DRAFT
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
AND IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
CALL TO ORDER:
A Regular Meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council for the purpose of a Closed Session was called to order by Mayor Seo at 6:01 P.M. at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park, McTaggart Hall, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard. This meeting took place both in person and remotely. Remote participation by any Councilmember was in accordance with Subdivisions (b)(3) or (f) of Government Code Section 54953.3. Members of the public could observe and participate using the Zoom participation feature and with options called out in the public participation form provided under a separate cover with the agenda. Notice having been given with affidavit thereto on file.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Bradley, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo
ABSENT: Ferraro *(Excused, in Fireside Room)
Also present were Ara Mihranian, City Manager; William Wynder, City Attorney; Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager; Vina Ramos, Director of Finance; David Copp, Interim Director of Public Works; Russ Bryden, Interim Deputy Director of Public Works; Daniel Trautner, Director of Recreation of Parks; and John Cardenas, Special Counsel with A&W.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR CLOSED SESSION:
None
CLOSED SESSION ITEM(S) ANNOUNCED:
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION A closed session will be held, pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9(d)(2) and (e)(1) because there is a significant exposure to litigation in one (1) case where the facts and circumstances giving rise to an exposure to litigation are believed to be unknown to the putative plaintiff(s).
At 6:02 P.M. the Council recessed.
*Councilmember Ferraro joined the Closed Session meeting in the Fireside Room at 6:02 P.M.
RECONVENE TO REGULAR MEETING:
At 7:08 P.M. the Closed Session was reconvened to the Regular meeting.
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REGULAR MEETING – OPEN SESSION
CALL TO ORDER:
A Regular meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council and Improvement Authority was called to order by Mayor Seo at 7:08 P.M. at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park, McTaggart Hall, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, notice having been given with affidavit thereto on file.
ROLL CALL:
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Bradley, Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo ABSENT: None
Also present were Ara Mihranian, City Manager; William Wynder, City Attorney; Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager; Vina Ramos, Director of Finance; David Copp, Interim Director of Public Works; Octavio Silva, Deputy Director of Community Development; Dan Trautner, Director of Recreation and Parks; Brandon Mesker, Associate Engineer; Enyssa Sisson, Deputy City Clerk; and Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk.
Also present was Captain Kimberly Guerrero of the Lomita Sheriff’s Station.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Director of Finance Ramos.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT:
City Attorney Wynder provided the closed session report.
City Council met in Closed Session to discuss the facts and circumstances in which could give rise to an exposure to litigation. The City Council received a privileged and confidential briefing on a litigation avoidance strategy. After discussion of the same, the Council adopted a privileged and confidential litigation avoidance strategy with Councilmember Lewis abstaining and Councilmember Ferraro voting no.
MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Seo and the entire City Council recognized the American Cancer Fund for Children and Kids Cancer Connection, as part of recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
RECYCLE AND EMERGENCY PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS KIT DRAWING:
Mayor Seo, by acclamation, approved the Recycle Winners for September 1, 2026 as DRAFT-City Council Regular Minutes
September 1, 2026
Richard C. Smith and Dong K. Lim. The winners will each receive a check for $250 as well as a personal emergency preparedness kit from the City valued at $40.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
Councilmember Ferraro moved, seconded by Councilmember Lewis, to approve the agenda as presented.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo
NOES: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS:
City Clerk Takaoka reported that there was one request to speak.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council: Madison Jongewaard.
LOMITA STATION REPORT:
Captain Guerrero provided updates on the following:
1. Update on crime data
2. Update on notable incidents
3. Reminded Residents to close and lock their windows and doors
4. Los Angeles Sheriff Department will be starting a Drone First Responder (DFR) Pilot Program at its West Hollywood, Cerritos, and Compton Stations CITY MANAGER REPORT:
City Manager Mihranian provided updates on the following:
1. Happy ‘Ber Months
2. 2026 Assessed Property Tax Roll Value of Rancho Palos Verdes
3. The City is updating its Conservation & Open Space Element - take the survey:
https://www.rpvca.gov/conos
4. Palos Verdes Peninsula Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan approved by FEMA.
5. Disaster Preparedness for Older Adults at Peninsula Library Community Room on September 8, 2026 between 11:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M.
6. Community Business Expo at Norris Pavilion on September 2, 2026, between 4:00 and 7:00 P.M.
7. Draft Trails Network Plan Public Workshop at Hesse Park on September 10, 6:00 P.M.
8. General Municipal Election Information is available on the City’s website at www.rpvca.gov/elections
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9. City Council Candidate Forums will be held at Hesse Park on September 17 and October 7 at 7:00 P.M.
10.Movie in the Park featuring “The Lion King” will be held at Eastview Park on September 19 at 6:00 P.M.
11. City Hall Anniversary Open House will be held at the Ken Dyda Civic Center on September 10 between 4:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.
12.Happy 53rd Anniversary of the City’s incorporation
13.Happy Rosh Hashanah
14. We honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11 and recognize the courage and sacrifice of the first responders who served that day.
15.City Hall will be closed on Labor Day, September 7
CONSENT CALENDAR:
City Clerk Takaoka noted that there was a speaker on Item A, but staff were unable to make contact with the speaker.
Councilmember Ferraro moved, seconded by Councilmember Lewis, to approve the Consent Calendar.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo
NOES: None
A. Approval of Minutes (Zweizig)
Approved the Minutes of August 18, 2026 (Regular Meeting).
B. Registers of Demands (Anguiano)
Adopted Resolution No. 2026-69, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING FUNDS FROM WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID; and, 2) Adopted Resolution No. IA 2026-07, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING FUNDS FROM WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID.
C.Consider accepting Gifts for Parks donations. (Fox)
1) Accepted Gifts for Parks donations; and 2) Directed Staff to prepare donor letters of appreciation for the Mayor’s signature.
D.Consider the July 2026 Cash Balances/Monthly Treasurer’s Report. (Lin) Received and filed the July 2026 Cash Balances/Monthly Treasurer’s Report.
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E. Consider the July 2026 Cash Balances/Monthly Treasurer’s Report for the City’s Joint Powers Improvement Authority. (Lin)
Received and filed the July 2026 Cash Balances/Monthly Treasurer’s Report for the City’s Joint Powers Improvement Authority.
F. Consider continuing the emergency justification for work and emergency contracting for the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Emergency Project. (Bryden)
1) Reconfirmed, by a four-fifths vote, there is a need to continue the work on the Landslide Emergency Project declared by Council-adopted Resolution No. 2024-20 on May 7, 2024, finding an emergency exists requiring immediate action in the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex) to seek to mitigate the movement of the landslide; and, 2) Directed the City Clerk to confirm the same in the minutes of this City Council meeting, via Minute Order, reflecting this action.
G. Consider Amendment No. 1 to a Professional Services Agreement with Kiley & Associates, LLC for federal legislative services. (Pujadas) 1) Approved Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement (PSA) for federal legislative services with Kiley & Associates, LLC thereby extending the term, retroactively, for one additional year beginning on April 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027 and to increase the total not-to-exceed amount by $48,000 for a total contract amount of $96,000; and 2) Authorized the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 1 in a form approved by the City Attorney.
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(S) PULLED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
None
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None
REGULAR BUSINESS:
1. Consider amendments to Chapters 12.18 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code pertaining to wireless telecommunication facilities in the public right-of-way. (Mesker/Pan)
City Clerk Takaoka reported that late correspondence was received and there were two requests to speak.
City Manager Mihranian provided a brief recap and introduced Associate Engineer Mesker for a staff report and PowerPoint presentation and shared that AT&T Representative Mackenzie Neely-Wright would be available if Council had any DRAFT-City Council Regular Minutes
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questions.
Council Members asked questions of City Attorney and Staff.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council: Charles Nix and Mackenzie Neely-Wright.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and questions were asked of Staff and AT&T Representative.
Councilmember Ferraro moved, seconded by Councilmember Lewis, to approve Staff Recommendation as follows: 1) Introduced Ordinance No. 701, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES AMENDING CHAPTER 12.18 (WIRELESS
TELECOMMUNICATION FACILITIES IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY) OF TITLE 12 (STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES) OF THE RANCHO PALOS
VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE TO ENCOURAGE WIRELESS DEVELOPMENT AND
UPDATE THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND STANDARDS FOR PERMITTING WIRELESS FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY’S PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA LAW.
Councilmember Bradley asked if a friendly amendment could be added to the motion to include directing staff to add a provision that the City Attorney work with the City Manager and all carriers to obtain coverage deployment and propagation maps for the City Council to review. The purpose would be to allow the Council to deliberate on how coverage is being deployed throughout the City and assess the adequacy of that deployment.
The friendly amendment was accepted by the maker and seconder of the motion.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo
NOES: None
2. Consider a report on the feasibility of developing a joint powers authority to provide landslide insurance coverage to individuals. (Jun) City Clerk Takaoka reported that there was no request to speak.
Deputy City Manager Jun provided a staff report and PowerPoint presentation.
Discussion ensued among Council Members and questions were asked of Staff.
Mayor Seo moved, seconded by Councilmember Lewis, to approve Staff Recommendation as amended: 1) Received and filed this report on the feasibility of developing a joint powers insurance authority for landslide-related claims by individuals; 2) Directed staff to submit a letter after the November 3 rd election to State Legislators
and State Insurance Commissioner to consider creating a program similar to the DRAFT-City Council Regular Minutes
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California Earthquake Authority and the California FAIR Plan Program that provide individuals with basic landslide insurance, and 3) Directed Staff to coordinate with cities in the Landslide Coalition Group to prepare a similar, but, joint letter to send to State Legislators and the State Insurance Commissioner after the November election.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Bradley, Ferraro, Lewis, Perestam, and Mayor Seo
NOES: None
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(S) PULLED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER:
None
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
None
CITY COUNCIL ORAL REPORTS:
Each Councilmember present reported on their attendance at various organization and association meetings.
ADJOURNMENT:
At 8:48 P.M., Mayor Seo adjourned to 5:00 P.M. on September 15, 2026, for a Community Foundation meeting followed by a 6:00 P.M. Closed Session then a 7:00 P.M. Regular meeting.
_________________________
Paul Seo, Mayor
Attest:
_________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk