1 MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL/SA
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
38300 SIERRA
HIGHWAY,
SUITE
B
PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA
MARCH 4, 2025
www.cityofpalmdale.org
1)
CALL MEETING
TO
ORDER
Mayor Loa called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm.
Note: All City Council memberships are reflected in their City Council titles.
2)
ROLL
CALL
MAYOR
LOA,
MAYOR
PRO
TEM
BETTENCOURT,
COUNCILMEMBERS
BISHOP,
OHLSEN,
ALARCÓN
PRESENT:
Richard J. Loa, Austin Bishop, Eric
Ohlsen.
ABSENT:
Laura Bettencourt, Andrea
Alarcón
.
Councilmember
Alarcón
arrived at 5:02 pm
and was able to participate in the
remainder of the meeting.
3)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF
SILENCE
Councilmember Bishop led the pledge of allegiance.
4)
PRESENTATIONS
4. 1)
Recognition of Palmdale High School
Varsity
Football
Team
for winning
the
CIF Southern Section Division 12 title and Highland High School Varsity
Football
Team
for winning the CIF Southern Section Division 9
title.
Mayor Loa announced the presentation would be held in Poncitl á
n Square.
Certificates of Recognition were presented to the varsity football teams of Palmdale High School and Highland High School for winning the CIF Section title.
The presentation was held from 5:03 pm
-
5:46 pm.
Mayor Pro
Tem
Bettencourt arrived at 5:41 pm and was able to participate in
the
remainder of the meeting.
2 4. 2)
Public Works Department
Update.
Director of Public Works
Torres
provided highlights and updates on projects
from the following divisions: Engineering
,
Traffic, Innovation
and
Environmental, and Capital Improvement.
The
Council expressed their gratitude to the Public Works
t
eam.
5)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
CONSENT CALENDAR, APPOINTMENT(S), NEW BUSINESS, AND CLOSED SESSION:
There were no public comments.
6)
CONSENT
CALENDAR
6.1)
Waive full reading of the Resolution(s) and/or
Ordinance(s) to be considered
and voted on at this meeting. (This allows for reading the title only in lieu of reciting the entire text).
6.2)
Receive and file the Monthly Investment Activity Reports for January 2025.
6.3)
Approve
Second
Amendment
to
Agreement
with
KJI
Plumbing,
Inc.
for
plumbing services increasing the agreement by $181,584, for a total not to exceed amount of $276,584 for a five
-
year term through June 30, 2026.
6.4)
Approve the First Amendment to the agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. for
PN 869, Arterial Road Rehabilitation Project, increasing the agreement
by
$270,831 for a total not to exceed amount of $1,095,746 with an extension of 65 working days for a total of 175 working days.
6.5)
Adopt Resolution No. CC 2025
-
032, A Resolution of the City Council of
the
City of Palmdale for the submittal, acceptance, and execution of related documents for the purpose of obtaining federal financial assistance under
Public Law 93
-
288 as amended by Robert
T.
Stafford Disaster Relief
and
Emergency Assistance Act of 1988, and/or State financial assistance under
the California Disaster Assistance
Act.
6.6)
Approve the minutes from the previous meeting.
Motion: Approve all items listed under the Consent
Calendar.
Moved by Austin Bishop, seconded by Eric Ohlsen.
Vote:
Motion carried (5
-
0)
Yes:
Richard J. Loa, Laura Bettencourt, Austin Bishop, Eric Ohlsen, Andrea Alarcón
.
3 7)
PUBLIC HEARING
7.1) Adopt Ordinance No. 1652 approving Zone Change
23 -
0003 and Adopt
Resolution No. CC 2025
-
011 approving General Plan Amendment 23
-
0003,
Tentative Parcel Map 84001, Conditional Use Permit 22
-
006, and Site Plan
Review 22
-
007 and adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH NO. 2024100683) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) prepared for the project.
Mayor Loa opened the Public Hearing.
City Clerk Scott read the titles of Ordinance No. 1652 and Resolution No. CC 2025
-
01 1
.
A motion was made and passed to introduce Ordinance No. 1652.
Planning Manager Magana presented the staff report.
Public Testimony: Aubrey and Mabel Flowers spoke in opposition of the project location.
Mayor Loa closed the Public Hearing.
Mr. Michael Ramirez, applicant, spoke about the project.
Mayor Loa
asked City Attorney Curley if there were any known conflicts of interest among Councilmembers.
City Attorney Curley stated all Councilmembers confirmed there were no conflicts of interest.
Councilmember
Alarcón
confirmed that she had no financial interest.
Councilmember Bishop discussed the project location and expressed his support for development and infrastructure.
Councilmember
Alarcón
discussed her support of the project, studies and
reports that were completed, safety, Beyond Foods partnering with cities, hydrogen infrastructure, alternative fuel, and increased setback requirements.
Councilmember Ohlsen discussed the concessions made by the applicant to move the project forward. He also asked if the initial project included hydrogen from the start. Mr. Ramirez
explained the concessions made and discussed the
costs and benefits of including hydrogen pumps in the project.
Mayor Loa stated that Council decisions are based on facts from reports created by staff and contractors. He also expressed hope that Beyond Foods would participate and invest in the
community.
Mayor Pro Tem Bettencourt stated that she prioritizes kids and reiterated that her position against the project has not changed.
4 Motion: Adopt Ordinance No. 1652 and Resolution No. CC 2025 -
011.
Moved by Andrea
Alarcón
, seconded by Austin Bishop.
Vote: Motion carried (4
-
1)
Yes:
Richard
J.
Loa,
Austin
Bishop,
Eric
Ohlsen,
Andrea
Alarcón
.
No:
Laura Bettencourt.
8)
REPORT
City
Manager Perez shared details about the Season of Service desert clean -
up
event at Barrel Springs on February 22. She also announced an upcoming Season of Service event on March 15 at Courson Park, the Slice House grand opening on March 7, and mentioned that it was Employee Appreciation Week. Lastly, she invited staff to come up to the podium to present awards to the Council.
Parks and Recreation Director Smith mentioned that the City received a $2M grant
to
acquire more land around the Barrel Springs trail. The Council thanked everyone involved in securing the grant and discussed the Barrel Springs clean -
up project.
Public Works Director Torres announced that the City received the APWA Best Improvement Award for the Avenue R Complete Street Project, which was funded by a $13M grant. The Council congratulated the Public Works team on their accomplishments.
City Manager Perez announced the Pothole Super Bowl was held February 10 -
February 24, seven hundred public requests were received, and nine hundred potholes were filled.
9)
NON
-
AGENDA PUBLIC
COMMENTS:
The following individuals provided public comments: Eric Rapko discussed the topic
of sanctuary city status; James Johnson, Michelle, Ian Strandberg expressed concerns about the exclusion
of
art from the Inkwell Program; Roger Soderstedt
expressed concerns about the Sheriff's Department not cooperating with federal
agents on immigration enforcement and the potential impact this could have on the ability to secure federal government grants.
Mayor Loa pointed out that the City has not defunded the Sheriff's Department.
10)
COUNCIL REPORTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REQUESTS FOR
FUTURE
AGENDA
ITEMS
Councilmember Bishop reported attending Assemblyman Lackey's Caltrans meeting, where they discussed progress on the 14 Freeway project. He also mentioned attending the Palmdale School District Foundation Gala, the AV
Air Quality
Management District meeting, and the desert clean
-
up event at Barrel Springs.
Councilmember
Alarcón
requested a future agenda item to recognize some of
the
first
-
place readers and the City team that volunteered and participated in the Read
Across America event. She also
reported issues with receiving emails.
Councilmember Ohlsen discussed the Metrolink meeting he attended, and the travel 5 time and homeless situation in Los Angeles. He also reported issues with receiving emails.
Mayor Pro
Tem
Bettencourt discussed her commute to Los Angeles for work and
expressed concern about the lighting on the 14
Freeway.
She also shared that
she
attended several events: the Sickle Cell Awareness Family Day 5K event, the
Season of Service event, and the Sheriff's Department Contract Cities Council
Academy.
Mayor Loa reported on several events, including Assemblyman Lackey's Caltrans meeting, the Palmdale School District Foundation Gala, the AV Alta scrimmage game at Yellen Park, the Executive Committee on Regional Homeless Alignment briefing, and the HeartSounds Annual Charity Gala.
11)
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Loa adjourned the meeting at 7:16 pm to March 18, 2025, at 5:00 pm
in the
City Hall Council Chamber located at 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B, Palmdale, California.
PASSED,
APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 18th day of March 2025.
Richard J. Loa, Mayor
ATTEST:
Rochelle Scott, City Clerk