2175 Cherry Avenue • Signal Hill, California 90755-3799
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
SIGNAL HILL CITY COUNCIL
March 25, 2025
A Regular Meeting of the Signal Hill City Council was held in-person in the Council Chambers on March 25, 2025.
(1) CALL TO ORDER – 6:03 P.M.
(2) ROLL CALL
PRESENT: MAYOR KEIR JONES
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT COPELAND
COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLIE HONEYCUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER LORI WOODS
ABSENT: NONE
LATE ARRIVAL: VICE MAYOR TINA HANSEN
(3) CLOSED SESSION
a. A CLOSED SESSION WILL BE HELD PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8.
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
(PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8)
PROPERTY: APPROX. 7,800 SQ. FT. MULTI-TENANT MIXED USED LOT WITH 2 BUILDINGS, LOCATED AT 1965/75 E. 21ST STREET & 2107 CHERRY AVENUE, SIGNAL HILL; ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NOS.:
7215-012-002, 7215-013-012
AGENCY-DESIGNATED NEGOTIATORS: MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER
NEGOTIATING PARTIES: CITY OF SIGNAL HILL; PROPERTY OWNER, LORI March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting
J. HELFER, AND THEIR AUTHORIZED AGENT, THE DICKERSON
COMPANY, RACHEL DICKERSON
UNDER NEGOTIATION: PRICE AND TERMS FOR POTENTIAL ACQUISITION (4) PUBLIC BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS There was no public business from the floor.
(5) RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION AT 6:04 P.M.
It was moved by COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS and seconded by COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND to recess to Closed Session.
Vice Mayor Hansen arrived at 6:04 p.m.
(6) RECONVENED REGULAR MEETING – 7:00 P.M.
Mayor Jones and Student Mayor Isabella Tang reconvened the meeting and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
(7) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
(8) CLOSED SESSION REPORT
The City Attorney reported on the closed session item; there was no reportable action taken.
(9) PUBLIC BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA Signal Hill resident Abraham Chira addressed the City Council and commented on the water rates under consideration by the City Council.
(10) PRESENTATIONS
a. A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALVARADO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING BY LEADING THE
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND CEREMONIOUSLY PRESIDING OVER THE MEETING WITH THE GAVEL. MAYOR JONES WILL THEN RECOGNIZE THE STUDENT.
Mayor Jones presented agenda item 10a.
b. THE SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMITTEE HAS AWARDED A SUSTAINABILITY
AWARD TO GROUND EDUCATION, A LOCALLY BASED GROUP OFFERING A SCHOOL GARDEN LEARNING PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON
ENCOURAGING KIDS TO EXPLORE THE IMPORTANT CONNECTION
BETWEEN HEALTHY FOOD, A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY BY BRINGING NATURE TO SCHOOLS.
GROUND EDUCATION FACILITATES YEAR-ROUND LEARNING
OUTDOORS. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL PRESENT THE SUSTAINABILITY March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting
AWARD TO HOLLAND BROWN AND KAREN TAYLOR OF GROUND
EDUCATION.
Mayor Jones presented agenda item 10b.
c. THE MAYOR WILL RECOGNIZE THE SIGNAL HILL COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION FOR ITS 2024 CALIFORNIA PARK & RECREATION SOCIETY (CPRS) SERVICE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - CHAMPION OF THE
COMMUNITY.
Mayor Jones presented agenda item 10c.
d. THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/PARKS, RECREATION AND LIBRARY
SERVICES DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR WILL INTRODUCE SENIOR
RECREATION SPECIALIST ISABELA GIL.
Deputy City Manager/Parks, Recreation and Library Services Department Director Yvette Aguilar presented agenda item 10d.
e. THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER WILL INTRODUCE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT XOCHITL BRISENO.
Human Resources Manager Patricia Ahumada presented agenda item 10e. (11) CITY MANAGER REPORTS
a. OPPORTUNITY STUDY AREAS ECONOMIC STUDY FINDINGS
The City Council received a presentation on the key findings of the Economic Study for the Opportunity Study Areas project.
Signal Hill resident Abraham Chira provided comments to the City Council on development within the Opportunity Study Areas.
The City Council discussed various components of the Opportunity Study Areas project. The City Council gave direction to staff to proceed in developing Overlay Zones, including updates to development standards within the Opportunity Study Areas, solicitation of development proposals for a City-owned property located at the intersection of Spring Street and Atlantic Avenue, and initiating a feasibility study to explore the potential implementation of financing tools to fund infrastructure improvements with the Opportunity Study Areas.
Vice Mayor Hansen left the meeting during this item, at approximately 8:26 p.m.
It was moved by COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND and seconded by MAYOR JONES to authorize staff to issue a Request for Proposals for environmental studies related to the Opportunity Study Areas.
March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting
The following vote resulted:
AYES: MAYOR JONES
COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND
COUNCIL MEMBER HONEYCUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: VICE MAYOR HANSEN
ABSTAIN: NONE
b. 2024 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
The City Council received a presentation on the General Plan Annual Progress Report and thanked staff for their work on these reports.
Vice Mayor Hansen was absent during this item.
It was moved by COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS and seconded by COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND to authorize staff to submit the Signal Hill General Plan Annual Progress Report for Calendar Year 2024 and the Housing Successor Annual Report (SB 341 Report) to the Governor's Office of Planning and Research and the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
The following vote resulted:
AYES: MAYOR JONES
COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND
COUNCIL MEMBER HONEYCUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: VICE MAYOR HANSEN
ABSTAIN: NONE
c. CONFIRMATION OF PROPOSED RATES FOR WATER DELIVERED
THROUGH THE CITY’S DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND OUTLINE OF
PROPOSITION 218 PROCESS
The City Council received a presentation on proposed rates for water delivered through the City's distribution system and the related Proposition 218 process.
Signal Hill resident Abraham Chira provided comments to the City Council on the water rates structure.
The City Council discussed the water rates structure.
Vice Mayor Hansen returned to the meeting during this item, at approximately 8:50 p.m.
March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting
It was moved by COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND and seconded by COUNCIL MEMBER HONEYCUTT to confirm the recommended water rate adjustments of 15% in FY 2025-26, 15% in FY 2026-27, 14% in FY 2027-28, 14% in FY 2028-29, and 10% in FY 2029-30, and set a Proposition 218 protest hearing for May 27, 2025.
The following vote resulted:
AYES: MAYOR JONES
VICE MAYOR HANSEN
COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND
COUNCIL MEMBER HONEYCUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
(12) CONSENT CALENDAR
a. WARRANT REGISTER DATED MARCH 25, 2025
b. AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - HUMAN HEALTH
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW SERVICES
c. CONTRACT AMENDMENT REGISTER DATED MARCH 25, 2025
d. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS AND MONTHLY TRANSACTION REPORT e. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
It was moved by COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS and seconded by COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND to approve the Consent Calendar.
The following vote resulted:
AYES: MAYOR JONES
VICE MAYOR HANSEN
COUNCIL MEMBER COPELAND
COUNCIL MEMBER HONEYCUTT
COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting
(13) COUNCIL AGENDA--NEW BUSINESS
Mayor Jones reported on a new restaurant opening and welcomed new business to the City.
(14) ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by VICE MAYOR HANSEN and seconded by COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS to adjourn tonight's meeting to the next regular meeting of the City Council on April 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
MAYOR JONES adjourned the meeting at 9:11 p.m.
_____________________________
KEIR JONES
MAYOR
Attest:
_____________________________
DARITZA GONZALEZ
CITY CLERK
March 25, 2025
City Council Minutes of a Regular Meeting