Council Meeting Wrap-Up
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September 13, 2005 At the beginning of its meeting, the City Council heard a presentation and update on homeless services, including a U. S. Housing & Urban Development Department grant award of $717,150, the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition Success Breakfast to be held on Sept. 23, and a new services model that provides immediate access to housing. CONSENT CALENDAR The following items not requiring extensive discussion were approved: several final parcel maps; a contract amendment for additional Planning Department services with Civic Solutions, Inc.; a contract for the design of the Rapid 3 bus shelters with Amphion, Inc.; consulting services with Environ International Corporation in conjunction with work to restore drinking water production from the Charnock Well Field; a grant of funds for water-efficient Garden Project outreach from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in the amount of $25,000; a contract with ROD Builders, Inc. to perform restoration work on City Hall as part of the recently demolished former police building; authorization for the Director of Planning and Community Development to comment to the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control on the transfer of existing off-sale alcohol licenses; a contract with Rho-Chem to perform hazardous waste management and transportation services; the purchase of five plug-in, hybrid-electric shuttle buses from E-Bus, Inc.; and a contract for financial services with Kelling, Norcross & Nobriga and CSG Advisor. Legal services contracts with Palmer & Dodge, LLP, on Santa Monica Airport matters, and Kane, Ballmer & Berkman on redevelopment and parking authority matters, were held over to September 27, for staff to add “not to exceed limits” to each of the contracts. ORDINANCES Council heard second readings and adopted an ordinance amending the Municipal Code to allow existing commercial industrial uses to renew conditional use permits that do not contain time limits; and an interim ordinance extending and adjusting the modifications to fence, wall and hedge standards, hedge definition and grandparenting existing nonconforming hedges, fences and walls. The interim ordinance includes administrative procedures. Introduced for first reading were ordinances modifying the time periods relating to the erection of unattended structures on Palisades Park, primarily to respond to when certain holiday observances occur each year; and setting the FY 2005-06 tax rate for the 1990 and 2002 Library General Obligation Bonds. Following extensive public input, Council discussed an ordinance modifying the development and design standards in the Downtown and gave direction to staff to return with an ordinance that responds to the following points: 1) minimum height to ground floors (18 feet on the Promenade and 15 feet in other Downtown areas); 2) that there be a differential between the ground floor and upper floors, achieved through a range of methods, including materials and changes of plane; 3) reduce landscape requirements so as not to negatively impact business and pedestrian orientation; 4) enhance the pedestrian environment by minimizing curb cuts and encouraging parking access to come from alleys, rather than from streets; 5) standardize parking requirements to encourage small neighborhood-serving businesses; and 6) address the concerns expressed about the treatment of developments next to historic structures. Staff will also confirm that houses of worship are not negatively impacted. Council also heard input and approved first reading of an ordinance restricting parking along Lincoln Boulevard for the creation of a bus-only lane during peak traffic periods. STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS Council heard input and postponed consideration of modification to the policies and guidelines for extended licensing of portion of the 1550 beach parking lot that would extend the period of leasing certain portions of the lot during off-season, directing staff to report at the next Council meeting after conducting more outreach. Council approved termination of the contracts with Valley Economic Development Center for fiscal services for the Main Street and the Pico Improvement Organization business improvement districts, and authorized contracts with the Main Street BID to administer its own funds and with Weil & Company to administer the funds of the Pico Improvement Organization BID. Council also considered and approved for Fiscal Year 2005/06 the annual budget and plan of work for the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation, and the annual budget, operations and marketing plan for the Bayside District Corporation. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Council heard a request that staff be directed to study the feasibility of adopting and implementing a ranked voting system for filling more than one seat in Santa Monica municipal elections. Council directed staff to review what other cities are doing, including the November election in San Francisco, and report back in early 2006. APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS Council made the following appointments:
Other appointments were held over. OTHER MATTERS Council held over a request from Councilmember Bloom that the city support AB352 (Koretz), Firearm Microstamping. At the request of Councilmembers Bloom and Holbrook, staff provided information and recommendations on lessons learned from the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and reported on relief efforts and various means by which Santa Monicans have provided and can still provide assistance to the areas affected by the disaster. Council heard from John Pacheco of the Santa Monica Chapter of the Red Cross, city Fire Chief Jim Hone and city Emergency Services Coordinator Paul Weinberg. Among the important lessons learned: 1) Responses should be made to official governmental requests for assistance and to those from agencies such as the Red Cross; and 2) Katrina is a reminder that, while California agencies are well-trained in emergency services, residents must be prepared to sustain themselves for the initial period (at least 72 hours) following an event. Council approved Councilmember McKeown’s request that the city strongly oppose Propositions 74, 75 and 76 on the state’s November 8 special election ballot, and urged Santa Monicans to register and vote to protect the educational gains made by our school district that have been supported by the city. Council announced that the public design workshops for the rehabilitation of 415 Pacific Coast High property, developed in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst for actress Marion Davies, will be held October 1 and 2 on the site. The revitalization of 415 PCH as a public beach facility is made possible by a generous gift from the Annenberg Foundation at the recommendation of Wallis Annenberg, and in partnership with the City of Santa Monica and California State Parks. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Council adjourned in memory of the victims of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. The next regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, 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 September 13 agenda link.) SPECIAL NOTE:
Council meetings are now video streamed on the web
CITY COUNCIL NETCAST!
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10/17/2007