Meeting Summary
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At a glance
City Manager's Report
- Parks and Recreation and the Library announced upcoming youth workshops for late February.
- The First-Time Homebuyer Program set a February 20 deadline for five lender slot applications.
- The new "Hyper" AI dispatch system handled 591 calls in its first week with an average duration under two minutes.
- Residents were reminded to register with ReadySBC and informed of sandbag availability at Station 51.
Open-Air Drug Use Discussion
- The Mayor expressed concern over increased drug use impacting local businesses.
- The Police Chief explained that current staffing limits prevent addressing lower-priority calls during high-demand periods.
- Staffing efforts include adding specialty positions like homeless liaisons and marijuana compliance officers.
- The department averages 38,000 annual calls with only three to four officers available for response at any time.
Electric Division Capital Improvement Plan
- A consultant presented a study projecting peak electric load to double from 22 to over 44 megawatts by 2031.
- Recommendations include acquiring land for a new substation by 2028 and replacing specific equipment between 2027 and 2028.
- Council members inquired about substation locations, timeline flexibility, and equipment lead times.
- The consultant noted that purchasing land early provides flexibility to accelerate or delay construction based on actual load data.
Council Appointments
- Carlo Della Fuente was appointed to the Airport Commission.
City Organizational Charts and Training
- A motion proposed requiring staff to provide updated organizational charts twice annually.
- Discussion highlighted challenges in automatically generating data from the MUNIS system and concerns about listing employee names.
- The City Manager agreed to provide an update on the chart status within one month.
Action Items and Agenda Tracking
- A motion proposed developing a system for tracking council action items with a report due in June.
- Concerns were raised regarding confusion over informal requests and potential staff resource burdens.
- The motion was withdrawn to allow for further review and discussion with staff.
Lompoc Streetscape Multimodal Improvement Plan (LSMIP)
- Staff presented concept designs for North H Street and Ocean Avenue to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
- A $12 million Caltrans SHOP grant application was not approved in the current cycle.
- Significant debate occurred regarding reducing West Ocean Avenue to a single lane to accommodate protected bike lanes.
- A motion was made to support the first phase of the plan while deferring decisions on the single-lane configuration.
Traffic Safety Plan Amendment
- Discussion focused on amending a previously adopted plan to prioritize improvements north of North Avenue.
- The motion to amend the plan subject to a future resolution was passed.
Ryan Park Stage Project
- Staff presented a conceptual design for an ADA-accessible stage replacement funded by CDBG grants.
- The project cost is capped at $525,000, excluding a $50,000 donation from the Lompoc Rotary Club.
- The stage will be designated as the "Lompoc Rotary Centennial Stage."
- The motion to approve the design, authorize bidding, and approve the designation passed.
COLT Service Enhancements
- Staff reported a 21% ridership increase from November to December following trial service enhancements.
- Improvements included route redesigns, extended hours, and replacing the H Street shuttle with a "Flex Line."
- ADA trip denials dropped to zero during the trial period.
- The motion to permanently implement the transit system enhancements passed.
Graffiti Ordinance Modification
- Staff presented a proposed modification to the city's graffiti ordinance covering definitions and removal timelines.
- Council members amended the proposal to reduce the removal timeline from 30 to 15 days.
- Additional amendments removed the prohibition on possessing indelible markers and the retail signage requirement.
- The motion to approve the modified ordinance incorporating these amendments passed.
Oral Communications and Council Reports
- Representatives from local associations requested funding for camera systems, which the Mayor directed to be submitted formally.
- Council members requested a review of the Nexus Report for street impact fees and an update on the transit facility project.
- The meeting time was extended to 11:30 PM to accommodate further discussions.
- The Mayor requested a plan to address open drug use in public spaces within 30 days.
Closed Session
- The Council met in closed session to discuss significant exposure litigation.
- Councilmember Bridge recused himself from this item.
- The Council provided direction to staff with no reportable action taken.
Full summary
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
- The meeting commenced with an invocation led by Pastor Ron, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
City Manager's Report
- The City Manager presented updates on city programs and initiatives. Parks and Recreation announced a "Speak with Confidence" workshop for youth scheduled for February 22. The Library highlighted the "Soil Explorers Program" for children scheduled for February 25. The First-Time Homebuyer Program noted that applications for five lender slots are due by February 20. The Vandenberg Space Force Base "Mission Update" presentation was promoted for February 20. Regarding emergency preparedness, residents were encouraged to register with ReadySBC and informed of sandbag availability at Station 51. The City Manager reported on the first week of the "Hyper" AI-assisted dispatch system, which handled 591 calls with an average duration of 1 minute and 44 seconds, assisting with animal incidents, general inquiries, petty theft, and noise disturbances.
Discussion on Open-Air Drug Use
- The Mayor raised concerns regarding increased open-air drug use and its impact on local businesses. The Police Chief explained that current staffing levels limit the ability to address lower-priority calls, such as drug use, when higher-priority incidents occur. The Chief noted efforts to increase staffing, including specialty positions like homeless liaisons and marijuana compliance officers, and advised the public to call 911 immediately when witnessing drug activity. In response to an inquiry about call volumes, the Chief stated the department averages 38,000 calls annually with approximately 24 officers assigned to patrol, often resulting in only three to four officers available for response at any given time.
Consent Calendar
- The Consent Calendar included items regarding payroll and voucher expenditures, the adoption of Ordinance 1742-26 to establish acting city manager designation procedures, the introduction of Ordinance 1743-26 regarding administrative fines and graffiti control, a change order with WSP USA Incorporated for landfill gas compliance, and the introduction of Ordinance 1744-26 to reduce the city manager's purchasing authority. A motion was made to pull Item 3 (Ordinance 1743-26) from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion; this motion was seconded. A subsequent motion to approve the remaining Consent Calendar items (excluding Item 3) was made and seconded. The motion passed.
Electric Division Capital Improvement Plan Presentation
- Utility Director Mike Luther introduced consultant John McMurray from Qalis, who presented a study on the city's electric utility model. The study analyzed load growth projections over 2, 5, and 20-year periods, factoring in new development and California Air Resources Board (CARB) mandates. Current transformers and circuits are lightly loaded, but peak load is projected to increase from approximately 22 megawatts to over 44 megawatts by 2031. Recommendations included acquiring land for a new substation by 2028, performing annual gas analysis on transformers, conducting a fuse coordination study, and replacing specific equipment between 2027 and 2028. Council members inquired about the proposed substation location, timeline flexibility, and equipment lead times. The consultant emphasized that purchasing land provides flexibility to accelerate or delay construction based on actual load data.
Council Appointments
- A motion was made to appoint Carlo Della Fuente to the Airport Commission. The motion was seconded and passed.
City Organizational Charts and Training
- A motion was proposed to require staff to provide updated organizational charts twice annually, including employee names, titles, and status annotations. Discussion noted challenges in generating this data automatically from the MUNIS system and concerns regarding the necessity of including employee names. The City Manager agreed to provide an update on the status of the organizational chart within one month. A motion was made to accept this timeline, seconded, and passed.
Action Items and Agenda Tracking
- Concerns were raised regarding the tracking of council action items. A motion was proposed for staff to develop a system for configuration control and tracking of action items, with a report due in June. Discussion highlighted confusion during the budget process regarding informal requests and concerns about staff resource burdens. The motion was withdrawn to allow for further review and discussion with staff. No formal vote was taken.
Lompoc Streetscape Multimodal Improvement Plan (LSMIP)
- Staff presented an overview of the LSMIP, focusing on concept-level designs for North H Street and Ocean Avenue to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Staff highlighted a recommendation to prioritize a Class 1 separated bike path on the west side of H Street between the Albertson signal and Central Avenue for outside funding. Discussion covered the status of a $12 million Caltrans SHOP grant application, which was not approved in the current cycle. Concerns were raised regarding potential loss of funding if the plan were rejected, as well as concerns about unfunded mandates and cost estimates. Significant debate occurred regarding the proposal to reduce West Ocean Avenue to a single lane in each direction to accommodate protected bike lanes, with opposition citing traffic congestion and safety issues. Staff confirmed the LSMIP is a planning document without a construction mandate and that the Council could revise the plan to exclude specific elements without jeopardizing the entire plan. A motion was made to support the implementation of the first phase of the LSMIP, prioritizing the segment from the Albertson signal to North Avenue while deferring decisions on other elements such as the single-lane configuration on Ocean Avenue. The motion was seconded. The transcript provided ends prior to the final vote on this motion.
Amendment to Traffic Safety Plan (North of North Avenue)
- Discussion focused on clarifying the scope of a proposed amendment to a previously adopted traffic safety plan to prioritize improvements north of North Avenue and remove other components. A motion was made to amend the traffic safety plan accordingly, subject to a future resolution. The motion was seconded and passed.
Ryan Park Stage Project
- Staff presented a conceptual design for the replacement of the stage at Ryan Park to ensure ADA accessibility, including permanent decorative wind walls and landscaping enhancements. The project is funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, with a total cost not to exceed $525,000, excluding a $50,000 donation from the Lompoc Rotary Club. The Rotary Club requested the stage be designated as the "Lompoc Rotary Centennial Stage." Discussion covered the potential for future funding for a canopy and structural considerations. A motion was made to approve the conceptual design, authorize staff to issue a notice inviting bids, approve the use of CDBG funds, and approve the stage designation. The motion was seconded and passed.
City of Lompoc Transit Agency (COLT) Service Enhancements
- Staff presented a report on service enhancements implemented on a trial basis, including route redesigns, extended fixed-route service hours, and the replacement of the H Street shuttle with a "Flex Line." Data showed a 21% ridership increase from November to December and a 15% increase from December to January, with ADA trip denials dropping to zero. A motion was made to approve the permanent implementation of the listed transit system enhancements. The motion was seconded and passed.
Graffiti Ordinance Modification
- Staff presented a proposed modification to the city's graffiti ordinance. Discussion covered provisions regarding the definition of graffiti, removal timelines, possession of indelible markers, and signage requirements. Council members proposed amendments to reduce the removal timeline from 30 days to 15 days, require prior written permission for graffiti on private property, remove the prohibition on possessing indelible markers unless used with intent to deface, remove the retail signage requirement, and clarify boarding up provisions. A motion was made to approve the modified graffiti ordinance incorporating these amendments. The motion was seconded and passed.
Oral Communications and Council Reports
- During oral communications, representatives from the Crown Point Homeowners Association and Garden Society requested city funding for camera systems to address public safety issues. The Mayor directed them to submit a formal request to the City Manager. In council reports, requests were made to review the Nexus Report for street impact fees and to provide an update on the transit facility project. A motion was made to extend the meeting time to 11:30 PM to accommodate these discussions and a closed session. The motion was seconded and passed. Additionally, the Council discussed the need for a plan to address open drug use in public spaces, with the Mayor requesting the City Manager to return with a plan or results within 30 days.
Closed Session: Significant Exposure Litigation
- The Council met in closed session to discuss significant exposure litigation. Councilmember Bridge recused himself from this item. The Council provided direction to staff. No reportable action was taken.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned to a regular meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on March 3rd.