ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA, FOR ZONE TEXT
AMENDMENT NO. 26-002 FOR THE 202 6 ZONE TEXT
AMENDMENT TO TITLE 17 OF THE LANCASTER
MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION,
CONSISTENCY, AND COMPLIANCE WITH CITY POLICIES
AND BEST PRACTICES.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lancaster (the “City”) has determined that it is necessary to conduct a Zone Text Amendment to Title 17 of the Lancaster Municipal Code to provide clarification, consistency, and compliance with city policies and best practices , as set forth in Exhibit “A” hereto (the “Amendments”); and
WHEREAS, a moratorium on tobacco uses was established by the City Council on October 28, 2025, and on December 9, 2025 that moratorium was extended to October 1, 2026, and that moratorium identifies a local threat to the public safety, health, and welfare of the Lancaster community related to tobacco retailer businesses and on that basis prohibits new or expanding tobacco uses for the duration of the moratorium, and calls for staff to study the conditions of concern and establish appropriate new guidelines in response; and
WHEREAS, revisions to Title 5 – Business Licenses and Regulations were approved by the City Council on April 28, 2026, and went into effect on May 28, 2026, which for certain uses removed “deemed approved” status and added requirements for proof of current Planning entitlements at business license renewal; and
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2026, the City’s Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Amendment s, notice of which was published and provided as required by law, and the hearing was continued to a date certain, from the Planning Commission meeting on April 20, 2026 and May 18, 2026 to June 15, 2026. On June 15, 2026 the City’s Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 26-05 (the “Planning Commission Recommendation”) recommending the City Council approve the Amendments; and
WHEREAS, on July 14, 2026, the City Council held a public hearing on the Amendments pursuant to Section 65856 of the Government Code, notice of which was published and provided as required by law; and
WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to adopt the Amendment s in its entirety to read as set forth therein.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Lancaster hereby finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
Ordinance No.
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Section 2. The City Council has received, reviewed and hereby adopts the Planning Commission Recommendation. Consistent therewith, the City Council makes the following findings:
(a) The commission may recommend approval where the information presented at public hearing shows that such amendment is necessary to implement the general plan and/or that the public convenience, the general welfare or good zoning practice justifies such action.
The proposed Zone Text Amendment is consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan. The project only consists of text amendments. No changes to the City’s General Plan and zoning designations, zoning map, or development densities are proposed. No construction or development is proposed as part of the project. The text amendments would result in clarifying the implementation of the goals, policies, and programs of the General Plan. The amendments would allow the City to continue establishing the fundamental framework to guide future decision-making about development, high quality design and general community wellbeing.
Section 3. This ordinance is determined that pursuant to Sections 15162 and 15168(c)(2) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the proposed Zone Text Amendment is within the scope of the Program Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse (SCH) No. 2007111003) for the existing General Plan, and no further environmental review is required.
Section 4. Sections of the Lancaster Municipal Code and General Plan are hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as set forth in Exhibit “A” attached hereto.
Section 5. Any ordinance previously adopted by the City Council shall be and is hereby repealed if and to the extent inconsistent with this Ordinance , provided, however, that each such ordinance shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.
Section 6. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Ordinance is held for any reason to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
Section 7. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published and posted pursuant to the provisions of law in that regard and this Ordinance shall take effect 30 days after adoption.
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I, ____________________________ , City Clerk of the City of Lancaster, do hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading on the 14 th of July, 2026, and placed upon its second reading and adoption at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 11th day of August, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
____________________________ ______________________________ City Clerk R. REX PARRIS
City of Lancaster Mayor
City of Lancaster
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES }ss
CITY OF LANCASTER }
CERTIFICATION OF ORDINANCE
CITY COUNCIL
I, ________________________________, ___________________________________ City of Lancaster, California, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original Ordinance No. , for which the original is on file in my office.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER, on this _________ day of ________________, ________.
(seal)
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