[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6576443,"mediaKeyId","3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56","parentId",3098220,"title","Votes at a glance: Torrance City Council actions on resolutions, ordinances and projects","audioSeconds",14979,"startMs",1910000,"endMs",16889000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56&start=1910&end=16889","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56/thumbnail_1910000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6576443/Torrance-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Torrance-City-Council-actions-on-resolutions-ordinances-and-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576443-0b080bced1b20f5958993fffe20954e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773025317&Signature=jpqx0kOGuMR~IvKhcVHEkwuPpDql109y9EUJTFPy-XEOrrSuPeqkRfLze8bQVjhZAP54K2GxjglkMQFxXSfygOTUR4-L7HUoCfg2Ji-nOe3QEyTZlVWraHOD8ex4imnTVAr2CZy78W4A2~seySmsQ7SvfsZCKkqWDVhgnRDW5qU9fydoY2405dITJQfhfOMIss-4SY6j5OnWzzikqlbLp2v1BbzdPU~p903y19voKqQOklIGCv85kFeGsKPMCdmbxpnOfsUT~SndrUuM714R3xE0oPcTxkcI9KlldD9BS-sNf7tWqtKj91ZGLNKvByoNE~v0rWh61du-2JUswYfzCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-23T06:01:21Z","article","The Torrance City Council took the following formal actions during the meeting (all roll-call outcomes recorded in the meeting record):

- Resolution No. 2025‑14: Adopted unanimously. A resolution honoring Anthony Valenzuela upon his retirement after 40 years of service. (Consent item 6B.)

- Resolution No. 2025‑15: Adopted unanimously. A resolution honoring Stephen Grama upon his retirement after 25 years of service. (Consent item 6C.)

- Resolution No. 2025‑16: Adopted unanimously. A resolution setting forth wages, hours and working conditions for elected officials beginning Feb. 3, 2025, and repealing Resolution No. 2023‑29. (Consent item 8B; vote recorded as unanimous; Councilmember Kalani said she concurred with parts 2 and 3 but did not support item 1.)

- Resolutions No. 2025‑17, 2025‑18 and 2025‑19: Adopted unanimously. Resolutions setting forth wages, hours and working conditions for employees represented by the Torrance Library Employees Association (TLEA), Torrance Municipal Employees AFSCME Local 1117, and crossing guard employees for the period April 2025 through June 30, 2028, respectively. (Consent item 8C.)

- Consent item 8G (Pickleball courts): Approved unanimously. Council approved moving forward with design‑build construction of eight pickleball courts, with staff estimating approximately $1,600,000 from the general fund and a contingency amount noted in discussion of $138,007.38.

- Item 10A (Public health contract with Los Angeles County): Council concurred unanimously with staff to approve the updated public‑health services agreement and to delegate execution to the city manager. Staff said the county will continue to provide services at no cost to the city and the revised contract removes obsolete language.

- Item 10B (World War II Camp Monument at Columbia Park): Council unanimously approved staff recommendations to advance schematic design, include the project in 2025 state legislative advocacy to request an additional $4,990,000, seek a grant extension through Dec. 31, 2026, explore alternative funding strategies and proceed with construction documents required by the state. Staff reported an updated full-project estimate of about $9.99 million and a funding shortfall of about $4.99 million.

- Ordinance No. 3947 (Item 10C): Adopted unanimously. The ordinance repeals Section 8 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code (illegal dumping), aligning city enforcement with California Penal Code § 374.3.

Other procedural items: Council recessed to closed session early in the meeting and later reported no actions from closed session. The council adjourned to a continued meeting scheduled for May 6, 2025.

This roundup lists formal actions reflected in the meeting record (motions and roll‑call outcomes). Missing details such as motion movers and seconds were not specified in the transcript for every vote and are noted as “not specified.”","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Torrance City Council Meeting April 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A concise roundup of formal actions the council took at the meeting, including resolutions honoring retirees, wage/resolution adoptions, contract delegations, ordinance adoption and project approvals.","taxTitle","Torrance City, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4696,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6576448,"Torrance council repeals municipal code section on illegal dumping to align with state law",708,16180000,16888000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56&start=16180&end=16888","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56/thumbnail_16180000.jpg","/articles/6576448/Torrance-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Torrance-council-repeals-municipal-code-section-on-illegal-dumping-to-align-with-state-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576448-437cf5e07a537f98f1945320d3ba4dc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1773025317&Signature=f72ynf88~OOSDX6Q8kL~vU91qNYs6tVDYvZEQa63aSZ~Z1vk6ztwEqB~kO-llIB9UHuO-cd8MIMJN-qeC3mf53rVkjCfyRxcVCT-sjNi49bcY9ONPv3OrvJ3QJW~BGrHiOt~9N1uxfKS~hUGusaNG0Yb25CMcYbBmpGrWpm0uins9CAOs67nd13icd~okZ8ywk9Rsn-EaZ6NJnGIrBl4cL4jHuEPEvUimQfaKaA26KQnpUeoS~WkS0xDlxNmzfqgqKFV6UzdCMm-jrvk1FCgz6fuDZCxQNi7HgUS-kdptb0emBeWzjR6J5QfwXMCJqUTpfkAu0X~yiq1Uch7H78MCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrance City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 3947 to repeal Section 8 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Division 4 of the Torrance Municipal Code, a housekeeping move staff said will remove confusion and align local code with state law on illegal dumping.

Public Works staff said California Penal Code section 374.3 preempts the city's municipal-code language, offers a more comprehensive set of penalties and creates mechanisms the city can use to recoup removal costs. Public Works staff, represented by Lily Myers, described the difference in penalties: the state penal code allows infraction fines with minimums and escalating maximums for repeat offenses (staff summarized statutory amounts for first, second and third or subsequent offenses and noted doubling of penalties for used tires), and permits courts to require removal or payment for removal of illegally dumped material.

Public comment and concerns: A resident supported the change in principle but urged the city to make lawful disposal easier and less expensive for residents. Another speaker opposed criminalizing poverty and recommended focusing on disposal infrastructure and targeting corporate or large-scale dumpers rather than individual residents.

Legal and administrative notes: City Attorney staff and public-works staff told council the ordinance change is a cleanup item to avoid conflict with the Penal Code; changes that expand services available to residents (for example, additional free collections) would require separate budgetary policy actions.

Outcome: Councilmember (name not specified in the record) moved to adopt Ordinance No. 3947; the motion carried unanimously. Staff will publish an ordinance summary as required by law. Council and staff noted that operational policy on bulky-item collection and apartment/complex pickup rules are separate questions for budget and policy discussion.","The council adopted Ordinance No. 3947 to repeal a redundant Torrance Municipal Code provision on illegal dumping and defer to California Penal Code section 374.3, which carries higher fines and broader enforcement remedies.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6576453,"Council approves design‑build contract for eight pickleball courts; staff says $1.6 million from general fund will cover construction",2016,3500000,5516000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56&start=3500&end=5516","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56/thumbnail_3500000.jpg","/articles/6576453/Torrance-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-approves-designbuild-contract-for-eight-pickleball-courts-staff-says-16-million-from-general-fund-will-cover-construction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576453-aee60f134fc006fa1c03236b58e090a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1773025317&Signature=NNolUnQTSLQ4ui2CuUR~4UEmGvvaqBHBQbGRiqdAE~57SEloD9Ma46KwZsVNIvQRHhLKyiLg8-t47tcuv2atDUj0EYywEUsslzlsKXsZ38zRYSmBGrsKbY-xnGxrA-TquK4Q~3nRrUK-UbMVrF3jWWptxuhh~rWsIA7cu2skFi74phyoF4WB~MK10Oh3kx9MJmxw7oBd0mk20Q9QlrvRn79nnxiPzoPsXcM~7IbaiXUBuFa4ry39iUAbQIV2UMoPZOmogiYpzaV9Gd8yNobWVDURikmWcDciysHAjAni2K8O5MKEr5Oc-~sK1KM28iHFb4IJT3D7Bntj4mkY5cNMUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrance City Council approved a consent‑calendar item authorizing construction of eight pickleball courts at a city park (consent item 8G). Council voted unanimously to approve the item after questions from council members about cost and schedule.

Staff presentation and timing: Crystal Covarrubias, senior business manager with the Community Services Department, told the council the timeline in the staff report was conservative. She said her team estimated four to six weeks for design development and plan check, followed by roughly 12 weeks for construction (including inspections), assuming permits and plan review proceed without delay. Covarrubias said staff would work to accelerate the timeline where possible.

Budget and contingency: Council asked about the budget. Staff said the project cost is approximately $1,600,000 and that funding is proposed from the general fund. Covarrubias said that estimate is conservative and includes a contingency; she later confirmed a contingency amount of $138,007.38 that staff hopes not to tap but included in the budget.

Questions from council: Council members voiced a desire to expedite construction because the site is a relatively level, city‑owned parcel and they said community demand is high. Council asked whether staff could reduce the schedule padding; staff replied they intend to minimize padding while preserving allowances for unforeseen conditions during construction, utility work, soils reports and plan review. Staff also said the project is design‑build which provides clearer cost and schedule confidence once preconstruction work begins.

Outcome: Councilmember (name not specified in the record as the mover) moved and the council unanimously approved the item. Staff will proceed with the project under the approved budget and timeline assumptions and return with required construction documents and updates as the project advances.","Council unanimously approved a staff recommendation to proceed with construction of eight pickleball courts; staff estimated about $1,600,000 from the general fund with a modest contingency and a conservative schedule of roughly 12 weeks for construction after permitting.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6576458,"Torrance council concurs with updated public‑health services agreement with Los Angeles County",392,5915000,6307000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56&start=5915&end=6307","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56/thumbnail_5915000.jpg","/articles/6576458/Torrance-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Torrance-council-concurs-with-updated-publichealth-services-agreement-with-Los-Angeles-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576458-5230b6c1db173605e2b5523787159e82/orig.mp4?Expires=1773025317&Signature=Kh1IojQgY1q9jof7Bt2Wxl-JNaeWagEfjh3zKfwsVye0-S2OlwSCWarSuPHWz5-oQAymMpjXEwC8qUcgIMNIZJmjp9kM1li5L9CvN3effqhY-6gLtd8KDWRwlSCInmizQSiuaMBQHNpfBxXLM4edkkho523BfA2vnXYdwX6x4njEATP51uNuuKb9xc6j6M~ZR7MPKh6f-1T8bNsgcnCTy5t7eH4CKrv2LD9YS8y5X3brzOkVbE1zGCQEql2uind21ObgJAvVGg9fNhm4nIiey2yVye6UGSanixvcYRBajsL7stDpVB3gYwjQXs7uhiyobU95KkauzqVCzQLfeoGoLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrance City Council unanimously concurred with staff to approve an updated public‑health services agreement with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and to delegate execution of the contract to the city manager.

Staff said changes reflect statutory and organizational updates—particularly sections of the California Health and Safety Code and structural changes after the 2006 separation of the county public health department from the county Department of Health Services. Irene O’Neil, management assistant in the city manager’s office, told council the revised agreement removes obsolete language, keeps current service levels in place and that the county will continue to provide public health services to Torrance at no cost to the city.

Legal and procedural notes: staff said Torrance’s original contract dates to June 24, 1958 (Resolution No. 3,491) and was last substantively revised in 1963. Because the original contract was approved by the mayor and council, state “equal dignities” principles mean council must approve termination of the prior agreement and delegate signatory authority if execution will be by the county director of public health; staff therefore sought council concurrence to allow the city manager to execute the updated agreement on the city's behalf.

Council questions: Council members asked about enforcement authority (for example, whether city employees could perform certain public-health enforcement tasks). Michelle Ramirez, community development director, told council that the particular authority to perform functions such as confiscating food or taking certain enforcement steps derives from state law and requires a public‑health official status; changing the county/city contract language would not by itself create that authority unless state law changed.

Termination clause: Council noted the contract includes a termination-for-convenience provision; staff confirmed either party may terminate with notice and that the county remains the provider of record absent other action.

Public comment: A resident, who identified himself during the public-comment period, voiced support for the updated agreement on the grounds that it preserves services at no cost to the city.

Outcome and next steps: Council voted to concur with staff recommendations and to delegate execution to the city manager. Staff said the updated contract preserves the existing level of public‑health support and will be returned to council if further amendments are required.","Council concurred with staff to approve an updated public‑health services agreement with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and to delegate execution to the city manager; staff said services will continue at no cost to the city and the revised contract removes obsolete language and includes an evergreen renewal clause.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6576463,"Torrance council approves schematic design for World War II incarceration memorial, seeks $5 million more from state",4330,5290000,9620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56&start=5290&end=9620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3098220-0b26abb81865733ed7244b3c9aa3cf56/thumbnail_5290000.jpg","/articles/6576463/Torrance-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Torrance-council-approves-schematic-design-for-World-War-II-incarceration-memorial-seeks-5-million-more-from-state","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576463-dd83e68d6304e6ca55457ce0e4ba0f3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773025317&Signature=EDyNhhi4zHaEIM1mV6~CgJdR8CMfNGI-pcb6GhOSJ7Jv7WpEDrIgloOjOQDiLjSo~BSUCOvJmjC6p~-~WUGifwkEEMnrr4Vx9-wbbVvVKUc1OrNYPA4EciQI9ahXttMgGVfR6lDZoP1L~z3QDHubbEinnBZ4sT21ASJU~WEYKiru1QnxxZqRQGszzOyDFGwwaQEcoWm~uwd44-rR~Zg-FTGaRZCZKb6an82uL6WxLKhEcsgeRknxEvEGua0IKlRF6C2ta~38AE7t5EIzwE0T-3-WuyoyZ-p9t61rgiEwP3TCkdxCTLiqklEQV3TluHOhAeEYdMKnuuS7DqEAXZo3XQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrance City Council unanimously approved staff recommendations to advance schematic design for a World War II incarceration monument at Columbia Park and to seek additional funding to cover an estimated $9.99 million cost.

The council vote formalized direction staff requested: include the project on the city's 2025 state legislative advocacy list to request an additional $4,990,000 in Sacramento, seek an extension of the existing state grant performance period to Dec. 31, 2026, explore alternative funding (federal, state, regional grants, public–private partnerships or the city’s FY 2025–26 budget), and proceed with preparation of construction plans and specifications for state review.

Why it matters: The project, funded initially by a $5,000,000 appropriation secured in 2021, is intended to memorialize more than 54,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were incarcerated during World War II and to educate the public. Staff and the project architect said the updated schematic design and verification work for names increased the full implementation estimate to about $9,990,000, creating a roughly $4.99 million shortfall compared with the state's appropriation.

City staff and the design team described the schematic: a sequence of polished black-granite walls and paved timelines and quotes across a roughly 65-by-500-foot monument area, a planted buffer of roughly 54 trees, and a hilltop reflection plaza. Architect Tina Chi of ChiSalette said the design calls for about 370 panels (4-by-9-foot each) whose double-sided total length would equal about 740 feet of engraved wall; typography and vertical name arrangement were chosen to reflect Japanese cultural practice and legibility. Chi said walls would use polished black granite, with matte panels for interpretive displays.

Community members and advisory committee members told the council that the monument is a long‑sought memorial. Speakers at the meeting included survivors, family members who expect names on the wall, and members of the advisory group. The council and advisory committee said they relied on a verified names dataset being prepared by Dr. Duncan Williams and the IDE Project; advisory-committee members and other public speakers pressed for a future mechanism to add verified names from other internment and detention situations (including, they said, some Italian, German, and Latin‑American detainees) if historically verifiable lists become available.

Council members and staff discussed tradeoffs: Crystal Covarrubias, senior business manager for Community Services, and John LaRocque explained state grant rules require submittal of construction documents for the state to disburse the original funds; staff therefore wants to finish design development and submit for the state's review while simultaneously seeking the additional appropriation and a performance‑period extension. Danny Santana in the city manager’s office said the city could consider advancing funds in the next budget cycle while pursuing reimbursement or supplemental state funds.

Cost and schedule details given to council: staff said the updated project estimate is $9,990,000; staff requested council direction to seek the additional $4,990,000 from the state. In staff presentations, Chi noted a conservative schedule for design development, plan check and construction: roughly four to six weeks for design-development documents, plan review and permitting, and about 12 weeks for construction once permits were issued. Staff also noted contingency and potential unforeseen site conditions could affect cost and schedule. Crystal Covarrubias said staff will attempt to minimize padding but kept the schedule conservative to avoid overpromising.

Council direction and next steps: Council unanimously directed staff to proceed with the five items in the staff report, including legislative advocacy for additional state funding and a grant extension, to explore alternative funding strategies, to proceed with construction documents required by the state grant, and to allow for future additions of verified names if such datasets become available. Council members emphasized the city’s support for completing the monument and asked staff and the advisory committee to pursue fundraising, philanthropic and other outside funding sources in parallel with the Sacramento advocacy trip.

Community reaction and follow-up: Several speakers representing the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition, the World War II Camp Wall advisory committee, the IDE Project and other community groups addressed scope and accuracy of name lists. Advisory committee members said Dr. Williams’ list covers persons of Japanese ancestry and related families (including Japanese Peruvians); they and other speakers said more research would be needed to compile comprehensively verified lists for other nationalities. Multiple speakers urged the council and committee to preserve a mechanism for later additions. The council’s motion also included direction that the design accommodate future growth to add verified names, and staff agreed to explore how to reserve space and allow future additions without undoing core grant conditions.

No council member opposed the motion. The motion carried unanimously.","The Torrance City Council approved staff recommendations to advance schematic design and seek an additional $4,990,000 in state funding to cover a nearly $10 million estimated cost to build a World War II incarceration monument at Columbia Park. Council also authorized pursuing a grant extension and exploring other funding sources.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Torrance City Council actions on resolutions, ordinances and projects

Torrance council repeals municipal code section on illegal dumping to align with state law

Council approves design‑build contract for eight pickleball courts; staff says $1.6 million from general fund will cover construction

Torrance council concurs with updated public‑health services agreement with Los Angeles County

Torrance council approves schematic design for World War II incarceration memorial, seeks $5 million more from state