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El Segundo council delays charter decision, schedules town hall after public criticism of draft
Summary
Residents and speakers urged the council to slow the city’s proposed charter process, citing gaps in language and limited outreach; the council scheduled a June 24 town hall and agreed to continue deliberations to July 7 for more public input.
Mayor Pimentel opened a lengthy public discussion Tuesday night on a draft city charter after several residents said the proposal had advanced internally without sufficient community engagement. Multiple speakers warned the draft does more than merely ‘‘codify’’ state law and could expand council authority over fines, franchises and local procedures.
Anya Goldstein, speaking remotely, said the draft ‘‘lists certain topics within the government code and elections code and incorporates those into the Charter’’ rather than simply applying state law. She warned the language leaves residents ‘‘to wonder what topics are omitted’’ and said, ‘‘I beseech you, drop this now. If you wanna become a charter city, take the time to do it right.’’
The city attorney responded with a detailed readout of the draft, saying the current version ‘‘keeps all provisions of the election code’’ and reiterating that prevailing‑wage requirements and other state limits would still apply. The attorney also noted the proposal was intended as a relatively short charter focused on preserving the council‑manager form of government while seeking any practical local land‑use advantages.
Council members said public skepticism and the possibility of unintended consequences — including handing future councils powers current members might not foresee — justified more outreach. Council member Drew said he worried about ‘‘unintended consequences’’ 20 to 30 years out, while others stressed the need for a transparent process and representation of differing views at public forums.
The council agreed to host a town hall on June 24 and to continue the item at the July 7 council meeting after the town hall, giving staff and residents more time to review the draft and raise concerns.
Why it matters: converting to a charter city can change which rules apply locally and, depending on charter language, what regulatory discretion a city council holds over land use, fees and local procedures. Residents raised specific substantive concerns about the draft’s treatment of fines, utilities and legislative procedures and asked that more comprehensive, early engagement precede any vote to place a charter measure on a ballot.
What’s next: the city will hold a town hall on June 24; council discussion will resume July 7. Staff said the August ballot deadlines are flexible and that the council does not have to finalize charter language by July 7.
