1 THESE MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL,
CULVER CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD,
CULVER CITY PARKING AUTHORITY,
REDEVELOPMENT FINANCING AUTHORITY,
AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING OF THE July 10, 2023
CITY COUNCIL, CULVER CITY 7:00 p.m.
HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD,
CULVER CITY PARKING AUTHORITY,
REDEVELOPMENT FINANCING AUTHORITY, AND
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
Mayor Vera called the regular meeting of the City Council, Culver City Housing Authority Board, Culver City Parking Authority, Redevelopment Financing Authority, and Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board to order at 5:41 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Chambers at City Hall and via Webex.
Mayor Vera announced that at least a portion of the consolidated meeting would be conducted pursuant to California Government Code Section 54953 in that Council Member Eriksson would be participating by speaker phone, in accordance with the Ralph M.
Brown Act and his teleconferenc e location had been identified in the notice and agenda for the meeting.
Present: Albert Vera, Mayor
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Vice Mayor
Göran Eriksson, Council Member
Freddy Puza, Council Member
Dan O’Brien, Council Member
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk received clarification from Council Member Eriksson that he could hear the meeting clearly; he had a copy of the agenda for the meeting; a copy of the agenda was posted at his location; there were no members of the public present at Council Member Eriksson’s location; she asked any July 10, 2023
2 member of the City Council to speak up if they were not able to hear Council Member Eriksson and no Council Member indicated that they could not hear Council Member Eriksson, nor did they indicate that there was any reason to doubt that was Council Member Eriksson taking part in the teleconference; and she indicated that all votes would be taken by roll call during the meeting.
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Closed Session
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, reported no requests to speak on Closed Session items.
MOVED BY MAYOR VERA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, CULVER CITY HOUSING
AUTHORITY BOARD, CULVER CITY PARKING AUTHORITY, REDEVELOPMENT
FINANCING AUTHORITY, AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION.
At 5:45 p.m. the City Council, Culver City Housing Authority Board, Culver City Parking Authority , Redevelopment Financing Authority, and Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board adjourned to Closed Session to consider the following Closed Session Items:
CS-1 CC - Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation Re: Arcadia, et al. v. Southern California Edison
Case No. 20CV02026
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
CS-2 CC - Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation Re: Griest, Michelle v. City of Culver City
Case No. 22SMCV02435
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
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Regular Session
Mayor Vera reconvened the regular meeting of the City Council, Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Redevelopment Financing Authority, Culver City Housing
Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority at 7:00 p.m. with five Council Members present (Council Member Eriksson present via Webex).
July 10, 2023
3 o0o
Recognition Presentations
Item R-1
Presentation of a Proclamation Designating July as “Parks Make Life Better!” Month
Council Member O’Brien presented the Proclamation in honor of July as “Parks Make Life Better!” Month.
Palvi Mohammed, Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) Commission Chair, thanked the City Council for the proclamation on behalf of the PRCS Department; thanked staff and volunteer s for their dedication and hard work to make sure the parks are available and welcoming to everyone; and he acknowledged vendors who provide classes to the community.
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Item R-2
A Proclamation in Honor of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Mu Lambda Omega Chapter ( AKA MLO) in Celebration of Their 45th Anniversary in Culver City
Vice Chair McMorrin presented the Proclamation in Honor of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Mu Lambda Omega Chapter ( AKA MLO) in Celebration of Their 45th Anniversary in Culver City.
Andrea Hancock Crear, Mu Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, expressed appreciation for the acknowledgement and discussed their roots in the City and service to the community.
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Presentations
Item P-1
Receive a Presentation to the City Council by The Honorable, Ted Lieu, Member of the House of Representatives, 36th District
Ted Lieu, Congressman, reported that due to redistricting, he now represented the portion of Culver City w est of the 405 freeway noting that he shared jurisdiction with Sydney Kamlager July 10, 2023
4 Dove; indicated being pleased to be working with the City; he discussed constituent services; submitting a project to mitigate the harms of excess storm water in the City; and he encouraged anyone experiencing problems with a federal agency to contact his office.
Mayor Vera thanked Congressman Lieu and presented him with a plaque of appreciation for his efforts to support Culver City.
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Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Vera led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Mayor Vera announced that at least a portion of the consolidated meeting would be conducted pursuant to California Government Code Section 54953 in that Council Member Eriksson would be participating by speaker phone, in accordance with the Ralph M.
Brown Act and his teleconference location had been identified in the notice and agenda for the meeting.
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Report on Action Taken in Closed Session
None.
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Community Announcements by Members/Information Items from Staff
Council Member Puza reported that July was Disability Pride Month; discussed the anniversary of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA); and he invited everyone to attend the Olympics Kickoff meeting on July 22 at Vets Memorial.
Council Member O’Brien was looking forward to seeing people at the Olympics Charette on July 22; discussed community
participation in the visioning process; he reported riding his bike around town and visiting Culver City block parties; and discussed the fireworks show.
Council Member Eriksson repo rted that he and former Mayor Jim Clarke had met with leadership in Sister City, Udevalla Sweden.
July 10, 2023
5 Vice Mayor McMorrin expressed appreciation for the
announcements; reported graduating from the People for the American Way Young Elected Officials Young Wome n’s Fellowship program; discussed community members who gathered to protest against recent Supreme Court decisions; the 14th Amendment; and she noted that July is National Minority Health Awareness month.
Mayor Vera reported presenting a 99 th Birthday certificate to Culver City resident Donald Mann.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, announced that all votes would be taken via voice vote since Council Member Eriksson is
participating online.
Jason Sims, Police Chief, announced that applications were being accepted for the Citizen’s Police Academy.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, conducted a roll call noting that all Members were present and she reported difficulties with the online request to speak form noting that chats could be sent to the Deputy City Clerk or by seeing the City Clerk Specialist in the lobby.
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Information Items
Item I-1
CC – Update on Homelessness Emergency (Including Project Homekey, Safe Camping, and Other Housing Programs)
Tevis Barnes, Housing and H uman Services Director, discussed results of the 2023 Annual Homeless Count released by the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA); reasons for the Count; funding; Service Planning Areas (SPAs); she indicated that staff hoped to bring LAHSA and USC (University of Southern California) to provide a presentation to review the numbers, the methodology, and their conclusions; she provided an update on Project Homekey noting that a temporary Certificate of Occupancy was anticipated to be issued on July 17, 2023; she provided an update on Safe Sleep Culver City; discussed service providers and operators for the sites; the onboarding process for staff; transition of motel residents to the Safe Sleep or Project Homekey site; and the staggered move-in.
July 10, 2023
6 Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding storage lockers for personal possessions; coordination with Parks, Recreation and Community Services ( PRCS); bike racks; staffing for Exodus and Urban Alchemy; concern with the effect of signage about cleanings posted prior to the Annual Count; changing in housing capacity for the City in terms of units offered; information for people to request outreach posted on the City website; concern with calls made on the weekend; shortening the response time; climate crisis; providing support on hot days; cooling centers; clarification that email is addressed during nights and weekends; limited hours for the outreach team; the inability to provide outreach on Sundays; providing sufficient information for the outreach team; availability of motel rooms for people to use to get out of the heat or cold; information available at
culvercity.org/homelessness; partnerships with the Culver City Police Department (CCPD) and Culver City Fire Department (CCFD) for afterhours assistance; and appreciation to staff for their dedicated efforts.
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Joint Public Comment – Items NOT on the Agenda
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
David Metzler discussed the City policy to replace any tree removed from a parkway with two trees; the value of the tree canopy; the need for a policy for protected bike lane
infrastructure; the safety of residents and commuters; concern with moving farther away from the goal of providing a protected network for Culver City; and he asked the City Council to look at ways to replace and expand protected bikeways and have them built before the end of the fiscal year.
Stephen Jones discussed promises about housing people by April; number of people placed into housing; posting signage about an encampment sweep just before the Annual Homeless Count; lack of public accounting for the help or harm of actions taken; people who were not counted; ensuring that such mistakes are not made again; and the need for answers for the unhoused terrorized about displacement.
Bubba Fish amplified calls for a protected bicycle network; discussed the unprecedented step of removing a protected bike July 10, 2023
7 lane; the inability to safely travel from the north to the south of the City; he asked that funding for the Overland and Fox Hills project be expedited and that the .2 mile gap be connected; discussed safety implications of the design; speed limit on the corridor; AB43 (Assembly Bill 43) ; the ability of cities to reduce speed limits; and the actions of other cities.
Travis Morgan reported attending the memorial for Jackie Moser who was struck and killed in a legal crosswalk one year ago noting that nothing had changed during that time ; he proposed that the City Council agendize a fast track plan to find funding to start construction on the project that has been delayed over 6 years; discussed realignment of MOVE Culver City; and the need to fund safety improvements in Fox Hills and along the Overland corridor.
Mayor Vera received City Council consensus from Vice Mayor McMorrin and Council Members O’Brien and Puza to agendize consideration of fast-tracking implementation of protected bike lanes.
Mary Daval thanked Public Works for installing two new
crosswalks and stop signs at the intersection of Braddock and Lafayette; discussed providing additional safety to vulnerable residents and school children; the death of Jackie Moser in a crosswalk; the Fox Hills Mobility Plan; and she felt that the pending north/south route on Overland should be prioritized as well.
Jeff Schw artz noted opposition to the release of landlord information; he felt that the City should publish complain ts and that landlords should be given grades like restaurants; discussed other professions held accountable; bad faith arguments from those who oppos e regulation; ACLU (Americans Civil Liberties Union) documentation indicating police
departments in California that have illegally shared automatic license plate reader data with police and states that have abortion bans; concern that the City chose to trust Jason Sims and the salesman from Flock; he asked the City to cancel the program to protect the privacy and safety of people who come through Culver City; and he pointed out that the Police Chief could be fired for lying.
Melissa Sanders asked that the City look at repurposing empty commercial spaces for below -market housing in Culver City and she did not want to hear about MOVE Culver City anymore.
July 10, 2023
8 Jeanne Black indicated that mailers were being set out to specific people to solicit feedback for the Baldwin Hills Health Assessment and Environmental Justice Study and should not be discarded as junk mail; discussed gift cards provided; data collection; and she indicated that additional information had been sent to Council Members and was available by calling the Study Coordinator.
Adrien Killigrew reported working for a mobility company providing e-cargo bikes; expressed support for additional bike lanes in the City; discussed families already signed up; the number of forecasted users; Culver City as a key location; and he indicated he would be announcing plans for the official launch party in a few weeks.
Disa Lindgren discussed a recent court ruling prohibiting cities from forcing the homeless off the streets when they have failed to provide shel ter; the new Anti -Camping ordinance; the fact that being unhoused is not a crime; the need to focus on new funding opportunities for additional projects; she asked that additional properties be identified for conversion to permanent supportive housing; and noted the need to take action in order to apply for new funding.
Nancy Barba was called to speak but did not respond.
Judy Sherman discussed a community service project by Antioch University in partnership with the Fox Hills Neighborhood Association and thanked Russell Thornhill of Antioch for his leadership.
Jack Galanty discussed length of the construction process on the Culver City Median Project; difficulty accessing Sepulveda using the protected bike lane ; and lack of signage indicating that the bike lane is closed.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding addressing sinkholes that developed beneath the roadway; road repairs; and plans to conclude the project within the next month or two.
Jim Shanman indicated that flyers were available at the back of Council Chambers for a meeting on the Metro Active Transport Program at Helms Bakery on July 1 3 to provide input on safety and access within a half mile radius of the Expo Station , and he discussed upcoming Safe Routes to School activities.
July 10, 2023
9 Art Nomura discussed creation of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan in 2010; piecemeal improvements; lack of improvement to the overall network; inadequate Overland bike lanes and the isolation of Fox Hills from the City center; lack of
connectivity for cyclists and other transportation users; and he asked that the City take plans that have been discussed endlessly and implement them as soon as possible.
Rebecca Mirvish expressed appreciation for the agreement to agendize prioritization of a north/south protected bicycle corridor along Overland; discussed the inability to cross the City safely; the isolation of the Fox Hills neighborhood; equity; righting the wrongs of the City’s redlined past; making the streets accessible for everyone; the decision made to spend millions of dollars ripping out protected bike lanes; the power of the City to make the streets less dangerous; continued calls for impro vements while people die on the streets; and the current dangerous conditions.
Joan Davidson discussed the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 423; negation of CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act); loss of meaningful authority by the Coastal Commission; p assage of high density bills by selling them as affordable housing; she asserted that the units would not help the homeless problem which would continue to skyrocket; and she asked that the City support the Neighborhood Voices state initiative at
ourneighborhoodvoices.com.
Karim Sahli was called to speak but did not respond.
Maria Jacobo discussed the viability of an RFP (Request for Proposals) about raising the minimum wage and she asked that the Chamber of Commerce and small businesses be included in the decision.
Nancy Barba indicated that she did not wish to speak.
Karim Sahli discussed threats from climate change; the need to make changes; and he asked that the protected bike lane network be expanded.
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Receipt and Filing of Correspondence
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY MAYOR VERA AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE CORRESPONDENCE.
July 10, 2023
10 o0o
Order of the Agenda
Item P-1 was heard before the Pledge of Allegiance, and Items C-8, C-9 and C-15 were considered separately.
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Consent Calendar
Item C-1
CC:HA:SA - Approval of Cash Disbursements for June 17, 2023 to June 30, 2023
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL , HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD, AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD: APPROVE CASH
DISBURSEMENTS FOR JUNE 17, 2023 TO JUNE 30, 2023.
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Item C-2
CC:HA:PA:SA - Approval of Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting Held on June 26, 2023
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL , HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD, PARKING
AUTHORITY, AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD: APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON JUNE 26, 2023.
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Item C-3
CC - (1) Approval of On -Call Professional Services Agreements with the Following Firms to Support the City's Capital
Improvement Program, from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2028, with Compensation for On-Call Services to be Determined on a Task by Task Basis and Br ought to Council for Approval when Exceeding the Purchasing Authority: Fourteen General Civil Engineering Firms (KOA Corporation, KPFF, Inc., NV5, Inc., Chris Nelson & Associates, Inc., CWE, RTI Consulting Inc., Willdan Engineering, Kimley-Horn and Associa tes, Inc., Tool Design Group, LLC, Transtech Engineers, Inc., John M. Cruikshank Consultants, Inc., July 10, 2023
11 Kruezer Consulting Group, NCE, and Kabbara Engineering); Seven Traffic Engineering Firms (Alta Planning & Design, Interwest, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., KOA Corporation, Michael Baker International, Transtech Engineers, Inc., and Willdan
Engineering); Seven Construction Management and Inspection Firms (Annealta Group, NV5, Inc., SA Associates, Transtech Engineers, Inc., Michael Baker International, RTI Consulting Inc, and Willdan Engineering); and Six Geotechnical Engineering and Material Testing Firms (Geo -Advantec, Inc., Geocon West, Inc., NCE, Ninyo & Moore, Tetra Tech, and Terracon Consultants, Inc.); and (2) Approval of Amendments to Existing On -Call Professional Services Agreements with GHD, Wallace & Associates Consulting, Inc., and Advantec through June 30, 2024 for Completion of Existing Projects
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE ON-CALL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS WITH THE
FOLLOWING FIRMS TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, FROM JULY 1, 2023 TO JUNE 30, 2028, WITH COMPENSATION
FOR ON-CALL SERVICES TO BE DETERMINED ON A TASK BY TASK BASIS
AND BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL WHEN EXCEEDING THE
PURCHASING AUTHORITY:
a) GENERAL CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES FIRMS (14):
KOA CORPORATION, KPFF, INC., NV5, INC., CHRIS NELSON &
ASSOCIATES, INC., CWE, RTI CONSULTING INC., WILLDAN ENGINEERING, KIMLEY-HORN, ASSOCIATES, INC., TOOL DESIGN GROUP, LLC, TRANSTECH ENGINEERS, INC., JOHN M. CRUIKSHANK CONSULTANTS, INC., KRUEZER CONSULTING GROUP, NCE, AND KABBARA ENGINEERING.
b) TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SERVICES FIRMS (7):
ALTA PLANNING & DESIGN, INTERWEST, KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC., KOA CORPORATION, MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL, TRANSTECH ENGINEERS, INC., WILLDAN ENGINEERING.
c) CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES FIRMS (7):
ANNEALTA GROUP, NV5, INC., SA ASSOCIATES, TRANSTECH ENGINEERS, INC., MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL, RTI CONSULTING INC., WILLDAN ENGINEERING.
d) GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIAL TESTING SERVICES FIRMS (6): GEO-ADVANTEC, INC., GEOCON WEST, INC., NCE, NINYO & MOORE, TETRA TECH TERRACON CONSULTANTS, INC.; AND,
July 10, 2023
12 2. APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING ON-CALL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS WITH GHD, WALLACE & ASSOCIATES CONSULTING, INC., AND ADVANTEC THROUGH JUNE 30, 2024 FOR COMPLETION OF EXISTING PROJECTS; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-4
CC - Receipt and Filing of Measure CC and Measure C Sales Tax Status Reports (FY2022-2023, Second Quarter) and Real Property Transfer Tax Status Report (FY2022 -2023, Third Quarter), as Approved by the Finance Advisory Committee
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: RECEIVE AND FILE THE MEASURE CC, C, AND REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX STATUS REPORTS.
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Item C-5
CC - Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with SCS Engineers for Refuse Rate Study Services in an Amount Not -to- Exceed $62,000
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH SCS ENGINEERS
FOR REFUSE RATE STUDY SERVICES, IN AN AMOUNT NOT -TO-EXCEED $62,000; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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July 10, 2023
13 Item C-6
CC - (1) Approval of a One -Year Agreement with TruePoint Solutions for Software Licensing, System Implementation and Integration of an Electronic Document Review Cloud-Based System Named DigEPlan to Accela Civic Platform, the City’s Enterprise Permitting/Code Enforcement Tracking Systems, in an Amount Not- to-Exceed $90,000; and (2) Authorization to the City Manager to Extend the Agreement for Four Additional One-Year Periods
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A ONE-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH TRUEPOINT SOLUTIONS FOR
SOFTWARE LICENSING AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT AND
INTEGRATE DIGEPLAN, AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT REVIEW CLOUD -BASED SYSTEM, TO ACCELA CIVIC PLATFORM, THE CITY’S ENTERPRISE
PERMITTING/CODE ENFORCEMENT TRACKING SYSTEMS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT- TO-EXCEED $90,000; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE FOUR ADDITIONAL ONE -
YEAR EXTENSIONS FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
4. AUTHORIZE THE C ITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-7
CC - Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Revised Salary Schedule for City Employees Effective Retroactive to July 1, 2023
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REVISED
SALARY SCHEDULE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE RETROACTIVE TO JULY 1, 2023
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July 10, 2023
14 Item C-8
CC - Approval of a Purchase Order with Beam Global for One Solar-Powered EV Charger in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $92,517
Responding to inquiry, Allison Cohen, Fleet Services Manager, indicated that the rate was standard for an off-the-grid solar panel charger, and noted that the inability to negotiate a contract through the GSA (Governmental Services Authority) schedule.
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A PURCHASE ORDER WITH BEAM GLOBAL FOR THE PURCHASE OF ONE (1) SOLAR-POWERED EV CHARGER IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $92,517; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING OFFICER TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE ORDER ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-9
CC - Approval of a Two-Year Agreement with Bridgestone for the Lease of Transit Bus Tires in an Amount Not -to-Exceed
$290,161.08 ($105,513.12 Base Proposal Plus $158,269.68 for Three Optional Years and $26,378.28 in Contingency Authority)
Responding to inquiry, Allison C ohen, Fleet Services Manager, clarified that while it seemed counter-intuitive, money is saved by leasing the tires due to the amount of wear and tear.
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE
OPERATION, LLC FOR THE LEASE OF TRANSIT BUS TIRES IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $105,513.12; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE THREE ADDITIONAL ONE - YEAR OPTIONS IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $158,269.68; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE TO THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE AMENDMENT(S) TO THE
AGREEMENT FOR UNANTICIPATED COSTS UP TO A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $26,378.28; AND,
July 10, 2023
15 4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
5. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-10
CC - Approval of an Agreement with American Restore in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $196,425 to Install Concrete Overlay on the Existing Transfer Station Tipping Floor
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN RESTORE TO INSTALL A
CONCRETE OVERLAY ON THE TRANSFER STATION FLOOR, IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $196,425; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-11
CC - Approval of an Agreement with Trillium Transportation Fuels, LLC for the Provision of Renewable Compressed Natural Gas (RNG) and the Management of Associated Environmental Attributes for a Two-Year Period with Three One-Year Extension Options
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A TWO -YEAR AGREEMENT WITH TRILLIUM TRANSPORTATION
FUELS, LLC FOR THE PROVISION OF RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS (RNG) AND THE MANAGEMENT OF ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL ATTRIBUTES; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE THREE ADDITIONAL ONE- YEAR OPTIONS; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
July 10, 2023
16 4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-12
CC - Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with Sapphos Environmental, Inc. for Environmental and Permitting Services for Syd Kronenthal Park Stormwater Project in an Amount Not-to- Exceed $129,030
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SE RVICES AGREEMENT WITH SAPPHOS ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND PERMITTING SERVICES
FOR SYD KRONENTHAL PARK STORMWATER PROJECT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT - TO-EXCEED $129,030; AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-13
CC - Approval of a Three-Year Professional Services Agreement with Third-Party Administrator (TPA), InterCare, to Manage the City’s Worker’s Compensation Program (Year 1 - $451,275, Year 2 - $457,043, and Year 3 - $470,709), with the Option to Extend the Agreement an Additional Two Years
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. APPROVE A THREE -YEAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, INTERCARE, TO MANAGE THE CITY’S WORKER’S COMPENSATION PROGRAM (YEAR 1 - $451,275, YEAR 2 - $457,043, AND YEAR 3 - $470,709), WITH AN OPTION TO EXTEND FOR TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS;
2. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY AGREEMENTS; AND,
July 10, 2023
17 3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-14
CC - (1) Waiver of Competitive Bidding Procedures Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.075.F.3; and (2) Approval of a Five -Year Professional Services Agreement with Hinderliter, de Llamas and Associates for Sales, Use, and Transactions Economic Analysis/Forecasting and Related Services
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO CULVER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3.07.075.F.3; AND,
2. APPROVE A FIVE -YEAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
HINDERLITER, DE LLAMAS AND ASSOCIATES (HDL) FOR SALES, USE, AND
TRANSACTIONS TAX ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, FORECASTING, AUDITING AND RELATED ON-CALL SERVICES; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND
4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Item C-15
CC:SA - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Waiver of Competitive Bidding Procedures Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section
3.07.075.F.3; and (2) Approval of a Five -Year Professional Services Agreement with HdL Coren & Cone for Property Tax Management Services, Proper ty Tax Information and Audit Services, Measure RE Real Estate Property Transfer Tax Audit Services, and On-Call Consultation Services
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Kelli Estes noted that her comments also applied to Item C-14; expressed concern with the number of contracts that the City July 10, 2023
18 waives competitive bidding procedures for; she acknowledged that RPFs were time consuming; expressed concern with RFPs that are conducted a nd ignored; and she felt it was wrong to waive competitive bidding procedures for a five year contract.
Vice Mayor McMorrin noted the existing relationship and reasonable price , and questioned whether there would be an opportunity to hear from others when the contract is up in five years.
Lisa Sogher, Chief Finance Officer, noted the general practice of going out to bid; indicated that the agreement had been adopted in parts; discussed measuring and auditing Measure RE results; efforts to streamline two contracts tog ether for the same services; the limited number of companies with longstanding history in the specific type of services being used; informal quotes received; agreements with other companies; and the intent to go out to bid in five years with City Council direction.
THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO CULVER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3.07.075.F.3; AND,
2. APPROVE A FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HDL
COREN & COEN FOR PROPERTY TAX MANAGEMENT SERVICES, PROPERTY TAX
INFORMATION AND AUDIT SERVICES, MEASURE RE REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX AUDIT SERVICES, AND ON-CALL CONSULTATION SERVICES; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MA NAGER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that sound issues were being experienced with Council Member Eriksson and the issue was resolved quickly.
MOVED BY MAYOR VERA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMEBR ERIKSSON AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE ITEM S C-1 THROUGH C-15.
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July 10, 2023
19 Public Hearings
Item PH-1
CC - (1) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Waiver of Formal Bid Procedures and Award of a Contract with Esplanade General Contractors in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $78,574 to Construct Two City Hall Offices; and (2) Authorization to the Public Works Director/City Engineer to Approve Amendment(s) to the Contract to Cover Contingencies in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $10,000
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
ERIKSSON AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE
AND FILE THE AFFIDAVITS OF PUBLICATION AND POSTING OF NOTICES
AND CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE POSTING OF PUBLIC NOTICE.
Joe Susca, Public Works Senior Management Analyst, provided a summary of the material of record.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding clarification that there are no empty City offices at the present time; prioritization of needs; inclusion of the item in the current Capital Improvement budget; meeting the need for office space to accommodate increased staffing; and impacts to existing staff.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PUZA
AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, reported that no requests to speak had been received.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PUZA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN
AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding previous c onversation about renting out empty space , and accommodating senior-level employees.
MOVED BY MAYOR VERA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
July 10, 2023
20 1. WAIVE FORMAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURES, PURSUANT TO CCMC SECTION 3.07.090.E, AND AWARD A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH ESPLANADE GENERAL CONTRACTORS IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $78,574
TO BUILD TWO NEW OFFICES AT CITY HALL (REQUIRES A FOUR -FIFTHS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE); AND,
2. AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER TO APPROVE
AMENDMENTS TO THE ESPLANADE GENERAL CONTRACTORS CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $10,000 TO COVER CONTINGENCIES; AND,
3. AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW/PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS; AND,
4. AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAG ER TO EXECUTE SUCH DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
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Action Items
Item A-1
CC - (1) Discussion and Direction Regarding Potential Extension of the Rent Registration Deadline by 90 Days from its Original Deadline of July 31, 2023 to October 29, 2023; (2) Direction to Staff to Return to Council with a Report on the Feasibility of Updating the Required Information Property Owners Must Submit to Comply with the Rent Registration Requirements of Culver City Municipal Code Section 15.09.230; and (3) Other Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate
Tevis Barnes, Housing and Human Services Directo r, introduced the item.
Shannon Louis, Rent Stabilization Coor dinator, provided a presentation on the rent registration process and background on the program; discussed current provisions and requirements; information collected during annual registration; and
recommendations.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding participating landlords; enforcement; delinquency notice; late fees; requirements that the landlord update information when rents increase or there is tenant turnover; email notifications; and clarification that there had been no complaints of harm to or harassment of landlords reported.
July 10, 2023
21 Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
David Metzler expressed confusion as to why the item was on the agenda; discussed public information available; he hoped the program would continue; and he wanted to do business in a town that is fair and open about what the rules are.
Stephen Jones thanked staff for the quick and informative presentation; noted the importance of regular collection of rent information to enforce rent control; discussed the outcry about making owner names public; information available through other sources; delinquent landlords who never registe red with the City; failure of the Mayor to register his rental units; those who do not want their rental price history made public because it gives more power to the tenants; and he asked that an extension not be granted.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the need for further evaluation of the Mayor’s rental units before staff provides direction on how to proceed; discussion of a personal situation in a public meeting; and the fact that the matter is being addressed.
Ron Bassilian with one minute ceded by Richard Glaser, discussed the ccrentals.com website that aggregated landlord information and published it on the internet; the inability to redact information from a public records search; use of information to single-out and harass landlords; parity and knowledge between landlords and tenants; Zillow; hit pieces against landlords and Council Members; repeated vandalism; whether enforcement is necessary; the fact that Los Angeles has no registry; the need for proper outreach to landlords; playing a constructive role; and providing a rent control program that works properly for everyone.
Mary Daval asked that the rental registration deadline not be extended; indicated being neither a landlord nor a renter; noted the availability of information to the public; lack of evidence to support claims made; the importance of protecting renters; lack of meaningful progress in providing affordable housing units; she asserted that given the number of issues staff has to deal with, the issue should not be prioritized; and she felt that if study was necessary it could be done while the Rental Registry is in progress.
July 10, 2023
22 Jeff Schwartz discussed Mr. Vera’s request for special treatment from the City Attorney; felt that he should not be on the dais during discussion of the Item as he is a non-compliant landlord with a personal interest in the outcome; discussed the
determination of the City Attorney regarding claims that former Mayor Daniel Lee had an interest as he was a renter; self - serving hypocrisy; and he asked the Mayor and the City Attorney to address the issue.
Heather Baker, City Attorney, indicated that Mayor Vera had not requested special treatment; stated that the potential conflict of interest had been evaluated previously when there were other landlords on the City Council; discussed application of the Public Generally exception; legal requirements; and she indicated that it was up to the Mayor on whether he wanted to recuse himself to address the perception of bias.
Mayor Vera agreed to recuse himself from the meeting to alleviate any perception of bias and he turned the meeting over to the Vice Mayor.
Mayor Vera exited the dais.
Kelli Estes reported being a landlord in the City since 1986; discussed data contained in the City registry available to the public vs. on the privately run website; removal of the link from the City website; intended use of the data; she asserted that there was no value to the registry and she urged the City Council to remove it; stated that the registry added to friction; and commented on renters who do not want others to know what they pay.
Melissa Sanders did not want to see the City hand over data to private citizens; asserted that there was no benefit to sharing personal information; reported issues with the system; discussed misdirected email; the need for Council Member Puza to recuse himself as a renter; and she stated that if personal information is available to the public, they should have to research it rather than having the City provide it.
Jeanne Black stated that the issue is availability of personal information of the landlords and extending the Rental Registry deadline was not relevant; discussed increasing numbers of rent- burdened individuals in the City; the importance of collecting actual rental price information on an annual basis to enforce the Rent Control ordinance; asking price vs. actual rental prices; benefits to having the rental information available to July 10, 2023
23 renters; discouraging landlords from charging the maximum rent the market can bear; and she asked that annual collection of rental information not be rolled back.
Max Sherman , Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA), urged the City Council to roll back the deadline for Rental Registration to allow time for the City to properly address the release of sensitive information; discussed putting in an exemption under the Public Records Act; and he felt that information should be considered similar to taxpayer information which is not disclosed to the public.
Disa Lindgren noted that th e information was not private; discussed compliance with Rent Control and tenant protection laws; making the registry more robust in order to promote housing stability; availability of the public information about landlords who are providing a public servi ce; making it more difficult for landlords to circumvent tenant protections; helping to level the playing field for renters in the community; responsibilities for those who choose to become landlords; reasonable requirements; the grace period allowed;
fearmongering; and she felt an extension was not needed.
Nancy Barba expressed appreciation to Mayor Vera for recusing himself; asked that the City Council not extend the deadline for registration; questioned the message being conveyed by granting an extension; discussed the power of objections from AAGLA and landlords; she felt that the City was not focusing on the right things; indicated that it was her third year
registering her rental unit and that it is easy and important; and she suggested that the City add a field to indicate whether there had been any change in tenancy.
Carrie Karney-Bassilian asserted that just because you become a landlord, you do not become a public entity; she discussed Government Code Section 11015.5; the need for respec t and understanding; use of information for a particular purpose; concern with aggregating and mapping information; scope of the registry; concern with a chilling effect moving forward; she felt it important to keep the information private ; and she asserted that information should be used for the sole purpose of ensuring compliance.
Travis Morgan expressed agreement that , in general, the government should not have information on citizens; discussed information available about business owners; homeowners; protections in the state of California based on power dynamics; July 10, 2023
24 previous inability of employees to discuss their salarie s; trying to make the capitalist system more fair; and he expressed support for transparency which he did not feel trumped the private needs of the landlords.
Karim Sahli felt that landlords had plenty of time to register; he thanked the Mayor for stepping aside; and he wished the Mayor had recused himself when voting on his daughter’s pay raise.
Zach Bevington indicated being a landlord; felt that the City should have discussed issues with the older apartment owners before enacting rent control; discussed rent control in Santa Monica; running out the smaller landlords; and people wanting to buy their place to knock it down and build two a ffordable units while the rest are priced high.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding concern with owner-occupied buildings; loss of low-income owner- occupied housing in Santa Monica to predatory developers; the importance of being fair and balanced; corporate owners; allowing more time for staff to come up with something to provide owner-occupied buildings more personal safety against doxing; the inability to control what members of the public do when they submit a public records r equest; the inability of the City to ask what the information will be used for; additional research to see what information other cities are collecting and whether there are any other options for changing what information is collected; the ability of the p ublic to get the information; clarification that the Housing Office had not received any complaints; public comment expressing concern at a City Council meeting about the potential for backlash; clarification that there is nothing illegal about creation of a website by a member of the public; agreement that notification should have been placed on the City website about deactivation of the Rental Registry; increased transparency; the Rental Registry as being on the frontlines of preventing homelessness; allo wing stakeholders to identify shifts in housing trends, flag illegal rent increases , and/or identify bad actors; information available on the units; the practices of other cities; the growing trend; conversations at the state and federal level; assistance with dispute resolution; pay equity; declines in gender pay inequity with the availability of more information; levelling the playing field; good and bad tenants and landlords; appreciation for the good tenants and landlords; the symbiotic relationship; reliance on private capital to maintain housing at this time; landlord s as being small business owner s; providing training to landlords on how to run a small business; July 10, 2023
25 navigating rent control and tenant protections; understanding all that goes into being a landlord; enforcement; approval of a Rent Registry in Los Angeles; the failed lawsuit by AAGLA; feedback from people in Santa Monica who indicated no evidence of predatory developers taking advantage of the situation; lack of any evidence from CCPD that landlords have been targeted in the last year; readily available information on the internet; moving from personal anecdotes to the collection of data; insufficient need to postpone the deadline; and including more information in what is collected.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding updating information upon vacancy; time and effort required to be a small landlord; the value of information on pricing for available properties to renters; concern that the name of the landlord and empty units are not necessary to include; two people called out; ease of access to information; providing a barrier to doxing and harassment; fairness to the people who have already paid; and the number of landlords who have already paid.
Further information ensued between staff and Council Members regarding consistency of signups compared with last year; people who are waiting to find out what the City Council decides; appreciation for the community engagement; owners who use P ost Office Boxes or other mailing addresses if they live on site; percentage of residents who are landlords; community -impact; the significant percentage of residents who are renters in the City; research done in 2020 into information collected by other cities and outreach to property owners and tenants; changes since 2020; research into other cities; work with BAE Urban Economics; impacts of lifting the moratorium on landlords and tenants; clarification that the search function from the City site was deactivate d in response to City Council direction; clarification that no complaints were received, but one property owner made an inquiry; power dynamics; the voluntary tenant mediation board; the ability to be in the City and send children to Culver City schools hinging on the ability to pay the rent; the importance of having protections; people who got up and shared their trauma and their stories in order to enact the recent tenant protections policies; the failure of Measure B; community support for renters and tenants; publicly accessible information; power that is in play; the request from the people who supported Measure B to weaken transparency; the power of information; reasons why people do not support transparency; the request to agendize an Anti-Hate speaker series in January; unprecedented hate crimes in 2022; items that come forward July 10, 2023
26 quickly and items that are delayed; power structures ; people who feel like they are being attacked vs. those who are actually being attacked; those fearful of public information; putting information in a more usable place; demographics of renters; concern with the timing of weakening protections ; support of renters; the UCSF (University of California at San Francisco) study linking homelessness to the cost of housing; ensuring that the numbers of homeless do not increase; the need to do more to support neighbors; providing information to help renters make decisions; reflecting power in privilege in the way things are prioritized; the power of landlords in the community; and understanding the need to update information.
Council Member O’Brien moved to direct staff to return to the City Council with a report on the feasibility of updating required information property owners must submit to comply with rent registration requirements of Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 15.09.230 and look into what information can and should be released.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding information collected by other cities vs. what is released to the public; giving owner-occupied units a sense of not being doxed; lack of information required or supplied to determine whether units are owner-occupied; the request to staff to look at an issue that is not disclosed to the public; the ability of anyone to research information through the Assessor’s Office; business licenses as a mechanism to gain information; large projects that staff is working on; and concern that directing a study is not making good use of staff time.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON THAT THE CITY COUNCIL:
1. NOT EXTEND THE RENT REGISTRATION DEADLINE BY 90 DAYS FROM THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE OF JULY 31, 2023, TO OCTOBER 29, 2023; AND,
2. PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF TO REPORT BACK ON THE FEASIBILITY
OF UPDATING THE REQUIRED INFORMATION PROPERTY OWNERS MUST SUBMIT
TO COMPLY WITH THE RENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF CULVER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE (CCMC) SECTION 15.09.230 AND LOOK INTO WHAT INFORMATION CAN AND SHOULD BE RELEASED.
THE MOTION FAILED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: ERIKSSON, O’BRIEN
July 10, 2023
27 NOES: MCMORRIN, PUZA
RECUSED: VERA
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding increased engagement of tenants to determine how additional information helps keep people housed; respecting both landlords and tenants; appreciation for input; having more tools; important projects coming online for staff to prioritize; revisiting the issue of information collected while ensuring that tenants and renters are part of the conversation; and City Council consensus from Vice Mayor McMorrin and Council Members O’Brien and Puza to revisit the issue in nine months.
Mayor Vera returned to the dais.
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Item A-2
CC - (1) Creation of a City Council Ad Hoc General Plan Subcommittee; and (2) Appointment of Two City Council Members Thereto
Troy Evangelho, Advance Planning Manager, provided an overview of the staff report.
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Stephen Jones indicated being a Planning Commissioner, but speaking on behalf of himself; stated that the General Plan was a result of years of community engagement and public input; he felt that any new subcommittee providing input into the drafting should be open to the public with the opportunity for public comment at every meeting; and he felt that a Council Member with experience on the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) should be included on the subcommittee.
Jeff Schwartz was called to speak but did not answer.
Jeanne Black reported concerns about s lack of transparency with the General Plan and Housing Element ; noted that when she received a postcard about the General Plan, she did not understand what it meant; acknowledged that a great amount of work had been done, but noted that it had been done at the height of the pandemic; discussed the feeling from some people July 10, 2023
28 that the plan was released and fully formed without community input; she expressed support for formation of an ad hoc subcommittee that provides continuity by including a member who served on the GPAC during the planning process ; she felt that the subcommittee should deliberate in public; and she wanted to see previous mistakes avoided.
Disa Lindgren felt that the subcommittee should be public and include a Council Member who had previously served on the GPAC; discussed transparency; notification; and she wanted to see the public engaged and invested.
Nancy Barba asked the City Council to build upon the abundant public record of the GPAC; wanted to see one previously serving member appointed; discussed the multi-decade decision for th e City; the importance of holding discussion in an open and public forum; things outside of City control; and the importance of providing transparency for a better outcome.
Judy Sherman spoke on behalf of the Fox Hills Neighborhood Association Board requesting creation of an Ad Hoc General Plan Subcommittee to provide the opportunity to revise the plan; discussed decreasing the density designation in Fox Hills; concern with setting up Fox Hills to absorb the entire number of state -required housing units to be built; potential for development in other areas of the City; concern with fairness of putting the bulk of housing in Fox Hills; the 100 unit per acre designation; currently proposed developments next to each other in Fox Hills totaling over 600 units b efore the General Plan is even adopted; reflecting the City Council’s intention for building housing in an equitable fashion throughout the City; she wanted to see public meetings to allow for community input; and she acknowledged the work of Troy Evangelho.
Karim Sahli discussed the importance of doing the General Plan properly; providing transparency by making the meetings open to the public in a hybrid format; and allowing for equity.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the rules for whether ad hoc subcommittees are required to be public; the ability to make a determination about whether an ad hoc subcommittee is public or not; the task of the subcommittee to advise staff to get to the point where the draft General Plan can be released; extensive community outreach once the draft is created; the process; clarification that an ad hoc subcommittee is not subject to the Brown Act, but there is nothing to preclude it from having public meetings on occasion if they desire; July 10, 2023
29 suggestions on who would be best to serve; letting the subcommittee decide when public meetings are appropriate; creating a draft that will be supported by the Planning Commission and the City Council; things that have changed since the GPAC began; creating an effective subcommittee; the many different components of the General Plan; allowing the ad hoc subcommittee to have editing rights if needed; previous service of Council Members on the GPAC; things that could have been done better; the wide range of expertise and lived experience brought to the process; allowing for people with different opinions to be part of the process; those who have the privilege of serving; shifting community demographics; increasing effectiveness by hearing different lived experience ; democracy; the preference to allow meetings to be accessible; and allowing for diversity.
MOVED BY MAYOR VERA AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CREATE AN AD HOC GENERAL PLAN SUBCOMMITTEE; AND APPOINT COUNCIL MEMBERS PUZA AND O’BRIEN THERETO.
THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLOWING VOTE:
AYES: MCMORRIN, O’BRIEN, PUZA, VERA
NOES: ERIKSSON
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Item A-3
CC – (1) Discussion of the History of the Volunteer Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee; (2) Direction on Department Involvement in the Planning and Implementation of the Event; (3) Direction on Community Involvement in the Planning and Implementation of the event; and (4) Other Direction to City Manager as Desired
Adam Ferguson, Senior Management Analyst, provided a summary of the material of record.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding accommodating the committee in the portfolio; encouraging people to volunteer; frequency of meetings; reasons for the meeting schedule; combining the event with another Committee; the focus of the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee (EHRAC) ; and difficulty of accomplishing substantive engagement.
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
July 10, 2023
30 The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Disa Lindgren felt that the event was important; discussed the previous Committee and previous celebrations; youth
involvement; noted additional work to do to address issues of racism and educate the community; and she e xpressed hope that the City Council w ould direct staff to allow the event to be what is needed and deserved.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the important celebration for the City; issues that are still pertinent including racisim, ending poverty, and war; capacity of staff; community involvement; staff support for an official City appointed Committee; Brown Act rules; combining the Committee with another event; sharing resources; bringing people with common interests together; the job of the City Manager to determine how to allocate resources; logistics; appointments; concern that there has not been a robust programming effort; appreciation for the work put into the process; original formation of the Committee by active Black residents in the community; reduced numbers of Black people living in the City and in the region due to increased housing costs; systems that perpetuate discrimination; sys temic outcomes; racism; Dr.
Martin Luther King’s dream for liberation of the marginalized in the country; concern that the last event did not include a Black national anthem and lacked an education component outside of the reading; minimal participation by People of Color; a suggestion to engage the Black Student Union at the High School and encourage participation of other community organizations; the Artist Laureate Program; past, pre sent, and future perceptions about Culver City; the importance of formalizing the Committee; the need for increased engagement of young people; including art from local Black artists; having a timeline; contextualizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.;
maintaining a committee focused on the event; having a two day event with one day for service and one day for celebration; partnerships; collaboration between the Committee and the Special Events Manager to create a more cohesive project; formalization of the event; the need for more outreach to Black organizations; support for Gerald Rivers’ presentation; support for formation of a Brown Act body; whether to form a City Council subcommittee; clarification that the Committee would be an advisory committee for the ev ent put on through the P RCS department; number of members; intended goals of the
subcommittee; bylaws; term limits; and scope of service.
July 10, 2023
31 MOVED BY MAYOR VERA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON AND UMAMIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: CREATE AN OFFICIAL BROWN ACT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
CELEBRATION.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON, SECON DED BY MAYOR VERA AND UMAMIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: CREATE AN AD HOC MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. EVENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPOINT VICE MAYOR MCMORRIN AND COUNCIL MEMBER PUZA THERETO.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that the video for Webex was down noting that the meeting could still be watched through culvercity.org/agendas or on youtube.com
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Item A-4
CC – (1) Authorization to Prepare and Issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to Conduct an Economic Impact Study of a Potential Minimum Wage Ordinance on the City’s Economy; and (2) Direction to City Manager as Deemed Appropriate
Onyx Jones, Assistant City Manager , provided a summary of the material of record.
Vice Mayor McMorrin received clarification regarding the current minimum wage.
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Stephen Jones expressed appreciation for City Council
consideration of a minimum wage; he did no t feel that another economic study was needed; he suggested increasing the minimum wage to match that of West Hollywood and distributing the money allocated for a study to minimum wage workers; and he noted that workers needed the increase now.
Disa Lindgren echoed comments made by Stephen Jones; noted that minimum wage had been studied exhaustively; proposed following the example of West Hollywood; discussed staff time; expense involved with the study; cost to live on the westside; harm to businesses with staff turnover; impacts to services; and she asked that the City expeditiously agendize approval of
increasing the minimum wage to match that of West Hollywood.
July 10, 2023
32 Nancy Barba echoed previous comments; discussed the actions of West Hollywood; changing the minimum wage to meet the needs of people to live in their City; costs of the proposed economic impact study for the businesses; repeated studies that have shown that increasing the minimum wage does not harm businesses; and she urged the City Council to take steps to raise the minimum wage.
Candance Simmons indicated being a micro -business owner; expressed support for allowing small business owners to have a voice by conducting the study; discussed the difference between a minimum wage and a livin g wage; increasing wages based upon performance; she did not believe that small businesses should be treated like national chains; she noted that small businesses were still in recovery mode; discussed costs passed along to the community with increased wages; small businesses that have left Culver City; and she asserted that they should not be told to pay their fair share without a voice or seat at the table.
Maria Jacobo was called to speak but did not respond.
Jesse Nuñez wanted the RFP for the economic impact study to include direction to respondents and the winning bidder to consult with the Culver City Chamber of Commerce as one of the methods of engaging with the employers; discussed determining impacts of a minimum wage ordinance; and he indicated that the Culver City Chamber of Commerce was eager to work with whoever is selected.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff and for the public comment; wage justice; building an equitable society; increasing the minimum wage to keep Culver City competitive, reduce, income inequality, and stimulate economic growth; the importance of moving the item forward; differences between Culver City and other cities; concern with unintended consequences; enacting a blanket minimum wage vs. basing wages on the size of the business; gaging impacts to residents and businesses; tipped employees; impacts to salaried employees; the need for employers to adjust the pay scale to what goes on around them; impacts to the entire salary scale; businesses that moved out of West Hollywood due to the increase; paying what the work is worth and what they cannot afford; concern with fa iling working families in the City; policy failure; workers who keep the community going; extensive research that indicates significant increases to minimum wage have little, if any, impact to employer hiring decisions; July 10, 2023
33 benefits produced for workers, the community, and the economy; improving the outcomes of low wage workers and pull ing people out of poverty; paying police officers the same wage as Los Angeles; privilege and power; the opportunity to help people now; those falling into homelessness; making excuses not to help people; making choices to help people or not; tying minimum wages to Los Angeles; centering the needs of the most vulnerable community members; the choice on the agenda to approve a study or not; agendizing a conversation of tying the minimum wage to Los Angeles; the importance of paying people what they are worth and taking care of employees; and concern that not all
businesses can afford the increase.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN AND SECONDED BY MAYOR VERA THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PREPARE AND ISSUE A REQUEST
FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO CONDUCT AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF A POTENTIAL MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE ON THE CITY’S ECONOMY.
THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: O’BRIEN, PUZA, VERA
NOES: ERIKSSON, MCMORRIN
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Item A-5
CC – (1) Presentation by Staff on the MOVE Culver City Downtown Corridor (Downtown Corridor) Design Efforts; (2) Discussion and Direction Regarding Downtown Corridor Conceptual Plans; and (3) Direction to City Manager as Deemed Appropriate
Diana Chang, Chief Transportation Officer, provided a summary of the material of record.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the amount of time saved with the return to previous capacity levels; the expected return to previous levels; outreach; the CPAC; challenges with obtaining input from meaningful transit users due to the compressed timeline; removal of 1.55 bike lane miles as a result of the modifications; removal of curb extensions at three intersections; feasibi lity of adding a scrambler at the intersection of Washington and National; concern with introducing delay; number of times per hour traffic overflows onto Washington; lack of data regarding driveway usage; benchmarks for success; revamping the KPI (Key Pro gram Indicators) program; creating more defined matrices; reductions July 10, 2023
34 to curb extensions th at still end up providing a shorter distance between curbs; minor accidents in mixing zones; the loading zone in front of the Culver Hotel; frequency of bus trips; enforcement along the corridor; the amount of bus/bike lane being added; the protected bike lane on Adams; the recommended threshold for headways on shared bus/bike lanes; the Caltrans Award received for the Multi-Model Designation in 2022; time saved with Complete Streets; impacts on the traffic flow with changes to adjacent arterials; lack of a definitive analysis; and the common practice of people naturally finding the easiest way to get through.
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
David Metzler expressed support for the work of staff and appreciation for being included in the CPAC; discussed the unreasonably compressed timeline at the expense of public feedback; the meeting process; outreach; and insufficient time to review materials prior to meetings.
Stephen Jones discussed dangers to pedestrians trying to cross intersections; data indicating that drivers fail to look for pedestrians when turning right; increased pedestrian collisions in intersections that allow right turns on red; bulb -outs as helpful to those walking with young children; concern that safe pedestrian space is being removed from three intersections; redesign reducing public safety to score political points; gridlock and the hodgepodge of merging traffic; he stated that pedestrian fatalities were at an all-time high in 2022; and he asked for his kid’s sake, the City not make things any worse.
Bubba Fish was called to speak but did not respond.
Travis Morgan reported hitting a person while driving and making a right turn in a right turn lane; discussed process inequities; staff denial of the request of the BPAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee) to consider the item before it came to the City Council; he indicated that they had been waiting for six years and were still at 30% design for the Fox Hills project while the current design came forward within 2½ months; noted the finished project within 7 months as evidence that when the City Council has a will they can find the money; money attached to the project; money found for the downtown area that was not budgeted; and he asserted that the City needed to find money for other areas as well.
July 10, 2023
35 Mary Daval, Bike Culver City, discussed the mission of the organization; the bus priority lane through the downtown corridor that bicycles are legally allowed to use; she asserted that the lane was not a bike lane and definitely not a protected bike lane; she stated that language and infrastructure mattered; and she indicated that Bike Culver City would continue to refer to the lane as the bus lane and to fight for a safe, connected network of protected bike lanes for Culver City and the region.
Jeff Schwartz was called to speak but did not respond.
Melissa Sanders was happy to see a reimagining of MOVE Culver City; questioned whether there would be drop off areas in the downtown area; asked about a diagonal crossing; hoped there would be greenery added where possible; discussed art creating storm drain issues; and she was glad to see the project extended.
Disa Lindgren read a statement on behalf of Friends of Culver City indicating their concerns and the concerns of the Natural Resources Defense Council previously expressed at the April 24, 2023 City Council meeting; discussed the CEQA project; ensuring that a lead agency fully evaluates and mitigates environmental effects of a project with an Environmental Impact Report (EIR); objectively assessing claim s; climate impacts; dangers of serious injury or death; the re quirement that significant effects be disclosed; and she requested notice of any actions the City may take.
Caro Villain thanked staff for their efforts; was disappointed to see the curb extensions removed and the right turn lanes reappearing; reminded everyone that a bus/bike lane is not a bike lane; discussed delays to buses and dangers for cyclists; noted that a proper bike lane is safe for ages 8 to 80 years old regardless of ability; and commented on the urgency of providing people with alternative routes.
Jack Galanty was called to speak but did not respond.
Karim Sahli presented a graphic from the New York Times illustrating how dangerous the weather is becoming; he asserted that providing more space for cars would make things harder rather than making things faster; he felt that the project was dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians; discussed cities with less space that tried the bus/bike lanes and removed them because they were unsafe; forcing cars to merge back and forth from one to two lanes; exposure to lawsuits; CEQA; he asked that July 10, 2023
36 the City refuse the project; and he indicated that those who support the project would be considered climate deniers.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding CEQA evaluation; length of the process; type of analysis to be conducted; acknowledgement of the pressure being put on staff; the feeling that the process is being rushed and time should be taken to get it right; origin of the project in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan; Complete Streets; the different direction that things are going in; industry standards; increased usage in all categories with minimal impacts; the conceptual design; allowing right turn lanes; increasing cut - through traffic; support for a scrambler at Main Street; appreciation for the extension of the project and increased signage; concern with the safety features of the project; multiple studies in multiple cities that indicate that dedicated bus and bike lanes increase safety for al l users; positive impacts on businesses; community comment indicating that people moved to the City for the community building in downtown Culver City; connectivity; consistency with regional partners; the Olympics; making sure the best, most efficient mob ility plan possible is in place; and the feeling that the plan is not ready and staff should be allowed to be able to gather appropriate feedback.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding transit; extension of the lane; con sideration of prohibiting right on red turns and reduced speed limits in the project; making the shared bus/bike lane consistent; the dedicated bus lane in the shoulder; bus/bike conflicts; implementation of the first phase during the pandemic;
implementation of the second phase; Ballona Creek; support for extensions to other parts of the City; concern with sending people through neighborhoods; grants; evaluation of the project; community input; getting the project to the final stage; and moving forward.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the pilot project; making adjustments to the project; finding a balance; support for extending the bus lane to Fairfax; ensuring that there is a support for the bus system and transit riders; increasing mobility over time; the
importance of accepting compromise; allowing for comparable data by keeping the project as it is; and response to the survey.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding lack of public engagement due to the lateness of the July 10, 2023
37 hour; the shift away from the stated goals of the project; centering the needs of the people rather than listing
accomplishments; support for transit riders; demographics for the majority of transit riders; a ccomplishment of the stated goals of MOVE Culver City; prioritizing moving people over cars; data indicating increases to bus ridership, cycling activity, micro-mobility, and pedestrian activity; the award won by the City; concern with wasting community re sources; the fact that there are always resources to do the projects that the community wants to see; allocation of resources; spending on money for things that do not center people; the choice to not continue; making decisions that are not based upon data; the need to lead locally to combat the climate crisis; influencing neighbors to make positive changes; providing more options for people; adding safety and connectivity; the choice to roll back progress; concern with not prioritizing people who cannot af ford a car; centering cars as a message that a car is required to live in the community; money spent on studies and consultants to do the opposite of what the plans are; excuses made for not addressing plans for Fox Hills; induced demand; the need for political will and leadership; concern that centering cars was a mistake and would harm the community; consideration of children and the climate crisis; and not making the choice to move backward.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding addressing MOVE 1.0 and Fox Hills; prioritizing money to address the project; showing that when something is taken away somewhere it is replaced somewhere else; feedback in support of the project with modifications; extension of the corridor to Fairfax; the fragmented route; adding cohesiveness; grant money; committing to creating a safer Fox Hills; finding middle ground to find a true connected system; drop-off areas; addressing survey data; AB917; the need for enforcement ; and exploration of bike boxes along the corridor.
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER O’BRIEN AND SECONDED BY MAYOR VERA THAT THE CITY COUNCIL: DIRECT STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONCEPTUAL PLANS AND EXAMINE REDUCING SPEEDS BY 5 MILES PER
HOUR, THE FEASIBLITY OF NO RIGHT ON RED WHERE POSSIBLE , AND EXPLORATION OF BIKE BOXES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES: ERIKSSON, O’BRIEN, VERA
NOES: MCMORRIN, PUZA
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July 10, 2023
38 Public Comment – Items Not on the Agenda (Continued)
Mayor Vera invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal questioned how people would be able to share ideas and observations on what should be improved with the MOVE Culver City project.
Mayor Vera indicated willingness to meet with Ms. Neal to hear input.
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Items from Council Members
Council Member O’Brien wished everyone a n enjoyable five week recess from City Council meetings.
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Council Member Requests to Agendize Future Items
Vice Mayor McMorrin requested that the meeting be adjourned in memory of Jackie Mosher who was killed in a crosswalk last year and she received City Council consensus from Mayor Vera and Council Members O’Brien and Puza to agendize a discussion of tying the minimum wage to that of Los Angeles, consideration of a statement of support for writers and hotel workers on strike, and agendizing a conversation about having a recognition of the Assembly Majority Leader in the State of California , Isaac Bryan.
Council Member O’Brien received clarification from the City Attorney that there was no conflict regarding his service on the Legislative Policy and Platform Subcommittee.
Mayor Vera r equested that the meeting also be adjourned in memory of long-time CCUSD teacher Howard Seger.
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July 10, 2023
39 Adjournment
There being no further business , at 1:04 a.m., Tuesday, July 11, 2023, the City Council, Culver City Housing Authority Board, Culver City Parking Authority, Redevelopment Financing
Authority, and Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board adjourned in memory of Jackie Mosher and Howard Seger to a meeting to be held on August 14, 2023.
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Jeremy Bocchino
CITY CLERK of Culver City, California
EX-OFFICIO CLERK of the City Council and SECRETARY of the Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Redevelopment Financing Authority, Culver City Housing Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority, Culver City, California
ALBERT VERA
MAYOR of Culver City, California and CHAIR of the Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board,
Redevelopment Financing Authority, Culver City Housing
Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority
Date: _________________________