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, February 24, 2026
6:00 PM
Work Plan Meeting
City Council Chambers and Zoom
City Council Adjourned Regular Meeting
February 24, 2026City 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 -
City Staff:
Present - City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Clerk Liza Tamura, Finance Director Libby Bretthauer, Human Resources Director Lisa Jenkins, Parks and Recreation Director Mark Leyman, Police Chief Rachel Johnson, Fire Chief Jesse Alexander, Community Development Director Masa Alkire, Interim Public Works Director Joseph DeFrancesco, Information Technology Director Miguel Guardado, City Engineer Gilbert Gamboa, Traffic Engineer, Field Operations Manager Sean Roberts, Utilities Manager Jeffrey Page, Building Official Ryan Heise, Planning Manager Adam Finestone, Communications and Civic Engagement Manager Alexandria Latragna, Environmental Programs Administrator Britny Coker-Moen, Assistant City Clerk Martha Alvarez, Senior Management Analyst Patricia Matson, Senior Management Analyst Tatyana Roujenova-Peltekova, Police Officer Christopher Ineguez, Technology Specialist Ali Kazempoor and Deputy City Clerk Breana Contreras.
February 24, 2026City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDAD.
A motion was made by Councilmember Tarnay, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Franklin, to approve the agenda. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: 5 - Lesser, Franklin, Tarnay, Charelian and Howorth Nay: 0
PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 MINUTES PER PERSON)E.
Mayor Lesser opened the floor to public comments. The following individual(s) spoke:
Councilmember Tarnay
Seeing no further requests to speak, Mayor Lesser closed the floor to public comments.
February 24, 2026City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
1. 26-0124Status of the Current Fiscal Year 2025-2026 City Council Work Plan, Development of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Work Plan, and Approval of the Prioritization of Pending City Council Requests (No Budget Impact) (City Manager Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 3 Hrs.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Mayor Lesser reopened the floor for public comment.
Seeing no requests to speak, Mayor Lesser closed the floor to public comment.
City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian introduced the Work Plan and introduced Senior Management Analyst Patricia Matson who provided the PowerPoint presentation.
The remainder of the PowerPoint was provided in the following order:
Management Services
Senior Management Analyst Matson provided the PowerPoint presentation.
City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
Councilmember Howorth suggested adding the word “challenges” to the City Council Work Plan item so that it reads: “Evaluation of Opportunities and Challenges for the City’s Involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympic Games.” There were no objections.
Finance
Finance Director Libby Bretthauer provided the PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council questions.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation Director Mark Leyman provided the PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council questions.
Community Development
Community Development Director Masa Alkire provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Community Development Director Alkire, Building Official Ryan Heise and Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet responded to City Council questions.
Councilmember Charelian suggested adding a notable
accomplishment recognizing the City’s updated noticing policy for State Density Bonus and Residential Overlay District projects. There were no objections.
F. GENERAL BUSINESS
February 24, 2026City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
Public Works
Interim Public Works Director Joseph DeFrancesco provided the PowerPoint presentation.
City Manager Mirzakhanian, Interim Public Works Director DeFrancesco and City Engineer Gilbert Gamboa responded to City Council questions.
Mayor Lesser opened the floor to public comments. The following individual spoke:
Jim Upchurch
Seeing no further requests to speak, Mayor Lesser closed the floor to public comments.
City Manager Mirzakhanian, Interim Public Works Director DeFrancesco and City Engineer Gamboa responded to City Council questions.
At 7:21 PM, the City Council recessed and reconvened at 7:30 PM with all City Councilmembers present.
City Manager Mirzakhanian made a correction and clarified that the 28th Street Groundbreaking Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM.
Human Resources
Human Resources Director Lisa Jenkins provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Police
Police Chief Rachel Johnson provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Police Chief Johnson and City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
Fire
Fire Chief Jesse Alexander provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Information Technology
Information Technology Director Miguel Guardado provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Information Technology Director Guardado and Communications and Civic Engagement Manager Alexandria Latragna responded to City Council questions.
Management Services
Senior Management Analyst Matson concluded the provided the PowerPoint presentation and continued with the prioritized list of pending City Council requests, starting with Management Services.
City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
February 24, 2026City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
The remainder of the PowerPoint presentation regarding Pending City Council Requests was presented in the following order:
Finance
Finance Director Bretthauer provided the PowerPoint presentation.
City Manager Mirzakhanian and Community Development Director Alkire responded to City Council questions.
The City Council directed staff to prepare an annual briefing note on the fiscal impacts of the holiday meter bagging.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation Director Leyman provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Community Development
Community Development Director Alkire provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Community Development Director Alkire, Traffic Engineer Zandvliet and City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
The City Council directed staff to move the Discussion of the Use of a Shuttle Service in the City up from a low priority to a medium priority.
Public Works
Interim Public Works Director DeFrancesco provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Interim Public Works Director DeFrancesco and City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
Police
Police Chief Johnson provided the PowerPoint presentation.
Police Chief Johnson and City Manager Mirzakhanian responded to City Council questions.
The City Council directed staff to return with a proposal to establish a diversion program for minors and adults who receive e-bike violations.
Fire
Fire Chief Alexander provided the PowerPoint presentation.
The City Council directed staff to bring back the discussion on Emergency Shelter Solutions at a future City Council meeting to help promote and raise community awareness.
Senior Management Analyst Matson, City Manager Mirzakhanian and Traffic Engineer Zandvliet responded to City Council questions.
February 24, 2026City Council Adjourned Regular
Meeting
Meeting Minutes - Final
The City Council directed staff to explore formatting options to restructure the City Council Work Plan, emphasizing each item’s priority and its ability to be completed within the Fiscal Year, and to return with the format that best meets the City Council’s objectives.
ADJOURNMENTG.
At 9:03 PM, Mayor Lesser adjourned the meeting to the March 3, 2026, Adjourned Regular City Council Meeting at 5:00 PM.
_____________________________
Breana Contreras
Recording Secretary
_____________________________
David Lesser
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Liza Tamura
City Clerk