City of Laguna Hills
City Council / Planning Agency
Regular Meeting
Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
General Business Convening at 6:00 PM
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Sweeney.
Invocation: Pastor David Atkins of Laguna Country Methodist Church Pledge of Allegiance: Council Member Pezold
Roll Call of City Council Members
Present:
Mayor Joshua Sweeney
Mayor Pro Tempore Don Caskey
Council Member Erica Pezold
Council Member Jared Mathis
Council Member Dave Wheeler
Absent:
1. Presentations and Proclamations
1.1 Laguna Hills High School Student Liaison Report
The City Council received a report from Laguna Hills High School 2024 Spring Student Liaison Alternate Forrest Frey.
1.2 Certificates of Recognition for Outgoing Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sanjay Mathur and Outgoing Traffic Commissioner Manuel Hernandez Outgoing Commissioners Sanjay Mathur and Manuel Hernandez were not available at the meeting to receive their Certificates of Recognition.
1.3 Oaths of Office and Certificates of Appointment for Two Parks and Recreation Commissioners and Three Traffic Commissioners Mayor Sweeney administered the ceremonial Oaths of Office and presented Certificates of Appointment to Parks and Recreation Commissioners Harry Huggins and Patricia Thee and Traffic Commissioner Mark Jones. Commissioners Mark Schaff and Michael Caputo were not available at the meeting to receive their Certificates of Appointment.
City Council/Planning Agency Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
2 2. Schedule of Future Events
2.1 Schedule of Future Events
Deputy City Clerk McDonald announced the upcoming meetings and events.
3. Public Comments
The following induvial(s) submitted an electronic public comment on nonagendized items that was received, forwarded to the City Council prior to the meeting, posted on the City’s website, and announced into the record by City Clerk Lee:
Cynthia Jensen-McMullin
The following individual(s) provided public comments on non-agendized items:
Cynthia Jensen-McMullin
4. Consent Calendar
A motion to approve the balance of the Consent Calendar with Council Member Pezold removing Item No. 4.5 and Item No. 4.7 was moved by Council Member Pezold, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey.
Roll Call Vote Result: Passed
Yes 5, No 0, Abstained 0
Ayes: Mayor Sweeney, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, Council Member Pezold, Council Member Mathis, Council Member Wheeler
Nays: None
Abstain: None
4.1 Waive Reading in Full of all Ordinances and Resolutions on the Agenda Recommendation: That the City Council waive reading in full of all ordinances and resolutions on the agenda and declare that said titles which appear on the public agenda shall be determined to have been read by title and further reading waived.
4.2 Approval of Minutes for March 25, 2025, Special Meeting Recommendation: That the City Council approve the City Council Minutes for the March 25, 2025, Special Meeting.
4.3 Approval of Minutes for March 25, 2025, Regular Meeting Recommendation: That the City Council approve the City Council Minutes for the March 25, 2025, Regular Meeting.
City Council/Planning Agency Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
3 4.4 Ratification of April 8, 2025 Warrant Register
Recommendation: That the City Council ratify the accompanying Warrant Register for the period from March 14, 2025, to March 27, 2025, in the amount of $1,395,568.80.
4.6 Resolution Updating City Council Policy 102 - Procedure for Order of Authority
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-04-08-2: "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, Updating City Council Policy No. 102 Regarding a Procedure for Order of Authority." Items Removed from the Consent Calendar
4.5 Initiation of the 2025 Weed Abatement Program
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-04-08-1: “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, Declaring Weeds and Rubbish on Specified Private Property to be a Public Nuisance, Commencing Public Proceedings, and setting a Public Hearing for May 13, 2025.” Council Member Pezold removed Item No. 4.5 from the Consent Calendar to request additional information.
A motion to approve staff's recommendation was moved by Council Member Pezold, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey.
Roll Call Vote Result: Passed
Yes 5, No 0, Abstained 0
Ayes: Mayor Sweeney, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, Council Member Pezold, Council Member Mathis, Council Member Wheeler
Nays: None
Abstain: None
4.7 Support for Assembly Bills 3, 423, 424, 425, and 492, and Senate Bill 329 Recommendation: That the City Council authorize the Mayor to send a letters of support for Assembly Bills 3, 423, 424, 425, and 492, as well as Senate Bill 329, which seek to strengthen oversight, licensing, and regulatory enforcement of alcohol and drug recovery or treatment facilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals in recovery and the communities in which these facilities operate.
Council Member Pezold removed Item No. 4.7 from the Consent Calendar to provide comments on the item.
City Council/Planning Agency Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
4 A motion to approve staff's recommendation was moved by Council Member Pezold, seconded by Council Member Mathis.
Roll Call Vote Result: Passed
Yes 5, No 0, Abstained 0
Ayes: Mayor Sweeney, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, Council Member Pezold, Council Member Mathis, Council Member Wheeler
Nays: None
Abstain: None
5. Planning Agency
There were no separate Planning Agency Business Items for this meeting.
6. City Council Public Hearings
6.1 Approval of User Fee Study and Adoption of Comprehensive Fee Schedule Recommendation: That the City Council:
1) Conduct a public hearing; and
2) Adopt Resolution No. 2025-04-08-3: "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laguna Hills, California, Establishing and Adopting Updated Development Processing Fees and Other City Rates, Charges, and User Fees for Various Governmental Services and Finding that the Action is Statutorily Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Per Section 15273 of the CEQA Guidelines and Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(8)." Finance Director Hendrickson reviewed the information provided in the staff report and responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
Jeff Wakefield, Senior Manager, Government Consulting Partners, Inc., provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
City Manager Hildenbrand responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
Community Development Director Lowe responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
Mayor Sweeney opened the public hearing and upon seeing no one rise, closed the public hearing.
City Council/Planning Agency Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
5 A motion to approve staff's recommendation was moved by Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, seconded by Council Member Pezold.
Roll Call Vote Result: Passed
Yes 5, No 0, Abstained 0
Ayes: Mayor Sweeney, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, Council Member Pezold, Council Member Mathis, Council Member Wheeler
Nays: None
Abstain: None
7. Administrative Reports
7.1 City Manager
7.1.1 Proposed Lease Agreement for Serenity Escrow, Inc. at 24031 El Toro Road, Suite 300, Laguna Hills, CA
Recommendation: That the City Council discuss and provide direction to staff.
If the direction is to proceed with leasing the office, staff recommends authorizing the City Manager to negotiate the final terms of the lease agreement and to execute the lease agreement.
City Manager Hildenbrand reviewed the information provided in the staff report and responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
Assistant City Manager Ames responded to Council Member requests for additional information.
A motion to continue the item was moved by Council Member Wheeler, seconded by Council Member Pezold.
A substitute motion to make Suite 300 available for lease as recommended by staff and to relocate the City Council offices to Suite 255 was moved by Mayor Sweeney, seconded by Council Member Mathis.
Roll Call Vote Result: Passed
Yes 4, No 1, Abstained 0
Ayes: Mayor Sweeney, Mayor Pro Tempore Caskey, Council Member Mathis, Council Member Wheeler
Nays: Council Member Pezold
Abstain: None
8. Matters Agendized and Presented by City Council Members There were no matters agendized by City Council Members.
City Council/Planning Agency Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
6 9. City Council Member Committee Reports
9.1 Committee Assignment Report
The City Council received reports from City Council Members on the City Council Committee Assignments listed in the staff report.
10. City Council Member Comments
Council Member Wheeler
Council Member Wheeler provided comments on rules of decorum for meetings.
Adjournment
There being no further business before the City Council at this session, Mayor Sweeney declared the meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m.
____________________________________
Jennifer Lee, City Clerk
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Joshua Sweeney, Mayor
Approved at meeting of April 22, 2025.