CITY OF SANTA MONICA

 

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES

 

MAY 17, 2005

 

A regular adjourned meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor O=Connor at p.m., on Tuesday, May 17, 2005, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street.

 

Roll Call:         Present:          Mayor Pam O=Connor

Councilmember Richard Bloom

Councilmember Ken Genser

Councilmember Kevin McKeown

Councilmember Bobby Shriver

 

Absent:           Mayor Pro Tem Herb Katz

Councilmember Robert T. Holbrook

 

Also Present: City Manager Susan McCarthy

City Attorney Marsha Jones Moutrie

City Clerk Maria M. Stewart

 

CONVENE/PLEDGE

On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 5:54 p.m., with Councilmember Holbrook and Mayor Pro Tem Katz absent. Councilmember Genser led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR:

All items were considered and approved in one motion unless removed by a Councilmember for discussion.

 

Member of the public Joey Fullmer expressed various concerns.

 

At the request of Mayor O=Connor, Item 1-B was removed from the Consent Calendar.

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Bloom, to approve all items on the Consent Calendar as presented except Item 1-B, reading resolutions and ordinances by title only and waiving further reading thereof.  The motion was approved by the following vote:       

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Bloom, McKeown, Shriver, Genser, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            None


ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 

MINUTES

1-A:     The minutes of April 26, 2005, City Council meeting were approved as submitted.

 

1243 FRANKLIN

1-C:     Final Tract Map No. 53666 for project at 1243 Franklin Street -recommendation to adopt Resolution No. 10037 (CCS) entitled: AA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVING THE FINAL TRACT MAP FOR A 5-UNIT CONDOMINIUM PROJECT,@ was approved.     

 

BIG BLUE BUS EXPANSION PLAN

1-B:     Approval of Statement of Official Action taken for appeal of Planning Commission=s approval for the remaining phases of the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Plan.

 

Mayor O=Connor advised that she removed this item off the Consent Calendar to clarify that action being taken on this matter was related only to the appeal and that no funds are being spent.  Staff confirmed the action being taken is related to the appeal only.

 

Motion by Mayor O=Connor, seconded by Councilmember Shriver, to approve staff recommendation.  The motion was approved by the following vote:

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Bloom, McKeown, Shriver, Genser, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            None

ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 

CLOSED SESSIONS:

On order of the Mayor, the City Council recessed at 6:05 p.m., to discuss closed sessions and reconvened at 7:10 p.m., with Councilmember Holbrook and Mayor Pro Tem Katz absent, to report the following;

 

2-A:     Conference with Legal Counsel B Existing Litigation:  Harmetz v. City of Santa Monica, Case No. SC 081 725.

 

ACTION:         Heard.  No reportable action taken.

 

2-B:     Conference with Legal Counsel B Existing Litigation:  First National Bank v. Baird Company, et al., Case No. 02 CV 610.

 

ACTION:         Not heard.

 

2-C:     Conference with Legal Counsel B Existing Litigation:  City of Santa Monica v. Baron & Budd, PC, Case No. BS 093 502.


 

ACTION:         Heard.  No reportable action taken.

 

STUDY SESSION: 

3-A:     Status of Water, Wastewater, Storm Water and Solid Waste Funds and Rate Adjustment Options, was presented. 

 

3-B:     Options for Change in Application of Business License Taxes Resulting in Exemption of Small Business and Resulting Revenue Implications for the City of Santa Monica, was presented.

 

3-C:     Regional Fire Dispatch Concept and Potential Applicability for Santa Monica Fire Departm;ent, was presented.

 

3-D:     Follow-up to Mid-Year input from Council regarding the Operating and Capital Budgets, was presented.

 

There was no one present for public comment.

 

On order of the Mayor, the information was received and filed.

 

STAFF ITEMS:

8-A:     Expedited plan check and permit process for LEED-registered building projects B recommendation to direct City Attorney to prepare an ordinance for expedited plan check and permit process for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered building projects in the City, was presented.

 

Member of the public Joey Fullmer expressed various concerns.

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Bloom, to approve staff recommendation. The motion was approved by the following vote:

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Bloom, McKeown, Shriver, Genser, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            None

ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

8-B:     Evaluation of the City=s Affordable Housing Production Program and/or other City housing programs/policies, consideration of how these programs/policies should be updated to fulfill the affordable housing goals of Proposition R, and direction to staff to prepare applicable amendments to the Affordable Housing Production Program and/or City policies or programs and fee resolutions, was presented.

 


Members of the public Chris Harding and Ken Kutcher commented on the proposed programs and policies.

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Genser, to direct staff to return with resolution adjusting fees.

 

Motion by Councilmember Genser, to adopt a flat fee using a weighted average of $26.08 for condos and $22.33 for apartments.  The maker accepted the motion as friendly.

 

The main motion, as amended, was approved by the following vote:

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Genser, Shriver, McKeown, Bloom, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            None

ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Genser, to direct staff to prepare a affordable housing production ordinance with three options, as follows: First option is that new multi family projects of four units or more shall include on-site 20% of the total units as rental units deemed restricted to be affordable to low-income households, and in larger projects of 16 units or greater, the percent goes up to 25%; in counting units, if it comes out to a fraction of 0.8 or higher, the developer must build the unit; on a fraction under 0.8 developer may pay in lieu fees; if lieu fee is being paid, the fee may be further reduced in exchange to agree to provide onsite family-size units with 3 or more bedrooms; any additional bedroom over the usual 2 could also off-set some appropriate portion of the in-lieu fee.  Second option is that, related to projects that might be affordable to moderate income households,  if the developer chooses to build a project that is 100% deed restricted to moderate income households, the project is exempt from the requirement of on-site low-income units.  Option three, at the developer=s choice, units may be built off-site for any project within Santa Monica, within a quarter mile, as long as the number of units is twice the number required on-site.

 

Motion to amend by Councilmember Genser, to reduce the fraction to .75.  The motion was accepted as friendly by the maker.

 

Motion to amend by Councilmember Genser, that as to households that are 80% or less of median income, have another category for limited equity for sale housing, where 100% of units were affordable to people at median income or less.  The motion was accepted as friendly by the maker.

 

The motion, as amended, was approved by the following vote:

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Genser, McKeown, Bloom, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            Councilmember Shriver

ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 


Councilmember Shriver stated, for the record, that while he supports the idea, he is not comfortable working without an underlying predictive analysis, and if he were to make a level of that kind of direction in his private business, he would like to have more information on what the reaction of his customers and partners might be.  He added that he has no idea of what the effect the ordinance will have.

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Genser, to direct staff to make changes to the Zoning Ordinance to accommodate changes in the State law on density bonus units.  The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote, with Councilmember Holbrook and Mayor Pro Tem Katz absent.

 

RESOLUTIONS:

11-A:   Resolution approving creation of preferential Parking Zone S B recommendation to adopt Resolution No. 10038 (CCS) entitled: AA RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA CREATING PREFERENTIAL PARKING ZONE S TO INCLUDE BERKELEY, BETWEEN COLORADO AND PENNSYLVANIA; FRANKLIN, BETWEEN COLORADO AND NEBRASKA; PENNSYLVANIA, BETWEEN STANFORD COURT AND CENTINELA; NEBRASKA, BETWEEN BERKELEY COURT AND CENTINELA; AND AMENDING RESOLUTION 9344 (CCS); and recommendation to approve the proposed budget adjustment, was presented.

 

Members of the public Robert Chavez, Mary Rushfield, John Gonzalez, Sarah Ford, Maria Provenzano, Berenice Onofre and Maria Lopez spoke in support of the recommendation.

 

Motion by Councilmember Genser, seconded by Councilmember McKeown, to adopt resolution reading by title only, and waiving further reading thereof, and approving proposed budget adjustment.  The motion was approved by the following vote:

 

AYES:             Councilmembers Bloom, McKeown, Shriver, Genser, Mayor O=Connor

NOES:            None

ABSENT:       Councilmember Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Katz

 

COUNCIL ITEMS:

 

ADULT BUSINESSES

13-A:   Request of Councilmember Bloom that the Council discuss the issue of regulation of adult businesses in the City, was presented.

 

Members of the public Eric Gabster, Jeff U=ren, and Nina Fresco spoke in support of the request.

 


Motion by Councilmember Bloom, seconded by Councilmember McKeown, to direct the City Attorney to review, as soon as possible, Santa Monica ordinances relating to adult businesses and propose revisions consistent with Council direction and community concerns; direct staff to report back on status of Lincoln corridor study; and direct the planning department to review zoning on Lincoln in the Land Use and Circulation Element update.   The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote, with Councilmember Holbrook and Mayor Pro Tem Katz absent.

 

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT

13-B:   Request of Councilmember McKeown that the Council express support for Santa Monica Municipal Employees', police officers' and firefighters' participation in "Action Day for a Better California," May 25th, and affirm our commitment to existing negotiated benefits in City worker contracts, was presented.

 

Motion by Councilmember McKeown, seconded by Councilmember Genser, to approve request.  The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote, with Councilmember Holbrook and Mayor Pro Tem Katz absent.

 

APPOINTMENTS

13-C: Special vacancy appointments to the following boards and commissions: 

 

Commission for the Senior Community, one term ending 06/30/07.

Commission on the Status of Women, one term ending 06/30/08.

Pier Restoration Corporation, one term ending 11/08/05.

 

On order of the Mayor, this matter was continued to June 14, 2005.

 

PUBLIC INPUT:

Member of the public Pro Se expressed various concerns.

 

ADJOURNMENT: 

On order of the Mayor, the City Council meeting was adjourned at 11:10 p.m.

 

ATTEST:                                                        APPROVED:

 

 

Maria M. Stewart                                           Pam O=Connor

City Clerk                                                       Mayor