Torrance City Council Adjourned Regular Meeting - April 7, 2026

The Torrance City Council convened for an adjourned regular meeting on April 7, 2026. The meeting included closed sessions before and after the public session. The council recognized community volunteers, proclaimed April as DMV/Donate Life Month, approved a pilot program for a mobile coffee cart, and discussed strategies for improving the city's real estate lease portfolio.

Community Recognitions & Proclamations

• Ron Kimmel Recognition: The council recognized Ron Kimmel for over 20 years of volunteer service on the Friends of the Torrance Library board, helping the organization contribute over $1 million to the library.
• DMV/Donate Life Month: Mayor Chen proclaimed April 2026 as DMV/Donate Life Month. Tammy Rusnak accepted the proclamation, sharing a personal story of receiving a kidney transplant and currently being on the waiting list.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was approved unanimously, with the following exceptions:
  • Item 8E (Multi-Use Active Transit Trail Project): Deferred to a future council meeting.
  • Item 8F (Alta Loma Park Playground Replacement): Deferred to the April 21, 2026 city council meeting.
  • Item 8D (Mobile Coffee Cart License Agreement): Pulled by a councilmember for separate discussion and vote.
• Routine approvals included the acceptance of minutes, a planning commission annual report, equipment purchases, consulting services, easements, and employee resolutions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Accusations Against Councilmember: A speaker directly accused Councilmember Shay of financial elder abuse against a neighbor, alleging the transfer of assets worth over $1.5 million, improper influence on property taxes, and misconduct regarding the neighbor's funeral. The speaker was cut off by the Mayor as the two-minute limit expired.
• Traffic Cameras & Public Comment: A speaker opposed the implementation of red light cameras and criticized the council for reducing public comment time from three minutes to two, calling for its immediate restoration.
• Construction Industry Tax Fraud: Representatives from the Carpenters Union stated that tax fraud, including worker misclassification and cash payments, is rampant in Torrance's construction sector, resulting in significant lost tax revenue for the city.
• Second Chances: A carpenter who is a former inmate thanked the city's justice system for a second chance and urged the council to ensure contractors pay taxes and fair wages.
• Cultural Event Inclusivity: A speaker requested the city establish clearer guidelines for its cultural events, citing the presence of what they described as Imperial Japanese military imagery at the Cherry Blossom Festival.
• Support for Trail Project: A speaker expressed strong support for the Multi-Use Active Transit Trail project (Item 8E).
• Medication Take Back: Erica Winston from Behavioral Health Services promoted the DEA National RX Take Back Day on April 25, 2026.
• General City Concerns: A resident criticized the rate of development, increased traffic, and the unavailability of trolley service.

Discussion Items

• Item 8D: Mobile Coffee Cart Pilot Program (ICAN): Staff presented a one-year pilot agreement with ICAN (California Abilities Network) to operate a mobile coffee cart at the Civic Center Library Plaza. Scott Elliott, CEO of ICAN, stated the program provides "real jobs for real pay" for people with disabilities. The agreement includes a 15% net sales revenue share with the city.
• City Council Deliberation on Ground Lease Policy: Councilmember Mattucci expressed frustration over low returns on the city's real estate investments, specifically ground leases. He proposed a policy requiring all leases to be at the top 90% of market value to prevent below-market deals by future councils. Staff noted that valuation is a key factor but not the only one.
• First Amendment Clarification: In response to a public comment on the Cherry Blossom Festival, the City Attorney explained that the display of military uniforms or flags is protected speech under the First Amendment. The city agreed to explore the use of expressive conduct zones for future events.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved with a unanimous vote. Items 8E and 8F were officially deferred.
• Item 8D (ICAN Coffee Cart): Approved unanimously.
• Councilmember Response: Councilmember Shay responded to public allegations during the meeting, characterizing them as a smear campaign by his election opponent and urging adherence to the Torrance Code of Ethics.
• Ground Lease Portfolio Study: The council unanimously (7-0) directed city staff to research best practices for real estate land management in other cities and report findings to the Finance and Government Operations Committee.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned to a closed session on April 14, 2026. The motion passed with a 6-1 vote.