City of Manhattan Beach
1400 Highland Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Mayor David Lesser
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Franklin
Councilmember Nina Trieu Tarnay
Councilmember Steve S. Charelian
Councilmember Amy Thomas Howorth
Meeting Minutes - Final
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
5:00 PM
Project Pulse Study Session
City Council Chambers and Zoom
City Council Adjourned Regular Meeting
August 26, 2025City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY ARCHIVES THE VIDEO RECORDINGS OF
ALL REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THE VIDEO FOR THIS MEETING IS HEREBY INCORPORATED BY THIS REFERENCE. ALSO IN
SUPPORT OF MORE TRANSPARENCY AND THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) COMPLIANCE, THE CITY OFFERS CLOSED CAPTIONING FOR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. FOR A
COMPLETE RECORD OF THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING, GO TO:
www.manhattanbeach.gov/departments/city-clerk/city-council-meetings-agendas-and-minutes CALL MEETING TO ORDERA.
Mayor Lesser called the meeting to order.
PLEDGE TO THE FLAGB.
Mayor Lesser led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALLC.
Roll Call led by City Clerk Liza Tamura.
Mayor Lesser, Mayor Pro Tem Franklin, Councilmember Tarnay, Councilmember Charelian and Councilmember Howorth
Present: 5 -
At 5:32 PM, Councilmember Tarnay arrived at the dais.
City Staff:
Present - City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Clerk Liza Tamura, City Attorney Quinn Barrow, Finance Director Libby Bretthauer, Interim Community Development Director Michael Codron, Interim Public Works Director Ted Semaan, Information Technology Director Miguel Guardado, Planning Manager Adam Finestone, Communications and Civic Engagement Manager Alexandria Latragna, Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet, Associate Planner Tari Kuvhenguhwa, Senior Civil Engineer Bianca Cardenas, Assistant City Clerk Martha Alvarez, Senior Management Analyst Patty Matson, Deputy City Clerk Breana Contreras, Technology Specialist Michael Tanious, and Technology Specialist Hector Hernandez.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDAD.
A motion was made by Councilmember Howorth, seconded by Councilmember Charelian, to approve the agenda. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Lesser, Franklin, Charelian and Howorth
Nay: 0
Absent: 1 - Tarnay
August 26, 2025City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 MINUTES PER PERSON)E.
Mayor Lesser opened the floor to public comments. The following individual(s) spoke:
Dan Higgins - Social Club
Maria Virgilio - Outdoor marketplace
Robert Christensen - Parking Lot 3 (hotel & underground parking) Marie Colmey - Public Art at Parking Lot 3 & 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Susan Walker - Parking & outdoor shopping
Jessica Holsom - Family friendly community
Ally Choffat - Interim Pop-Up at 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard Brent Estabrook - Family friendly art museum
Rachel Hang-Rothman - Teen Center
Fred Taylor - Public use facilities
Heather DeRose - Public use facilities
Jennifer O’Mara - Housing Element
David Shaby - Parking structure, retail and teen center Stefan Neumann - Parking and retail
Seeing no further requests to speak, Mayor Lesser closed the floor to public comments.
August 26, 2025City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
1. 25-0333Study Session on the Redevelopment of City-Owned Properties Located at 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard (Former US Bank Building) and 1155 Morningside Drive (Parking Lot 3), and Consideration of the Associated Public Engagement Program (Partially Budgeted) (Interim Community Development Director Codron). (Estimated Time: 90 Min.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian introduced Interim Community Development Director Michael Cordon, who then introduced Associate Planner Tari Kuvhenguhwa.
Associate Planner Kuvhenguhwa provided the PowerPoint presentation.
At 5:32 PM, Councilmember Tarnay arrived at the dais.
City Manager Mirzakhanian, Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet, Planning Manager Adam Finestone, Associate Planner Kuvhenguhwa, Finance Director Libby Bretthauer, and City Attorney Quinn Barrow responded to City Council questions.
Mayor Lesser opened the floor to public comments. The following individual(s) spoke:
Stefan Kampe
Carol Perrin
Maria Virgilio
Ally Choffat
Ray Joseph
Maureen McBride
Jennifer O’Mara
Mike Zislis
Karen Komatinsky
Derrick Coleman
Jessica Holsom
Jonathan Tolkin
Seeing no further requests to speak, Mayor Lesser closed the floor to public comments.
At 7:09 PM, the City Council recessed and reconvened at 7:22 PM with all City Councilmembers present.
City Manager Mirzakhanian, Finance Director Bretthauer, Associate Planner Kuvhenguhwa, and Traffic Engineer Zandvliet responded to City Council questions.
F. GENERAL BUSINESS
August 26, 2025City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
A motion was made by Councilmember Howorth, seconded by Councilmember Tarnay, to direct staff to explore potential amendments to the development regulations to increase the allowable building height from 26 feet to 30 feet, consistent with the Metlox development. This exploration should include analysis of the affected area, potential impacts, and any necessary coordination with the California Coastal Commission and staff shall return to City Council with findings and recommendations prior to initiating any legislative action. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Lesser, Franklin, Tarnay, Charelian and Howorth Nay: 0
A motion was made by Councilmember Howorth, seconded by Mayor Lesser, to direct staff to remove automated parking as an option from consideration in the current project scope for both properties. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Lesser, Franklin, Tarnay, Charelian and Howorth Nay: 0
City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
A motion was made by Councilmember Howorth, seconded by Councilmember Tarnay, that the Library Annex be removed from the list of potential site uses and replaced with a Community Space concept, which may include arts programming and public gathering areas, and all other listed uses shall remain under consideration at this time. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 4 - Lesser, Tarnay, Charelian and Howorth
Nay: 1 - Franklin
City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.