Torrance City Council Regular Meeting – September 24, 2024

The Torrance City Council met on September 24, 2024, for a regular meeting that began at 6:30 p.m. (following a closed session that was not held) and adjourned at 1:13 a.m. on September 25. The council addressed a wide range of items including proclamations, volunteer recognition, consent calendar approvals, a lengthy discussion on pickleball facility policies, water rate hearing dates, signage designs, economic development updates, holiday light display resource allocation, and procedural changes for meeting management.

Proclamations & Recognitions

• Hispanic Heritage Month – The council declared September 15 through October 15, 2024, as Hispanic Heritage Month in Torrance. Representatives from the Del Amo community, North High School Hispanic Culture Club, and Torrance Elementary dual-language students participated.
• Seaside Heroes Park Volunteers 10-Year Anniversary – Over 500 volunteers contributed more than 4,800 hours (nearly 5,000) over a decade. Councilmember Mattucci and lead volunteer Jenna Christensen highlighted the park's transformation and future native plant habitat plans.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved items on the consent calendar with the exception of items 8A and 8B, which were pulled for discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Measure PC on November ballot – Susan Neemeyer criticized the ballot language as misleading, claiming it would give councilmembers a large increase while appearing fiscally conservative.
• Independent civilian oversight commission – Two speakers (Mary Ann and Christopher DeAndre Mitchell) urged the city to create an independent civilian oversight commission for police accountability, arguing that filing complaints with the police department itself is not safe or effective.
• Pickleball facilities – Approximately 20 speakers addressed item 9A, mostly advocating for extended pickleball hours at Sur La Brea Park and opposing conversion of tennis courts. Some residents supported retaining tennis-only courts, while pickleball players emphasized community benefits and requested hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. or later.
• Seaside Ranchos Holiday Lights – Brent Maley, a resident, opposed city funding for a non-city-sanctioned event, citing escalating costs and lack of enforcement success.

Discussion Items

• 8A: Police Recruitment and Retention Incentive Program – Staff reported that since July 16, 2024, the city received 663 police recruit applications, 59 lateral applications, and 172 dispatcher applications. The council approved the side letter agreements unanimously.
• 8B: Investment Report for July 2024 – Councilmember Sheikh questioned reconciling adjustments of $4.6 million; Finance staff explained they relate to outstanding checks and deposits in transit. Unanimously approved.
• 9A: Pickleball Facilities – Staff presented an update: eight new pickleball courts at Wilson Park are planned (design-build contract expected October, completion by March-April 2025). The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended Sur La Brea hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. After extensive public comment and council deliberation, the council:
  • Voted unanimously not to restripe a tennis court at Wilson Park for pickleball.
  • Initially voted 5-2 (with Councilmember Kalani and Mayor Chen voting no) to set Sur La Brea hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., but then reconsidered and unanimously approved hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Voted 5-2 (with Councilmember Gerson and Mayor Chen voting no) to set El Retiro tennis court lights to turn off at 8 p.m. and restrict to tennis only.
  • Did not direct additional staff for enforcement.
• 9B: Conflict of Interest Code Resolution – Unanimously adopted Resolution 2024-77, updating the code per state requirements.
• 9C: Water Rate Public Hearing – Staff presented a five-year water rate study proposing annual increases (2025–2029). Typical single-family bill would go from $54.45 in 2024 to $69 in 2029. Torrance rates remain lower than neighboring agencies. The council unanimously set a public hearing for November 19, 2024.
• 9D: Measure M Funding Agreements – The council approved agreements totaling $2.05 million for fiber network/traffic signal optimization and Hawthorne Boulevard right-turn lanes. Unanimous.
• 9E: Mural Policy – Councilmember Gerson identified multiple editorial issues. After discussion, the council voted 6-1 (Councilmember Sheikh dissenting) to table the item for revisions.
• 9F: District Gateways, Digital, and Parks Signage – Staff presented design concepts. The council selected Concept 1 for digital signs (to match existing) and Concept 1 for park signs (blue, city-branded). Further tweaks to district gateway signs were requested.
• 9G: Economic Development Update – Staff reported on downtown revitalization, business attraction incentives (BAIT program up to $100,000), the first Select Torrance event, and upcoming initiatives. The council accepted and filed the update.
• 9H: Seaside Ranchos Holiday Lights and Cottage Food Ordinance – This item sparked extensive debate. The council:
  • Unanimously accepted the committee minutes.
  • Voted (with a second) to provide the resource allocation for the 2024 holiday season (estimated $195,400) but directed staff to study alternative funding models for 2025, including potential residential investment district or private funding.
  • Voted to not amend the cottage food ordinance (motion carried with Councilmember Mattucci voting no), meaning cottage food sales are restricted to 5 p.m. and no driveway sales citywide.
• 9I: Agenda Management System and Meeting Procedure Changes – The council approved implementation of OneMeeting software (rollout November 1, 2024), eliminated the public comment hotline, allowed electronic speaker signups, changed consent calendar criteria from expenditure-based to routine/non-routine, reordered agenda placing public hearings after consent calendar, and adopted Resolution 2024-78 amending council rules of order (with a directive to make language gender-neutral). Unanimous.
• 12A: Second Reading Ordinance 3937 – Unanimously adopted, amending conditional use permit procedures regarding mitigation of adverse impacts.

Key Outcomes

• Pickleball hours set: Sur La Brea Park: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; El Retiro Park: tennis-only, lights off at 8 p.m.
• Water rate hearing scheduled: November 19, 2024.
• Holiday lights funding approved for 2024 with a mandate to explore alternative funding for 2025.
• Cottage food ordinance not amended: existing restrictions (sales only until 5 p.m., no driveway sales) remain citywide.
• New agenda management software approved; public comment hotline eliminated.
• Signage designs selected: Concept 1 for digital signs and park signs.
• Mural policy tabled for revisions.
• Meeting adjourned to October 8, 2024 (October 1 is a dark night).