December 5, 2006

ELECTION RESULTS AND INSTALLATION OF NEW OFFICERS – The evening began with the City Council adopting a resolution accepting the official canvass of the November 7 Consolidated Municipal Election.  

• Measure U passed amending the City Charter by removing department directors from Civil Service; modifying the advisory role of some Boards and Commissions related to hiring; amending certain Charter sections related to the City Clerk’s Office; and amending other sections that are no longer valid.

• Measure V passed implementing an Ocean Parcel Tax for implementation of the Santa Monica Watershed Management Plan. 

• Measure W failed leaving Charter Section XXII, commonly known as the “Oaks Initiative,” unchanged.  

• Measure Y passed making adult personal use of marijuana the lowest police enforcement priority. 

Installation ceremonies ensued for the following officers:

Santa Monica College Board of Trustees

• Nancy Greenstein

• Louise Jaffe

• David B. Finkel

• Andrew Walzer

Santa Monica – Malibu Unified School District Board of Education

• Emily Bloomfield

• Oscar de la Torre

• Kelly McMahon Pye

• Barry A. Snell

Santa Monica Rent Control Board

• Jennifer Kennedy

• Marilyn Korade-Wilson

• Zelia Mollica

Santa Monica City Council

• Kevin McKeown

• Pam O’Conner

• Bob Holbrook

ELECTION OF MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEMPORE – Council members selected Richard Bloom as Mayor and Herb Katz as Mayor Pro Tempore during the next year, with the offices rotating in 2008, when Herb Katz will be Mayor and Richard Bloom will be Mayor Pro Tempore.  

CONSENT CALENDAR – Among items not requiring discussion, Council approved the purchase of four refuse trucks; adopted a final tract map for an eight unit condominium project at 908 17th Street / 1620 Idaho Avenue; approved a contract with L.A. Cha for janitorial services on the Santa Monica Pier; amended a contract with Edmund D. Edelman for additional services as the city’s representative on homeless issues; approved additional funds for monitoring and maintenance of a gas extraction system for the old landfill at the City Yards; and approved an agreement for a sewer easement through the Holiday Inn property on Colorado Avenue.  

CLOSED SESSION SETTLEMENTS – The City Council approved an agreement with a consortium of energy companies that will allow the city to regain full control and streamline construction of a new water treatment system as part of the city’s quest to restore its drinking water. Shell, Chevron, and ExxonMobil have agreed to pay the city $131 million, which allows the city to fund the companies’ current obligations to solely construct a water treatment plant for water produced from the city’s Charnock Well Field. The money will also allow the city to pay for replacement water until the plant begins operations and to maintain and monitor regional test wells as well as perform other related tasks. 

Also announced were settlements for two trip and fall incidents, one personnel-related claim, and one case related to an accident involving a Big Blue Bus.

RESOURCES FOR CHILD CARE AND THE ARTS – Council adopted an ordinance establishing a Child Care Linkage fee which provides funds to increase the number of childcare spaces in Santa Monica in direct relation to the need created by new development. Council also adopted a Developer Cultural Arts fee which requires new commercial and multi-unit residential developments to incorporate art and cultural resources into new projects equal in value to 2% of the estimated development cost or developers can make an in-lieu payment equal to 1% of the estimated development costs to support art and cultural resources citywide.

MORE ROOMS FOR GUESTS – Council adopted an ordinance that increases the number of guest rooms that can be added to an existing hotel in the R2 and R3 Zones. This ordinance was requested by the Oceana Hotel in order to provide seven additional guest rooms through the division of existing rooms.

BANNING NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTIC – After hearing from 24 speakers, Council introduced an ordinance that would ban non-recyclable disposable plastic food service containers made from polystyrene. This ordinance would include such things as plates, bowls, cups, trays and hinged or lidded containers that are marked with #6 in the recycle logo. Single use items, such as straws and utensils as well as packaging for non-prepared foods are not included. The ban goes into effect one year from adoption and applies to establishments that provide prepared foods, such as grocery stores, restaurants, delicatessens, catering trucks and other prepared food providers. The ban is in effect immediately for city-managed, -sponsored or -permitted events.  

Alternative Car Expo - An announcement was made regarding the Alternative Car and Transportation Expo to be held Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Barker Hanger at Santa Monica Airport.  

COMMUNITY GARDENS GROWING – Council discussed alternatives for developing increased community garden opportunities, including the status of an additional 42 garden plots at Park Drive park. Additionally, the new Euclid Park includes 10 new garden plots, for a total of 52 new plots budgeted in the current fiscal year. Although these new plots will help address the waiting list for community gardens, it will not exhaust the current 80 person list. Staff will continue to explore alternatives to increasing future opportunities for community gardens including developing plots in new park projects, splitting larger plots into multiple plots and exploring opportunities on vacant land. The Council also took action banning genetically engineered plants from community gardens.  

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY – Council received the report and directed staff to file the report, as required by law.  

RESOLUTIONS – Council adopted resolutions preserving the civil service status of city employees in the City Clerk’s Office and providing an adjustment to the Assistant City Clerk’s pay.  

APPOINTMENTS - Council appointed Ursula Maria Fox and Elizabeth Wilson to the Commission for the Senior Community.  

COUNCIL MEMBER DISCUSSION ITEMS - Councilmember Katz was appointed as the alternate member to the Exposition Construction Authority Board of Directors.   

ADJOURNMENT AND NEXT MEETING - The meeting was adjourned at 10:27 p.m.  The next regular meeting of the Santa Monica City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2007 beginning at 5:45 p.m.  in the wheelchair-accessible Council Chamber at City Hall.  No other regularly scheduled Council meetings will occur in December.  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. 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://santa-monica.org/cityclerk/council/agendas/2006/ as soon as possible after the meeting. (Click on the December 5, 2006 agenda link.)