Meeting Minutes
City Council October 21, 2025
CITY OF MURRIETA Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Council Chambers 4:00 PM WORKSHOP
1 Town Square 5:30 PM CLOSED SESSION
Murrieta, CA 92562 6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
The City of Murrieta intends to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Persons with special needs should call the City Clerk Department at (951) 461-6031 or email at [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance. Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at City Hall located at 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA during normal business hours.
Any presentation requiring the use of the City of Murrieta’s equipment must be submitted to the City Clerk’s department 72 hours prior to the scheduled City Council meeting at City Hall located at 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA; via email at [email protected] or call (951) 461-6031. Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at City Hall located at 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA during normal business hours.
Cindy Warren
Mayor
Jon Levell Lisa DeForest Mayor Pro Tem Council Member
Lori Stone Ron Holliday Council Member Council Member
Justin Clifton, City Manager
Tiffany Israel, City Attorney
Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
MURRIETA CITY COUNCIL (CC)
MURRIETA COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (CSD)
MURRIETA FIRE DISTRICT (FD)
MURRIETA LIBRARY BOARD (LB)
MURRIETA REDEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY (RSA)
MURRIETA HOUSING AUTHORITY (HA)
MURRIETA FINANCING AUTHORITY (FA)
YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING LIVESTREAMED VIA THE CITY’S WEBSITE AT https://murrieta.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
4:00 PM WORKSHOP
CALL TO ORDER 4:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Cindy Warren
Mayor Pro Tem Jon Levell
Council Member Ron Holliday
Council Member Lori Stone
Absent: Council Member Lisa DeForest
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City Council October 21, 2025
WS1. Hillside Updates (DCA-2021-2396) - Workshop 4
Staff report and PowerPoint presentation provided by Development Services Director David Chantarangsu, Deputy Director of Development Services Jarrett Ramaiya, GIS Analyst Cameron Butt, and Senior Planner Chris Tracy.
The following topics were discussed:
• Applying hillside standards;
• Slope thresholds;
• Relationship to specific plans; and
• The use of GIS versus the average slope formula.
Public Comments:
Kassen Klein: Emphasized that the map indicating hillside areas must be codified to avoid confusion and inconsistent application of hillside standards. Raised legal and environmental questions about the complexity of applying hillside ordinances to specific plans, citing overlapping state and federal regulations.
Dan Long: Supported allowing applicants to contest GIS data and noted City datasets are sometimes inaccurate; noted the general plan is outdated and needs to be addressed before introducing new policies.
Alan Long: Spoke on concerns over the new ordinance, which focuses only on a few properties, could unnecessarily restrict those owners’ rights. Advocated re-evaluating outdated plans and hillside policies from the 1990s.
Sherie Munroe: Agreed with mapping hillside areas and supported limiting rigorous slope analysis to mapped parcels . Supported having a process to contest GIS findings , but cautioned against unnecessary burdens on parcels mapped as outside hillside zones
Action: After discussion, staff was directed by consensus to develop a map that clearly designates hillside areas, differentiating between developed and undeveloped properties, clarify the slope threshold to be 25.00% or greater, not rounded, ensure the appeal process is available for applicants to contest the GIS-based slope analysis, and incorporate the feedback from the discussion into the draft hillside ordinance and bring it back to Council for further review.
RECESS 5:17 p.m.
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City Council October 21, 2025
5:30 PM CLOSED SESSION
CALL TO ORDER 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Cindy Warren
Mayor Pro Tem Jon Levell
Council Member Ron Holliday
Council Member Lori Stone
Absent: Council Member Lisa DeForest
PUBLIC COMMENTS - CLOSED SESSION ITEMS ONLY None
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION ITEMS
Deputy City Clerk Kimberly Ramirez announced the following Closed Session items:
CLOSED SESSION
CS1. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation The City Council will conduct a closed session, pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(4), because the City is considering whether to initiate litigation in 1 case.
CS2. Conference with Real Property Negotiations
The City Council will conduct a closed session, pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8, to enable the City Council to consider negotiations and to give direction to its negotiators regarding that certain real property at the intersection of Kalmia Street and Jefferson Avenue, APNs 906-080-041, 906-080-042, and 906-080-033 with Bold Communities and Fidelis Advisors. The City's real property negotiators, the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Development Services Director, Economic Development Director, and City Attorney, will seek direction from the City Council regarding the price and terms for this property.
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION 5:31 p.m.
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER 6:05 p.m.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION ACTION
City Attorney Tiffany Israel reported the following Closed Session Action: No reportable action for Closed Session Item Nos. CS1 – CS2.
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City Council October 21, 2025
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Cindy Warren
Mayor Pro Tem Jon Levell
Council Member Ron Holliday
Council Member Lori Stone
Absent: Council Member Lisa DeForest
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Eagle Scout Troop 384
INVOCATION Murrieta Police Department Chaplain Monte Jones
PRESENTATIONS
Proclamation: Retirement, Corporal Matt Mozingo
The presentation was continued to a future meeting.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Action: It was moved by Council Member Stone, seconded by Council Member Holliday, to approve the Agenda for October 21, 2025.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Stone, Holliday, Levell, Warren
Noes: None
Absent: DeForest
CITY MANAGER - ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE
Police Department: E-Bike Social Media Campaign
Police Department/United States Postal Inspection Services: Broken Mailboxes Community Update: Public Information Officer Cristina Davies
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GOVERNING BODY COMMISSION/COMMITTEE/BOARD (CCB)
REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Council Member Stone: Provided attendance/reported the following:
• California League of Cities
Provided Announcements to be made part of the City’s
record.
Council Member Holliday:
Provided attendance/reported the following:
• California League of Cities
Provided Announcements to be made part of the City’s
record.
Mayor Pro Tem Levell: Provided verbal Announcements.
Mayor Warren: Provided attendance/reported the following:
• California League of Cities Conference
• Town Square Park & Amphitheater Ad-Hoc
Subcommittee
Provided Announcements to be made part of the City’s
record.
PUBLIC COMMENTS (NON-AGENDA)
Julie Paule: Members of Eagle Scout Troop 384 introduced themselves as part of a badge requirement.
CONSENT CALENDAR - APPROVAL OF ITEMS 1 – 9
Action: It was moved by Council Member Holliday, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Levell to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1-9.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Stone, Holliday, Levell, Warren
Noes: None
Absent: DeForest
1. Waive Reading of All Ordinance Adoptions on the Agenda and Read by Title Only Recommended Action:
Waive reading, by title only, of all Ordinances and Resolutions. Said Ordinances and Resolutions which appear on the public agenda shall be determined to have been read by title and further reading waived.
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2. Minutes
Recommended Action:
Approve the October 7, 2025 Regular meeting minutes.
3. Monthly Investment Transaction Report for August 2025 Recommended Action:
Receive and file the Monthly Investment Transaction Report for August 2025.
4. Library Zip Books Grant Funding
Recommended Action:
Authorize the City Manager to accept grant funding from the California State Library for the Zip Books program for Fiscal Year 2025/26 in the amount of $14,760; and
Amend the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Operating Budget to allocate the grant funds.
5. Second Amended Agreement with Architerra, Inc., for On-Call As-Needed Landscape Services
Recommended Action:
Approve a Second Amendment to an Agreement with Architerra, Inc., increasing the annual maximum contract amount for on-call landscape services to $200,000 per fiscal year through June 30, 2027;
Amend the Fiscal Year 2025/26 and 2026/27 Operating Budget as described in the Fiscal Impact section of this report; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute the Second Amendment.
6. Community Wildfire Protection Plan Agreement
Recommended Action:
Award the Community Wildfire Protection Plan contract to DUDEK, in the amount of $125,000;
Approve a 20% contingency (up to $25,000) to address unforeseen conditions or project requirements;
Authorize the Fire Chief to approve change orders not to exceed the contingency; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
7. Acceptance of a Grant from the Public Entity Risk Management Authority Recommended Action:
Accept a Public Entity Risk Management Authority Grant Award of $2,500; and
Amend the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Operating Budget to allocate and appropriate the grant funding.
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8. Collectible Work Authorization Agreement with Southern California Gas Company for the Murrieta Hot Springs Road Improvement Project, CIP No. 8079 Recommended Action:
Approve a Collectible Work Authorization Agreement with Southern California Gas Company in the amount of $157,372.10 for improvements relating to the Murrieta Hot Springs Road Improvement Project, CIP No. 8079;
Authorize a fifteen percent (15%) construction contingency of $23,605.82; and
Authorize the City Manager to sign the Collectible Work Authorization Agreement.
9. Amendment to Agreement with Jacobs Engineering for Engineering Design Services for the Keller Road at I-215 Interchange Project, CIP No. 8449 Recommended Action:
Approve Amendment No. 10 to the Engineering Design Services Agreement for the Keller Road at I-215 Interchange, CIP No. 8449, with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., revising the scope of work and reducing the total not to exceed contract amount by $279,448; and
Authorize the Mayor to execute the Amendment on behalf of the City.
PULLED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS None
DISCUSSION
10. Discussion Regarding the Start Time and Schedule for City Council Meeting Days
Staff report and PowerPoint presentation provided by City Clerk Cristal McDonald.
Deputy City Clerk Kimberly Ramirez was available to answer questions from the City Council.
Public Comments: None
Action: After discussion, it was moved by Council Member Holliday, seconded by Council Member Stone, to amend Resolution No. 19-4178 to reflect changes to the start time and schedule of City Council meetings beginning in 2026 with future discussion to be brought forward regarding workshop timing.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Stone, Holliday, Levell, Warren
Noes: None
Absent: DeForest
RECONSIDERATION None
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COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS TO ADD ITEMS TO FUTURE AGENDAS None ADJOURNMENT 7:56 p.m.
_________________________
Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
Docusign Envelope ID: 83021DE5-3A9F-4684-BFB5-8B05EA4DF504 Kimberly Ramirez,
Deputy City Clerk
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