CONSENT CALENDAR  Among matters not requiring extensive discussion, the Council approved the following:  final subdivision map for a 3-unit condominium project at 2316 Third Street; filing of the Big Blue Bus’s annual Short-Range Transit plan and grant applications with L.A. County M.T.A. and the Big Blue Bus’s federally mandated alcohol and anti-drug policy; a resolution authorizing the city to apply for $1.35 million in state Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods grant funds for an affordable home ownership project being developed by Community Corporation of Santa Monica at 1943-59 High Place; lease agreements for new locations with three Airport tenants (Santa Monica Acura, Collectibles Market and Spitfire Grill) displaced by Airport Park construction; contracts with Surf Academy, Beach Sports and Socceropolis for instruction of specialty sports classes and camps for the community; awarding a bid to the Santa Monica Daily Press to publish the city’s legal notices for FY 2006-07; and sale of a remnant parcel of property at 2101 Pico to the adjacent property owner.  An item on the proposed methodology for calculating the annual adjustments to the city’s affordable housing fee, as provided for in the Municipal Code, was continued to a future meeting.

ORDINANCES   

Side Yard Setback  Council held second reading and adopted an ordinance allowing modification of an R-1 side yard setback requirement in certain situations and to allow the re-division of combined parcels. 

Auto Dealership Zoning Regulations  Council held first reading of an interim ordinance extending and modify zoning regulations pertaining to auto dealerships that were adopted in March with amendments allowing dealers to be exempt from the free on-site employee parking requirement if the dealer is complying with the employer transportation provisions of the Municipal Code and has a city staff-approved shuttle plan or has an off-site parking facility on a convenient bus line and provides a transit pass; allowing use of R-1 surface lots for inventory storage if the dealer is in compliance with the original permit; and allowing a 50% discount for rooftop parking. 

Downtown Development, Design and Off-Street Parking Standards  Council held first reading of an ordinance modifying design standards for projects in the Downtown, including ground floor heights, street fronts, and landscaping, focusing on six issues raised by Council in November.  Council approved staff’s recommendation with amendments including requirements for pedestrian-oriented uses on corners in the Downtown on 6th and 7th Streets and for ground floor entries to be no less than 6” below or 12” above sidewalk average grade.  The ordinance applies to any projects for which applications are submitted by May 10, 2006 and deemed complete after June 23, 2006.  Council also directed staff to investigate the phenomenon of gated commercial parking and return with information regarding whether the spaces required by permit are actually available to the public. 

Workers Compensation Claim  Council held first reading of an ordinance to clarify that the City Manager has authority to approve Workers Compensation claims in excess of $15,000. 

Retention of Grocery Workers  Council held first reading of an ordinance requiring a transitional worker retention period when grocery stores in Santa Monica undergo a change of ownership control. 

ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED PLAN  Council held a public hearing and approved the 2006-07 Action Plan for use of Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnership Act entitlement grant funds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Council authorized staff to submit all documents required to receive CDBG and HOME grant funds totaling $3.3 million for 06-07.  The funds, reduced from previous years, are earmarked for tenant rental assistance, affordable housing, and capital projects including a new homeless access center at 505 Olympic Blvd., residential rehab program, and accessibility modifications and improvements. 

BIG BLUE BUS FACILITY EXPANSION PROJECT  Council approved an $8 million design-build contract with Morley Construction  to proceed with construction of a new maintenance building and surface parking and approved the guaranteed maximum price of $5.57 million for construction of the OPCC Access Center on the site, leaving the administration building and subterranean parking for a future phase when funding is available.  The contract with Morley and a $1.33 million contract amendment with Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabasum for preconstruction services will include identifying strategies for implementing the original facility expansion plan in a less costly manner.

DOWNTOWN PARKING PROGRAM   Council approved the proposed Downtown Parking Program, a ten-year phased strategic plan to seismically retrofit, rebuild and add parking resources, and authorized staff to proceed with implementation, including looking for land to purchase for possibly two more structures.  Staff will come back to Council for approval on each discreet action as implementation progresses, beginning with retrofit of structures 2 and 4, and Council will have flexibility to determine whether the full 1,712 parking spaces in the program are still needed down the line. 

SEGWAY  Resident Jerry Rubin asked that Segway motorized transporters be banned from the Third Street Promenade, just as bicycles and rollerblades are not allowed.  Council directed staff to look into the matter, including getting Police Department input, and to return with recommendations by information item or staff report, including recommendations for the bike path as well as the Promenade. 

COUNCILMEMBER ITEMS 

Council authorized a $5,000 06-07 budget expenditure for Santa Monica to become an official sponsor of the Local Government Commission’s 6th Annual New Partners Conference in Los Angeles in 2007; voted to oppose AB 2987 (Nuñez) which preempts local cable franchising authority, related local fee and tax authority, strips local government of right of way management and undermines Public Access, Educational and Government channel and I-net services and dilutes consumer protection standards; approved $15,000 from the Council contingency fund to support Santa Monica College’s Celebrate America fireworks display and directed that the expenditure be budgeted for in 06-07; and directed that staff review programs of cities that provide employee housing incentives for their employees, such as police and fire, to live within city boundaries and make recommendations for implementing incentives here.  Council discussed the possibility of modifying Council rules to officially allow for the placement of time certain items on the Council agenda (as has been done recently for the Homeless Update) and adding time goals to the agenda.  No revision to the Council rules was directed at this time. 

The next regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, May 23, 2006, beginning at 5:45 p.m. in the wheelchair-accessible Council Chamber at City Hall. Budget study sessions for the 2006-07 Municipal Budget will begin this evening and continue to Wednesday, May 24, also at 5:45 p.m.  [If the start time changes, the change will be posted.]  On Thursday, May 25, with the meeting starting at 5:45 p.m., the Council will consider an appeal of the 415 PCH project and amendments to the city’s Affordable Housing Production Program.

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/2006/ as soon as possible after the meeting. (Click on the May 9 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.