1 THESE MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVED BY THE
CULVER CITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE April 19, 2023
CULVER CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 9:30 a.m.
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
Council Member Eriksson called the special meeting of the Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council to order at 9:30 a.m. in the Patio Room and via Webex.
Present: Albert Vera, Mayor*
Göran Eriksson, Council Member
*Mayor Vera joined the meeting at 9:32 a.m.
Staff Present: John Nachbar, City Manager
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development
Director
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development
Project Manager
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Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, discussed ground rules for the meeting.
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Pledge of Allegiance
Kevin Lachoff led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
2 Public Comment for Items NOT On the Agenda
Council Member Eriksson invited public comment.
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, reported that no public comment had been received.
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Receipt of Correspondence
No correspondence was received.
Mayor Vera joined the meeting.
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Information Items from Staff
Item I-1
Memorandum Regarding Action Items for April 19, 2023 Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting
Staff indicated that all of the discussion points for the meeting were available online.
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Consent Calendar
Item C-1
Approval of Minutes for the Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting of January 12, 2022
MOVED BY MAYOR VERA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF JANUARY 12, 2022.
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Order of the Agenda
No changes were made.
Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
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Action Items
Item A-1
Discussion Regarding the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Economic Development Work Program
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director,
presented the Economic Development Work Program; discussed changes in the division; staffing; and she noted key elements in the 2023-2024 Work Plan.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff and
Subcommittee Members regarding the Jefferson Hotel;
collaboration with the Downtown Business Association (DBA); and cross promotion with all agencies.
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Item A-2
Discussion Regarding the Request for Proposal (RFP) Responses for Kiosks
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director, provided background on the item; discussed the Request for Information (RFI); community outreach; Requests for Proposals (RFPs); indoor vs. outdoor kiosks; electric, solar, and battery powered kiosks; ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
compliance; flexibility; proprietary software; promotion of City messages; and the need for direction.
Council Member Eriksson invited public participation.
The following member of the public addressed the
Subcommittee:
Andrew Weissman, on behalf of IKE, discussed updates to the Ike kiosks since the previous presentation; additional cities where IKE is present; renewing the discussion of information kiosks; bikes, scooters, and concern voiced about cluttering the right of way; the emergency call button on the kiosk; and he congratulated Elaine Gerety Warner on her promotion.
Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
4 Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff and Subcommittee Members regarding support for providing a
useful resource to people visiting the City during the
Olympics; community outreach; previous presentations by IKE; reintroducing the technology; support for moving forward quickly; taking other companies into consideration; a
suggestion to invite companies to a community meeting where they make presentations; clarification that an RFI has been requested, not an RFP; the fact that the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee (EHRAC) wants kiosks; and next steps for the RFP process.
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Item A-3
Discussion Regarding the Status of Town Plaza Monument
Signage
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director, provided background on the request from Hackman Capital; presented images of proposed designs for monument signage at Town Plaza; discussed design refinements; improving public awareness for interior facing businesses; incorporating wayfinding
elements; maintenance; annual fees; license agreements; criteria; placement; implementation; responsibility for costs; City property; eligibility requirements; and the need for direction.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding wayfinding elements; City approval of a map for identification of public facilities; lighting; kiosks; vacant tenants; reliance on businesses to pay the fees; and digital signs.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding the number of spaces
available; static signage; adaptability; use of the backside of the sign; integration of augmented reality; digital vs. static signs; increased maintenance costs; concern with starting the process all over; digital signage that looks like regular signage; cost sharing; intent; providing
visibility for the businesses vs. advertising; staying the course with the monument signage; and staff agreement to do additional research on monument signage.
Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
5 o0o
Item A-4
Review Current Town Plaza Use Policy and Discussion of
Potential Amendments
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, provided background on the Town Plaza Use Policy; discussed implementation; activations; filming; events; staff
recommendations to clarify the intent of the policy;
restricting usage of vehicles near Public Art on the Plaza; adjustments to language regarding event categories; and changing the existing requirement for people to dismount their bicycles when entering Town Plaza due to difficulty of enforcement.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding the speed limit; language in the current rules; motorized vehicles; consistency; the experience at The Steps; the fire lane; the requirement to yield to pedestrians at all times; the need for updates to signage; the potential writer’s strike; protests; First Amendment provisions; negotiations between the Culver Studios and the Writer’s Guild; location of picketing; and making it clear what the rights of
protestors are.
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Item A-5
Discussion Regarding Designation of “Most Expensive City to do Business” Designation by Kosmont Report
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, discussed the Kosmont Report and variables.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding things beyond the control of the City; business license fees; average office rents; median home value; redevelopment efforts; minimum wage; the crime index; averages; the opportunity to affect change with the minimum wage; the need for City Council direction;
development fees; the desire for more housing in the City; costs per unit in fees; lack of density in Culver City vs. in Los Angeles; the need to look at items within the control of Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
6 the City Council; barriers to housing; the feeling that people listen to what Kosmont says; perceived impact and image; taxes and fees put on the ballot by the City Council; comparisons to other cities; direction to make the City Council aware of the weight of the report and the consulting firm; and concern with Culver City being singled out of the surrounding cities in an expensive region.
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Item A-6
Review and Discuss Vacancy Assessment and Sales Tax Revenues by District
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director,
discussed vacancy rates; neighboring cities; people still working from home and businesses as still being in recovery mode from the pandemic; sales tax revenue by major industry group; attracting businesses to the City; focusing on what can be done to create unique experiences and places; luring employees back to their offices; being competitive; the Fox Hills Initiative; allowing the private market to take the lead vs. the City; the General Plan Amendment; geo-sales data; and clarification that sales tax is generally back to pre- pandemic levels.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding appetite for Class A office space; tension between clients and the community; helping people understand that not all office space is built the same; significant vacancy that is hard to fill; older buildings that have not been updated; the need for higher density to attract new businesses; residential fees; encouragement to build in Culver City rather than in Los Angeles; a request that staff bring a report on fees to the next meeting;
entitlements; economic incentives; creating priority areas; vacancies in Fox Hills; long-term owners; competition between residential and office developers; construction costs;
inflation; and fee structures for residential.
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Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
7 Public Comment – Items NOT On The Agenda (Continued)
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, indicated that no requests for public comment had been
received.
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Items from Members/Staff
None.
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Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council
April 19, 2023
8 Adjournment
There being no further business, at 11:10 a.m., the Economic Development Subcommittee of the City Council adjourned its meeting.
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___________________________________________________________ Jeremy Bocchino
SECRETARY of the Culver City Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council Culver City, California
APPROVED
___________________________________________________________ Albert Vera
MAYOR, Economic Development Subcommittee of the City
Council Culver City, California