BREA CITY COUNCIL
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE
BREA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
MEETING
M!NUTES
FEBRUARY 23,2022
CLOSED SESSION
6:30 p.m. - Executive Conference Room
Level Three
Closed Session may convene lo consider matters of purchase / sale of real property (G. C 554956.E). pending litigation IG.C 554956 9(d)(1)1. potential litrgailon IG.C. Ss49s6.9(dX2X3) or (4)1. liabilrty claims (G. C. 554961) or persofnel rlems (G.C.554957.6). Reco.ds not available for public inspection 2 Conference with Legal Counsel Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(dX2) - Anticipated Litigation. Significant Exposure to Litigation: 1 potential case.
Mayor Hupp adjourned the Study Session at 6:50 p.m.
6:55 p.m. - Council Chamber
Plaza Level
Pledge of Allegiance
Dorothy Heaton of Girl Scout Troop 6000 led the Pledge of Allegiance lnvocation
City Clerk Harris-Neal delivered the lnvocation
GENERAL SESSION
7:00 p.m. - Council Chamber
Plaza Level
CALL TO ORDERY ROLL CALL. COUNCIL
trilayor Hupp called the General Session to order at 7:02 p.m., all Council ftilembers were present Febtuary 23,2022
1 CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL. COUNCIL
Mayor Hupp called the Closed Session to order at 6:30 p.m. all Council Members were present except for Council Member Vargas.
Council Member Vargas joined the Closed Session at 6:32 p.m.
Present: Hupp, Parker, Marick, Vargas, Simonoff
1. Public Comment
None.
3 PUBLIC HEARING - This portion of the meeting is for matters that legally require an oppoftunity for public input. Audience pafticipation is encouraged and is limited to 5 minutes per speaker.
Public Hearing to Receive lnput from the Community Regarding the Proposed Transition to By-District City Council Elections; Selection of a District Map and Election Sequence; and lntroduction of Ordinance No. 1225, Establishing a By-District System for City Council Elections
Douglas Johnson, National Demographics presented a PowerPoint that included: why the City is districting; California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) impact; distracting process: redistricting rules and goals; draft maps overview; maps 103,'108, 115,1 16, 117,118 (revised map 106), 119, 120, and 121; summary of maps by California Voting Age by Population (CVAP); public hearing and discussion.
ln response to Council questions, Mr. Johnson provided the changes made to map 106 and clarified that the Federal law requirements do not apply to the City of Brea but State law does Mayor Hupp opened the public hearing.
Emeritus CEO for Brea Chamber of Commerce, Heidi Gallegos, stated that the Chamber expressed concern about the negative consequences if by-district voting is approved.
Dwight Manley urged Council to wait for the Santa Monica and lrvine lawsuit results before approving a by-district map and discussed the Shenkman lawsuit and dilution of voting.
City Clerk Harris-Neal read two (2) comments received via email.
Debbie Louis asked are Planning Commissioners required to live within the district of the Council Member that appoints them and will other Commission/Committees members be required to represent a certain district.
Ann Summers expressed opposition to district elections and expressed concern about grouping residents according to their ethnic or racial background. She asked if there will be a change in the by-district boundaries if the Brea 265 project occur because ofthe population increase.
Keith Fullington expressed concern about by-district elections in the City of Brea.
Hearing no further testimony, Mayor Hupp closed the public hearing. ln response lo the public's questions, Attorney Jim Markman confirmed that Planning Commissioners are not required to live in the district of the Council Member that appoints them and that the City can only redistrict every 10 years after the census results are provided or if the City annexes an area causing a substantial impact on the number of residents. ln response to Council l\,4ember Vargas'question regarding recall of Council l\/embers, lvlr.
Markman confirmed that if the City begins district electrons and a recall of a Council Member is on the ballot, only the people in the said district can vote for the recall.
Council discussed having most ofthe districts touch certain parts ofthe City, engaging the Febtuary 23,2022
Sean Thomas announced that the City of Diamond Bar voted to change from at-large voting to by-district voting and expressed support for by-district voting.
Glen Vodhanel stated that Council candidates can win an election without a large amount of money and stated that he is not in favor of by-district elections in the City of Brea.
community, risking a financial expense to defend possible litigation, keeping south Brea together, the City's obligation to finalize a map, public outreach, narrowing the number of maps to consider, the number of maps received by the public, having an online poll for public input, concerns for the business community, a referendum, timeline for adoption of an Ordinance, consequences for not having a district election during the November 2022 elections, and Shenkman's past and present lawsuits.
Mr. Markman reminded Council that the Shenkman litigation is not all about money, the City is risking the opportunity to choose their own district map if the City loses during a legal battle.
Council decided that map 117 and '1 18 will be the focus maps and agreed that they will bring the item back to a Special l\ileeting to allow more time for residents to provide input on which of the two (2) maps they believe is best for the City of Brea.
MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
Lillian rris-Neal, City Clerk
The foregoing minutes are hereby
approved this 23rd day arch.2022
Cecilia Hupp, Mayor
t'
Febtrary 23,2022
3 ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hupp adjourned the General Session at 8:33 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,