Torrance City Council Regular Meeting – November 4, 2025

The Torrance City Council met on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, beginning with a closed session at 5:01 p.m. and reconvening in open session at 6:34 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Matucci presided in Mayor Chen's absence; Councilmember Kaji was also absent. The meeting covered community recognitions, consent calendar approvals, a continued public hearing, the City Treasurer's 2025 audit, and a separate Public Housing Agency board session. No minutes were available for this meeting; this summary is based on the agenda and raw transcript. The transcript contains apparent speech-to-text name variations, and this summary follows the agenda and repeated vote references.

Closed Session

• The council recessed at 5:01 p.m. for closed session items covering anticipated litigation, existing litigation in Monique Happy v. City of Torrance, real property negotiations for the City Hall Lattice Telecommunication Tower lease with T-Mobile West Tower LLC, and labor negotiations with city employee organizations. No reportable action was announced after reconvening.

Community Matters and Announcements

• Adopted Resolution 2025-66 honoring Carolyn Chun on her retirement after 35 years of city service.
• Adopted Resolution 2025-67 honoring Police Officer Joshua Burden on his retirement after 23 years of service.
• Presented a proclamation declaring November 29 through December 6, 2025 as Torrance Small Business Week, with Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce representatives present.
• Councilmembers announced a District 1 community meeting on November 13, 2025 at North Torrance Library, a Strategic Planning Committee meeting on November 13, 2025, and food assistance resources available through TorranceCA.gov/foodresources.

Consent Calendar

• Approved, by one motion, consent calendar items 8A-8E, 8G, and 8H; adopted Ordinance 3960 and Resolution 2025-68; item 8I was deferred and item 8F was pulled for separate discussion.
• 8A: Approved City Council minutes of October 7 and October 14, 2025.
• 8B: Adopted the second and final reading of Ordinance 3960, updating California Fire Code provisions in the Torrance Municipal Code, and approved the ordinance summary for publication.
• 8C: Adopted Resolution 2025-68 amending Resolution 2008-52, Section 7.
• 8D: Approved a second amendment to the Casper Airport Solutions consulting agreement for the airport noise monitoring system, extending the term through December 31, 2026.
• 8E: Approved a Mills Act contract for Historic Landmark #2, a residence at 2268 Sonoma Street, and a CEQA categorical exemption under Section 15331.
• 8G: Authorized a contract with N/S Corporation for the automated car wash replacement at the City Yard as a BuyBoard cooperative purchase, with a not-to-exceed amount of $427,741.46, appropriated $427,741.46 to project FAC0021-EQ0004, and adopted a CEQA categorical exemption under Section 15301.
• 8H: Approved a contract with New Flyer of America, Inc. for six battery electric bus chargers in the amount of $1,573,330.28 for the period October 22, 2025 through July 31, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Charlie Salinas described safety concerns, including a rigid metal sign at Offset Coffee in Old Torrance that he said is 5 feet 8 inches high and protrudes 30 inches from the wall, and motorized bicycle riders without helmets; he asked that riders receive tickets or warnings.
• Pam Cumbar, a 45-year resident, distributed portions of the DEIR for the Metro Rail extension to Torrance and Metro responses, and expressed concern about safety if the extension encroaches on the refinery and about passenger train safety in an explosion, fire, or flare event.
• Sheila Richardson, former city employee and president/founder of Exclusive Systems, distributed constituent concerns desk forms for county, state, and city agencies and asked the council to use them.
• Gerald Miller of 628 Pine Drive, Torrance, described what he said was unprecedented filth, trash, and garbage on city streets and asked for follow-up.
• No public speakers appeared for Oral Communications #2.

Discussion Items

• 8F: Councilmember Sheikh pulled the item on the Measure M Visionary Seed Fund agreement with LA Metro. He commended the Torrance Connect pilot's 4.9 out of 5 community rating and asked whether the service area would expand. Transit's David Mock responded that staff will bring a renewal proposal before the pilot ends on December 9, 2025; the first phase expanded west to Anza and south to Pacific Coast Highway, with areas such as the Riviera and south of PCH not yet included due to funding, and grant applications are pending. Council then approved 8F.
• 9A: The public hearing on the proposed Tarps, Canopies, and Pop-Up Structures on Private Property ordinance was continued to December 2, 2025 so the full City Council could be present. No testimony was taken.
• 10A: The airport ordinance enforcement amendment was deferred to the December 2, 2025 City Council meeting.
• 10B: City Treasurer Tim Goodrich presented the 2025 audit of City Treasurer Operations. He said the city issued an RFQ, received 10 proposals, selected BDO after a three-member panel review, and the audit began around April 2025. BDO found strengths including improved departmental collaboration and a formalized annual investment policy, and recommended formalizing processes to strengthen internal controls, improving cash flow forecasting, and strengthening user access management. The council accepted and filed the audit.

Public Housing Agency Board

• The City Council reconvened as the Board of Commissioners of the Public Housing Agency at 7:09 p.m. The agenda had been posted October 27, 2025 at 6:40 p.m.
• The Board approved the April 8, 2025 minutes; no public comment was offered.
• The Board conducted a public hearing on significant amendments to the 2025 annual PHA plan and 2025-2029 five-year PHA plan. Staff's Julia Smith explained that the PHA received 33 Emergency Housing Vouchers in 2021, all of which were leased, and HUD informed PHAs on March 6, 2025 that EHV funding would end in 2026, earlier than the prior 2030 sunset. The amendments add two HCV waiting list preferences for EHV families whose assistance is at risk or was terminated within the last 24 months; HUD has not provided additional budget authority, so the PHA may not be able to transition all families and is seeking non-federal rental subsidies.
• After closing the public hearing, the Board adopted Resolution PHA 2025-02 approving the amended administrative plan for the Section 8 rental assistance program.

Key Outcomes

• Deferred to November 18, 2025: Item 8I (City Treasurer wages, hours, and working conditions).
• Deferred to December 2, 2025: Items 9A (tarps/canopies/pop-up structures ordinance) and 10A (airport ordinance enforcement).
• Approved all other consent calendar items, including Ordinance 3960 and Resolution 2025-68.
• Accepted and filed the 2025 Audit of City Treasurer Operations.
• Approved the Measure M Visionary Seed Fund amendment (8F).
• Adopted Resolution PHA 2025-02 and approved the PHA plan amendments and administrative plan changes.
• All votes carried with Mayor Chen and Councilmember Kaji absent.
• The City Council adjourned at 7:21 p.m. to Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. for closed session, with regular business at 6:30 p.m.; November 11, 2025 is a City Council Dark Night.