[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6243286,"mediaKeyId","3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d","parentId",3240981,"title","Council introduces ordinance cutting some development impact fees; staff directed to report on recent payments","audioSeconds",414,"startMs",10400000,"endMs",10814000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d&start=10400&end=10814","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d/thumbnail_10400000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6243286/Lompoc/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Council-introduces-ordinance-cutting-some-development-impact-fees-staff-directed-to-report-on-recent-payments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243286-7f14efa779be8b5eaed035fc7aa54a18/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202967&Signature=iLlN3dxp3sNGVJav8y52YiZAjRnjlnrbrUVBxxGnVGLm2c5uEr~j58RRH0z32TMzHzXPwEeVP28ho0TktucfXW7zbEhQSLpSRyM7872uHWzfEgIwp7aDBOAVC47Gx3JLqe7O1LaDAJfHPhbikMh1UilKeakO52xYeflTOG1guOmejXt31g~rJu32ja5HQ-BBuWN47lVfAEXjLWhPULGqhj4jz61mpsHIoqyKs6MLJrVprbP66RFHEpoGJ5-E5I3TjJs25~q5KrDE2DuTGlNzTlpQRouA5eiIINqeDXgTE7C~hfVUwHbvGWlI~u2HQ3lZlkemJ9aD3k~b3ag1SDGOFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Lompoc CA","date","2025-05-08T22:15:02Z","article","The Lompoc City Council on Tuesday introduced an ordinance that revises the city’s development impact fee schedule after a review and public comment, and it directed staff to prepare a follow‑up analysis of recent fee payments.

City Attorney (on behalf of staff) said the draft ordinance updates last‑decade rules, adds an administrative appeal process and was changed from a resolution to an ordinance so that the fee schedule would be adopted via ordinance rather than a less‑durable resolution. “The first one is this has been changed from a resolution to an ordinance,” the City Attorney told the council.

The changes substantially reduce some impact fees for new residential development when compared with the prior schedule shown in the earlier Nexus study and staff materials. During public comment, local resident and former planning commissioner Nick Gonzales urged the council to approve the reductions to encourage housing supply: “If you really wanna spur housing, I think that some of these cuts to these impact fees are gonna make a substantial difference,” he said.

Council action and additions: Council introduced the ordinance (first reading) and amended the staff proposal to include a three‑year moratorium on automatic inflationary increases (the ordinance uses the Engineering News‑Record construction index as its adjustment measure). Council also asked staff to return within 30 days with an analysis of developers who have paid recent impact fees and whether refunds or adjustments should be made for projects that have not reached certificate of occupancy. Staff noted that refunding would require locating funds already collected and, if funds have been expended, possibly identifying a source for refunds.

Appeals process and grandfathering: The ordinance adds a specific administrative appeal route (new section 15) that allows a project applicant to contest a fee on nexus grounds. Council also discussed how to treat pending applications and projects; staff explained that applicants have the option to pay the fees in force when they filed or the new schedule, but the council modified the language so projects that have not reached certificate of occupancy may be adjusted under the new schedule and staff will prepare a formal approach to any refunds or credits.

Why it matters: Impact fees help cities pay for capital projects tied to growth — parks, roads, water/wastewater and public safety — but have become a focus for cities seeking to accelerate housing development in response to state housing targets. Council members framed the changes as a way to remove a cost barrier for builders and stimulate housing activity.

Vote: The motion to introduce the ordinance and direct follow‑up reporting passed 5‑0.

Ending: Because an ordinance requires two readings, the council’s action introduced the changes and scheduled the matter for final adoption following the required second reading procedures. Staff will return with a 30‑day report on recent fee payments and the mechanics for any adjustments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lompoc City Council Meeting 05 06 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Lompoc City Council on Tuesday introduced an ordinance that revises the city’s development impact fee schedule after a review and public comment, and it directed staff to prepare a follow‑up analysis of recent fee payments.","taxTitle","Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California","taxId",56202,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6243291,"Lompoc officials advance plan to replace aging electric meters with AMI system; contract to return for council vote",1373,275000,1648000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d&start=275&end=1648","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d/thumbnail_275000.jpg","/articles/6243291/Lompoc/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Lompoc-officials-advance-plan-to-replace-aging-electric-meters-with-AMI-system-contract-to-return-for-council-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243291-9b6b499ac6cedd101ad4fb1d2f48fb6c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202967&Signature=KP8VThlgU0tVKZMY1dWUyPEVL~vx-0URYmSJS4PWrF0fcpuMe2twEqtWa7H8CjFj8z4-3FDlDiqjgunVfZ2oM1EyZocKJiRlKRsXXwwjbPrjwW-h8LookQUiZIUCvZRIfBHOHataAsIoRnfs2pY6QTOfEHJVojF7EQx5jYaQShQGg42l3Fn1coYesagtaTkvz5Ob2zr1Y2v1DEe5IeW6rqWNjI8aLUqAovzrWqlrS2LEVHI1amwNoxkmMO3I~andlzUiQjN-1Wb8BpuMGdlLjQEgWDrmVNssvQy3Ao1as~2hYtpzRgXyeDH8MBiMtkg6kmPiSGPmMFiNqhwVp233DA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials moved forward with a plan to replace Lompoc’s aging electric meters with an advanced metering infrastructure system after a consultant presentation and council questions Tuesday.

The recommendation — presented by Rick of Schmidt Utility Advisors and introduced by city staff — asks the City Council to consider a multi‑year deployment and a vendor contract that staff plans to return to the council for a final vote on May 20.

The plan would replace the city’s older, one‑way remote reading meters with two‑way AMI meters that report hourly (or more frequent) consumption to pole‑mounted collectors and a cloud database. Rick, the consultant who led the RFP work, told the council the city’s existing system is aging and a portion of meters are more than 10 years old. “About 20% of the meters are more than 10 years old,” he said, and noted a failure rate “right around 3 percent.”

Why it matters: Staff and the consultant said AMI can reduce routine drive time for meter reads and reconnects, provide customers hourly consumption detail through a web portal, speed outage detection and restoration, support power‑quality alarms and tamper detection, and give utility planners neighborhood‑level load data.

Key details: The RFP team evaluated multiple vendors across roughly 750 requirements, weighing cost at 35% of the score. The recommended vendor is Eaton Power Systems; the preferred meter model in the proposal is an Itron meter. Estimated one‑time and recurring costs shown to council fell in a range staff described on the presentation as roughly $3.4 million to $4.0 million distributed over a three‑year deployment window. Rick said vendors proposed the system to reach “99.9% of the meters every day” with readings approximately hourly.

Council concerns focused on costs, who pays, staffing impacts and rollout timing. Council members asked whether the electric fund or ratepayers would cover the cost and whether operational staff reductions were expected. City staff confirmed the project would be paid from the electric fund and noted the system is listed in the electric division’s CIP. On staffing, staff said a fiscal analysis with quantified labor savings will be in the full staff report on May 20; the consultant said some utilities project reduction of positions over time but that specifics depend on operational decisions.

Data security and ownership: Council asked where meter data would be stored. Rick said the vendor’s architecture stores meter reads in a secured cloud database and that “the data belongs to the city. Eaton is the firm that maintains the quality of that data, the security of that data,” and that the vendor proposed an Oracle database.

Next steps: Staff and the consultant recommended proceeding to finalize contract terms and to present a full staff report, fiscal analysis and the contract to council for action at the May 20 meeting. No contract was signed or approved at the May 6 meeting.

Ending: Council directed staff to bring back the final contract and fiscal study on May 20 so members could act with detailed cost and labor‑savings projections.","City staff recommended replacing the city’s aging one‑way metering system with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network after a consultant review and competitive RFP. Staff and the consultant recommended Eaton as the preferred vendor and said a final contract and fiscal analysis will return to council on May 20.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6243272,"City holds required public hearing on staffing, reports vacancy rate and recruitment steps under AB 2561",2811,4799000,7610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d&start=4799&end=7610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d/thumbnail_4799000.jpg","/articles/6243272/Lompoc/Santa-Barbara-County/California/City-holds-required-public-hearing-on-staffing-reports-vacancy-rate-and-recruitment-steps-under-AB-2561","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243272-17cd224003ab1e80805699175c8eab62/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202967&Signature=Uvvv8Rl1aLXRNhd1e-0RrhHl6xAuxuL1nNYeurDJVZTll303DvrH-noG8ufrtz2oIfYlxrtVnJQDC5OiIyPLoC6Pivo882k0--CHgRbb2KDkAPNxhJZCqyLTkiQBuZ6YZ-OU7FaPQuFlsYvn3~pwJF82PNEW6j3v9eezmx9PLzcY9cBayYN6bpigUWq6bpzz7WZB2eGzhYsGGElma52e9PhEHJErD4TxKT3z8iLqGlt1QrWrQyWxy6fi3cPU1nmBJ7xlgcJMgBgLMRFYzSM27WMwoTCeQ~U2QZcwKADLiVyk9qE7vm1ynxzUlTjN7NA4IJWZ2LzKAb1hD6kH0eESxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council held a public hearing required by Assembly Bill 2561 (Government Code §3502.3) to review vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts across city departments.

Gabe Garcia, the city’s human resources director, said the city has 392 authorized positions and reported 38 vacancies as of the staff report dated May 4. “From the start, when we get a requisition to appointment, on average, it’s about 60 days,” Garcia said, summarizing the typical recruitment timeline. He described HR procedures: department requisition, city manager authorization, posting, minimum‑qualifications screening, exams or panels as needed, background checks and pre‑employment screening.

Retention efforts: Garcia listed retention measures including recruitment and retention bonuses, flexible scheduling (9/80 compressed schedules), tuition reimbursement, targeted training and internal promotion where possible. He told council the city has focused on employee engagement, professional development and recognition to reduce turnover.

Status and challenges: Garcia said the city’s vacancy rate remains below the statutory threshold that would trigger additional reporting (the staff report used a 20% threshold), but the city still faces challenges recruiting specialized technical staff — such as planners, building officials, and public safety specialists — because of regional competition and cost‑of‑living pressures.

Public comment: Council received no public speakers on the item. The presentation was also distributed to employee organizations; staff said unions were provided a copy and offered an opportunity to present.

Next steps: Staff will continue to return annually as required by state law and to report any negotiated changes with employee organizations. The council formally received the staff report at the hearing.

Ending: The council opened the hearing, took public comment (none), and received and filed the staff report as the AB 2561 compliance action for the fiscal year.","Human Resources Director Gabe Garcia presented the city’s annual staffing and vacancy status under Assembly Bill 2561 (Gov. Code §3502.3). As of the report, the city had about 392 authorized positions and 38 vacancies; HR described an average 60‑day recruitment cycle and multiple retention measures in place.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6243276,"Council ratifies transit service contract selection; seven bidders responded, RATP chosen",290,3870000,4160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d&start=3870&end=4160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d/thumbnail_3870000.jpg","/articles/6243276/Lompoc/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Council-ratifies-transit-service-contract-selection-seven-bidders-responded-RATP-chosen","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243276-5ba6410a17a492f44e9359893072ea3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202967&Signature=k79et8JKYS6GeldU3Rk0bVAcJtP2X85D4InZ201uSd6OuAycxy-9s9hZbT~GAwErLZ7xak98PdJjw1stLnjlWwf0BWI~mjM~~QZN1XsEVmIdkcRQ4BW4F6UHLitdQKTC7bSBYOk9TUp8fwXiVn11mDVElJLlYGCqoKrkhPCHMHm0RrvAfdgcpDk2msG4aHdyALrcYVqCPo6yodKotHG~~wkQkxmoKRfMWm-0zs3E33W-lfKUrBQDcAUZiZPuqV9ruqpVZamjWTsGvQmnPjX5yEHYIFNFmdhO6w7wJwv0Bx~J4ETMbOkO2bGQX7l8fW8mMBpEVh6thTZTRT3NaBxD-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council approved staff’s recommendation to award the city’s transit system operations contract to RATP after a competitive procurement process and public outreach.

Public works staff summarized a district‑wide transit study and a nationwide RFP that drew seven bidders. “We got seven bidders, which I’ve been here almost 27 years, and that’s the most number of bids we’ve ever gotten during an RFP,” the transit project lead told council. Staff said RATP rose to the top after scoring on experience, cost and the ability to provide expanded services in the new contract, including frequent fixed routes, on‑demand microtransit and a passenger mobile application.

Contract terms and scope: Staff described the contract as roughly $15 million over seven years with a three‑year option to extend. The contract includes service enhancements recommended by the transit study and a rollout of new digital customer features.

Why it matters: The contract governs service delivery for local fixed‑route and demand‑response transit that connects Lompoc to regional services. Staff said RATP operates similar services regionally and will bring a combination of national experience and local support.

Vote: The award was on the consent calendar and approved as part of consent; staff said the formal RFP and scoring record supported the recommendation.

Ending: Staff told the council the contract will be finalized and executed under the terms outlined in the RFP; the award will govern service as the new operating period begins and as enhancements are implemented.","The council approved a multi‑year contract award for transit system operations after a year‑long procurement. Staff recommended RATP for a seven‑year contract with a three‑year option and a roughly $15 million total contract value; the item was approved on the consent calendar.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6243280,"Council approves submission of 2025–2029 consolidated plan; asks staff for multi‑year project spreadsheet",4352,7617000,11969000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d&start=7617&end=11969","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3240981-bf4b6e564896a0061f0c25b0bb99721d/thumbnail_7617000.jpg","/articles/6243280/Lompoc/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Council-approves-submission-of-20252029-consolidated-plan-asks-staff-for-multiyear-project-spreadsheet","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243280-9d446ffc2be7ff0df48a072d58bb1436/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202967&Signature=ShY9ScUnXVJeaxMBuBob2r3FOFIhCjpV-7JlYonVQS1oyIschv5hCwdQO-lo1F3VNeOQL4VHmymeEqfhExAOZav~0jjj-00e9M-saqPZONsIeXW7TDKwX4Fvz8EG1RNPlKwKykZ5x~tExOU9eKdDwfh9X~v~mytlh4qwNkQTASsEuFWe5ix7Ub38MT6UXcu-~EkYjq3DF6G108lCws8GsoctIgu93JejL75YZFsyrUkMr0wMLdNq4iN~CHi0YIXYw1Eo-C9cqaC1palg5lPRHkgap5oiq9RnEWgMuaU6kTxO964UCNwCHtft1Bg~vX9oSbz6Reg3MOxIPyCyZ59xjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lompoc City Council on Tuesday approved the city’s draft 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the year‑one action plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, and authorized staff to submit the package to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Chanel O’Valle, community development program manager, presented the plan and fiscal allocations for the first year. She told the council the city expects an entitlement amount of $539,649 for fiscal year 2025–26 and that HUD rules cap administrative spending at 20% and human services at 15%. “The program objective of the community development block grant... is to develop communities for low and moderately low income persons by providing a decent, safe and suitable living environment,” she said.

Staff recommended allocating $129,954 for program administration, $388,874 toward capital projects (ADA and public‑facility improvements), $50,000 to Catholic Charities for a mobile home and emergency repair grant, and approximately $114,000 to human services as recommended by the Human Services Commission. Chanel noted prior program income and carryover funds (numbers shown on slides) would be combined with the FY‑2025‑26 entitlement.

Council asked for better visibility on multi‑year capital planning and where the CDBG contribution fits into larger CIP projects. Councilor Bridge asked for a simple, multi‑year spreadsheet showing what projects are committed, what funds are rolling over and what remains available. Council instructed staff to return at the next council meeting with that spreadsheet; the motion to approve the consolidated plan included the request and passed 5‑0.

Why it matters: The consolidated plan and action plan direct HUD entitlement funds and local program income to projects that benefit low‑ and moderate‑income residents and specify limits on administration and human‑services expenditures. HUD requires the public hearing and submission before the entitlement is finalized.

Next steps: Staff will submit the Consolidated Plan and the year‑one action plan to HUD and will bring the requested project schedule and funding spreadsheet to the next meeting as requested by council.

Ending: Council approved the plan for submission and asked staff for clearer multi‑year project accounting to help prioritize capital projects using CDBG funds.","The council approved the city’s 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the Year‑1 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and authorized submission to HUD, while requesting a one‑page multi‑year spreadsheet listing planned capital projects and funding rollovers for council review within 30 days.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council introduces ordinance cutting some development impact fees; staff directed to report on recent payments

Lompoc officials advance plan to replace aging electric meters with AMI system; contract to return for council vote

City holds required public hearing on staffing, reports vacancy rate and recruitment steps under AB 2561

Council ratifies transit service contract selection; seven bidders responded, RATP chosen

Council approves submission of 2025–2029 consolidated plan; asks staff for multi‑year project spreadsheet