The Santa Monica City Council meeting of April 26, 2005 began with presentation of a proclamation to LaVerne Ross, vice chair of the Commission for the Senior Community, declaring May 2005 as Older Americans Month in the city.  The mayor noted that Senior Day on the Promenade will be held mid-day on May 12.

The Council also presented a commendation to Lars-Ake Skager, vice lord mayor of Gothenburg, Sweden, for his long and valuable contributions to the Aspen Accord energy efficiency partnership with the City of Santa Monica.

CONSENT CALENDAR  Among items not requiring extensive discussion, the following were approved by Council:  purchase of various replacement parts and maintenance supplies for the Big Blue Bus; resolution establishing new position and classifications and salary rates; exploration by staff of potential purchase of real properties at 1222 and 1300 Fourth Street and 402-406 Santa Monica Boulevard; resolution authorizing contracting with the County of Los Angeles for meal and telephone reassurance services for elderly persons through the city’s Senior Nutrition and Recreation Program; and a contract with URS Corporation for work related to the Palisades Bluff Improvement Project and a reimbursement agreement between the city and Redevelopment Agency for the project.

CLOSED SESSION  After discussion in closed session, the following were approved by Council in open session:  $32,500 settlement of a claim against the city; $23,898 insurance settlement; and $87,783 to be paid as the city’s share of an anticipated EPA suit against hundreds of cities to clean up the Casmalia landfill.

SHAPE THE FUTURE 2025  The Council held its latest joint meeting with the Planning Commission to receive a report on the outreach and assessment steps of the city’s land use element update project and to discuss 12 themes that have emerged thus far through community input from meetings, surveys, workshops and other feedback opportunities. After discussion, the Planning Commission recommended to the Council that the emerging themes be accepted, with addition study needed on areas that did not emerge from the public discussion, including health, education and small business issues, arts and culture and regional issues.  The Council accepted that recommendation and added several other areas to be studied as well, including preservation of existing affordable housing, continued improvement of city services, open space, child care and universal access/mobility issues.  Council requested information on options for Airport planning, including residual land issues, and directed staff to provide an opportunity for the public to provide input.

 

PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DISCUSSION   Planning Commissioners and Councilmembers provided input to the city manager on qualifications, experience, characteristics and talents they feel a new Director of Planning and Community Development (to replace Suzanne Frick, who took a new position in Long Beach earlier this month) needs to perform at the high level expected of the position.   

LANDMARKS COMMISSION REQUEST  On the advice of the Landmarks Commission, the Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance reflecting proposed changes to non-substantive provisions of the Landmarks Ordinance to eliminate ambiguities and provide clarity.

APPOINTMENTS  Council continued appointments to the Commission on the Status of Women, Pier Restoration Corporation, Commission for the Senior Community to the next meeting.

COUNCILMEMBER MATTERS  Council discussed a proposal to hire a person of “sufficient expertise and stature” to focus full-time on efforts to address chronic homelessness locally and regionally for a defined period of time and to appoint an ad hoc committee of the Council to help advance regional, state and national legislative measures addressing homelessness.  Council directed the city manager to return on an expedited basis with a job description and salary recommendation for such a position that would report to her.  As part of the discussion, it was announced that the siting of a regional sobering center near Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, in a building the Council allocated funds to help secure in February, had run afoul of zoning issues and a new site is being sought.

Council voted to reaffirm the city’s interest in preserving the 310 area code and, should changes be necessary, express to the PUC a preference for a geographical split as opposed to an overlay that could require local ten-digit dialing.  Council directed staff to convey the city’s position to the PUC and to support AB 1380, protecting Santa Monica from the impacts of either an area code split or overlay.

ADJOURNMENT  The meeting was adjourned in memory of Dr. A. Ewing Konold, former principal of Santa Monica High School and past president of the Santa Monica Rotary Club who passed away in Ojai on April 17 at age 95. 

The next regular meeting of the City Council is scheduled for May 10, 2005, beginning at 5:45 p.m. in the wheelchair-accessible Council Chamber at City Hall.  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 April 26 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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Watch and listen to Santa Monica City Council meetings on the Web!

MEETING WRAP-UP ARCHIVE