9A
Date: January 13, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Michelle Ramirez, Community Development Director
By: Peerapol Suree, Planning Associate | [email protected] Subject: Community Development – Conduct Public Hearing and Consider Adoption of RESOLUTION Regarding Eligibility and Application of CEQA Exemption for 272- Unit Residential Condominium Development on Property Located in the P-D Zone at 2325 Crenshaw Boulevard (APN 7359-028-233), Herein Referred as the Torrance Del Amo Project: Rose Equities (Optimus Properties, LLC). (MOD25-00004) Expenditure: None.
DISCUSSION
This agenda item was originally scheduled for December 16, 2025. A copy of the original agenda item may reviewed online through the OneMeeting Public Portal at https://torranceca.primegov.com/viewer/preview?id=0&type=8&uid=1cde15e9-1cca-4f1f-84f3- 4ab951a1154c.
On December 16, 2025, at the request of the applicant, the City Council approved a continuance of the hearing to a date certain of January 13, 2026. Subsequently, the City received a request from Lozeau Drury LLP, on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER), requesting that the City Council consider an additional continuance of the hearing to a date certain of February 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
This report also includes public correspondence received after the posting of the original agenda item for City Council review and consideration.
At this time, City Council is being requested to consider approval of an additional continuance of the hearing to a date certain of February 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Request for Continuance Letter
2. Public Correspondence
1 1
Huizar, Carlos
From: Sullivan, Patrick
Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 2:17 PM
To: Huizar, Carlos
Subject: Fw: REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCE
Attachments: 2026.01.07 CC Continuance Request - Torrance Del Amo.pdf
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN
City Attorney - Office of the City Attorney
310-618-5817 | [email protected]
TorranceCA.Gov |
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Privileged And Confidential Communication.
This email, and any attachments to it, (a) are protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521), (b) may contain confidential, legally privileged, and/or attorney work product, and (c) are for the sole use of the intended recipient of this email. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the sender and delete this email and any attachments. Any review, reliance, disclosure, copying, distribution, forwarding without express permission, or use of the contents of the information received in error is strictly prohibited.
From: Toyer Grear
Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 2:02:10 PM
To: Kaji, Jon <[email protected]>; Lewis, Bridgett <[email protected]>; Sheikh, Asam <[email protected]>; Kalani, Sharon <[email protected]>; Mattucci, Aurelio <[email protected]>; Gerson, Jeremy <[email protected]>; Chen, George <[email protected]>; City Council <[email protected]>; Poirier, Rebecca <[email protected]>; Suree, Peerapol <[email protected]>
Cc: Drury, Richard ; Hayley Uno ; Alan Fenstermacher
; Andrew K. Fogg
Subject: REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCE
Dear Mayor Chen, Honorable Councilmembers, City Clerk Poirier, and Planning Associate Suree,
Attached please find a request for continuance written on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility and its members living and working in and around the City of Torrance, concerning MOD25-00004 Rose Equities (Optimus Properties, LLC), hearing currently scheduled for January 13, 2025 at
6:30 p.m.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Sincerely,
Toyer Grear
You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important ATTACHMENT 1
2 2
Office Administrator / Paralegal
Lozeau Drury, LLP
/ /
email:
3 VIA EMAIL
January 7, 2026
George K. Chen, Mayor
Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
Jon Kaji, Councilmember
Torrance City Clerk’s Office
Bridgett Lewis, Councilmember
3031 Torrance Boulevard
Asam Sheikh, Councilmember
Torrance, CA 90503
Sharon
Kalani, Councilmember
Aurelio Mattucci, Councilmember
Dr. Jeremy Gerson, Councilmember
Peerapol Suree, Planning Associate
Torrance City Council
Community Development Department
3031 Torrance Boulevard
City of Torrance
Tor
rance, CA 90503
3031 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90503
Re:
MOD25
-
00004 Rose Equities
(Optimus Properties, LLC)
Torrance Del Amo Project (Record No. CUP23
-
00027, DIV23
-
00008,
GPA23
-
00002, MOD23
-
00013, PUD23
-
00001, and EAS23
-
00005)
January
13 , 202
6 City Council Hearing
REQUEST FOR
CONTINUANCE
Dear
Mayor Chen, Honorable Councilmembers, City Clerk Poirier, and Planning Associate Suree
:
I am writing on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility
(“SAFER”) and its members living and working in and around the City of
Torrance (“City”),
concerning MOD25
-
00004 Rose Equities
(Optimus Properties, LLC)
(“Project”). We hereby
request a continuance of the hearing on this matter currently scheduled for January
1 3
, 2025 at
6:30 p.m. I have confirmed that the developer of the
Project, Rose Equities
(Optimus Properties,
LLC)
,
agrees to this continuance. I understand that the matter is likely to be continued to a date
certain of
February
24 , 2026. SAFER and Rose
Equities
are interested in pursuing discussions in
hopes that it may
be possible to resolve their
disagreements concerning this matter. Thank yo
u
4 Request for Continuance
-
Torrance Del Amo
January 7, 2026
Page
2 of 2
for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Richard Drury
LOZEAU DRURY LLP
Cc:
Alan Fenstermacher, City Attorney ([email protected])
Andrew Fogg, Counsel fo
r Rose Equities, LLC ([email protected])
5 From: James Lloyd <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 3:52 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>; Chen, George <[email protected]>; Kaji, Jon <[email protected]>; Lewis, Bridge <[email protected]>; Sheikh, Asam <[email protected]>; Kalani, Sharon <[email protected]>; Suree, Peerapol <[email protected]>; Ma ucci, Aurelio <AMa [email protected]>; [email protected] Cc: CDD Info <[email protected]>; Poirier, Rebecca <[email protected]>; Sullivan, Patrick <[email protected]>; Chaparyan, Aram <[email protected]> Subject: public comment re item 9a for tonight's Council mee ng Dear Torrance City Council,
The California Housing Defense Fund (“CalHDF”) submits the attached public comment re item 9a for tonight's Council meeting, the proposed 272-unit housing development project at 2325 Crenshaw Ave, which includes 28 very low-income units.
Sincerely,
James M. Lloyd
Director of Planning and Investigations
California Housing Defense Fund
[email protected]
CalHDF is grant & donation funded
Donate today - https://calhdf.org/donate/
You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important ATTACHMENT 2
6 Dec 16, 2025
City of Torrance
3031 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
Re: Proposed Housing Development Project at 3457 Torrance Boulevard
By email:
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
Cc:
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
;
[email protected]
Dear Torrance City Council,
The California Housing Defense Fund (“CalHDF”) submits this letter to remind the City of its obligation to abide by all relevant state laws when evaluating the proposed 272-unit housing development project at 2325 Crenshaw Ave, which includes 28 very low-income units. These laws include the Housing Accountability Act (“HAA”), the Density Bonus Law (“DBL”), AB 130, and California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) guidelines.
The HAA provides the project legal protections. It requires approval of zoning and general plan compliant housing development projects unless findings can be made regarding specific, objective, written health and safety hazards. (Gov. Code, § 65589.5, subds. (d), (j).) The HAA also bars cities from imposing conditions on the approval of such projects that would render the project infeasible (id. at subd. (d)) or reduce the project’s density (id. at subd. (j)) unless, again, such written findings are made. As a development with at least two-thirds of its area devoted to residential uses, the project falls within the HAA’s ambit, and it complies with local zoning code and the City’s general plan. Increased density, concessions, and waivers that a project is entitled to under the DBL (Gov. Code, § 65915) do not render the project noncompliant with the zoning code or general plan, for purposes of the HAA (Gov.
Code, § 65589.5, subd. (j)(3)).The HAA’s protections therefore apply, and the City may not reject the project except based on health and safety standards, as outlined above.
Furthermore, if the City rejects the project or impairs its feasibility, it must conduct “a
2201 Broadway, PH1, Oakland, CA 94612
www.calhdf.org
7 thorough analysis of the economic, social, and environmental effects of the action.” (Id. at subd. (b).)
CalHDF also writes to emphasize that the DBL offers the proposed development certain protections. The City must respect these protections. In addition to granting the increase in residential units allowed by the DBL, the City must not deny the project any proposed waivers and concessions. If the City wishes to deny requested waivers, Government Code section 65915, subdivision (e)(1) requires findings that the waivers would have a specific, adverse impact upon health or safety, and for which there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact. If the City wishes to deny requested concessions, Government Code section 65915, subdivision (d)(1) requires findings that the concessions would not result in identifiable and actual cost reductions, that the concessions would have a specific, adverse impact on public health or safety, or that the concessions are contrary to state or federal law. The City, if it makes any such findings, bears the burden of proof. (Gov. Code, § 65915, subd. (d)(4).) Of note, the DBL specifically allows for a reduction in required accessory parking in addition to the allowable waivers and concessions. (Id. at subd. (p).) Additionally, the California Court of Appeal has ruled that when an applicant has requested one or more waivers and/or concessions pursuant to the DBL, the City “may not apply any development standard that would physically preclude construction of that project as designed, even if the building includes ‘amenities’ beyond the bare minimum of building components.” (Bankers Hill 150 v. City of San Diego (2022) 74 Cal.App.5th 755, 775.)
Furthermore, the project is eligible for a statutory exemption from CEQA pursuant to AB 130 (Pub. Res. Code, § 21080.66), which was signed into law on June 30, 2025 and effective immediately (Assembly Bill No. 130, 2025-2026 Regular Session, Sec. 74, available here
)
Caselaw from the California Court of Appeal affirms that local governments err, and may be sued, when they improperly refuse to grant a project a CEQA exemption or streamlined CEQA review to which it is entitled. (Hilltop Group, Inc. v. County of San Diego (2024) 99 Cal.App.5th 890, 911.)
As you are well aware, California remains in the throes of a statewide crisis-level housing shortage. New housing such as this is a public benefit: by providing affordable housing, it will mitigate the state’s homelessness crisis; it will increase the city’s tax base; it will bring new customers to local businesses; and it will reduce displacement of existing residents by reducing competition for existing housing. It will also help cut down on transportation related greenhouse gas emissions by providing housing in denser, more urban areas, as opposed to farther-
fl
ung regions in the state (and out of state) . While no one project will solve the statewide housing crisis, the proposed development is a step in the right direction.
CalHDF urges the City to approve it, consistent with its obligations under state law.
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8 CalHDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission includes advocating for increased access to housing for Californians at all income levels, including low-income households. You may learn more about CalHDF at
www.calhdf.org
.
Sincerely,
Dylan Casey
CalHDF Executive Director
James M. Lloyd
CalHDF Director of Planning and Investigations
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