7978
MINUTES
City of La Habra Heights
Regular Meeting of the La Habra Heights City Council
November 10, 2025
Closed Session Opening Ceremonies
Call Meeting to Order - At 5:33 p.m., Mayor John Pespisa called the Closed City Council Meeting to order.
Roll Call
Present: Mayor John Pespisa, Mayor Pro Tempore Carol Engelhardt, Council Members Brian Bergman, Greg Stefflre and Norm Zezula
Absent: N/A
Also Present: City Manager Rafferty Wooldridge and City Attorney Todd Liffin
3. Public Comment on Closed Session
4. Adjourned to Closed Session
At 5:34 p.m. the City Council, City Manager, City Attorney, adjourned to Closed Session to discuss the following:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - INITIATION OF LITIGATION Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(4)
Potential Cases: Three
B. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Gov. Code § 54956.8-Terms and Conditions
Agency Negotiators: Todd Litfin, City Attorney
Negotiating Parties: Los Angeles County
Property: 8267-017-907
8267-018-904,906,907,908,910
8267-019-900,901,902
C. EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Pursuant to Gov. Code § 54957
Title: City Manager
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
APPROVED AS SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 8, 2025 NOVEMBER 10, 2025
RECONVENE AND STATEMENT FROM CLOSED SESSION
Action: Adjourned meeting at 6:34 p.m.
Regular Business at 6:30 P.M.
Call Meeting to Order - At 6:41 p.m., Mayor John Pespisa called the Regular City Council Meeting to order.
Action: No Reportable Action from closed session reported by City Attorney.
2. Roll Call
Present: Mayor John Pespisa, Mayor Pro Tempore Carol Engelhardt, Council Members Brian Bergman, Greg Steffre, and Norm Zezula
Absent: None
Also Present: City Manager Rafferty Wooldridge, City Attorney Todd Litfin, Fire Chief Edward Martin, Assistant City Manager Angie Martinez, Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy Hector Beltran, Scott Fazekes Building Official
Also Present via Zoom: None
Flag Salute
4. Presentations, Commendations and Proclamations
5. Public Comments
6. Committee Comments
7. City Council Comments
Mayor Pespisa pulled item # 16.
16. Tree Replacement plan for new residence located at 1730 Kanola Road At 6:54 p.m. Mayor Pespisa opened public hearing.
At 7:31 p.m. Mayor Pespisa opened public hearing.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
APPROVED AS SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 8, 2025 NOVEMBER 10, 2025 Action: Moved (Steffire), seconded (Bergman), and voted (5-0) to direct Planning Commission Committee to reconsider the action that have occurred in the interim since the they last reviewed the matter and that we would like them to specifically to consider that the trees have been removed and decide what remedy is best for that. That the adequate set back for the property line is conditioned for further approval, water be restored, matured trees be placed, irrigation be placed, and the trees mature in no more than 5 years. All trees be planted prior to any construction of anything including construction of the ADU. The trees considered to be ever green and once the conditioned to be returned to City Council for ratification. Allow approval of the 6-foot wall further up the property line.
8. Administrative Reports
A. City Manager's Report
B. City Attorney's Report
C. Community Development Report
D. Fire Chief's Report
At 8:06 p.m. Council Member Zezula left the dias.
E Sheriff's Department Report
At 8:08 p.m. Council Member Zezula returned to the dias.
Consent Calendar
Action: Moved (Bergman), seconded (Steffire), and voted (5-0) to approve consent items 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13
9. Waive Reading in Full of all Ordinances, Resolutions, and Meeting Minutes on the Agenda
10. Treasurer Report for the Month of September 2025
11. Approval of Warrant Report for October 2025
12. Minutes: October 13, 2025 - Regular City Council Meeting
13. Project Updates and Deadlines
-- End of Consent Calendar -..........
Public Hearing
14. Adoption of the 2025 California Building Standards Codes At 8:24 p.m. Mayor Pespisa opened public hearing.
At 8:27 p.m. Mayor Pespisa closed public hearing.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
APPROVED AS SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 8, 2025 NOVEMBER 10, 2025 Action: Moved (Bergman), seconded (Steffire), and voted (5-0) to accept the findings included in Exhibit A and adopt Ordinance No. 2025-04, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of La Habra Heights, California, adopting the 2025 editions of the California Building Standards Codes and making necessary amendments.
15. Adoption of the 2025 California Fire Code
At 8:29 p.m. Mayor Pespisa opened public hearing.
At 8:38 p.m. Mayor Pespisa closed public hearing.
Action: Moved (Steffire), seconded (Bergman), and voted (5-0) to accept the findings included in Exhibit A and introduce No. 2025-05, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of La Habra Heights, California adopting the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code and making necessary amendments thereto.
End of Public Hearing
Administrative Items
17. Review of Brush Clearance Non-compliance Letter
Action: Moved (Bergman), seconded (Steffire), and voted (5-0) to form a subcommittee which will include Mayor Pespisa and Mayor Pro-Tem Engelhardt to work together create a Brush Clearance letter with different verbiage.
18. Updated Governor's office of emergency service (Cal OES) form 130 Action: Moved (Steffire), seconded (Engelhardt), and voted (5-0) to recommend that the City Council adopt the State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Designation of Applicant's Agent resolution (Cal OES Form 130) designating the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and Fire Chief as authorized agents to execute applications on behalf of the City of La Habra Heights for the purpose of obtaining post- disaster public assistance grants from Cal OES and FEMA.
19. Overview of the Law Enforcement Services Strategic Planning Workshop Action: Reviewed and discussed.
-- End of Administrative Items -.
20. Individual Council Member information items and/or required Meeting Attendance Reports
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
APPROVED AS SUBMITTED ON DECEMBER 8, 2025 NOVEMBER 10, 2025 Action: No action taken.
21. Public Comments on Items not on the Agenda (One Minute) Adjourn Meeting - At 9:00 p.m. Mayor Pespisa adjourned the meeting.
Submitted for City Council Approval:
Chiat
Christina Aguilar, Administrative Assistant
-GIAR CITY CONCI ME-TING MINUTE
PROVED AS SURMITTEN ON DECEMRER & 202 NOVEMBER 10, 2025