Signal Hill meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Signal Hill council to weigh city manager pay, by-district elections; planning commission to decide on Dutch Bros drive-thru

Signal Hill's City Council and commissions met over the past two weeks on agendas that included a possible change to how council members are elected, a new contract for custodial services, and a proposal to acquire a property at a tax sale. No minutes have been published yet, so none of these items have been formally decided. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Monday on a proposed drive-thru coffee shop.

City Council considers pay, elections, contracts (Aug. 11)

The City Council's regular meeting on Aug. 11 included discussion of forming a formal youth group or committee, a fourth amendment to the City Manager's employment agreement and adoption of CalPERS pay schedule resolutions, and a resolution declaring the city's intention to transition from at-large to by-district elections. The consent calendar included a maintenance services agreement with Crown Facility Solutions, Inc. for custodial services at $251,811.20 for ten months, with a contingency up to $260,370.00, and a public works contract with Ruiz Concrete and Paving, Inc. for the FY 2026-27 Annual Sidewalk Repair Project, not to exceed $58,251.50. The meeting also included a closed session on personnel and litigation matters.

Special council meeting on tax sale (Aug. 14)

A special City Council meeting on Aug. 14 had one substantive item: a resolution objecting to the public tax sale of the property at 1800 East Spring Street and authorizing an application to acquire it under California Revenue and Taxation Code Chapter 8. The rest of the agenda was procedural.

Other recent meetings

Civil Service Commission (Aug. 5) – The commission's agenda included the appointment of a temporary Human Resources Manager and certification of eligibility lists for Dispatcher Jailer (2025-0047) and Water Systems Supervisor (2025-0033). The meeting was primarily procedural, with routine consent calendar items and a public comment period.

Sustainable City Committee (Aug. 6) – The committee received an update on draft procedural guidelines for farmers market temporary use permits and discussed the Fall 2026 Mayor's Clean-Up event, scheduled for Oct. 3 at Calbrisas Park.

Coming up

Planning Commission (Aug. 18) – The commission will hold a public hearing on Site Plan and Design Review 26-01 for a 1,025-square-foot drive-thru coffee shop at 850 East 33rd Street, within the Gateway North Specific Plan (SP-12) zoning district. The applicant, Gurinder Kehr of Dutch Bros, LLC, proposes a modified building design that reduces the previously approved building size from 5,000 to 1,025 square feet. The commission will also consider adopting an addendum to a previously approved Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH# 2021030665) under CEQA. The agenda includes the annual reorganization to elect a chair and vice chair for the 2026/27 term, plus routine consent calendar items. Commissioners are compensated $125 per meeting.

Parks and Recreation Commission (Aug. 19) – The commission will select a Pet of the Month for August 2026, receive a Director's Report on city council actions and park projects, and consider two fee waiver requests: one for Friends of Signal Hill Library board meetings (Sep. 8, Nov. 10, 2026; Jan. 12, 2027) and one for Promontory Westbluff Skyline Estates board meetings (Aug. 20, Oct. 22, Dec. 22, 2026). The consent calendar also includes an update to Parks, Recreation & Library Services policy 4.16 on fee waivers and recognition of Teen Leaders in Training participants.

Signal Hill Council agenda includes $200K water storage purchase

The Signal Hill City Council's July 28 agenda included a proposal to authorize the purchase of 440.52 acre-feet of water storage for $199,996.08. Minutes from the meeting have not yet been published, so the outcome is not known. The council also had items on electric vehicle charging permits, a police department HVAC project, a county cooperation agreement, and compensation adjustments.

City Council (July 28)

The council agenda listed the following items:

• **Water storage purchase:** Authorizing the purchase of 440.52 acre-feet of water storage for $199,996.08.
• **Electric vehicle charging:** Ordinance No. 2026-07-1560, regarding streamlined permitting for electric vehicle charging stations.
• **Police HVAC:** Final acceptance of the Police Department HVAC upgrades project with Westover Controls Corporation.
• **County agreement:** A CDBG program cooperation agreement with Los Angeles County for fiscal years 2027–2029.
• **Compensation adjustments:** Ordinances No. 2026-07-1558 and 2026-07-1559 to adjust compensation for City Council, City Clerk, and City Treasurer.

No vote tallies or final decisions are available because minutes have not been published.

Civil Service Commission (August 5)

The Civil Service Commission met on August 5 with a primarily procedural agenda. Items included:

• Appointment of a temporary Human Resources Manager.
• Certification of the eligibility list for Dispatcher Jailer (position 2025-0047).
• Certification of the eligibility list for Water Systems Supervisor (position 2025-0033).

The meeting also included a public comment period. Minutes are not yet published.

Sustainable City Committee (August 6)

The Sustainable City Committee met on August 6 to discuss:

• An update on draft procedural guidelines for farmers market temporary use permits.
• An overview of the Fall 2026 Mayor’s Clean-Up event, scheduled for October 3, 2026, at Calbrisas Park.

No decisions are confirmed because minutes have not been published.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days.

Signal Hill Council Set to Consider $199,996 Water Storage Purchase; Civil Service Commission Meeting Canceled

Signal Hill's City Council was scheduled July 28 to weigh a $199,996.08 purchase of 440.52 acre-feet of water storage, the largest dollar item on a recent slate of local government agendas. Because minutes have not yet been published for any of the meetings below, outcomes are not yet confirmed; the following reflects what each body was set to consider.

City Council — July 28

The Council's agenda listed several items beyond water storage:

• **Water storage:** Authorization to purchase 440.52 acre-feet of water storage for $199,996.08.
• **EV charging permitting:** Ordinance No. 2026-07-1560, which would establish streamlined permitting for electric vehicle charging stations.
• **Police Department HVAC:** Final acceptance of a Police Department HVAC upgrades project with Westover Controls Corporation.
• **CDBG agreement:** A Community Development Block Grant program cooperation agreement with Los Angeles County covering fiscal years 2027–2029.
• **Compensation adjustments:** Ordinances No. 2026-07-1558 and No. 2026-07-1559, which would adjust compensation for the City Council, City Clerk, and City Treasurer.

No vote tallies or final actions are available; minutes have not been published.

City Council — July 21 (Closed Session)

The Council was scheduled to meet in closed session to confer with legal counsel about anticipated litigation under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2). After the closed session, members were set to address public business related to those items. No details on the litigation were provided in the agenda.

Civil Service Commission — July 20–21

The Civil Service Commission's special meeting originally scheduled for July 20–21, 2026, was canceled, according to one agenda posting. A separate agenda for July 21 listed consideration of public employee discipline, dismissal, or release cases under Government Code Section 54957, in both open and closed sessions, plus public business from the floor. That meeting was set to adjourn to the next regular session on August 5, 2026.

Because the record includes both a cancellation notice and a meeting agenda for overlapping dates, and minutes have not been published, it is unclear which proceeding went forward. The source documents do not resolve the conflict.

Why this matters

The water storage purchase and the EV charging permitting ordinance are the items most likely to affect residents directly — one involves a nearly $200,000 commitment tied to the city's water supply, and the other could change how residents and businesses install charging equipment. The compensation ordinances and the CDBG agreement also carry budget implications for the city and its relationship with Los Angeles County.

Coming up

• **Civil Service Commission — August 5, 2026:** Regular meeting including appointment of a temporary Human Resources Manager and certification of eligibility lists for Dispatcher Jailer (2025-0047) and Water Systems Supervisor (2025-0033).
• **Sustainable City Committee — August 6, 2026:** Update on draft procedural guidelines for farmers market temporary use permits, plus an overview of the Mayor's Clean-Up event scheduled for October 3, 2026, at Calbrisas Park.

All recent meeting summaries are based on agendas only; minutes have not yet been published. Readers seeking confirmed outcomes should consult the official Signal Hill meeting records.

Signal Hill Roundup: Council Agenda Included EV Charging Rules, Reservoir Funding, and Digital Billboard Deal; Minutes Pending

Signal Hill's recent government meetings covered a range of topics from electric vehicle charging station rules to infrastructure funding and a digital billboard agreement. However, minutes have not yet been published for any of the three recent meetings, so only agenda items can be reported — no final votes or outcomes are available.

City Council — July 8 Special Meeting

The City Council held a special meeting on July 8, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The agenda listed a closed session to discuss anticipated litigation with legal counsel, followed by a public comment period for closed session items. The meeting was scheduled to adjourn to the next regular meeting on July 14, 2026. Minutes are not yet published, so no actions taken in closed session are confirmed in the available record.

City Council — July 14 Regular Meeting

The July 14 regular meeting agenda included several items with financial and policy implications for residents:

• **EV charging stations:** An ordinance to amend Title 15 of the municipal code regarding electric vehicle charging stations. This would update building code requirements related to EV charging infrastructure.
• **Official compensation:** Proposed compensation adjustments for the City Council, City Clerk, and City Treasurer.
• **Gundry Reservoir:** Budget appropriations for the Gundry Reservoir roof replacement and rehabilitation project.
• **Willow Street Corridor:** A funding agreement for the Willow Street Corridor project, covering the segment from Walnut Avenue to Cherry Avenue.
• **Digital billboard:** A Billboard Relocation Agreement with Clear Channel for a digital billboard at 3100 California Avenue.

Because minutes have not yet been published, it is not known which of these items were approved, continued, or rejected, or what vote tallies occurred. Residents should consult the official city records once minutes are posted.

Parks and Recreation Commission — July 15

The Parks and Recreation Commission agenda included:

• **Pet of the Month:** Nominations for July 2026 Pet of the Month.
• **Fee waiver request:** The Signal Hill Historical Society requested a fee waiver to use the Signal Hill Public Library Learning Center for board meetings in August, October, and November 2026.
• **Director's Report:** A report on park projects and City Council actions.
• **Commission objectives:** Review of the Commission's revolving objectives.

Minutes are not yet published for this meeting, so no recommendations or decisions are confirmed.

Coming Up

• **Civil Service Commission — July 20–21, 2026:** A special two-day meeting is scheduled. The agenda includes open-session and closed-session consideration of public employee discipline, dismissal, or release under Government Code Section 54957. Public comments will be received on each agenda item, and the meeting will conclude with a closed-session report before adjournment. The July 21 portion is scheduled to adjourn to the next regular session on August 5, 2026.

All recent meeting agendas are available through the City of Signal Hill. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes should watch for published minutes, which will provide vote tallies and final actions.

Signal Hill City Council reviews proposed budget, service fees; Civil Service Commission certifies hiring lists

The Signal Hill City Council on June 23 reviewed the proposed 2026-27 annual budget and a slate of service fee updates, while the Civil Service Commission on July 1 certified several eligibility lists for police and recreation positions. No final decisions have been reported as minutes from both meetings have not yet been published.

City Council weighs budget, water plan, fees

The City Council’s June 23 agenda included consideration of the 2026-27 Annual Operating and Capital Budget, which covers employee pay schedules and department spending. Council members were also scheduled to hold public hearings on the Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District No. 1 annual assessments, the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan, and an update to the Uniform Schedule of Service Fees and Charges.

Other items on the agenda called for approval of a $299,074 Proposition A transportation funding request, a $126,084 contract with Long Beach Transit for Fixed Route Bus Services, and a $6,416 contract with Global Paratransit for Dial-A-Lift service. Because meeting minutes are not yet available, it is not known which items were approved or amended.

Civil Service Commission certifies job candidate lists

The Civil Service Commission met July 1 on a consent calendar that included certifying eligibility lists for several city job openings. The commission acted on Police Recruit lists 2025-0034, 2025-0041, and 2025-0044, a Police Officer Lateral list 2025-0045, and a Recreation Coordinator list 2025-0038. Again, no minutes have been published, so specific votes or details are not yet on the record.

Coming up

As of July 5, no City Council, commission, or board meetings are scheduled in Signal Hill for the next 14 days. Residents should check the city’s official calendar for updates.