CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
Room 280A
455 North Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
1 In-person / Telephonic / Video Conference Meeting
HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
SYNOPSIS
Monday, December 15, 2025
4:00 p.m.
OPEN MEETING
4:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner Hilborne led the pledge of allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Commissioners Hilborne, Vice Chair Felsenthal, and Chair Rosenthal
Commissioners Absent:
Staff Present: Fire Chief Gregory Barton, Deputy Fire Chief Alfred Poirier, Assistant Fire Chief Trevor Richmond, EMS Division Chief Sean Stokes, Police Chief Mark Stainbrook, Police Captain Renato Moreno, Administrative Assistant Roger Askin, Management Assistant Austin Brault, and Commission Secretary Karen Gutierre
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Members of the public may address the Commission regarding any items not on the agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission. By State law, the Commission may not discuss or vote on items not on the agenda.
There was no public comment.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
With the concurrence of the Commission, the Chair may choose to amend the order of the items on the agenda.
By order of the Chair, the agenda was approved as presented.
Health and Safety Commission Regular Meeting Synopsis
December 15, 2025
2 CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Consideration of minutes from the Health and Safety Commission regular meeting on October 27, 2025.
Motion: MOVED by Commissioner Hilborne, SECONDED by Vice Chair Felsenthal approve the minutes as presented (3-0).
AYES: Commissioners Hilborne, Vice Chair Felsenthal, Chair Rosenthal ABSENT:
NOES: None
REPORTS FROM PRIORITY AGENCIES.
Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board President Rachelle Marcus and Board Member Russell Stuart shared updates on District initiatives, noting the Board’s reorganizational meeting on December 16, 2025, where leadership roles will transition.
They reported the semester is wrapping up with finals and holiday performances, highlighted recent and ongoing refurbishments of campus theaters, and shared progress on the BHHS Grand Lawn renovation, with stairs completed and new grass being installed.
Winter Break begins Friday, December 19, 2025.
Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) Captain Renato Moreno briefed the Commission on public safety trends, reporting a 20% year-to-date crime reduction—from 1,381 offenses to 1,101. He urged heightened awareness during holiday shopping and noted a recent multi-agency traffic operation that resulted in 90 stops and 75 citations. Moreno highlighted the effective use of cameras, drones, and virtual patrol in locating a missing senior citizen, ensuring her safe return to family.
Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD) - Deputy Fire Chief Alfred Poirier reported a drop in Beverly Hills incidents from September 2024 to September 2025, with notable declines in suppression and rescue/EMC calls, highlighting the department’s proactive and effective public safety approach. He outlined BHFD’s performance management strategy, emphasizing data-driven improvements in response times, training, and resource use, and announced a citywide evacuation drill in Trousdale Estates to simulate wildfire response.
CONTINUED BUSINESS
2. Review of the Beverly Hills Evacuation Preparedness Drill The Beverly Hills Fire Department reviewed the November 9, 2025 Evacuation Preparedness Drill in Trousdale Estates, which involved 68 homes and multiple agencies, including Police, Public Works, and partner organizations. Fifteen households participated, representing 35 individuals. The drill was deemed highly successful, highlighting the importance of unified command, clear communication, and ongoing training. Additional drills are planned for other areas of the City.
Health and Safety Commission Regular Meeting Synopsis
December 15, 2025
3 NEW BUSINESS
3. Suicide Prevention, Warning Signs, and Risk Factors
This item was postponed to a later date.
4. BH Wellness Network Program
The Beverly Hills Fire Department shared an update on the Wellness Network Program, which offers residents financial protection during medical emergencies. For an annual $90 household fee, the program reduces or eliminates out-of-pocket costs for BHFD paramedic and ambulance services, covering all family members at the same address. Benefits include EMS coverage within City limits, transport to local hospitals, and a $150 discount for uninsured residents. Enrollment is simple, and the program helps reduce financial burdens while supporting community safety.
5. 2025 Health and Safety Commission Accomplishments
The Commission reviewed 2025 accomplishments, highlighting key initiatives such as the Second Annual Social Media Safety Day, ongoing support for mental health, emergency preparedness, and wellness, and expanded community outreach in partnership with the City’s Communications Office. A comprehensive summary was included in the meeting packet.
6. 2025 Outgoing Chair and Vice Chair
The Commission recognized Chair Rosenthal and Vice Chair Felsenthal for their leadership over the past year. Chief Barton thanked them for guiding community resilience and health efforts. Chair Rosenthal received a plaque from the City in appreciation of her service.
7. Honoring Outgoing Health and Safety Commissioner Lee Hilborne, MD, MPH The Commission honored outgoing Commissioner Dr. Lee Hilborne, who served since 2020, including as Vice Chair in 2022 and Chair in 2023. Chair Rosenthal praised his leadership and contributions to initiatives such as the Climate Action Plan, Day of Wellness, melanoma prevention, the Health and Safety Recognition Program, and multiple emergencypreparedness efforts.
PROJECT UPDATES
None
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION
Chair’s Report –
- Chair Rosenthal attended December 8, 2025, Mayor’s Cabinet Meeting. Commissioner Items –
- Commissioner Hilborne reflected on his service, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Beverly Hills and for the support from fellow commissioners, staff, and City departments. He highlighted programs such as the Nurse Practitioner Program, Homeless Outreach, and Just in Case BH, and noted his pride in serving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hilborne wished the Health and Safety Commission Regular Meeting Synopsis
December 15, 2025
4 Commission well as it transitions to its new structure and affirmed his commitment to remain active in the community.
- Vice Chair Felsenthal expressed gratitude to the community for its engagement and partnership. She highlighted the Commission’s work in promoting health awareness, disaster preparedness, mental wellness, and safety education, as well as initiatives like Social Media Safety Day and the Day of Wellness. Felsenthal thanked City agencies, staff, and residents for their support and concluded by noting her pride in all that has been accomplished together.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM STAFF
Director’s Report –
- Staff noted the transition as the Health and Safety Commission merges with the Human Relations Commission to form the new Health and Human Relations Commission. Commissioners Rosenthal and Felsenthal will continue their terms, ensuring continuity. The Commission recognized all members with sunset acknowledgments and expressed appreciation to emeritus members Dr. Lee Hilborne, Vice Chair Erica Felsenthal, and Chair Helena Rosenthal for their service. Health and Safety Related Supplemental Information:
1. Beverly Hills Police Department Metrics (October and November 2025; December 1-7th, 2025) and Media Release - Celebrate the Holiday Season Responsibly
2. Beverly Hills Fire Department Metrics (November 2024 and 2025)
3. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Newsletter December 2025
4. Just In Case BH Annual Report of Activities 2025
5. Health and Human Relations Commission and 2026 Meeting Dates
6. Beverly Hills Fire Department Human Services Division Drop-In Consultations Now Available
7. Beverly Hills Fire Department Human Services Contact Car
8. Blue Can Water – Product Information
9. Holiday Fire Safety
10. Health Awareness Month
11. Winter Weather Safety
12. Suicide Prevention
ADJOURNMENT
Date / Time: December 15, 2025 / 5:15 p.m.
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
455 North Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Room 280A
In-Person / Telephonic / Video Conference Meeting
TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING
SYNOPSIS
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
9:00 AM
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Date/Time: January 6, 2026 / 9:07 AM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Commissioners Karric, Kamara and Afra-Maghen (arrived at 9:16 AM), Vice Chair Schwartz, Chair Geller
Commissioners Absent: None
Staff Present: Edgar Arroyo, Jessie Holzer Carpenter, Martha Eros, Daren Grilley, Lieutenant Eugene Kim, Ilene Knebel
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Members of the public may address the Commission regarding any items on the Agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission. By State law, the Commission may not discuss or vote on items not on the agenda.
Public Comment: None.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
By order of the Chair the Agenda was approved as presented.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Consideration of Minutes
Consideration of Minutes of the Traffic and Parking Commission regular meeting of December 4, 2025.
Motion: MOVED by Commissioner Karric, SECONDED by Commissioner Kamara to approve the consent calendar item as presented (4/0).
AYES: Commissioners Karric, Kamara, Vice Chair Schwartz, Chair Geller ABSTAIN: None.
NOES: None.
CARRIED
Traffic and Parking Commission Special Meeting Synopsis January 6, 2026
REPORTS FROM PRIORITY AGENCIES
Police Department Report
Lieutenant Eugene Kim updated the Commission on a DUI saturation event during the month of December. He also provided an update on BHPD’s participation in a large-scale enforcement event in Beverly Hills, involving 5 different agencies. From that enforcement event, they initiated 90 traffic stops and wrote 75 citations. The citation violations were varied. Regarding parking, he reported that during the month of December, there was a 28% rise in the number of parking citations issued compared with December 2024 with a collective rise of 46% over 2025.
Commissioner Karric asked about the specifics of the violations. Commissioner Kamara noted the increase in speeding citations and asked if there is a specific location that is identified for additional enforcement. Vice Chair Schwartz acknowledged the significant increase in hit-and-run non-injury collisions, as well as the reduction in red light citations. Vice Chair Schwartz and Chair Geller both mentioned the increase in citations for modified exhaust.
Planning Quarterly Report
Senior Planner Edgar Arroyo updated the Commission on several items. The City is processing 14 Builder’s Remedy applications that were submitted before the Housing Element was adopted and certified by the State. Of those, seven have been approved by the Planning Commission, and several are on appeal, including 9229 Wilshire, 8844 Wilshire, and 232 Tower Drive. The Planning Commission will also hear another Builder’s Remedy project for the property at 214-216 Hamilton Drive at its January 22nd meeting.
Senate Bill (SB) 79 was adopted by the State last year and allows for denser, taller development near transit areas, overriding local zoning. It takes effect in July of this year. At the January 21, 2026 City Council meeting, Council will consider a transit-oriented development approach that would allow density normally applied within a quarter-mile of transit to be dispersed up to a halfmile and will review a potential plan for how that density could be distributed across planning areas.
On November 12, 2025, City Council adopted an ordinance limiting participation in the City’s Preferential Parking Program for projects that utilize State programs allowing parking reductions.
Those projects are now ineligible. The ordinance took effect on December 13, 2025, and is currently being implemented for future projects.
Finally, construction at the site of One Beverly Hills will pause from January 9 through July 12, 2026 due to the Golden Globe event, but will resume after the event.
Commissioner Karric inquired about the parking maximums for SB79. Commissioner Kamara asked about Builders Remedy and the appeal process.
Monthly Educational Speaker Series
Transportation Planner Martha Eros introduced Andrew Maximous, Mobility and Traffic Engineering Manager for the City of Culver City. He provided a detailed overview of the process to plan, design, and construct the Robertson Boulevard Complete Streets Project in Culver City, which began in January 2024 and concluded with the project opening in October 2025.
Traffic and Parking Commission Special Meeting Synopsis January 6, 2026
Located on a small segment of Robertson Boulevard between Washington Boulevard and the Los Angeles city limit, the project serves as a vital first-last mile link to the Culver City E Line (Expo) Metro Station by adding bus bays for the bus layover, protected bike lanes, and closure of a slip lane to improve pedestrian safety. The final design was developed through multiple rounds of community input and represents a "best-of" hybrid of five different concepts, balancing the needs of transit, cyclists, and local business owners.
Commissioner Kamara commented on the harmony of the project and inquired about the decision to maintain on-street parking. Commissioner Afra Maghen inquired about the bike lanes on the sidewalk and any potential conflicts with pedestrians that have occurred and Vice Chair Schwartz noted observations regarding pedestrians walking in the bike lanes on North Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Commissioner Karric asked about the traffic volumes on this segment and the impacts of removing the slip lane and complimented the yield signage installed for cyclists.
Chair Geller voiced her appreciation for the presentation.
CONTINUED BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Request for Approval of All-way Stop Control at Whitworth Drive/Oakhurst Drive Transportation Planner Jessie Holzer Carpenter outlined a proposal to convert the intersection of Whitworth Drive and Oakhurst Drive to all-way stop control. The City received multiple community requests for all-way stop control due to the high number of pedestrians (including students traveling to Hillel Hebrew Academy), speeding on Whitworth Drive, limited visibility for north-south drivers on Oakhurst Drive, and frequent property-damage-only collisions observed by residents. The City completed a traffic study to review potential all-way stop control and determined the intersection meets several State criteria that may be considered for establishment. Because the centerline on Whitworth Drive divides the jurisdictional boundaries of Beverly Hills (North side) and Los Angeles (South side), implementation would require coordination with LADOT, which has indicated the project meets their guidelines. The Commission was asked to make a motion and vote on whether or not to approve all-way stop control at Whitworth Drive and Oakhurst Drive.
Public Comment: Public comments were read from Alexis Nagler and Rick Corcoran.
The Commissioners unanimously agreed with the staff recommendation.
Motion: MOVED by Commissioner Kamara, SECONDED by Commissioner Afra Maghen to approve the staff recommendation of an all way stop control at Whitworth Drive and Oakhurst Drive (5/0).
AYES: Commissioners Karric, Kamara, Afra Maghen, Vice Chair Schwartz, Chair Geller
ABSTAIN: None.
NOES: None.
CARRIED
Traffic and Parking Commission Special Meeting Synopsis January 6, 2026
3. Intersection Safety Studies
Transportation Planner Jessie Holzer Carpenter provided a presentation that summarized a proactive safety study conducted by the Public Works Department in coordination with the Police Department. Using AI-driven video analytics, the City analyzed 24 hours of footage at three highcollision intersections – Robertson/Wilshire, Charleville/Wilshire, and Beverly/Carmelita – to identify the specific driver behaviors leading to "near misses" and other safety issues. The study revealed that despite different street layouts, common driver behaviors persist at all three intersections. The City will use this data to move beyond police enforcement by implementing infrastructure interventions (context-sensitive countermeasures) that "self-enforce" safer driving and evaluating the changes to see if additional interventions are needed.
Commissioner Karric commented on the profound effect of seeing the traffic conflicts in the videos, rather than only using hypothetical examples. Commissioner Kamara commented on the proactive approach of installing cameras and collecting data and suggested increasing the green phase at some turn signals. Vice Chair Schwartz spoke about right turn arrows and the need for consistent enforcement. Chair Geller asked for updates on the projects and suggested a possible green left turn arrow at the Wilshire/Robertson intersection.
PROJECT UPDATES AND FOLLOW-UP ITEMS
4. Project Updates and Follow-up Items
Transportation Planner Jessie Holzer Carpenter reported on the City Council decision to maintain the temporary traffic circles on Clifton at Arnaz, Willaman, and Le Doux for at least six months after the Metro opens to evaluate changes to traffic patterns. Staff were also directed to remove the temporary curb extensions on Clifton at Hamel and Stanley due to the maintenance challenges, aesthetic concerns, and the significant cost to upgrade to permanent materials. City Council also approved the construction contract for the pedestrian crossing at Robertson/Gregory and Olympic between Wetherly and Almont.
Commissioner Karric inquired about the opening of the Metro D (Purple) Line.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION
5. Chair’s Report
Chair Geller will attend the January 12, 2026 Mayor’s Cabinet Meeting.
Commissioner Karric commented on the Intersection Safety Studies report, asking if signal changes would be done at the three intersections studied or if there are other projects being planned. Commissioner Afra Maghen inquired about parking spaces in front of businesses and what to do if the valet is taking up more spaces than they are allotted.
For inquiries about parking meters and changes, the public can email [email protected] or call 310-285-1000.
The Commission will discuss changes to the April and August meeting dates on the calendar.
Traffic and Parking Commission Special Meeting Synopsis January 6, 2026
COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF
6. Department Report
Assistant Director/City Engineer Daren Grilley acknowledged the Chair and Vice Chair rotation, the upcoming document shredding event this coming Sunday at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market, and the Golden Globe Awards and possible traffic impacts, taking place Sunday evening.
The next Traffic and Parking Commission Meeting will take place on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM.
ADJOURNMENT
Date / Time: January 6, 2026 / 10:34 AM