Lancaster — 2025-10-28

1.\nConference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation: significant\nexposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code\nSection 54956.9(d) (2) - four potential cases.

10.\nLindo v. Lancaster, LASC Case No. 23AVCV00950.

11.\nNazari v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 25AVCV00192

12.\nMahfound v. County of Los Angeles, City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 25AVCV00586

13.\nMorgan v. Antelope Valley Transit Authority,\nCity of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 25AVCV00061

14.\nLea v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No.: 25STCV09046

15.\nStockman v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 23 AVCV00838

16.\nZimmerman v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 24AVCV00848

17.\nSnyder v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 21AVCV00770

18.\nHiggins v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 23AVCV00125

19.\nWright v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 23AVCV00864

2.\nConference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation: consideration\nof initiation of litigation pursuant to Government Code\nSection 54956.9(d) (4) – four potential cases.

20.\nCordova v. City of Lancaster, Case No. 24AVCV00221

21.\nDarnell Wayne Thomas 25STCV17622

22.\nPayne v. City of Lancaster 24AVCV00308

3.\nConference Involving a Joint Powers Agency: Antelope Valley Air Quality\nManagement District Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.96\nDiscussion will concern: Antelope Valley Air Quality Management\nDistrict v. United States Environmental Protection\nAgency, et al. 9th Cir. Case No. 23-1614 Name of local agency representative\non joint powers agency board: Marvin Crist, Ken Mann

4.\nAntelope Valley Groundwater Cases Included Action:\nLos Angeles County Waterworks District No. 40 v. Diamond Farming Co.\nSuperior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Case No. BC325201;\nLos Angeles County Waterworks District No. 40 v. Diamond Farming Co.\nSuperior Court of California, County of Kern, Case No. S-1500-CV-254-348;\nWm. Bolthouse Farms, Inc. v. City of Lancaster, Diamond Farming Co. v.\nCity of Lancaster, Diamond Farming Co. v. Palmdale Water District\nSuperior Court of California County of Riverside, consolidated actions;\nCase Nos. RIC 353 840, RIC 344 436, RIC 344 668

5.\nGalant v. Lancaster School District, LASC Case No. 25AVCV00196

6.\nAbaied v. City of Lancaster, LASC Case No. 25STCV14733

7.\nMontenegro v. Green, LASC Case No. 22AVCV01050

8.\nPerez v. Lancaster, LASC Case No. 23AVCV00577

9.\nCity of Whittier v. Superior Court, LASC Case No. 23 STCP03579

CC 1. Waive further reading of any proposed ordinance. (This permits reading the title only in lieu\nof reciting the entire text.)

CC 10. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Avenue J Pocket Park Deed Restriction\nRecommendation(s):\nA. Approve a Deed Restriction for the park and open space improvements funded by the\nLand and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).\nB. ​Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the deed restriction and related\ndocuments, subject to City Attorney's review and approval.\nThe Avenue J Pocket Park project includes the construction of a new 2.9-acre park featuring a\ndrought-tolerant demonstration garden, a shaded playground, a pedestrian/bike lane with\nlighting and benches, a shaded plaza/picnic area, a fitness course with exercise stations, a\nshaded open space area, signage, perimeter fencing, and landscaping.

CC 11. Lancaster Eastside Annexation - Annexation No. 24-001/Pre-Zone No. 25-001\nRecommendation(s):\nAdopt Ordinance 1138, amending the City Zoning Map to pre-zone 638 acres of land\ngenerally bounded by Avenue I, Avenue J, 50th Street East, and 60th Street East to Rural\nResidential (RR-2.5), known as Pre-Zone (PZ) No. 25-001, associated with Annexation\n(ANX) No. 24-001.\nThe Lancaster City Council authorized the filing of this annexation application on July 9,\n2024. The application was filed with the Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Los\nAngeles County on July 2, 2025. Upon approval of the annexation and pre-zoning\napplications, LAFCO will proceed with the annexation process.

CC 12. Ordinance Pertaining to Building Construction\nRecommendation(s):\nAdopt Ordinance No. 1139, adopting the 2025 edition of the California Building Code; the\n2025 edition of the California Residential Code; the 2025 edition of the California Electrical\nCode; the 2025 edition oft he California Mechanical Code; the 2025 edition of the California\nPlumbing Code; the Lancaster Security Code, the 2024 edition of the International Property\nMaintenance Code; the 2025 edition of the California Energy Code; the 2025 edition of the\nCalifornia Historical Buildings COde; the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code; 2025\nedition for the Los Angeles County Fire Code; the 2025 edition of the California Green\nBuilding Standards Code; the 2025 edition of the California Existing Buildings Code; and the\n2025 edition of the California Referenced Standards Code, all pertaining to life and safety\nand to the construction, alteration, moving demolition, repair, maintenance, and use of\nbuildings, structures, and properties within the City\nBy adopting the 2025 California Codes, with minimal amendments, the City will place itself\nin a level position with other communities throughout the State. This will place the City\nahead of those communities adopting more restrictive amendments.

CC 13. Westside Annexation - Annexation No. 24-002 / General Plan Amendment No. 24-002 PreZone No. 24-001 / Specific Plan No. 24-002 Development Agreement No. 24-001\nRecommendation(s):\n1. Adopt Ordinance No. 1140, amending the City Zoning Map to pre-zone 7,153 acres of\nland generally bounded by Avenue B, Avenue G, 30th Street West, and Sierra\nHighway/Edwards Air Force Base to Rural Residential (RR-2.5), Mixed Use – Employment\n(MU-E), Light Industrial (LI), Public (P), Mobile Home Park (MHP), and Specific Plan (SP),\nknown as Pre-Zone (PZ) No. 24-001.\n2. Adopt Ordinance No. 1141, adopting Development Agreement (DA) No. 24-001 to\nestablish specific development rights for Planning Areas 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 of Specific Plan No.\n24-002\nIn order to accommodate the future economic needs of the City and to better align some of\nthe City’s irregular boundaries, the annexation (ANX24-002) of approximately 7,153 acres\ngenerally bound by Avenue B, Avenue G, 30th Street West, and Sierra Highway/Edwards Air\nForce Base has been proposed from unincorporated Los Angeles County into the City of\nLancaster. Associated with the annexation is a general plan amendment (GPA No. 24-002)\nand pre-zone application (PZ No. 24-001 to align the land use and zoning designation with\nthe City’s land use and zoning. Specifically, the land use designations would be NU, MU, LI,\nP, MR1 and SP while the associated zoning would be RR-2.5, MU-E, LI, P, MHP, and SP.

CC 2. Approve the City Council/Successor Agency/Financing/Housing/Power Authority Regular\nMeeting Minutes of October 14, 2025.

CC 3. Check Registers – September 28, through October 11, 2025\nRecommendation(s):\nApprove the Check and Wire Registers for payments made September 28, 2025, through\nOctober 11, 2025, in the amount of $5,205,356.59 as presented.\nAt each regular City Council Meeting, the City Council is presented with a check and\nACH/wire registers listing the financial claims (invoices) against and paid by the City for the\npurchase of materials, supplies, services, and capital projects during the prior three to four\nweeks. This process provides the City Council with the opportunity to review the City’s\nexpenditures. Claims have been paid via checks, Electronic Funds Transfer EFT), Automated\nClearing House (ACH) payments, or federal wires. The justifying backup information for\neach expenditure is available in the Finance Department.

CC 4. Monthly Reports of Investments – September 2025\nRecommendation(s):\nAccept and approve the September 2025 Monthly Report of Investments as submitted.\nEach month, the Finance Department prepares a report listing the investments for all separate\nentities under the jurisdiction of the City as identified in the City’s Comprehensive Annual\nFinancial Report.

CC 5. Approval of Facilities Relocation Agreement with Southern California Edison Company for\nthe SR-138 (SR-14) Avenue K Interchange Project\nRecommendation(s):\nAuthorize the City Manager, or his designee, with the concurrence of the City Attorney, to\nenter into a Facilities Relocation Agreement with Southern California Edison Company\n(SCE) for the relocation of SCE owned and maintained transmission and distribution\nfacilities (SCE Facilities) within the SR-138 (SR-14) Avenue K Interchange project limits, and\nexecute all related documents.\nAs part of the construction improvements, street, sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements\nwill be required, which will conflict with SCE infrastructure. SCE currently operates and\nmaintains certain transmission and distribution facilities within and proximate to the project\narea. The City has determined that the implementation of project improvements will\nnecessitate the relocation of portions of the SCE facilities, and have requested that SCE\nrelocate some or all of the SCE facilities. Under the Facilities Relocation Agreement, SCE\nwill relocate seventeen (17) transmission poles with Distribution.

CC 6. Lancaster Maintenance District Annexations\nRecommendation(s):\n1. Authorize Staff to Initiate Proceeding to Conduct a Public Hearing, tabulate the\nreturned ballots, and announce results at December 9 Council Meeting.\n2. Adopt Resolution No. ______, Initiating Proceedings for Annexations into the\nLancaster Maintenance Districts.\n3. Adopt Resolution No. ______, approving the Engineer’s Report, Announcing the Time\nand Place for a Public Hearing, and Its Intention to Annex into the Lancaster\nMaintenance Districts and to Levy and Collect Assessments Therein.\nThe Lancaster Maintenance Districts, separately known as the Lancaster Lighting\nMaintenance District, the Landscape Maintenance District and the Drainage Maintenance\nDistrict “Districts”) were formed to provide a dedicated funding source for the maintenance,\noperations, servicing and installation of public lighting, public landscaping and public\ndrainage facilities within the City of Lancaster. The District properties, which include the\nAnnexations, benefit from the services provided and are assessed their proportionate share of\nthe costs for each District. Each property owner within the proposed Annexations has been\nprovided a waiver and consent, requesting annexation into the Districts. The Assessment\nBallots and Notices of Public Hearing have been mailed to each owner, as required by Law.

CC 7. Approval of Acquisition and Reimbursement Agreements with HD Development of\nMaryland, Inc., for Lancaster Health District Project\nRecommendation(s):\n1. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, with the concurrence of the City Attorney, to\nenter into an acquisition agreement with HD Development of Maryland, Inc., and acquire\napproximately 36,102 square feet via roadway easement to construct Avenue J-5 at 20th Street\nWest and execute all related documents.\n2. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, with the concurrence of the City Attorney, to\nenter into a reimbursement agreement with HD Development of Maryland, Inc., for the onsite\nimprovements necessitated by the acquisition agreement along Avenue J-5 and 20th Street\nWest and execute all related documents.\nThe Lancaster Health District (LHD) project proposes to develop the area bounded by 12th\nStreet West to the east, Avenue J to the north, 20th Street West to the west, and SR-14\n(Antelope Valley Freeway) and Avenue J-8 to the south, and is funded by the Los Angeles\nCounty Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) 2015 Call for Projects. The City\nwas awarded a total grant amount of $11,412,757.00, with a local matching fund requirement\nof $6,767,765.00.

CC 8. Final Map Approval – Tract Map No. 83231 (Located on the Northeast Corner of Nugent\nStreet and 20th Street East)\nRecommendation(s):\nApprove the map and accept the dedications as offered on Tract Map No. 83231 located on\nnortheast corner of Nugent Street and 20th Street East; make findings that this project will not\nviolate any of the provisions of Sections 66473.5, 66474.1 and 66474.6 of the Subdivision\nMap Act; and instruct the City Clerk to endorse on the face of the map the certificate which\nembodies the approval of said map and the dedications shown thereon.\nOn September 20, 2021, the City of Lancaster Planning Commission approved Tentative\nTract Map No. 83231 for the subdivision of approximately 9.92 acres of land into 39\nresidential lots, in accordance with the standards of the R-7000 zone. On September 26,\n2023, the City of Lancaster Planning Commission adopted Resolution 23-24 granting a threeyear extension. The Tentative Tract Map will expire on September 20, 2026.

CC 9. MOAH Chiller Replacement Project Notice of Completion\nRecommendation(s):\nAccept the work completed by ACCO Engineered Systems, for the MOAH Chiller\nReplacement Project and direct the City Clerk to file the Notice of Completion for the\nproject.\nThe proposed project included replacing the outdated, irreparable chiller for the HVAC\nsystem at the Museum of Art and History (MOAH). This replacement successfully protected\nthe numerous artistic assets housed at this facility as the temperature can now be properly\nregulated.

CR1. Council Reports\nLANCASTER HOUSING AUTHORITY

NB1. General Municipal Election-April 14, 2026\nRecommendation(s):\n1. Adopt Resolution No. _____, calling for the holding of a General All-Mail Ballot\nMunicipal Election to be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for the election of two (2) City\nCouncil Members as required by the provisions of the applicable laws of the state of\nCalifornia and the City of Lancaster, City Charter.\n2. Adopt Resolution No. _______, and requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of\nLos Angeles to render specified services to the City relating to the conduct of a General\nMunicipal Election to be held Tuesday, April 14, 2026.\n3. Adopt Resolution No. ______, adopting regulations for candidates for elective office,\npertaining to filing fees and candidate statements submitted to the voters at an election to be\nheld Tuesday, April 14, 2026.\n4. Adopt Resolution No. _______, providing for the conduct of a special runoff election for\nelective offices in the event of a tie vote at any municipal election.\n5. Direct staff to conduct a standalone all-mail ballot general municipal election and approve\nthe following Professional Services Agreements to provide election support services.\nA. Hart InterCivic for ballot design, tabulation software, equipment, and associated services\nin an amount of $95,836.32, plus any delivery return cost for the equipment which may not\nexceed $5,000 and\nB. ProVote Solutions for ballot production, print and mail services in an amount of $205,\n045.40 plus an additional $5,000 for postal services rendered by this vendor;\nC. SnailWorks for mail tracking for approximately of $2,994.61.\nD. City of Whittier/GEM for ballot tracking in an amount not to exceed $30,000.\nE. Los Angeles County for Voter data, Ballot Drop-off Boxes and other services.\n6. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee with the concurrence of the City Attorney to\napprove, finalize and execute any and all such documents necessary to complete the\ncontemplated transactions.\nDuring odd numbered years, the City Council adopts the necessary resolutions to proceed\nwith the General Municipal Election in April of even-numbered years. These resolutions\nfulfill certain legal requirements to conduct the General Municipal Election; request\ninformation and supplies from the County of Los Angeles; establish guidelines and costs\nassociated with candidate statements; and provide provisions to conduct a special runoff\nelection to resolve a tie vote.\nCOUNCIL REPORTS

PUBLIC HEARING\nPH 1. Approval of Ordinance No. X Amending the Lancaster Municipal Code Section 11.08.060\nAnnual Rent Increase Formula for Mobile Home Parks\nRecommendation(s):\nApprove Ordinance No. ______ amending the Lancaster Municipal Code, Title 11, Section\n11.08.060, changing the annual mobilehome park rental increase calculation from the current\nformula of 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to an annual increase structure based on\nthe annual CPI, at a minimum of 2.5% and a maximum of 3%.\nThe current CPI-based formula creates unpredictable year-to-year variations, making it\ndifficult for both residents and park owners to plan ahead. In conclusion, the proposed\namendment to cap annual mobilehome park rental increases at 2.5% minimum and 3%\nmaximum would enhance housing stability for vulnerable residents, provide predictable\nrevenue for park owners, and simplify administration for the City, while positioning the\ncommunity as a regional leader in mobilehome resident protection.\nPH 2. Urgency Interim Ordinance Imposing Moratorium on Tobacco Retailer Businesses, Also\nKnown as Smoke Shops\nRecommendation(s):\nAdopt Urgency Ordinance No. ________, imposing an interim moratorium on certain new\ntobacco retailer businesses and expansion of existing tobacco retailer businesses, also known\nas smoke shops\nThere are currently 196 active tobacco retailer business licenses within the City of Lancaster.\nThis number includes gas stations, convenience stores, markets, and similar retail\nestablishments. Of these licensed locations, approximately 76 are identified as smoke shops,\nmany of which are suspected of engaging in unlawful activities.\nPH 3. Public Hearing re Ballot Measure to Voters to Amend the Lancaster City Charter\nRecommendation(s):\nConduct a public hearing to consider whether to submit a ballot measure to voters to amend\nsection 201 of the Lancaster charter to authorize the City Council to enact an ordinance to (i)\nIncrease the number of Council Members from 4 to 5, (ii) add the office of Vice Mayor and\n(iii) Transition from at-large to district-based elections for Council Members consistent with\nthe California Voting Rights Acts of 2001.\nThe general law provides an expedited process for general law cities to transition to a districtbased method of elections by merely enacting an ordinance, without voter approval; however,\nthat expedited process is not available to the City because the City must first amend section\n201 of its Charter.\nNEW BUSINESS