CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING 04/16/91
ABBREVIATED MEETING MINUTES
Disclaimer: This document does not contain the complete official meeting
minutes but is intended to provide information about meeting activity.
To obtain official meeting minutes, please contact the Santa Monica City
Clerk's office.
4-C: NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY: Mayor Abdo presented a
proclamation designating April 23, 1991, as "National Youth
Service Day."
5-E: LETTER OF RESIGNATION/VITO CETTA: Councilmember Katz moved
to accept with regrets the letter of resignation of Vito Cetta
and appoint members to the Bayside District Corporation. Second
by Councilmember Olsen. The motion was unanimously approved.
Councilmember Zane nominated Mike Mawrence. Councilmember Katz
moved to appoint Mike Mawrence to the Bayside District
Corporation for a term ending June 30, 1993, by acclamation.
Second by Councilmember Katz. The motion was unanimously
approved. Councilmember Katz nominated Barbara Tenzer. Mayor
Pro Tempore Genser nominated Nancy Desser. Barbara Tenzer was
appointed to the Bayside District Corporation for a term ending
June 30, 1991. Councilmember Zane nominated David Khedr. Mayor
Pro Tempore Genser nominated Nancy Desser. David Khedr was
appointed to the Bayside District Corporation for a term ending
June 30, 1991.
5-F: SOCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION: Councilmember Vazquez
nominated Mark Pfeffer to the Social Services Commission. Mayor
Pro Tempore Genser moved to appoint Mark Pfeffer to the Social
Services Commission for a term ending June 30, 1991, by
acclamation. Second by Councilmember Katz. The motion was
unanimously approved.
5-G: ARTS COMMISSION: Mayor Pro Tempore Genser moved to
continue the appointment of members to the Arts Commission for
six weeks. Second by Councilmember Katz. The motion was
unanimously approved.
5-H: WESTSIDE URBAN FORUM: Councilmember Holbrook moved to
approve City membership in the Westside Urban Forum. Mayor Abdo
presented her request that Council discuss the City becoming a
member of the Westside Urban Forum. *****NO DISCERNIBLE
SECOND***** *****CHARLES--THIS WAS KIND OF CONFUSING. HOLBROOK
ACTUALLY DID MOVE THE ITEM BEFORE THE PRESENTATION BUT I THINK HE
THOUGHT HE WAS MOVING SOMETHING ELSE. ANYWAY...DO WITH IT WHAT
YOU WILL***** The motion was approved by the following vote:
Council vote: Affirmative: Councilmembers Genser, Holbrook,
Katz, Olsen, Vazquez, Zane, Mayor Abdo
6-A: PROPOSITION A: Mayor Pro Tempore Genser moved to approve
the allocation of Proposition A funds as a match for light rail
environmental studies. Second by Councilmember Holbrook. The
motion was approved by the following vote:
Council vote: Affirmative: Councilmembers Genser, Holbrook,
Katz, Olsen, Vazquez, Zane, Mayor Abdo
8-B: MORATORIUM/BASEMENTS AND UNDERGROUND GARAGES: Presented
was the emergency ordinance for introduction and adoption
extending the moratorium on construction of basements and
underground garages beneath required yards in the R1 Zone. At
______ P.M., Mayor Abdo declared the public hearing open. Member
of the public Joy Fullmer expressed her concerns. Member of the
public Fred Harris suggested an exemption of underground parking
for new development along Pacific Coast Highway. Mayor Abdo
closed the public hearing at ______ P.M. Councilmember Katz
moved to adopt Ordinance No. 1581(CCS) with the stipulation that
staff investigate the impact of this ordinance with regard to
side yard requirements on Pacific Coast Highway and return with a
report. Second by Mayor Pro Tempore Genser. The motion was
approved by the following vote:
Staff Report
Council vote: Affirmative: Councilmembers Genser, Holbrook,
Katz, Olsen, Vazquez, Zane, Mayor Abdo
By virtue of the above action, Ordinance No. 1581(CCS) entitled:
"AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON CONSTRUCTION OF BASEMENTS AND
UNDERGROUND GARAGES BENEATH REQUIRED YARDS IN THE R-1 ZONE
DISTRICT FOR TWO YEARS PENDING REVISIONS TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE
TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SUCH CONSTRUCTION AND DECLARING THE
PRESENCE OF AN EMERGENCY," was passed, approved, and adopted,
reading by title only and waiving further reading thereof.
8-C: BUILDING HEIGHTS: Presented was the emergency ordinance
for introduction and adoption limiting development by reducing,
on an interim basis, the allowable building heights along Pacific
Beach Road between Santa Monica Pier on the south and the north
City limit. Council asked questions of staff. At 8:03 P.M.,
Mayor Abdo declared the public hearing open. Members of the
public Ben Ericson, Herbert Stern, Guy Bartoli, Diane Caughey,
George Rosenthal, Ron Rocco, Morris Magid, and Fred Harris spoke
in opposition to the proposed ordinance. Member of the public
Joy Fullmer expressed her concerns. Member of the public Chris
Harding spoke in support of the ordinance as revised.
Councilmember Zane moved to hear late chits for two minutes each.
Second by Councilmember Vazquez. The motion was unanimously
approved. Members of the public Skip Hohm and John Weyand spoke
in opposition to the proposed ordinance. At 8:35 P.M., Mayor
Abdo closed the public hearing. Council asked questions of
staff. Discussion was held. Mayor Pro Tempore Genser moved to
adopt the alternative version of the staff-generated ordinance.
Second by Councilmember Olsen. Council asked questions of staff.
Discussion was held. Councilmember Vazquez moved to notify all
property owners and tenants in the tract of the proposed action
and of the public hearing. The motion was accepted as friendly.
Mayor Abdo moved to amend the motion to delete the reference to
the number of stories but retain the 30' maximum height limit.
The motion was accepted as friendly. Council asked questions of
staff. The motion was approved by the following vote:
Staff Report
Council vote: Affirmative: Councilmembers Genser, Holbrook,
Katz, Olsen, Vazquez, Zane, Mayor Abdo
By virtue of the above action, Ordinance No. 1582 entitled: "AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
LIMITING DEVELOPMENT BY REDUCING ON AN INTERIM BASIS ALLOWABLE
BUILDING HEIGHTS ALONG PALISADES BEACH ROAD BETWEEN THE SANTA
MONICA PIER ON THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH CITY LIMITS AND DECLARING
THE PRESENCE OF AN EMERGENCY," was passed, approved, and adopted,
reading by title only and waiving further reading thereof.
9-A: LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM: Presented was the staff report
recommending adoption of a resolution approving the Land Use and
Implementation Plan of the Local Coastal Program. Council asked
questions of staff.
Staff Report
At 9:15 P.M., Council adjourned for a short recess. Council
reconvened at 9:40 P.M. with all members present.
Member of the public Ralph Mechuir spoke in support of the staff
recommendation with parking provisions for residents. Members of
the public Joyce Syme, Sharon Jaquith, Hugh Syme, Darsie
Anderson, Mike Patterson, Stephanie Barbanell, Jerry Bass, Ernie
Powell, Steve Brown, Judy Haddad, Sharon Gilpin, Allen Nicholson,
Sally Reinman, Lynn Coyne, Herb Sandel, Fred Harris, and Diane
Caughey spoke in opposition to the LCP as presented. Members of
the public Alex Man, Robert Locker, Darrell Clarke, and Eric Siss
spoke in support of the Local Coastal Program. Member of the
public Joy Fullmer expressed her concerns. Members of the public
Debra Bowen and Julie Lopez Dad spoke in support of a public
workshop. Councilmember Zane moved to extend the meeting to
12:00 Midnight. Second by Mayor Pro Tempore Genser. The motion
was unanimously approved. Member of the public Mitchell Lachman
spoke in support of a public workshop. Member of the public
George Rosenthal spoke in opposition to the LCP as presented.
Discussion was held. *****CHARLES--I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THE
FOLLOWING IN HERE OR NOT SO HERE GOES***** Mayor Abdo appointed a
committee consisting of Mayor Pro Tempore Genser, Councilmember
Katz, and Councilmember Zane to meet with staff when the Planning
staff meets with the Coastal Commission staff in order to address
the conflicting needs and requirements of the various agencies.
Mayor Pro Tempore Genser moved to request that the RVC zoning
extend only one lot depth from Ocean Avenue, except for areas in
which major hotels are located, and request that the Sea Castle
and any other residentially zoned units not be zoned RVC.
Discussion was held. Mayor Pro Tempore Genser moved to include
in his motion to respect the Land Use Element height limit for
both RVC lots and for residential lots south of the pier; direct
staff to study alternatives for the area north of the pier;
reflect the Council-adopted policies for downzoning throughout
the Coastal Zone; parking on Policy 23 be revised to allow
residents to park; any piece of equipment to be installed at NES
Park must be heard in a public deliberation process and complete
a public approval process; landscape existing beach parking lots;
revise Policy 107 to elevate the level of neighborhood serving to
at least the level of visitor serving on Main Street; to include
language in Policy 64 which designates the walkways in the
Adelaide Drive/San Vicente area as an important coastal access
and mountain access resource; clarify the appeal procedure;
change "citizen" input to "resident" input. Councilmember Katz
moved to amend the motion to include the conduct of a minimum of
one workshop and study session; clarification of
variance/remodelling procedure. The motion was accepted as
friendly. Councilmember Zane moved to amend the motion to have a
more general policy stated as a priority policy about the
preservation of existing residential uses in the Coastal Zone and
this protection be the co-equal of the policy of protecting other
resources, e.g., natural and cultural resources; include a policy
that the City seeks to provide equal access to persons of all
incomes to the Coastal Zone; restate language which reflects a
preoccupation with the rights of private property owners so as to
indicate that it is the City's policy that those rights are
balanced by the rights of the residents in particular, and by the
rights of the public in general, to full and equal access to
coastal resources; study adequacy of the reflection of
Proposition S; reference the development of the acquisition
corridor as creating an opportunity for public access to the
Coastal Zone; highlight interest in light rail transit;
*****TAPES END HERE--EVERYTHING ELSE IS TAKEN FROM THE AGENDA. I
DID NOT FINISH THIS ITEM, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE
DISCUSSION*****
14-A: JOINT MEETING BAYSIDE DISTRICT CORPORATION/PLANNING
COMMISSION/CITY COUNCIL: Presented was the request of
Councilmember Zane and Councilmember Katz to discuss scheduling a
joint meeting of the Bayside District Corporation, Planning
Commission, and City Council regarding issues on the Third Street
Promenade. Councilmember Zane moved to schedule an informal
rountable meeting on a non-council meeting night. Second by
councilmember Katz. The motion was approved.
14-B: LANDMARKS COMMISSION: Presented was the request of
Councilmember Zane to discuss changing the process to provide for
the review of projects by the Landmarks Commission prior to
completion of the Development Review Process and before any
demolition permit is issued. Council asked questions of staff.
Discussion was held. Councilmember Zane moved to change the
process to provide for review of projects by the Landmarks
Commission prior to completion of the Development Review Process
and before any demolition permit is issued. Second by
cvouncilmember Katz. The motion was approved.
14-C: LOS ANGELES COORDINATING COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS:
Presented was the request of Mayor Abdo to discuss appointment of
a member to the Los Angeles Coordinating Council on Homelessness.
Councilmember Katz moved to appoint Jim Conn to the Los Angeles
Corodinating Council on Homelessness. Second by Mayor Pro
Tempore. The motion was approved.
14-D: NATIONAL LESBIAN CONFERENCE: Presented was the request of
Mayor Abdo to discuss approval of travel funds for attendance at
the National Lesbian Conference in Atlanta, April 25 through
April 28, 1991. Councilmember Zane moved to approve travel funds
for the Mayor's attendance at the National Lesbian Conference in
Atlanta. Second by Councilmember Katz. The motion was approved.
The Council also approved the Mayor's attendance at a White House
presentation to Gail Abarbanel of the Rape Treatment Center,
Santa Monica Hospital, for her work with victims of crime.
CLOSED SESSION: At _________, Council adjourned to Closed
Session for the purpose of considering Corman v. City of Santa
Monica, et al., Claim Number MBL 90-6-267. *****INSERT ACTION
HERE*****