Pittsburg Opens Marina Fire Pits, Sends Open-Fire Rules Back to Staff

Pittsburg's new marina fire pits will open under interim rules. The City Council declined on Nov. 2, 2026, to take up a citywide ordinance that residents said would have policed family barbecues and cultural traditions. In the same meeting, residents spent more than half an hour pressing for a full moratorium on the Avaya data center, and the police chief outlined how the city will meet a state immigration-policy deadline.

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• Fire pits open, ordinance shelved: Council voted unanimously to open Central Harbor Park pits and keep a 9 p.m. cutoff.
• Data center opposition intensifies: Speakers demanded a moratorium covering Phase 1 and cited 37 diesel generators.
• SB 580 clock is ticking: The city must adopt an immigration-interaction policy by Jan. 1, 2027. Residents want an ordinance instead.
• Mayor recuses on three consent items: She cited a pending Fair Political Practices Commission review of a complaint.
• $10 e-billing rebate approved: $100,000 comes from existing Water Fund appropriations.

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Council Narrows Open-Fire Rules to Fire Pits

The basics: Staff proposed a new chapter, PMC 9.19, to regulate open fires, fire pits, barbecue pits and bonfires in city parks.

Why it matters: The ordinance would have reached every family barbecue in every park, not just the new marina fire pits. That scope drew the night's longest debate.

Where things stand: Assistant to the City Manager Sara Bellafronte walked through the draft. It would bar fires during red-flag warnings and when winds reach 15 mph sustained or 25 mph gusts. Fire pits would be limited to 3 to 9 p.m. and barbecues to sunrise to 9 p.m. The draft also created designated fire use areas, required reservations for city wood-burning pits, and assigned enforcement to four departments with cost recovery.

"Section 8 prohibits bonfires outright on all city park and public property with no exception," said Bellafronte.

She said revisions had made tree buffers advisory. Staff also added a section protecting existing barbecues. "The entire Section 7 was added to make those as accessible as they are yesterday, tomorrow," Bellafronte said.

The other side: Six public commenters opposed the draft.

• Public commenter Lynn Doherty objected to a 20-person limit, a 25-foot tree buffer and the lack of cultural exceptions. "This will stop a majority of people from having a nice time in our local park," she said.
• Public commenter Wolfgang said older parks lack compliant pads and that large events could be canceled on Spare the Air days. He suggested limiting the rules to the marina.
• Public commenter Martin said marina winds regularly exceed 15 mph and pointed to windbreaks in Rio Vista.
• Public commenter Tamara Rossi argued the rules target communities of color. She contrasted them with the city's approach to generators at the data center.
• Public commenter Teresa defended bonfires as a civic tradition and urged the city to consult the Muwekma.
• Public commenter Jessica Rojas asked for an equity lens. She noted that houseless residents use fire pits to keep warm.

Dais split on scope, not on opening: Councilmember Juan Banales pushed to narrow the ordinance to fire pits. "What is the problem we're trying to solve?" he asked.

Vice Mayor Angelica Lopez echoed him: "Why fix what's not broken?" Councilmember Arlene Kobata also asked for reconsideration of the personal barbecue provisions.

Councilmember Jelani Killings favored opening the pits now and adjusting the rules later. "The thing about public policy is that it can always be amended," he said.

City Manager Darin Gale offered to move quickly under interim rules: "We'll get them open by the end of the week."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Council did not introduce the ordinance for first reading. Lopez's motion passed unanimously, according to the mayor; individual votes were not stated. The motion:

• Opens the fire pits.
• Keeps the 9 p.m. cutoff.
• Reserves a decision on fees.
• Directs staff to return within three months on a potential 10 p.m. curfew and other ordinance changes.

Families using park barbecues keep the status quo for now. Marina users get the new pits under interim city manager rules.

What's next: Staff returns in about three months.

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Data Center Foes Demand Phase 1 Moratorium

Why it matters: Non-agenda public comment ran more than 35 minutes and was dominated by opposition to the Avaya data center. Speakers framed the project as a public-health, transparency and language-access fight. They vowed to keep pressing ahead of the election.

Where things stand: Ten commenters raised a consistent set of themes.

• Public commenter Marifer Miranda cited 37 diesel generators, cancer risk and the cumulative burden on a vulnerable community.
• Public commenter Cynthia Cardinale criticized siting new sports facilities near the planned data center. She asked for air purifiers and play rules during generator use.
• Public commenter Chartowska urged a moratorium on all phases, including Phase 1, or an outright ban.
• Rossi said the existing 45-day moratorium excludes Phase 1. She argued that state conflict-of-interest law, Government Code 1090, applies. "Let me repeat. The entire government body is barred from entering into that contract," she said. That is her characterization, not a finding.
• Doherty said the project's advisory committee bypasses open-meeting norms. She requested transcripts and questioned a $60,000 consultant contract.
• Public commenter Leticia praised a Spanish-language presentation by Faith in Action and St. Peter Martyr. She criticized the city's earlier outreach to Spanish-speaking families.
• Public commenter David Manley asked council to tell the developer the project is not a fit. He also urged a return to electing the mayor.
• Public commenter Pauline Johnson disputed claims that the Dream Courts were on time and on budget, and requested a retrospective.

Council did not respond during comment. One speaker was removed for disruption.

Contracts and a recusal: The fight resurfaced on the consent calendar. Mayor Dionne Adams said the Fair Political Practices Commission is reviewing a complaint about her participation in a 2024 item.

"I have a conflict and am recusing from consent calendar items 12, 13, and 14, which are PPC items," Mayor Adams said.

The city attorney explained recusal under the Political Reform Act and Government Code 1090. Doherty questioned why an additional $250,000 was needed for a power contract tied to the data center. She also criticized contract growth on a developer-initiated project.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The consent calendar passed with the mayor recused; the tally was not stated. Organized residents and faith groups are pairing health concerns with procurement scrutiny. That puts consultant spending, not just land use, under the microscope.

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SB 580: Policy Now, Ordinance Fight Ahead

The basics: SB 580 requires cities to adopt a policy on local interaction with federal immigration authorities by Jan. 1, 2027.

Where things stand: Police Chief Gayler responded to a request from Lopez with a five-step plan:

1. Compare the attorney general's model policy with the department's existing Lexipol 415 policy, which stems from SB 54.
2. Draft a policy with city attorney review.
3. Hold a town hall in November.
4. Consider community feedback.
5. Implement by the deadline.

"No policy adoption, resolution, appropriation, or request to schedule a subsequent policy adoption agenda item is before the council tonight," Gayler said.

Asked by a councilmember, the chief said the city has no Flock cameras. He said the Pittsburg Police Department does not share Peregrine data with federal agencies.

The other side: Seven commenters pushed for more.

• Rojas and a commenter named Angelica wanted a binding ordinance rather than a policy. Angelica submitted Petaluma's resolution and asked for signage marking public and non-public areas.
• Rojas asked whether Flock cameras on private roads and vendors like Peregrine would be covered.
• Doherty asked for an in-person, primarily Spanish-language town hall with live interpretation.
• Pauline Johnson listed success criteria: operational rules, reporting and auditing, consequences, and coverage of vendors.
• A commenter named Marifer urged consulting the East County Rapid Response Coalition.
• Rossi asked for immediate steps: "You can stop sharing your city resources with the federal agents."

What's next: Gale said his office would lead the effort, possibly through an interim administrative order. He is aiming for a community meeting within 14 days. "We have a requirement to implement prior to January 1st," he said.

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$10 Nudge Toward Paperless Water Bills

Where things stand: The city's new Tyler utility billing system is going live. Council unanimously approved a one-time $10 credit, according to the mayor; Killings seconded the motion.

• Eligibility: One credit per account, for customers who enroll between Nov. 4 and Feb. 4 and stay enrolled at least 90 days.
• Funding: $100,000 from existing Water Fund appropriations.
• The math: Staff say paper bills cost more than $178,000 a year, and each rebate pays back in about 11 months.
• Accountability: A six-month review against a 30% adoption benchmark.
• Outreach: In-person office hours, phone help and English/Spanish mailers.

The other side: Rossi raised accessibility, language and unbanked-resident concerns. Doherty flagged card-processing fees for fixed-income residents. "E-billing only refers to the way that you receive your bill, not the way you pay it," Bellafronte said. Card fees are a separate item.

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Minor Items

• Youth Advisory Commission: Council unanimously appointed Pittsburg High students Genesis Johnson and Olivia Nzechukwu.
• Hotel proclamation: Council honored Home2 Suites by Hilton, a 115-room hotel financed with a $10M C-PACE loan.
• Veterans Day: Ceremonies begin at sunrise, 7:30 a.m., on Nov. 11, honoring the Camp Stoneman legacy.
• Dream Courts demand: Gale reported 80 teams and 42 of 52 weekends booked. Twilight Parade applications are due Nov. 15.
• In memoriam: The meeting adjourned in memory of former Mayor Merle Kraft.

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Looking Ahead

Council next meets Nov. 16, 2026. Watch for the SB 580 community meeting, the three-month return of the fire ordinance, and the FPPC review of the mayor's complaint.