Item No. 9
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: November 10, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Ana V. Sauseda, Director of General Services/City Clerk ,e/X5' SUBJECT: Certificate of Sufficiency — Referendum of Ordinance No. 448 RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-58, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Yucaipa, California, Accepting the Certificate of Sufficiency for the Referendum of Ordinance No. 448.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
On August 25, 2025, at a duly noticed public hearing, the City Council discussed the Freeway Corridor Specific Plan Update and approved staff's recommendations by a vote of 4-1. Among staff's recommendations were the approval of Resolution No. 2025-54, approving and adopting the Freeway Corridor Specific Plan Update and the approval of the introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 448, amending the official Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance of the City of Yucaipa.
Both the Resolution and Ordinance are deemed to be City "legislative acts" and are subject to challenge by the referendum process as outlined in the California Elections Code (Elections Code).
On October 20, 2025, Yucaipa residents timely filed a signed petition to referend (challenge through referendum) Ordinance No. 448 adopted by the City Council. Pursuant to Elections Code § 9237, a referendum petition must be signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the registered voters of the City to qualify. According to the California Secretary of State's most recent report of voter registration (Feb. 10, 2025), Yucaipa has 36,163 registered voters within its limits. Therefore, the petition is required to contain the verified signatures of at least 3,617 Yucaipa registered voters in order to qualify a referendum for the ballot.
As is standard practice, the City Clerk' s Office referred the petitions to the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters (ROV) for official signature verification against official County voter records. The verification of signatures was completed, and the official Certificate of Sufficiency was submitted to the City Clerk on Tuesday, October 29, 2025. Based upon that review, the petition has been determined to have sufficient signatures to qualify. The Certificate of Sufficiency to that effect is attached to Resolution No. 2025-58.
Pursuant to Elections Code § § 9114 and 9237, now that the referendum has qualified for the ballot, the effective date of the Ordinance has been suspended and the City Council must reconsider the
Pursuant to Elections Code §§ 9114 and 9237, now that the referendum has qualified for the ballot, the effective date of the Ordinance has been suspended and the City Council must reconsider the Ordinance or submit the Ordinance to the voters, either at the next regular municipal election occurring not less than 88 days after the order of the legislative body, or at a special election called for the purpose, not less than 88 days after the order of the legislative body.
At the October 27, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting, Council discussed the Referendum of Resolution No. 2025-54 and voted to move it forward to the California Primary Election to be held on June 2, 2026, by a vote of 3-1. Staff noted that the Referendum of Ordinance No. 448 was also expected to qualify for the ballot and by consensus, Council gave direction to bring that item back on the consent agenda as the decision to move the Referendum forward to the June Primary had already been made.
The cost for one referendum was estimated by the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters (ROV) to be $124,000. While we are unsure of the exact cost for two referendums, the ROV stated that the original quote of $124,000 was not expected to significantly increase. An agenda item with a fiscal impact for the cost of the election will be brought back to Council at a future meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommendation does not result in a direct and immediate fiscal impact.
Attachment(s):
1. Resolution No. 2025-58
2. Cost Estimate
Approved by: _c 4,01), �✓ �..�,,
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-58
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YUCAIPA,
CALIFORNIA, ACCEPTING THE CERTIFICATE OF SUFFICIENCY OF THE REFERENDUM OF ORDINANCE NO. 448 (OFFICIAL LAND USE
PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE)
WHEREAS, on August 25, 2025, at a duly noticed public hearing, the Yucaipa City Council approved the introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 448, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Yucaipa, California, amending Ordinance No. 343, amending the Official Land Use Plan and Zoning Ordinance of the City of Yucaipa; and WHEREAS, on September 8, 2025, the City Council approved the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 448; and
WHEREAS, on September 11, 2025, the City Clerk's Office received a proposed impartial summary on behalf of Yucaipa resident Ro Randolph who declared herself to be the proponent of a referendum effort related to Ordinance No. 448; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney prepared an impartial title and summary in compliance with the provisions of California Elections Code § 9238 and submitted it to the City Clerk within 10 business days; and
WHEREAS, a referendum petition protesting the adoption of an ordinance must be filed with the City Clerk within thirty (30) days following its adoption and must bear the signatures of not less than ten percent (10%) of the registered voters of the City; and WHEREAS, upon submission of a valid petition meeting these requirements, the effective date of the ordinance is suspended, and the City Council is required to either repeal the ordinance in its entirety or submit it to the voters at an election; and WHEREAS, per the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters' last report of registration to the Secretary of State pursuant to California Elections Code § 9237, the number of verified signatures required was 3,617; and
WHEREAS, on October 20, 2025, the petition was timely submitted to the Office of the City Clerk in accordance with California Elections Code § 9237; and WHEREAS, on October 20, 2025, after completing the prima facie review of signatures, the City Clerk determined that the petition contained more than the minimum number of signatures and therefore submitted it to the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters for signature verification; and
WHEREAS, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the City Clerk received from the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters the official Certificate of Sufficiency verifying that the referendum petition contained the requisite number of valid signatures of registered voters, which certificate is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference; WHEREAS, California Elections Code §9114 requires the certificate as to the sufficiency/verification of signatures to be submitted to the City Council at its next regular City Council meeting following the certification.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YUCAIPA HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.
The City Council hereby accepts the Certificate of Sufficiency of the petition of the Referendum Against Ordinance No. 448, attached hereto as Exhibit A. Acceptance of the certificate shall not constitute any determination regarding the merits of the referendum or the underlying legislative action.
Section 2. The City Clerk shall certify as to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this loth day of November, 2025.
Jon Thorp, Mayor
Al'1'BST:
Ana V. Sauseda, MMC
Director of General Services/City Clerk
Exhibit A
SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY
October 28, 2025
777 East Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92415 Phone: 909.387.8300 Fax: 909.387.2022 www.SBCounty.yor
Registrar of Voters
Ana V. Sauseda MMC, Director of General Services/City Clerk City of Yucaipa
34272 Yucaipa Boulevard
Yucaipa, California 92399
Joani Finwall
Registrar of Voters
RE: A Referendum Against an Ordinance Passed by the City Council of the City of Yucaipa. Council Ordinance No. 448
Dear Ana Sauseda,
As per your request dated October 20, 2025, the Registrar of Voters office has examined the petition for the City of Yucaipa entitled "A Referendum Against an Ordinance Passed by City Council of the City of Yucaipa. Ordinance No. 448". As a result of our examination, we report the following:
1. Number of unverified signatures filed (raw count): 5,254
2. Number of signatures verified: 5,254
a. Number of signatures found SUFFICIENT: 3,917
b. Number of signatures found NOT SUFFICIENT: 1,337
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal on this twenty-eighth day of October 2025.
HOARD OF SUPERVISORS
RAIA. Cook. (REr.) JESSE AxmEN )ARCZ DAWN Rows;
Pint Di;trict Second District Chairman, 'third I)i.arict _qcvn
Joani Finwall
Registrar of Voters
CURT RAGMAN Jctt. BACA, JR
Fourth District Vice Chair. Fifth District
ATTACHMENT 2
I.
SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY
October 24, 2025
777 East Rialto Avenue, San Bemardino, CA 92415 1 Phone: 909.387.8300 Fax: 909.387.2022 www.SBCounty.gov
Registrar of Voters
Ana V. Sauseda
Director of General Service/City Clerk
City of Yucaipa
34272 Yucaipa Blvd.
Yucaipa, CA 92399
Re: 2026 Statewide Primary Special Measure Election Cost Estimate Dear Ana V. Sauseda:
Joani Finwall
Registrar of Voters
This letter is in response to your request for cost estimates from the Registrar of Voters for a Special Measure Election.
The estimate to have one contest (Measures) on the ballot text is $124,000.
The amount provided above is an estimate based on historical costs for comparable elections. The actual cost may be higher or lower than the estimate provided. Once the election is certified, the Registrar of Voters will complete an accounting of all actual costs and will provide a final invoice within 120 days.
If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar of Voters at (909) 387-8300.
Sincerely,
. usti White
Assistant Registrar of Voters
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Cost Estimate Summary
2026 Statewide Primary Special Measure Election
JURISDICTION
CONTEST
VOTER
REGISTRATION
ALLOCATED
COSTS
VOTER
INFORMATION
GUIDE
VOTE BY MAIL
BALLOT COSTS
DIRECT COSTS
MEASURE
TOTAL ESTIMATE
City of Yucaipa
Measure
37,970
$44,000
$4,500
$9,500
$0
$66,000
$124,000
Estimated Election Total
$44,000
$4,500
$9,500
$0
$66,000
$124,000