MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the Lompoc City Council
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
City Hall, 100 Civic Center Plaza, Council Chamber
The City Council meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 23 and on the radio at KPEG 100.9 FM
Or video livestreamed via this link:
https://www.cityoflompoc.com/government/committees-boards/city-council/live-webcast Or internet radio via this link:
https://www.cityoflompoc.com/government/departments/utilities/media-center/kpeg-radio If you choose not to attend in-person but wish to make a comment during oral communications or on a specific agenda item, you may call (805) 875-8201 before the close of public comment on the agenda item. You will be provided 3 minutes for your comment.
Alternatively, you may submit comments via email to [email protected] not later than 4:00pm on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
CLOSED SESSION
OPEN SESSION – 5:40 P.M. – Council Chamber
Council Members Present: Jeremy Ball, Dirk Starbuck, Victor Vega, and Mayor James Mosby.
Staff Present: City Clerk Stacey Haddon and City Attorney Jeff Malawy.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
CLOSED SESSION – City Council Conference Room
BUSINESS ITEM:
1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: Title: City Attorney
2. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE/DISMISSAL/RELEASE
3. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT: Title: City Attorney
4. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL--ANTICIPATED LITIGATION:
Initiation of litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(4): One case.
The general Oral Communications periods are reserved for persons desiring to address the Lompoc City Council on any subject within the jurisdiction of the City Council. Closed Session and Consent Calendar Oral Communications periods are limited to the subjects of the closed session/consent calendar agenda items.
OPEN SESSION - 6:30 P.M. – Council Chamber
Council Members Present: Jeremy Ball, Steve Bridge, Dirk Starbuck, Victor Vega, and Mayor James Mosby.
Staff Present: City Clerk Stacey Haddon, City Manager Dean Albro, City Attorney Jeff Malawy, Community Development Director Christie Alarcon, Management Services Director Christie Donnelly, Recreation Manager Mario Guerrero, Fire Chief Brian Fallon, Police Chief Kevin Martin, Acting Planning Manager Greg Stones, and Accounting and Revenue Manager Matt Adams.
Others Present: Ryan Domino, Blake Radley, Chuck Madsen, Charlamagne Segovia, Ray Segovia, Mary (Unknown last name) Celeste Pico, Ann McCarty, and Karin Hauenstein. 02/04/2025 City of Lompoc City Council Minutes Page 2 of 5 REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN DURING CLOSED SESSION:
City Attorney Jeff Malawy reported Council discussed Closed Session Item No. 1 and Item No. 4 and did not hold Items No. 2 and No. 3, no reportable action was taken.
Pastor Nate Marsh provided an invocation and Mayor James Mosby led the Pledge of Allegiance.
CITY MANAGER REPORT: (Information only)
• List of City expenditures
o December 30, 2024 – January 3, 2025 - $1,372.747.00
o January 6 – 10, 2025 - $426,179.93
o Payroll January 3, 2025 - $2,073.242.46
City Manager Dean Albro reported that the City of Lompoc Fire Department personnel were deployed to the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Palisades Fire in Malibu as part of the Urban Search and Rescue Regional Task Force 12, which searched over 3,500 structures and vehicles assisting in the search for missing persons; City Staff is working on replacing the fountain in the courtyard between City Hall and the Police Department; free organics recycling kitchen pails are available while supplies last from the City’s Solid Waste Division; and the City will PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS (Max of 3 Minutes): None Mayor Mosby and Council Member Starbuck asked Staff to speak about Consent Calendar item No. 2. Community Development Director Christie Alarcon explained the agreement will help the City develop a program to streamline the process for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction and provide construction ready plans to citizens for ADU construction that are specific to the City’s climate, requirements, laws, and regulations.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Ball/Starbuck. By a 5-0 vote, Council:
1. Revisions to the Appointment Method of City Commissions; Adoption of Ordinance No. 1716(25), Removing the Requirement that Commissioners Be Appointed by District.
Adopted Ordinance No. 1716(25) removing the requirement that members of the Beautification and Parks and Recreation Commission, the Planning Commission, and the Utility Commission be appointed by district.
2. Award of Professional Services Agreement for consultant services for the development of the City of Lompoc Permit Ready Accessory Dwelling Unit Program to RRM Design Group.
Awarded the Professional Services Agreement for consultant services for the development of the City of Lompoc Permit Ready Accessory Dwelling Unit Program to RRM Design Group in the amount not to exceed $234,256; and authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary agreement.
STAFF PRESENTATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/REQUESTS:
Management Services Director Christie Donnelly and Ryan Domino from LSL, the City’s consultant, provided a review of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Council thanked Staff and Mr. Domino for the information provided and discussed the matter at length.
Community Development Director Christie Alarcon provided a presentation and asked for Council direction on possible sites for a Fireworks Show for July 4, 2025. Council thanked Staff for the presentation and after a long discussion Council Member Bridge requested Staff hold all funding for a City July 4th Event, do not hold a July 4, 2025 event, reach out to the Lompoc Unified School District and Allan Hancock College and investigate if the City could collaborate with one or both agencies to setup a drone program that would be able to provide a July 4th event which will utilize drones in place of fireworks; and return at a later date with any updates on this possible program.
This request was seconded by Mayor Mosby and carried by Council Member Starbuck. 02/04/2025 City of Lompoc City Council Minutes Page 3 of 5 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (3 Minutes Maximum): None
APPOINTMENTS:
Council Member Starbuck announced he would recuse himself from this matter due to a conflict of interest regarding real property he owns within 500 feet of the Lompoc Theater and exited the Council Chamber.
3. Establishment of Lompoc Theater Project Ad-Hoc Committee.
Community Development Director Christie Alarcon provided a brief introduction of this matter.
Council discussed this matter at great length.
Public Comment:
1. Karin Hauenstein spoke in favor of the establishment of a Council ad-hoc committee to help move forward the Lompoc Theater Project.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Bridge/Ball By a 3-1-1 vote (Council Member Starbuck was absent and Council Member Vega voted No), Council established the Lompoc Theater Project Ad-hoc Committee, which will terminate when the permit is issued to the Lompoc Theater Project.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Bridge/Ball By a 4-1 vote (Council Member Starbuck was absent), Council appointed Council Member Ball and Council Member Bridge to the Lompoc Theater Project Ad-hoc Committee.
4. Removal of Member of Public Safety Commission.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Vega/Ball. By a 5-0 vote, Council removed Juan Herrada from the Public Safety Commission.
PUBLIC HEARING:
5. General Plan and Zoning Code Amendments for the Implementation of Housing Element Programs associated with the 6th Cycle General Plan Housing Element Update (GP 2024-0003, TA 2024-0003).
Greg Stones, Acting Planning Manager presented the Staff report and recommendations.
Public Comment:
1. Blake Radley spoke in support of the proposed recommendations and stated he sees this as an opportunity for growth in the Old Town area of the City.
Council discussed the information provided at length.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Mosby/Bridge. By a 5-0 vote, Council directed Staff to reach out to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to confirm if a reduction in building height limits in Mixed Use (MU), Old Town Commercial (OTC), and Residential R3 zoning areas, could be approved if other underutilized lots located on Ocean Avenue inside the City could be used to achieve the City’s required Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers; and return at a future meeting with a response from the HCD. No further action was taken by Council on this matter.
02/04/2025 City of Lompoc City Council Minutes Page 4 of 5 COUNCIL REQUESTS:
6. Review and Approval of Proposed Amendments to the Sub-Recipient Financial, Programmatic, and Monitoring Reporting Requirement Policy.
Matt Adams, Accounting and Revenue Manager presented the Staff report and recommendations.
Council thanked Staff for the information provided and discussed the matter.
Public Comment: None
Council continued to discuss this matter.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Starbuck/Bridge. By a 5-0 vote, Council reviewed the proposed changes to wording in Chapter 45 of the Administrative Procedures Manual’s Sub-Recipient Financial, Programmatic, and Monitoring Reporting Requirement Policy and directed Staff to receive direction from the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury if Chapter 45 of the Administrative Procedures Manual could be deleted and return at a future meeting with an update to this matter that will allow Council to discuss and take possible action regarding an amendment or possible deletion of Chapter 45.
7. Consideration of Request From Local Nonprofit Organization FUTURE for Lompoc Youth For $50,000 Donation To Purchase Van For Youth Program; Consideration of Request From Local Nonprofit Organization First Apostolic Church For Waiver of $575 Temporary Use Application (TUP) Fee for 2024 Safe & Sane Fireworks Sales; and Consideration of Establishing a Policy for Evaluating Nonprofit Funding Requests.
Christie Donnelly, Management Services Director presented the Staff report and recommendations.
Council Member Ball stated one of the requests for a grant was from his father James Ball of the First Apostolic Church and asked City Attorney Jeff Malawy if he would need to recuse himself from this item. Mr. Malawy explained Council Member Ball would not need to recuse himself from this item as he is not financially dependent on his father.
Council discussed this matter at length.
Public Comment:
1. Chuck Madsen, Charlamagne Segovia, Ray Segovia, Mary (unknown last name), Celeste Pico, and Ann McCarty all spoke in favor of Council approving the requested grants to FUTURE for Lompoc Youth and the First Apostolic Church.
ACTION: Motion/Second: Bridge/Mosby. By a 5-0 vote, Council approved the requests from FUTURE for Lompoc Youth Nonprofit for a $50,000 donation to purchase a van for their youth program and First Apostolic Church for a waiver of $575 TUP fee for the 2024 Safe & Sane Fireworks Sales; directed Staff to return all remaining money in the local grants fund to be returned to the City’s General Fund and to return at a future meeting with an agreement for the approved donations.
At 10:27 P.M., Police Chief Kevin Martin announced Highway 1 is closed at Jalama Road due to a sink hole.
02/04/2025 City of Lompoc City Council Minutes Page 5 of 5 COUNCIL REQUESTS: (cont’d)
8. Introduction of Ordinance No. 1718(25) Repealing Chapters 5.20, 5.24, and 5.28 of the Lompoc Municipal Code Which Currently Require a Police Dept. Permit to Operate Any Dance Hall, Dance Academy, or Skating Rink.
Jeff Malawy, City Attorney presented the Staff report and recommendations.
Public Comment: None
ACTION: Motion/Second: Bridge/Ball. By a 5-0 vote, Council introduced, for first reading by title only with further reading being waived, Ordinance No. 1718(25) Repealing Chapters 5.20, 5.24, and 5.28 of the Lompoc Municipal Code.
9. Council Discussion of Requirements for Staff to return Council Requests.
Council Member Bridge stated he is willing to remove this item. Council Member Vega thanked Staff for its willingness to listen to Council ideas for greater communication.
Public Comment: None
No Council action was taken.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:
City Clerk Stacey Haddon reported Ron Fink sent an email to Council, it was provided to Staff, posted to the City’s website with copies placed in the lobby at City Hall.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (2 Minutes Maximum):
1. (Via Phone) – Name not provided – complained about the condition of City-owned streets and requested the City prioritize repair as soon as possible.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND MEETING REPORTS:
Mayor Mosby reported he attended the Santa Barbara County Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO), the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), and the Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District (APCD) regular meetings.
ADJOURNMENT: At 10.41 P.M. Mayor Mosby adjourned the Lompoc City Council to a Regular Meeting on February 18, 2025, at 6:30 P.M., in City of Lompoc Council Chamber.
Approved by Council action on March 18, 2025: /Stacey Haddon/ Stacey Haddon, City Clerk