Agenda Item 10A — Torrance City Council, May 5, 2026

10A
Date: May 5, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
By: Michelle Ramirez, Community Development Director | [email protected] Subject: Community Development – Discuss and Consider Adopting an ORDINANCE Amending the Torrance Municipal Code Pertaining to Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs) and Determine a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Exemption. Expenditure: None.

RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Community Development Director and Finance Director that City Council:

1. Discuss and consider amending the Torrance Municipal Code pertaining to Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs); and

2. Adopt an ORDINANCE amending Division 4, Chapter 20 entitled "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” of the Torrance Municipal Code; and

3. 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

4. Approve an Ordinance Summary for publication.

FUNDING
None required.

DISCUSSION
In 2018, State Assembly Bill (AB) 626 amended the California Retail Food Code (CRFC) to define a microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKOs) to mean a food facility that is operated by a resident in a private home where food is stored, handled, and prepared for, and may be served to, consumers, and that meets specified requirements, including annual sale limitations. For MEHKOs, a meal is generally defined to include various dishes that a typical person can consume in one sitting. A meal may include one or more of the following: a main dish, appetizers, side dishes, beverages, baked goods, or desserts.

In 2019, State AB 377 amended CRFC to add a provision that “the governing body of a city, county, or city and county that is designated as the enforcement agency may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, within its jurisdiction the permitting of microenterprise home kitchen operations”. The provision further specifies that “the authorization shall apply to all areas within its jurisdiction, including being applicable to all cities within a county that authorizes microenterprise home kitchen operations, regardless of whether each city located within the jurisdiction of the county separately authorizes them.” State law does not allow individual jurisdictions to prohibit MEHKOs from operating but may allow them to be regulated to a certain extent, including requiring local business licenses.
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In May of 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance allowing the operation of MEHKOs to operate within their jurisdiction. The approved ordinance authorizes the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LA County Public Health) to implement a permitting and inspection program for MEHKOs throughout the Los Angeles County, except in the cities of Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon, which have their own health departments. LA County Public Health is responsible for (1) application reviews, (2) initial site evaluations, (3) one annual inspection, and (4) complaint investigations. Additionally, LA County Public Health is responsible for evaluating homes to ensure that they have the capability to support the proposed MEHKO. On November 1, 2024, the LA County Public Health began permitting MEHKOs.

On February 11, 2025, the City Council adopted a MEHKO Ordinance establishing operating standards, as allowed under the MEHKO Los Angeles County Ordinance including requiring a City business license, prohibiting the sales and service of alcohol at any approved MEHKO, and prohibiting CMFOs from the home. Additionally, a MEHKO is currently required to obtain a zoning clearance from the City as well as obtain written authorization from a Homeowners Association (HOA), if applicable, or a property owner/manager in the case where the MEHKO operator is not the owner of the residence where the business will be conducted. However, after further review of AB 626 and AB 377, it has been determined that cities cannot require a MEHKO obtain a specialized zoning permit, land use permit, or home occupation permit. Regarding a city’s ability to require a MEHKO obtain written approval from a HOA or property owner, even if the county health department is already processing the health permit and gathering the documentation, is unclear.

As the City’s currently adopted ordinance includes the requirement that a MEHKO obtain a zoning clearance letter and home occupation business license from the City, which contravenes AB 626 and AB 377, these conditions are being removed from the ordinance. As far as requiring written approval from a HOA or landlord prior to the issuance of a city business license, this has also been removed from the ordinance. Instead, the burden would be on the MEHKO operator to ensure they are not violating any HOA regulations or lease agreement. The City will still require a MEHKO obtain a City business license, as well as prohibit the sales and service of alcohol at any approved MEHKO, and prohibit CMFOs from the home.

At this time, staff recommends that City Council discuss and consider the attached amended ordinance, and if approved determine the project is exempt from CEQA, and approve the corresponding ordinance summary for publication.

ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This ordinance was reviewed pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code§§ 21000, et seq., "CEQA") and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal.

Code of Regulations §§15000, et seq., the "CEQA Guidelines"). This ordinance is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15378, because the activity undertaken involves general text amendments that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and does not meet the definition of a "Project" under CEQA. The proposed ordinance is also exempt from CEQA Guidelines under Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. The ordinance consists only of bolstering public nuisance regulations. Adoption of this ordinance will not have the effect of deleting or substantially changing any regulatory standards or required findings. 2 City Council
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ATTACHMENTS

1. Amended MEHKO Ordinance – Redline

2. Amended MEHKO Ordinance – Clean

3. Amended MEHKO Ordinance Summary
3 ORDINANCE NO.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, ADDING AMENDING DIVISION 4,
CHAPTER 20 ENTITLED “MICROENTERPRISE HOME
KITCHEN OPERATIONS” TO DIVISION 4 OF THE TORRANCE
MUNICIPAL CODE.

RECITALS
WHEREAS , the City of Torrance is a charter City under California law with a recognized mandate to preserve, protect, and enhance the general health and welfare of its residents; and WHEREAS , implicit in any plan or regulation is the City's interest in maintaining the quality of life and the character of the City's neighborhoods, as without stable, well-planned neighborhoods, Sections of the City can quickly deteriorate, with consequences to social, environmental, and economic values; and
WHEREAS , in 2019, the California Health and Safety Code established a "Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation" (MEHKO), as a new retail food facility where individuals operate a small-scale restaurant in their home; and
WHEREAS , per State law, cities and counties cannot use zoning laws to prohibit MEHKOs.

WHEREAS , per State law, MEHKOs may sell up to 30 meals per day but not more than 90 meals per week, while earning a maximum amount of $100,000 in gross annual sales; and WHEREAS , in October 2023, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the motion, “Streamlining Access to Safe and Regulated Vending and Micro-Entrepreneurship Opportunities”, to adopt MEHKOs in Los Angeles County; and
WHEREAS , in May of 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance approving a permitting process that will allow the operation of MEHKOs within Los Angeles County (herein referred to as “Los Angeles County Ordinance”), except in the cities of Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon, which have their own health departments; and WHEREAS , under the Los Angeles County Ordinance, a MEHKO can also be approved to serve as a commissary for up to two food carts, or Compact Mobile Food Operations (CMFO). In such cases, the kitchens will be limited to 80 meals per day and no more than 200 meals per week.

The gross sales for a MEHKO operating as a commissary will be $150,000; and WHEREAS , per the Los Angeles County Ordinance, the City of Torrance cannot prohibit the operation of MEKOs or CMFOs within the City; and
WHEREAS , the City of Torrance is able to require a business license for MEHKOs and CMFO s to operate within the City as well as prohibit cart storage of CMFOs; and WHEREAS , a City of Torrance Business License is required for any business located in Torrance, or that works in or delivers to the City; and
4 ATTACHMENT 1
WHEREAS, on February 11, 2025, the City Council of the City of Torrance adopted a MEHKO Ordinance establishing operating standards, as allowed under the MEHKO Los Angeles County Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Torrance has determined it necessary to amend its MEHKO Ordinance to comply with California Health & Safety Code Sections 114367.2 and 114367.4, which establish the exclusive permitting authority and zoning standards for MEHKOs; and WHEREAS , the City Council of the City of Torrance has determined it necessary to adopt its own MEHKO Ordinance to establish operating standards, as allowed under the Los Angeles County Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the adoption of the Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378, because the activity undertaken involves general text amendments that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and does not meet the definition of a "Project" under CEQA. The proposed Ordinance is also exempt from CEQA Guidelines under Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Torrance does hereby ordain as follows:

SECTION 1
The City Council of the City of Torrance hereby finds and determines that all the above Recitals are true and correct and incorporates such Recitals into this Ordinance.

SECTION 2
Division 4, Chapter 20 is added toentitled “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code to read in itsis amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“CHAPTER 20

MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN OPERATIONS
420.1.010 MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN OPERATIONS.

Where allowed by Article 18 of Chapter 2 of Division 9 of the Torrance Municipal Code, Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) businesses shall comply with the regulations of this section in addition to those regulations set forth and enforced by the MEHKO County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health.

MEHKO businesses must have a valid City of Torrance Home Occupation Business License and Zoning Clearance letter to operate within Torrance.
420.1.020 PURPOSE.

The requirements of this section are intended to:
a) Implement the California Retail Food Code to allow MEHKO; b) Recognize that a residential property owner or resident has a limited right to conduct an unobtrusive microenterprise home kitchen MEHKO home occupation business from his or 5 her residence and recognize that the business should be conducted in a manner that his little to no impact on surrounding residents;
c) Preserve the residential character of residential neighborhoods, where microenterprise home kitchens operate;
d) Prevent the operation of a microenterprise home kitchen from transforming a residential neighborhood into a commercial one; and
e) Establish a business license process.Institute the Zoning Clearance Planning approval process for the approval of all microenterprise home kitchen occupation businesses in addition to the required business license application.
420.1.030 APPROVAL PROCESS.
a) A MEHKO Home Occupation Business License Application for the operation of a MEHKO and a Zoning Clearance application shall be submitted through the City of Torrance’s Citizen Portal, by mail, or in person at the City's One Stop Permit Center.on forms provided by the City of Torrance Community Development Department and Finance Department Business License Division . Upon submittal, the Finance Department Business License Division may either approve the application or route the application for approval by the designated department. Community Development Director or his/her designee will review the Home Occupation Permit zoning application as the public counter and may require additional information to confirm full compliance with this chapter. b) Prior to the issuance of the City Business License, the Finance Department Business License Division Finance Director or his/her designee will verify that the applicant has supplied written proof that the MEHKO Permit has been issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
c) Applicant shall pay Zoning Clearance and the required MEHKO Occupation Business License fee s associated with the City’s review and processing of the application s . Said fee s shall not exceed the City’s cost of administering the review and permitting process. d) If the application s do es not comply with the provision set forth in this Chapter, the Community Development Director and/or Finance Director s may deny the application s , or a revision may be required in order to meet the provisions of this chapter prior to approval of the application. e) Approval of business license granted by the City of Torrance for the operation of a MEHKO business may be revoked by the City if at any time the use is found to be out of compliance with the provisions of this Chapter or the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health rR equirements.
f) MEHKO Zoning ClearancesBusiness licenses are nontransferable. 420.1.040 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
6 A MEHKO home occupationbusiness shall be allowed to operate from a legally established residential dwelling unit as an accessory use to the primary residential use of the dwelling, provided that the use complies with all of the following performance standards. a) A MEHKO home occupation business shall obtain the necessary permits and approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

b) If the MEHKO home occupation operator is not the owner of the residence where the business will be conducted, the property owner’s or apartment managers’ written authorization shall be submitted with the application for a MEHKO home occupation. c)b) If the MEHKO home occupation will be conducted in a residential dwelling located within a development subject to Homeowner’s Association (HOA) Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s), the applicant shall provide written authorization from the HOA .
d)c) A MEHKO home occupation business is allowed one full-time employees (for 40 hours per week) or multiple employees whose combined hours do not exceed 40 hours per week. e)d) A Compact Mobile Food Operation (CMFO) is not permissible within the City of Torrance. f)e) A MEHKO home occupation business may not offer alcohol sales or consumption in the City of Torrance.
g)f) A MEHKO home occupation business is limited to no more than 30 individual meals per day and no more than 90 individual meals per week.
h)g) A MEHKO home occupation business may not have more than one hundred thousand dollars $100,000 in verifiable gross annual sales, as adjusted annual for inflation based on the California Consumer Price Index.
i)h) Food may only be sold directly to consumers, not to any wholesaler, caterer, or retailer. j)i) A MEHKO home occupation business may not act as a caterer and may not be permitted/registered as a Cottage Food Operation.
k)j) Signs and outdoor advertising for a MEHKO home occupation business is prohibited. l)k) Food may not be served in the front yard of the home, food may only be available for customer pick up, or delivery by the MEHKO operator , third party delivery apps are not allowed except for individuals who have a physical or mental condition indicated in the California Retail Food Code, Section 114367.5.
m)l) The MEHKO home occupation business shall not generate obnoxious odors, fumes, or emissions that are perceptible without instruments by a reasonable person at or beyond the property line of the site.
7 n) The MEHKO home occupation business shall comply with the noise standards for residential zones as identified in Article 7 of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code and any other noise standards found in Chapter 6 of Division 4. o) The MEHKO home occupation business shall comply with all Health and Safety standards, certifications, training and permitting requiresrequirements of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
o)p) A MEHKO must maintain a valid, current business license. Business licenses in the City of Torrance must be renewed annually by January 31, with penalties applying for late payments. Renewals can be completed online through the City of Torrance’s Citizen Portal, by mail, or in person at the City's One Stop Permit Center. 420.1.050 VIOLATIONS – PENALTIES.
a) A violation of this Chapter is punishable only by an administrative fine in amounts not to exceed the following:
1) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the first violation. 2) Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for a second violation within one (1) year of the first violation.
3) Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each additional violation within one (1) year of the first violation.
4) The City may rescind a business license permit issued to a MEHKO home occupation business upon the fourth or any subsequent violation.”
SECTION 3
Any provisions of the Municipal Code or its appendices, or any other ordinances of the City of Torrance inconsistent with this ordinance to the extent of the inconsistencies and no further, are repealed.

SECTION 4
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason deemed or held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.

SECTION 5
This ordinance was reviewed pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., “CEQA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal. Code of Regulations §§15000, et seq., the “CEQA Guidelines”). This ordinance is not subject to the CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 Class 1 (Existing Facilities) because the proposed ordinance establishes Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations as a type of permitted home occupation to be conducted within an existing dwelling unit, which would involve negligible or no 8 expansion of the existing residential use. Additionally, this ordinance is not subject to the CEQA pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) because the activity, which involves adding sections to the City of Torrance Municipal Code, will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; and 15060(c)(3) because the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because the nature of the code amendment being considered has no potential for resulting in either a direct or indirect change in the environment.

SECTION 6
This ordinance shall take effect 30 days after the date of its adoption. Within 15 days following adoption, this ordinance or a summary of this ordinance if authorized by the City Council, will be published at least once in the Daily Breeze, a newspaper of general circulation, published and circulated in the City of Torrance.

INTRODUCED and APPROVED this _______ day _______ 202 64 .

ADOPTED and PASSED this _________ day of _______ 202 64 .

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING DIVISION 4, CHAPTER
20 ENTITLED “MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN
OPERATIONS” OF THE TORRANCE MUNICIPAL CODE.

The gross sales for a MEHKO operating as a commissary will be $150,000; and WHEREAS , per the Los Angeles County Ordinance, the City of Torrance cannot prohibit the operation of MEKOs or CMFOs within the City; and
WHEREAS , the City of Torrance is able to require a business license for MEHKOs and CMFO s to operate within the City as well as prohibit cart storage of CMFOs; and WHEREAS , a City of Torrance Business License is required for any business located in Torrance, or that works in or delivers to the City; and
WHEREAS, on February 11, 2025, the City Council of the City of Torrance adopted a MEHKO Ordinance establishing operating standards, as allowed under the MEHKO Los Angeles County Ordinance; and
10 ATTACHMENT 2
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Torrance has determined it necessary to amend its MEHKO Ordinance to comply with California Health & Safety Code Sections 114367.2 and 114367.4, which establish the exclusive permitting authority and zoning standards for MEHKOs; and
WHEREAS, the adoption of the Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378, because the activity undertaken involves general text amendments that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and does not meet the definition of a "Project" under CEQA. The proposed Ordinance is also exempt from CEQA Guidelines under Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Torrance does hereby ordain as follows:

SECTION 1
The City Council of the City of Torrance hereby finds and determines that all the above Recitals are true and correct and incorporates such Recitals into this Ordinance.

SECTION 2
Division 4, Chapter 20 entitled “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” of the Torrance Municipal Code is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“CHAPTER 20

MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN OPERATIONS
420.1.010 MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN OPERATIONS.

MEHKO businesses must have a valid City of Torrance Business License to operate within Torrance.
420.1.020 PURPOSE.

The requirements of this section are intended to:
a) Implement the California Retail Food Code to allow MEHKO; b) Recognize that a residential property owner or resident has a limited right to conduct an unobtrusive MEHKO from his or her residence and recognize that the business should be conducted in a manner that his little to no impact on surrounding residents; c) Preserve the residential character of residential neighborhoods, where microenterprise home kitchens operate;
d) Prevent the operation of a microenterprise home kitchen from transforming a residential neighborhood into a commercial one; and
e) Establish a business license process.
11 420.1.030 APPROVAL PROCESS.
a) A Business License Application for the operation of a MEHKO shall be submitted through the City of Torrance’s Citizen Portal, by mail, or in person at the City's One Stop Permit Center..

Upon submittal, the Finance Department Business License Division may either approve the application or route the application for approval by the designated department. b) Prior to the issuance of the City Business License, the Finance Department Business License Division will verify that the applicant has supplied written proof that the MEHKO Permit has been issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. c) Applicant shall pay the required Business License fee associated with the City’s review and processing of the application. Said fee shall not exceed the City’s cost of administering the review and permitting process.
d) If the application does not comply with the provision set forth in this Chapter, the Finance Director may deny the application, or a revision may be required in order to meet the provisions of this chapter prior to approval of the application. e) Approval of business license by the City of Torrance for the operation of a MEHKO business may be revoked by the City if at any time the use is found to be out of compliance with the provisions of this Chapter or the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health requirements.
f) Business licenses are nontransferable.
420.1.040 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

A MEHKO business shall be allowed to operate from a legally established residential dwelling unit as an accessory use to the primary residential use of the dwelling, provided that the use complies with all of the following performance standards.
a) A MEHKO shall obtain the necessary permits and approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
b) A MEHKO is allowed one full-time employees (for 40 hours per week) or multiple employees whose combined hours do not exceed 40 hours per week.
c) A Compact Mobile Food Operation (CMFO) is not permissible within the City of Torrance. d) A MEHKO may not offer alcohol sales or consumption in the City of Torrance. e) A MEHKO is limited to no more than 30 individual meals per day and no more than 90 individual meals per week.
f) A MEHKO may not have more than one hundred thousand dollars $100,000 in verifiable gross annual sales, as adjusted annual for inflation based on the California Consumer Price Index. g) Food may only be sold directly to consumers, not to any wholesaler, caterer, or retailer. h) A MEHKO may not act as a caterer and may not be permitted/registered as a Cottage Food Operation.
12 i) Signs and outdoor advertising for a MEHKO is prohibited. j) Food may not be served in the front yard of the home, food may only be available for customer pick up, or delivery by the MEHKO, third party delivery apps are not allowed except for individuals who have a physical or mental condition indicated in the California Retail Food Code, Section 114367.5.
k) The MEHKO shall not generate obnoxious odors, fumes, or emissions that are perceptible without instruments by a reasonable person at or beyond the property line of the site. l) The MEHKO shall comply with the noise standards for residential zones as identified in Article 7 of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code and any other noise standards found in Chapter 6 of Division 4.
m) The MEHKO shall comply with all Health and Safety standards, certifications, training and permitting requirements of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. n) A MEHKO must maintain a valid, current business license. Business licenses in the City of Torrance must be renewed annually by January 31, with penalties applying for late payments.

Renewals can be completed online through the City of Torrance’s Citizen Portal, by mail, or in person at the City's One Stop Permit Center.
420.1.050 VIOLATIONS – PENALTIES.
a) A violation of this Chapter is punishable only by an administrative fine in amounts not to exceed the following:
1) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the first violation. 2) Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for a second violation within one (1) year of the first violation.
3) Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each additional violation within one (1) year of the first violation.
4) The City may rescind a business license issued to a MEHKO upon the fourth or any subsequent violation.”
SECTION 3
Any provisions of the Municipal Code or its appendices, or any other ordinances of the City of Torrance inconsistent with this ordinance to the extent of the inconsistencies and no further, are repealed.

The City Council of the City of Torrance hereby declares that it would have adopted this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or portions might subsequently be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
13 SECTION 5
This ordinance was reviewed pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., “CEQA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal. Code of Regulations §§15000, et seq., the “CEQA Guidelines”). This ordinance is not subject to the CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 Class 1 (Existing Facilities) because the proposed ordinance establishes Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations as a type of permitted home occupation to be conducted within an existing dwelling unit, which would involve negligible or no expansion of the existing residential use. Additionally, this ordinance is not subject to the CEQA pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) because the activity, which involves adding sections to the City of Torrance Municipal Code, will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; and 15060(c)(3) because the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because the nature of the code amendment being considered has no potential for resulting in either a direct or indirect change in the environment.

INTRODUCED and APPROVED this _______ day _______ 2026.

ADOPTED and PASSED this _________ day of _______ 2026.

APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
Mayor George Chen
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
by _____________________________________
Tatia Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney
ATTEST:
______________________________
Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
14 5
0 2
4 ORDINANCE SUMMARY
On _______________, the City Council of the City of Torrance introduced by title only, at first reading, Ordinance No. _______ “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Torrance, California, Amending Division 4, Chapter 20 entitled “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” of the Torrance Municipal Code.” Ordinance No. ______ will take effect 30 days after the adoption date of _______________. The following is a summary of Ordinance No. _______.

Amendment to the Torrance Municipal Code:

Ordinance No. ______ would amend Division 4 “Public Health and Welfare”, Chapter 20 “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations” to comply with California Health & Safety Code Sections 114367.2 and 114367.4, which establish the exclusive permitting authority and zoning standards for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs). Specifically, Ordinance No. . ______ would remove the requirement for a MEHKO to obtain a zoning clearance from the City as well as the requirement to obtain written authorization from a Homeowners Association (HOA), if applicable, or a property owner/manager in the case where the MEHKO operator is not the owner of the residence where the business will be conducted. Instead, A MEHKO will only be required to obtain and maintain a valid City of Torrance Business License.

Passed, Approved, and Adopted the __ day of ____ 2026, by the following vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Abstain:

The full text of Ordinance No. ______ is available for inspection during regular business hours at the City Clerk’s Office (3031 Torrance Boulevard, Torrance, California 90503) Monday through Friday with alternating closed Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or at https://www.torranceca.gov/government/city-clerk .

DATED THIS ____ DAY OF _________, 2026.

Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
City of Torrance
3031 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, California 90503
15 ATTACHMENT 3

Torrance City CouncilMay 5, 2026

Torrance City Council
May 5, 2026