Norwalk council amends moratorium to exempt housing uses and approves several street and signal projects

The Norwalk City Council on an 4‑0 roll call on Aug. 6 adopted an amended urgency ordinance that removes housing-related uses from an ongoing moratorium and extends the revised moratorium on several non‑housing commercial uses for one additional year.

The amended urgency ordinance — listed as Urgency Ordinance No. 25‑1758U — strikes emergency shelters, single‑room occupancy, supportive housing and transitional housing from the moratorium and extends the remaining restrictions (including convenience stores, liquor stores, discount stores, personal‑use laundromats, automobile washing and payday‑loan establishments) through Aug. 5, 2026 or until the council adopts an implementing ordinance, city staff said.

The amendment follows prior urgency ordinances the council adopted in 2024 that initially included housing uses. City staff and the city attorney told the council the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) revoked the city’s 2021–2029 housing element after the earlier moratorium and that settlement discussions and steps toward recertification of the housing element are underway. Staff recommended omitting housing uses from the moratorium so the city can pursue recertification with HCD while retaining time to develop development and performance standards for the non‑housing uses.

In separate votes, the council also:

- Awarded a professional services agreement to design roadway rehabilitation for Carmonita Road (Project No. 7184) and terminated Project No. 7904 (Foster Road rehabilitation). Staff said reallocated Surface Transportation Program‑Local (STPL) funds will cover the design work and that remaining funds from the terminated Foster Road project — stated in the staff report as $13,003.85 — will be moved to the city’s cumulative Prop C account.

- Approved Amendment No. 2 to a construction management and inspection agreement for traffic signal improvements on Alondra Boulevard (Project No. 7232) to continue closeout and obtain federal reimbursement. Staff reported the amendment increases the contract by $7,009.92 to a not‑to‑exceed total of $220,326 (figures from the staff presentation).

- Accepted work on traffic signal improvements on Studebaker Road from Kenny Street to Rosecrans Avenue (Project No. 7234 / federal HSIP project). Staff presented the project as complete and recommended the council accept the work so the city can proceed with final closeout and federal reimbursement.

Why it matters: The ordinance amendment aims to remove a legal obstacle to the city’s housing‑element recertification while keeping additional time to craft standards for a set of retail and service uses the council initially placed under a moratorium. The infrastructure votes allocate design and inspection work needed to advance several transportation and safety projects that staff said are funded through federal and regional transportation programs and local Measure R/Measure M funds.

Council comments and context: Council members and staff discussed the urgency ordinance’s legal and procedural history, including prior extensions and a pending trial date in litigation referenced by staff. On the Carmonita Road project, engineers described the need to update plans after county improvements and noted arterial pavement sections require thicker, higher‑strength pavement than residential streets because of heavy truck traffic. For the signal projects, staff highlighted upgraded mast arms, controllers and new safety lighting that meet federal standards and improve intersection visibility and coordination.

Votes at a glance (council roll call results recorded during the meeting):

- Urgency Ordinance No. 25‑1758U (amend moratorium to exclude housing uses; extend moratorium on specified non‑housing commercial uses through Aug. 5, 2026): Rios — Aye; Valencia — Aye; Vice Mayor Perez — Aye; Mayor Ayala — Aye. Outcome: Adopted.

- Project No. 7184, award professional services for Carmonita Road design and terminate Project No. 7904 (Foster Road); reallocate remaining fund balance (staff reported $13,003.85): Rios — Aye; Valencia — Aye; Vice Mayor Perez — Aye; Mayor Ayala — Aye. Outcome: Approved.

- Project No. 7232, Amendment No. 2 to construction management‑inspection agreement for Alondra Boulevard signal improvements (staff presented an amendment amount of $7,009.92; new not‑to‑exceed total shown in the staff presentation as $220,326): Rios — Aye; Valencia — Aye; Vice Mayor Perez — Aye; Mayor Ayala — Aye. Outcome: Approved.

- Project No. 7234, accept work for traffic signal improvements on Studebaker Road (federal HSIP project): Rios — Aye; Valencia — Aye; Vice Mayor Perez — Aye; Mayor Ayala — Aye. Outcome: Accepted.

What the council directed next: Staff said it will return in the fall with draft development and performance standards for the uses remaining under the moratorium and will provide status reports on housing‑element recertification efforts. For the transportation items, staff said design schedules and outreach will be shared as consultants develop plans and that final closeout paperwork will be pursued to secure federal reimbursements.

Ending: The council took the actions during its regular meeting; staff indicated no general fund dollars are being requested for the signal projects and that the moratorium’s Aug. 5, 2026 date is an outside expiration if the council does not act sooner to adopt implementing ordinances or standards.