1 OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE CULVER CITY
STANDING MOBILITY SUBCOMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CULVER CITY February 24, 2026
STANDING MOBILITY SUBCOMMITTEE 6:00 p.m.
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
Mayor Puza called the special meeting of the Standing Mobility Subcommittee to order at 6:05 p.m. in the Dan Patacchia Meeting Room at City Hall.
Present: Freddy Puza, Mayor
Bubba Fish, Vice Mayor
Staff Present: Lisa Soghor, Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director
Andrew Maximous, Mobility and Traffic Engineering
Manager
Seth Contreras, Transportation and Mobility
Planning Manager
Mate Gaspar, Engineering Services Manager
Gabriel Barreras, Senior Planner
Henry Phipps, Senior Transportation Planner
Ryan Hund, Transportation Management Analyst
Alicia Ide, Public Works Senior Management
Analyst
Brent Arny, Police Department Lieutenant Special
Operations Bureau
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Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Puza led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Community Announcements from Members
None.
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Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
2 Information Items from Staff
Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director and Interim Chief
Transportation Officer, discussed a car vs. bicycle accident that happened at Overland and Sawtelle on December 4 2025; thanked CCPD (Culver City Police Department) for their detailed report; noted rules for pedestrians vs. rules for bicycles; he indicated that both parties declined to pursue legal action neither required transport to a hospital and there were no serious injuries to the individuals or their bicycle or vehicle; and reported no issues identified in the evaluation of the intersection from an engineering standpoint.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding standard reporting procedures and a resident request for a report to the Subcommittee.
Brent Arny, Lieutenant Special Operations Bureau CCPD, indicated that he had taken over for Lieutenant Caraballo; discussed traffic collision data; frequency of updates; changes to formatting; location of data provided; Senate Bill (SB) 720; and the red light camera program;
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding support for bringing changes to the red light camera program; the ability to generate funds; earmarking funds for safe streets projects; support for bringing the matter before the City Council as soon as possible; availability of people who worked on SB 720 available for assistance; annual data to be made available on the Mobility Subcommittee website; agreement to add biannual data; and a suggestion to create a dashboard with all the inform ation so that people do not have to go to different departments to get information.
Ryan Hund, Transportation Management Analyst, provided an update on Move Culver City 2.0 and discussed upcoming community meetings for the Sepulveda Connects project.
Gabriel Barreras, Senior Planner, provided an update on p arking maximums; discussed freeing up land for more efficient land uses; consideration of the proposal submitted; Walker Consultants; building off data from 2022-2023; development of a Best Management Practices guide to provide a framework for future decisions based on data collected in the past year from the housing and commercial pipeline reports; scope; the kickoff at the end of March; and the draft ordinance expected in August or September.
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
3 Andrew Maximous , Mobility and Traffic Engineering Manager, announced upcoming community meetings.
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Public Comment - Items NOT on the Agenda
Mayor Puza invited public comment.
Alicia Ide, Senior Management Analyst, read the Culver City statement on hate speech and decorum.
The following members of the public addressed the Subcommittee:
Monica Richardson was called to speak but was not present in person or online.
Salem Yemane discussed stress and difficulties created by the sudden removal of parking in the area under the 405 bridge without notice, and she reported that many others were having similar difficulties but were unable to attend the meeting.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding appreciation for the feedback; apologies for the inconveniences; staff agreement to conduct a parking demand study in the area and return at the next meeting; discussion of the item in 2025; the parking request for Sawtelle under the 405 freeway; consideration of parking designs; the area under the bridge as being under the purview of Caltrans; striping of the bike lane; the two step process; Caltrans consideration of changes; compliance; providing a revised striping plan; and staff agreement to provide updates and Caltrans contact information to the neighbors for direct communication to encourage them to do something.
Michael Koppy congratulated the City on single -stair reform efforts; expressed appreciation for book recommendations and asked that the information be repeated; discussed Mayor Puza’s response to comments about Culver City; concern with the length of time neighbors have been trying to get the parking under the 405 bridge returned; traffic backups; and he provided copies of the complete history of the changes and how things should be done.
David Coles expressed appreciation for the presentation on the collision; noted the language used; discussed language baked into car culture; use of the word accident; dehumanizing the situation for drivers and placing responsibility on the pedestrian or cyclist; impacts to how people think about traffic and safety; he repeated his previous request for a presentation from CCBus on Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
4 ridership data; proposed letting people weigh in on what is working well and what can be better; and he hoped that information would be coming forward as part of Item A-1 or A-2.
Mary Daval expressed appreciation for the hard work of staff; reported attending the installation of a ghost bike adjacent to Culver City; impacts of the loss; safe infrastructure installed on the street in 2017 in the area due to safety concerns and a lawsuit against Los Angeles; complaints by car drivers that resulted in the removal of the infrastructure that would keep people safe; the Culver City Vision Zero policy; achievement of Vision Zero in Hoboken, New Jersey for the past 8 years; and she requested sales tax data from areas where the streets have been changed.
Mayor Puza expressed appreciation for the work of staff.
Jack Galanty echoed appreciation for the work of staff and gratitude for the public outreach; discussed allowing people to speak and be heard; bicycle infrastructure; reduced rideability of bike lanes if a connected network is not provided; the importance of connecting the schools to work centers and jobs ; and he preferred use of the word infrastructure rather than bike lanes.
Marta Valdez expressed concern with wheelchair accessibility if changes are made to Overland; discussed ambulance access; people with mobility issues; Sepulveda Connects; concern with having to attend multiple meetings in order to see the whole project; and a request for more specific information provided in relation to project grants.
Travis Morgan reported that a neighbor was struck and critically injured at the intersection of Green Valley Circle and Buckingham; requested that Public Works consider a scramble intersection at that location as that would have prevented his neighbor from being struck; and he noted that the change would be a low -cost infrastructure improvement.
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Receive and File Correspondence
Alicia Ide, Senior Management Analyst, indicated that no correspondence specific to the agenda had been received.
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Consent Calendar Items
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
5 Item C-1
Approval of Minutes for the Standing Mobility Subcommittee Special Meeting on November 19, 2025
MOVED BY VICE MAYOR FISH, SECONDED BY MAYOR PUZA AND UNANIMOUSLY
CARRIED, THAT THE STANDING MOBILITY SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 2025.
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Action Items
Item A-1
Receive a Report and Discuss Development Impact – Mobility Improvement Fees Charged by the City
Lisa Soghor, Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), provided background on the Mobility Improvement Fees charged by Culver City; discussed City Council discretion on what to fund; achievement of high priority CIP (Capital Improvement Project) goals; benefits of having a large list; identification of matching funds and grants; finding out how to best serve immediate needs; concerns about things that got funded in the last round of funding; and items on the approved project list.
Alicia Ide, Senior Management Analyst , discussed the original impetus for the item.
Mayor Puza invited public input.
The following members of the public addressed the Subcommittee:
Travis Morgan wanted to see movement to get the traffic camera revenue into the fund as soon as possible.
Lisa Soghor, Assistant City Manager and CFO, indicated that the current fund is a separate development impact fee and ha s to be tracked and reported differently.
Jack Galanty wanted to see the use of funds prioritized for permanent infrastructure rather than pilot studies; discussed getting around the City in a way that is more visually appealing; community feedback that the flex bollards are annoying and confusing; prioritizing connecting bike networks; and using funding to supplement other projects.
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
6 Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding appreciation for the information; funding of Better Overland; total allocation; unallocated funds; Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan (BPAP) implementation; design of the Culver Gap Study; money allocated to support CCUSD (Culver City Unified School District); use of General Fund monies; and the requirement to deliver a structurally balanced budget.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding other mobility projects in the CIP process; specific funding related to development impact fees; competing demands on available funds; seeking grants to fund projects; phase- able projects; local return; using monies for matching funds; identification of top priority projects; using other people’s money first; staff direction to pursue every grant opportunity; staff time put into the pursuit of grants; opportunities to put in bike infrastructure each time a road is paved; understanding how projects are prioritized; the nexus study; matching grants; projects on the list that do not have funding identified yet; main criteria for Public Works; and prioritization of safety -related items and infrastructure.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding providing clarity about how money is spent;
clarification what is on the Mobility Fund list of projects adopted by the City Council in June of 2021; the nexus study prepared by Fehr and Peers; providing safer streets; eligible projects; other priorities; the new CIP process; City Attorney -approved eligible uses; eligibility of signal -related, transportation and bicycle and pedestrian related uses; spending funds in the way the community expects; changing habits and making it easier and safer for people to get around; looking at what is in the Municipal Code; interpretation of code language; aspirational items; the nexus study; City Council discretion; flexibility; reallocation of funding requiring a 4/5 vote of the City Council; currently allocated projects; and staff recommendations as part of the budget process.
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Item A-2
Receive Updates Regarding FY 2025-26 Mobility-Related Projects and Mobility-Related Projects Under Consideration for FY 2026-27
Andrew Maximous, Mobility and Traffic Engineering Manager, indicated giving the same presentation to BPAC; summarized current projects: including safety improvements with high friction surface Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
7 treatments, signalized intersection s, unsignalized intersection improvements, projects identified in the Local Road Safety Plan, the Robertson Complete Street Project, La Ballona Creek Bike Path improvements, Better Overland Project, Complete Streets Design Standards, Move Culver City easter n segment, Farragut Drive Bike Boulevard Project, and pedestrian/bike connection replacement s, Safer Fox Hills Project, I -405 Southbound Ramps at Sawtelle and Matteson Avenue, Tri -School Areas Mobility Study; Arts Distri ct Parking Study; B icycle & Pedestrian Action Plan (BPAP) implementation, Rancho Higuera Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan (NTMP) Phase Two, traffic signal battery backup system, traffic signal synchronization, east and west Washington traffic signal fiber optic upgrades, new parking meter installations, and daylighting red curb installations; and ensuring that investments work for the City.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding success in getting outside grants; efforts to minimize the amount of plastic installed; addressing impacts to the elderly and those with disabilities; providing gaps where there is metered parking; prioritization of projects; appreciation that the information is available to everyone and interested parties can subscribe to receive updates; Wesley and National; budget recommend ations; ensuring there is some reserve available to get things done; looking at ways to accelerate the process for the Culver to the Creek section of the Overland project; continued pursuit of funding; making it clear that the se projects are funded through grants and not the General Fund; Safer Fox Hills; accidents in the area; the Arts District Parking Study; meter rates; BPAP implementation; and examination of the feasibility of more than Class 2 lanes.
Henry Phipps, Senior Transportation Planner, provided an overview of current fiscal year project s and activities; discussed Transportation Demand Management (TDM); reactivation of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC); and learning from other cities.
Ryan Hund, Transportation Management Analyst, discussed the upcoming FIFA World Cup; coordination with LA Metro; regional coordination to provide transit service to the games; Games Enhanced Transit Service (GETS); reimbursement for expenses; coordination with Culver City Downtown hotels to advertise the service; upcoming projects in 2027; continued service
improvements; securing funding in advance; grants and external funding sources; bus replacement; the award from the Federal Transit Administration; plans to purchase new buses; timing to Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
8 receive the new buses; and continued pursuit of grant opportunities.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding the GETS route from the Transit Center at Fox Hills Mall to SoFi Stadium; grant opportunities; and introduction of electric charging infrastructure in the Transportation Yard in anticipation of using electric buses.
Henry Phipps, Senior Transportation Planner, provided an update on transportation projects funded through C alSTA (California State Transportation Agency); discussed the Jefferson Enhanced Transit Service (JETS); pilot program for micro-transit; grant for vehicle acquisition; providing more mobility options; project
implementation; community engagement to receive feedback; draft recommendations on how to use JETS funding; providing more frequent service; options for companies that provide micro-transit service; providing information that is public ly available; and guarding against bias by providing an even playing field.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding appreciation for the work done; JETS including vehicles, not physical improvements; funding for capital vehicle projects and operations; separate Move Culver City Jefferson Corridor project as not currently a priority; TDM policies; incentive structures; clarification that strategies have not been finalized yet; the Circulator; frequency issues; underutilization of the bus lane; the need for more frequent headways; diligent work being done to fill vacancies in the Transportation Department by Human Resources; the Renewable Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses; and the route for the Circulator.
Mate Gaspar, Engineering Services Manager, discussed the kickoff meeting for the feasibility study for a new pedestrian bridge over Ballona Creek at Ince ; private property owned by Redcar; new bicycle ramp; design consultant; presentation to the City Council; Ocean Drive sidewalk project extension; Ballona Creek greening project; review of plans by the Army Corps of Engineers; letter of support signed by Los Angeles county; hydraulic studies; National and Wesley project requested for 2026 -2027; Edison trans mission poles that block ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access; drainage; determining feasibility; construction costs; necessary removal of some parking with creation of sidewalk bulb outs around the poles; wish list projects to replace the Duquesne and Overland bridges; eligibility for Highway Bridge funding; the lengthy process; limited federal funding; and matching funding.
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
9 Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding connectivity to the school; the current difficult sharp turn to get on the Ballona Creek bridge near tri-schools; placement of signage for sharp and blind curves; review of quarterly county reports to determine whether maintenance is necessary to keep the bridges safe; improvements that could be made to Ballona Creek; lighting; ownership of the Creek; coordination with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District; unpaved alleys; justification for bridge replacement; ensuring structural integrity of the bridges; Better Overland Project; clarification that the Ince Bridge would serve bicycles and pedestrians and would connect with the Creek; ADA compliance; and funding.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding eligibility of the bridges for replacement 25 years ago; the timeframe for replacement; matching funds; Council Member design requests that delayed the Higuera Bridge project; length of time to work with Los Angeles County and the Army Corps of Engineers; length of time to secur e permits from regulatory agencies; the design process; relocation of utilities under the bridge; complications of bridge projects; required permits and studies; and length of time Higuera was closed.
Mayor Puza invited public input.
The following members of the public addressed the Subcommittee:
David Coles indicated speaking on behalf of himself; expressed appreciation to staff for their presentations and for their work; discussed the successful Robertson Project; improvements to the Inglewood and Washington intersection; uncontroversial projects; he suggested separating sidewalk replacement from the Farragut Bike Boulevard project to prioritize addressing sections without sidewalks; discussed addressing LPI (Leading Pedestrian Interval) intersections not on the list; support for expanding the elimination of slip lanes at additional locations; the need to prioritize pedestrian and bicycle safety; and he suggested outreach to CCUSD as they have no TDM plan.
Carolyn Libuser indicated speaking on her own behalf; discussed transparency with Phase One and Phase Two of Better Overland; difficulty making sense of the blueprints provided on the site; the raised bike lane as part of Phase Two; she stated that the community did not feel like it had been heard; felt that the grants received take on a life of their own; and she expressed concern with making traffic and intersection ratings worse by removing slip lanes.
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
10 Travis Morgan noted that Ballona Creek and the Baldwin Hills Overlook were being evaluated for consideration to be a coastal national park; encouraged Culver City to be proactive and express support for being a national park; discussed the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and cross -pollination across jurisdictions; wanted to get buses similar to what the J Line uses in Los Angeles; discussed Jefferson Enhanced Transit Service (JETS); requested a bus from the residential section in Fox Hills to the E Line; number of times projects go before the City Council before they are finally constructed; support for increasing efficiency by reev aluating the process for how projects get approved by the City Council ; phasing with Better Overland; approval of the design for Option B; and he suggested changes as an add on to Phase One.
Jack Galanty was called to speak but was not present in person or online.
Marta Valdez indicated that she had not been aware of the enormous amount of work done; proposed Town Hall meetings so that City Council meetings would not be so contentious; questioned what it would take to stop the Overland project; discussed reconstruction of the bridge; prioritizing addressing mud alleys by the school; fixing potholes that could cause injuries to those riding bikes; and she noted that the Public Works Director had been really good about addressing sidewalks.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding the potential for permeable surfaces for alleys; infiltration tests; determining suitability for pervious pavement; allowing rainwater to seep through; a stormwater presentation at the upcoming Standing Sustainability Subcommittee meeting; use of rolled curbs on the bike lanes on Better Overland; and stakeholder feedback against using plastic options.
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Public Comment for Items NOT on the Agenda (Continued)
Mayor Puza invited public participation.
Travis Morgan declined the option to speak.
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Items from Members/Staff
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
February 24, 2026
11 Alicia Ide, Senior Management Analyst, discussed potential meeting dates with staff and Subcommittee agreement to meet o n March 31 and May 12.
Vice Mayor Fish discussed feedback to reevaluate the ways and reasons things come before the City Council; the practices of other cities; the cost threshold for projects; and staff agreement to provide a report to the Subcommittee or to the full City Council.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding support for adding a scramble at the Buckingham and Green Valley intersection; Jackson Gate access issues; cargo bikes; relocation of one of the bollards; outdoor dining space; bike racks; ensuring ADA compliance with the installation of bike racks; the process to make requests; the need for sidewalk space on Main Street; KPIs for Public Works mentioned at the City Manager meeting; evaluation based on deaths and injuries; CIP s; monitoring PCI (Pavement Condition Index); reducing liability; increasing access ibility; support for segmenting Overland if results can be achieved sooner; project phasing; the process for programming LPIs; prioritization of pedestrian volumes; impacts on Level of Service (LOS) and traffic circulation; current installations; testing integration at intersections; deactivation of LPI for intersections with green arrows; analyzing conflicts; controller software; and work to make LPIs work on demand rather than having them work when no one is there.
Vice Mayor Fish reiterated his request to agendize consideration of determining what items go before the City Council.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding providing an update on the Buckingham/Green Valley scramble; the need for a discussion with Planning regarding the City Council request to consider a ban on drive throughs; the parking maximum discussion; the Move Culver City mid-pilot report; Sepulveda Connects; parking meter and parking lot fee increases; the Economic Development ’s Off-Street Parking Study; robot delivery regulations; AB (Assembly Bill) 1904 allowing buses to put Yield to This Bus signs on the back; and staff agreement to communicate with Santa Monica.
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