14-B
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to approve the Minutes of the February 26, 2024, Regular Meeting of the City Council.
DATE: March 11, 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
None
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Approve the February 26, 2024, Regular Meeting Minutes; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
ATTACHMENT
Minutes of the February 26, 2024, Regular Meeting… ................ ………………………… 2
MINUTES
CITY OF BELLFLOWER
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BELLFLOWER CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2024
BELLFLOWER CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS
5:30 P.M. CLOSED SESSION / 7:00 P.M. OPEN SESSION
5:30 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
1 CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Koops called the Regular Meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Bellflower City Hall, 16600 Civic Center Drive, Bellflower.
2 ROLL CALL
The following members of the City Council responded present to roll call:
Mayor Dan Koops
Mayor Pro Tem Ray Dunton
Council Member Wendi Morse
Council Member Victor A. Sanchez
Council Member Sonny R. Santa Ines
3 RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION
For the record, 1) City Manager Smoot read the titles of the Closed Session items; and 2) Mayor Pro Tem Dunton requested to add an item to the Closed Session agenda, a) stating that an urgency arose after the posting of the agenda and the matter could not wait for a special meeting notice; and b) read the following item into the record:
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR
Property: Assessor Parcel Nos. 7109-013-800, 7109-013-801, 7109-013-900, 7109-013-036, and 7109-013-037
For the record, Council Member Morse announced that she would recuse herself from the item as her employer owns property within 500 feet of the subject property.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 3
February 26, 2024 Page 2 of 7
3 RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION – Continued
It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Dunton, seconded by Council Member Sanchez, and carried by the following roll call vote, to add Closed Session Item 3-B to the agenda by determining that there is an immediate need to take action and the matter arose after the posting of the agenda:
AYES: Council Members - Sanchez, Santa Ines, Dunton, and Mayor Koops
RECUSE: Council Member - Morse
There being no one from the public in attendance, without objection, Mayor Koops recessed the Meeting at 5:34 p.m. to a Closed Session regarding:
A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2): Two Matters
B CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR
(Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8)
Property: Assessor Parcel Nos. 7109-013-800, 7109-013-801, 7109-013-900, 7109-013-036, and 7109-013-037
Agency Negotiator: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
For the record, Closed Session adjourned at 6:58 p.m.
4 RECONVENE FOR OPEN SESSION
Mayor Koops reconvened the Meeting at 7:02 p.m. with all members present and announced that no reportable action was taken during Closed Session.
7:00 P.M. – OPEN SESSION
5 CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Koops called the Open Session of the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. with all members present.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 6
February 26, 2024 Page 3 of 7
6 ROLL CALL
The following members of the City Council responded present to roll call:
Mayor Dan Koops
Mayor Pro Tem Ray Dunton
Council Member Wendi Morse
Council Member Victor A. Sanchez
Council Member Sonny R. Santa Ines
Staff Participants:
Ryan Smoot, City Manager
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
Len Gorecki, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Travis Sais, Deputy City Manager
Elizabeth Oba, Director of Planning and Building Services Joel Hockman, Director of Public Safety
Dakota Wallace, Management Assistant
7 INVOCATION
Council Member Wendi Morse offered the Invocation.
8 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Director of Planning and Building Services Elizabeth Oba led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
9 CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Koops provided details relative to the 37 Oaks ten-course certified program to assist local product-based merchants.
Mayor Pro Tem Dunton provided details relative to the Southeast Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board’s workshop to be held on March 11, 2024, at the C. Robert Lee Activity Center in Hawaiian Gardens.
Council Member Morse provided details relative to the free eight-week program for Spanish-speaking business owners and residents to be held every Wednesday beginning March 6, 2024, at Bellflower City Hall.
Council Member Sanchez provided details relative to the Chamber of Commerce’s next Monthly Morning Mingle to be held on February 27, 2024.
Council Member Santa Ines provided details relative to the Fair Housing Foundation’s Fair Housing Workshop to be held on March 7, 2024, at Bellflower City Hall.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 9
February 26, 2024 Page 4 of 7
10 PUBLIC COMMENTS
Cheryl Williams, resident, commended the Public Works Department for their good work, stating 1) staff quickly responded to a report of an unleveled sidewalk in her neighborhood; and 2) administrative staff was extremely professional and helpful when asked questions about placing a barricade around her lawn.
John Butts, resident, 1) expressed dissatisfaction with the three-minute limit for public comments; 2) expressed dissatisfaction with the Bellflower Substation , stating that he is referred to the Lakewood Sheriff’s Substation to file reports; 3) explained that he has submitted six police reports to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, but has yet to receive a resolution; 4) expressed the opinion that the City’s homeless situation is out of hand and questioned if the City is considered a “sanctuary city” because nothing is being done to alleviate the issue; and 5) explained that the City is not allowing his neighbor to teach golf in the City parks, noting that his neighbor would offer the classes for free, but he has not received a call from the City.
John Giries expressed public safety concerns in the vicinity of Town Center Plaza, including 1) skateboarders defacing public property and utilizing the area for drug use and illicit behavior, which has resulted in altercations; 2) illegal parking on Adenmoor Avenue after hours; 3) requested the City to consider having consistent patrol on the weekends and to contract with a vendor for towing services; 4) explained Public Safety staff issued citations to illegally parked vehicles on Saturday, further expressing the opinion that this type of enforcement makes a difference; and 5) thanked the City Council for their ongoing efforts.
In response to comments provided by John Giries, Mayor Koops suggested he speak with Director of Public Safety Hockman to look into the issues.
Victoria McClain, resident, expressed concerns regarding the crosswalk and traffic signal project on Lakewood Boulevard and Mayne Street, stating 1) she grew up in the Bellflower area and Lakewood Boulevard has always been a dangerous street; 2) Lakewood Boulevard is considered a highway and pedestrians should not cross in that area; and 3) requested that the City stop the project immediately.
In response to comments provided by Victoria McClain, 1) Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Gorecki stated the crosswalk will be accompanied by a controlled traffic signal, noting the crosswalk will be utilized by pedestrians when vehicles are stopped at a red light on Lakewood Boulevard; and the project is funded through a grant, as the State of California recently relinquished Lakewood Boulevard to the City; and 2) Mayor Koops suggested she speak with Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Gorecki to discuss the matter further.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 10
February 26, 2024 Page 5 of 7
10 PUBLIC COMMENTS – Continued
Gisela Gonzales, resident, expressed public safety concerns in the vicinity of Rosecrans Avenue and Dunrobin Avenue, including 1) vehicles and motorcycles speeding at various hours of the day and night, as well as traffic congestion; 2) aggressive transients in the area; and 3) asked what the City is doing to alleviate the homeless issue.
In response to comments provided by Gisela Gonzales, Mayor Koops suggested she speak with Director of Public Safety Hockman to look into the issues.
11 PUBLIC HEARINGS
None
12 ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
None
13 CONSIDERATION ITEMS
None
14 CONSENT CALENDAR
For the record, 1) Council Member Morse announced that she would recuse herself from Item 14-E (Ordinance No. 1426) as her employer owns property within 500 feet of the subject property; and 2) supplemental material for Item 14 -H (Resolution No. 24-12) was distributed to the City Council and made available to the public prior to the start of the meeting.
It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Dunton, seconded by Council Member Santa Ines, and carried by the following roll call vote, to approve the actions stipulated on the Consent Calendar:
AYES: Council Members - Morse, Sanchez, Santa Ines, Dunton, and Mayor Koops
A Consideration and possible action to receive and file City Council Warrant Register No. 24-082, dated February 26, 2024.
Action: Received and filed Warrant Register No. 24-082.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 14
February 26, 2024 Page 6 of 7
14 CONSENT CALENDAR – Continued
B Consideration and possible action to receive and file Treasurer’s Report for the Month of January 2024.
Action: Received and filed the Treasurer’s Report.
C Consideration and possible action to approve the Minutes of the January 22, 2024, Regular Meeting of the City Council.
Action: Approved the January 22, 2024, Regular Meeting Minutes.
D Consideration and possible action to approve the Minutes of the February 12, 2024, Joint Regular Meeting of the City Council and Bellflower Financing Authority.
Action: Approved the February 12, 2024, Joint Regular Meeting Minutes.
E Consideration and possible action to waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1426 – An Ordinance changing the Zoning Designation from C-G (General Commercial) Zone to R-1 (Low Density Residential) Zone for properties located at 10473, 10505, and 10511 Artesia Boulevard.
CEQA: The City reviewed the environmental impacts of the proposed Ordinance pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq. “CEQA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal.
Code of Regs. §§ 15000, et seq., the “CEQA Guidelines”). CEQA Guideline § 15164 provides that an addendum to an adopted Negative Declaration may be prepared where none of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines § 15162 have occurred. The proposed Ordinance is within the scope o f the City’s General Plan Map update which was evaluated under a Negative Declaration (“ND”) (Attachment D) and will not result in substantial changes in the project requiring major revisions to the ND, substantial changes with respect to the circumstances under which the ND was undertaken, and that there is no new information of substantial importance which was not known and could not have been known at the time the ND was adopted. Accordingly, the Ordinance is not subject to further environmental review.
Action: Waived further reading and adopted Ordinance No. 1426.
F Consideration and possible action to ratify Amendment No. 1 to Agreement File No. 774.1, between John Giries and the City of Bellflower, regarding the use of Town Center Plaza, 9847 Belmont Street, and a portion of the City-owned parking lot (APN 7109-010-914) to host a comedy event.
Action: Ratified Amendment No. 1 to Agreement File No. 774.1, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
G Consideration and possible action to adopt Resolution No. 24-11 – A Resolution declaring unclaimed monies as property of the City of Bellflower and transferring it to the City’s General Fund pursuant to Government Code § 50053.
Action: Adopted Resolution No. 24-11.
Bellflower City Council Minutes Item No. 14
February 26, 2024 Page 7 of 7
14 CONSENT CALENDAR – Continued
H Consideration and possible action to adopt Resolution No. 24 -12 – A Resolution retroactively adopting City Election Campaign Finance Policies in accordance with Government Code § 85702.5.
Action: Adopted Resolution No. 24-12, as amended.
15 COUNCIL REPORTS
Council Member Santa Ines, Council Member Morse, and Mayor Koops made various comments and reports.
16 ADJOURNMENT
Without objection, Mayor Koops adjourned the meeting at 7:27 p.m., to the next Regular Meeting of the Bellflower City Council at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024.
Dan Koops, Mayor
City of Bellflower
ATTEST:
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
Approved: March 11, 2024