Downey council chooses five-district election option, advances land-use and housing measures; OKs 500-foot nightlife buffer with Promenade exception

The Downey City Council on the evening resumed a series of public hearings and formal votes that set the city on a path to change its election system, advance land-use amendments at the Rancho Los Amigos South Campus and adopt zoning changes and objective design standards to meet state housing requirements. Council also approved a 500-foot buffer to regulate new bars, nightclubs and live-entertainment venues around designated sensitive uses, with an explicit exemption for the Downey Landing/Downey Promenade area.

The actions matter because they respond to a legal challenge under the California Voting Rights Act and to state housing laws that require cities to provide sufficient zoning capacity; they also create new local controls over where late-night and live-music venues may locate relative to schools, child-care facilities, hospitals and senior centers.

On the election system, City Attorney John Funk reviewed the city’s options following a notice alleging a vulnerability under the California Voting Rights Act. The council — after a public hearing and discussion about procedures, maps and timing — voted at the meeting’s first public hearing to proceed with a transition to an entirely five-district system. Council made the decision as a first-step direction; a subsequent public hearing will finalize the choice and, if needed, retain a demographer to draw new maps. City staff and counsel told the council the demographer’s services would cost roughly $50,000 and that state-mandated timing sets a target ordinance deadline of May 12, 2025, to implement a change in response to the CVRA notice.

Votes at a glance - Election system: Motion to pursue a five-district election system (first hearing direction): approved unanimously. Background: the council previously had a mixed system (four geographic districts plus a citywide at-large seat). Staff said a full five-district conversion would require a professional demographer and map-drawing with public input; a 4+1 option (four districts plus a directly elected mayor) would not require new maps but would raise separate charter issues. (Agenda: Public Hearing #1; staff: City Attorney John Funk; demographer cost cited ~ $50,000.) - Rancho Los Amigos South Campus specific plan amendment and related zoning text amendment: council introduced ordinances to allow certain industrial/logistics uses to continue in preexisting FlexTech Biomedical buildings and to add a definition for “existing FTBM building” to the Downey Municipal Code: motion introduced and approved unanimously. Staff said the change applies only to existing buildings owned or leased and that Los Angeles County (the property owner) consented; the FDC Partners Rancho LP buildings total roughly 700,000 square feet and the lease runs through 03/27/2089. Staff concluded the amendment is categorically exempt from CEQA under Sections 15301 and 15061(b)(3). (Agenda: Public Hearing #2; staff: Community Development Director Irma Weetron; principal planner Laurel Reimer.) - Housing element implementation (Programs 1.1, 1.3 and 3.3): council introduced two ordinances (zoning-text amendments and a rezoning of one parcel from R-1 to R-3) and adopted a resolution approving objective design standards for multifamily and mixed-use projects; motion approved unanimously. Staff said the city’s certified housing element requires zoning capacity for a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation of 6,525 units; current zoning capacity covers roughly 2,000 units and the housing element programs propose rezoning and two overlay zones to make up the difference (approximately 4,400 units of additional capacity). The objective design standards are intended to create measurable, “objective” criteria for multifamily projects so projects that meet those standards can be processed efficiently under state law. (Agenda: Public Hearing #3; staff: Laura Stetson/MIG and Community Development.) - Nightlife buffer and standards: council directed staff to implement a 500-foot buffer around sensitive uses (schools, licensed child care, hospitals and senior centers) for siting new bars, nightclubs and restaurants with live entertainment, but the council expressly excluded the Downey Landing/Downey Promenade area from that buffer. The motion passed with a recorded tally of 3 yes, 0 no, 2 abstain (Councilmember Ortiz and Councilmember Trujillo were recorded as abstaining). Staff said existing venues that predate new zoning would remain legal nonconforming uses while changes or prolonged vacancies could trigger code review; staff also described an alternative option to allow new venues in buffer areas subject to mandatory operational standards (hours, sound attenuation, door orientation and other conditions) and recommended drafting standards for Planning Commission review.

What the council decided and what comes next - Election maps and schedule: The council’s direction to pursue five districts starts the map-drawing process if the body confirms the decision at a subsequent hearing. Staff said the ordinary timeline would include retaining a demographer, preparing draft maps with public input and adopting an ordinance by the May 12, 2025 extension date the city agreed with the prospective plaintiff. - Rancho Los Amigos amendments: council introduced the implementing ordinances; staff will return with final ordinance adoption (second reading) and any ministerial plan-check steps. Staff emphasized the change allows preexisting industrial/logistics uses to continue in the specific buildings and does not expand uses beyond those buildings. - Housing overlays and objective design standards: the council introduced the zoning amendments, rezoning and adopted the objective design standards by resolution; staff described the standards as measurable design and site rules that applicants must demonstrate in a checklist. The standards are intended to speed review of projects that comply and to reduce subjective review denials under newly applicable state laws. - Nightlife buffer: staff will draft the ordinance language implementing the 500-foot buffer (and the defined exclusion for Downey Landing/Downey Promenade), and will include a list of operational standards used when the council prefers allowing venues under strict conditions in buffer areas. Planning Commission review will be used to refine technical standards such as decibel limits, door orientation and hours.

Closed session and audit - The council recessed to closed session under Government Code section 54956.95 for several pending liability claims and existing litigation. City Attorney Funk later reported there was “no reportable action” from the closed session. - Separately, the city’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, was presented and the independent auditor issued an unmodified (clean) opinion; the general fund balance and restricted reserves were discussed as part of the financial presentation.

Key numbers and clarifications - Demographer estimate (election maps): roughly $50,000 cited by staff. - CVRA deadline: staff said the city has an ordinance-adoption target of May 12, 2025 under the extension agreed with the prospective plaintiff. - Rancho Los Amigos: applicant FDC Partners Rancho LP constructed nearly 700,000 square feet of buildings; the ground lease with Los Angeles County runs through 03/27/2089. - RHNA and capacity: the housing element assigns the city 6,525 units of need; current zoning capacity cited in staff presentations is about 2,000 units, and the rezoning/overlay program aims to provide capacity for roughly 4,400 additional units.

Council members and key staff who spoke at the meeting included Mayor Sosa; Mayor Pro Tem Dorothy Pemberton; Councilmembers Trujillo, Ortiz and Councilmember Vermeeta; City Manager Bradley; City Attorney John Funk; Community Development Director Irma Weetron; principal planner Laurel Reimer; Laura Stetson of MIG; and planner Lindsay Ortega of Sage Crest Planning. Members of the public made several comments during public hearings and the public-comment period, including input on the election options, the Rancho Los Amigos changes and the housing overlay locations.

What to watch for next - A second public hearing and final decision on the election system (and, if five districts is confirmed, a demographer-retained mapping phase). - Final ordinance adoption (second readings) on the Rancho Los Amigos and housing-related zoning changes. - Staff-drafted ordinance language and Planning Commission recommendations on buffer-area standards for bars, nightclubs and live entertainment venues.