Moreno Valley City Council
February 26, 2026

SPECIAL MEETING
AGENDA

February 26, 2026
6:00 PM
City Hall Council Chamber – 14177 Frederick Street

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MORENO VALLEY
MORENO VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS*

CITY AS SUCCESSOR AGENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE

CITY OF MORENO VALLEY

MORENO VALLEY HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MORENO VALLEY PUBLIC FINANCING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MORENO VALLEY PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY

BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES

MORENO VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

*The City Council receives a separate stipend from the Community Services District Board of Directors

Ulises Cabrera, Mayor
Elena Baca-Santa Cruz, Councilmember (District #1)
Edward A. Delgado, Councilmember (District #2)
Erlan Gonzalez, Mayor Pro Tem (District #3)
Cheylynda Barnard, Councilmember (District #4)

MEETING CALENDAR
City Council Regular Meetings
First and Third Tuesdays of the Month at 6:00 PM
City Council Closed Sessions
Scheduled As Needed Commencing at 4:00 PM or Thereafter City Council Special Recognition/Presentations
First and Third Tuesdays of the Month
Scheduled As Needed Commencing at 5:30 PM
City Council Study Sessions
Second Tuesdays of the Month
Scheduled As Needed Commencing at 6:00 PM
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. ROLL CALL
D. STAFF INTRODUCTIONS
E. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE ITEMS LISTED ON THE

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54954.3
Speakers shall have a total of three minutes to comment on any matters on this agenda, unless modified by the Mayor based on the number of speakers present.

F. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
F.1 REPORT ON STATUS OF MORENO VALLEY MALL CLOSURE (REPORT OF:

FIRE CHIEF, BUILDING OFFICIAL AND CITY ATTORNEY) (DISTRICT 1) That the City Council:

1. Consider the Reports of the Fire Chief, City Attorney and other staff regarding the status of the Moreno Valley Mall Closure.

2. Ask any questions of Staff;

3. Hear public comments;

4. Direct Staff to answer any questions; and

5. Receive and File the Reports.

G. ADJOURNMENT

CERTIFICATION
I, Patty Rodriguez, Manager of the Office of the Mayor and City Council/City Clerk of the City of Moreno Valley, California, certify that at least 24 hours prior to this Special Meeting, the Agenda was posted on the City’s website at: www.moval.org and in the following three public places pursuant to City of Moreno Valley Resolution No. 2007-40:

City Hall, City of Moreno Valley
14177 Frederick Street
Moreno Valley Library
25480 Alessandro Boulevard
Moreno Valley Senior/Community Center
2 25075 Fir Avenue
Patty Rodriguez, CMC
Manager of the Office of the Mayor and City Council/City Clerk Date Posted: February 25, 2026

PUBLIC INSPECTION & DISTRIBUTION
The contents of the agenda packet are available for public inspection on the City’s website at www.moval.org and in the City Clerk’s office at 14177 Frederick Street during normal business hours.

Any written information related to an open session agenda item that is known by the City to have been distributed to all or a majority of the City Council within 24 hours prior to this special meeting will be made available for public inspection on the City’s website at www.moval.org and in the City Clerk’s office at 14177 Frederick Street during normal business hours.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT NOTICE
Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and all related federal rules and regulations. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should direct such request to the ADA Coordinator, at 951.413.3350 as soon as possible before the meeting.

The prompt notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this special meeting.
3 Report to City Council

ID: [Report Number] Page 1

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: Steven B. Quintanilla, City Attorney

AGENDA DATE: February 26, 2026

TITLE: REPORT ON STATUS OF MORENO VALLEY MALL

CLOSURE

TITLE SUMMARY: REPORT ON STATUS OF MORENO VALLEY MALL

CLOSURE

DISTRICT: District 1

Recommendation(s)

That the City Council:

1. Consider the Reports of the Fire Chief, City Attorney and other Staff regarding the status of the Moreno Valley Mall Closure.

2. Ask any questions of Staff;

3. Hear public comments;

4. Direct Staff to answer any questions; and

5. Receive and File the Reports.

SUMMARY

The purpose of this Special Meeting is to provide the City Council and interested parties with a comprehensive report on the status of the closure of the Moreno Valley Mall, and to provide answers to any questions as directed by the City Council.

DISCUSSION

In a letter, dated January 16, 2026, addressed to Mr. Matt Ilbak, Chief Executive Officer of IGP Business Group, the presumed owner of the Mall, he was informed by the City 4 ID: [Report Number] Page 2
Attorney that various fire protection systems were demolished, removed, or modified without prior approval by the Moreno Valley Fire Department, which include d basic life- saving devices such as fire alarms and fire sprinklers. In addition, the letter indicated that there were several pending violations associated with unpermitted high- piled storage in and along the Mall’s interior walk aisles, which would hinder and/or prevent safe access and evacuation during a fire emergency. Moreover, the letter informed Mr. Ilbak that the City’s Community Enhancement and Neighborhood Services Division had issued 88 code violation citations since 2019, which included citations for unpermitted construction, the lack of required certificates of occupancy, deteriorated parking areas due to cracked pavement and curbing, inadequate and incomplete parking and lane striping, insufficient parking lot lighting, accumulation of trash and debris, inadequate landscape maintenance made evident by the many dead and missing plants and da maged curbing, graffiti, lack of appropriate business licenses,, etc. The letter also reminded Mr. Ilbak that the operation of the Mall’s escalators continued to remain intermittent, indicating that some more repair work may be necessary to ensure their safe use by the public.

After not receiving a response to the January 16 letter, the City Attorney dispatched a follow-up letter, dated February 26, 2026, to Mr. Ilbak informing him that despite all of the notices, correspondence and citations sent to his attention and the conversations various City staff and the Fire Department personnel have had with him and/or representatives of the Mall, regarding the aforementioned violations, it appeared that he remained committed to either ignoring their existence and/or disregarding the s eriousness of the violations, although many of the violations clearly posed immediate risks to the health and safety of the Mall’s employees, the Mall’s retail tenants, the tenants’ employees, and members of the general public which include the Mall’s shoppers and visitors.

In light of the lack of any responses from the Mall with respect to the multitude of violations they were provided notice of in the form of official notices of violation, citations, correspondence, inspections, visits, phone conferences, and personal meetings, the City Attorney informed Mr. llbak that pursuant to the City’s enforcement powers under applicable California law and the Moreno Valley Municipal Code, the City would continue to pursue a range of civil enforcement remedies to obtain compliance with all pending Municipal Code and California Building Code violations, which include, but are not limited to:

1. Administrative citations and fines;

2. Civil penalties;

3. Abatement proceedings;

4. Injunctive relief; and

5. Recovery of enforcement costs and attorney’s fees where authorized by statute or ordinance.

It is important to note that the order to close the Mall is not directly related to the violations of the Moreno Valley Municipal Code or the California Building Code. Instead, the closure of the Mall was based on numerous Fire Code violations which the Fire Marshall determined require immediate attention to ensure that the Mall is safe for the tenants, employees, shoppers, and the other members of the visiting public. 5 ID: [Report Number] Page 3
The list of Fire Code violations is lengthy, but the main violations which prompted the Fire Department to order the immediate closure of the Mall (until all of the violations are properly abated) are directly related to the Mall’s failure to provide inspection, testing, and maintenance documentation, as required by the California Fire Code and the National Fire Protection Association Code, for various Fire/Life Safety Systems. This is necessary to ensure that all such systems are in proper working condition during a Fire Emergency and Fire Evacuation. The systems of concern to the Fire Department include the Mall’s:

o Fire Sprinkler System
o Fire Alarm System
o Smoke Control System
o Fire Doors
o Fire Standpipe System
o Fire/Smoke Dampers
o Emergency Generators
o Emergency Lighting
o Emergency Exit Lighting

In addition to the above, the Fire Department, during its inspections, identified a multitude of issues in designated areas of the Mall which need to be immediately addressed for fire safety reasons. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Some locks need to be removed, repaired, or replaced on certain exit doors that are intended to be used for evacuation purposes in case of a fire emergency and evacuation.
 Some signage needs to be repaired or replaced at certain exit doors that are intended to be used for evacuation purposes in case of a fire emergency.  Updated keys and key codes for all emergency communications rooms must be included in all Knox boxes, which is a wall-
mounted lockbox that holds building keys or access devices to allow Fire personnel and other emergency responders to quickly enter the Mall without forced entry during a fire emergency.
 A multitude of smoke detectors must be cleaned of dust buildup or replaced.  Various fire extinguishers must be thoroughly inspected to ensure that they work properly in case of a fire emergency.
 Piles of storage must be removed from certain corridors and near certain exit doors that can hinder evacuation during a fire emergency.
 Various repairs must be made to certain fire-rated doors to ensure that they adequately
resist fire and smoke for a specified period, protecting occupants and property while maintaining structural integrity during a fire emergency.  All fire-rated doors must be equipped with self-closing hardware and smoke seals to ensure that they adequately r esist fire and smoke for a specified period during a fire emergency.
 C ertain repairs must be made to all penetrations in all fire-rated walls to ensure that they adequately r esist fire and smoke for a specified period during a fire emergency.
6 ID: [Report Number] Page 4
 Certain illuminated signs at exit doors needed for evacuation during a fire emergency must be repaired or replaced.
 All fire-rated door components and service egress hardware need to be replaced, repaired, installed, and inspected to ensure that all fire- rated doors operate with minimal working weight to ensure they are easily operable during a fire emergency and evacuation.
 The main Fire Alarm Control Unit in the Fire Command Room must be diagnosed to ensure that the Unit is fully functional.
 Regular annual service for the emergency radio in the Fire Command Room needs to be scheduled and conducted.
 The Emergency Generators need to be diagnosed and tested, and all problem conditions must be corrected to ensure that they are fully functional during a fire and other types of emergencies.
 An updated key for the interior door inside the Fire Control Room must be provided.  All storage must be removed from the Electrical Room.  Electrical panel block-outs must be provided for all breaker panels in the Electrical Room.
 All missing locks and latches for the electrical panel doors in the electrical room must be repaired or replaced.
 All exposed electrical junction boxes along walls and ceilings must be properly covered.
 All exposed fire alarm wire in junction boxes near ceilings must be covered.  The use of electrical extension cords in lieu of permanently installed electrical outlets must cease immediately.

In light of the multitude of violations of the Fire Code and the Moreno Valley Municipal Code, should the Mall refuse to make any good faith efforts toward resolving the pending violations, the City Attorney may recommend that the City Council authorize the City Attorney to file a request for the judicial appointment of a receiver over the Property to:

1. Take full control and possession of the Property;

2. Manage operations and collect rents or other income;

3. Secure, repair, and rehabilitate the Property;

4. Pay outstanding bills necessary to bring the Property into compliance;

5. Borrow funds to complete required work; and

6. Record a super-priority lien against the Property to secure repayment of receiver expenses and any costs incurred by the City to gain compliance.

While there has been some progress toward compliance with respect to the pending Life Safety and Fire Protection items that resulted in the closure of the Mall, several items remain outstanding.

In the meantime, the C ity Attorney has been in constant communication with the Mall’s recently retained attorneys who have been very helpful and cooperative with helping move this matter in the right direction, and the City Attorney has reassured the Mall’s legal counsel that t he City remains committed to expeditiously processing any necessary permit applications, conducting any necessary inspections and providing any technical 7 ID: [Report Number] Page 5
assistance so long as the Mall Owner/Management remains diligent in proceeding toward correcting, resolving and/or abating the remaining Life Safety and Fire Protection violations.

Attachments:

Letter from City Manager and City Attorney to Mr. Matt Ilbak, dated January 16, 2026 Letter from City Attorney to Mr. Matt Ilbak, dated February 19, 2026 Notice & Order, dated February 19, 2026
Order to Vacate, dated February 19, 2026

8 1
Steven B. Quintanilla, City Attorney

OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY

CITY OF MORENO VALLEY
14177 FREDERICK STREET
P.O. Box 88005
MORENO VALLEY, CA 92552-0805
PHONE: 951.413.3036 FAX: 951.413.3034

February 19, 2026
Via Email and Personal Service
Matt Ilbak
Chief Executive Officer
IGP Business Group
22500 Town Circle, Suite 1206
Moreno Valley, CA 92553

Re: Notice of Pending Building, Municipal, and Fire Code Violations at Moreno Valley Mall

Dear Mr. Ilbak:

Please be advised that there continues to remain multiple unresolved violations of the Moreno Valley Municipal Code, the California Building Code, and the California Fire Code at the commercial property constituting the Moreno Valley Mall, located at 22500 Town Circle (A.P.N.s 291-110-032, 291-110-033, 291-110-034, and 291-110-035) (“Subject Property”).

In a letter addressed to you, dated January 16, 2026, you were reminded that various fire protection systems were demolished, removed, or modified without prior approval by the Fire Department, which include basic life -saving devices such as fire alarms an d fire sprinklers. In addition, you were reminded that there were several pending violations associated with unpermitted high- piled storage in and along interior walk aisles, which hinder and/or prevent safe access and evacuation during a fire emergency. Moreover, as also noted in the January 16 letter, you were informed that the City’s Community Enhancement and Neighborhood Services Division had issued 88 code violation citations since 2019, which included citations for unpermitted construction, the lack of required certificates of occupancy, deteriorated parking areas due to cracked pavement and curbing, inadequate and incomplete parking and lane striping, insufficient parking lot lighting, accumulation of trash and debris, inadequate landscape maintenance made evident by the many dead and missing plants and damaged curbing, graffiti, lack of appropriate business licenses, etc.

You were also reminded that the operation of the Mall’s escalators continue d to remain intermittent, indicating that some more repair work may be necessary to ensure their safe use by the public.
9 2

Notwithstanding the above, and despite all of the notices, correspondence and citations sent to your attention and the conversations various City staff and the Fire Department personnel have had with you and/or your representatives regarding the aforementi oned violations, you remain committed to either ignoring their existence and/or disregarding the seriousness of the violations, although many of these violations clearly pose immediate risks to the health and safety of your employees, the Mall’s retail ten ants, the tenants’ thousands of employees, and members of the general public which include the Mall’s shoppers and visitors. Your lack of any reasonable and rational response (or no response at all) to this very serious situation is a continuing concern to the City and the Fire Departm ent; as such, this has prompted my office to explore all available remedies for ensuring that the Subject Property is managed and operated in a manner that most efficiently and effectively results in the abatement of all the subject violations which pose any real and immediate threat to health and safety.

In light of the foregoing, please be advised that p
ursuant to the City’s enforcement powers under
applicable California law and the Moreno Valley Municipal Code, the City will continue to pursue a range of civil enforcement remedies to obtain compliance with all pending Municipal Code, California Building Code and California Fire Code violations. Such remedies include, but are not limited to:

1. Administrative citations and fines;

2. Civil penalties;

3. Abatement proceedings;

4. Injunctive relief; and

5. Recovery of enforcement costs and attorney’s fees where authorized by statute or ordinance.

In addition to the above, my office may request the judicial appointment of a receiver over the Subject Property. A court -appointed receiver is a neutral third party who would be granted authority to:

1. Take full control and possession of the Subject Property;

2. Manage operations and collect rents or other income;

3. Secure, repair, and rehabilitate the Subject Property;

4. Pay outstanding bills necessary to bring the Subject Property into compliance;

5. Borrow funds to complete required work; and

6. Record a super-priority lien against the Subject Property to secure repayment of receiver expenses and any costs incurred by the City to gain compliance.

Under applicable law, receiver costs, including rehabilitation expenses, administrative costs, and attorney’s fees, may be secured by a lien with priority over existing encumbrances.

10 3
Please know that my office would prefer to avoid the receivership remedy; however, due to your inaction and lack of any evidence that you are committed to resolving any of the pending violations, including the ones that obviously pose an immediate threat to health and sa fety, my office plans to pursue all legally available options necessary.

Regards,

Steven B. Quintanilla
City Attorney

cc: Brian Mohan, City Manager
James Verdugo, Building Division Manager/Building Official Jesse Park, Fire Chief
Edgar Gonzalez, Fire Marshall
11 January 16, 2026
Via Email and U.S. Mail
M
att Ilbak
Chief Executive Officer
IGP Business Group
22500 Town Circle, Suite 1206
Moreno Valley, CA 92553
R
e: Unsolicited Proposal Regarding Moreno Valley City Hall Facility at Moreno Valley Mall Dear Matt Ilbak:

We (City Manager and City Attorney) are writing in response to your unsolicited December 14, 2025, correspondence (“Proposal”) offering to design, build and finance a new Moreno Valley City Hall facility within an existing parking lot at the Moreno Valley Mall (“Mall”). The Proposal provides that the City of Moreno Valley (“City”) will lease the facility for an unspecified amount for an undetermined term , with the City acquiring fee simple title at the end of the lease term for $1. Interestingly, it has bee n reported that Mall ownership has spoken with several Moreno Valley City Councilmembers who have expressed interest in the terms of the Proposal, yet none have confirmed to staff that they have had any such discussions with anyone associated with the Mall about the Proposal.

N
otwithstanding the above, before considering any alternative proposals, a multitude of issues need to be resolved.

First and foremost are the conditions of the Mall, which pose significant public safety concerns. For instance, prior to the City obtaining access to the City’s leased premises, various fire protection systems were demolished, removed, or modified without prior approval by the Moreno Valley Fire Department. In fact, the Fire Department was not even notified of any plans to demolish, remove , or modify these very critical fire protection systems, which include basic life-saving devices such as fire alarms and fire sprinklers. It is also our understanding that the same has occurred in the spaces adjacent to the City’s leased premises, which continue to lack these basic life- safety devices. Moreover, certain inspections, testing, and maintenance reports for other basic life-safety systems such as the facility’s smoke control system, emergency egress lighting, and emergency generators have yet to be provided. Other fire-related safety issues include 16 unresolved Fire Code violations related to the Mall shell and 38 Fire Code violations related to individual tenant spaces. In addition to the multitude of unresolved issues related to the fire protection systems described above, the violations include unpermitted high-piled storage in and along interior walk aisles, which hinder and/or prevent safe access and evacuation during a fire emergency .

In light of these pending unresolved public safety concerns, the Fire Marshal had to implement a Fire Watch to continually monitor potential fire hazards associated with any construction activities at the Mall. The Fire Watch commenced on March 20, 2025, and will remain in place until the aforementioned public safety concerns associated with the lack of basic life- saving devices are resolved in a manner approved by the Fire Marshal and all unpermitted storage is removed, ensuring safe access by emergency pe rsonnel and evacuation during a fire emergency. Bottom line is that until the life-saving devices are properly installed with the proper inspections and permits, no certificates of occupancy may be issued for tenant spaces within the former Sears building. As you surely know, a certificate of occupancy is needed in order to open the tenant spaces for public access. 12 In the meantime, please be advised that the Fire Marshal has further remedies available to ensure compliance via the issuance of Stop Work Notices and Notices to Vacate.

T
here are also a host of property maintenance violations related to both the exterior areas and interior spaces of the Mall. For example, the parking lot consists of severely cracked pavement and curbing, and inadequate striping of parking spaces and traffic lanes. Incidentally, while there was some restriping of the ADA parking spaces, the restriping was done without the required City inspections or building permits, which are required to ensure the ADA parking spaces are properly striped pursuant to applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Other exterior issues include, but are not limited to, inadequate landscaping, such as dead and missing plants, and damaged and inoperable automatic irrigation systems. To resolve these landscaping issues, new landscape and irrigation plans must be submitted to the City for review and approval, all appropriate inspections must be conducted, and all required permits must be obtained. Although a meeting regarding outstanding landscape plan corrections was recently held between City staff, Mall ownership and their landscape consultant, until these maintenance issues are resolved, the City retains to right to pursue all available remedies against the Mall, including without limitation, issuing notices of public nuisance and additional citations, along with imposing additional fines and seeking recovery of all City abatement costs, including attorney’s fees.

I
n addition to the inadequate landscaping situation, please be advised that until the violations of insufficient exterior lighting and graffiti resulting from deferred and/ or neglected maintenance are resolved, the City retains to right to pursue all available remedies against the Mall, including without limitation, issuing notices of public nuisance and additional citations, along with imposing additional fines and seeking recovery of all City abatement costs, including attorney’s fees. Please note that the r esolution of the exterior lighting issues w ill likely require lighting plan check applications, lighting inspections, and building permits. As such, y ou are encouraged to contact the City’s Building and Safety Division for specifics.

R
egarding the interior issues, in addition to the fire safety concerns, the Mall is not fully illuminated, notwithstanding the fact that Mall ownership commenced replacing existing light fixtures with LED fixtures without proper inspections and without any required building permits. In addition, the interior flooring remains in very poor condition due to cracked tiles. Fortunately, no permits would be required to replace the interior flooring, but it needs to be done not only for aesthetic purposes but also to prevent trip-and-fall situations. The operation of the Mall’s escalators also remain intermittent, indicating that some more repair work may be necessary to ensure their safe use by the public.

T
here have also been several instances of construction taking place without proper inspections and building permits. This includes the unpermitted construction associated with the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, Spaces, and the Skyzone Trampoline Park. In each of these instances, the Building and Safety Division had to issue stop- work orders to ensure that any construction is performed pursuant to all applicable Building Code standards and specifications to ensure the protection of public safety.

I
n light of the above issues, the City’s Community Enhancement and Neighborhood Services Division has issued 88 code violation citations since 2019. These violations include unpermitted construction, the lack of required certificates of occupancy, deteriorated parking areas due to cracked pavement and curbing, inadequate and incomplete parking and lane striping, insufficient parking lot lighting, accumulation of trash and debris, inadequate landscape maintenance made evident by the many dead and missing plants and damaged curbing, graffiti, lack of appropriate business licenses, along with a multitude of Fire Code violations. Currently, outstanding (unpaid) fines and inspection fees amount to $206,768.00, which we understand City staff reduced from approximately $350,000 in good faith reliance on yours and your team’s assurances that the violations would be resolved in an expeditious and diligent manner.

I
have also been informed that the Mall is delinquent in its payment of Law Enforcement Services in the amount of $465,858.76, which it owes pursuant to the 1991 Original Conditions of Approval, which requires reimbursement for City-provided on-site law enforcement services. It is critical that this delinquency be resolved 13 as soon as possible so that the City does not have to resort to any collection proceedings.

P
lease be further advised that there has been a history of complications associated with the processing of numerous special events, including the Magical Christmas Variety Show (Food Truck and Holiday Festival with Circus and Ice- Skating Rink), Circus Caballero, Christmas Festival, and the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy Youth Foundation Event. With these special events, there have been recurring issues such as the lack of payment of certain fees, failure to submit required documentation, late application filings, lack of owner consent, failure to make identified corrections, and lack of appropriate approvals by the Police and Fire Departments, as well as improper installation of temporary structures which required the immediate attention of the Building and Safety Division to ensure their structural integrity for safe public accessibility.

F
inally, it appears that there have been numerous unjustified delays in completing the necessary work for the Moreno Valley Museum and Art Space. For instance, the Mall’s contractor has failed to fully remove outdated fire sprinkler equipment as required, which required the City’s contractor to send in a team to remediate the situation so that construction could continue. The City also had to assume responsibility for the design and construction of a new, larger electrical room because the existing electrical switchgear was insufficient to serve the Sears building and its tenants. The City also had to design and construct a new exterior door and path of travel to comply with applicable accessibility requirements – work that should have been anticipated and completed by the “property owner.” Moreover, staff has reported that within the Sears building, t he closure of the hole left by the removal of the escalator was completed in an unsafe manner with the Mall’s contractor utilizing old warped steel beams removed from another portion of the building. Staff also reported that the contractor did not obtain proper inspections for various items related to the work, including but not limited to the welding. In addition, the Mall’s contractor entered the City’s leased premises without the City’s knowledge or permission to install a sewer line without the proper inspections and permits, causing unnecessary disruption, confusion, and delay in the use of the City’s leased premises. In addition, although a certain HVAC unit was identified for relocation pending approved plans, the Mall’s contractor removed the unit from the roof and placed it on the ground for months in advance of its anticipated time for relocation, without obtaining a building permit or providing prior notification to the City (as a tenant). This HVAC unit remained unsecured and unattended, and recent photos show evidence of tampering, with tools attached, refrigerant drained, and exposed copper indicating attempted dismantling. This unauthorized and unpermitted removal, as well as the removal of associated curbing, has altered the installation conditions and expanded the scope of work required for Mall ownership to reinstall the HVAC unit, contributing to further delays. The City is also genuinely concerned that it may have to reinstall the units t o ensure they are operational at the time the Museum is scheduled to open.

I
n light of the foregoing, it is apparent that we are far from considering any Proposals to alter any material terms or conditions of the current Lease agreement.

S
hould you wish to discuss this matter, please contact me via email at [email protected] R
egards,
B
rian Mohan
City Manager
S
teven B. Quintanilla
City Attorney
14 15
16 17

CITY OF MORENO V ALLEY

FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU
14177 FREDERICK
P.O. BOX 88005
MORENO VALLEY, CA 92553
(951) 413-3370

Notice of Violation

Record #: FBP25-0770

Pursuant to the Moreno Valley Municipal Code and the California Fire Code Section 1 12.3, the Moreno Valley Mall building located at 22500 Town Center Circle, in the City of Moreno Valley inspected on 02/09/2026 has been found in violation. It is unlawful for a person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, al ter, repair, remove, demolish or utilize a building, occupancy, premise or system regulated by this code, or cause same to be done, in conflict with or in violation of any of the provisions of this code. The following conditions have been deemed in violation:

IMMEDIATE

General Items:

Provide Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Documentation for the following Fire/Life Safety Systems:

1. Fire Sprinkler Systems (CFC 901.6)
• Annual Inspection & Testing: Required per CFC and NFPA 25. • Five-Year Inspection and Certification: Required every 5 years to evaluate fire sprinkler system.

2. Fire Alarm System (CFC 907.8.1)
• Annual Inspection & Testing: Required per CFC and NFPA 72, including initiating devices, notification appliances, control equipment, and monitoring functions o NOTE: Fire Alarm Control Unit is currently in annunciating trouble and supervisory signals.. Diagnose and correct trouble conditions of Emergency Generators to restore systems. See Fire Command Room Corrections for details.

3. Smoke Control System (CFC 909.22.4/CFC 909.22.5)
• Annual Testing: Required per CFC and NFPA 92 to verify proper operation of fans, dampers, controls, and system interfaces.

18

4. Fire Doors (CFC 705.2)
• Annual Inspection & Testing: Required for overhead fire doors and horizontal sliding fire doors per CFC and NFPA 80.
o NOTE: All fire dated doors shall be properly equipped with self closing hardware, smoke seals, and close/latch as required throughout entire common areas and corridors to compartmentalize fire rated areas.

5. Fire Standpipe Systems (CFC 901.6)
• Annual Inspection & Testing: Required per CFC and NFPA 25, including hose valves, pressure-reducing devices, and system piping.
• Five-Year Testing and Certification: Required for standpipe systems as applicable.

6. Fire/Smoke Dampers (CFC 706.1)
• Inspection & Testing Every 4 Years: Required per CFC and NFPA 80/105 to ensure proper closure and operation.

7. Emergency Generators (CFC 1203.4)
• Annual Inspection & Testing: Required per CFC and NFPA 110, including load testing and verification of emergency power transfer.
o NOTE: Emergency Generators are currently in annunciating trouble signal at annunciator panel and fire alarm control unit/annunciators. Diagnose and correct trouble conditions of Emergency Generators to restore systems.

8. Emergency Lighting (CFC 1032.10)
• Annual Testing: Required per the CFC to verify battery backup functionality and illumination levels.
o NOTE: Several original egress lights used for normal lightings and emergency lighting thought back-of house egress/access corridors were replaced with motion sensor LED lights. Any modifications made to the building’s original electrical system(s) need to be permitted through the City of Moreno Valley. A qualified C-10 Contractor shall submit plans to ensure egress/emergency lighting in properly addressed in these areas or all original egress lighting shall be replaced as originally designed.

9. Exit Lighting (CFC 1032.4 and CFC 1104.3)
• Annual Testing: Required per the CFC to ensure all exit signage is illuminated and functioning under both normal and emergency power.

First Level:

Concourse Common Area - First Floor
• Remove secondary flush mounted slide lock from exit doors at entrance 3 adjacent to suite 1039A (CFC 1010.2.2)
• Repair or replace indicating lock on exit door/main door at entrance 3 adjacent to suite 1039A (CFC 1010.2.4)
19

• Repair or replace exit sign adjacent to suite 1042 near hallway leading to entrance 3 (CFC 1032.4)
• Provide updated key or key code for communications room near restrooms in hallway in between Harkins theatres and self frozen yogurt to be included in Knox Box. (CFC 506.2)
• Multiple smoke detectors in hallway near entrance 2 have dust built up near management office. Contact C-10 Contractor to properly address this matter or replace smoke detectors if compromised. (NFPA 72)
• Remove secondary flush mounted slide locks from exit doors at entrance 2 adjacent to management offices (CFC 1010.2.2)
• Remove Locking unapproved mechanism/latch from egress doors at main entrance adjacent to 1090 (Crunch Fitness) (CFC 1010.2.2)

Service Corridor 2
• All potable fire extinguishers require a monthly inspection documented on annual tag. (CFC 906 – CA Title 19)
• Remove storage from service corridor obstructing means of egress. (CFC 1032.2)
• Repairs shall be made to fire rated doors throughout service corridor. Fire rated doors shall be properly close/latch, provided with self closing hardware, and smoke seals to compartmentalize fire rated area (CFC 705.1) • Repair penetrations in fire rated walls throughout service corridor. (CFC 701) • Repair or replace illuminated exit sign above exit door 27. (CFC 1032.2)

Service Corridor 1
• Repair fire rated door 30 to properly close and latch. Fire rated doors shall be provided with self closing hardware and smoke seals to compartmentalize fire rated area. (CFC 705)
• Repair penetration in fire rated wall above door leading into suite 1198 (CFC 701)
• Remove storage from rear exit door 1189. (CFC 1032.2)

Service Corridor 3
• Repair fire rated door that serves elevator 8 to properly close and latch. Fire rated doors shall be provided with self closing hardware and smoke seals to compartmentalize fire rated area. (CFC 705)
• Remove storage at corridor outside security office. (CFC 1032.2)

Service Corridor between T-3A and T-4A
• Repair all Fire rated door components and service egress hardware to operate with minimal working weight to operate the door’s hardware and door leaf. (CFC 1010.1.3)

Service Corridor between T-1A and T-3A
• Repair all exit doors to proper working order. All exit doors shall operate with normal working weight to operate the door’s hardware and door leaf. (CFC 1010.1.3)
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• Repair magnetic door holders for fire rated doors located in front of Elevator 4 (CFC 705)

Fire Command Room
• Diagnose and correct all trouble and supervisory conditions on the main Fire Alarm Control Unit to restore full and compliant system functionality. (NFPA 72) o Space 6B Power Supply Trouble Signal
o Hometown Buffett FACU Trouble Signal
o Northwest PIV Parking Structure Trouble Signal
o Lower Level Power Supply in Storage Room 1206A Trouble Signal o Parking Structure FACU Trouble Signal
o T6B Space 2105 Rear Corridor Smoke Detector Trouble Signal o T6B Space 2105 Rear Corridor Power Supply Trouble.
o T1B Space 2232 Power Supply Trouble
o Obtain annual service for Command radio in fire command room. o Repair troubles on north and south emergency generators. o Emergency Generators Supervisory Signals.
• Diagnose and correct trouble conditions of Emergency Generators to restore systems. (CFC 1203.4)
• Provide updated key for interior door inside Fire control room. (CFC 506.2)

Electrical Room A
• Remove all storage from electrical room. (CFC 603.4)
• Provide electrical panel block-outs for all breaker panels in electrical room A (CFC 603.2)
• Provide all missing lock and latch’s for electrical panel doors in electrical room A (CFC 603.2)
• Remove all storage in Electrical room A (CFC 603.4)
Electrical room B
• Shall repair all penetrations in fire rated walls throughout electrical room (CFC 701)
• Properly cover exposed electrical junction boxes along walls and ceiling. (CFC 603.2)
Electrical room C
• Repair all penetrations in fire rated walls throughout electrical room (CFC 701) • All electrical panel doors shall be closed and latched properly. (CFC 603.2) • Provide electrical panel block-outs for all breaker panels throughout electrical room (CFC 603.2)
• Cover up all exposed junction boxes throughout electrical room (CFC 603.2) • Cover up exposed fire alarm wire in junction boxes near ceiling (CFC 603.2)

Second Level:

Second Concourse Common Area:
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• Provide FDC signage to fire department connection in-front of dental office suite. (CFC 509.1)
• Discontinue the use of extension cords in lieu of permanent electrical fixtures. (CFC 603.6)
• Discontinue the use of extension cords and Christmas lights being utilized on ceiling near suite 2063. (CFC 603.6)
• Discontinue the use of extension cords being used on ceiling above suite 2108. (CFC 603.6)
• Repair light fixture above interior side of fire rated door 48. • Repair fire rated door 49 to be self closing and self latching. (CFC 705) • Discontinue the use of extension cords being utilized on glass ceiling above suite 2057. (CFC 603.6)
• Remove and discontinue the use of spliced wiring outside unit 2122 • Provide FDC signage on fire department connection near food court entrance. (CFC 509.1)
• Discontinue the use of extension cords being utilized above elevator pillar by suite 2166 (CFC 603.6)
• Discontinue the use of extension cords being used for Christmas lights in front of unit 2166 leading up to 2193 (CFC 603.6)
• Repair exit sign not illuminated leading to corridor 2027 (CFC 1032) • Discontinue the use of extension cords used for Christmas lights and speakers from 2193 to Macy’s (CFC 603.6)
• Repair fire rated door 74 to properly self close and latching. NOTE: Smoke seal was painted and may need to be replaced to meet door’s listing requirements. (CFC 705)
• Repair/replace painted sprinkler head in front of suite 2226 by a qualified C-16 contractor. (NFPA 25)
• Replace missing escutcheon plate on sprinkler head out side suite 2000. (NFPA 25)

Food Court
• A missing light fixture has left ceiling penetrations in front of suite 2136. Electrical shall be properly covered with approved cover and fire rated ceiling shall be properly restored. (CFC 701 and 603)
• Provide FDC signage for fire department connection outside suite 2151. (CFC 509.1)
• Replace smoke seals for fire rated door at back hall near family rest room. (CFC 705)
• Provide missing suite numbers on rear door next to suite 2175. (CFC 505)

Service Corridor T-6B
• Discontinue the use of Christmas lighting near suite 2076 utilizing extension cords (CFC 603.6)
• Repair or replace non-illuminating exit signage to the right of escape room. (CFC 1032.4)
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• Repair exit door 56 leading to exit corridor behind escape room that does not open. (CFC 1010.1.3)
• Discontinue the use of mechanism used hold open fire rated door in electrical room E. (CFC 1010)
• Means of egress discharge at main exit doors from corridor T-6B is obstructed blocked with ac unit. Obstruction to means of egress discharge shall be removed and kept clear at all times. (CFC 1028)
• Fire rated door 58 to elevator room self closing/latching shall close and latch properly. (CFC 705)
• Provide proper cover for exposed electrical in overhead junction box in front of suite 2108. (CFC 603)
• Fire rated door 61 shall fully self close and latch. (CFC 705) • Provide proper annual service and tag for fire extinguisher near fire rated door

59. (CFC 906 and CA Title 19)
• Provide FACP signage on electrical room E. (CFC 509.1) • Replace all missing or damaged smoke seals on fire rated doors throughout corridor entire corridor. (CFC 705)

Service Corridor T-5B
• Fire rated door 49 shall properly self closed and latch. (CFC 705) • Remove all other locks and latches on egress/fire rated door 49. (CFC 1010) • Repair open penetration on wall above fire rated door 49 (CFC 701) • Remove all storage from exit corridor. (CFC 1032)
• Repair/replace exit sign above fire rated door 50 not properly illuminating. (CFC 1032)
• Provide roof access proper to fire rated door 50. (CFC 509) • Provide FACP signage in electrical room D. (CFC 509.1) • Replace all missing or damaged smoke seals on fire rated door through corridor. (CFC 705)

Service Corridor T-7B
• Remove all secondary locks and latches from exit/fire rated doors within corridor. (CFC 1010)
• Replace all missing or damaged smoke seals on fire rated doors throughout corridor. (CFC 705)
• All corridor entrance doors shall properly self close and latching. Qualified door contractor is to provide proper servicing to ensure the fire doors operate as intended. (CFC 705)
• T-7B 13 fire rated door connecting to T-7B 14 not self closing/latching. (CFC 705) • Cover exposed electrical in an approved method above door T-7B13 entry/exit. (CFC 603)
• Remove chain and lock as well as locking mechanism on roof access entry/point. (CFC 509.2)
• Properly mount extinguisher inside storage room per mounting requirements. (CFC 906)
• Provide roof access signage to entrance doors into the corridor. (CFC 509) 23

• Repair/replace damaged or missing covers on relay modules near riser F. (CFC 603)
• Replace all missing or damaged smoke seals on fire rated doors throughout corridor. (CFC 705)
• Provide cover for open junction box above suite 2142. (CFC 603) • Repair/maintain exit door near storage room C to be fully functional. (CFC 1010)

Service Corridor T-1B
• Repair missing smoke seal on fire rated door 43. (CFC 705) • Replace missing escutcheon plate in sprinkler above 2027 door. (NFPA 25) • Electrical room near elevator contains needs the following corrections: shall provide an extinguisher within room, shall provide signage to door signifying if it is an electrical room, shall cover all ceiling/wall penetrations within room, shall provide single action hardware to door, shall replace missing escutcheon plate to sprinkler. CFC 906, CFC 701, 603.4.1, and NFPA 25)
• Repair broken exit sign above main exit in T-3B. (CFC 1032) • All fire/egress doors in service corridor T-3B shall be free of any obstruction preventing them from operating as intended. All obstruction shall be removed. (CFC 1032)
• Provide suite address on unit near fire department access labeled door. (CFC 505)
• Repair/replace all missing or damaged smoke seals for all fire rated doors throughout corridor.(CFC 705)

Service Corridor T-2B
• Discontinue extension cord being utilized near entrance to corridor. (CFC 603.6) • Remove all other locks and latches on exit fire rated door 73. (CFC 1010) • Provide missing plate cover on exposed junction box near suite 2196. (CFC 603) • Properly mount extinguisher in electrical room F. (CFC 906) • Properly close/cover all open junction boxes in electrical room F with approved electrical covers. (CFC 603)
• Replace all missing or damaged smoke seals within corridor. (CFC 705)

Fire Sprinkler Riser Room (near suite 2000 entry/exit)
• Repair all penetrations to wall and ceiling. (CFC 701) • All control valves controlling water supply to fire sprinkler systems shall be locked in the open position to prevent tampering. (NFPA 25)
• Provide annual service and certification tag for fire extinguisher within room. (CFC 906 and CA Title 19)
• Provide cover plates to exposed electrical and wall outlets. (CFC 603)

Elevator Room 2
• Repair ceiling fire rated construction at ceiling/walls throughout compartment. (CFC 701)
• Repair rated construction openings to utility piping at elevator entrance. (CFC 701)
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Service Corridor 11
• Repair fire rated doors into 2nd floor concourse. Self closer was removed. (CFC 705)

Common Area Concourse – Second Floor
• Repair fire alarm horn/strobe outside unit 2212. Contact C-10 Contractor to properly address this matter or replace notification device if compromised. (NFPA 72)
• Repair illuminated exit sign outside entry/unit 2212. (CFC 1032)

Service Corridor 12
• Discontinue the use of extension cords at south side second level entry. (CFC 603.6)
• Remove night latch from exit doors outside of stairwell 3. (CFC 1010)

Electrical Room F
• Mount portable fire extinguisher onto wall. (CFC 906)

Elevator Room 7
• Close openings in fire rated construction in elevator pump room. (CFC 701)

Elevator Room 8
• Close openings in fire rated construction in equipment room ceiling. (CFC 701)

Service Corridor 14
• Remove cooking oil tank from egress and exit corridor outside unit 2145. (CFC 1032)
• Cover open electrical wiring and junction boxes behind riser T-2B (on F Fire Riser Manifold.) (CFC 603)

Gottschalks “Vacant” Anchor Building – 22560 Town Circle • All storage in building shall be removed until proper approval is granted through the City of Moreno Valley and the Fire Prevention Bureau. (CBC 111.1) • Replace all missing fire rated doors throughout anchor building. (CFC 705) • Replace all illuminated exit sings throughout anchor building. (CFC 1032) • Replace all emergency lighting throughout anchor building. (CFC 1032) • Replace all portable fire extinguishers and provide annual service for each unit. (CFC 906)
• Second floor main entrance stairwell exit door egress doors shall operate with minimal force. (CFC 1010)

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*** CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE SECTIONS TO BE PROVIDED AT REQUEST ***

All items shall be corrected immediately, a follow -up inspection will be conducted within (14) days of this notice.

Persons, firms, or corporations violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of the Ordinances of Moreno Valley shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor under the Ordinances of Moreno Valley shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days, or both such fine and imprisonment. Such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of the Ordinances of Moreno Valley is committed, continued, or permitted by any such person, and shall be punished accordingly.

Edgar Gonzalez
Fire Marshal

Accepted By:_______________________ Printed Name:___________________________

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