APPROVAL OF MINUTES
EL MONTE CITY COUNCIL CONCURRENT SPECIAL MEETING
OF MARCH 18, 2026
MEETING JOINTLY AND REGULARLY WITH THE EL MONTE HOUSING AUTHORITY; EL MONTE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY; EL MONTE PARKING AUTHORITY; EL MONTE WATER AUTHORITY; SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE FORMER EL MONTE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY; HOUSING SUCCESSOR AGENCY; AND, FROM TIME TO
TIME, SUCH OTHER BODIES OF THE CITY WHOSE MEMBERSHIP IS COMPOSED
EXCLUSIVELY OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CITY COUNCIL
1. CALL TO ORDER: 6:07 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL FOR CITY COUNCIL AND AUTHORITY BODIES:
Jessica Ancona, Mayor/Chair – present
Viviana Longoria, Mayor Pro Tem/Authority Member – present Marisol Cortez, Councilmember/Authority Member – present Sheila Crippen-Thomas, Councilmember/Authority Member – present Cindy Galvan, Councilmember/Authority Member – present
Martin Herrera, Councilmember/Authority Member – present Dr. Julia Ruedas, Councilmember/Authority Member – present
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
m) Councilmember Dr. Ruedas
s) Councilmember Crippen-Thomas 7-0
4. CLOSED SESSION:
This is the time set aside for interested members of the public to address the City Council on agendized Closed Session matters. Subject to the commenting procedures described above, the City Council will allow interested members of the public to address the City Council on agendized Closed Session matters prior to holding Closed Session. Each speaker will be given a single speaker time allotment of three (3) continuous minutes total to address the Council on any or all closed session items of business. The City Council shall be under no obligation to recognize a speaker who submits a speaker card after the City Council has gone into Closed Session.
Mayor Ancona invited members of the public to address the City Council on Closed Session Item 4.1.
Mayor Ancona and the City Council recessed into Closed Session at approximately 6:09 p.m. Mayor Ancona and the City Council reconvened from Closed Session at approximately 6:38 p.m.
4.1 Closed Session Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 Subparts (a), (d)(2), and (e)(3) – Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation – Two (2) Matters.
City Council received presentation, feedback given, but no final action taken.
5. INVOCATION: City Council. Mayor Ancona
6. FLAG SALUTE: City Council. Mayor Ancona
City Council Concurrent Special Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2026
7. SPECIAL MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING AGENDIZED MATTERS ONLY:
As provided under Government Code Section 54954.3, this time has been set aside for persons in the audience to provide comment or make inquiries on matters appearing on this Special Meeting agenda only. Although no person is required to provide their name and address as a condition to attending a meeting, persons who wish to address the body are asked to state their name and address. Each speaker will be limited to three (3) continuous minutes. Speakers may not lend any portion of their speaking time to other persons or borrow additional time from other persons. All comments or queries presented by a speaker shall be addressed to the body as a whole and not to any specific member thereof. No questions shall be posed to any member of the body except through the presiding official of the meeting, members of the body are under no obligation to respond to questions posed by speakers but may provide brief clarifying responses to any comment made or questions posed. The body may not engage in any sort of prolonged discussion or deliberation with any speaker or group of speakers on matters that are not listed on this Special Meeting agenda.
Enforcement of Decorum: The Chief of Police of the City of El Monte, or such member, or members of the Police Department as the Chief of Police may designate, shall serve as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the meeting. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the presiding official for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the meeting. While members of the public are free to level criticism of policies and the action(s) or proposed action(s) of the body or its members, members of the public may not engage in behavior that is disruptive to the orderly conduct of the proceedings, including, but not limited to, conduct that prevents other members of the public from being heard when it is their opportunity to speak or which prevents members of the audience from hearing or seeing the proceedings.
Members of the public may not threaten any person with physical harm or act in a manner that may reasonably be interpreted as an imminent threat of physical harm. All persons attending the meeting must adhere to policies barring harassment based upon a person’s race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap, medical condition, marital status, gender, sexual orientation or age.
Mary Nguyen – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Sharday – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Steven Kung – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Oscar Pinto – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Elena Brown – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Jesse Damon – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Madeline O – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Bosco Woo – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Yvonne Wong – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Sam Brown – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Daniel Talamantes – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Abraham Zavala – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Alisa – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Ricardo Padilla – Spoke about various items.
Marcella – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Gabriel Ramirez – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Cassidy – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
City Council Concurrent Special Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2026
Shou Zhang – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Lee Tayag – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Joey Luc – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Steph Lu – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Rob Nguyen – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Aliza Michelle Aguilar – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Roxana Ramirez – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Andrew Yip – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Alma Trinh – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Patricia – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Nathan Long – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Daniel Landry – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Roxana Farahani – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
Hailey – In opposition of data centers in El Monte.
8. REGULAR:
8.1 Consideration and Approval of an Interim Urgency Ordinance of the City Council of the City of El Monte, California, Instituting a Temporary 45-day Moratorium Prohibiting Processing, Approval, and Acceptance of New Data Center Land Use Applications Pursuant to Government Code Section 65858.
RECOMMENDATION OF BUSINESS ITEM UNDER CONSIDERATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Determine the adoption of this Urgency Ordinance is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3); and
2. Introduce by title only, and waive further reading of Urgency Ordinance, imposing a 45-day moratorium prohibiting processing, approval, and acceptance of new data center land use applications.
Total Cost: N/A Account No: N/A
Is the cost of this item budgeted? N/A
Interim Urgency Ordinance No. 3063
m) Mayor Ancona
s) Councilmember Galvan 7-0
Open P.H.
m) Mayor Ancona
s) Councilmember Crippen-Thomas 7-0
Close P.H.
m) Mayor Ancona
s) Councilmember Dr. Ruedas 7-0
Approve Interim Urgency
Ordinance No. 3063
City Council Concurrent Special Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2026
9. ADJOURNMENT:
At 10:51 p.m.
m) Mayor Ancona
s) Councilmember Galvan
Adjourn Meeting
The next Regular Meeting of the City Council will be held on March 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
This Agenda will be posted on the City’s website, www.ci.el-monte.ca.us, and physically posted no less than 72 hours prior to the start of the subject regular meeting. Although it is the City’s practice and desire to electronically post a copy of this Agenda along with supporting material as part of its website posting, the size or formatting of certain supporting materials may render their website posting infeasible. Nevertheless, all supporting materials related to any item on this Agenda, that is made available to the members of the council may be inspected by members of the public at the City Clerk’s Office located at 11333 Valley Boulevard, El Monte, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm. For more information, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 626-580-2016.
All public meetings and events sponsored or conducted by the City of El Monte are held in sites accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for accommodations may be made by calling the office of the City Clerk at (626) 580-2016 at least three (3) working days prior to the event, if possible. This Agenda and copies of documents distributed at the meeting are available in alternative formats upon request.
____________________________
Gabriel Ramirez, City Clerk
C i t y o f E l M o n t e
APPROVED:
_________________________________
Jessica Ancona, Mayor
City of El Monte