Minutes
Lakewood City Council
Regular Meeting held
January 13, 2026
MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER at 7:31 p.m. by Mayor Chase in the Council Chambers at the Civic Center, 5000 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, California.
INVOCATION was offered by Vice Mayor Jeff Wood
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Scouting America Troop 134 ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Mayor Cassandra Chase
Vice Mayor Jeff Wood
Council Member David Arellano
Council Member Steve Croft
Council Member Todd Rogers
. . .
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS:
Mayor Chase 1) announced that the meeting would be adjourned in memory of a) Denise Hammer, City of Lakewood crossing guard; b) Elaine Steen, a Neighborhood Watch block captain; c) Xuan Nguyen, father of Water Resources Director Dr. Derek Nguyen; and d) Renee Good, who was recently shot by federal agents in Minnesota, further noting that she requested this adjournment not as a political statement, but as a gesture of sympathy for the loss of human life and with the hope that the City of Lakewood could be an example of unity and community persisting through disagreement and discord; 2) gave thanks to a) the Rotary Club for leading the neighbor-to-neighbor assistant program Project Shepherd which offered support to Lakewood families throughout the year; and b) 5th Ave Bagelry & Espresso for hosting the Matcha with the Mayor the past Saturday where residents connected with the Mayor and City staff; and 3) noted that the commemoration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was upcoming and a proclamation honoring his life and legacy was signed.
Vice Mayor Wood 1) gave his condolences to Director Nguyen and thanks for his father’s service in the Army; 2) reported on his attendance at a) the California Contract Cities Association Sacramento Legislative tour with Council Member Arellano; b) the Board of Electors meeting of the Lakewood Youth Hall of Fame; and c) the recent Matcha with the Mayor event.
Council Member Croft 1) gave his condolences to Director Nguyen and all those who had recently lost a loved one; and 2) recognized Director Nguyen’s recent achievement of the prestigious Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE) certification from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, noting that the City was proud of his accomplishment and his father would have been too.
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS - Continued
Council Member Rogers 1) stated it was appropriate to mourn the loss of human life, expressing the opinion that the shooting of Renee Good was tragic, should not have occurred, and that a full and impartial investigation of the incident should be conducted; 2) requested that City staff draft a “five signature letter” to send to all elected representatives to cease inflammatory rhetoric and utilize civil dialogue regarding immigration enforcement with the goal of reminding federal, state, and local elected officials of their duty to represent their constituents and not govern with selfish ideology; 3) highlighted that Part 1 crimes have decreased in the City and the License Plate Reader (LPR) technology report included various local public safety successes; and 4) responded to recent communications regarding concerns of LPR technology and Flock cameras, stating a) everyone has the right to privacy; however, there is no legal expectation of privacy on public roadways; b) LPR cameras run license plates, do not collect personal data, and are completely objective; and c) data is not shared with federal agencies, cannot be shared out of the state, and no data breaches of the City’s system have occurred.
For the record, City Manager McCormack stated that the “five signature letter” would be drafted through the Intergovernmental Relations Committee and brought to the City Council for consideration at a later date.
Council member Arellano 1) gave his condolences to Director Nguyen and his family; and 2) reported on his attendance at the a) Bellflower Unified School District’s celebration of past Board President Amie Stewart; and b) Refresh Spot on skid row, noting that he was accompanied by City Manager McCormack, Administrative Assistant II Ontiveros, his friend Hugo, and his two daughters to distribute donated lunches to the homeless. . . .
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS IN THE AGENDA - None
. . .
ROUTINE ITEMS:
It was moved by Council Member Croft, seconded by Vice Mayor Wood, and unanimously carried by the following role call vote, to approve the Routine Items:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Wood, Croft, Arellano, Rogers, and Mayor Chase RI-1 Approval of Minutes of the Meeting held December 9, 2025 RI-2 Approval of Personnel Transactions
RI-3 Approval of Registers of Demands
RI-4 Receive and File of Report of City Council Committees’ Activities RI-5 Approval of Meeting Reports and Authorizations Pursuant to AB1234 City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
ROUTINE ITEMS - Continued
RI-6 Approval of Monthly Report of Investment Transactions – November 2025 RI-7 Approval of Contract for 2026 Civic Center Block Party Fireworks Display RI-8 Approval of Amendment of Southern California Edison Company License Agreement for Rynerson Park
RI-9 Approval of Agreement for Land and Property Surveying and Recording Services with Case Land Surveying, Inc.
. . .
1.1 • INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2026-1; AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL
CODE PERTAINING TO REQUIRED PARKING STANDARDS FOR REGIONAL
SHOPPING CENTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER
Deputy City Attorney Skolnik introduced the item.
Community Development Director Cervantes 1) provided a PowerPoint presentation of the Agenda report; and 2) introduced Applicant, Jonathan Rood, Executive Vice President, Pacific Retail Capitol Partners (PRCP), who provided details of the proposed project.
For the record, Executive Vice President Rood 1) explained that since acquiring the Lakewood Center Mall, PRCP has committed to making improvements to make the mall a) walkable; b) central to the community; and c) inclusive of the public’s interests; and 2) introduced a) Lemore Czeisler, Vice President of Development, PRCP; b) Jim Anderson, Senior Executive Realtor, Lyon Living; and c) Jason Marechal, Vice President, Kimley-Horn, who provided a PowerPoint presentation of the parking analyses completed at the mall and north of Candlewood Street at the Candlewood Shops and responded to Council Members’ questions and comments.
For the record 1) Council Member Rogers a) stated that the mall was much more than just an “asset” to the community; b) expressed concerns about lowering parking standards, expressing the opinion that it could inconvenience shoppers and the future quality of tenants might attract more customers; c) noted that PRCP is intending to sell the Candlewood Shops; and d) inquired why parking standards were being considered before potential uses of the mall and if the parking standards could be changed later if approved; 2) Vice Mayor Wood a) highlighted that it is possible for a car to be counted twice during the parking analysis if a customer moved their car, creating inconsistent data; b) stated that architects will design a project based on the customers’ requests, noting that it would be helpful to know what PRCP was envisioning; and c) inquired why parking standards needed to be approved at this time and what would happen if they were not approved; and 3) Council Member Arellano a) commented on experiencing bad parking at other shopping centers nearby; b) noted there was not a lot of parking at the Candlewood Shops in the evening; and c) inquired if parking would become worse after the rebuild of the mall.
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
1.1 • INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2026-1; AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL
CODE PERTAINING TO REQUIRED PARKING STANDARDS FOR REGIONAL
SHOPPING CENTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER - Continued In response to questions and comments provided by Council Member Rogers, Vice Mayor Wood, and Council Member Arellano, 1) Executive Vice President Rood a) explained that parking standards were completed before the project’s design so developers could use them as a land planning tool to know where things could be built; b) expressed the opinion that the proposed Ordinance was a critical step towards the master planning of the mall; and c) shared that PRCP was passionate about this project and intends to make it a central hub for the community; 2) Vice President Marechal a) stated that the requested parking standards would include excess parking based on the parking analyses; b) clarified that the future master and circulation plans would improve parking and make the mall more walkable and easily accessible to customers; and c) explained that if the recommended parking standards were not approved, there would not be excess land to build on and there would not be an opportunity to redevelop the space; 3) Vice President of Development Czeisler stated that architects would only be able to begin their design work if retail parking needs were established first, further noting that the future planning did not include the Candlewood Shops; 4) Senior Executive Realtor Anderson a) shared that he would be working with PRCP on the Master Plan for the mall; b) noted that most malls were significantly overparked; and c) explained that there is an opportunity to do special things with the redesign of the mall, including a residential component, accessibility, and open green spaces, while being conservative and maxing out parking spaces; and 5) Director Cervantes clarified that the parking standards could be revised in the future if approved tonight.
For the record, 1) Council Member Croft noted that a) the Ordinance under consideration would give guidance for the future Master Plan of the mall and future development; and b) if he were to remodel his home, he would use current standards, expressing the opinion that it makes sense to update the Municipal Code to the current parking demands of the mall and Candlewood Shops; and 2) Mayor Chase stated the opinion that a) many things have changed since 1998 when the previous parking analysis at the Lakewood Center Mall was completed; b) she appreciated the data provided and work presented to add buffers of extra parking spaces for future development; and c) this was a step in the process of gaining a community space for everyone to enjoy.
City Manager McCormack clarified that the City expects to be included in the Master Plan process and parking could be re-evaluated at that time.
Following discussion, Mayor Chase opened the public hearing at 9:00 p.m. and called for anyone in the audience wishing to address the City Council on the matter.
Philip Norris, resident, provided comments relative to 1) parking in the City of Long Beach; 2) the economic timing of when the parking analysis was completed; and 3) a potential parking structure in the subject area.
Alan Gafford, made comments regarding 1) a records request for emails related to the sale of Lakewood Center Mall; 2) a previous parking analysis; 3) taxes; and 4) housing at the mall.
Following discussion, Mayor Chase closed the public hearing at 9:06 p.m.
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
1.1 • INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2026-1; AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL
CODE PERTAINING TO REQUIRED PARKING STANDARDS FOR REGIONAL
SHOPPING CENTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER - Continued ORDINANCE NO. 2026-1; AMENDING THE LAKEWOOD MUNICIPAL CODE
PERTAINING TO REQUIRED PARKING STANDARDS FOR REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER was read by title by the Assistant City Clerk.
For the record, it was moved by Council Member Croft, seconded by Council Member Arellano, to 1) waive further reading; 2) introduce Ordinance No. 2026-1; and 3) approve the related California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Categorical Exemption, based on Section 15061.(b).(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as amended.
Following brief discussion, Council Member Rogers made a substitute motion, seconded by Vice Mayor Wood, and failed by the following roll call vote, to 1) waive further reading; 2) introduce Ordinance No. 2026-1 with the exclusion of neighborhood shopping centers that are within 100 feet of a regional shopping center; and 3) approve the related California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Categorical Exemption, based on Section 15061.(b).(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as amended:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Wood and Rogers
NAYS: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Croft, Arellano, and Mayor Chase Following discussion, the City Council voted on the original motion moved by Council Member Croft, seconded by Council Member Arellano, and carried by the following roll call vote, to 1) waive further reading; 2) introduce Ordinance No. 2026-1; and 3) approve the related California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Categorical Exemption, based on Section 15061.(b).(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as amended:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Wood, Croft, Arellano, and Mayor Chase NAYS: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Rogers
. . .
3.1 • SPRING RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Mayor Chase introduced the item.
Director of Recreation and Community Services Frost provided a PowerPoint presentation of the Agenda report.
For the record, and without objection, the report was received and filed.
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
LAKEWOOD SUCCESSOR AGENCY
1. APPROVAL OF RECOGNIZED OBLIGATION PAYMENT SCHEDULE (ROPS) FOR JULY 1, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027 – ROPS 26-27 AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET FY 2026-27
Mayor Chase introduced the item.
Director of Finance and Administrative Services Gomez provided a verbal report of the Agenda report.
It was moved by Council Member Croft, seconded by Vice Mayor Wood, and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, to approve the Recognized Obligations Payment Schedule for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 - ROPS 26-27 and the Administrative Budget for FY 26-27:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Wood, Croft, Arellano, Rogers, and Mayor Chase . . .
LAKEWOOD HOUSING SUCCESSOR AGENCY
1 • REGISTER OF DEMANDS
Mayor Chase introduced the item.
It was moved by Vice Mayor Wood, seconded by Council Member Arellano, and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, to approve the register of demands:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS – Wood, Croft, Arellano, Rogers, and Mayor Chase . . .
For the record and without objection, Mayor Chase recessed the meeting at 9:32 p.m. for a brief break.
For the record, Mayor Chase reconvened the meeting at 9:41 p.m. with all members present. . . .
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Philip Norris, resident, 1) gave thanks for the street sweeping that occurred close to the Christmas Holiday; 2) suggested the inclusion of Hannukah candles in the City’s holiday display outside of the Centre; and 3) provided comments relative to a) parking near an intersection; b) parking near a driveway; c) an unfixed pothole; and d) the annual audit.
For the record, the following individuals addressed the City Council relative to their concerns regarding the use of Flock cameras and the presence and actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the City and throughout the Country: 1) Kathy Davis; 2) Kay Ewing Donato; 3) Bobbie Hamfeldt; 4) Noel Heddon; 5) Simone Venherdt; 6) Robin Greatrex; 7) Irene Wood; 8) Heather Rodriguez; 9) Susan Singer; 10) Marie Cartier; 11) Kimberly Esslinger; 12) Maegan Moo; 13) Katelyn Sharp; 14) Kelly Davis; and 15) Joe B.
City Council Minutes
January 13, 2026
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought before the City Council, Mayor Chase adjourned the meeting at 10:32 p.m. to Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Executive Board Room. A moment of silence was observed in memory of Denise Hammer, Elaine Steen, Xuan Nguyen and Renee Good.
Respectfully submitted,
Isabelle Schultz, CMC
Assistant City Clerk