Norwalk council approves consent calendar, sign-code amendment and fee waiver for weekend food distribution

The Norwalk City Council on Jan. 21 approved a set of routine items on the consent calendar (items 1–18, with item 15 held for later), reappointed and appointed several advisory commissioners, adopted an amendment to the municipal sign code clarifying removal of signs in the public right-of-way, and voted to waive a $160 application fee for a community food distribution scheduled for Jan. 25.

Council action summary (roll-call votes): - Consent calendar: Council approved items 1–18 with item 15 held; roll call recorded Council members Ramirez, Rios, Valencia, Vice Mayor Perez and Mayor Ayala voting Aye. - Commissioner appointments/reappointments: Council reappointed and appointed multiple advisory-body members (examples announced on the record included Armida Leon, Alex Hernandez, Elmer Bizuela, Petra Pena, Martha Mesa, Charice Acosta, Millie Casillas, Mike [last name not specified in remarks], and planning-commission appointee Chris Macias). Council took a roll-call vote and the appointments passed with recorded Ayes from all five members. - Ordinance No. 25-1747 (amending Norwalk Municipal Code section 17.03.170 regarding exempt signs): Council adopted a cleanup amendment clarifying that signs placed in the public right-of-way may be removed; the motion passed on roll call with all five members voting Aye. - Item 22 — Waiver of fees for Lions Club food distribution (Jan. 25): Staff recommended waiving the $160 application fee for a drive-through food distribution at the Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorder Southeast parking lot (1244 E. Imperial Highway); council approved the waiver by roll call vote (Ramirez, Rios, Valencia, Vice Mayor Perez, Mayor Ayala — all Aye).

Details and context: - Ordinance amendment: Community Development staffer Teresa Dubois described the change as cleanup language for subsection g(4) of the sign code to make clear the city’s longstanding intent: signs in the public right-of-way are subject to removal. Staff said the revision does not alter other code sections. - Food distribution waiver (Lions Club): Patricia Santana presented the operational details. The event is scheduled for Jan. 25 with a driveway setup (setup 7–9 a.m.; distribution 9 a.m.–noon; breakdown until 3 p.m.). The organizer requested 40 delineators and 12 barricades, and the city will provide volunteers (six public-safety cadets and 18 TAP volunteers). Staff identified expected attendance as 500; the application fee requested to be waived was $160. Staff reported other required permits and contracts were on file; the application-fee waiver was approved to support the nonprofit event. - Consent calendar modification: City Attorney Clayton Glassman noted a modification to item 9 (Gateway Cities appointments): delegate changed to Council Member Rios and alternate Vice Mayor Perez; all other appointments in that item unchanged. Item 15 was held.

Why it matters: The sign-code amendment clarifies enforcement practices around political and other signs in public rights-of-way. The fee waiver supports a charity distribution for residents; council noted capacity planning and arrangements to donate any excess food to the city’s social-services food pantry.

Quotes recorded on the record: Teresa Dubois said the sign-code change is “very short and simple” and intended to remove ambiguity about signs in the public right-of-way. Patricia Santana described the event logistics and asked the council to waive the application fee.

Ending: Staff said they will process the consent items and provide logistical support for the Lions Club event on Jan. 25; item 15 will be returned to a future meeting agenda.