Signal Hill — 2025-05-27

a.\nPRESENTATION OF THE NEW SPOTLIGHT ON SMALL BUSINESS VIDEO\nSERIES FEATURING MIA’S CAFÉ BRUNCH & GRILL.

a.\nPROPOSITION 218 PROTEST HEARING - WATER RATE INCREASES\nSummary:\nThe 2023-2028 City of Signal Hill Strategic Plan identifies the update of the\nWater Master Plan (WMP) and Water Rate Study (RS) as key initiatives for\nFiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025. On December 12, 2023, the City Council executed\na professional services agreement and directed staff to complete the WMP and\nRS updates. The WMP provides a detailed assessment of the City’s water\nsystem, evaluates current and projected supply and demand, and outlines a\nfive-year capital improvement plan. The RS establishes a five-year tiered rate\nstructure to generate sufficient revenue for operations, capital projects, and debt\nservice.\nOver the past 18 months, staff has presented updates on the WMP and RS,\nincluding proposed rate adjustment options, during the Subcommittee meeting,\nmultiple City Council meetings, and community workshops. These efforts\nensured transparency and provided opportunities for public input and City\nCouncil feedback. On March 25, 2025, following the completion of the WMP and\nRS, receipt of public feedback, and a thorough review process, the City Council\ndirected staff to initiate a Proposition 218 Public Hearing process to consider the\nrecommended self-funded rate adjustment option, with the hearing scheduled\nfor May 27, 2025. The proposed new rate structure includes annual rate\nadjustments of 15% for Fiscal Years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, 14% for Fiscal\nYears 2027-2028 and 2028-2029, and 10% in FY 2029-2030. Staff is requesting\nthat the City Council receive, file, and adopt the final Water Master Plan and\nreceive and file the Water Rate Study reports. The RS document has been\navailable for public review on the City’s website since April 3, 2025.\nIn addition, during tonight’s meeting, the City Council will conduct a Proposition\n218 Public Hearing to consider the proposed water rates and record property\nowner protests received during the 45-day protest period. The City will receive\noral comments, however, these will not be counted as formal protests unless\naccompanied by a written submission received prior to the close of the public\nhearing. After the hearing, the City Clerk will tabulate all valid written protests. If\nmore than 50 percent of the affected property owners or customers of record\nsubmit written protests, the City Council cannot adopt the proposed rate\nadjustments. If the City does not receive a majority protest, the City Council may\nproceed to adopt the proposed water rates. If the City Council adopts the new\nrates, they would take effect on July 1, 2025.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 1\nFinancial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability\nand resilience.\nGoal No. 4\nInfrastructure: Maintain and improve the City’s\ninfrastructure, water system, and recreational spaces.\nphysical\nGoal No. 5\nHigh-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\n1.\nReceive, file, and adopt the Water Master Plan.\n2.\nReceive and file the Water Rate Study Report.\n3.\nConduct a Proposition 218 Public Hearing and\n4.\nIf a majority of the property owners or tenants of the identified parcels\naffected by the proposed rate increases do not submit written protests\nagainst the proposed rates, waive further reading and adopt a Resolution\nentitled:\nA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL,\nCALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING RATES FOR WATER SERVICE FEES AND\nTAKING OTHER ACTIONS RELATED THERETO

a.\nCIVIC CENTER MASTER PLAN AND SIGNAL HILL AMPHITHEATER\nPROJECT UPDATE\nSummary:\nThe 2023-2028 Strategic Plan identifies the development of the Civic Center\nMaster Plan (CCMP) as a key City objective. On August 27, 2024, the City\nCouncil adopted the CCMP, which outlines a phased approach to redeveloping\nthe Civic Center campus. The plan designates three phases, with the building of\na new amphitheater as Phase One; replacement of the existing Community &\nYouth Center and related amenities as Phase Two; and accessibility, park\nconnectivity, and landscape improvements, particularly those enhancing Signal\nHill Park and Jessie Nelson Circle, as Phase Three.\nAt this same meeting, the City Council directed staff to explore the feasibility of\nadvancing select elements of Phase Three to improve accessibility from existing\nparking areas to Signal Hill Park and the new amphitheater and assess\nopportunities for additional accessible parking and plaza design enhancements\nalong Jessie Nelson Circle. In May 2025, staff met with individual City Council\nmembers to review the updated amphitheater design and to discuss the\nevolution of the process which accounted for input through community outreach,\npresentations to City committees, commissions, the City Council, and expert\nguidance from the industry consultants. The updated design includes a modified\nscope that accounts for current and future programming needs and is\nappropriately scaled for the proposed use and maximizes its functional utility\nover time.\nStaff worked with John Kaliski Architects, Incorporated (JKA) to explore the\nmodified Phase Three accessibility Improvements that could enhance\npedestrian accessibility and additional accessible parking. Given the topography\nof Signal Hill Park, especially the elevation changes from the park to Jessie\nNelson Circle, incorporating accessibility improvements from the City’s parking\nlots to the amphitheater requires a significant amount of grading and\nimprovement work. While these preliminary design efforts were helpful to\nprovide structure and scope for potential Phase Three improvements, staff\nrecommends focusing the use of the City’s funding on the amphitheater and\nrevisiting Phase Three at a later date. As a follow-up to the City Council\ndirection, this report provides a status update on the Phase One amphitheater\ndesign and provides an update on specific Phase Three elements and\nimprovements consistent with City Council’s request.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 1: Financial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability\nand resilience.\nGoal No. 4: Infrastructure: Maintain and improve the City’s\ninfrastructure, water system, and recreational spaces.\nphysical\nGoal No. 5: High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\nProvide direction to advance Phase One of the Civic Center Master Plan and\nreceive and file status update report.

b.\nRESOLUTIONS APPROVING THE ENGINEER’S REPORT AND DECLARING\nINTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE\nAND LIGHTING MAINTENANCE DISTRICT NO.1 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26\nSummary:\nThe City formed the Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District No. 1 (LLMD)\nin 1992 to fund the maintenance costs of common landscaped areas within the\nCalifornia Crown Tract. The California Crown Tract lies south of East Hill Street,\nnorth of East 19th Street, west of Temple Avenue, and east of North Orizaba\nWay. Annually, the City Council must initiate proceedings to renew the levy and\ncollect special assessments for the LLMD. The proposed resolutions declare the\nthe Engineer's Report, and set the Public Hearing for June 24, 2025. The total\nproposed assessment for all California Crown Tract lots for Fiscal Year (FY)\n2025-26 is $106,564.00. The proposed annual assessment for basic lots is\n$1,077.30, representing a four percent increase of $41.43. The proposed yearly\nassessment for landscape easement lots is $1,446.80, representing a four\npercent increase of $55.65. Property owners approved the proposed\nassessments within the LLMD through the last Proposition 218 (Proposition 218)\nhearing that occurred on June 14, 2022. Staff is requesting the City Council set\na public hearing for June 24, 2025, adopt resolutions for the preparation of the\nEngineer’s Report, and declare intent to levy and collect assessments for Fiscal\nYear 2025-26 for the LLMD.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 1\nFinancial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability\nand resilience.\nRecommendation:\n1. Set the Public Hearing for June 24, 2025.\n2. Authorize the use of fund balance or reserves from previous years from\nLLMD accounts for special projects, as approved by the Public Works\nDirector, in accordance with the City’s Purchasing Policy.\n3. Adopt a Resolution, entitled:\nA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL,\nCALIFORNIA, INITIATING PROCEEDINGS TO LEVY AND COLLECT\nASSESSMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 WITHIN AN EXISTING\nLANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THE\nLANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING MAINTENANCE ACT OF 1972,\nAPPOINTING THE ENGINEER OF WORK, AND ORDERING THE\nPREPARATION OF THE ENGINEER’S REPORT\n4. Adopt a Resolution, entitled:\nA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL,\nCALIFORNIA, DECLARING ITS INTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT\nASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING MAINTENANCE\nDISTRICT NO. 1 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 AND APPROVING THE\nENGINEER’S REPORT

c.\nPOTENTIAL FARMER’S MARKET OPPORTUNITIES\nSummary:\nAt the City Council meeting of May 13, 2025, Council Member Woods received\nsupport from Mayor Jones to enable further discussion of a potential Farmer’s\nMarket. Staff is placing this item on the agenda pursuant to the City Council’s\nRegular\nMay 27, 2025\nadopted policy and has not provided analysis of the request. This agenda item\nprovides the City Council with the opportunity to discuss the item further and\nprovide direction to staff as desired.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 5: High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\nDiscuss the proposed City Council request and provide direction to staff as\ndesired.

a.\nVOTE CENTER FACILITY DROP BOX USE AGREEMENT\nSummary:\nIn the last election cycle, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County\nClerk placed a vote center facility drop box near the Library entrance. The\nCounty Registrar is requesting an agreement to continue deploying a drop box in\nthe same location for continued use.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 5\nHigh-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\nStaff recommends the City Council approve the proposed Vote Center Facility\nDrop Box Use Agreement and authorize the City Manager to execute on behalf\nof the City.

b.\nWARRANT REGISTER MAY 15, 2025\nSummary:\nThe Warrant Register is a listing of all general disbursements issued, since the\nprior warrant register, and warrants to be approved by the City Council.\nRegular\nMay 27, 2025\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 1\nFinancial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability\nand resilience.\nRecommendation:\nApprove the Warrant Registers dated May 15, 2025.

c.\nSCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS AND MONTHLY TRANSACTION REPORT\nSummary:\nThe Schedule of Investments is a listing of funds invested for both the City and\nthe Successor Agency to the former Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency as of the\ndate shown in the report. The monthly transaction report provides a list of the\nchanges in investments for the prior month.\nStrategic Goal(s):\nGoal No. 1\nFinancial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability\nand resilience.\nRecommendation:\nReceive and file.

d.\nAPPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES\nSummary:\nSpecial and Regular Meetings of May 13, 2025.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 5. High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\nApprove the meeting minutes.

a.\nA CLOSED SESSION WILL BE HELD PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE\nSECTION 54956.8.\nCONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS\nPROPERTY: APPROX. 59,916 SQ. FT. VACANT LOT, LOCATED WITHIN THE\nBORDERS OF 2730 CHERRY AVENUE AND 2701 ST. LOUIS AVENUE,\nSIGNAL HILL; ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NOS.: 7212-014-900, 7212-014-901,\n7212-014-902, 7212-014-903, 7212-014-904, 7212-014-905, 7212-014-906,\n7212-014-907, 7212-014-908, 7212-014-909, 7212-014-910.\nAGENCY-DESIGNATED NEGOTIATORS: MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER.\nNEGOTIATING PARTIES: CITY OF SIGNAL HILL, THE RED MOUNTAIN\nGROUP, AND THEIR AUTHORIZED AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES.\nUNDER NEGOTIATION: PRICE AND TERMS OF PAYMENT.