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TORRANCE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
CLOSED SESSION
5 PM
REGULAR MEETING
6:30 PM
LeROY J. JACKSON COUNCIL CHAMBER
3031 TORRANCE BLVD.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Manager’s office at (310) 618-5880. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [28CFR35.102-35.104 ADA Title II]
Direct questions or concerns to the City Council at (310) 618-2801, City Manager at (310) 618-5880, or the individual department head prior to submission to the City Council. Parties will be notified if the complaint will be included on a subsequent agenda.
VIEW THE MEETING via CitiCABLE Channel 3 (Spectrum) and Channel 31 (Frontier), streaming on TorranceCA.Gov, Facebook @ City of Torrance CA Government, and YouTube Channel TorranceCitiCABLE.
PARTICIPATE BEFORE THE MEETING by submitting a public comment on the OneMeeting Public Portal at https://torranceca.primegov.com/public/portal?fromiframe=true. Hard copies of public comment may be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office during regular business hours. All comments submitted before 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025, will be published for public review prior to the meeting. Comments received after 5:30 p.m., but prior to the adjournment of the meeting will be added to the record.
The agenda was posted on the Public Notice Board at 3031 Torrance Blvd and on the City’s Website on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 /s/ Rebecca Poirier
ORDER OF BUSINESS
The City Council meeting begins with Closed Session at 5:00 p.m.. and then regular session at 6:30p.m. The City Council may take action on any item listed on the agenda.
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
2. FLAG SALUTE/NON-SECTARIAN INVOCATION
Councilmember Lewis Flag Salute
Councilmember Mattucci Invocation
3. ANNOUNCEMENT OF WITHDRAWN, DEFERRED, AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS
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4. MOTION TO WAIVE FURTHER READING OF RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES AFTER
NUMBER AND TITLE
5. COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
6. COMMUNITY MATTERS
6A. PROCLAMATION declaring February 2025 as Black History Month in the City of Torrance.
7. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS #1 (Limited up to a 15-minute period) This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items under the Consent Calendar or items that are not on the agenda. Under the Ralph M. Brown Act, City Council cannot act on items raised during public comment but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed; request clarification; or refer the item to staff. Speakers under Orals are limited to either Oral Communications #1 or Oral Communications #2 and no longer than 1 minute per speaker. If presenting handout material to Council, please provide 11 copies to the City Clerk before speaking.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote.
There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be pulled by a Councilmember from the Consent Calendar and considered separately.
8A. City Clerk - Approval of City Council Minutes.
Recommendation of the City Clerk that City Council approve the meeting minutes for December 17, 2024.
8B. Community Development – Adopt a RESOLUTION Ordering the Vacation of Existing City Sewer Easements Located within the Parcel Limits of 22501 Hawthorne Boulevard. Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Community Development Director that City Council adopt a RESOLUTION ordering the vacation of existing City sewer easements located within the parcel limits of 22501 Hawthorne Boulevard.
8C. City Treasurer – Accept and File Investment Report for the Month of November 2024. Expenditure:
None.
Recommendation of the City Treasurer that City Council accept and file the Investment Report for the month of November 2024.
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8D. Public Works – Adopt Categorical Exemption Under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15301(c) – Existing Facilities (Class 1), Approve Specifications, and Award Public Works Agreement for Sidewalk Improvements for Disabled Accessibility, I-135. Expenditure: $929,470 (Non- General Funds).
Recommendation of the Public Works Director that City Council:
1. Adopt a finding that the project is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) – Existing Facilities (Class 1) and that there are no features that distinguish this project from others in exempt class, and therefore, there are no unusual circumstances; and
2. Approve specifications for the Sidewalk Improvements for Disabled Accessibility, I-135 (B2024-14); and
3. Award a public works agreement to Kalban, Inc. of Santa Clarita, CA (B2024-14) in the amount of $808,235 and authorize a 15% contingency in the amount of $121,235 for construction of the Sidewalk Improvements for Disabled Accessibility, I-135 for a two-year period beginning January 28, 2025 and ending January 27, 2027.
8E. Fire and General Services – Appropriate Funds and Authorize Purchase Order for One Tillered Aerial Fire Truck as a Cooperative Purchase with Sourcewell. Expenditure: $2,052,438.69 (Non-General Fund).
Recommendation of the Fire Chief and General Services Director that City Council:
1. Appropriate $2,052,438.69 from the Fleet Vehicle Replacement Fund’s fund balance to the Fleet Vehicle Replacement Fund’s fiscal year 2024-25 operating budget; and
2. Authorize a purchase order with South Coast Fire Equipment Inc. of Ontario, CA, in the amount of $2,052,438.69 for one (1) Pierce Enforcer 107’ Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder Truck (Fire Truck) as a cooperative purchase with Sourcewell.
8F. Finance – Accept and File Projected Capital Improvement Project Procurements for the Six-Month Period Beginning January 1, 2025 and Ending June 30, 2025. Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Finance Director that City Council accept and file the projected Capital Improvement Project procurements for the six-month period beginning January 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2025.
9. HEARINGS
9A. Community Development - Conduct Public Hearing on Development of the Annual Action Plan Covering FY 2025-26. Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Community Development Director that City Council conduct a public hearing and take public testimony on the development of the Annual Action Plan covering the period beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026.
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9B. Planning Commission and Community Development – Conduct Public Hearing to Consider Appeal of Planning Commission Approval of a Precise Plan of Development (PRE23-00011) to Allow First and Second Story Additions to an Existing One-Story Single-Family Residence, on Property Located within the Hillside Overlay in the R-1 Zone at 2622 Dalemead Street (APN 7536-026-006), Adopt RESOLUTION and Determine a Categorical Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Planning Commission and Community Development Director that City Council:
1. Conduct a public hearing; and
2. Deny the appeal; and
3. Adopt a RESOLUTION approving a Precise Plan of Development as provided for in Division 9, Chapter 1, Article 41 of the Torrance Municipal Code to allow first and second story additions to an existing one-story single-family residence, on property located within the Hillside Overlay in the R-1 Zone at 2622 Dalemead Street (APN 7536-026-006); and
4. Determine a Categorical Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); Article 19, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities).
9C. Planning Commission and Community Development – Conduct Public Hearing, Determine California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Exemption, and Adopt an ORDINANCE Amending the Torrance Municipal Code Related to Solar Energy Systems and Expedited Permitting Process for Electric Vehicle Equipment (EVSE). Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Planning Commission and Community Development Director that City Council:
1. Conduct a public hearing for consideration of proposed amendments to the Torrance Municipal Code pertaining to solar energy systems and expedited permitting process for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Citywide and consider any testimony during the hearing; and
2. Determine the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3) and 15061(b)(3); and
3. Adopt an ORDINANCE amending the Torrance Municipal Code Section 92.2 entitled “Uses Generally” of Chapter 2, Article 2, Division 9 by adding Section 12 entitled “Solar Energy Systems” and adding Section 13 entitled “Expedited Permitting Process for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment”; and
4. Approve an Ordinance Summary for publication.
10. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
10A. City Manager – Appointment of Director of Finance. Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the City Manager that City Council appoint Mr. Ian Dailey to the position of Director of Finance.
10B. Community Development – Discuss and Consider Amending the Torrance Municipal Code, Determine California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Exemption, and Adopt an ORDINANCE and URGENCY ORDINANCE Adding "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs)" to Division 4 of the Municipal Code. Expenditure: None.
Recommendation of the Community Development Director that City Council:
1. Discuss and consider amending the Torrance Municipal Code by establishing a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (”MEHKO”) Ordinance; and
2. Determine the project is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Sections 15378 and 15061(b)(3) of the California Code of Regulations; and
3. Adopt an ORDINANCE amending the Torrance Municipal Code to add Chapter 20 entitled "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” to Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code; and
4. Adopt an URGENCY ORDINANCE amending the Torrance Municipal Code to add Chapter 20 entitled "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” to Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code; and
5. Approve Ordinance Summaries for publication.
11. AGENCY AGENDAS
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None scheduled
12. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS #2 (Limited up to a 15-minute period) This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items that are not on the agenda. Under the Ralph M. Brown Act, City Council cannot act on items raised during public comment but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed; request clarification; or refer the item to staff. Speakers under Orals are limited to either Oral Communications #1 or Oral Communications #2 and no longer than 1 minute per speaker. If presenting handout material to Council, please provide 11 copies to the City Clerk before speaking.
13. CLOSED SESSION
13A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR
(California Government Code § 54957.6):
Agency Negotiator: Aram Chaparyan
Employee Organization/Association:
1. Certain Full-Time Salaried and Hourly Employees
2. Certain Part-Time Hourly Employees
3. Crossing Guards
4. Elected Officials
5. Engineers and Torrance Fiscal Employees Association
6. Executive & Management Employees
7. Police & Fire Trainees
8. Safety Management Employees
9. Torrance City Employees Association
10. Fire Safety Management
11. Torrance Fire Fighters Association
12. Torrance Library Employees Association
13. Torrance Municipal Employees/AFSCME Local 1117 AFL-CIO
14. Torrance Police Commanders Association (TPCA)
15. Torrance Police Officers Association
16. Torrance Professional Parks & Recreation Employee Organization
17. Torrance Professional & Supervisory Association
18. Torrance Recurrent Recreational Employees Organization
19. City Treasurer
20. City Attorney
21. City Manager
13B. REAL PROPERTY – CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR (California Government Code § 54956.8):
Property: 3511-3525 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505 Agency Negotiator: Aram Chaparyan
Negotiating Parties: City of Torrance and JAS Madison LLC Under Negotiation: Price and terms and conditions of lease
13C. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Initiation of Litigation Pursuant to California Government Code § 54956.9(d)(4)):
One case.
14. ADJOURNMENT
Adjournment of City Council meeting to Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. for closed session in the LeRoy J. Jackson Council Chamber