Torrance City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026

The Torrance City Council convened an adjourned regular meeting on September 1, 2026, beginning with a closed session at 5:00 PM and reconvening for open session at 6:31 PM. The meeting covered approval of a consent calendar with two items pulled for separate discussion, two public hearings on appeals of Planning Commission decisions within the Hillside Overlay, and a comprehensive economic development update. The Council denied both appeals, approved the development projects with conditions, and received the economic report.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Oral Communications #1: Charlie Salinas praised the city's cooperation regarding improvements to the Torrance War Memorial. Andrea Riley recommended Torrance Transit proactively provide route information to residents of the over 800 new housing units under construction on Hawthorne Boulevard. Dale Hall, an 81-year-old disabled Army veteran, demanded the immediate return of his prescribed wheelchairs, mobility ramps, and emergency generator seized by the city on February 17, stating the lack of notice and ADA accommodations violated his rights.
• Item 9A - Public Hearing (459 Via El Chico): Appellant Igor Nestoskin requested a compromise requiring the lower 5.5 feet of four proposed second-floor windows facing his property to use obscure glazing or transom glass to protect his privacy. The project sponsor, John Groblowski (represented by Nagy Bakum), argued the 75-100 foot distance to the appellant's property made privacy impacts minimal, emphasized significant community outreach resulting in 20 support letters, and noted multiple design revisions to reduce massing.
• Item 9B - Public Hearing (317 Calle Mayor): Appellant Jillian Danis, a lifelong resident, described severe privacy impacts from the proposed north-facing balcony and bedroom windows, stating they would directly overlook her pool, yard, and living space. Her attorney, William Beverly, argued the replacement of an unsafe, un-railed deck with enclosed space created a new vantage point, and that the correct legal standard should be "adverse impact" rather than "substantial adverse impact." Proponent Rick Kieser and architect Michelle Gaynor highlighted the project reduces deck area by 70%, eliminates a rooftop balcony entirely, and features a separation of over 160 feet. Neighbors testified on both sides of the privacy issue. A late-submitted email regarding view blockage from an adjacent neighbor was also read into the record.
• Item 10A (Economic Development): No public testimony was provided.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the Consent Calendar unanimously, except for items 8A (pulled for councilmember recusal) and 8C (pulled for a community update on rubber wheel trolleys).
• Item 8A (439 Via Linda Vista): Councilmembers Carzonas and Lou recused themselves. The Council approved the resolution to deny the appeal and uphold the denial of a Minor Hillside Exemption for a proposed 694-square-foot attached garage.
• Item 8C (Rubber Wheel Trolleys): Transit Director Kim Turner and Fleet Manager Artistrada provided an update. Seven of ten trolley buses have been received, with three remaining. Service is planned to be ready by January 2027. Planned routes include a Torrance Trolley connecting major city destinations and a Beach Trolley. The Council approved the Second Amendment to the contract.

Discussion Items

• Item 9A (459 Via El Chico): Staff (Yolanda Gomez, City Attorney Patrick Sullivan) recommended denying the appeal. The City Attorney clarified the city's long-standing interpretation that impacts must be "substantial and adverse" to violate the ordinance. Staff further opined that state-mandated SB9 and ADU units on the appellant's property, which were built without Hillside Overlay review, could not invoke the overlay's protections. Council discussions focused on the topography hardship of the subject property, the significant distance between structures, and the extensive community outreach by the applicant. Councilmember Gerson stated the appellant did not meet the burden of argument. Councilmember Liu supported staff's analysis.
• Item 9B (317 Calle Mayor): Staff recommended denying the appeal. Councilmember Lou introduced a late-arriving email from a neighbor concerned about view blockage. Councilmember Sheikh proposed a compromise to reduce the roof height by one foot and require tree trimming to address the view concern, which the applicant accepted. Councilmembers Gerson and Lewis felt the privacy and view impacts were not significant relative to existing conditions and distance. Councilmember Lou dissented, citing a violation of the appellant's property rights under the Hillside Overlay.
• Item 10A (Economic Development Update): Economic Development Manager Fran Fulton presented a mid-year update for 2026. Highlights included the Torrance Passport Program (nearly 400 businesses), the use of Placer AI for property owner office hours, strong hospitality revenue (Transient Occupancy Tax up 7% year-over-year to $9.3 million), pre-engagement for the 2028 Olympics with the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, and the retention of Hadrian through a $100,000 business attraction incentive. Finance Director Ian Daly noted Torrance has the third-largest sales tax base in Los Angeles County and the third-largest growth in assessed value. City Manager Aram Chaparyan framed these economic efforts as a citywide, cross-departmental ecosystem supporting business retention and attraction.
• Councilmember Announcements: The meeting began with a flag salute and invocation. The Council adjourned in memory of Mark Christensen, a 38-year city employee and program specialist at Madrona Marsh. Announcements were made about the 25th anniversary of 9/11 remembrance ceremony, the November 3 general election, and upcoming commission openings.

Key Outcomes

• Closed Session: No reportable actions were taken.
• Consent Calendar (Items 8B, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G, 8H): Approved unanimously.
• Item 8A (439 Via Linda Vista): Appeal of Minor Hillside Exemption denied. Vote: 5-0 (Councilmembers Carzonas and Lou recused).
• Item 8C (Rubber Wheel Trolley Contract): Second Amendment to the contract with Hometown Manufacturing, Inc. approved. Vote: Unanimous.
• Item 9A (459 Via El Chico): Appeal denied. Precise Plan of Development and Waiver of Setback approved. Resolutions 2026-79 and 2026-80 adopted. Vote: 6-0 (Councilmember Carzonas recused).
• Item 9B (317 Calle Mayor): Appeal denied. Modification approved. Resolution 2026-81 adopted. Vote: 6-1 (Councilmember Lou dissenting, Councilmember Carzonas recused). The approval was conditioned on the applicant reducing the roof height by one foot and fulfilling a commitment to cut trees to preserve a neighbor's view.
• Item 10A (Economic Development Update): Accepted and filed by the City Council.
• Adjournment: Meeting adjourned to Tuesday, September 15, 2026.