City of
Santa
Monica
Recreation and Parks Commission
April 20, 2023
Mayor and City Council Members City of
Santa Monica
1685 Main Street,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Recreation & Parks Commission Budget Proposal 2023 Letter Dear Mayor and Council Members,
The Recreation and Parks Commission studied the proposed budget allocations for Public Works at its meeting in April 2023. The commission is writing to City Council again, as permanent funding has not been allocated for the necessary annual turf sport field restorations.
The commission renews our support of Public Landscapes need for $84,756.00 for bare-bones maintenance proposed Public Works budget. Without the necessary maintenance, the field facilities and other popular park areas will be negatively affected in terms of condition, utility and safety, thereby hindering or removing community recreation programs that rely on maintained sports fields and the permit fee revenue generated by their use. Moreover, unmaintained fields will continue to deteriorate, requiring restoration which is far more expensive than continued maintenance. The "savings" purportedly created by not maintaining the fields and parks are thus illusory. The risks to safety and health created by eliminating the maintenance function must also be considered, along with the community upset created by such lack of care.
This certainly is not the time to cut maintenance and support of outdoor space which will result in long term damage, health, and safety concerns, and ignoring the desires and needs of the residents for our outdoor, extremely limited greenspace. 1685 Main Street, Room240, Santa Monica, CA 90401 • (310} 458-8310 • [email protected] santamonica.gov • (i) 0 @cityofsantamonica • 0 @santamonicacity
ATTACHMENT O
., 5/2412022 2
In addition to granting funding for the needed maintenance, although not directly or solely tied to field maintenance, Public Landscape's separate need for one additional team crew leader should be granted as well to assist with park maintenance.
Knowing it hasn't been an easy year, we especially appreciate the hard work that staff put into preparing the respective budgets and are particularly grateful to Rachel Young who provided valuable information about the role and needs of Public Landscape and how they relate to Recreation and Parks.
Respectfully,
Recreation
Chair
/ ··/···,
Maryanne
and Parks
LaGuardia,
Commission
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cc: Recreation and Parks Commission
Danielle Noble, Acting Director of Community Services
Jeanette Gant, Community Recreation Manager
David White, City Manager
ATTACHMENT O
1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 • (310) 458-8411 • [email protected] santamonica.gov • @cityofsantamonica • @santamonicacity Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
Santa Monica City Council
1685 Main St,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: City Council Meeting May 23, 2023; Agenda Item No. 7A regarding the City budget.
Honorable Councilmembers,
Item 7A on your agenda is a discussion regarding the City’s budget for the next fiscal term.
Given the City’s numerous priorities and limited resources, we understand that finalizing this City’s budget will be no simple task. However, it is essential for this City to provide the Planning Department the resources it needs to help us all build a stronger future for all residents.
The Planning Commission discussed and voted on recommendations which include the following priorities:
Right size the Planning Department: The City Planning Department needs a stable and appropriately sized workforce to complete its significant workload. This workload includes creating critical land use planning documents such as the Local Coastal Program (LCP). The successful approval of the LCP will claw back some local land use control, while also streamlining the permit process. Speaking of Santa Monica’s economic recovery, the Planning Commission also recommends the retention of a full time economic development administrator. This position will focus on supporting existing and new businesses in the City and facilitate and coordinate opportunities for both public and private stakeholders to support the City’s ongoing economic recovery.
The end goal of both of these positions is to promote economic development urgently needed.
Promote public participation by allowing for remote public testimony: The pandemic presented numerous challenges for City governments. However, one positive aspect was the creation of remote public hearings. This allowed a new, and for some easier, ITEM 7.A.
MAY 23, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
MAY 23, 2023
1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 • (310) 458-8411 • [email protected] santamonica.gov • @cityofsantamonica • @santamonicacity format for constituents to interact with City government. As we move past the pandemic, we should hold on to these good government practices which promote public participation and enhance the transparency of the planning process. We urge the Council to approve a budget that permits in person City Planning Commission meetings at City Hall while also accommodating remote testimony.
Landmarks Commission: The Planning Commission requests that the City Council reestablish the City of Santa Monica’s commitment to historic preservation. A key to that is to allow the Landmarks Commission to re-engage in the land use development process. Consistent with written recommendations provided to us at our public hearing by current Landmarks Commissioners, we urge the City to adopt a budget that allows for the following: (1) a return to monthly Landmarks Commission meetings; (2) restore Landmarks Commission authority to conduct preliminary reviews of demolition applications for structures over 40 years old; (3) retention of an experienced professional preservation planner; (4) provide fee subsidizes for landmark designation applicants; and (5) provide fee waivers to encourage designations by property owners (in particular, we urge the City Council to approve fee waivers for not-for-profit organizations).
We appreciate this opportunity to provide our recommendations and urge you to consider them closely.
Sincerely,
Jim Ries
Planning Commission, Chair
ITEM 7.A.
MAY 23, 2023
ITEM 7.A.
MAY 23, 2023
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Santa Monica
Public Library
Board
Judith Meister
Chair
Laurel Schmidt
Vice Chair
Dana Newman
Lucien
Plauzoles
June 20, 2023
Santa Monica City Hall
1685 Main Street, RM 209
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Dear Mayor Davis and City Councilmembers,
At the June 8, 2023, meeting of the Santa Monica Public Library Board, the Board members unanimously approved a motion to communicate the Board’s support for the proposed FY 2023-25 Biennial Budget for the Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) to the City Council. The proposed budget includes funds to add both permanent and asneeded staff to restore additional service hours at the locations currently open, including:
• Open the Main Library on Saturdays
• Open the Main Library earlier on Monday thru Thursday • Extend evening hours at Main Library, Montana and Pico branches.
The proposed additional funds will further progress in the key areas of focus since the pandemic: equitable and inclusive economic recovery through literacy, learning, and community engagement. These areas reflect the values and priorities the Council confirmed at the Budget Workshop in March 2023. The SMPL staff, under the direction of Director Erica Cuyugan, have been creative in achieving greater access for the community with limited resources. Over the past year, SMPL has re-purposed the Computer Commons to activating specific programming at the branches and reestablishing community partnerships, converted the Quiet Study Room into an active space of volunteer tutors and learners, and brought back service to all neighborhoods by opening the Fairview Branch with self-service. Programs and circulation are up and the visitors to the libraries have increased by 52 percent.
The Library Board is heartened by the Council’s response to the community’s request for more library services that is reflected in the proposed budget. We understand the financial issues facing the City as it recovers from the pandemic. We urge support for the proposed budget and encourage the Council to consider the restoration of full library service at all branches as funds become available in the future.
Sincerely,
Judith Meister
Chair, Santa Monica Public Library Board