City Council and Successor Agency
Regular Meeting
March 24, 2026
Council Chambers
City Hall
6:30 p.m.
MINUTES
1) CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:30pm by Mayor Mendez. 2) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3) ROLL CALL
Ana Cendejas, Deputy City Clerk took roll call.
Members Present:
Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, and Mario Rodriguez
Members Absent:
None.
Also Present:
Erika Herrera, City Manager, and Tiffany Israel, City Attorney
APPOVAL OF AGENDA
John Garnica motioned, seconded by Christina Villaseñor to approve of the Agenda Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES: None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
John Garnica motioned, seconded by Mario Rodriguez to approve moving public comment before presentations. Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES: None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None 5) PRESENTATIONS
5.A) SANTA PAULA BRANCH LINE TRAIL MASTER PLAN UPDATE
Department: Community Services
Presenter: Amanda Fagen, provided a presentation regarding the Santa Paula Branch Line Trail Master Plan update.
5.B) THE WILDLAND CONSERVANCY PRESENTATION
Department: Planning / Community Development
Presenter: Frazier Haney, Provided the Wildland Conservancy presentation.
6) PUBLIC COMMENTS
John Meadows
Pedro Chavez
7) CITY COUNCIL REPORTS, RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS,
COMMITTEE, COMMISSION, AND BOARD REPORTS
Council Member Rodriguez: Council Member Rodriguez reminded the community that on Saturday, March 28, 2026, there will be a meet and greet at Dolores Day Park from 11 AM to 1 PM. Local and nonprofit organizations will share resources with attendees. They will seek input on the types of businesses desired and ways to improve communication between residents and the city.
Mayor Pro-Tem Garnica: Mayor Pro-Tem Garnica attended the Fillmore & Piru Basins Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting on March 19, 2026.
Concerns were raised about fees and spending. He updated the board on the progress of well number 10.
Council Member Broggie: Council Member Broggie shared that she attended a meeting with Amanda Fagan about the bike path and a subcommittee meeting with VCTC and the Heritage Valley policy advisory committee. The discussion focused on transit between Santa Paula and Fillmore, highlighting the shuttle service between Moorpark and Fillmore as the busiest VCTC service. Statistics are being compiled. Council Member Broggie spoke with the executive director of Sierra Northern, who suggested a community train event similar to one in Central Valley. Her porch talk is rescheduled for April 15th.
Council Member Villaseñor: Council Member Villaseñor shared the absence of the sanitation district meeting this month, with the first one scheduled for the first week of April. She attended the Southern California Edison government advisory panel meeting, emphasizing early and ongoing engagement in grid planning and community programs. Edison shared information on energy education centers and customer assistance programs, which Villaseñor suggested could be shared with the community via the city website.
Mayor: No reports.
8) CONSENT CALENDAR
8.A) MARCH 10, 2026 - REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Department: City Clerk
MARCH 10, 2026 - REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES.pdf
8.B) SECOND READING TO ADOPT ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 25-03, ORDINANCE 26-992 REMOVING THE ONE-THIRD RETAIL
REQUIREMENT FROM THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT CORE
AND ADOPTION OF EXEMPTION FROM CEQA
Department: City Clerk
SR - SECOND READING TO ADOPT ZONING ORDINANCE
AMENDMENT 25-03, ORDINANCE 26-992 REMOVING THE ONETHIRD RETAIL REQUIREMENT FROM THE CENTRAL BUSINESS
DISTRICT CORE AND ADOPTION OF EXEMPTION FROM CEQA
8.C) BOND EXONERATION TRACT NO. 5520-7
Department: Engineering
SR - HEARTHSTONE BOND EXONERATION TRACT 5520-7.pdf
8.D) CITY OF FILLMORE WARRANT REGISTER-MARCH 24, 2026
Department: Finance
CITY OF FILLMORE WARRANT REGISTER-MARCH 24, 2026.pdf
John Garnica motioned, seconded by Christina Villaseñor to approve 8A. through 8D. Consent Calendar Motion carried by the following voice vote:
AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES: None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
9) NEW BUSINESS
9.A) AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT
WITH SIGNATURE SIGNS IN A FORM APPROVED BY THE CITY
ATTORNEY
Department: Administration
SR - SIGNATURE SIGNS WAYFINDING SIGN PROJECT
Presenter: Angel Garcia, provided an updated version of the presentation for the staff report. Sean McCulley was called to speak, Eric Swenson was called to speak, Phil Fewsmith was called to speak.
Christina Villaseñor motioned, seconded by Mario Rodriguez to approve to execute an agreement with Signature Signs for a total of $8,000, and for the Wayfinding Sign program not to move forward at this time with the manufacture and installation of the sign that they looked at.
Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario
Rodriguez NOES: None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
9.B) PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE NO. 26-994 GRANTING A NONEXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE TO CRIMSON CALIFORNIA PIPELINE, L.P.
TO CONSTRUCT, ERECT, MAINTAIN, OPERATE, REPAIR, RENEW,
CHANGE THE SIZE OF, ABANDON-IN-PLACE, AND REMOVE
CERTAIN PIPELINE FOR THE TRANSMISSION, COLLECTION,
TRANSPORTATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF OIL, PETROLEUM,
GAS, GASOLINE, AND WATER, OR OTHER HYDROCARBONS
Department: Administration
SR - CRIMSON PIPELINE ORDINANCE NO. 26-994.pdf
Christina Villaseñor motioned, seconded by Carrie Broggie to approve moving the public hearing to April 14, 2026, due to a request from Crimson California Pipeline to make changes to the ordinance that staff needs to evaluate.
Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES:
None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
9.C) APPROVAL OF A SCOPE OF WORK (SOW) WITH GOVWELL
TECHNOLOGIES INC. FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A DIGITAL
PERMITTING AND PLANNING PLATFORM
Department: Administration
SR-IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVWELL SOFTWARE.pdf
Presenter: Erika Herrera, Provided the presentation on the approval of a scope of work (sow) with GovWell Technologies Inc. for implementation of a Digital permitting and Planning Platforms.
Christina Villaseñor motioned, seconded by Mario Rodriguez to approve the appropriation of $38,000 from the General Fund Reserve to the Information Technology budget under Account 101-4212 – City Administration – Information Technology (0021206), approve the Scope of Work and Order Form with GovWell Technologies Inc. for the implementation of a digital permitting and planning platform for the Building & Safety and Planning Departments, and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement and any necessary implementation documents in a form approved by the City Attorney’s Office. Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES: None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
9.D) REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR A CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION SPRING 2026 GRANT AND TWO FEMA GRANTS
Department: Fire / Safety
SR -CFF & FEMA GRANTS FOR THE FFD.pdf
Presenter: Chief Keith Gurrola, provided a presentation on the request authorization to apply for a California fire foundation Spring 2026 Grant and two FEMA Grant.
Albert Mendez motioned, seconded by John Garnica to approve to consider applying for the following grants: (1) the California Fire Foundation’s (CFF) 2026 Southern, Central, & Coastal California Fire Prevention & Preparedness Grant; (2) the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant; and (3) the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).
Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES:
None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
9.E) CONSIDERATION OF 2025 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT ON THE
STATUS OF THE CITY GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT
Department: Planning / Community Development
SR -2025 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT.pdf
Presenter: Brian McCathy , provided his presentation to the consideration of 2025 Annual Progress Report on the Status of the City General Plan Housing Element.
Christina Villaseñor motioned, seconded by Mario Rodriguez to approve the City Council receives and files the 2025 Annual Progress Report on the Housing Element and directs staff to submit the report to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Motion carried by the following voice vote: AYES: Albert Mendez, John Garnica, Carrie Broggie, Christina Villaseñor, Mario Rodriguez NOES:
None ABSENTS: None ABSTAINS: None
10) CITY MANAGER
City Manager Erika Herrera: City Manager Erika Herrera shared that the Fire Safe Council will provide a free chipper event, informed the community that on April 18 they can drop off trees, and noted that City Hall will be closed on Tuesday in observance of Farmworkers Day.
11) CLOSED SESSION
11.A) CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL- ANTICIPATED LITIGATIONTHE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT A CLOSED SESSION, PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 54956.9(D)(2),
BECAUSE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION IN TWO CASES.
Department: Administration
CLOSED SESSION - MARCH 24, 2026.pdf
12) ADJOURNMENT
Prepared by:
___________________________________________
Ana Cendejas, Deputy City Clerk
There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned.
These minutes summarize the final decisions made by the City Council at the referenced meeting. The meeting was also audio recorded, and the recording is available for review. In the event of any ambiguity regarding the Council’s final decisions, the audio recording shall be used to interpret the Council’s intent. The audio recording shall serve as the official record of the proceedings whenever, in the Council’s opinion, the minutes are insufficient. An audio copy of the City Council meeting proceedings is available by contacting the Fillmore Deputy City Clerk.