The Santa Monica City Council began the meeting of January 25, 2005 with Mayor O’Connor commenting on the successful, well-attended Shape the Future 2025 kick-off workshop on Saturday, January 22, reminding the community that only three councilmembers could attend due to Brown Act restrictions, and encouraging people in the community to get involved and stay informed about the land use and circulation element update project as it proceeds over the next two years.  To learn more, visit www.shapethefuture2025.org.

CONSENT CALENDAR  Among matters not requiring extensive discussion, the following were approved by Council:  a contract with the Metropolitan Water District to provide rebates to businesses that install water efficiency devices; donation of a fire turnout suit to Local 1109 IAFF to be used in union safety campaigns; and a contract for demolition of the rear portion of property at 1657 Ocean Avenue.

CLOSED SESSION  The Council voted in open session to take the following actions that had been discussed earlier in the evening in closed session:  settle a serious bus accident case against the city for $500,000; settle a case related to a suicide committed in the City Jail for $125,000; settle a personnel case for $103,222; settle a dispute regarding a permit application date by agreeing to process a condominium project application in accordance with provisions of a prior ordinance; and settle a second permitting dispute related to a commercial development on Colorado Ave. by agreeing to schedule a public hearing on a potential development agreement for the project.

ORDINANCES  The Council held second reading and adopted an interim ordinance extending an ordinance permitting furniture, landscaping and cigarette disposal receptacles in the public right of way.  The Council also held first reading on ordinances extending an interim ordinance waiving development standards for “bootleg” units and extending an interim ordinance clarifying when business establishments that cease operating for certain periods of time must obtain new alcohol CUPs.  Finally, the Council adopted an emergency ordinance amending the Municipal Code to correct the inadvertent deletion of recent amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. 

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (D.A.) FOR SANTA MONICA PLACE  The Macerich Company presented its proposal for replacing Santa Monica Place with a new mixed commercial-retail-residential development, a proposal that has been hotly debated in the community and at the Planning Commission.  After hearing from the public and discussing the matter, Council directed staff to begin working with Macerich on a public/private partnership approach to remaking Santa Monica Place under a development agreement, with certain guiding principles and including analysis and advice from a financial consultant, and specific direction to return with a plan for integrating public input into a decision-making process facilitated by a consultant paid for by the developer and on an expedited timetable.  Council also adopted a resolution of intent to move forward with the adoption process for the Civic Center Specific Plan, keeping the areas north of Colorado in the plan; and authorized appointment of another Planning Commissioner to the Civic Center Working Group.

MIDYEAR BUDGET REVIEW This item was continued to the February 8 Council meeting as the first item on the agenda.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS  Jill Chapin addressed the Council regarding issuing citations to advertisers that distribute fliers and leaflets upon residential property and Council directed that staff return with information in addition to that provided in the Information Item.  The Council heard from a representative of Kai Restaurant on Ocean Avenue asking for assistance to maintain the restaurant’s outdoor patio awning.

APPOINTMENTS  The Council appointed Joel Brand to the Pier Restoration Corporation Board, Lynn Robb to the Architectural Review Board, and Matthew Swanlund to the Arts Commission and accepted with regret Amanda Sher’s letter of resignation from the Commission on the Status of Women.

OTHER MATTERS  The Council authorized city co-sponsorship of a community presentation of the results of the recently released RAND Corporation study "California's K -12 Public Schools - How Are They Doing?" which addresses the decline in student performance and State of California support to education during the post-Proposition 13 period, and further authorized Mayor O’Connor and Councilmember Bloom to participation in the presentation.

The next regular meeting of the City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, February 8, 2005 beginning at 5:45 p.m. in the wheelchair-accessible Council Chamber at City Hall, 1685 Main Street. Council meetings are aired live on CityTV Channel 16 and on the Netcast on the city's website and, for regularly scheduled meetings from 8 p.m. to midnight on KCRW 89.9 FM.

NOTE:  This wrap-up is not an official record of Council action.  The official record is posted by the City Clerk on this website at http://www.smgov.net/cityclerk/council/agendas/2005/ as soon as possible after the meeting.  (Click on the January 25 agenda link.)

SPECIAL NOTE:  Council meetings are now video streamed on the web  (http://santamonica.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2) and re-aired on CityTV2 cable channel 20.

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MEETING WRAP-UP ARCHIVE