[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6545392,"mediaKeyId","3666963-3c3668e1dd0b49445465a9e74a0b6e9c","parentId",3666963,"title","Kalimota and other plaintiffs press National City for mediation as council moves to closed session on lawsuits and labor talks","audioSeconds",288,"startMs",609060,"endMs",897113,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3666963-3c3668e1dd0b49445465a9e74a0b6e9c&start=609&end=897","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3666963-3c3668e1dd0b49445465a9e74a0b6e9c/thumbnail_609060.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6545392/National-City/San-Diego-County/California/Kalimota-and-other-plaintiffs-press-National-City-for-mediation-as-council-moves-to-closed-session-on-lawsuits-and-labor-talks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545392-68b16d9016d752abd4bc981ef3aafa4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437542&Signature=H1CZvhB7Er2t9lQWKtNYihYcboBct48KfaKCg~YECG~x-7gBsYYG7bAdtN2NQUXldpw38Gyl3i0x9AkMtric68Rvc23TD7lpkR3qLm-1Q~GSWzHs2p0HO0btwU4FGxGAQvWmxaxqQ08gGr1y3Y8Oy-S2IRt3NVMZOEjLmwpmsID5U38K5j6eqmTf9QMhBD3lAbprscydQQT~v2ozIojIGo2EEf8cyv-leMTtJBSS2NBzgo-FPghG4E86PXASZc083woPSos1HjlcTic2VvT-PmlzZdyLJbbA0HA3my96EFMTJQmdvM6t4zUNhiann2RtNDVNu7D5mHZmzLlzuUjdTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","National City","date","2025-06-04T00:00:00Z","article","At a special meeting of the National City Council, plaintiffs in ongoing disputes and a local cannabis applicant told the council they plan to mediate and urged a settlement that they said would bring tax revenue at no cost to the city.

Dukey Valderrama, a commenter addressing item 5.2, said the city has a court hearing “coming up next week” and urged settlement to avoid continued litigation. Jacqueline Reynoso, who identified herself as with Kalimota, criticized the city’s handling of licensing and said she believes the city attorney has not “operated in good faith to provide immediate options for a swift resolution.” She said Kalimota is one of two local qualified applicants and described the company as a Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and female‑owned business seeking a license.

Another commenter, who identified herself as Laura Wilkerson, said the parties have an offer that has been before the city for over a year and that it would be “no cost to you.” Wilkerson said, “We will be mediating this, coming Wednesday… We will go to this mediation in good faith,” and said the applicant would dismiss litigation costs if granted a license. Several speakers said other applicants had dissolved their business entities and that Kalimota remained prepared to open.

Commenters also invoked a prior court judgment; Jacqueline Reynoso said the city “already got hit with the $10,000,000 judgment for acts of discrimination against a female officer,” a claim she attributed to past litigation and that she raised during public comment.

Following public comment the council recessed into closed session. The city attorney read the closed‑session agenda items on the record: conferences with legal counsel on existing litigation, listed as Polanco v. City of National City; BCD v. City of National City; and Kalimota v. City of National City. The attorney also said the council would confer with labor negotiators with employee organizations including the Municipal Employees Association (MEA), the firefighters association, the police officers association and unrepresented groups.

The meeting record shows no public votes or settlements announced during the session; the city indicated it would provide a report‑out at the end of the workshop that followed the closed session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","National City - Special City Council - Jun 04, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Applicants and local business representatives told the council they will mediate and urged the city to accept a no‑cost offer; the council recessed into closed session to discuss Polanco v. City, BCD v. City, Kalimota v. City and labor negotiations.","taxTitle","National City, San Diego County, California","taxId",3877,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6545397,"Residents urge National City Council to return Sweetwater-area parcels to residential zoning",435,166190,601578,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3666963-3c3668e1dd0b49445465a9e74a0b6e9c&start=166&end=601","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3666963-3c3668e1dd0b49445465a9e74a0b6e9c/thumbnail_166190.jpg","/articles/6545397/National-City/San-Diego-County/California/Residents-urge-National-City-Council-to-return-Sweetwater-area-parcels-to-residential-zoning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545397-d2047c783c93db1cf22b06e3c87dd44b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437542&Signature=ZQy4GR09n4h4n41hut1rH4IN9lGIqapGtRViqGF-nrwpoQWUpxuo2hAFfcLxyXUingm8eRGTfnfPofbxVn2rMhSeVnUPqXXE2RtsGN~XIzecUMgNBLC9-C6E0xUByehMsX3hacx0Kn8GInrNnqPbUMlwsTgwSM5HtYZow66Nd~cndhHsiryFNZLyiLpKtiRp-hJrmgNrls2AeOm3CHbc~3zbNIS9j7vWi3VOWb3jenMMr-sbv2s4Z8ZUR-k6WYmVMGSSJoSfoDaQuSIq7KmmUOhATtCFlvHzk623qmXhshx7Tfs73X4uKjjDpVZuMrXEcb4-KzborBF~6nRmAjQoUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a special meeting of the National City Council, multiple residents urged the council to return properties at Sweetwater and Orange from mixed‑use zoning to residential, saying the parcels had been homes for decades and should not be rezoned for a new project.

The speakers focused on agenda item 5.1. Doyle Morrison, a resident, told the council he was “requesting that you guys look into and research to, change that back from the spot zoning of mixed use down to residential like it was for years.” Alex Goodrude, a resident, said the site “has historically been residential” and added that the planning commission had deemed the proposed project a “public health and safety nuisance,” raising CEQA and traffic questions.

The petition to revert the zoning drew follow‑up comments from other residents. Mika Polanco asked the council to “please return these properties, 5 properties to residential.” Louisa McCarthy called the project “a complete injustice” and criticized city leaders by name in unsparing terms; her remarks were made during the public‑comment portion of the meeting.

Several speakers raised procedural and records concerns tied to the project. Louisa McCarthy and others said a ground lease for the site remains active. Michael Aguirre, a commenter, said attendees had learned from the city’s IT testimony that the city “does not preserve text messages,” and he asked the council to place a litigation hold on documents within the scope of public‑records requests. Another commenter said the city received a formal request for production listing more than two dozen items and asked for those records to be released.

Speakers repeatedly urged the council to restore the parcels to a low‑density residential designation, citing houses that were torn down “and it's been empty for over 40 years.” Several asked the council to reverse what they called “spot zoning” that benefits a particular development interest and to provide transparency about lease and offer documents.

The remarks occurred during the public‑comment period; no council votes or formal actions on item 5.1 were taken on the record at the meeting. After public comment the council recessed into closed session; the city attorney later listed several pending lawsuits and labor negotiations on the closed‑session agenda.

Less critical details: meeting organizers limited each public commenter to one minute because the session included a closed session, and several speakers said they would continue pursuing public‑records and legal options outside the meeting.","At a National City special meeting, several residents urged the council to revert parcels at Sweetwater and Orange from mixed‑use back to residential, citing decades of historic housing use, a long‑term ground lease and public‑records concerns.","actionData","errors"]

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Kalimota and other plaintiffs press National City for mediation as council moves to closed session on lawsuits and labor talks

Residents urge National City Council to return Sweetwater-area parcels to residential zoning