CONSENT CALENDAR  The Council approved the Statement of Official Action taken on April 12 denying an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of the Big Blue Bus Facility Expansion Plan and approved a final tract map for a 5-unit condominium project at 1243 Franklin St.  

STUDY SESSION  The Council received presentations on the following matters to inform their discussion at the budget study sessions scheduled for May 24, 25 and 26: 

• Status of water, wastewater, storm water and solid waste funds and rate adjustment options necessary to resolve revenue/expenditure imbalances.  Imbalances are due to such factors as user rates not matching inflation, significant cost of meeting environmental and other mandates, rising fuel costs and tipping fees.

• A proposal to amend the city’s current business license ordinance to provide a small business exemption and to lower the home business planning fee and assess it on a one-time only basis.  Council gave direction to move forward on this proposal in order to accommodate the next business license billing cycle. 

• A proposal for the Santa Monica Fire Department to become part of a regional dispatch center in response to 9/11 Commission recommendations related to resource regionalization, interoperability and unified command.  The regional center is expected to improve dispatch locally and $1.7 million in federal funding available would allow SMPD to upgrade electronic dispatch-related and communication systems.   As part of this presentation, Fire Chief Jim Hone announced the appointment of Bruce Davis as Deputy Fire Chief (replacing Bill Kolberg, who retired last month) and Jim Glew as the city’s Fire Marshal (a position he has held on an acting basis.

• In addition to these presentations, the city manager reported that the budget schedule prevented staff from returning to Council prior to the budget study sessions on the lengthy list of priorities identified by Council earlier in the process.  She noted, however, that proposals in the recommended budget (available today) do respond to many of the Council issues and staff will respond in more detail next week and will attempt to post an Information Item by week’s end on the most critical of these matters.  Staff is also looking at a budget calendar shift for next year that will allow for a meaningful dialog with Council on priority issues prior to the study sessions.

LEED CERTIFICATION  Council directed the city attorney to prepare an ordinance for expedited plan check and permit process for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) registered building projects in the city.  Such LEED-certified buildings advance goals of the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING  Having heard a presentation and taken public testimony on May 10 on the city’s Affordable Housing Production Program and possible strategies for fulfilling the goals of Proposition R, which requires 30% of all newly constructed multifamily housing each year be affordable to low and moderate income households, the Council tonight voted to increase the “in-lieu” fee to developers to a new weighted average, one number for condominiums and one for apartments.  An in-lieu fee allows a developer to contribute to the city’s housing fund rather than building affordable units on-site.  Council directed staff 1) to prepare a new on-site inclusionary housing ordinance for Council consideration that gives developers several options for building affordable housing on-site or nearby and 2) to accommodate new state law on density bonuses in the city’s housing ordinance.  Council also agendized a closed session on the matter for next week.

PREFERENTIAL PARKING ZONE S  Council approved a new preferential parking zone on six residential blocks between Nebraska and Colorado on the eastern edge of the city.

OTHER MATTERS  The Council directed the city attorney to consider and report back on options and possible revisions to the city’s ordinance regulating adult businesses and to report back on the status of the Lincoln Corridor Task Force and to ensure that, as part of the Land Use and Circulation Element update, the Planning & Community Development Department look at zoning on Lincoln Boulevard.  Council also voted to express moral support for city employees’ involvement in Action Day for a Better California on May 25, affirming the Council’s commitment to existing negotiated benefits in city worker contracts.

APPOINTMENTS  Appointments were continued to the first meeting in June.

The next regular meetings of the City Council will be budget study sessions scheduled for May 24, 25 and, if necessary, May 26, 2005, beginning at 6 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 May 17 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