8D
Date: June 23, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
By: Robert Williams, Deputy City Clerk I | [email protected] Subject: SECOND AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 3969
RECOMMENDATION
Second and Final Reading of ORDINANCE NO. 3969 approving a first amendment to a development agreement between the City of Torrance and Gable House Development LLC related to a development at 22501 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, California (assessor’s parcel number 7368-001-015) and approval of the Ordinance Summary for publication. This item is for consideration of adoption of the ordinance only. The item was previously discussed, and action was taken at a prior council meeting.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
At the regular meeting of the City Council held on June 9, 2026, this Ordinance was discussed, introduced, and approved for its first reading by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS Gerson, Kaji, Lewis, Mattucci, Sheikh, and Mayor Pro-Tem Kalani.
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
RECUSED: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS Mayor Chen.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance No. 3969
2. Ordinance Summary
1 1
ORDINANCE NO. 3969
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A FIRST
AMENDMENT TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY OF TORRANCE AND GABLE
HOUSE DEVELOPMENT LLC RELATED TO A
DEVELOPMENT AT 22501 HAWTHORNE BOULEVARD,
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA (ASSESSOR’S PARCEL
NUMBER 7368-001-015)
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City of Torrance (City) 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, Section 65864 et seq. of the California Government Code authorizes cities to enter into Development Agreements with any person having a legal or equitable interest in real property for the development of such property; and
WHEREAS, Gable House Development LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Applicant), has applied to the City to enter into a Development Agreement , in conjunction with a Modification (MOD) 24 -0004 of a previously approved Conditional Use Permit (CUP22 -00001) to add a condition of approval related to the Development Agreement, pertaining to a previously approved mixed -use development with density bonus comprised of 218 apartment units and 12,000 square feet of commercial floor area, on property located in the H -DA2 Zone at 22501 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, California herein referred to as the “Project”; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant is the owner of 22501 Hawthorne Boulevard , Torrance, California ; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, at a duly noticed public hearing, on June 15, 2022, approved CUP22 -00001 and a Development Permit (DVP) 22 -00001 in conjunction with the Project (Res. Nos. 22-046, 22-047) (the “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, as part of the approval of CUP22 -00001 and DVP22 - 00001 determined the Project was Categorically Exempt from CEQA per Guidelines Section 15332 – Infill Development; and
WHEREAS, the Development Agreement will not result in any impacts on the environment other than the impacts that would already result from the 2022 approval of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, at a duly noticed public hearing, on July 24, 2024, recommended that the City Council approve the Development Agreement by and between the City and the Developer; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has transmitted its findings and recommendations to the City Council; and
2 ATTACHMENT 1
2 WHEREAS, the City Council, at a duly noticed public hearing on August 13, 2024, has reviewed and considered the Development Agreement and the findings and recommendations of the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 3934 on August 20, 2026; and
WHEREAS, on May 1, 2026, the Applicant submitted a request to City to amend the Development Agreement to allow an additional 120 -day deferral of DIF payment following the occurrence of one of the specified triggering events; and
WHEREAS, as part of the request, Owner offered to withdraw any pending Public Records Act (“PRA”) requests that have been submitted to the City and waive and release any existing or potential claims (i) against the City, (ii) relating and/or pertaining to the Gable House Apartments development (“Project”), (iii) based upon actions or omissions of the City, and (iv) occurring prior to the date of the final building inspection for the Project, as set forth below; and
WHEREAS, the City and Applicant have agreed to amend the Development Agreement as described in the First Amendment to Development Agreement, which is attached hereto as “Exhibit A.”
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Torrance does hereby ordain as follows:
SECTION 1
The City Council finds, with respect to the Development Agreement, that:
1. The findings from Ordinance No. 3934 are incorporated into these findings by this reference.
2. The recitals are incorporated into these findings by this reference.
3. State Government Code Section 65864 et seq. authorizes cities to enter into Development Agreements with any person having a legal or equitable interest in real property for the development of such property.
4. Applicant has requested that the City consider entering into a First Amendment to the Development Agreement. The Applicant initiated the development agreement process, and all proceedings have been taken in accordance with the City and State' s adopted procedures.
5. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement complies with all applicable City and State regulations governing Development Agreements.
6. Pursuant to Section 65867.5 of the Government Code, the proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement is consistent with the objectives, policies and programs specified in the General Plan, the related Existing Entitlements, applicable zoning, and all other applicable plans, rules, regulations and official policies of City.
7. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement encourages investment in and commitment to comprehensive planning, efficiently utilizing resources at the least economic cost to the public.
3 3
8. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement provides public benefits beyond those necessary to mitigate Project development, such as
a. additional revenues to the City, through the generation of additional property tax revenue and processing fees to fund public schools and City infrastructures;
b. assistance in undergrounding of utilities along the 226 th Street frontage of the Project;
c. the redevelopment of a n aging commercial property with a mixture of new commercial and residential uses, wrapped around a seven-level parking structure, in a site plan and design that promotes, encourages and attracts new consumers, including those from outside the City; and
d. continuing the redevelopment of uses along the Hawthorne Boulevard Corridor that promote the viability of commercial and residential uses along the most prominent arterial in the City consistent with the goals and objectives of the Hawthrone Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan.
9. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare , or adversely affect the surrounding properties.
10. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement s trengthens the public planning process, encourages private participation in comprehensive planning, and reduces costs of development and government.
11. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement is consistent with the conditions of previous and concurrent discretionary approvals for the subject development, including but not limited to the existing entitlements.
12. The proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement contains all of the provisions, terms and conditions, which, in addition to those required by Government Code Section 65865.2, are deemed to be necessary and/or desirable to implement the City' s General Plan.
13. The terms and conditions of the First Amendment to the Development Agreement have undergone extensive review by the City and the City Council and have been found to be fair, just and reasonable.
14. Based upon the above findings, the proposed First Amendment to the Development Agreement is consistent with public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice.
SECTION 2
The City Council hereby approves the First Amendment to the Development Agreement and authorizes and directs the Mayor to enter into the First Amendment to the Development Agreement in the name of the City of Torrance and, further directs the City Clerk to record the First Amendment to the Development Agreement and this ordinance with the County Recorder within ten (10) days of its effective date.
4 4
SECTION 3
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. 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 other portions might subsequently be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 4
The City Council finds, in its independent judgement, that all impacts on the environment that may result from the approval of the First Amendment to the Development Agreement were already considered during the approval of the Project (which is not being modified by this Agreement), and thus the approval of the First Amendment to the Development Agreement is also exempt from CEQA review pursuant to the Class 32 categorical exemption (CEQA Guidelines § 15332) and no further CEQA review is required. The City Council further finds, in its independent judgement, that no unusual circumstances that create a reasonably possibility that the Project would result in a significant effect on the environment, and otherwise finds that no exceptions to the Class 32 exemption exist. No new or increased significant impacts would result from the approval of the First Amendment to the Development Agreement when compared to the 2022 project approval.
SECTION 5
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.
SECTION 6
If a third party brings a claim, lawsuit, action, or any other proceeding (collectively, a “Claim”) against the City attacking or otherwise challenging the approval of this ordinance, the Applicant shall, at its own expense, fully defend, indemnify, and hold harmless City, its agents, officers and employees from that Claim.
5 5
INTRODUCED and APPROVED this 9th day of June 2026.
ADOPTED and PASSED this 23rd day of June 2026.
Mayor George K. Chen
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
by:
Tatia Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney
ATTEST:
Rebecca Poirier, MMC, City Clerk
Attachment:
Exhibit A – First Amendment Development Agreement
6 ORDINANCE NO. 3969 SUMMARY
On June 23, 2026, the City Council of the City of Torrance adopted Ordinance No. 3969. “AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY OF TORRANCE AND GABLE HOUSE DEVELOPMENT LLC RELATED TO A DEVELOPMENT AT 22501 HAWTHORNE BOULEVARD, TORRANCE, CALIF ORNIA (ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBER 7368-001-015).” Ordinance No. 3969 will take effect 30 days after the adoption date of June 23, 2026. The following is a summary of Ordinance No. 3969:
Development Agreement
It is the desire of the City of Torrance to enter into a First Amendment to an existing Development Agreement originally adopted by the Torrance City Council on August 20, 2024, under Ordinance No. 3934, with Gable House Development LLC, a Delaware limited liability company for the purpose of deferring payment of Development Impact Fees ( DIF) owed to the City pursuant to Section 4.6 of the original Development Agreement until 120 days after the first dwelling unit within the development or applicable phase receives a temporary certificate of occupancy, certificate of occupancy, or final building inspection approval, whichever occurs first. Additiona lly, under the amended Development Agreement, Gable House Development LLC and all affiliated subsidiaries agree to withdraw all pending Public Records Act requests and waive and release any current or potential claims against the City, including any claim for fees or costs. 7 ATTACHMENT 2