1 THESE MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVED BY THE
CULVER CITY
STANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE February 5, 2026
CULVER CITY STANDING 1:00 p.m.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
Mayor Puza called the special meeting of the Economic
Development Subcommittee of the City Council to order at 1:00 p.m. in the Patio Room at City Hall and via Webex.
Present: Freddy Puza, Mayor
Albert Vera, Council Member
Staff Present: Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development
Project Manager
Luis Gonzalez, Economic Development Project
Manager
Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager
Michelle Villongco, Associate Analyst
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Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Puza led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Public Comment for Items NOT On the Agenda
Mayor Puza invited public comment.
Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
2 Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, reported that no public comment had been received.
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Receipt of Correspondence
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, reported that no correspondence had been received.
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Order of the Agenda
No changes were made.
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Consent Calendar Items
Item C-1
Approval of the Minutes for the Standing Economic Development Subcommittee Meeting of January 8, 2026
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VERA, SECONDED BY MAYOR PUZA AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE STANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE
STANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY 8, 2026.
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Action Items
Item A-1
Review of Downtown Culver City Entertainment Zone Management Plan
Luis Gonzalez, Economic Development Project Manager, provided a summary of the material of record.
Mayor Puza invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the Committee:
Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
3 Darrel Menthe was looking forward to getting the program going; discussed engagement of a security company;
activations; stated that if the program did not work, they would not participate in further action; and noted other places where the program has been successful.
Discussion ensued between Mr. Menthe, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding a management plan; allocation of financial and logistical responsibilities; rules that make it clear that it is not a Bring Your Own Bottle situation; security; enforcement; limiting the program area; Media Park; training the public with consistent rules and signage; number of security guards and parking patrol officers; activation responsibilities; activations without street closure vs. those with street closure; discretion to address higher foot traffic; ability to address different scenarios; Culver City Police Department (CCPD) evaluation of Entertainment Zone applications to make a determination on the appropriate number of officers; increased charges and fees; making it clear that there is not an automatic Entertainment Zone for every event; understanding who is responsible for which events; the concert series; allowing the City Council to weigh in on which events would include an Entertainment Zone
depending on the budget; Chamber events; and independent event producers.
Additional discussion ensued between Mr. Menthe, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding events compatible with an Entertainment Zone activation; the incremental cost of adding an entertainment zone designation that may not be
significantly higher than existing expenses for certain events; the drone show; utilization of private security; using Long Beach as a model; customer engagement capacity near points of sale; potential adjustments to the management plan; possible changes to personnel requirements if the Car Show were to become an Entertainment Zone activation; the already larger-than-usual CCPD presence due to the event's extensive physical footprint; additional parking enforcement officers required with an Entertainment Zone; using private security to supplement existing personnel through an observe- and-report function; and varied deployment size depending on scale of the activation.
Further discussion ensued between Mr. Menthe, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding suggested language to indicate that the management plan include allowing staffing levels to Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
4 be adjusted as determined by the CCPD Chief to account for larger activations where standard staffing requirements may be insufficient; officers deployed at intersections focused on public safety rather than Entertainment Zone compliance; and the complementary role of private security.
Discussion ensued between Mr. Menthe, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding logistics and costs associated with branded cups and wristbands required for Entertainment Zone
compliance; state law prohibiting glass and metal containers and local ordinance prohibiting plastic, effectively
requiring the use of paper cups; experience from Third
Wednesday events; practicality for the DBA (Downtown Business Association) to purchase cups in bulk and distribute them to participating businesses rather than directing individual businesses to source compliant cups independently; the
nominal cost of wristbands; inclusion of the DBA's obligation to provide branded cups and wristbands in the management plan; and reimbursement of the DBA by event producers for the costs of cups and wristbands when activating the zone for events the DBA does not produce.
Darrel Menthe, DBA, clarified that they were not volunteering to absorb costs for events they do not produce noting that as the process matures it is likely to become more standardized, with a fixed cost structure and volunteer coordination.
Goran Eriksson questioned the incentive for an event producer such as The Exchange Club to activate an Entertainment Zone and incur the associated costs, given that entrance to the Car Show is free and revenue is derived from vendors and exhibitors.
Additional discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding remaining logistics to be determined as the program is implemented for the first time; anticipated benefit of increased foot traffic and event visibility; generating greater vendor and exhibitor revenue; uncertainty of the incentive structure for the first
activation cycle; and the ability to adjust or discontinue the program if it does not prove beneficial.
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Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
5 Item A-2
Discussion of Program Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements for Culver City Small Business Assistance Programs
Elizabeth Garcia, Economic Development Project Manager, provided an overview of the Elevate Culver City Technical Assistance and Advising Program; discussed the program
through a partnership with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Public Development; program components; a one thousand dollar grant from the City for implementation of recommendations provided through the advising process to participants who successfully complete the entire program; the application process; program requirements; required documentation; selection criteria; and the two-phased
response Jump Start Permit Reimbursement Program designed to support new businesses by reimbursing up to five thousand dollars in City permit fees.
Mahor Puza invited public participation.
The following member of the public addressed the
Subcommittee:
Goran Eriksson acknowledged the importance of economic
development in attracting and retaining businesses; discussed more impactful changes to address structural cost burdens faced by businesses; and he suggested that future City budget priorities focus on reducing the sales tax rate, lowering business license fees to be more competitive with surrounding cities, reducing trash and sewer fees, accelerating permit processing for routine applications, limiting the adoption of local regulations that exceed state or county requirements, improving traffic flow and parking conditions to attract customers, and supporting adequate staffing of CCPD and CCFD (Culver City Fire Department) to ensure a safe environment for customers and businesses.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding program eligibility, structure, and potential enhancements; revenue generated by non-profits; and an
important correction to the prior iteration of the program that inadvertently excluded not-for-profit in the list of eligible businesses.
Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
6 Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding efforts to help small business owners; lowering costs; the cumulative effect of implementing extra baggage for small businesses; eligibility to participate in the Elevate program; businesses more than two years old that may still be struggling and in need of assistance; the two- year threshold intended to address an incubator function; helping new businesses establish a foundation; value of the tools offered that can be equally valuable to businesses of any age; the possibility of broadening the eligibility
threshold; concern about the time commitment required by the program; challenges for active business owners, particularly those already struggling; the virtual format chosen to reduce barriers to attendance; participants permitted to miss one workshop and make up the content; commitment to the program as an indicator of a business's seriousness about improving operations; the free service being offered by the City; business retention; and the one thousand dollar completion grant as secondary to the value of the advising and structured business planning process.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding scope of the Jump Start Permit
Reimbursement Program; the program designed for new
businesses as a form of incubator support; a suggestion to expand the eligibility window to make the program more
inclusive; establishing a defined time limit from business license issuance; guardrails; setting the permit
reimbursement eligibility window at within three years of business license issuance; the possibility of creating a future supplemental program to assist businesses with costs associated with compliance with sustainability and single- use item regulations; misinformation; providing education to business owners; providing a reimbursement or transitional assistance program as local regulations sunset certain
materials and require the transition to compliant
alternatives; and concern about parking availability as a barrier to customer access.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding concerns raised by the public regarding structural business costs; the programs as a pilot effort and not intended to resolve all challenges facing local businesses; support for expanding the Elevate program to include businesses operating for up to five years; enthusiasm for a proposed separate sustainability assistance program and Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
7 education; exploring loan programs and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) partnerships as additional capital access tools for businesses; appreciation to staff for the work; compliance; reimbursement; and guardrails.
Subcommittee agreed-upon modifications included: not-for- profit organizations to be included as eligible businesses, expanding Elevate program eligibility to businesses that have operated in Culver City for less than five years, Jump Start Permit Reimbursement Program eligibility to be set at within three years of issuance of a Culver City business license, and a future agenda item to be brought forward regarding a sustainability assistance and reimbursement program.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding funding of programs in the midyear budget; the focus of the discussion on implementation guidelines; other cities that have engaged in similar programs; and evaluation of the programs with the ability to bring them back for revision if warranted.
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Item A-3
Consideration of Modification to the Special Events Grant Policy 2502
Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager, provided a summary of the material of record.
Discussion ensued between meeting attendees, staff, and Subcommittee Members regarding past practice to return unused grant funds allocated for City service fees to the Contingency Fund that has allowed additional events submitted off-cycle to be funded including the new Lunar New Year event; requiring a charitable organization to make a formal request vs.
automatically receiving remaining unused funds; establishing of a formal process demonstrating how the unused funds would be applied; addressing event producers that change the scope of what they applied for; current policy that affords the option to signature events only; and the question before the Subcommittee as to whether that option should be extended to charitable and community events.
Goran Eriksson provided historical context for the policy; Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
8 discussed the original intent to treat the Special Event Grant as an economic development tool with signature events
intended to draw visitors to the City and generate economic activity; smaller charitable and community events that
primarily serve local residents; intentional distinction between cash funding for signature events versus in-kind support for charitable events; significant internal debate about the tier structure; and he encouraged the Subcommittee to carefully evaluate the proposal to provide direct cash funding to charitable events, citing concerns about budget impact.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding multi-year events; including language to make it clear that funding is not guaranteed; efforts to provide certainty and streamline the process; in-kind costs; context on the growth of the Special Event Grant budget; a portion of the increase attributable to a four-and-a-half percent increase in City service fees; and the fact that virtually all grant funds for major signature events are consumed by CCPD and CCFD costs, with minimal remaining for cash reimbursement.
Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager, discussed
consideration of a similar multi-year process for the
Performing Arts Grant Program to reduce the burden on
recurring applicants.
Darrel Menthe, DBA, discussed year-over-year cost increases for a major signature event; cost increases attributable almost entirely to CCPD and CCFD expenses; indicated that the event is produced at no charge to attendees and generates direct community benefit; expressed strong support for the multi-year approval proposal; discussed the importance of predictability in funding for long-term event planning; the application submitted for the Tree Lighting event for the first time due to escalating costs; City sponsorship;
community benefit; and he noted that most small event
producers similarly allocate any cash reimbursement directly to production costs such as staging, bands, and lighting.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding increased grants; refunds to the
Contingency Fund; direct cash funding for charitable events; reservations about providing unrestricted cash to charitable organizations without adequate accountability mechanisms; Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
9 determining which events are signature and which are
charitable; establishing trust; permitting cash or
reimbursement funding for charitable events that have
produced their event for at least three consecutive years, subject to the Subcommittee's discretion and recommendation to City Council; support for a reimbursement-based model rather than direct cash, requiring event organizers to submit invoices for eligible expenditures; existing policy that requires measurable outcomes, after-action reports, and audit rights for large events; community partnership; event scope; concern with making things too easy; consideration by the full City Council; applying a similar reimbursement and documentation requirement to charitable events seeking cash access; the need for event producers to come up with a
fundraising strategy; and Subcommittee discretion for events to graduate to being signature events.
Subcommittee consensus was reached on the following:
• support for multi-year agreements of up to three years for signature events and high- impact events, with language specifying that funding is contingent upon annual budget appropriation
• direct cash reimbursement for signature events
• possible reimbursement for community and charitable events after an event has been produced for a minimum of three consecutive years, subject to Subcommittee recommendation and City Council approval
• Subcommittee discretion to classify events and determine eligibility for cash access on a case-by-case basis
• striking the twenty-five percent priority language from the policy and simplifying the tier structure to two categories:
charitable events and signature events.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding incorporation of Subcommittee direction into a formal staff report for consideration by the full City Council; agreement to include further discussion of Special Event Grant funding thresholds on a future Subcommittee meeting agenda; agreement to agendize a discussion of a sustainability grant program and a small business loan
program; and consideration of potential inclusion of a CDFI program.
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Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
10 Item A-4
Receive Updates on Upcoming City Produced and City Sponsored Special Events and Other Economic Development-Related
Programs
Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager, provided an update on upcoming City-produced and City-sponsored special events; discussed the Vibes After Five series; the Lunar New Year event scheduled for February 22; the return of the Marketplace event on April 18 in collaboration with Blooms on the Steps at City Hall; City-sponsored events including the Screenland 5K on March 1; a Book Festival presented by the Culver City Arts Foundation on March 29; the annual Culver City Education Foundation fundraiser on May 3; the Car Show on May 9; and the Summer Sunset Concert Series in the summer.
Discussion ensued between staff and Subcommittee Members regarding discussions underway on the feasibility of
implementing a Taste of Culver City event with a report to be brought back to the Subcommittee; pending approval of the City logo style guide; options for a small merchandise run to be sold at the Marketplace; future direction from the
Subcommittee on product selection; tentative plans being developed through the Olympic and Paralympic Games Ad Hoc Subcommittee for a series of FIFA World Cup public screening events to be held at Town Plaza, downtown, and Ivy Station; and consideration of a comprehensive work plan presented to the Subcommittee in April.
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Public Comment for Items NOT On the Agenda (Continued)
None.
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Items from Members/Staff
None.
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Standing Economic Development
Subcommittee of the City Council
February 5, 2026
11 Adjournment
There being no further business, at 2:14 p.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
___________________________________________________________ Freddy Puza
MAYOR, Economic Development Subcommittee of the City
Council Culver City, California