime, according to the report.
Those efforts also address “shoulder tap” activity near alcohol retailers, in which minors ask adults to purchase alcohol for them.
“This funding will support overtime, benefits, travel and training reimbursements for police department personnel involved in ABC enforcement activity,” the report states.
The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control administers the program with support from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Police are asking the council to adopt a resolution authorizing receipt of the award, authorize the city manager to execute grant documents and amend the department’s fiscal year 2027 operating budget.
The amendment would recognize $25,000 in grant revenue and appropriate an equal amount in the city’s general fund.
The report identifies acceptance of the award as consistent with council public safety priorities.
City Council to Consider $10,000 Grant to Investigate Real Estate Fraud
The City Council authorized the use of a $10,000 Los Angeles County grant to support real estate fraud investigations, training and prevention efforts by the Pasadena Police Department.
The award through the county’s 2026-2027 Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Grant Program will help cover costs associated with investigating and prosecuting cases.
The city manager is authorized to execute grant-related documents and amend the department’s fiscal year 2027 operating budget to recognize the revenue and appropriate the funding.
The county program provides money to local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to strengthen their ability to deter, investigate and prosecute real estate fraud.
Pasadena police have applied for and received funding through the program in previous years, according to the report.
“The funding will support the financial crime investigators by covering costs associated with investigations and prosecutions,” the report states.
The department plans to use the award for fraud prevention literature and materials, training, overtime, equipment and other needed supplies.
The report does not identify specific investigations that would receive funding or provide figures on the number of real estate fraud cases handled by Pasadena police.
Staff said accepting the award would support City Council priorities involving public safety, crime prevention and the prosecution of those responsible for real estate fraud. The report describes the grant as a way to supplement available resources with outside funding.
Approval adds $10,000 in grant revenue and an equal amount of spending authority to the Police Department’s budget within the city’s general fund.
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