5A
Date: February 2, 2026
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the City Council State Legislative Advocacy Committee
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Eirenne O’Neill, Staff Assistant | [email protected] Subject: City Manager – Discuss and Provide Direction on the 2026 Torrance Legislative Priorities and Priority Projects. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council State Legislative Advocacy Committee:
1. Discuss and provide direction on the 2026 Torrance Legislative Priorities and;
2. Discuss and provide direction on the 2026 Priority Projects.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
In an effort to support the City’s commitment to improving the quality of life for its residents while addressing regional challenges, the City of Torrance develops an annual Legislative Platform.
This document establishes the City’s policy priorities and advocacy strategies, enabling staff to proactively engage with legislation and funding opportunities at federal, state, regional, and local levels.
The 2026 Legislative Platform will serve as a flexible and responsive framework for advancing the City’s strategic priorities, aligned with the adopted Strategic Plan, General Plan, and related policies. It empowers staff to effectively advocate for the City’s interests, engage in legislative processes, and pursue critical funding opportunities that support the City’s long-term success.
The platform was approved by City Council in 2024 and will guide legislative efforts throughout the 2026 calendar year.
Below is a summary of goals realized from adopting the Legislative Platform:
• Streamlining Staff Actions: Respond swiftly to legislation, policy, or funding opportunities that impact Torrance
• Championing and Opposing Legislation: Proactively advocate for Federal, State, and regional legislation, regulations, and funding that align with our Platform’s priorities, and oppose any proposals that conflict with the City’s strategic objectives. 1 City Council
February 2, 2026
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0 • Making timely and impactful policy contributions: Craft persuasive position letters and resolutions to effectively support, contest, or negotiate on critical legislation, regulations, and funding issues promptly.
• Meaningfully engaging with key officials: Establish ongoing, strategic interactions with elected officials, regulatory bodies, and stakeholders to actively advance Torrance’s legislative priorities and secure critical funding. This includes actively involving elected officials and stakeholders in City-hosted events to strengthen community connections. • Ensuring Transparency: Commit to transparency by openly sharing the Legislative Platform and updates and by proactively communicating our advocacy efforts and their outcomes to the community.
The Platform was developed to support the successful implementation of the City’s adopted Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan serves as the roadmap to advance the City’s mission, vision, and values by aligning the City’s resources and activities, the City Council’s policy direction, and the desires of residents, businesses, and community stakeholders.
Previous Legislative Achievements
During the 2025 Federal Legislative Session, the City submitted five (5) projects for consideration for federal appropriation. Of these projects, three (3) were selected by legislators to move through the approval process with two potential projects receiving funding as of the writing of this staff report:
Public Safety Digital Infrastructure Modernization (Rep. Ted Lieu) - $1,031,000 The recent completion of the Torrance PD Real Time Response Center (RTRC) has demonstrated the effective use of technology in responding to incidents and facilitating investigations. In order to provide constant city camera coverage, the city also needs to expand the necessary connectivity infrastructure. The 5 additional Citizen Broadband Radio System (CBRS) sites on City assets would provide expanded, dedicated network coverage across the city and allow for the additional 100 expanded camera installations to effectively connect and communicate with the RTRC. This priority project sought to effectively implement the additional CBRS sites and camera infrastructure feeds to the RTRC. This project requested $2 million originally but has since been marked up in the CJS Bill at $1,031,000.
Community Wellness Project (Rep. Maxine Waters) - $850,000 The City is undertaking a comprehensive, multi-year Capital Improvement Plan to enhance and prioritize the development of city facilities and its 33 parks. As part of this initiative, a key goal is to improve accessibility across all locations by updating American with Disability Act (ADA) compliance standards. This includes replacing sand and engineered wood fiber chips with rubberized surfaces in select play areas. This high-priority project seeks to implement these accessibility improvements at 6 of the 30 City parks identified for upgrades under the plan. This project requested $3 million originally but has since been marked up in the THUD Bill at $850,000.
As of this report, these projects are expected to advance through appropriations bills that have been marked up by the House Appropriations Committee and are currently under consideration.
The relevant bills include Interior; Labor, Health and Human Services; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; State and Foreign Operations; and Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. 2 City Council
February 2, 2026
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0 Legislative Process
The Legislative Process includes a multi-step approach that is strategically timed to coincide with key milestones in the legislative cycle:
Throughout the year, staff continue to monitor and track bills of interest for Torrance. This includes bills on which Council has taken a formal position and bills of interest to the City. 2026 State Legislative Priorities
For 2026, the Legislative Platform outlines specific priority initiatives that staff will advocate for at each level of government. The priority initiatives are listed below:
1. Vehicle Code Amendment – The goal of advocating for this legislation is to make edits to the Vehicle Code that will allow the City to charge Pavement Impact Fees to private waste haulers addressing the degradation affect they have on City roads. By amending this language, it will create the ability for Council to establish a new revenue stream to enhance the City’s pavement maintenance program in the Capital Improvement Plan and ultimately improve the Pavement Condition Index rating of the City. For this item staff would be seeking to have Section 9400.8 of the Vehicle Code amended in collaboration with outside counsel and Cal Cities.
2. Water Infrastructure Project (Letter of Support)- The Van Ness Avenue Well Field Project involves developing three new groundwater wells north of the I-405 Freeway. In Phase II, the new wells, located at Hamilton Adult School, Descanso Park, and La Carretera Park, will replace out-of-service wells due to poor water quality. Water from the new wells will be conveyed to the Boarder Avenue facility using the transmission main constructed in Phase I, where it will be treated, stored, and distributed to the east and central areas of the city. By replacing compromised wells, the City can reduce reliance on imported water, improve water quality, and enhance system reliance. The upgrades also support long term water infrastructure reliability and help meet current and future demand.
Staff recently submitted a 2026 WRDA Environmental Infrastructure Request for said project with both Representative Lieu and Representative Water’s offices respectively.
The request seeks $33 million based on the FY 26 Engineer’s Estimate.
Step 1
(Jan/Feb)
•Provide an overview of upcoming
legislation and potential activies as
they align with Council Prioirtiies.
Step 2
(March/April)
Federal and State Advocacy Trips.
Step 3
(April/May)
Update Committees on pending
legislation and voting on
positions.
Step 4
(Sept/Oct)
Review of legislative session, any
relevant passed bills, and
overview of new laws that go into
effect Jan. 01.
3 City Council
February 2, 2026
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0 3. Fire Severity Zones – AB 3074 As currently written, AB 3074 establishes “Zone 0” wildfire mitigation requirements that would apply uniformly across all Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZs) in California. These requirements would mandate that all residents within the City of Torrance’s FHSZ areas modify their properties to maintain zero vegetation within five feet of all structures. While AB 3074 has been approved into law, it is presently under review for potential amendments prior to full implementation. Numerous fire departments and professional fire service associations across California have expressed opposition to the bill’s current framework, citing concerns regarding feasibility, cost burdens on residents, and one-size-fits-all application. Without further refinement, the legislation may impose significant compliance challenges while diverting resources from locally tailored wildfire risk-reduction strategies.
4. Tort Reform- Public agencies have been increasingly facing exceptionally high settlement outcomes and verdict exposure that strain municipal budgets, increase insurance and risk- management costs, that divert limited resources away from essential public services. For the City, settlement costs for litigated matters over the last five years have reached $25 million with insurance premiums costing nearly $18 million over the same period.
Thoughtful liability reform is necessary to protect long-term fiscal stability and protect the City’s ability to continue providing core services to the community. Targeted reforms to California’s civil liability framework will help ensure that litigation costs borne by cities and counties are fair, predictable, and sustainable for taxpayers.
5. CALPERS Investment and Accountability Reform - Currently, while CalPERS manages a total fund of approximately $556 billion , its direct investment in California- based public infrastructure represents a disproportionately small fraction—estimated at 1% or less —of its total portfolio. Historically, the CalPERS Infrastructure Program has prioritized stable, long-term assets in international markets such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe. This global focus leaves California municipalities to compete for capital against international entities, despite a statewide infrastructure funding gap projected at $835 billion over the next decade.
Staff had previously been requested to explore opportunities to advocate for reform that bridges this disconnect, arguing that the billions of dollars paid into the system by local taxpayers and employees should be prioritized for the critical energy, water, and transportation systems upon which those residents rely. Furthermore, the City’s drive for financial accountability addresses a significant imbalance of risk: when CalPERS fails to meet its 6.8% actuarial return target, the system mandates that member cities increase employer contributions to bridge the shortfall, while CalPERS’ own $2.7 billion administrative and staffing budget remains largely insulated from these losses. By establishing a “California-First” framework and a fiscal performance trigger for CalPERS’ operating budget, the City seeks to ensure CalPERS functions as a true partner in municipal sustainability—sharing the burden of market volatility and reinvesting California’s wealth back into its own communities.
To date, the City delegation has held preliminary discussions with CalPERS leadership and the League of California Cities (Cal Cities). Staff seeks the Committee’s consideration to request full City Council approval for the City to initiate a formal, multi-year coalition with 4 City Council
February 2, 2026
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0 at least four other Cal Cities member agencies to co-advocate for these reforms; and work through the Cal Cities framework to prepare and seek approval of a formal resolution at a future Cal Cities General Assembly to obtain statewide institutional backing for potential state legislation.
2026 Priority Projects
The following projects represent the City’s 2026 priority projects for which the City is seeking funding support through grants and/or legislative appropriations.
1. El Nido Park Community Resilience and Recreation Hub Improvements- $3.0 million In 2025, the Torrance Unified School District and City Council reached a collaboration agreement on the relocation of North Torrance Little League to El Nido Park as a part of a broader remaster planning of the Park and associated amenities. During subsequent community engagements and public feedback meetings related to the Park master plan, the importance of the Community Meeting expansions, added indoor, outdoor and covered amenities room, were identified as dual purpose facilities to support emergency relief response efforts for Torrance and the surrounding region. This project would assist in both District and City capital project funding obligations to the Community Building, Restroom, outdoor plazas and associated site infrastructure requirements in order to realize a dual-purpose park amenity that can serve as an emergency relief zones at El Nido Park in partnership with Torrance Unified School District.
2. Columbia Park Continuation of Wellness Investment- $3.0 million Columbia Park is the City’s largest regional park, spanning 52 acres and serving residents of Torrance and surrounding communities with a wide range of recreational amenities, including youth and adult recreation, community gardens, and major annual community events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival. In conjunction with the World War II Camp Monument project and planned sports field improvements, the City conducted a comprehensive community engagement process that identified strong demand for upgrades to the park’s existing gravel walking paths and picnic areas. This project will deliver safe, ADA accessible pedestrian connections linking the park’s current and future amenities, along with shaded, accessible picnic spaces that support both everyday use and large commemorative gatherings. These improvements will enhance mobility, inclusivity, and the overall visitor experience throughout Columbia Park.
3. Regional Emergency Operations Improvement- $700,000 In 2025, Torrance Police Department identified the need to modernize both emergency communications infrastructure and data-driven accountability systems as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional and local public safety operations, Through internal operational assessments and compliance reviews, aging dispatch consoles, deteriorating flooring, and limited ergonomic and ADA compliant workspaces within the 911 Communications Center were identified as risks to reliable 24/7 emergency response, while reliance on the State’s basic RIPA reporting portal limits the Department’s ability to conduct timely review, auditing, and equitable policing analysis.
4. MedCat for Torrance Police Department (Letter of Support)- $600,000 A medically equipped armored rescue vehicle, known as a “MedCat,” enables law enforcement and Tactical EMS personnel to safely evacuate and provide immediate medical care to victims and first responders during critical incidents or in environments unsafe for standard emergency medical services. These capabilities allow for life-saving treatment within high- 5 City Council
February 2, 2026
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0 risk “hot zones” and significantly enhance regional mutual-aid response. With major international events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games occurring within 10 miles of Torrance, access to a regional MedCat is critical to ensuring public safety and emergency preparedness.
In previous years, staff produced a spiral-bound paperback to print and distribute to elected officials and government stakeholders. This year, staff have refreshed the content and redesigned the materials into a more visually engaging pitch deck. The updated pitch deck includes a QR code that directs readers to the Legislative Platform webpage for additional information. It will serve as a leave-behind for meetings and will also be available online through the webpage. 2026 State Advocacy Trip Information
City staff is currently working in coordination with Joe A. Gonsalves & Sons, the City’s state legislative advocacy consultants, to plan a formal delegation trip to Sacramento, with date options for either April 14-15 or April 28-29. The primary objective of this delegation is to engage directly with federal elected officials and key federal agencies to advance the City’s priority projects and legislative agenda. These high-level meetings are critical to securing state support for the various legislative priorities and priority projects.
Staff recommends that the City Council State Legislative Advocacy Committee discuss and provide direction on the 2026 Legislative Platform and 2026 Priority Projects.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft 2026 Legislative Platform Pitch Deck (Limited Distribution)
2. 2026 Legislative Platform Website (Link Available here: https://arcg.is/4rH9H2 ) 6 Legislative Platform 2026
7 ATTACHMENT 1
Our vision for Torrance is of a premier City thriving
in a global community while building on the past,
taking action in the present, and pursuing a
dynamic future.
Our steadfast commitment is to a future where we
realize pride of shared purpose and a sense of
community with personal responsibility and
respect for all.
It will be a place where people enjoy an enriched
quality of life, sharing a sense of belonging.
Our Vision
8 Our Mission
The mission of the City of Torrance is
to encourage and respond to community
participation as we provide for an attractive, clean,
safe, secure and enriching environment that
assures a high quality of life.
We evaluate and act on the needs of the
community within a complex, changing
environment.
We provide quality service with integrity,
professionalism and accountability in an e ff icient,
cost-e ff ective manner.
9 Our Values
Show compassion and
respect one and all
Practice honesty
and integrity
Strengthen and
maintain public trust
Adhere to the highest
ethical standards
Be responsive and
transparent
10 Care for, conserve, and
protect our environment
Recognize the
benefits of diversity
and inclusion
Foster
community pride
and excellence
Be responsible and
accountable for
our actions
Encourage creativity
and innovation
Our Values
11 Area and Location
Torrance covers roughly 21 square miles (12,312 acres) and is situated in southwestern Los Angeles County, bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west. Torrance has 1.5 miles of lifeguard-patrolled beach, bathhouse facilities, and public parking. It also has 550 miles of sidewalks. 12 Bordered by 1.5 miles of beautiful
coastline, the City spans 21 square
miles and has a population of
nearly 147,000 in the evening
8th highest-valued City out of 88
cities in LA County. ($38.2 billion
Assessed Valuation)
Producing the 3rd highest sales tax
revenue in LA County
Hawthorne Boulevard, the primary
thoroughfare and main entry point
to Del Amo Fashion Center, sees an
average daily traffic volume of
approximately 76,000 vehicles.
AGGREGATE INCOME
$52 Billion
NUMBER OF BUSINESSES
47,124
TOTAL DAYTIME POPULATION
1,185,053
8 MILE RADIUS OF TORRANCE
W E A T H E R
E T H N I C I T Y
Asian: 36.6%
White (non-Hispanic): 34.1%
Hispanic: 19.6%
African American: 3.3%
Torrance boasts a wonderful
Mediterranean climate with
an average of 279 sunny
days a year; the average high
temperature of 71.4 °F;
average low is 53.6 °F.
MARKET COMPARISON REPORT
2025 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$87,857
$97,646
TORRANCE
LOS ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
USA
$79,068
$114,154
13 City of Torrance City Council
Jon Kaji
Councilmember
District 1
Bridgett Lewis
Councilmember
District 2
Asam Sheikh
Councilmember
District 3
Sharon Kalani
Councilmember
District 4
Aurelio Mattucci
Councilmember
District 5
Dr. Jeremy Gerson
Councilmember
District 6
George K. Chen
Mayor
14 Elected Representatives
Alex Padilla
U.S. Senator
Adam Schiff
U.S. Senator
Maxine Waters
Congressmember
CD43
Ted Lieu
Congressmember
CD33
Ben Allen
State Senator
SD24
Al Muratsuchi
State Assemblymember
AD66
Janice Hahn
Los Angeles County
Supervisor District 4
15 2025 Legislative Outcomes & Achievements
in USDA Grants for Senior Citizens
position letters sent to legislators in California’s House and Senate
in Metro Open Streets/ Slow Streets Grants for
upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028
Olympics
20 +$200,000
+$400,000
+$10,000 from California State Library ZIP
program
+$710,000
in Metro funding for the Torrance Cabrillo
Avenue EEMP Urban Forestry Project
16 Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Star Awards Recipient
2nd Place for Promotion of an Event / Program (2+ Full-Time) 2nd Place for Public Community Meetings
2nd Place for Social Media Short Form-Over 60 Seconds (2+ Full-Time) 3rd Place for Instruction/Training
Transit Innovation Award
ILG Beacon Vanguard Award-Gold
Agency Energy Savings – Platinum, 43%
Agency GHG Reductions – Platinum, 22%
Community GHG Reductions – Platinum, 57%
Agency Natural Gas Savings – Gold, 11%
Sustainability Best Practices – Platinum
17 City of Torrance hosted
delegates from Oshu, Japan to
officially sign their 5th
Friendship Cities Partner
Oct 2024
Torrance delegates travel to Taiwan and
sign 2 Friendship Cities agreements, one
with Changhua and Tainan, both cities in
Taiwan.
Torrance delegates travel to Kashiwa to
celebrate 50th Sister City Anniversary.
Torrance Elected Officials travel to
Hwaseong, South Korea to officially sign
their 3rd Friendship Cities Partner.
City of Torrance hosted delegates
from Bizen, Japan to officially sign
their 4th Friendship Cities Partner
Mar 2023
Oct 2023
Aug 2024
SISTER CITY & FRIENDSHIP CITIES
18 INTERNATIONAL
EXPOSURE
19 World War ll Memorial
Wall Project
The purpose of the WWII Memorial Wall
Project is to educate the public on the history
and impact of the mass incarceration of
Japanese Americans without due process
during World War II. The WWII Monument will
be constructed at Columbia Park and will
consist of black granite veneer walls
engraved with the names of approximately
160,000 individuals held in wartime camps
across the United States. The monument will
include interpretive educational panels,
access pathways, van-accessible parking, and
restroom facilities. This project will be the
first of its kind in the United States.
PURPOSE
20 City Council approved Grant Agreement with the
California Natural Resources Agency.
JANUARY 23, 2024
City Council awarded a consulting services agreement to Chee Salette of Glendale, CA, to provide design and
construction administration services for the WWII
Memorial Wall Project.
DECEMBER 17, 2024
The members of the advisory committee members have
since been appointed by the Speaker of the State
Assembly, the President pro Tempore of the State
Senate, and the Torrance City Council, and have met on
a weekly basis.
CURRENTLY
City Council directed staff to accept the $5,000,000 grant from the State of California and approved Columbia Park as the designated site for the WWII Memorial Wall
Project.
APRIL 25, 2023
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi secured a $5,000,000
grant allocation through State of California (State)
Senate Bill No. 170 for the development of a World War II Japanese American incarceration memorial project in
the City of Torrance
JULY 16, 2021
TIMELINE
21 Regional Emergency Operations
Improvement
In 2025, Torrance Police Department identified the need to modernize both emergency communications
infrastructure and data-driven accountability systems
as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional and
local public safety operations, Through internal
operational assessments and compliance reviews,
aging dispatch consoles, deteriorating flooring, and
limited ergonomic and ADA compliant workspaces
within the 911 Communications Center were identified
as risks to reliable 24/7 emergency response, while
reliance on the State’s basic RIPA reporting portal limits the Department’s ability to conduct timely review,
auditing, and equitable policing analysis.
Funding Opportunity: $700,000
Priority Project
22 Med-Cat Vehicle
A medically equipped armored rescue vehicle,
known as a “MedCat,” enables law enforcement
and Tactical EMS personnel to safely evacuate and
provide immediate medical care to victims and
first responders during critical incidents or in
environments unsafe for standard emergency
medical services. These capabilities allow for life-
saving treatment within high-risk “hot zones” and
significantly enhance regional mutual-aid
response. With major international events such as
the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles
Olympic Games occurring within 10 miles of
Torrance, access to a regional MedCat is critical to
ensuring public safety and emergency
preparedness.
Letter of Support/Funding: $600,000
Priority Project
23 Continuation of Wellness Investment
Funding Opportunity: $3.0 milliion
Columbia Park is the City’s largest regional park,
spanning 52 acres and serving residents of Torrance
and surrounding communities with a wide range of
recreational amenities, including youth and adult
recreation, community gardens, and major annual
community events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival.
In conjunction with the World War II Camp Monument
project and planned sports field improvements, the City conducted a comprehensive community engagement
process that identified strong demand for upgrades to
the park’s existing gravel walking paths and picnic
areas. This project will deliver safe, ADA accessible
pedestrian connections linking the park’s current and
future amenities, along with shaded, accessible picnic
spaces that support both everyday use and large
commemorative gatherings. These improvements will
enhance mobility, inclusivity, and the overall visitor
experience throughout Columbia Park.
Priority Project
24 El Nido Community Resilience and
Recreation Hub Improvements
In 2025, the Torrance Unified School District and
City Council reached a collaboration agreement
on the relocation of North Torrance Little League
to El Nido Park as a part of a broader remaster
planning of the Park and associated amenities.
During subsequent community engagements and
public feedback meetings related to the Park
master plan, the importance of the Community
Meeting expansions, added indoor, outdoor and
covered amenities room, were identified as dual
purpose facilities to support emergency relief
response efforts for Torrance and the
surrounding region. This project would assist in
both District and City capital project funding
obligations to the Community Building,
Restroom, outdoor plazas and associated site
infrastructure requirements in order to realize a
dual-purpose park amenity that can serve as an
emergency relief zones at El Nido Park in
partnership with Torrance Unified School District.
Funding Opportunity: $3.0 million
Priority Project
25 The South Bay Fiber Network (SBFN) is an award-winning, fiber- optic network developed by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG). It provides the critical infrastructure to enable high-speed, low-cost internet connectivity for South Bay cities to boldly step into the world of “smart city” applications.
The network’s completed Phase 1 is a middle mile, fiber-optic ring. Subscriptions provide 1 Gigabyte (GB) service to the 15 South Bay cities.
Regional Projects
West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) is pursing the Palos Verdes Recycled Water Pipeline Project to provide recycled water to Anza Avenue medians, Lago Seco Park, Los Arboles Park, Richardson Middle, Riviera Elementary and the Palos Verdes Golf Course. Due to several physical-elevated locations, WBMWD is utilizing Lago Seco Park for its booster pump station.
West Basin Municipal Water District and
Lago Seco Park Recycle Water Station
South Bay Fiber Network
26 Legislative Priorities
Appearance, Character and Quality of the Community
Housing
Mobility
Communication and Civic Involvement
Reliable Revenue Base and Effective Asset Management
Education, Diversity and Enrichment
Responsible, Accountable and Cost-Effective Government
Economic Development
Safe, Secure and Equitable Community
Stewardship of the Environment
27 28
Notes
29 ARAM CHAPARYAN, City Manager
DANNY SANTANA, Assistant City Manager
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
REBECCA POIRIER, City Clerk
TIM GOODRICH, City Treasurer
ROBERT DUNN, Chief of Police
DAVID DUMAIS, Fire Chief
ANDREI YERMAKOV, Information Technology Director
MICHELLE RAMIREZ , Community Development Director
TED STEVENS, Community Services Director
IAN DAILEY, Finance Director
SHANT MEGERDICHIAN, General Services Director
HEDIEH KHAJAVI, Human Resources Director
CRAIG BILEZERIAN, Public Works Director
KIM TURNER, Transit Director
Executive Team
City of Torrance
3031 Torrance Blvd. Torrance CA 90503
www.TorranceCA.Gov
@TorranceCA
@TorranceCA
@CityofTorranceCA
@TorranceCitiCABLE
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