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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Elizabeth C. Oba, Director of Planning and Building Services SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to read by title only, waive further reading, and introduce Ordinance No. 1458 — An Ordinance amending Chapter 2.32 of the Bellflower Municipal Code regarding the regular Planning Commission meetings and meeting minutes.
DATE: June 22, 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Bellflower Municipal Code ("BMC") Chapter 2.32 regulates the administration and conduct of hearings before the Planning Commission. Currently, the regular Planning Commission meetings are scheduled for the 1 st and 3rd Mondays of each month. For the last several years, the Commission has rarely held two meetings a month due to the decrease in applications requiring Planning Commission approval. There have also been several instances in which no meetings were held in a month. The decrease in applications requiring Planning Commission approval is a result of previous BMC amendments to help streamline the development process, in which certain types of projects can now be reviewed administratively. In addition, due to new housing legislation, certain housing projects that were previously reviewed by the Planning Commission must now be done ministerially. It is recommended that the City Council direct the City Manager to schedule one regular Planning Commission meeting a month. This Ordinance would also allow the City Manager to cancel a Planning Commission meeting should there be no business to consider. In addition, this Ordinance would eliminate outdated provisions related to meeting minutes.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Read by title only, waive further reading, and introduce Ordinance No. 1458, amending BMC Chapter 2.32; and
2) Direct the City Manager to revise the Planning Commission schedule to meet once a month on the 3rd Mondays of the month; or
3) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
Currently, each Planning Commissioner receives a $150 stipend per meeting up to two meetings per month, provided a meeting is held. By revising the Planning Commission schedule to meet once a month, there could be a decrease of approximately $9,000 annually to the Planning Commission budget.
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Staff Report — Planning Commission Meetings
June 22, 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Ordinance is exempt from additional review under the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et sea., "CEQA") and regulations promulgated thereunder (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et sea., the "CEQA Guidelines") because under CEQA Guidelines §§ 15061 (b) (3) and 15378(b)(5), the Ordinance establishes internal governmental procedures that have no potential to cause a significant effect on the environment.
DISCUSSION
➢ Planning Commission Meetings
The regular Planning Commission meetings are currently scheduled twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. Over the last several years, there has consistently not been a need to hold two meetings a month and in some instances even one meeting a month due to the reduced number of applications requiring Planning Commission approval. The table below shows the number of meetings held over the last 3'/2 years.
Year
# of Planning
Commission Meetings
Held
2023
8 2024
11 2025
1 11
2026 to date
4 The reduction in the number of applications for the Planning Commission to consider is a result of previous code changes to help streamline and expedite the development process as well as changes to state law that require administrative approvals for certain projects.
For example, previously most multi -family residential and certain commercial projects required a Conditional Use Permit ("CUP") and Planning Commission approval. In 2016, the BMC was amended and now these projects are processed administratively by Planning staff. In addition, the State has enacted several new housing laws, which require certain housing projects to be allowed "by -right" and without any major discretion. These changes have resulted in a reduction in applications requiring Planning Commission approval.
The Planning Commission has expressed interest in having more training opportunities and requested to utilize some meetings to have informational presentations. During months where there are no applications to schedule for Planning Commission review, staff has scheduled informational presentations on various planning topics such as the rules and regulations related to ADUs, SB 9 units, and AB 2011, among others. Out of the 11 meetings in 2025, one meeting was held to conduct an informational presentation.
Out of the four meetings held to date in 2026, two of the meetings have been held to conduct an informational presentation.
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Staff Report — Planning Commission Meetings
June 22, 2026
DISCUSSION — Continued
Pursuant to BMC § 2.32.040(A), "the Commission shall hold at least one regular meeting in each month." Based on reductions in the number of items that require consideration by the Planning Commission, Ordinance No. 1458 is proposed to allow cancellation of the Planning Commission meeting by the City Manager in the event there are no pending items to be reviewed. In addition, it is recommended that the regular Planning Commission meeting schedule be revised to hold a meeting once a month on the 3rd Monday of each month, unless canceled by the City Manager. ➢ Meeting Minutes
BMC § 2.32.130 states the following:
"Within 14 days after any meeting of the Planning Commission, the Secretary shall cause to be prepared and mailed to the individual members of the Planning Commission a copy of the proposed minutes of said meeting. The first item of business at each meeting of the Planning Commission shall be the consideration of said proposed minutes. After the Commission makes any changes or additions it desires, if any, the minutes shall be finally engrossed and a copy thereof shall be mailed to each member of the Planning Commission and to each member of the City Council."
Following a Planning Commission meeting, best efforts are made to prepare the draft minutes to be brought back for approval at the next Planning Commission meeting, but at times staff is unable to complete the minutes for consideration at the next meeting.
Also, rather than mailing copies of minutes to the Planning Commission, the draft meeting minutes are provided in the Planning Commission meeting packets which are delivered to each Commissioner ahead of the meetings. Ordinance No. 1458 will eliminate this section in its entirety. Staff will continue to make its best efforts to prepare the draft minutes for consideration at the next regular Planning Commission meeting and minutes will continue to be provided to each commissioner through their packet materials rather than by mailing.
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CITY OF BELLFLOWER
ORDINANCE NO. 1458
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2.32 OF THE
BELLFLOWER MUNICIPAL CODE ("BMC") REGARDING THE
REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND MEETING
MINUTES
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Findings. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. In 1958, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 35, which established procedures related to the administration and hearing of matters before the Planning Commission, including without limitation, the timing in which the meeting minutes are to be prepared and mailed to the Planning Commission. In 1996, the time period to prepare and send minutes to the Commission was amended.
B. In 1983, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 520, which among other things, established the conduct of meetings for the Planning Commission, including the number of meetings the Commission must hold each month. There have been no changes to these provisions since adoption.
C. Bellflower Municipal Code ("BMC') § 2.32.040(A) requires that the Commission hold at least one regular meeting in each month. Over the last several years, the number of meetings held by the Planning Commission has decreased due to the reduction in the number of applications requiring Planning Commission approval. The reduction in the number of applications is a result of previous BMC amendments to streamline the development process by processing applications administratively and State housing laws that require certain housing projects to be reviewed ministerially.
D. BMC § 2.32.130 requires that within 14 days after any meeting of the Planning Commission, a copy of the proposed minutes be prepared and mailed to each Planning Commissioner. In addition, after the Commission approves the minutes, a copy must then be mailed to each Planning Commissioner and to each City Council member. These provisions are impractical and consists of an outdated practice.
E. Amending BMC § 2.32.040(A) would allow the City Manager to cancel Planning Commission meetings if there are no applications to consider. Repealing BMC § 2.32.130 would eliminate outdated provisions related to meeting minutes.
SECTION 2. BMC § 2.32.040(A) is amended as follows:
"The Commission eha4 will hold at least one regular meeting in each month-1 unless canceled by the City Manager."
SECTION 3. BMC § 2.32.040(A) is repealed in its entirety.
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City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1458
SECTION 4. Renumbering. All section of the BMC affected by changes implemented by this Ordinance are renumbered as appropriate.
SECTION 5. Action. Based on the above findings, the City Council approves the amendments to BMC Chapter 2.32.
SECTION 6. Environmental Review. The Council finds that adoption of this Ordinance is exempt from additional review under the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., "CEAQ") and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et., seq., the "CEQA Guidelines") because, under CEQA Guidelines §§ 15061(b)(3) and 15378(b)(5) the Ordinance establishes internal governmental procedures that have no potential to cause a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 7. Construction. This Ordinance must be broadly construed in order to achieve the purposes stated in this Ordinance. It is the City Council's intent that the provisions of this Ordinance be interpreted or implemented by the City and others in a manner that facilitates the purposes set forth in this Ordinance.
SECTION 8. Enforceability. Repeal of any provision of the BMC does not affect any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred before, or preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any violation occurring before this Ordinance's effective date. Any such repealed part will remain in full force and effect for sustaining action or prosecuting violations occurring before the effective date of this Ordinance.
SECTION 9. Validity of Previous Code Sections. If this entire Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, any repeal or amendment of the BMC or other city ordinance by this Ordinance will be rendered void and cause such previous BMC provision or other the city ordinance to remain in full force and effect for all purposes.
SECTION 10. Reliance on Record. Each and every one of the findings and determinations in this Ordinance are based on the competent and substantial evidence, both oral and written, contained in the entire record relating to the project. The findings and determinations constitute the independent findings and determinations of the City Council in all respects and are fully and completely supported by substantial evidence in the record as a whole.
SECTION 11. Limitations. The City Council's analysis and evaluation of the project is based on the best information currently available. It is inevitable that in evaluating a project that absolute and perfect knowledge of all possible aspects of the project will not exist. One of the major limitations on analysis of the project is the City Council's lack of knowledge of future events. In all instances, best efforts have been made to form accurate assumptions. Somewhat related to this are limitations on the City's ability to solve what are in effect regional, state, and National problems and issues. The City must work within the political framework within which it exists and with the limitations inherent in that framework.
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City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1458
SECTION 12. Severability. If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provisions or applications and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable.
SECTION 13. Electronic Signatures. This Ordinance may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 14. Summaries of Information. All summaries of information in the findings, which precede this section, are based on the substantial evidence in the record.
The absence of any particular fact from any such summary is not an indication that a particular finding is not based in part on that fact.
SECTION 15. Recordation and Publication. The City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this Ordinance; cause it to be entered into the City of Bellflower's book of original ordinances; make a note of the passage and adoption in the records of this meeting; and, within fifteen (15) days after the passage and adoption of this Ordinance, cause it to be published or posted in accordance with California law.
SECTION 16. Effective Date. This Ordinance will take effect on the 30t" day following its final passage and adoption.
ORDINANCE NO. 1458 HAD ITS FIRST READING ON JUNE 22, 2026, ITS
SECOND READING ON , AND WAS DULY PASSED, APPROVED, AND
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AT ITS
REGULAR MEETING OF
Sonny R. Santa Ines, Mayor
ATTEST:
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
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