Welcome to the February City Manager's Report. I am sharing with you highlights of events and projects that staff have worked on this month. I sincerely appreciate everyone's continued hard work to benefit the Brea community.
Something Rotten! Sells Out
The Curtis Theatre recently concluded its run of the musical comedy Something Rotten!, which played to sold-out audiences from February 6 through February 22. Produced in partnership with Southgate Productions, the show featured a story centered on the Renaissance and the birth of the very first musical. This production brought together local talent and creative teams to bring the Broadway hit to the Brea stage. For one of the performances, student groups from six local high schools and universities were invited to attend the show and stay for a Q&A with the cast and creative team. The topics ranged from rehearsal process to educational experience to work-life balance. The successful engagement marks another collaboration between the theatre and Southgate Productions, finishing its multi-week schedule as a highlight of the current season.
Brea 2050: Where Opportunity Meets Community Update
The City of Brea has released the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for the Brea 2050: Focused General Plan Update and Brea Core Specific Plan. The Draft PEIR, Public Review Draft General Plan, and Working Draft Brea Core Specific Plan are available for review online at Brea.GeneralPlan.org. Planning for Brea’s Next 25 Years “Brea 2050: Where Opportunity Meets Community” project is a comprehensive, long-range planning project that will guide how the City grows over the next 25 years. The Planning Division initiated this project in February 2024 to update the City’s General Plan, which was last updated in 2003, focusing on its land use and circulation elements, and to create a new specific plan for the Brea Core area. As a reminder, the General Plan is a State-required legal document that guides how land is used, how infrastructure is planned, and how the community’s character is shaped. This update to the City’s General Plan will reflect the City’s changing demographics, economic conditions, land use patterns, infrastructure, and transportation/transit networks, and new state legislation, along with creating a long-term plan to further guide and improve the Brea Core area, the City’s main economic hub. Initiated in February 2024, the updated General Plan will include six elements: Community Development, Mobility, Community Resources, Public Safety, Economic Development, and Housing. The Brea Core Specific Plan, which is phase two of the larger Brea Core improvement effort following the Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan adopted in 2020, represents the next phase of the City’s broader effort to enhance the Brea Core area. Public Review and Comment Period Responsible and trustee agencies, organizations, and residents are invited to comment on the Draft PEIR by submitting comments via email to brea2050@cityofbrea.gov or via postal mail to City of Brea, Planning Division, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea, CA 92821. Please indicate “CEQA Comments for Brea 2050: Focused GPU and BCSP” in the subject line. We are asking that any person wishing to comment on the Draft PEIR provide written comments by the end of the public review period at 5:00 p.m., Monday, March 30, 2026. During the public review period, we will be hosting a Community Open House between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Community Rooms A and B at the Civic and Cultural Center. The community can learn more about the Project, ask questions, and leave written comments in-person.
2026 Go. Serve. Brea.
Save the date for the City of Brea’s community-wide service day where volunteers Go into the community and Serve Brea as part of our year-round volunteer initiative, Go. Serve. Brea. For this volunteer day, we partner with the faith community, businesses, and non-profits to bring a positive impact to the Brea community by completing service projects across the city. Last year, project sites included beautifying senior apartments, cleaning Brea Olinda Unified School District schools, a neighborhood food pantry and more. The City of Brea is proud of the impact Go. Serve. Brea. had in 2025 and we look forward to growing our year-round volunteer program. How to get involved:
- Donate: all monetary and in-kind donations are tax-deductible and help cover the cost of supplies and equipment for each project.
- Submit a Project: community members are encouraged to submit a project within Brea that can be completed within 2 - 3 hours.
- Volunteer for a project: sign up for projects beginning in March. Many of the projects are family and low mobility friendly.
New City Flag
Since last year, we have made an effort to use the City’s seal and hills logo as the primary emblems to represent the City. In doing so, the City’s flag needed to be updated. After receiving direction from the City Council, Brea staff had the opportunity to vote on a new design for the City flag. The chosen design includes the City seal in a minimalistic style. To commemorate this moment, staff were invited to the plaza level for the raising of the flag. Today, it hangs up proudly at the Civic Center and throughout the City. As we celebrate, we honor the new and growing changes within the City.
Business Spotlight
We are always excited when a new business opens in Brea. Below are a couple new businesses that have opened or will be opening in Brea. The Grand: Salon Wellness and Medical Spa is coming soon to the Brea Plaza. The Grand, located at Brea Union Plaza, is a salon, wellness center, and medical spa that offers a variety of beauty services, including men's and women's haircuts, hair extensions and coloring, skincare treatments, nail care, and aesthetic services. Using advanced techniques, The Grand’s team provides customized solutions to meet each client's unique beauty needs.
EVEREVE is opening soon at the Brea Mall. EVEREVE is a women's boutique specializing in contemporary clothing and denim. With a selection of over 150 brands, guests can enjoy an elevated shopping experience, thoughtfully curated by stylists. EVEREVE also offers digital personal styling services through Trendsend, bringing the EVEREVE styling experience to the comfort of one’s home.
Recycle Brea Outreach
The City of Brea was one of the featured presenters for the February Good Morning Brea - Monthly Community Breakfast hosted by the Brea Chamber of Commerce. Public Works Management Analyst, Francesca Vivanti, co-presented with Republic Services to discuss the topic “Trash to Treasure: The Business of Re-Use.” Specifically, highlighting California’s recycling legislation impacts to the commercial sector, how to comply with Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), and how to implement sustainable practices to reduce business costs. Educational materials, such as “What Goes Where” magnets and SB 1383 flyers, were distributed to event attendees as an enhancement to the presentation. City staff are always looking forward to opportunities to provide direct outreach and make connections with our community members. If you are interested in receiving a presentation about the City’s recycling programs, please email recyclebrea@cityofbrea.gov.
Small Business Clinic
The Community Development Department has partnered with the Orange County and Inland Empire Small Business Development Center to host a Small Business Clinic in Brea. Scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, the Small Business Clinic will offer one-on-one consulting with business professionals. Business owners and entrepreneurs located in Brea can receive assistance and inquire about their immediate marketing, operations, or financial assessment needs. Appointments for this free service will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For additional information, please contact business@cityofbrea.gov
New Employee
The City of Brea would like to welcome three new members to the Brea team. Below is a short introduction about each individual and the unique talents they bring to Brea. I am excited to welcome them all. Jimmy Armenta is the newest Management Analyst II in the Administrative Services Department who will work on budget-related and procurement matters. He is excited to be part of a strong organization. He has seven years of public sector experience, in which he has worked at several agencies including the City of Fullerton, City of Dana Point, Mesa Water District, and most recently, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Jimmy has learned a wide range of government functions, including government and public affairs, budgeting, contracting, business development and outreach, grant management, public works, and coordinating special events, among others. In addition to working with the City, he is pursuing opportunities that support both his professional and personal development. He is currently serving as Director of Partnerships and Sponsorship with Unidos SoCal, a regional chapter of the Local Government Hispanic Network (LGHN) which serves as a formal national affiliate organization of ICMA. He was also recently accepted as a member of the Orange County Sports Commission Young Professionals Board and serves as a program advisor for the County of Orange’s SoCal Procurement Alliance for special events. In his free time, he enjoys clearing his mind by going to the gym or for a run. He's a big sports fan and loves trying new restaurants. Jimmy also values spending time with his family and friends. He is looking forward to learning more about his role and is excited about meeting more people at Brea and contributing to the strong culture of collaboration that is already established. Vicki Carrillo is the newest Permit Technician for the Community Development Department and is excited to be a part of Brea. Vicki’s education has been hands on training with working for the City of Pasadena VCA Code as well as Willdan Engineering. She has always had a passion for helping others. Her background stems from non-profit work with the City of Hope Cancer Center to being a Plans Coordinator and Permit Technician II for the City of Pasadena. Vicki is very excited to begin working for the City of Brea and learning from her team and all that entails from inspections, certificate of compliance, and learning plan review process for online submittals on new tenant improvement or new construction projects. In her free time, she likes to attend concerts, theater, and baseball games. She also enjoys good food or musical festivals. Her all-time favorite summer outing is the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach – walking through the art exhibit, catching dinner by the beach and ending the evening with live orchestra music under the stars. She enjoys spending time with her husband and her dog Vinny. She also loves performing adult folklorico which helps her tune in with her ancestral Mexican heritage. She is looking forward to getting into the intricacies of Brea, the new developments and the process from a building and safety standpoint to see the inception of how the project begins all the way to completion of the project. Ronald Becerra is the newest Maintenance Worker I in the Public Works Department. His work experience includes working for a school district as a Ground's Specialist I and II. In his tenure at the school district, he took care of six schools within the five-day work week. He last place of employment was maintaining a cemetery which included mowing, weed whacking and cleaning up debris. Ronald has been doing landscaping for four years and has learned to work in various places. He is most excited to learn about the irrigation system in a municipal scope. In his free time, he loves spending time with his family and enjoys being a father to his two handsome boys. Ronald is looking forward to a long career with the City of Brea and hopes to gain plenty of knowledge before he retires from Brea.